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THE ANIMALS OF THE WORLD.
BREHM'S
LIFE OF ANIMAL
A COMPLETE NATURAL HISTORY FOR POPULAR HOME
INSTRUCTION AND FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS
BY
DR. ALFRED EDMUND BREHM.
COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED WITH WOOD CUTS AND COLOR-PLATES BY FR. SPECHT, W. KUHNERT.
G. MUTZEL, R. KRETSCHMER, W. CAMPHAUSEN, L. BECKMANN. E SCHMIDT,
C. F. DEIKER, P. MEYERHEIM, ETC., ETC.
MAMMALIA.
JHT DOWN AND ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FUR THE USE OF ENGLISH READERS.
: :he Third German Edition as' edited by Prof. Dr. Pechuel-Loesche and Dr. William Haacke,
and revised and abridged by Prof. Richard Schmidtlein.
CHICAGO :
A. N. MARQUIS & COMPANY.
1896.
.right 1894 by A. N. Marquis & Co., Chicago.
1 right 1895 BV A N- Marquis & Co., Chicago
INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
^^REHM'S immortal book, "Life of Animals," is one of the most
fascinating works ever written upon natural history. The author
devoted his life to a study of animate nature, seeking out the
creatures in their wild state and making most intimate acquaint-
ance with their habits, traits and characteristics. Many years
were spent by him in the great forests, where he seemed to court
danger in order that he might arrive at knowledge of the truth.
The results of his studies and observations are shown in this mas-
terly production, which, while detailing all the facts essential to
scientific knowledge, clothes his narrative in descriptive details that
hold the attention of old and young as strongly as the most thrill-
ing romances.
The new and revised edition of this work, carefully corrected
and brought down by the scholarly Dr. William Haackc and Pro-
fessor Pechuel-Loesche, the latter no less distinguished as an ex-
plorer than as a naturalist, has passed under the hands of Richard
Schmidtlein, the celebrated German naturalist and author, who has
preserved in it all the rich and splendid material of the original,
but has omitted details and descriptions of a strictly scientific nature, the object being to furnish a
book for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Professor Schmidtlein, in his scholarly
and entertaining revision, made such changes as the progress of modern science demanded and per-
fected his work in a manner to call forth the highest praise from critics everywhere.
The present edition has been, translated from the German by linguists of distinction who have in
the happiest manner transferred to the English tongue the rich, exuberant and fascinating style of the
original ; while competent scholars have carefully revised the translation, making only such changes
as were calculated to bring it closer to the mind of the English reader. These changes are either inclosed
in brackets, or are set in smaller type than the body of the work. The short sketches introduced under the
pictures, independent of the text, are also the work of the American editors. This edition is, therefore,
practically a complete work brought down to date, containing substantial!}- all the matter to be found in
Brehm's "Life of Animals," adapted t© meet and reach the popular taste, and rendered into English in such
manner as to make it clear and intelligible to every one, the child as well as the adult, only those
animals being omitted which are little known and of interest to none but specialists.
The book is designed to meet in the highest degree a great popular need, technical terms and
long scientific descriptions being avoided, whenever possible, and it is invaluable as a work of reference
and of study. It not only contains narratives of Brehm's exciting personal experiences and observa-
tions in forest and field, but also those of all other leading naturalists and explorers of the world,
whose intimate touch with animate nature inspired them to speak in words that glow with interest and
that thrill the reader.
A most attractive feature of the present work is the superb illustrations, which include, with few
exceptions, all that are contained in Brehm's complete work, and also numerous additions designed and
executed at great expense and including the best efforts of the greatest artists in delineation of animal
life. The work of these distinguished artists, supplemented with faithful mechanical reproductions, has
resulted in the presentation of the various animals precisely as they appear in a state of nature, the
figures being of a size to enable the student to obtain a most accurate knowledge of each creature,
while parents and teachers can be assured that nothing is exaggerated, but that every detail is given
with absolute fidelity. Too frequently it is the case that children are shown mere caricatures of beasts
iv INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
and birds, executed without artistic sense and in entire ignorance of the structure of the animals. The
pictures in this work are faultless, all of them having been reproduced from living subjects and showing
the hand of the master in every line. No such extended and comprehensive system of illustration of'
animals was ever before undertaken and this feature of the work alone must make it invaluable to
every one who seeks acquaintance with those creatures, which, while they cannot speak, are so closely
connected with the life of Man, contributing in some part at least to his support, his enjoyment and
his amusement.
Interest in natural history is extending, as Man's scope of vision enlarges and he grasps more
firmly the thought that the lower animals enter so closely into his own life and form so important a
part in the great economy of nature. The great Scheitlin, as quoted by Brehm, has truly said, " The
brute's fate is like ours. It is oftentimes made to share Man's fate, or Man shares its fate ; it perishes
with him in fire and water and battle. It is a pity that Man forgets that the higher animals, at least,
know the difference between treatment that is good and treatment that is bad." Man is greatly in
debt to the humbler creatures, which' supply them with their flesh for food, their hide, their hair and
their horns. It has been truthfully claimed that Man could not live in comfort if deprived of the serv-
ice rendered by animals in life or death. They supply meat, milk, fat, perfumery, drugs, fur, wool,
feathers, ivory, bone and a thousand other useful and ornamental commodities. They are companions,
as the Dog, the Monkey and certain birds ; beasts of burden, as the Horse, Ass, Ox, Camel, Llama,
and afford endless sport and diversion for hunters, who, unfortunately, are too frequently cruel and
make unnecessary slaughter of the defenseless. The student finds in the successive steps of animal
life order and arrangement and takes delight in classifying the creatures according to their station, ob-
serving the points of difference, and determining the uses and adaptations of the individuals to their
environment.
Extending the thought of imparting facts to the youthful mind, it might be shown that seven ver-
tebras usually form the neck of the vertebrate animals, whether it be the Giraffe or the Mole ; but that
in the tail they vary from four to forty-six. It might also be shown that the muscles of animals sec
the bones in motion, and that these muscles form meat, which in certain animals is the food of Man
It is interesting to note that Man alone of all the mammals walks erect ; that the flight of swift birds
is far more rapid than that of the most fleet mammal ; and that the Bat cannot really fly because birds
alone can do this, but that they flutter in the air. Men who have not been taught to swim, the Man-
like Apes and the Baboons, are the only mammals which are unable to sustain themselves in water ;
while the Whale and the Sea-Lion, the Dugong and the Manatee, spend their entire lives in the sea.
Take the eye of the animal, which is the most expressive part of its face, and there can be seen in it
in many cases the character of its individual possessor, as the wicked eye of the Snake, the piercing
eye of the Eagle ; this being especially true among mammals, as the dull eye of the Cow, the mild
one of the Gazelle, the stupid ones of a Sheep, the false ones of a Wolf, etc.
Characteristics, traits, etc., are thus observable in all the creatures, from the highest to the lowest,
and may be pointed out, emphasized and indelibly impressed upon the mind of the young, especially
by aid of the incomparable pictures contained in this work. The advanced reader and student will
discover a complete and perfect system, extending from the highest Ape to the lowest creature, each
in its place and every one well defined and accurately described.
It will be seen that the creatures are distributed all over the world and that America contain? a
larger variety and more interesting types, especially of higher animals, than the other portions of the
globe. In the northern part are the Bison, the Prairie Dog and the Opossum, while in the southern
portion are prehensile-tailed Monkeys, Vampires, Peccaries, Llamas, Alpacas and various Edentata, that
are peculiar to these localities. In the representation of the various belts of earth the division made by
Wallace is followed in this work. It will be seen that, as a rule, the color of an animal corresponds
closely with its surroundings ; that the majority of mammals live in flocks, each having a leader, that
may be male or female ; that when awake most animals are employed in search for food ; that Birds
eat more than mammals and that the former are much more active than the latter.
The comprehensiveness and interest of the work must be discovered in a perusal of its pages, as
only brief and disconnected references have here been made as to its scope and general value. It
covers a field not hitherto occupied in this, country, embracing as it does the most thorough informa-
tion with most graphic narrative, the whole embellished by artistic illustrations which so faithfully por-
tray the lineaments of the animals as almost to make unnecessary the work of verbal description. Such
a work as this, within the mental grasp of all, must enter the home and the school and result in a
wide dissemination of additional knowledge concerning the beasts of the field, the birds of the air
and all manner of creeping things.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
MAMMALS.
Introductory Preface iii
Biographical Sketch of Dr. A. E. Brehm xii
Index to Text 601
Index to Illustrations 607
First Order:
PAGE
First Family : The Narrow-Nosed
Apes (Catarrh i it i) 8
man shaped apes ( Anlhropomorpha.)
I. — Genus: Gorillas [Gorilla) ... 9
Gorilla (C gina) 9
2. — Genus: Chimpanzees (Simla) . 16
Chimpanzee (.S". troglodytes) . 16
3. — Genus: Orang-utans (Pilhecus) 18
Orang-Utan (P. satyr us) ... 18
4. — Genus: Gibbons (Hylobates) . . 23
Siamang ( H. syndaclylus) . . 23
Hoolock (//. hulock) .... 23
Lar or White-handed Gibbon
(H.lar) 23
Ungko (H. raffiesii) 23
Wau-wau or Oa (H. variegatus) 23
dog-shaped monkeys (Cynopithecini).
5. — Genus : Slender or Sacred Monk-
eys (Semuopithecus) .... 25
Hoonuman (S. entellus) ... 25
Budeng (S. maurus) 27
6. — Genus : Proboscis Monkeys (-\'a
sails) 28
Proboscis Monkey or Kahau
(JV. larvatus) 28
7. — Genus : Thumbless Monkeys
(Colobus) 28
Guerezas (C. guereza) .... 28
Ursine Colobus ( C. in sinus) . 30
Black Colobus (C. sal anas) . . 30
8.— Genus: Gueuons: (Cercopithecus) 30
Green Monkey (C. sabcTus) . . 32
Diana Monkey (C. diaua) . . 34
Blue-faced Gueuon (C. cephus) 34
*Red or Patas Monkey (C. ruber) 34
*Sooty Mangabey (C. fulig-
inosus) 35
9. — Genus: Macaques (3facacus) . . 36
Common Macaque (31. cyno-
tno/gus) 36
Bhunder, or Rhesus Monkey
[31. rhesus) 38
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
*Bouuet Monkey (31. sinicus) 36
"Pig-tailed Macaques (M. ne-
mestrinus) 39
Magot or Barbary Ape (31. syl-
1.
White-Faced Capuchin (C. hy-
polencus) 58
"Green Capuchin (C. olivaceus) 5b
zanits) 39
10. — Genus : Baboons (Cynocephalus) 41
Black Baboon (C. niger) ... 43
Common Baboon (C. babuin) 44
Chacma Baboon (C. porcarius) 44
Sphinx (C. sphinx) 44
Hamadrvas or Sacred Baboon
(C. hamadryas) ."46
Gelada 3aboon (C.gelada) . . 48
Mandrill (C. mormon) .... 49
Drill (C. leucop/iceus) .... 49
Wanderoo (C. silcnus) .... 50
Second Family: American or Broad-
Xosed Monkeys. (P/atyrrhini) . . 50
PREHENSILE-TAILED MONKEYS (Cebida).
1. — Genus: Howlers (3[ycetes) . . . 5?
Aluate or Red Howler (31. sen-
iadus) 53
Caraya or Black Howler (31.
niger) 53
2. — Genus : Spider Monkeys (Ateles) 54
Coaita (A. paniscus) 55
Marimouda or Aru (A. beelze-
bulh) 55
Chatneck (A. pentadactylus) . 55
Miriki (A. hypoxanthus) ... 55
Gold- Faced Monkey (A. bait-
Mlii) 55
3. — Genus: Woolly Monkeys (Lago-
thrix) *: . 55
*Humboldt's Lagothrix Monk-
ey (L. humboldtii) .... 55
4. — Genus: Capuchins (Cebus) . . 56
Cai or Sai ( C capucinus) . . . 56
Apella or Brown Capuchiu
(C. apella) 57
""White-Bearded Capuchin (C.
leucogenys) 58
NON-PREHENSILE TAILED AMERICAN
monkeys (Pithecidcr)
5. — Genus : Sakis (Pithecia) .... 58
Cuxio (P. satanas) ..... 58
White-headed Saki (/'. leitco-
cephala) 58
*Hairy Saki (P. hlrsuta) ... 59
6.— Genus: Short-tailed Monkeys
(Brachyurus) 59
Black-headed Saki (B. melano-
ccphalus) 59
*Short-tailed Monkey (B. cal-
vus) 61
7- — Genus; Callithrix (Calllthrix) . 59
Widow Monkey (C. lugens) . 59
*I,ovely- Haired Monkey (C. per-
sonala) 61
S. — Genus: Saimaris(L7/r)w/'//r/.r) . 59
Squirrel Monkey (C. sciurea 1 . 60
9. — Genus: Owl Monkeys (Nyctlplth-
ecus) 60
Mirikiua Monkey (N. triver-
gatus) 61
Third Family : The Marmosets. (Arc-
lopitheci) 62
1. — Geuus : Marmosets (Hapale) . . 62
*Silky Tamarin (H. rosalla) . 62
Silver Monkey (H. argentata 1 62
Lion-like Monkey (H. leonina) 63
Silky Monkey (H . pygmaa) . 63
Common Marmosets (H. jac-
chus) 63.
Tufted Marmoset (H. penicil-
lata) 64
Pinche Marmoset (H. oedipus) 64
Golden Marmoset (H . chryso-
leucus) 64
Secoxd Order: THE HALF=MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS. Prosimii. 65.
First Family : The Lemurs (Lemur'
idee i 65
1. — Genus: Indris (Lichanotus). . . 67
Babacoto (L. brevicaudatus) . 67
2.— Genus: Makis (Lemur) .... 67
Ruffed Lemur (L. van'us) . . 67
Catta (L. catta) 67
Mougoo?e (L. mongoz). . . 67
Black Maki (L. macaco) . . 67
3. — Geuus: Loris (Slenops) .... 68
Slender Loris (S. gracilis). . . 68
Slow Loris (S. tardigradus). . 69
4.— Geuus: Gentle Lemurs (Hapa-
Icmur) 69
*Gray Lemur (H. griseus) . . 69
*Not mentioned in text except in description accompanying illustration.
5.— Genus: Prehensile-Handed Le-
mur iChiroga lens) 69
*Fork-Crowned Lemur (C. fur-
cifer) 69
6.— -Genus.: Large - Eared Makis
(Otolicnus) 70
Commou Galago (O. galago) . 71
Comba (O. agisymbanus). . . 71
7. — Genus: Stump- fingered Lemurs
(Perodicticus) 72
*Potto Lemur (P. potto) ... -2
8. — Genus: Bear-like Lemurs ( .
cebus) 72
*Angwantibo Lemur (A. calaba-
rensis) 72
9. — Genus : Dwarf Lemurs (Micro-
cebus) 73
*Little Galago Lemur (31. myox-
inus) 73
Second Family : The Tarsiers ( Tar-
sidcz) 72
1. — Genus: Tarsier (Tarsius) ... 72
Spectre Tarsier ( T. spectrum \. 72
Third Family : The Bare-flngered An-
imals (Leptodactyla) .... 73
1.— Genus: Queer-Handed Animals
1 Chiromys) ........ 73:
Aye-Aye (C. madagascariensis) 73,
TABLE OF CONTEXTS.
Third Order: THE WING=HANDED ANIMALS. Chiroptera,
. vison) . .164
3. — Genus: Gluttons ((?ulo) . . . . 166
Glutton ( (■. borcalis) 166
4. — Genus: Grisous ((,'alictis) . . . 168
Tyra (G\ bar bar a) 168
Grisou (G. vittata) 168
the badgers. (M elides) 16S
5. — Genus : Badgers (Meles) .... 168
Common Badger (71/. taxus) . 169
6. —Genus: New World Badgers
( '/'a.vidca) 171
American Badger ( T. Ameri-
cana) 171
Mexican Badger ( 7'. biiban-
dicri) 172
7. — Genus : Honey Badgers [Melli-
vora) 172
Ratel (flf. capensis) 172
Indian Ratel (31. indica). . . 173
8.— Genus : Stinking Badgers ( 3/y-
daus) 173
Teledu (31. meliceps) ... 173
9. — Genus : Skunks (3hphitis) . . 173
vSurilho (31. suffocans) . . . .174
Skunk (31. varians) 174
10. — Genus: Zorillas (Rhabdogale) . 175
Cape Zorilla (P. musielina) . 175
the otters. (Lutridir) 176
11. — Genus: Otters (Lutra) 176
Common Otter (L. vulgaris) . 176
American Otter (Z,. canaden-
sis) 179
Mexian Otter (L. calif ornica) . 179
Peruvian Otter (L.felina) . . 179
Brazilian Otter (L. brasi/ieuis) 179
12. — Genus: Sea Otters (Enhydris) . 179
Sea Otter'(£". lulris) 179
Fourth Family : The Hyaena Family
(Hyccnidcr) ' 182
1. — Genus : Hyaenas (Hycrna) . . .182
Spotted Hyaena (//. crocuta) . 184
Brown Hyasua (//. brunnea) . 1S5
Striped Hycena (H. striata) . 186
2. — Genus: Aard-Wolfs (Proleles) . 187
Aard-Wolf (/'. lalandii) ... 187
Fifth Family : The Dog: Family
(Canidcc) 1S7
18S
190
191
1. — Genus: Wolves (Canis) . . . .
Wolf (C. lupus)
Guara ( C. jubatus)
North American Wolf (C. occi-
denlalis)
Jackal Wolf (C. anthus) . . .
Striped Wolf (C. adust us) . .
Jackal (C. aureus)
*Cape JackalfC mesomclasi . .
Coyote (C. latrans)
Raccoon Dog f C. procyonoides).
Crab-eating Dog (C. cancri-
vorui 1
194
'94
196
196
196
197
198
198
198
199
200
200
203
204
206
domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) . 207
1. — Group: Greyhounds (C.f. g rajus).2 15
Greyhound 215
Greyhound of the Desert . . 216
*Seotch Greyhound 217
Italian Greyhound 217
African Naked Dog (C.f. afri-
cavus) 218
2. — Group: Mastiffs (C. fun. mo-
lossus) 218
Danish Dog 218
Aguara (C. vet u I us) . . .
1 1 ysen a Dog ( C. pictus) .
Kolsun (C. auknunensis)
Adjag (C. rutilans) . . .
Alpine Wolf (C. alpinus)
Dingo (C. dingo) . . . .
Pariah Dog
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
VI 1
PAGE
German Mastiff 218
Bulldog 220
Boxer 221
Pug 221
Dog of Tibet 221
3.— Group : Badger Dogs (Canis/am-
iliaris vertagus) 221
English Turnspit 222
Otter-Hound 222
4. — Group: Hounds (Can is /am. sa-
gax) 222
Pointers 223
*Retriever 220
German Bloodhound .... 224
Staghound 224
Foxhound 224
Beagle 224
5. — Group : Spaniels (Canis/am. ex-
I ran' us) 224
King Charles 225
Blenheim 225
Newfoundland 225
St. Bernard 226
Poodle 227
6. — Group: Terriers (Cam's /am.
grypktis) 229
Skye Terrier 229
7. — Group : Domestic Dogs Proper —
( Canis /amiliaris domesticus)22<)
Sheep dog 229
Spitz 230
Eskimo 230
THE FOXES 232
2. — Genus : Foxes ( Vitlpes) .... 232
Common Fox ( V. vulgaris) . . 232
Red Fox ( V./ulvus)) 237
Long-tailed Fox ( V. macrurus) 237
Kit Fox (F. zWo.tr) 238
Arctic Fox ( V. lagopus) . . . 238
Corsac ( V. corsac) 239
Fennec (V.zerdo) 240
Gray Fox — ( V. cinereo-argen-
tatus) 241
Coast Fox ( /'. littoralis) . . .243
3. — Genus : Long-eared Foxes (Oto-
cyon) 241
Long-eared Fox (O. megalotis) 241
Sixth Family:
dee)
Bear Family (Ursi-
243
THE LARGE bears (Ursinee) . 244
-Genus : Bears Proper (L'rsus) . 244
Brown Bear ( U. arctos) . . . 244
Barren Ground Bear ( U. rich-
ardsonii) 250
Grizzly Bear ( U. cinereus) . . 250
Cinnamon Bear (U. cinnamon-
ens) • .... 252
Black Bear ( U. americanus). . 252
PAGE
Black Himalayan Bear — ( U.
Torquatus) 253
Malayan Bear(i7. malayanus) 254
Polar Bear ( U. marilimus) . . 254
2. — Genus : Sloth Bears (Melursus) . 260
Sloth Bear (M. labiatus). . . . 260
cat-like bears (Ailurincr) . 264
3. — Genus : Cat-Pawed Bears (Ailur-
opus) 264
Ailuropus (A. melanolcncus) . 264
4. — Genus : Cat-Bears Proper (Ailu-
rus) 264
Panda (A./ulgcns) 264
5. — Genus: Binturongs (Arctitis) 264
Binturong (A. binturong) . . 264
the small bears (Procyouincr). 264
6. — Genus: Raccoons (Procyon) . .264
Raccoon (P. lolor) 264
Crab-eating Raccoon (P. cancri-
varus) 268
7. — Genus : Long-nosed Bears (JVa-
sua) 269
Coata (JV. ru/a) 269
Narica (Ar. narica) 270
8. — Genus: Kinkajous {Ccrcoleptes) 271
KinkajoufC caudivolttulus) . 271
9. — Genus : Cacomixles (Bassaris) . 272
Cacomixle (B. astuta) . . . .272
Firm Order: THE SEALS OR FIN- FOOTED ANIHALS. Pinniped ia. 273.
First Family : Ordinary Seals
idee) 275
I. — Genus: Common Seals (Phoca) 27S
Common Seal [P. vitulina) . 27S
Caspian Seal (P. caspica) . . . 278
Saddle-Back Seal (P. groen-
landica) 278
2. — Genus: Hooded Seals (Cysto-
phora) 279
page
Crested or Bladder-Nose Seal
(C. cristata) 279
3. — Genus: Elephant Seals (Macro-
rhinus) 279
Elephant Seal (M. icon in us) . 279
4. — Genus : Narrow-nosed Seals
[Stenorhynchus) 277
*Sea Leopard [S. leptonyx) . . 277
Monk Seal (S. albiventer) . . 278
Second Family : Walruses ( Triche-
chida) 282
Genus : Walruses ( Trichechus) . 282
Walrus ( T. rosmarus) .... 2S2
Third Family: Eared Seals (Otar-
iidce) 2S6
Genus : Eared Seals (Otaria)
Sea Lion (O. stcllcri) . . . . 2S6
Sea Bear : 10. ursina) . . . . 2S8
Southern Sea Lion (O.jubala) 288
Sixtb Order: THE INSECT-EATING ANIHALS. Insectivora. 289.
PAGE
Tirst Family: HedirHioirs (Erina-
ccidcT) 289
Genus: Hedgehogs (Erinaceus) . . . 2S9
Common Hedgehog (E.europ-
ceus) 290
SECOND family : Moles 1 Talpidee) . 294
1. — Genus: Moles [Talpa 1
Common Mole 1 f. europcea 1 . 295
2. — Genus: Shrew-Moles (Scalops) 295
American Mole (S. aquaticus) 295
Prairie Mole i.S'. argentatus) . 295
3.— Genus: Spade-footed Shrew-
Moles (Scapattus) .... 296
Hairy-tailed Mole {S. breweri) 296
Oregon Mole (S. tozvnsendi) . 296
4. — Genus: Star-Nosed Moles (Condy-
lura) 296
Star-Nosed Mole (C. cristata) . 296
Third Family; Tnpaias 1 Tupaiidce) 296
Genus: Tupaias 1 Tupaia) . . . 296
Tana 1 T. tana) 296
Fourth Family : Long-Legged Shrews
(Macroscelididce) 296
Genus : Elephant Shrews (Macros-
celides) 296
Elephant Shrew (M. typicus) . 296
Fifth Family: Spiny Hedgehogs
(Cenletidce) 297
Genus : Spiny Hedgehogs (Cen-
tetes) 297
Tanrec yC. ecaudatus) .... 297
Sixth Family: Shrews (Soricidce). 297
shrews proper (Soricinee) .... 299
1. — Genus: Shrews (Sorex) .... 299
Common Shrew (5". vulgaris) . 299
Broad-Nosed Shrew (S.platy-
rhinus 300
Marsh Shrew (S. paluslris) . . 302
Giant Shrew (S. bendiri) . . . 302
Dwarf Shrew \S. persouata) . . 302
2. — Genus: West Indian Shrews (Soi-
cuodott) 298
P&GE
Almiqui (S. cubanus) 29S
3. — Genus : Mole Shrews (B/arina) . 300
Short-tailed Mole Shrew (B.
brcvicauda) 300
4. —Genus: Field Shrews ( Crocidura) 302
Domestic Shrew (C. aranea) . 302
Etruscan Shrew((T. suaveolens) 302
5.— Genus: Water Shrews (Crosso-
pus) 302
Water Shrew ( C. /odiens) . . . 302
THE DES5IAXS I .l/j't^a/w^l 303
6. — Genus: Beaver Shrews (3fyo-
g"ie) 303
Almizilero (M. pyrenaica) . . 303
Desman (M. mosc/iala) ... . 303
7. — Genus : Neurotrichus (Neuro-
t rich us) 304
Neurotrichus {X. gibbsii) . . 304
Seventh Family : Colugos (Galeopi-
thecida) 304
Genus : Colugos (Galeopithccus) 304
Colugo (G. volans) 304
Seventh Order: THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIHALS. Rodentia. 305.
First Family: Squirrels ^Sciuridce) 306
the true squirrels (Sciurinee) . . 306
1.— Genus : Tree Squirrels (Sciurus) 306
Common Squirrel (.S\ vulgaris) 306
Chickaree Squirrel I.S'. hudson-
ius) 310
Gray Squirrel (.S". carolinensis) 310
PAGE
Arizona Gray Squirrel (.S". art-
zonensis) 310
Chestnut-backed Gray Squir-
rel (S. aberti) 310
California Gray Squirrel (S.
/ossor) 310
Black Squirrel (5". niger) . . . 310
Fox Squirrel (.S". cinereus) . . 310
PAGE
Western Fox Squirrel (S. lu-
dovicianus) 310
Little African Squirrel (S.
mi nut us) . . . 311
2. — Genus: Flying Squirrels [Ptcr-
omys) 311
Taguan (P. petaurista) . . . .311
Liatuga [P. volans) 312
Vlll
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
Assapan (P. volucella) .... 312
3.— Genus : Ground Squirrels (Ta-
mias) 313
Buruuduk ( T. striatus) . . . .313
Chipmunk (T. lysteri) .... 314
Four-striped Chipmunk ( T.
quadrivittatus) 314
Mountain Chipmunk ( T. la-
teralis) 314
Southwestern Chipmunk (T.
harrisi) 314
4. — Genus: Xerus (Xerus) 314
Xerus (X. rutilus) 314
The marmots (Arctomyincp) .... 315
5. — Genus : Pouched Marmots (Sper-
mophilus) 315
Souslik (S. citillus) 315
Parry's Marmot Squirrel (S.
empctra) 316
Gray Prairie Squirrel (S.
franklini) 316
Thirteen-lined Spermophile
(S. tridecum-lincalus) . .316
6. — Genus: Prairie Dogs (Cynomys) 316
Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus) 316
7. — Genus: Marmots Proper (Arc-
tomys) 318
Bobac {A. bobac) 318
Alpine Marmot {A. man/tola) 320
Wooden uck (A. monax) . .321
Rocky Mountain Marmot (A.
flaviventor ) 321
Hoary Marmot (A. pruinosus) 321
Second Family: Dormice (Myoxidce).
1. — Genus: Fat Dormice (Myoxus) 321
Loir (M. glis) 321
Lerotin (M. dryas) .... 322
2. — Genus : Lerots ( Eliomys) . . . 322
Lerot (E. nitela) 322
3.— Genus: Dormice Proper (Mus-
cardinus) 322
Common Dormouse (M. avel-
lanarius) 322
Third Family: Beavers (Casloridcz) 323
Genus : Beavers (Castor) . . . 323
Beaver (C. fiber) 323
Canadian Beaver (C. canaden-
sis) 324
Fourth Family: Jerboas (Dipodidce)^2y
Jumping mice (Jaculina) 328
1. — Genus : Jumping Mice (Jaculus)
Jumping Mouse (J. hudsonius) 328
true jerboas (Dipodincs) .... 328
2. — Genus : Jerboas Proper (Dipus)
Egyptian Jerboa (D .cegypiicus)y2.'&
3. —Genus : Alactagas (Scirleles) . 329
Alactaga (S. jaculus) 329
jumping hares (Pedetince) 328
4.— Genus : Jumping Hares (Pedetes)
Jumping Hare (P. caffcr) . . . 330
Fifth Family: Mice (Muridce) . .330
running mice (Mcrionidince) . . .332
1. — Genus : Sand R.a.ts (Psammomys) 332
Sand Rat (P. obesus) 332
THE MICE PROPER (Murines) .... 332
2. — Genus : Mice (Mus) 332
Egyptian Rat (M. alexandri-
nus) 332
Hamster Rat (M. gambianus) 332
Black Rat (M. ratlus) .... 333
Brown Rat (M. decumanus) . 333
Common Mouse (M. viusculus)j>^>
Wood Mouse (71/. sylvaticus) . .336
Old World Meadow Mouse (M.
ograrius) 337
Harvest Mouse (M. minutus). 339
*Barbary Mouse (M. barbarus) 337
3. — Genus : Cotton Rats (Sigmodon) 336
Cotton or Rice Rat (S. hispi-
dus) 336
4~-Genus : Wood Rats (Neoloma) . 336
Florida Wood Rat (A^. flori-
dana) 336
PAGE
California Wood Rat (N.fusci-
pes) 336
Gray Wood Rat (N. cinereus) 336
INDIGENOUS AMERICAN MICE . . . 340
5. — Genus : Western Mice (Hespero-
mys) 340
White-footed Mouse (H. leilco-
/>us) 340
Golden Mouse (//. aureolus) . 340
Michigan Mouse (H. michi-
ganensis) 340
California Mouse (H. californi-
cus) 340
Missouri Mole Mouse (H. leu-
cogaster) 340
Rice -field Mouse (H. oryzo-
mys) 340
the hamsters (Cricetina1) 340
6. — Geuus: Hamsters (Cricetus) . .340
Common Hamster ( C. frumen-
tarius) 340
Sixth Family : Voles (Arvicolidce) 344
1. — Genus: Muskrats (Fiber) . . . 344
Muskrat (F. zibethicus) . . . 344
2. — Geuus: Voles Proper (Arvicola) 345
Water Vole (A. amphibius) . . 345
Snow Mouse (A. nivalis) . 346
Bank Vole (A glareolus) . . . 346
Field Vole (A. agrestis) . . . 347
Red Vole (A. rutilus) .... 347
American Meadow Mouse (A.
tdparius) 347
Campaguol (A. arvalis) . . . 347
Root Vole (A. ceconomus) . . 348
3.— Genus : Lemmings (Myodes) . 348
Lemming (M. lemmus) . . . 348
4- — Genus: Lemming Voles (Syn-
aptomys) 350
Lemming Vole (S. coopcri) . 350
Seventh Family : Mole Rats (Spa-
lacidcc) 350
Genus : Mole Rats (Spalax) . . . .351
Common Mole Rat (S. typhlus) 351
Eighth Family : Pocket Mice (Sac-
comyida) 352
pocket mice proper (Saccomyince).
1. — Genus : Leaping Pocket Mice
(Dipodomys) 352
Ord's Pocket Mouse (£>. phi-
Uppii) 352
2. — Genus : Kangaroo ~Rals(Perogtia-
thus) 352
Brush Tailed Pocket Mouse (P.
penicillatus) 352
Greater Pocket Mouse (P.fas-
cialus) 352
Coarse-haired Pocket Mouse
(P. hispid us) 352
3. — Genus : Least Pocket Mice (Cri-
cetodipus) 352
Hopping Mouse (C.flavus) . .352
Little Hopping Mouse (C. par-
vus) 352
the gophers (Geomidce) 352
4. — Genus: Gophers (Geomys) . . . 352
Pouched Gopher (<7. bursarius)^52
Southern Gopher (G. tuza) . . 353
Chestnut-Cheeked Gopher (G.
caslanops) 354
Quachil (G. hispidus) 354
Mexican Gopher (G. inexica-
*«■*) 354
5. — Genus : Pocket Rats ( Tho»to»iys)$$$
Common Pocket Rat ('P. tal-
poides) 354
Rocky Mountain Pocket Rat
( 'P. clusius) 354
Ninth Family: Porcupines (Hys-
trichidce) 354
I. — Genus : Porcupines Proper (Hys-
trix) .354
Common Porcupine (//. Cris-
tate) 354
PAGE.
2. — Genus : Brush-tailed Porcupines
(Athcrura) 35S
'Brush-tailed Porcupine (A.
africana) 358
TREE OR CLIMBING PORCUPINES (Cer-
colabince) 356
3. — Genus : Climbing Porcupines
(Erethizon) 356
Urson (E. dorsalutn) 356
4. — Prehensile-tailed Porcupines
(Cercolabes) 358
Mexican Porcupine (C novee
hispanicr) 358
Couiy (C. villosus) 358
Coeudou (C. prehensilis). . . . 359
Tenth Family: Cavies, or Guinea
Pig Family (Caviidce) 359
1. — Genus: Guinea Pigs (Cavia) . . 359
Guinea Pig (C. porcellus) . . . 360
Aperea (C. aperea) 360
Peruvian Cavy (C. cutleri) . .360
2. — Genus : Maras (Dolichotis) . . . 362
Mara (D. patagonica) . . . .362
3. — Genus : Agoutis (Dasyproctcz) . 362
Common Agouti (D. aguti) . . 362
4. —Geuus: Pacas (Ccelogenys) . . . 363
Paca (C. paca) 363
5. — Genus : Water Pigs (Hydrochoe-
rus)
Water Pig (H. capybara) . . .364
Eleventh Family : Octodons (Octo-
dontidce) 366
1. — Genus : Octodons Proper (Octo-
don) 367
Degu (O. cummingii) .... 367
2. — Genus: Nutrias (3Iyopotamus) . 367
Coypu (M. coypu) 367
3. — Genus: Grouud Pigs (Aulacodus)2,€>9
Ground Pig (A. swinderianus) 369
Twelfth Family : Chinchillas (La-
gostomidce) 369
1. — Genus : Chinchillas Proper (Eli-
omys) 369
Common Chinchilla (E. chin-
chilla) 369
Smaller Chinchilla (E. lani-
gera) '. 369
2. — Genus : Lagotis (Lagidium) . . 370
Cuvier's Lagoti (L. cuvieri) . 371
3. — Genus : Viscachas (Lagostomus)yri
Viscacha (/_. trichodactylus) . 371
Thirteenth Family : Hares (Lepor-
idcz) 372
1. — Genus: Hares (Lepus) 374
Common Hare (L. vulgaris) . 374
Alpine Hare (L. timidus) . . 375
Irish Hare (L. hibernicus) . .375
Polar Hare (L. glacialis) . . .378
Rabbit (L. cuniculus) .... 376
American Varying Hare (L.
americanus) 378
Virginian Varying Hare (L.
amer. virginianus) .... 379
Washington Varying Hare (L.
amer. washingtonii) .... 379
Northern Prairie Hare (L. cam-
pestris) 379
Texas Hare (L. callolis) . . . 379
Californiau Hare (L. Californi-
a's) 379
Swamp Hare (L. aquaticus) . 379
Marsh Hare (L. palustris) 379
Cotton Tail (L. sylvaticus) . 379
Sage Rabbit (L. artemesia) . . 379
THE CRYING HARES OR PIKAS.
2. — Genus : Crying Hares (Lagomys)^']()
American Pika (L. princeps) . 379
Alpine Crying Hare (L. al-
pinus) 380
Fourteenth Family : Bristled
Mice (Lophiomyida) 307
Genus : Bristled Mice (Lophi-
omys) 307
*Skull-cap (L. imhausii) . . .307
TABLE OF CONTEXTS.
IX
Eighth Order: THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. Edentata. 381.
First Family : Sloths (Bradypo-
didce) 381
I.— Genus: Two-toed Sloths (Cho-
lapus) 382
Uuau (C. didaclylus) .... 382
2. — Genus : Three-toed Sloths (Bra-
dypus 1 382
Ai IB. tridaclylus) 382
Second Family: Ant-Eaters (Myr-
mecophagida:) 386
1. — Genus : Ant Bears (Jfyrmeco-
phaga) 3S6
Great Aut- Eater (M. jubata) 386
2. — Genus : Tree-Climbing Ant-Eat-
ers ( Taniaitdua) 387
Tainan dua (T. telradactyla) . 387
"3. — Genus. — Little Ant-Eaters (Cy-
cloturus)
Two-toed Ant- Eater (C. didac-
tylus) 388
Third Family : Armadillos (Dasy-
podidce) 388
1. — Genus : Armadillos Proper (Da-
sypus) 389
Tatupoyu (D. villosus) . . . 389
Six-banded Armadillos (D.
sexcinclus) 3S9
2. — Genus : Tbree-banded Armadil-
los (Tolypeutes) 391
Three-bauded Armadillo (T.
tricinctus) 391
3. — Genus : Priodons (Priodoti) . . 391
Giant Tatu (P. gigas) .... 392
4. — Genus : Cloaked Armadillos
(Chlamydophorus) 392
Bichociego (C. truncalus) . . 392
Ninth Order: THE ELEPHANTS. Proboscidea. 397.
PAGE PAGE PAGE
Family: Elephants {Elephantidce.) Asiatic Elephant (E. asiati- African Elephant (E. africa-
Genus: Elephants (Elephas) . . 397 cus) 397 nus) 398
Tenth Order: THE ODD=TOED ANIMALS.
First Family: Horses (Equidtz) . . 405
Genus: Horses (Equus) .... 405
Tarpan 406
Cimarrones 406
Mustang 409
Arabian 409
Trakehnen 410
English Thoroughbred .... 410
Anglo- Arab 410
American Trotting Horse . . .411
Percheron 411
Shetland Pony 411
Koulan (E. hcmionus) . . . .413
Onager (E. onager) 415
Domestic Ass (E. asinus) . . . 415
African Wild Ass (E. asinus
africanus) 415
Somal Ass tE.asiuus somali-
cus) 416
Mule (E. mulus) 41S
Hinny (E. Iiinnns) 418
Quagga (E.quagga) 419
Burchell's Zebra (E. burchel-
Hi) 419
Zebra (E. zebra) 419
Second Family : Tapirs ( Tapirida) 420
Genus : Tapirs ( Tapirus) .... 422
Malayan Tapir ( T. indicus . . 422
American Tapir ( T. america-
nus) 422
Third Family : Rhinoeeroses (Rhi-
nocerotidcr) 424
/', rissodactyla: 405.
PAGE
Genus : Rhinoceroses (Rhinoc-
eros) 424
Indian Rhinoceros (R. unicor-
nis) 426
Wara Rhinoceros (R. sondai-
cus 426
Two-horned Rhinoceros (R. bi-
cornis) 426
Sumatran Rhinoceros (A', su-
malrensis) ... 426
*Square - mouthed Rhinoceros
^A'. si/uus) 431
Fourth Family: Conies (Hyracidcz) 431
Genus : Conies (Hyrax) .... 432
Abyssinian Cony (H . abyssini-
cus) 432
Eleventh Order: THE CLOVEN=HOOFED ANIHALS. Artiodactyla. 433.
First Suborder : Ruminants or
Two-lioofed Animals (Bidactyla) . 433
First Family : Giraffes (Camelopar-
dalida-) 434
Genus : Giraffes (Camclopardalis) . 434
Giraffe (C giraffa) 434
Second Family: Camels (Camelidcr) 437
1. — Genus: Camels (Camelus) . . .438
Dromedary ( C. dromedarius) 438
Bactriau Camel (C. bactrianus) 442
2.— Genus: Llamas (Auc/ienia) . .443
Guauaco (A. huanaco) . . . .444
Llama I A. lama) 444
Alpaca (A. paco) 446
Vicugna (A. vicugna) .... 447
Third Family : Horned Animals
(Bovida) 447
goats and sheep (Caprinas) . 448
I. — Genus : Goats [Capra 1 458
Alpine Ibex (C. ibe.v) . . . .450
Pyrenean Ibex (C. pyrenaica) 450
Caucasian Ibex (C.caucasica) . 450
iEgagrus I C. cPgagrus) .... 453
*Markhoor (C./alconeri) . . 454
Domestic Goat (C. hircus) . . 455
Angora Goat (C.h. angorensis) 455
Cashmere Goat((T. h. laniger) 456
Syrian Goat (C. h. mainbrica) 456
Egyptian Goat (C.h. cegyptica) 456
Dwarf Goat (C. h. reversa) . . 457
*Tahr ( C.jemlaica) 457
2.— Genus: Sheep {Oris) 458
Aoudad iO. tragelaphus) . . . 459
Moufflon (O. musimon) . . . 460
*Kratschkar (O. polii) .... 461
Argali (O. argali) 462
Kamchatkan Wild (O. nivicola)^(>2
Big Horn (O. montana). . . . 462
Merino (O. aries hispanica) . . 463
Persian (O. aries steatopyga) . 464
the musk-oxen {Oviboi'ina)
465
V— Genus : Musk-Oxen (Ovibos) . . 465
Musk-Ox (O. tnoschatus) . . . 465
the ox tribe (Bovina-)
466
4.— Genus : Oxen (Bos') 468
Yak (B. gruuuicns) 468
European Bison (B. bison) . 470
American Bison (B. ameri-
canus) 474
Gayal (B. frontalis) 476
Gaur (B. gaurus) 477
Banteng [8. bantcng) 478
Sanga [B.' africanus) 479
Zebu 1 B. indicus) 480
Park Ox (B. scoticus) 481
Freiburg Ox ( B. lauiusfri-
burgensis) 481
Dutch Ox (B. t. hollaudicus ) 481
Short -Horn (B. t. dunelmen-
sis) 482
United States Wild Cattle . . 482
Jersey Cow 483
Hereford Bull 485
Cape Buffalo (B. coffer) . . .485
Indian Buffalo (B. ami) . . . 486
mountain goats (Aplocerincr) . .
g, — Genus : Mountain Goats (Aplo-
ca us) ^89
Rocky Mountain Goat (A.
montanus) 4S9
antelope tribe (Antilopinee').
6. — Genus : Antelopes (Antilope) . 491
Sisan (A. cervi capra) 491
Gazelles (A. dorcas) 492
Springbok (A. euchore) . . . 494
7. — Genus : Ox-Antelopes (Bubalis) 495
Hartebeest {B. caaina). . . . 496
8. — Genus : Reed Antelopes (Re-
dunca) 496
Riet-bok (A?, eleotragus) . . . 497
9. — Genus : Water-bucks {Kobus) . . 497
Water-buck (R~. ellipsiprym-
nus 497
10. — Genus : Oryx Antelopes (Oryx). 498
Passan (O. capensis) 498
Beisa(G>. Beisa) 498
Algazel (O. leucoryx) .... 498
11. — Genus: Addax Antelopes (Ad-
dax) 498
Addax (A. nasomaculatus) . . 500
12. — Genus : Spiral Horned Antelopes
(Strepsiceros) 500
Koodoo (S. kudu) 500
13. —Genus : Bovine Antelopes (Buse-
laphus) 502
Eland (B. oreas) 502
14. — Genus : Nylghaus (Fortax) . . . 502
Nylghau {P. pictus) 502
15.— Genus: Four-Horned Antelopes
(Tetraceros) 504
Four-Horned I T. quadricorn is) 504
16. — Genus: Bush-Bucks (Cephalolo-
phus) 504
Duyker (C. mergens) 504
17. — Genus: Dwarf Antelopes (Neo-
tragus) 505
Greyhound Antelope (N. hevi-
prichii) 505
X
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
iS. — Genus : Mountain Antelopes
{Netnorkcedus) 506
Goral (N. goral) 506
19.— Genus : Chamois (Capella) . . . 506
Chamois (C. rupicaprd) .... 506
20. — Genus : Saigas (Colics) 510
Saiga (C. tataricus) 510
21. — Genus: Gnus (Catoblepas) . . . 512
Gnu (C.gnu) 512
Fourth Family: Prong-horned
Animals (Antilocapridcr) 513
Genus : Proughorns (Antiloca-
pra) 513
Pronghorn (A. americana) . . 513
Fifth Family : Deer (Cervidcc) . . 516
1.— Genus : Elks {Alces) 518
Elk (,4. palmatus) 518
Moose (A. americana) .... 520
2. — Genus : Reindeer ( Rangifcr) . . 520
Reindeer (R. tarandus) . . . 221
Caribou (R. caribn) 521
3.— Genus : Fallow Deer (Dama) . 524
Fallow Deer (D. vulgaris) . . 526
4. — Genus : Red Deer (Ccrvus) . . . 526
Stag (C. elaphus) 526
Barbary Deer (C. barbarus) . . 529
Wapiti (C. canadensis) .... 529
5. — Genus : Axis Deer (Axis) . . . 530
Axis Deer (A. axis) 530
6. — Genus : Rusine Deer (Rusa) . . 530
Great Rusa (R. hippelaphus) . 530
Sambhar (R. aristotelis) . . . 531
Hog Deer (R. porcinus) . . .531
PAGE
7. — Genus : North American Deer
(Cariacus) 53 l
Virginia Deer (C. virginianus) 531
White-Tailed Deer (C. leucu-
rus) 534
Black-Tailed Deer (C colum-
bianus) *. 534
Mule Deer (C. macrotis) . . . 534
Mexican Deer (C. mexicanus) 534
8. — Genus : Pampas Deer (Blasto-
cerus) 534
Pampas Deer (B. campestris) . 534
9. — Genus : Roe Deer (Capreolus) . 534
Roe Deer (C. Caprcza) .... 534
10. — Genus : Muntjak Deer (Cervu-
lus~) 536
Muntjak Deer (C. muntjac) . 536
Sixth Family : Musk Deer (3fos-
chidcE) 537
Genus : Musk Deer (Moschus) . 537
Musk Deer (31. moschiferus . 537
Seventh Family : Chevrotains
(Tragulidcx) 538
Genus : Chevrotains ( Tragulus) 538
Kanchil ( T. kanchil) 538
Second Suborder : Cloven-hoofed
Non-ruminants (Suince) 539
Eighth Family : Swine (Suidce) . 539
1. — Genus : Swine (Sits) 539
Maned Hog (S. cristatus) . . . 542
AndamaneseHog (S. andaman-
ensis) 542
PAGE
Bearded Hog (S. barbalus) . . 542
Striped Hog (S. villains) . . . 542
Javan Wild Hog (S. verrucosus) 542
Celebes Hog (S. celebensis) . . 542
Timor Hog (S. timorensis) . . 542
New Guinea Hog (S. papucn-
sis) 542
Black Hog (S. niger) .... 542
White-bearded Hog (.V. Icu-
comyslax) 542
Sennaar Hog (S. sennareusis) . 542
Wild Hog (S. scrofa) .... 542
Berkshire Hog 543
Harrisson Hog 543
Masked Hog (S. plicipleps) . . 544
2. — Genus : Humped Hogs (Pola-
mochcerus) 546
Tufted Hog (P. porcus) . . . 546
Bush Hog (P. africanus) . . 546
3. — Genus : Babirusa (Porcus) . . . 546
Babirusa (P. babytussa) . . . 546
4. — Genus : Wart Hogs (Phacoclurr-
ns) 547
Wart Hog (P. africanus) . . .548
5. — Genus : Peccaries (Dicolylcs) . . 54&
Collared Peccary (D. lorqua-
tus) 548
White-lipped (D. labiatus) . . 548
Ninth Family : Hippopotami (Hip-
popotamida) 549
Genus : Hippopotami (Hippopo-
tamus) 549
Hippopotamus (H. amphibius)
Liberian Hippopotamus (H.
liberiensis 554
Twelfth Order: THE SEA COWS. Sirenia. 555.
First Family : Manatees (Mana-
tidcr) 555
1. — Genus : Manatees ( Manatus) . . 556
Lamantin (M. laliroslris) . . 556
Amazonian (M. inunguis . . 556
2. — Genus : Dugongs (Halicore) . . 507
Dugong (H. dugong)
Sea Cow (H. slellerii)
■ ■ 557
• .558
Thirteenth Order: THE WHALES. Cetacea. 5.V.).
First Family : Furrowed Whales (Bal-
cenopteridcx) 564
1. — Genus : Hump-back Whales (Me-
gaptera) 564
Humpback Whale (AT. longi-
mana) 564
2.— Genus : Razorback Whales (Phy-
salus) 564
Razorback Whale (P. anti-
quorum) 564
3. — Genus : Beaked Whales (Balctn-
optera) 565
Pike Whale (B. rostrata) . . 565
Second Family . Smooth-Skinned
Whales (BalcenidcE) 565
Genus : Greenland Whales (Bal-
flfoonkess.
FIRST ORDER: Pitheci.
AGLER calls the
Apes trans-
formed Men,
thereby but giving
utterance to the opinion
of all nations, ancient as
well as modern, w h re h
have had anything to do
with these strange creatures.
Pretty nearly the reverse of
his words would correspond to
the scientific opinion of to-day ;
which is that it is not the Apes
that are transformed Men, but that
the latter are more perfectly devel-
oped cousins of the former.
The Egyptians and Hindoos seem
to have been the only people among
the ancients who exhibited any affection
for this animal. The old Egyptians chis-
eled the likeness of the Ape in indestructi-
ble porphyry and modeled the images of their
gods in its similitude, and the ancient Hindoos
inaugurated the practice, which their descendants
•still follow, of building houses and temples for the
Monkeys. Solomon imported Monkeys from
Ophir, and the Romans kept them as pets, dissected
them in anatomical studies, and matched them against
wild beasts, but never established very friendly relations
with them, and, like Solomon, never thought them to
be anything else than animals. The Arabians go a little
further : the}' think them Men who, for their sins, have been
condemned by Allah to bear the form of Apes, their outward
appearance seeming to them to be a curious blending of devil
and Man.
Our own manner of thinking is not very different from that of
the Arabians. Instead of recognizing them as our next of kin we
only see in them caricatures of ourselves, and condemn them without
mercy, finding only those kinds attractive that show the least likeness
to a human being, while those in which the likeness is more distinct
excite our disgust. Our aversion to the Apes is based as well on their
physical as their mental traits. They resemble Men both too much and too
little. While the human body shows perfect harmony, that of the Ape often
seems a repulsive caricature. A single look at the skeletons of a Man and
an Ape shows us the difference in their respective structures, though this
difference is only conditional. At any rate it is wrong to term the Apes ill-
shaped, as people usually do. There are beautiful Apes, and there are very ugly
; the same is true of Men, for an Eskimo, a Bushman or a native of New Holland
means a model for a statue of Apollo. Apes taken by themselves are very well
endowed animals ; it is only when compared with the highest de\ eloped Men that they appear to be
caricatures of the superior being.
The size of the Apes differs within rather wide boundaries, the Gorilla being as large as a well-grown
THE APES AND MOXKEYS.
Man, while the Silky Monkey is not larger than a
Squirrel. The shape of the body differs very much,
also, as the names, "Man-shaped Apes" and " Dog-
shaped Monkeys," indicate better than would any
long descriptions. There are bulky and slender
Apes. They may be clumsy or graceful ; most of
them have long tails, some have short ones, and
some none at all. Their growth of hair is varied :
in some it is scant, in others plentiful, being mainly
of a neutral tint, but sometimes the coloring is
bright and pleasing. There are even some white
ones. In Siam, the country of the white Elephant,
where albinos from the animal world seem to be the
fashion, beautiful white monkeys are prized as pets.
Anatomical There is greater similarity in the ana-
Structure tomical structure of the different kinds
of Apes. 0f Apes than would be supposed from
their outward appearance. The skeleton has seven
cervical vertebrae, from twelve to sixteen dorsal, four
to nine lumbar, two to five sacral, and three to thirty-
three caudal (going to form the tail); the clavicle is
strong ; the bones of the forearm are separate and
mobile, the wrist-bones are long, while the finger
bones seem stunted in their growth. The feet are
supplied with a thumb. The shape of the skull
differs very much, according to the greater or lesser
prominence of the jaws, and the size of the brain.
The arches of the eyebrows are strong and promi-
nent. The teeth are composed of all the different
kinds : two incisors, one canine, sometimes as large
as that of a beast of prey, two or three pre-molars
and three grinders or molars form each side of a
jaw. Among the muscles, those of the hand attract
our attention, as, in comparison with those of a hu-
man hand, they seem to be so much simpler. The
larynx is not capable of producing sounds that might
constitute articulate speech, in our sense of the word ;
but the well-developed glands of the trachea seem to
fax or the production of shrill, howling sounds.
Special mention must be accorded the cheek
pouches, that distinguish certain Apes. These open
from the cheeks by a small aperture near the corner
•of the mouth and serve to store away food. They are
most highly developed in the Guenons, Macaques
and Baboons ; they are entirely lacking in the Man-
shaped Apes and in all- the New World Monkeys.
The Ape Sometimes the Apes are called Quad-
Compared riaiuuia, a distinction being made be-
with Man. tween them and Man. But science de-
clares that the difference in the structure of the
hands and feet of Men and Apes is, though remark-
able, by no means fundamental. In a careful com-
parison of the two it will be seen that their structure
entially similar. The thumb put in apposition
to the other fingers or toes is found in Man only in
the hand, in the Arctopitheci only in the feet, while
the rest of the Apes have it in both hands and feet.
We are far from denying the difference of hands and
feet in Man and the Apes, but we insist on this differ-
ence not being sufficient to be counted as a distinctive
cause for differentiating the two.
In spite of the great resemblance between Man
and Ape, there are characteristic differences between
them ; but no greater weight should be attached to
I his fact than is usually given to the comparison of
other mammals. The lean body covered with hair,
the thin legs devoid of calf ; the long tail possessed
by many, the callosities on the hinder quarters dis-
tinctive oi certain species, and above all the head
with its small, receding skull, and the thin lips, are
distincth oi the Apes.
Oken describes the Apes in comparison with Man
in the following terms: "The Apes resemble Man
in all bad moral traits ; they are malicious, treach-
erous, thievish and indecent ; they learn a number
of tricks, but are disobedient and often spoil their
performances, behaving like awkward clowns.
There is not a single virtue that could be ascribed
to the Apes, and still less any use to which they
might be put. They have been trained to stand
guard, to wait on the table, to fetch and carry, but
they do these things only in the intervals of foolish
spells. They represent only the bad side of Man, in
regard to his physical as well as his moral nature."
There is no denying that this description is, in the
main, correct. Still we wish to give justice fair play,
even in dealing with Apes, and therefore let us not
forget to mention their really good traits. We can-
not judge of their intellectual qualities in the aggre-
gate, for the reason that the different species show
so many contradictory features.
Nature, Habits We must concede that the Apes are
and malicious, cunning, choleric, vindictive,
Intelligence, sensual, quarrelsome, irritable and peev-
ish ; on the other hand, we must take into account
their cleverness, their good humor, their gentleness,
their trust in, and kindness to Man, their amusing
social qualities, their cheering earnestness, their
courage and their readiness to stand by each other
in case of need, even against superior enemies, and
their inclination to play and tease. In one respect
they even rise to greatness, and that is in their love
for their offspring, their pity for the weak and de-
fenseless, not only of their own family and kind, but
even of other animals.
The intellectual development of which Apes are
capable does not place them so high above all other
species of lower mammals, neither does it place them
so much below the level of Man, as is usually as-
serted. The possession of a hand places the Ape in
so much more advantageous a position from a me-
chanical point of view than all other animals, that
his accomplishments seem greater than they are.
He is quick to learn, and the impulse to imitate
everything, that is so strong in most of his kind,
makes it easy for him to be taught certain tricks.
After short practice he is able to do a great many
things that can with difficulty be taught a Dog. But
it must be mentioned that he always performs his
tasks with a certain resistance, and never of his own
accord, or with enjoyment. It is not hard to ac-
custom an Ape to do certain things, but he will
never be as conscientious and painstaking about it
as a well-trained Dog. But it has taken several
thousand years of breeding, cultivation and teach-
ing to bring the Dog up to his present capabilities ;
while the Apes have had no opportunity of learning
from Man. The capabilities of Apes will be seen
in the course of this chapter, and will tend to prove
that the}' are the cleverest among animals. Their
memory is excellent, and they profit by experience.
They have a surprising talent for dissimulation,
know how to escape dangers and how to take good
care of their own interests. There can also be no
denying that they arc affectionate. They are capable
of becoming attached to people, arc grateful and
show a certain amount of good-will to those who
have done them a kindness.
It is remarkable, that in spite of their good sense,
all Apes may sometimes be deceived in the silliest
maimer, their passions often getting the upper hand
of their prudence. Once their passions are aroused
THE GORILLA. This king of the African forests is found only in the deepest fastnesses of Equatorial Africa (15 degrees north and
it degrees south of the equator) and no adult of this family has been held in captivity, its great strength and ferocity preventing its capture
nli\e. Several voung Gorillas have been taken but did not long survive contact with Man. The artist presents the animal as it is seen in its
native forest with its terrible face, huge canine teeth, broad shoulders, great chest and immense hands, intently alert that no enemy may
surprise it, and prepared for any emergency. L'narmed Man, the Leopard and the Crocodile are no match for this formidable creature, before
•which even the Lion might tremble. (Gorilla gini.)
13J
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
they give no heed to anything and utterly forget
safety in their eagerness to gratify their greedy ap-
petites. In this way the cleverest Apes are gov-
erned by their passions precisely as many people
are. It is doubtful whether this gives us a right to
underrate their intellect.
Where Apes In former periods of the world the
are Apes inhabited a larger portion of the
Found. globe than they do at present. Now
they are limited to the warm countries, a hot climate
seeming to be a condition essential to them. Bab-
oons are sometimes found rather high in mountains
and appear to endure a lower temperature than is
generally supposed ; but nearly all the rest of the
Apes are extremely sensitive to cold. Each conti-
nent possesses its own species, though Asia and
Africa have one in common. In Europe there is
only one kind, and that is limited to one troop which
lives on the Rocks of Gibraltar, under the protection
of the garrison. Australia has no Apes. Gibraltar is
not the highest northern point where Apes are found,
for a Japanese Macaque probably extends his wan-
derings as far as the 37th degree of north latitude.
To the south the Apes go as far as the 35th degree,
but only in the Old World. In America they oc-
cupy a belt of land extending as far north as Chi-
huahua in Mexico, and as far south as Catamasca in
the Argentine Republic, inhabiting besides Mexico
the Central American states and portions of all the
countries of South America except Uruguay.
The home of an individual species is usually
within rather narrow boundaries, though it hap-
pens that there are corresponding varieties in two
countries that are far apart on the same continent.
Most of the Apes live in forests, but a few are
sometimes found on rocky mountains. Their ex-
tremities are adapted to climbing, and trees are
naturally their favorite haunts ; the mountain Apes,
however, climb trees only when compelled to do so.
Agility and Apes are doubtless the liveliest and
Predatory most agile of all mammals. While on
Traits. their hunt for food, they do not know
repose. The variety of their diet alone would call
for great activity in the search, for almost every
thing eatable comes handy to them. Fruit, onions,
roots, seeds, nuts, buds, leaves and juicy plants form
tlnir staple food ; eggs and young birds are dainties
not to be despised. So there is always something
to be caught, or plucked, something to be smellcd
or tasted, enjoyed or thrown away. Such investiga-
tions require a great deal of moving about. Their
ideas as to personal property are extremely hazy.
" We do the sowing, the Monkeys see to the reap-
ing," is a common saying among the Bedouins of
East Soudan, Fields and gardens are regarded by
them as extremely agreeable places of rest, and are
pillaged to the utmost. Each Monkey destroys ten
times more than he eats Neither locks nor bolts,
fences nor walls, can keep these thieves out. They
Eon e the locks and climb the walls, and what cannot
aten is taken away, including gold and jewelry.
( )ne must have seen a pillaging band of Monkeys to
understand how a farmer can half the with rage over
their visits, or, rather, visitations. To an onlooker a
troop showing themselves at the climax of their
agility during such a raid presents, indeed, a very
interesting spectacle. They run, jump, climb, swing
themselves, and, in case of necessity, swim. The
performed on trees are incredible'. Only the
Man-shaped Apes and the Baboons are clumsy ; all
the others are perfect clowns ; they seem nearly able
to fly ; jumps of twenty-five or thirty feet are child's
play to them. From the top of a tree they will jump
down a distance of thirty-five feet, seize the end of a
branch, which will go down with their weight ; at its-
rebound they will give themselves a mighty impulse,
and using the tail or their hind limbs as a rudder, go
flying through the air like an arrow. The minute
they land somewhere, they go on, paying as little
heed to the sharpest of thorns as if they were dis-
porting themselves on smooth parterre. A tree is to
them a most comfortable pathway. They climb up
and down, under a branch or over it ; if they are
thrown into a tree, they seize the first twig they can
find, patiently wait till it is at rest, and then climb up
on it, as if they were on terra firma. If the branch
breaks, they take another ; if this also breaks, a third
one does for them, and if they have a fall they are
not disconcerted in the least. If they cannot reach
a thing with their hands they use their feet, and the
Broad Noses (American Monkeys) have recourse to
their tails. The tail is always used as a rudder in
long jumps, and serves a variety of other purposes
besides, sometimes forming a ladder for another
Monkey. With the American Monkeys the tail may
be considered as the fifth, nay, the first hand. The
Monkey may twist it around the bough of a tree and
rock to and fro on it ; he may use it to get food out
of narrow holes and crevices ; he uses it as a ladder,
and lastly, this useful member serves its owner as a
hammock for an after-dinner nap.
Climbing Climbing is the only movement that
and shows off the agility and gracefulness
Walking. 0f tne Apes. Even the Man-shaped
Apes are wonderful in this respect, though their
climbing is more after human fashion. Their walk
is always more or less clumsy. The Guenons, Ma-
caques and Marmosets walk upright best of all; the
first mentioned can run thus for a short time and so
fast that an ordinary Dog can not overtake them;
but the Baboons hobble along in the funniest sort
of way. The walking of the Man-shaped Apes is
hardly deserving of that name. While the Baboons
walk on the soles of their feet, the Man-shaped Apes
lean on the knuckles of their hands, and bend their
bodies over in such a way that the feet practically
have their position between the hands.
Apes in Some kinds are excellent swimmers,
the others sink in water like a piece of lead.
Water. Among the first are the Guenons, of which
Brehm saw several specimens crossing the Blue Nile
with the greatest ease ; among the last are probably
the Baboons and the Howlers. Those which cannot
swim are remarkably afraid of water. A family of
Howlers was once found on a tree, isolated by an
inundation. They were half starved, yet did not dare
start out for the nearest tree, that was barely sixty
feet distant. Ulloa, a writer on Brazilian animals,
has invented a pretty little bridge for the poor
Monkeys that cannot swim and it would be of great
service to them, if only they would use it. He tells
us that each Howler grasps another's tail, the whole
band forming a chain. The Monkey at one end
holds fast to the top of a tree on one shore, and
through the combined efforts of all, the chain is
swung back and forth till the last Monkey at the
other end is in a position to seize the branch of a
tree on the other shore. On this artificial bridge the
younger and weaker ones cross first, and then the
first Monkey draws the others after him. Prince
Wied, a very conscientious observer, gives this story
its right name, calling it " a funny fable."
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
Social Life The social
of life of the
Apes. Apes is a
very attractive one for
every observer. There
aie but few kinds which
live singly; the majority
prefer to live in small
troops or bands. Each
of these latter selects a
permanent home of
greater or less extent.
The choice as a rule
falls on a country that
seems favorable in all
respects. There must
be something to eat, or
else they emigrate. In
a poor country, forests
near human dwellings
seem to be regarded as
paradisaical; the for-
bidden tree does not
trouble the Ape's con-
science, so long as the
apples on it are tooth-
some. Plantations of
t corn and sugar-
cane, fields of onions,
orchards and banana
trees are preferable to
anything else ; villages
also are liked, where
anybody chastising the
robbers has to dread the
superstition of the in-
habitants. As soon as
the band has come to a
conclusion about a place
of habitation, the real
life of the Monkeys be-
gins, with all its joys and
sorrows, its quarrels and
its cares. The oldest
and strongest male is
made the chief, this
dignity is not conferred
by universal suffrage,
but by long and hard
fights with the other
aspirants, that is, with
all the old males. The
longest teeth and the
strongest arm prevail.
Whoever does not sub-
ject himself good-nat-
uredly, is brought to his
senses by a few cuffs,
bites and scratches, and
the crown is to the
strong • in his teeth is
wisdom.
The language of Apes is by no means a poor one,
for each Ape has the most varied sounds for his dif-
fering emotions. Man soon learns to recognize the
significance of these sounds.
The cry of terror, which also includes an invitation
to flee, is especially expressive ; it is hard to de-
scribe, and still harder to imitate ; one can only say
that it^consists of a succession of short, vibrating
and inharmonious gurgling sounds, whose meaning
A FAMILY OF GORILLAS. This picture represents a family ol Gorillas, the month or two old baby
in th-3 foreground, at the leet of its watchful mother, while the ever-alert father is keeping guard from a perch ot
strong vines. The mothers iace is placid, because she knows the father's ear is never closed and that his mighty ami
will protect her and the helpless little one. whose dreamy face expresses entire satisfaction. It is a most graphic and
faithful delineation ot a lite-like scene in the great hot forest in Equatorial Africa, and portrays in pleasing measure
the home life ot these creatures so greatly resembling Man. Fierce and intractable as is the Gorilla, he is kind to his
wife and children, protecting them from all enemies and careful in providing for their comforts. (Gorilla gim.\
the Monkey makes still clearer by grimaces. As
soon as this note of alarm is sounded, the whole
band starts to flee ; the mothers call their children,
and holding them fast, hurry on to the next tree or
rock". It is only when the chief recovers his spirits
that the band gathers again and returns.
Courage and The Apes undeniably have courage.
Fighting The stronger ones boldly resist the ter-
Qualities. rible beasts of prey and Man, and are
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
not deterred from fights whose outcome is more than
doubtful from the beginning. Even the graceful
Guenons fight, when driven to it. The large sized
Man-shaped Apes and the Baboons are endowed
with fearful weapons in their teeth, and no native
will dream of attacking them without fire-arms.
Against the Gorilla even fire-arms avail but little in
a great many cases. At any rate the fury of the
Apes, which redoubles their strength, and their agil-
ity that frequently prevents their opponents from
striking them a decisive blow, are greatly to be
feared. They fight with their hands and teeth,
striking, scratching and biting. A great many sto-
ries about their other modes of defense have been
disproved by careful observation. " It is said," re-
marks Pechuel-Loesche, "that the Apes defend
themselves with broken branches ; and it is gener-
ally conceded that they throw stones, fruit and
pieces of wood at their enemies, but this belief is
based on inaccurate observations. The people who
spread it probably saw only what they were pre-
pared to see, not what really happened. Apes often
break a dry branch in play, jumping on it, but they
do not throw it at people standing below ; neither
do they throw fruit or other things they may hap-
pen to be holding, though they might drop it in
their confusion when frightened. Neither do Bab-
oons ever throw stones at their pursuers. Pieces
of rock may crumble and fall down from the place
where they sit, but that is all ; the active animals
are forever rolling stones from their places, look-
ing for insects under them."
Conduct 1° captivity nearly all Apes live in har-
iji mony together ; still a certain relation of
Captivity, dependence soon forms itself, just as in a
troop in the wild state. The strongest Ape maintains
his authority and torments the weaker ones until
they recognize it. To be tenderly considerate of the
feelings of others is not in an Ape's character, though
it is true that the stronger kinds, male as well as
female, always protect the weaker ones ; and strong
females often go so far as to show a liking towards
human babies or small, young animals, that they can
carry in their arms. Badly as Apes treat other
animals, they show kindness to their young and to
children, naturally preferring their own to any
others ; this fondness has become proverbial.
Mother Ape The female Ape usually has one young
and one at a birth ; a few kinds have two.
Child. qqlc DaDy /\pC ;s always an ugly little
being, with arms and legs looking twice as long
proportionately as its parents7, and with a face so
wrinkled and furrowed that it looks like that of an
old man rather than of a child. This little monster
is the mother's pet in a still higher degree than is
the case with a human mother ; she fondles it and
takes care of it in a manner not only touching but
bordering on the ridiculous. Soon after its birth the
young Ape attaches itself to its mother, putting both
anus around her neck and both legs around her hips,
so as not to interfere with her in running. When it
gets a little older, it sometimes jumps on the mother's
back in times of danger. In the beginning the little
Ape is naturally devoid of all sentiment, not appre-
ciating the tenderness the mother bestows on it.
She is forever playing with it ; she licks its body,
she hugs it, she holds it in both hands as if she
were admiring it, and rocks it to sleep in her arms.
Pliny asserts thai Apes sometimes hug their little
is to strangle them, but his statement
It i not been verified by modern observers. In a
short time the young Ape begins to be independent
and longs for a little freedom, which is granted it.
The mother lets it play and romp with other little
ones, but she does not take her eyes off from it,
following its every step and permitting only as much
freedom as she deems proper. At the least danger
she utters her sound of warning, inviting the little
one to take refuge on her breast. If it is disobedient
she slaps it, sometimes giving it a box on the ears.
But she seldom has to resort to this, for an Ape-
child is very obedient and might serve as a model
for many a human child. In captivity I have often
seen Apes divide everything with their offspring;
and the death of a young one is frequently followed
by the death of its mother, she dying of a broken
heart. When a mother dies, leaving a child, the
orphan is regularly adopted by some member of the
troop, either male or female. The solicitude be-
stowed upon an adopted child is nearly as great as
that of a mother Ape for her own offspring ; al-
though, when an Ape takes care of other animals,
as it sometimes does, it is quite different. It will look
after the adopted animal, cleaning and caring for it,
but usually giving it nothing to eat ; on the contrary,
the food destined for the orphan is, without a scru-
ple, devoured by its nurse, who meanwhile holds the
hungry little beast at arm's length.
Maturity, It is not known how many years an
Health and Ape requires for its growth. The Gue-
Longeuity. nons and the American Monkeys prob-
ably need no more than three or four years, while
the Baboons might need from eight to twelve. In
the wild state Monkeys seem to be subject to few-
diseases. At least we do not know anything about
epizootics that are said to have occurred among
them. It is also uncertain how long they live, but
we may accept forty years as about the average life
of the larger species, such as the Gorilla and Chim-
panzee. [In North America] as well as Europe those
in captivity suffer from the severity of the climate.
Cold depresses them physically and mentally, and,
as a rule, they soon die of consumption. A sick Ape
is a spectacle that would move a heart of stone.
The poor fellow, but recently so full of fun, sits
miserable and sad, with a plaintive, really human
look. The nearer he approaches death, the gentler,
he gets ; the animal side of his nature is lost, and the
spiritual side shines brighter. He is grateful for
every little help, soon looks on the physician as his
benefactor, willingly takes medicines, and even sub-
mits to surgical operations without resistance. Apes
that otherwise seem quite healthy, often get a disease
of the tail, the end of which ulcerates and becomes
gangrenous and the tail is lost by degrees.
Monkeys as I do not know whether I may advise
Domestic people to keep Monkeys as pets. The
Pets. merry animals give much pleasure, but
also a great deal of annoyance. One must always
be prepared for all kinds of pranks, but if he does
not wish to study the intellectual resources of the
animals he will soon grow very tired of them. The
larger kinds sometimes become dangerous, for they
bite and scratch furiously. It is not wise to give
a Monkey the freedom of the whole house, for his
active spirit requires constant occupation, and when
he is not provided with it he finds employment for
himself, which, as a rule, does not turn out to be
very profitable to his master. Some kinds arc not
to be tolerated on account of their indecent behavior.
The life of the tame Apes, which comprised several
Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Guenons and others, at the
THE GORILLA AND THE LEOPARD. The great strength of the Gorilla is clearly brought out in the above masterly illustration, which depicts
the manner in which it attacks the Leopard. This treacherous animal dare not assail an adult Gorilla, but will prowl around the home of the latter, and,
when an opportunity offers, seize and run off with a young one of the family. Being more fleet of foot than the Gorilla he easily escapes with his victim. In
this case the Gorilla has come up with the predatory wretch and is making short work of him. The mother with her darling pressed close to her breast is an
interested spectator, from her perch on the tree-bough, of the deadly struggle beneath.
(7)
THE GORILLA. The artist here shows the Gorilla in his native forest and one cannot but be startled at the wonderfully human-like face. The
grest Ape Is in a striking pose, being at rest, yet alert, as the keen, hazel eyes plainly show. The large nostrils are wide open, the wide mouth firmly closed,
and the chin is resting upon the back of the huge muscular right hand that in turn lays upon the left fore-arm extended across the breast. At the first ap-
proach of danger all would be changed , the hair of the forehead and head would become erect and vibrate rapidly and its huge bellowings and violent beatinft
of the chest would send awe if not terror to the bravest of Men.
(10)
\ /
OEANG-UTAN. The naturalists have given the name Satyr to this animal because of its resemblance to man and beast, the face, head, ears, beard and
whiskers, the long arms and large hands all being wonderfully like those of a human being; while the shaggy coat of hair suggests the brute. It is not strange •
that the superstitious natives should think the Orang-utan a human being gone wild. The picture represents this Ape at rest in its forest home, one hand
lightly holding to a vine, while the fingers of the left are laid upon the forehead. The great strength of the hands and arms, as well as of the broad shoulders .
are distinctly shown and the face recalls that of human beings one has frequently seen. (Pithecus sat\ rus.)
12
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
The Account Among the numerous accounts of the
of Gorilla, where truth seems to be plen-
Du Chaillu. tifully mingled with exaggeration and
tales of natives, the descriptions of Du Chaillu have
in their time made a great deal of stir. I would
have used his works extensively, if they had not at
the first perusal aroused a feeling of distrust. I am
decidedly of the opinion that Du Chaillu's glowing
descriptions are a wonderful blending of truth and
fiction. Other travelers who have explored those
parts and entered into communication with the
natives have arrived at the same conclusion. Like
his predecessors, Du Chaillu bases his narrative on
hearsay, though he gives it the interest of a personal
experience. So I will give here only a few words of
Du Chaillu, in relation to a young Gorilla that came
into his possession; though his observations were
by no means confirmed by later and better ones :
" On the fourth of May several young Negroes,
whom I had sent out for a hunt, brought home a
young, living Gorilla. I cannot do justice in words
to the emotions that overwhelmed me, when the lit-
tle monster was brought into the village. The Ape
was about two or three years old and twenty-four
inches high, but as ferocious and obstinate as any
full-grown brother of his might be. My hunters had
caught it in the country between Rembo and Cape
St. Catherine. According to their story, the hunters,
five of them, had been noiselessly creeping through
a wood near a settlement, when suddenly they heard
a growl, which they at once recognized as the call of
a young Gorilla for its mother, and they decided to
follow the sound. Their guns in their hands, the
brave fellows crept on towards a gloomy place in
the forest, thick with underbrush. They knew that
the mother must be near, and expected the dreaded
father to be not far away, but decided to try to get
the young Ape alive at any risk. As they 'ap-
proached a sight new even to them met their eyes.
The little one sat near its mother, plucking berries,
and the old one was eating of the same fruit. My
hunters got ready to fire immediately, and were
barely in time ; for the mother caught sight of them
when they were lifting their guns. Fortunately
they killed her with the first volley. The little one,
frightened by the report of the guns, ran towards its
mother, hugged her close and hid its face. The
hunters hurried forward, but it then left the mother,
ran to a small tree and climbing it with the greatest
agility sat down on one of the branches and roared
at its pursuers. But the Negroes did not get scared,
nor were they afraid of being bitten by the furious
little beast. So they cut down the tree, and as it
fell they quickly threw a cloth over the head of the
little fellow, and in that way were able to master it.
Still the little Ape, who as far as age went was but a
young child, showed itself to be amazingly strong
and anything but good-natured ; so that the men
could not lead it, but had to put its head between
the prongs of a pitchfork, and thus force it to be
quirt. In this way he entered the village, and the
news spread like wild-fire. As the prisoner was be-
ing lifted out of the boat, in which it had come part
of the way, it roared and barked and stared wildly
uoimd, as if it was assuring us that it would take
its revenge as soon as it could get a chance. I
saw that the fork had wounded its neck, and there-
fore ordered a cage to be prepared for it. In two
hours we had built it a strong cage of bamboo, in
which we could observe it in security. It was a
young male, independent enough to shift for him-
self, endowed with extraordinary strength for his
age. His face and hands were black ; the eyes lay
not quite so deep in their sockets as with the older
ones ; the body was thinner ; the hair on the arms
longer. The hair of the eyebrows and of the arms
was of a reddish-brown color ; the upper lip was
covered with short hair, the lower one with a slight
beard ; light gray hair getting darker towards the
shoulders covered his neck and back. I never saw
so ill-natured an animal as this Ape. He raged at
everybody who approached him, bit at the bamboo
palings, looked around with ferocious eyes and
showed his viciousness and ill-nature at every op-
portunity."
Later Lately our information about the Gorilla
Account of has been vastly increased. German ex-
Gorillas. plorers, members of the Gussfeldt Loango
expedition, have succeeded twice in capturing live
young Gorillas, in 1876 and 1883, and forwarded
them to Europe, where, under the care of Director
Hermes, they lived long enough in the Berlin Aqua-
rium to enable scientists to settle a few complicated
questions. Furthermore Hugo von Koppenfels, a
passionate hunter, has made several voyages to the
Gaboon and Ogowe country within the last decade,
with a view of finding the Gorillas in their native
forests. So far Koppenfels has been the only Euro-
pean who can prove that he has observed Gorillas
in the wilderness and killed them. He confirms
many accounts that others have reported from hear-
say, and completes them from his own stock of ex-
perience :
" As incredible as it may seem, I can affirm that
even of the hunting tribes, hardly a third have ever
met a Gorilla in the forests. The Gorilla — with the
exception of old, hypochondriac males — lives with
his family, and roams from place to place, as the
demand for food impels him. He spends the night
where he happens to be at the approach of darkness.
" This means that he builds a new nest every even-
ing, and for this purpose selects strong young trees,
having a circumference not over twelve inches. The
nest is built somewhat like a Stork's, out of green
twigs, in the embranchment of stronger boughs, at
a height of fifteen to eighteen feet. It is used by
the young ones, and if these still stand in need
of warmth, also by the mother, while the father
crouches down at the foot of the tree, his back
against the trunk, and in this way protects his fam-
ily from Leopards. In the dry season, when food
and water begin to fail him in the inner depth of
the woods, he makes raids on the plantations of the
natives, where he, Ape-like, causes troublesome dev-
astations.
" If let alone, the Gorilla does not attack Men, but
rather avoids them. If he is taken by surprise, he
rises, utters a series of short half roaring, half grunt-
ing noises, that cannot be described ; beats his gigan-
tic chest with his huge fists and shows his teeth with
an exceedingly ferocious expression on his face,
while the hair on his head and on the nape of his
neck stands vibratingly erect. An old Gorilla in a
rage is a sight to inspire terror. Yet, if one does not
irritate him and beats a cautious retreat before his
fury has reached its height, I do not think he would
attack anybody. But if one should have the mis-
fortune to wound him slightly, then I, who it is true
have not been in such a terrible plight, am positive
that he would turn on the hunter, who is lost if he
has not a second ball ready. Flight is impossible, as
is a defence with any weapon but fire-arms."
FAMILY OF CHIMPANZEES. The great artist here represents a charming scene in the home lite of the Chimpanzee. After
having fed. the family-father, mother and child-are thirsty, and they have come to a cool and sparkling spring in the great Atncan forest, tar
away from the Man-hunter, who seeks their lives. But there are Leopards and Crocodiles that are to be dreaded, and while the father slakes
chis thirst the mother, with her head thrown slightly back, shades her eyes with her large hand that she may more clearly discern a possible
.approaching enemy. The baby impatiently observes the movements of its father, because it. too, is thirsty, and it and the mother must wait
until the father is fully satisfied. When he is done he will, in turn, take the place of sentinel v I il y drink.
U3J
14
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
Koppenfels' H. von Koppenfels killed his first Go-
Gorilla rilla Christmas, 1874. He had taken
Hunts. njs position near an Iba tree, whose
fruit is very much liked by that animal. " I had
waited in vain for about an hour. Night was com-
ing on ; the Mosquitoes began to annoy me and I
was just going to quit, when I heard the sound of
breaking twigs near the Iba tree. Peeping from be-
hind my tree, I saw a whole family of Gorillas, consist-
ing of the parents and two children. Taking human
growth as the standard, these latter might have been
six years old and one year old, respectively. The
solicitude of the mother for the baby was touching,
while the father seemingly cared for nothing but the
gratification of his own appetite. The best fruit
within reach seemed to have been consumed, for the
female climbed up the tree and shook it, to make the
ripe berries fall to the ground.
" At this time the male, his mouth still full, started
for the river flowing near, evidently to get a drink.
I did not take my eyes off him, for the stories of
Du Chaillu and the fairy-tales of the natives had
combined to throw me into a state of great agitation,
when I first caught sight of the animals. But this
gave way to a sudden calm, when the Gorilla, on his
way to the river, seemed to grow distrustful and
turning round, made for the tree that concealed
me. It was too late — I kept track of his every
movement, and had my gun in readiness. A few
moments sufficed to take aim and shoot. Before
the smoke cleared away I had put another cartridge
in m ,' gun, anticipating an attack. My black com-
panip 1 stood trembling behind me, another gun in
hand The expected attack did not occur. The
male Gorilla had fallen on his face, dead. The
young ones, giving one scream, fled into the thicket;
the mother jumped down from a considerable height
and followed them. I was so excited that I forgot
to sli -ot her. So my hunting luck had, at the same
time 1 hat the Christmas candles were being lighted
in Germany, given me, too, a magnificent present."
N( long after this Koppenfels shot, at a chance
meel 1 lg, the strongest Gorilla it ever was his good
fortune to kill. Accompanied by his servants he
had followed a narrow trail in the woods. " Sud-
denly the Galloa nearest me screamed : 'Take care,
master, a large Gorilla!' and the cowards threw
down the things they were carrying and took to their
heels. I started at the cry, and just then a terrible
growl coming from the side attracted my notice,
and I saw barely fifteen paces away a gigantic mass
standing erect. It was the largest Gorilla I had ever
seen and the only one which ever stood awaiting me,
It lie had profited by my confusion, I would have
lost. I did not wait, though, to see how long
our st iring at each other might last. As I lifted my
gun Ins roaring took on more of a barking sound ; he
his chest quicker, the shaggy hair on his head
itself with a vibrating motion, and it seemed
thai i 'terrible opponent was going to attack me.
II I id retreated in time, I am fully convinced
Gorilla would not have approached me,
but > li was not in)- intention. Mastering my agi-
tation I took a steady aim at his heart, and pulled
1. The animal jumped high up, and spread-
i 1 arms, fell on his face. He had seized in fall-
1 1 nana, two indies in circumference, and so pow-
erful is his grasp that he tore it down along with
dry ; d green branches from the tree. I lis weight
I to be about four hundred pounds, and he was
six fi 1 high."
H. von Koppenfels' plain, unvarnished tales, based
as they are on personal experience, give us a more
correct idea of this curious inhabitant of the forests,
and do away with a great deal of the terror with
which he has inspired us. To use the words of R.
Burton-: " He is only a poor devil of a Monkey, and
not a fiendish freak of the imagination — half man,
half beast."
The GoHI/a The attempt to import young Gorillas
in _ to Europe had always been unsuccess-
Captivity, f^ until the members of the German
Loango exploring party tried it. Falkenstein, their
physician and zoologist, by a lucky chance got hold
of a young Gorilla, that was studied first in Africa
and then in the Berlin Aquarium.
Director Hermes mentions the growth and further
development of this Gorilla at great length in a lec-
ture delivered at the meeting of German natural-
ists and physicians in Hamburg: "The Aquarium
of Berlin has always set great value on the posses-
sion of Anthropomorphous Apes. During the last
few years it has been able to procure specimens of
all of the four species — the Gibbon, Chimpanzee,
the Orang-utan and the Gorilla. In this way I had
the best of opportunities to study them in captivity
and compare them with each other.
"The chief among all the Anthropomorpha is the
Gorilla. It seems as if he was born with a patent of
nobility among Apes. Our Gorilla, about two years
old, is nearly twenty-eight inches high. His body
is covered with gray, silky hair, the head alone hav-
ing a reddish color. His thick-set, robust shape, his
muscular arms, his smooth, shining black face with
well-shaped ears, his large, black, clever eyes — all
strike one as exceedingly human. If his nose was
not so broad he would look like a Negro boy.
What serves to heighten this impression is his awk-
wardness ; all his movements seem those of an un-
gainly boy rather than an Ape. When he sits there
like a Chinese pagoda, his gaze directed upon the
spectators, and suddenly with a bright nod claps his
hands, he has conquered all hearts at a stroke. He
likes company, makes a difference between young
and old, male and female. He is kind to little chil-
dren, likes to kiss them, and allows them liberties,
without taking advantage of his superior strength.
Older children he does not treat so well, although
he likes to play with them, to race around tables and
chairs which he frequently upsets, playfully slaps
their faces sometimes, and also thinks nothing of
trying his teeth on their legs. He is fond of ladies,
likes to sit in their laps and hug them, or sit still,
with his head on their shoulders. He also likes
to play in the common cage, but conducts him-
self there as an unconditional autocrat. Even the
Chimpanzee has to obey him, though the Gorilla
treats him more as an equal, selecting him as
his only playfellow and sometimes bestowing rather
rough caresses on him, while he pays no attention
to the smaller fry. Sometimes he gets hold of
the Chimpanzee and rolls on the floor with him.
If the Chimpanzee escapes, the Gorilla falls to-
the floor, on his hands, like an awkward boy.
His gait resembles that of the Chimpanzee: they
both walk on the soles of their feet, supporting
themselves on the back of 'iie hands. But the'
Gorilla turns his toes out more, and holds his
head higher, producing the impression that he
belong to a better class of society. When he is
in good humor — which is nearly always the case
he sticks out his red tongue, which in that
CHIMPANZEES AT SCHOOL. The artist here presents two most amiable and accomplished young Chimpanzees that enlivened the famous zoolog-
ical garden at Stuttgart for some years, and performed a number of delightful pranks, which made them favorites with everybody. The picture represents them
at school, the master examining the work of one of the pupils who is, unlike some school-boys, anxious to resume the task. The smaller sketch shows them
at dinner and proves how cleverly they have mastered the accomplishments of eating and drinking like Girls and Boys. They were amiable, playful, knew
scores of entertaining tricks, would sit in chairs, sleep in beds and walk around like human beings.
(15)
16
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
black face of his, forcibly reminds one of a negro
boy.
" His manner of life is just as human as his ap-
pearance. At about eight o'clock in the morning he
wakes up, yawns, scratches himself in various places
and remains sleepy and apathetic till his glass of
morning milk is brought. That rouses him. He
gets up, peers around to see whether he cannot find
something to destroy in the room, looks out of the
window, claps his hands, and if he has no better
company, tries to play with the keeper. The latter
must always be with him. The moment he is left
alone, he screams. At nine o'clock he is washed, a
process in which he finds much pleasure, and ex-
presses his satisfaction in grunts. Living with his
keeper, he gets his meals at corresponding times
with him. For luncheon, he eats a couple of Frank-
furt or Vienna sausages, or a sandwich with cheese,
or smoked beef. His favorite drink is Weiss beer,
and he looks remarkably funny when he tries to
hold the large glass with his short, thick fingers and
one foot. At one o'clock the keeper's wife brings
in dinner. While he was living in my house, last
summer, he was evidently yearning for this hour.
He always ran to open the door himself, when he
heard the bell. As soon as the woman came in, he
would investigate the dishes and sometimes help
himself to a little of some dainty. She would punish
him with a slap, and then he would behave and sit
quietly. The first course is a cup of bouillon, which
is emptied to the last drop. Then comes a dish of
rice or vegetables, preferably potatoes, carrots or
parsnips, cooked with meat. The woman insists on
his eating properly, and he can handle a spoon quite
well, but the minute he thinks he can do so unob-
served, he puts his mouth in the dish. He likes a
piece of roast fowl best at the end of his meal. At
the conclusion of dinner he takes a nap of an hour
or an hour and a half, and is then ready for new
pranks. In the course of the afternoon he gets some
fruit, while his evening meal consists of milk or tea
with bread and butter. At nine o'clock he goes to
bed. He has a nice mattress and covers himself
with a blanket. The keeper stays with him till he is
asleep, which does not take long. He likes best to
sleep in the same bed with the keeper, hugging him
and putting his head on some part of his body. He
sleeps all night through and does not awaken until
eight in the morning. A glass house in connection
with a little conservatory adapted for palms, has
been built specially for him, to take the place of the
damp atmosphere of his tropical home. In this way
J hope that aided by his robust nature, our Gorilla
will be spared us and will long be the greatest orna-
ment of our Aquarium, an honor to Germany, a joy-
to humanity, a glory to science."
This Gorilla died on the 13th of November, 1877,
after having been watched for nine months in Africa
and for fifteen months in Berlin, and having success-
fully made a trip to England. The second Gorilla
was taken to I nop, by l'echucl-Loeschc, the former
companion ol Falkenstein, who arrived with him in
1883, on his return from the Congo, and was also
nted to the Berlin Aquarium. He lived under
the care oi Director Hermes for fourteen months
and died of the same disease as the first Gorilla.
It is a notable Eacl that neither of the animals suf-
fered from sea-sickness.
All other attempts to take living Gorillas to Europe
and to keep them there, have been unsuccessful; [nor
has one 1 v er been brought to \.m
THE CHIMPANZEE.
Let us now consider the second species of the
Anthropomorpha, the Chimpanzee (Si/ma troglodytes).
He is considerably smaller than the Gorilla ; old
males reach a height of sixty-four inches ; females,
forty-eight inches. The skull is flatter, the arches of
the eyebrows not so prominent and the expression
of the face with its large, clear eyes a great deal
gentler. The nose is flat, the upper lip long, arched
and wrinkled ; the lower lip, prominent. Both lips
are exceedingly mobile and may be projected so as
to produce a snout-like impression. The ears are
larger and less human than those of the Gorilla.
The arms are long, reaching a little below the knee,
and possess great muscular power. The thumb in
the hands is thin and short ; the fingers are long, the
middle finger being the longest. In the feet the
large toe is separated from the others by a deep
incision ; and the sole is flat. The hair of the Chim-
panzee is smooth, that on the head usually showing a
parting ; it is long on the back part of the head, on
the cheeks, the back, arms and legs ; and shorter on
the other parts of the body. The color usually is-
black ; but in some specimens is a dull, reddish-
brown. The lower part of the face has short, whitish
hair. Chimpanzees walk on all fours, resting them-
selves on the calloused backs of their hands. The
toes of the feet are sometimes drawn in when walk-
ing. There is a strong inclination in this species to-
show remarkably varying individual types which has-
led to controversies as to whether there were not
several different species.
The Chimpanzee As a proof that the Chimpanzee was-
Long and known to the ancients, mention is
Weil-Known. usually made of the famous mosaic
picture, which once adorned the temple of Fortuna
in Prasneste, [and which is still preserved in the
Barberini Palace at that place, now the town of
Palestrina in Italy.] This mosaic represents, among
many other animals of the Upper Nile country, what
is believed to have been the Chimpanzee. This-
Ape is often mentioned by the authors of the paiit
few centuries, mostly under the name of " Inseigo "
or " Nschiego," a name he still bears in Central
Africa. A young Chimpanzee was taken to Eu-
rope in the beginning of the seventeenth century,,
dissected by Tulpius and Tyson and described by
Dapper. He has been taken there repeatedly since
and is a not infrequent feature on the European
animal market. [Several have been brought to the
United States and placed in museums and menag-
eries. ]
Formerly he was supposed to inhabit, exclusively,
Upper and Lower Guinea and the country back of
it, ranging from Sierra Leone to the Congo. He
lives in the forests on the rivers of the coast and in
the mountains. H. von Koppenfels has hunted him
in the Gaboon and Ogowe country. To the south
he was frequently seen by the German Loango ex-
pedition near the Congo. German explorers have
established the fact that he is found in central Af-
rica, deep in the region of the lakes, probably going
as far as the oil-palm and the gray Parrot. Heuglin
says : " In the thick foliage of the forests growing
along banks of rivers in the country of the Niam-
Niam the Mban (more correctly Baam) has made
its home, an Ape the size of a Man and of a savage
character, fearlessly turning on his pursuers. He-
lixes with his family and builds large nests in the
trees, making them water-tight and proof against
FEMALE ORANG-UTAN AND CHILD. The artist here presents a home-scene in the iltt of the Orang-utan, a mother resting upon
a tree-branch while her grotesque-looking child plays with her long fore-arm. These interesting ani.i are found in the islands of Borneo and
Sumatra, and are sluggish creatures, who spend their lives in the trees, but are capable of greatest activity when pursued by enemies, their arm -.
which are much longer, proportionally, than these of the Chimpanzee, enable them to swing prodigiou- distances through the air. The enor-
mous length of jaws of the animal is shown in the face of the baby The striking resemblance to Man is more apparent in the benevolent
face of the mother and explains why the name, satyr, " Wild man of the woods," is applied to the Orang-utan. (Pithectis satyrus.)
(17)
18
THE APES AND MO \ KEYS.
the rain. His hair is olive-black, his face hairless
and flesh-colored, and his buttocks white."
Character- Savage, who made his observations in
istic Lower Guinea, writes : " We cannot say
Traits. that the Chimpanzee is a gregarious
animal, as there are seldom more than five, or, at the
utmost, ten living together. Relying upon trust-
worth}' reports, I may say, though, that they some-
times gather in greater numbers for play. One of
my narrators claims to have seen at one time about
fifty of them which had assembled on trees and
amused themselves with screaming and drumming
on the tree-trunks. They avoid human habitations
as much as they can. Their dwellings, which are
more nest-like than hut-like, they build on trees, not
at a great height from the ground. They break and
twist and cross larger and smaller branches, and sup-
port the whole on an embranchment, or on a strong
bough. Sometimes you find such a nest at the end
of a bough, twenty or thirty feet from the ground, but
I have seen some that could not be less than forty
feet high. They do not care for a permanent home,
but change abiding places often in looking for food
or for other reasons. We frequently saw them in the
mountains, probably because the valleys, more favor-
able to the agriculture of the natives, lacked the
trees necessary for their nest-building. Two or more
nests are rarely seen in the same tree or even in the
same neighborhood, though five were once found
together. Nests, properly so-called, consisting of
interwoven branches, as Du Chaillu describes, have
not been seen by any of the other narrators."
When in repose the Chimpanzee in the wild state
usually assumes a sitting posture. He is often seen
standing or walking, but the minute he is detected,
drops on all fours and flees. As may be supposed
from his nest building, the Chimpanzee is an adept
at climbing. In his play he swings himself from tree
io tree and jumps with amazing agility. His food
probably is the same as that of the Gorilla, — fruits,
nuts, buds and, perhaps, roots, forming the staple
articles of diet.
The Chimpan- The Chimpanzee is made a captive
zee in oftener than the other Man-like Apes,
Captiuity. Dut unfortunately does not live over
two or three years in that state, although it is said
that in west Africa he has lived over twenty years
in captivity. Captive Chimpanzees under obser-
vation have so far always shown themselves gentle,
clever and amiable. Degrandpre saw on a ship a
female which performed various tasks. Buff on re-
lates that his Chimpanzee had a sad and serious look,
md moved about in a dignified manner. He had not
a single one of the nasty qualities of the Baboons,
neither was he so playful as the Guenons. He was
very obedient, shook hands with people, ate at the
table, used his napkin, poured out wine for himself,
cup and saucer when he wanted tea, put in
the sugar and always waited for the tea to get cold.
lie never harmed any one, but had a very modest,
: bearing, and delighted in being petted.
Out of all the numerous stories about the Chim-
lelect hi ■ I the celebrated
painter ol animals, Fr. Specht, concerning one in
will's Zoological Garden in Stuttgart. This Chim-
panzee, as Specht affirms, could laugh like a human
! : "I took notice of this, for no other animal
.how its joy by loud laughter. When I would
this sympathetic fellow under th< arms, throw
him in the air and catch him, the cage rang with
his in laughter. One day I brought a
piece of chalk along, and sat down on a chair. In
a moment he was sitting on my knees awaiting
further developments. I put the chalk in his hand,
and leading it, drew several figures on the wall.
when I let go of his hand, he started to shade the
drawings with such diligence that they soon dis-
appeared, to the great amusement of the spectators.
There are now two Chimpanzees in the Stuttgart
Zoological Garden, which are the closest of friends.
The female had been there before, and when the
male arrived his box was put over night in her warm,
roomy cage, the presentation being intended for the
morrow. When the box, which, by the way, had
been upholstered, was opened and the male got out,
they both stood on their hind legs for a few minutes
earnestly gazing at each other. Then they flew into
each other's embrace and exchanged hearty and re-
peated kisses ; and the female brought her blanket,
spread it on the floor, sat down on it and by gestures
invited the male to do likewise. It makes a charm-
ing picture to see these two taking their meals at
a table. They both use spoons and do not in the
least interfere with each other. The female has the
peculiarity of cautiously taking the male's glass and
drinking a goodly portion out of that, too, after
which she returns it. She evidently does not want
him to drink too much. Both these animals laugh
heartily when at play.
'•Mr Orninlpii" ^ne same fate has befallen Chimpanzees
? y brought to the United States as was met by
Npui YmU those taken to Europe. All will readily
recall that most attractive fellow, "Mr. Crow-
ley," so long the chief object of admiration in the museum of
Central Park, New York. This Chimpanzee was greatly at-
tached to his keeper and displayed a readiness and agility in
performing amusing tricks that won the attention of every one.
He acquired a number of accomplishments in the way of eating
and drinking, and displayed, until the ravages of disease spoiled
his temper, a mildness of disposition that charmed his daily
visitors. " Mr. Crowley " had two attacks of pneumonia before
his final, fatal illness, consumption, that nearly certain enemy
of all Apes in captivity. "Miss Kitty," a less amiable, and,
therefore, less attractive Chimpanzee, was his companion for
awhile, but she, too, shared the same fate as the idolized " Mr.
Crowley." Two Chimpanzees which kept house in a cage in
the zoological gardens at Cincinnati were very accomplished.
They would sit comfortably eating together in a manner similar
to that of the Apes of the Stuttgart Museum as illustrated on
page 15. They would also disport themselves for quite long
periods by rocking themselves in chairs, human fashion, but
would then show their Ape nature by clambering over the backs
of the chairs with great agility, besides performing many other
tricks which made them the great attraction of the pleasant
and well-stocked zoological gardens in which they were kept-
Death severed the pair. Barnum, the American showman, had
two Chimpanzees, "Nip" and"Tuck," on exhibition in various
towns and cities in this country, but they did not display the
intelligence shown by "Mr. Crowley," nor did they live for a
great while. Perhaps their narrow quarters in a cage and con-
stant traveling combined to sour their tempers and limit their
capacity for learning. Other attempts to introduce the Chim-
panzee into this country have not been encouraging, lack of
understanding of the habits of the animal being in some meas-
ure the cause ; but it is a fact that this Ape does much better in
warmer and drier climates like Paris than in that of England
and the colder parts of the continent of Europe and the north-
ern states of this country. The experiment of keeping one has
not been tried in the South, which is to be deplored, for there
are doubtless cities in the southern states where the climatic
conditions would prove to be especially favorable for keeping
Apes much longer than is possible in the more northern zoo-
logical collections, which have never been able to keep speci-
mens of the anthropomorphous Apes for any extended period.
THE ORANG-UTAN.
The most important Asiatic Man-like Ape is the
Orang-utan (Man of the Woods), sometimes incor-
rectly called Orang-Utang, and named Mias or
is in Borneo (Pithccus satyrus). He is distin-
guished by his disproportionately long arms, reach-
YOUNG ORANG-UTAN. The baby-like face of the young Orang is clearly brought out in this picture which is an exact reproduction from life.
"The expression is older than a child's, but the features are nearly identical, there being the round, prominent forehead, full, clear and fearless eyes and large
mouth and ears characteristic of the human child, and the wisp of straw held in the mouth and fingers show that like the human creature it is fond of play.
This Orang has its own snug bed and sleeps restfully beneath the covers, drinks from its own cup, runs and jumps, plays all kinds of mad pranks and enjoys
life fully as much as mother's own baby in any one of ten thousand happy homes. (Pitliecus salyrus.)
(19)
20
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
ing as far as his ankle joint, and by his conically
shaped head and protruding jaws. He has only
twelve rib-supporting vertebrae. The skull of a
young Orang-utan resembles that of a human child
to a high degree ; but as it grows older, the bestial
nature is developed and this likeness almost entirely
disappears.
Physical The largest male Orang-utan killed by
Character- Wallace was four feet two inches high,
istics. but he could spread his arms to the
width of six feet two inches. The face was thiiteen
inches wide, and the circumference of the body was
four feet. The abdomen of the Orang-utan pro-
trudes and the hips are very wide ; the neck is short
and wrinkled in front, for the animal has a large
pouch at his throat, which can be inflated ; the nails
are frequently lacking on the thumbs of the feet.
The lips have a very unsightly appearance, for they
are not only wrinkled, but also greatly swollen ; the
nose is pressed flat ; the eyes and ears are small but
resemble those of a human being. The canines are
the most formidable among the teeth, and the lower
jaw is longer than the upper. The hair is scanty on
the back and breast, but is long and plentiful on
the sides of the body. In the face it grows beard-
like, and on the upper lip, on the chin, on the skull
and on the fore-arms its position is upwards. The
face and palms of the hands are bare, the breast and
fingers nearly so. The color is usually red, some-
times merging into brown, darker on the breast and
back and lighter in the beard. The bare parts look
bluish or slate-gray. Old males are distinguished
from females by their larger size, longer and thicker
hair, thicker beard and peculiar callosities on the
cheeks, spreading from the eyes to the ears and
upper jaw, and giving the face a hideous aspect.
The young Apes have no beard, but their hair is
darker and longer.
Early Accounts The Orang-utan has been known for
of the a very long time. Pliny avers that
Otang. there were Satyrs on the East-Indian
mountains, "very ferocious animals with human
faces, sometimes walking upright, sometimes on all
fours, and so agile that they could be captured only
in old age or when sick." His story goes on down
to our own times, receiving new additions every cen-
tury, until one nearly forgets that they are animals
concerning which the stories are told.' They get to
be treated like wild Men. Exaggerations of all
kinds disfigure the truth. Bontius, a physician liv-
ing in the seventeenth century, speaks of his own
experience. He says he has seen "the dwellers of
tin- woods" several times, males as well as females.
They sometimes walked erect and behaved like hu-
man beings. On< female in particular aroused his
wonder. She was ashamed when strangers looked
at her and covered her face with her hands; she
would sigh and weep and do everything exactly like
a human being; she only lacked speech. The Japa-
affirm that Apes could talk very well if they
were so inclined, but they are dumb through fear of
made lo work. It is almost needless to state
thai in all these stories the Orang-utans walk erect,
though it is sometimes added that they are also
'abl< " to go on all lours. In reality the narrators
.1 .ill these fables are innocenl of deception, only
repeal Lng « hal t hey heard from i he na1 ives,
Wallace'* Owing to the excellent observations of
Account of Wallace, we know more about the life
theOrang. ,,, a natural state., I tl n ■ utan than
other oi the Man-shaped Apes. Tins traveler
had the best of opportunities to become acquainted?
with the animal and to compare his experiences with
the tales of the natives. Some of his predecessors,.
especially Owen, Kesscl and Brooke, had tried to
get at the truth, and his accounts in the main go to
prove their statements.
"We know," he says, "that the Orang-utan is a
native of Sumatra and Borneo, and, we have cause
to think, is limited to these two islands. But he
seems to be much more frequent in the latter than
in the former. He is found in extensive tracts of
land in the southwest and southeast, northwest and
northeast coasts, but occurs exclusively in marshy,
low-lying woods. In Sadong he is only found in
the plains covered with virgin forests and crossed
by many rivers. Isolated mountains, inhabited by
Dyaks and planted with fruit trees, rise here, and
form a point of attraction for the Mias. They often
visit them on account of the fruits, but always retire
at night into their bogs. In all those parts of the
country where the surface rises and is dry, the
Orang-utan does not appear. An extensive plain of
uninterrupted and level virgin forest seems a condi-
tion essential to the welfare of this Ape. These for-
ests offer to him a field for as unimpeded progress-
as a prairie to an Indian or the desert to an Arab.
He goes from tree-top to tree-top without ever alight-
ing on the ground. A high and dry country, with
the trees cleared away in places and the ground cov-
ered by underbush, may be better adapted for Men,
but not for this Ape with its peculiar mode of loco-
motion.
" It is an attractive and strange spectacle to see a
Mias (Orang-utan) easily making his way through
the forest. Without hurry he goes along one of the
larger boughs, in a semi-erect position, which the
length of his arms and the shortness of his legs ren-
der obligatory; he does not use his soles, but walks-
on his knuckles, like so many of his cousins. He
always seems to select trees whose branches inter-
weave ; he stretches out his long arms, seizes the
branches with both hands, seemingly trying their
strength, and then deliberately launches himself for-
ward upon the next tree, where he goes through the
same performance. He never hops or jumps, or
seems in the least to hurry, yet he proceeds on his
way as quickly as anybody could run underneath.'"
In another place Wallace says he thinks the Mias-
could easily cover a distance of five or six miles an
hour. "His long, powerful arms are of the greatest
use to him ; they enable him to climb the highest
trees with case, to pluck fruits and young leaves
of thin branches that would not hold his weight,
and to gather leaves and twigs for his nest." An
Orang-utan wounded by this explorer revealed to-
him the manner of building a nest. " As soon as I
had shot," says Wallace, "the Mias climbed to the
top of the tree He started to break off branches
and put them down crosswise The place had been
admirably selected. With surprising quickness he
reached out in every direction with his unwounded
arm, breaking strong branches and crossing them,
so that in a few minutes he had formed a close-
wall of foliage, which effectually concealed him
from my sight. A similar nest is used by Orangs-
for their night's rest, but this is usually built on
smaller trees farther down, as a rule not higher than
thirty to sixty feet ; probably because it is net here
so much exposed to the wind-. It is said that the
Mias builds a new nest every night, but I think this
improbable, for, if such were the case, the rema
THE MAX-SHAPED APES— ORANG-UTAN.
21
WHITE-HANDED GIBBONS.— These active and pretty animals are
found in Terrasserim, southwest of Burmah, and are noted for their loud
s. Troops of them will get together in the deep forests and fill the
air with their not unmusical cries for hours at a time. A white band of hair
encircles the entire face and the body is black, dark-brown or ochre-brown.
These interesting creatures drink water from the palms of their hands, are
readily tamed in India but do not long survive foreign captivity. The artist
represents them in the picture mounted on a favorite tree, suspiciously
regarding some approaching object. (Hylobalcs lar.)
of these nests would be oftener found. The Dyaks
claim that in wet weather the Mias covers him-
self with pandanus leaves or large ferns. Perhaps
this is the origin of the belief that the Orang-utan
builds a hut in the trees in which to live.
" The Orang-utan leaves his bed when the sun is
well above the horizon and has dried the dew on the
leaves. During the day he eats, but seldom visits
the same tree two days in succession. As far as I
could determine lie feeds almost exclusively on fruit,
but occasionally on leaves and buds. In very rare
cases he descends to the ground ; probably only
when, driven by hunger, he looks for juicy young
leaves on the banks of a river ; or when in exceed-
ingly dry weather he comes down for water,
which is usually supplied him sufficiently in the
hollows of leaves. Only once I saw two half-
grown Orangs on the ground in a dry hole.
They were standing erect, holding each other's
arms and playing. This Ape never walks up-
right, unless he holds to the branches of trees,
oris attacked. Pictures that represent him walk-
ing with the help of a stick are pure inventions.
"They do not seem to fear Men very much.
Nearly all of those I observed stared at me for
a few minutes and then deliberately repaired to
a tree in the neighborhood. It frequently hap-
pened when I saw one, that I had to go a thou-
sand paces or more after my gun ; nevertheless I
would find him on the same tree upon my return,
or within a hundred feet of the spot where 1
had first seen him. I never saw two full-grown
Orangs together, though males as well as females
sometimes are accompanied by half-grown young
ones.
"All the Dyak chiefs, who had spent theii
lives in a country where the Orang abounds
assured me that no animal was strong enough to
hurt one, and the only animal he fights with is the
Crocodile. When the Orang runs short of fruit, he
descends to the river banks to look for young shoots
and fruit. Then the Crocodile tries to seize him, but
the Orang jumps on it, beats it with hands and feet
and kills it.
"Rarely does it happen that an Orang fights with
a human being. One day several Dyaks came to
tell me that one of these animals had nearly killed
a companion. His house was standing on the bank
of the river, and he saw an Orang-utan making a
meal of the young leaves of a palm. He frightened
him, and the Ape beat a retreat into the woods. A
22
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
number of Men armed with spears and hatchets ran
to cut off his retreat, and the foremost Man tried to
spear the animal, but the Mias seized him and buried
its teeth in the muscles over the elbow, tearing the
flesh into shreds. If the others had not come to the
rescue, he would have fared still worse, but they suc-
ceeded in killing the plucky beast. The wounded
Man was sick for a long time, and never recovered
the complete use of his arm." The truth of this
story was proven by Wallace, who on the following
day, visited the field of battle, and cut off the head
of the Orang-utan, for an addition to his collection.
The Orang- To complete this picture so excellently
Utan in represented by Wallace, we will draw
Captivity. on several of the older reports. For
the first correct observations we are indebted to the
Dutchman, Vosmaern, who was in possession of a
tame female. She was a good-natured animal and
never proved herself false or malicious. One could
without fear put his hand into her mouth. Her usual
expression was that of sadness and melancholy. She
'iked all human beings without distinction of sex,
out preferred those who took care of her. Her
owner kept her chained, which at times made her
desperate ; she would throw herself on the floor,
scream pitifully and tear all the blankets that were
given to her. Once she was let loose, and imme-
diately made her escape to the roof, where she
climbed about with such agility that four persons
spent an hour in trying to recapture her. On this
same excursion she laid her hands on a bottle of
Malaga wine, drew the cork and made haste to ap-
propriate the contents, afterwards placing the bottle
in its former position. She ate everything that was
given to her, but preferred fruit and juicy plants to
other food. She also liked boiled or fried meat and
fish. Insects she did not hunt for, and a Sparrow
that was offered her caused her great fright; still she
finally killed it with a bite, pulled out a few feathers,
Listed the meat and threw it away. Raw eggs she
ate with pleasure, but strawberries seemed to de-
light her most. Her usual beverage was water, but
she liked all kinds of wine, and especially Malaga.
After drinking she would wipe her mouth with her
hand, and she used tooth-picks in the same manner
that human beings do. She was an accomplished
thief and stole candy out of people's pockets in a
masterly way. Before going to sleep she always
made great preparations. She shook the hay and
spread it fresh, put a bundle under her head and
carefully covered herself ; she disliked to sleep
alone, for she dreaded solitude. Sometimes she
look a nap in the day-time, but never a long one.
She had been given some clothing, and this she
[lately wrapped around her body and her head,
without reference to the temperature of the room.
When she saw the lock on her chain opened with a
key, she got a little piece of wood and kept turning
it in the lock. Once she was given a Kitten.
While she was smelling it, Pussy scratched her arm.
Then she threw it away and never had anything
more to do with Cats. She could untie the most
< ompli< at( 'I I not , with her fingers or her teeth, and
this seemed to afford hei such pleasure, thai she
always untied people's shoes when she had a
chance. Her hands wire exceedingly strong and
she could lift the heaviesl burdens. She used her
feet with the same dexterity as her hands. Winn
she could nol reach an article with her hands, she
threw h< rs< M on h< i ba< I and gol a1 it w lth her
feet. She in amed unless Nit alone. At
first her screams resembled the howling of a Dog.
She soon fell a prey to consumption.
An Orang- Another description comes to us from
Utan on a careful observer, who had an Orang-
Shipboard. utan on a ship for three months. As
long 3.s the ship was cruising in Asiatic waters, the
animal lived on deck, selecting a sheltered place for
the night. During the day-time he always was in
the best of humor, played around with little Monk-
eys that were on board, or disported himself in the
rigging. Gymnastics and climbing seemed to af-
ford him especial pleasure, for he would practice on
different masts and cables. His agility and mus-
cular power were astonishing. Captain Smitt, the
observer, had taken a few hundred cocoa-nuts
along, the Orang daily receiving two. He was
very expert in destroying the tough outer covering
of the nuts with his teeth, though it was two inches
thick and the sailors had to use a hatchet for the
task. He would insert his formidable teeth into the
tapering end of the nut, as the shell is very uneven
there ; then he would seize it with the right foot and
in this way tear the tough covering to pieces. Then
he would pierce one of the natural apertures of the
nut with his finger, drink the milk, break the shell
on some hard object and eat the kernel.
Besides the cocoa-nuts he liked salt meat, flour,
tapioca, etc., and resorted to a great many tricks to
get the greatest possible amount of meat at every
meal. What he once procured he never released
even though he was beaten for his obstinacy. The
flour he daily received in the kitchen, and when the
cook was absent, he never failed to open the flour-
bin, take out a good handful and then wipe his hand
on his head, so that he often appeared on deck pow-
dered. Every Tuesday and Friday he unfailingly
made the sailors a visit when the dinner-bell rang,
for on these days they had tapioca with sugar and
cinnamon. Just as regularly he would make his ap-
pearance in the cabin at two o'clock, to get his share
of the meal served at that hour. He was very quiet
at meals, and, unlike other Apes, clean, though he
never could be taught the proper use of the spoon.
He put his plate to his mouth and simply drank the
soup, without spilling a drop. He was very fond of
spirits, and always received a glass of wine at dinner,
which he emptied in a peculiar manner. He could
project his lower lip in such a way as to form a cup
three inches long and nearly as wide, and capable
of holding a tumblerful of water. Into this curious
cup he poured the wine, and never drank otherwise.
After having carefully smelled of the wine, he pro-
jected his lip, poured the liquid in, and then pro-
ceeded to suck it in between his teeth, deliberately
and slowly, as if he intended to make the pleasure
as lasting as possible. Then he reached out his
glass for more. He never broke a dish, thereby dif-
fering from the other Apes, who, as everybody
knows, usually break everything.
He was never heard to make but two different
sounds ; a feeble, piping one, designed to express
agitation, and a dreadful roar, resembling the lowing
of a Cow, and denoting fear. Once he uttered the
latter at sight of a Whale swimming near the vessel,
and again when he caught sight of several Water-
Snakes that his owner brought from Java. The ex-
pression of his fact- never changed. Unfortunately
an accident, resulting from his love of liquor, ended
his life before he reached Germany, which was his
destination. lie stole a bottle of rum, nearly emp-
tied it, became sick and died on the fourteenth day.
THE MAX-SHAPED APES—GIBBOX
23
THE GIBBON.
No other Apes show such a development of the
upper extremities as the Gibbons or Long-armed
Apes {Hylobaies). They perfectly justify their
name, for when they stand erect their fingers touch
the ground. This one trait would suffice to distin-
guish the Long-armed Apes from all others of their
class.
The Gibbons form the most numerous tribe of the
Man-shaped Apes, there being about seven different
kinds of these animals. They are all inhabitants of
Asia, being found in East
India and the adjoining
great islands of Sumatra,
Java and Borneo. They
attain a considerable size,
though none of them ex-
ceed three feet four
inches in height. The
body appears very slen-
der in spite of the highly
developed chest, for the
hips are very narrow, re-
minding one of a Grey-
hound; the lower extrem-
ities are very much longer
than the upper, and the
elongated hands in some
species show the forefin-
ger to be connected with
the middle finger by
means of a membrane.
The head is small and
egg-shaped, the face very
human, the callosities on
the hind quarters are
small and the tail not vis-
ible. Their fur is olenti-
ful and sometimes silky ;
the coloring may be
black, brown, brownish-
gray or cream. All the
Gibbons are gifted with
an exceedingly strong
voice, which they use a
great deal in the morning
hours.
Leading The most
Varieties of remarkable
the Gibbon. cf the Long-
armed Apes are : the Sia-
mang (Hylobatcs syndac-
tylies), the Hoolock
(Hylobatcs hoolock), the
Lar or White-handed
Gibbon (Hylobatcs lar), the Ungko (Hylobatcs raf-
flcsii) and the Wau-wau or Oa (Hylobatcs variegatus).
The largest of the tribe is the Siamang, which pos-
sesses a soft black coat of fur, and a pouch at the
throat, which he inflates in screaming, to strengthen
his voice. His native country is Sumatra. The Hoo-
look, a trifle smaller than the Siamang, is usually
black with the exception of a white band on the
forehead ; although there are several lighter kinds.
He has no pouch, and inhabits India. The Ungko,
which has his home in Sumatra and is a rarer animal,
shows still greater varieties of coloring. He, as well
as the Siamang, is found sometimes as high as three
thousand feet above sea-level in the mountain-forests.
The Wau-wau has a face of a bluish-black hue, the
THE WAU-WAU. Native of the great Asiatic islands, and is also
known as the Silvery Gibbon, from the coloring of its fur. It is among the
most agile of all its group and can easily swing through the air from tree-
branch to tree-branch, a distance of fifty feet or more. The depth of the chin
and the two prominent ridges on the forehead give to the face a rather unpleas-
ant appearance, but in captivity the animal is amiable and readily attaches
itself to its master. (Hylobatcs variegatus.)
Astonishing
Agility of
Gibbons.
head, the breast, and the inner sides of the arms and
legs being dark brown, the rest of the body lighter.
He inhabits the Malay Peninsula, together with the
Lar, but is also found in Sumatra and Borneo. The
frame of the Long-armed Apes is especially adapted
for climbing. They are possessed of every qualifica-
tion necessary for rapid, protracted and agile climb-
ing and jumping. The large chest is endowed with
capacious lungs, which do not tire or give out when
the blood circulates faster during active exercise,
the strong lower extremities give the necessary im-
petus for long leaps, the long arms lend security in
the seizing of a branch
destined to be the next
point of support, and
which might easily be
missed with shorter arms.
How long these arms are
proportionately is best
seen by comparison with
Man. The latter, extend-
ing his arms, takes in a
width equal to his length;
the Gibbon, double his
length. A Man standing
erect, touches the middle
of his thigh ; a Gibbon,
his ankle-joint. Ot
course these arms are no
fit instruments for walk-
ing ; they are only in-
tended for climbing.
Therefore, the walk of a
Long-armed Ape is but
an awkward balancing of
the hind legs, a clumsy
waddling, while its move-
ments in climbing and
dancing among the
branches are full of life
and grace, seemingly
knowing no bounds and
ignoring the laws of grav-
ity. On the ground the
Gibbons are slow and ex-
tremely clumsy. There
they are awkward and
out of place ; in the trees
they are swift as birds.
All narrators are unani-
mous in their admiration
of the climbing accom-
plishments of the Long-
armed Apes, in which
the\- excel every other
species.
Duvaucel relates with what incredible
rapidity and assurance the Wau-wau
climbs a bamboo-cane, a tree top or a
branch, swings to and fro on it, and then flings him-
self through space, covering distances of forty to fifty
feet with the greatest ease, flying like an arrow or a
bird It looks as if the consciousness of this incom-
parable agility gives him great pleasure, for he takes
immense leaps that he could easily avoid ; sometimes
changing his direction in the air, hanging on to the
nearest branch and throwing himself forward again.
It really produces the impression of magic, as if he
could fly without wings, and lived more in the air
than in the trees. What could such a being do on
the ground ? He is a stranger there, and only visits
24
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
it to allay his thirst. His home is in the air, where
he enjoys peace and security, easily escapes every
enemy and, of a verity, lives and luxuriates in the
enjoyment of motion.
The Natural Study of these animals in the wild state
Traits is extremely difficult, as they are very
of Gibbons. shy and seldom leave the depths of
their native forests. Only a good telescope — an in-
strument indispensable to the observer of all of the
more timid ani-
mals-enables one
to see a little of
their life. In this
way it has been
discovered that
the mothers carry
their little ones to
the river, where,
in spite of great
screaming, t hex-
proceed to wash
and afterwards
dry them, taking
as much pains in
the whole process
as we might de-
sire to be lavished
on some human
children.
At sunrise and
sunset they usual-
ly join their loud
voices in such a
concert as to
deafen a near-
by observer, and
frighten any one
not used to this
curious music.
They are the
alarm clocks of
the Malay moun-
taineers, and the
greatest annoy-
ance of the town
inhabitants,
whose suburban
summer life they
manage to spoil
a mile away,
URSINE COLOBUS AND BLACK COLOBUS. These monkeys are found in the deep woods
of Africa. The Bear-like appearance gave to the Ursine Colobus its name. The cheek bones and
chin are covered with long, white hair which stands outward or downward as shown in the picture.
It is very timid and flees at the approach of Man. The Black Colobus, like the Ursine, has stunted
thumbs and the fur is thick, long and black. (See chapter on " Dog-shaped Monkeys.")
It is said that their cries are heard
Captive Long-armed Apes both with
and without the cheek-pouches have been heard to
utter very loud shrieks.
Bennett, a careful observer, had a living Siamang
in his possession, and noticed that when he was
excited he projected his lips like a funnel, inflated
his pouches and made a sound resembling the gobble
of a Turkey. He made cries denoting joy as well
as anger. The female Ungko in London sometimes
cried in a peculiarly harmonious manner. She began
with E, ascending and descending a full octave in
chromatics. In ascending the notes became slower
and slower ; in descending they followed in quick
succession, the finale being a piercing yell. The
regularity, assurance and rapidity of this perform-
ance invariably excited the enthusiastic admiration
of the audience.
Opinions of ob-
servers as to the
intellectual quali-
ties of the Long-
armed Apes are
divided. Duvau-
cel calls the
Siamang slow,
stupid, awkward,
lazy, cowardly
and uninteresting,
indifferent toward
his keepers, and
incapable of af-
fection as well as
revenge. Forbes,
on the contrary,
praises his tame-
ness and familiar-
ity: "The pretty,
caressing way he
had of encircling
my neck with his
long arms and
leaning his head
on my breast,
emitting a satis-
fied little grunt,
was very prepos-
sessing." Ben-
nett also judges
him in a more
favorable light.
He brought a
Siamang nearly
as far as Europe
and says that in
a short time he
made his way into the affections of all his fellow-
travelers. He died before they reached England
and was mourned by the entire crew. Gibbons
are rarely seen in captivity, even in their native
country. They cannot bear the loss of freedom,
and when deprived of it they constantly long for
their native forests and their plays and become more
and more quiet and sad, until finally they die.
Continued
THE PRIAMUS
MONKEY. — A native of
Ceylon, very active and intel-
ligent, and is about sixteen
inches long, with a tail twen-
ty inches in length Its color
is a deep gray, with tinges
of brown, and its lips, chin
-. and whiskers are nearly pure white. This ani-
mal makes prodigious swings through the air
and easily escapes pursuit. (Semnopithccus
. nestor. )
THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS.
The second group of the Narrow-nosed Apes consists of the Dog-
shaped Monkeys ( Cynopithecita) . Their distinguishing features are the
forward projection of the snout especially noticeable in the lower tribes,
the shorter arms, the frequent occurrence of a tail and cheek-pouches,
and the regular existence of callosities on the hinder quarters. In other
respects they show a great variety of structure, ranging from the elon-
gated shape of the Slender Monkeys to the bulky form of the Baboons.
Where Dog- They are natives of the warm countries of the Old World,
Shaped especially India, from the Himalaya Mountains south,
Monkeys Live. Cochin China, the Malay Archipelago, Southern Arabia
and the whole of Africa, with the exception of the Eastern Sahara
country. They are the most active of their family, clever, but in the
majority of cases malicious and indecent. They do a great deal of
damage, plundering plantations and orchards in the boldest manner, and
sometimes exciting general fear by their malicious propensities. By the
people of some of the countries which they inhabit they are looked upon
with the greatest contempt, while among others religious superstition
invests them with the attributes of sanctity.
SLENDER OR SACRED MONKEYS.
Among the Dog-shaped Monkeys we will first turn to the Slender or
Sacred Monkeys {Scmnopithecus), which are, as their name indicates,
slightly built, and are endowed with long, fine extremities and a very
long tail, a small, high head, a face devoid of hair, and a short snout, pro-
vided with small cheek-pouches. Their callosities are very small. The
last molar tooth in the lower jaw is furnished with five cusps. The
skeleton in its slenderness reminds one of that of the Gibbons. The
hands have long fingers, but the thumbs are short or very little developed, and not adapted for grasping.
The hair is wonderfully fine, its coloring agreeable, and in one tribe peculiar; and the hair of the head
is sometimes considerably longer than that of the body.
They are found in the southern part of the continent of Asia, Ceylon and the islands of the Indian
Ocean. Here they live in more or less numerous troops in the forests, preferring the banks of a river or
the neighborhood of villages or plantations, and being universally protected by the natives they lead an
exceedingly enjoyable life.
The foremost place among the Slender or Sacred Monkeys belongs to the Hoonuman, or Hulman, the
Sacred Monkey of the Hindoos (Semnopitketnts entettus), which is the most common of all the Ape species
26
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
in the greater portion of India. He continues to
spread, as he is not only protected and petted, but is
also imported into various parts of that country in
order to perpetuate his species. His length is from
three to four feet, and his tail is as long, or even
longer, than this. The fur is cream-colored and the
naked parts have a dark violet tint. The face, hands
and feet — as much of them as is covered with hair —
and a stiff crest of hair over the eyes, are black,
while the short beard is creamy.
The Hoonuman The Hoonuman occupies a very high
in Hindoo place among the innumerable deities
Mythology. 0f tjie Hindoos, and has enjoyed this
honor since time immemorial. Tradition holds that
the giant Rama carried off
Sita, the wife of Thri-Rama,
and brought her to the
Island of Ceylon; but a
Monkey rescued the lady
and brought her back to her
husband, and ever since he
has been considered a hero.
There are a great many
stories afloat concerning his
remarkable intellect and his
swiftness. For one of their
most valued fruits, the man-
go, the Hindoos are in-
debted to him, as he stole
it from the giant's garden.
For this theft he was con-
demned to be burned alive
— we are not informed by
whom — but he extinguished
the fire, badly burning his
hands and face, which have
ever since been black.
These are the reasons as-
signed by the Brahmins for
adoring him.
Hoonuman This Monkey
Protected by has been stud-
Natiues. jecj for a great
many years in his native
country, and that is the rea-
why we came to make
his acquaintance so late.
Every person who visited
India thought that so com-
mon an animal must cer-
tainly have been often taken
to Furope[or America],and
therefore each one neg-
d to stuff him and send
him over. Besides, it is
< rous to kill this sacred
animal ; for only the Mah-
rattas,among I [indoos.hold
it in low esteem ; all the
Other Hindoo or and protecting it wherever
they can. An European who dares attack a Hoonu-
man imperils his life, if he is the only foreigner in a
Hindoo croud, for the Monkey is sacred. A reign-
ing family boasts descent from it, and its members
themselves "Tailed Ranas," as they maintain
tli.it their ancestor was endowed with this, to us,
seemingly unnecessary app< n
A High Priced A Portugu roy of India, Con-
Monkeu'* stantino de Braganza, had in his pos-
session a Monkey's tooth, taken in
war from the treasures oi a prim e oi ( leylon ; and a
BUDENG OR NEGRO MONKEY. Lives in large troops in
the forests of Java and is hunted vigorously by the natives for its
beautiful, long and silky black fur, which is used by the armies of
Europe for decorating purposes. The Budengs build rude nests in
>p of the trees and live upon fruits and buds. The mop of
''■ irrounding the face gives them a peculiar expression. The
care and affection of the mother for her young is shown by the art-
ist in (he picture. The length of a full-grown Budeng is about five
feet, the tail coming in for more than half of the measurement.
{Semnofithecus mam us.)
special embassy of the king of Pegu came to offer
him 300,000 cruzados for the valuable jewel. So>
high a price was probably never before or since
offered for a tooth. The more astonishing is it to
know that the Europeans did not accept it. The
viceroy held a meeting of his counselors ; the lay-
members of the council tried to persuade him- to
accept so great a sum, but a priest protested against
it. He claimed that such a barter would promote
heathen superstition, and his opinion prevailed.
This might have been of no importance to us. if
the tooth had not been destroyed on this occasion
and thereby lost a valuable clue to Indian theology
and to natural science. This one tooth might have
served very well for the
classification of the Monkey
to which it once belonged.
Hindoo Vener- The sacred an-
ation for the imal is held in
Hoonuman. as high esteem
to-day as in by-gone times.
The Hindoos complacently
look on when the impudent
fellows plunder their gar-
dens and rob their homes
and regard with disfavor
every one who dares to in-
sult a Monkey. Tavernier
relates how a young Dutch-
man, recently arrived from
Europe, shot one of these
animals from a window;
whereupon there was a
frightful commotion among
the natives, which was with
the greatest difficulty
allayed. The servants at
once handed in their res-
ignations, being fully con-
vinced that the foreigner
would be killed and they
probably along with him.
Duvaucel also says that in
the beginning it was very
hard for him to kill one of
these Monkeys, as the na-
tives always contrived to
prevent it. Forbes assures
us that in Duboy there are
as many Monkeys as there
are people. These creat-
ures inhabit the top story of
the houses and make life a
burden to foreigners. When
a native has a grudge
against his neighbor, he puts
some rice or corn on his en-
emy's roof, selecting the ap-
proach of the rainy season,
when it is incumbent on every landlord to repair his
housetop. As soon as the Monkeys see the prepared
food, they not only cat what is within easy reach,
but also tear up the tiles to get at the grains that
have fallen into the crevices. As at this time of the-
year the roofers are in great demand, it is next to-
impossible to procure one, so the house stands open,
to the rain and the furniture is spoiled.
Hospital Not only the well Monkeys but also^
for Sick the sick ones are cared for in that coun-
Monkeys. try Tavernier found a hospital for
Monkeys, Oxen, Cows, etc., in Ahmadabad. All the-
THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS— SLENDER OR SACRED.
27
balconies are strewn from time to time with rice,
millet, dates, fruits and sugar-cane — all for the
Monkeys. These latter are so bold that they not
only pillage the gardens, but sometimes enter the
houses at meal-time and take the food out of peo-
ple's hands. A missionary declared that only by
constant watchfulness was he able to protect his
clothing and other belongings from these thieves.
It is very probable that the sacred character of the
The Budeng or This group has yet other remarkable
Negro Monkey members. The Budeng or Negro
of Java. Monkey of the Javanese {Semno-
pithecus mourns) is a beautiful animal. In mature
age he is black and glossy, his face and hands being
like velvet, his back like silk. The head is covered
by a peculiar cap of hair falling on the forehead and
encircling the cheeks. New-born Monkeys of this
species are of a cream color, and only the ends of
HOONUMAN MONKEYS. The most
sacred ot all the sacred Monkeys of India.
Here are portrayed a troop of Hoonumans in
their arboreal home in the hot lowlands of the
upper Ganges. The full-grown Hoonuman is
from three to four feet in length, with a tail
still longer than the body. It is a handsome
creature, the fur being cream-colored, except
parts of the head and the extremities of the
Monkeys is connected in some way with the belief in
the transmigration of souls. It seems that the Hin-
doos think that after death their souls, as well as
that of their king, enter the body of some Monkey.
Notwithstanding their impudence these animals are
attractive and handsome creatures. The missionary,
John, says that he never saw more beautiful Monk-
evs than the Hoonumans. Their friendliness towards
each other and their enormous leaps attract the atten-
tion of every observer.
limbs, which are black, while the bare portions
are of a deep violet hue. It is protected on
account of its supposed sanctity, for the na-
tives dare not molest it. It is one of the great-
est thieves in the world, robbing shops, houses
and fields and standing in no dread of Man,
whom it seems to regard as a sort of servant
to provide for its greedy wants. (Semnopilhe-
cus entellus.)
the hairs on thr lower part of the back, the upper
part of the tail and its tuft take a darker tinge.
Soon the dark color begins to spread, and in a few
months the hands, the head and the tuft of the tail
are black, and then the whole coat gradually as-
sumes the color of mature age. The length of this
handsome creature is about five feet, the tail coming
in for more than half of this measurement.
" The Budeng," says Horsfield, " is found in con-
siderable numbers in the extensive forests of Java.
28
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
One sees whole companies on the tree-tops, a single
troop sometimes numbering more than fifty. It is
best to study these troops at a distance. At the
approach of Man they raise a terrible noise, jump-
ing furiously from branch to branch, thereby often
breaking strong boughs, which they throw down at
the pursuer." ( ? )
TheBudeng A captive Budeng is a quiet, gentle,
in patient creature. In Antwerp a Bu-
Captiuity. deng lived among Macaques and other
little Monkeys, which were forever teasing and tor-
menting him, and he never thought of retaliating.
The scene was very grotesque when a Guenon,
barely a year old, compelled the big Monkey to
attend him, and brought him to order by pitilessly
boxing his ears and pinching him. One cannot
doubt that good-nature is the essential quality of
the Budeng mind, and very nearly misses that spirit
of mischief and malice that appertains to all others
of the Monkey tribe. The Budeng also seems to
suffer much from a foreign climate. In captivity
abroad he enjoys every glimpse of the sun, and is
happy when he can bask but for a few moments in
the rays of that life-giving orb, whose glow bestows
on his native country all the splendor of the tropics.
The Long-Nosed There is another tribe that is now
Monkey of separated from the Slender Monkeys
Borneo. proper, the Long-nosed or Proboscis
Monkey, or Kahau {Nasalis larvatus). In general
this Monkey has the structure of the Slender or Sa-
cred Monkeys ; but the long nose, which is movable
in every direction and capable of being projected
or drawn in, lends his countenance a highly peculiar
aspect. The body is slender, the tail very long, the
extremities are nearly of equal length, the cheek-
pouches are lacking. The nose forms a hook-like
projection over the upper lip, is rather broad in its
middle part, pointed at the end and shows a slight
furrow in the median line ; the nostrils are very
large and can be considerably dilated. In the young
animal this organ is small and blunt, and reaches its
full size only in the adult Monkey. According to C.
Bock it is a peculiarity distinguishing only the adult
male, and lacking in the female. The fur is thick
and soft ; the hair is short on the parting, longer on
the back of the head and sides of the face, and on
the neck it goes to form a collar. The color of this
Monkey is red. The extreme length of the Long-
nosed Monkey is five feet. The females are smaller,
but are said to be capable of reproduction before
they have attained their complete growth. They
live in bands in Borneo. Their life in the wild state
is very little known. According to Wurmb, they
rnble together in large troops at mornings and
evenings and howl, the cry bearing some resem-
blance to the word "Kahau," whence they derive
thnr name. Although at first glance the Kahau's
looks like a burlesque of the same organ in
Man, the real resemblance is slight, for the nostrils
are at the extremity of the m
THE THUMBLESS MONKEYS.
The Aim an relatives of the Slender Monkeys, the
Thumbless Monkeys I Colobus), are striking animals,
distinguished by their peculiai color, and queer but
beautiful manes. India shows more life and color
than arid Afii< a, and so the Slender Monkeys are of
iter and brighter hue than the Thumbh 'l m\
eys, though one cannot say that the latter are less
to tin- eye than the former. On the whole,
the differences between the two groups are but slight.
The Thumbless Monkeys are mainly distinguished
from the Slender Monkeys in having the thumbs on
the two fore-limbs docked or stunted. Their body is
slender and graceful, the snout is short, the tail very
long and the limbs also long and slight ; the cheek-
pouches are lacking.
Guereza, Among these animals we ought to con-
Handsomest sider the Guereza ( Colobus guereza) first.
of Monkeys. jqe js indisputably the handsomest of
all Monkeys. His color is exceedingly pretty, and
his hair as peculiar and, at the same time, striking in
appearance as that of any other animal in the Monkey
family. The merit of discovery of this beautiful crea-
ture belongs to the distinguished German, Ruppell,
who found it on his Abyssinian tour, in the province
of Godsham, and gave it the same scientific name as
that employed by the natives. This Monkey was
previously very little known. Hiob Ludolf men-
tioned it in his valuable work on Ethiopia. Ruppell
saw a living Guereza and so could write about it from
his own experience. After him several other natural-
ists have observed it. I found the skin of a Guereza
on the lower White Nile, in the possession of a Has-
sanie, who used it as a tobacco-pouch, and who told
me that farther south the Guereza was by no means
a rarity. Heuglin also saw it frequently in Abyssinia
and along the White Nile, and had reliable reports
concerning the Monkey's existence in quite different
parts of Central Africa ; hence we may conclude that
the animal ranges over a larger area than is com-
monly supposed. Thompson found it in the Massai
country, and, according to Johnston, Hans Meyer
saw it on the Kilima Ndjaro, at a height of three
thousand feet above sea level, and also farther to
the south in the Kahe country.
The Guereza is indeed a magnificent animal. On
a beautiful black velvet body, a white head-band, a
white neck, chin, throat, belt or mane, and tail-tuft
stand out in magnificent relief. But each white hair
has also brown ringlets on it, and this produces a
silver-gray impression of the whole. The mane, if I
may so call his side-belt, hangs on both sides like a
beautiful Bedouin cape and serves as an indescribably
handsome adornment.
Hunting The hunting of the Guereza is attended
the with a great many difficulties. He is nearly
Guereza. secure from all dangers in his favorite
haunts, the tops of high trees. A rifle in the hands
of a native is a comparatively harmless thing, and
it is lucky that such is the case ; for if the Abys-
sinians knew how to handle a rifle, they probably
would already have exterminated this fine animal.
In former times he was much persecuted, for a
shield covered with a Guereza skin was a thing
much valued and consequently much sought after.
The shields of the Abyssinians and of the other East
African tribes were of oblong shape and were made
of the hides of Antelopes or Hippopotami ; and
these were covered with the side and back skin of
the Guereza and in this way showed the entire mane
as their chief ornament.
In Gondar, the capital of Abyssinia, a Guereza
skin used to command the price of one dollar, a
sum which might have bought half a dozen fat
sheep. Now their value has fallen, for fortunately
the shields are no longer in use. I say fortunately,
for in this way the attractive creature will be spared
and escape the mania of persecution, which man
everywhere exhibits against " his first-born brothers."
So far as I know living Guerezas have only twice
LONG-NOSED MONKEYS. These grotesque looking Monkeys are natives of Borneo, and are sometimes called the Proboscis Monkeys, the organ
from which this name is derived, being large and long and movable in every direction. This illustration is t.iken from life and shows them as they appear in the
zoological gardens in Batavia. the Capital of Dutch India, where they thrive as well as in their native forests. In their wild state, troops of these Monkevs
assemble together mornings and evenings, and in this sketch they are apparently following the same custom. (Xasalis lariat us.)
(29)
30
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
been taken to Europe [and none have ever reached
America].
Other Further members of this group, of which
Thumbless there are eleven in all, are the Ursine
Monkeys. Colobus ( Colobus uni/uis ) and the Black
Colobus {Colobus Satanas). The first differs from the
Guereza in the absence of the white mane, in longer
hair and a nearly tuftless tail. He is a native of
Upper Guinea and Fernando Po. The Black Colo-
bus is uniformly black and is confined mainly to
Fernando Po.
THE GUENONS.
Africa harbors not only the largest, the cleverest,
and the ugliest of the Apes of the Old World, but
also the most beautiful and the most sympathetic.
To the latter undoubtedly belong the Guenons.
(Cercopitheais). We see
this or that member of the
family in every zoological
garden, in every wander-
ing collection of Monk-
eys and frequently as
merry companions of
people who are fond of
animal pets.
Home Habits The native
and Characteris- country of
tics of Guenons. tnis groUp
is the torrid zone of Af-
rica, but they are never
found on the islands of
this continent. Wherever
there are virgin forests,
the Guenons are sure to
be found in great num-
bers. Several species are
found as well in the east
as the west and the cen-
ter of the continent, but
the majority come from
the west; although a
great many have their
home in Abyssinia and
the Upper Nile country.
They are small, grace-
ful creatures, have short,
fine hands with long
thumbs, a long tail devoid
of tuft, capacious cheek-
pouches and large callos-
ities. Their coloring is
usually bright. There are
about twenty different
kinds in this group. In the Nile country they go
as far north as the 16th degree of latitude ; in the
west and east they are found nearly as- far as the sea-
shore. They always prefer damp woods, traversed
by rivers, to the dry, mountainous regions. They
also show a decided predilection for the neighbor-
hood of cultivated fields. One may unfailingly count
on finding Guenons where there are Parrots, and
may also look for the latter when these little Monk-
eys are around.
Merry and The Guenons are among the most
Sociable Traits sociable, lively, merry and good-
of Guenons. humored of the Monkeys. They
nearly always live in rather large troops; single fam-
ilies being seldom encountered. It is really amus-
ing to fall in with a troop of these animals in a for-
est. The life, the noise, the fights, the quarrels, the
DIANA MONKEYS. These handsome creatures are found on the
Guinea coast, the banks of the Congo and the Island of Fernando Po. They
are named for Diana, goddess of the moon, because of the white crescent on
the forehead. Little is known of the Diana Monkey in its wild state, on account
of its great agility and its fear of Man, but it is frequently seen and studied in
captivity, where the disposition varies greatly, some of the species being gay
and amiable, while others are cross and sullen. (Ccrcopithccus diana.)
jumping and running, thieving and pilfering, the
faces and contortions are a sight to see. They have
a government of their own, and the strongest of
their own kind is the only master they acknowledge ;
no right is lawful but the one pertaining to the old
Monkey patriarch, by virtue of his sharp teeth and
strong hands. There is no danger from which they
deem escape impossible. They make the best ot
every situation, never fear hunger or privation, and
spend their life in perennial contentment and joy.
They are possessed of an unlimited carelessness and
a grotesque seriousness. No goal seems out of their
reach, no tree-top too high for them and no treasure
is secure in their presence, for they recognize no-
right of property. It is, therefore, not astonishing
that the natives of East Soudan should refer to them
with the greatest scorn and anger ; neither is it sur-
prising that outsiders
think them the most
amusing little creatures
in the world.
It is impossible to miss
a troop of Guenons in the
forest. Even if one
should not hear the vary-
ing call of the chief, he
soon detects the noise
produced by the running
and jumping society in
the trees, and if one
should escape that, he is
sure to see them run,
jump, bask in the sun and
seek each other's fleas,
for they never so much
as think of hiding them-
selves. They are not met
with on the ground unless
something to eat is to be
found there ; they live in
the trees and make their
way from one branch to
the other. Should their
road lead through the
thickest and sharpest of
thorns, it is a matter of
perfect indifference to
them.
Guenons It is very
on a Stealing interesting
Expedition. to the ob-
server to watch a troop-
bent on a stealing expe-
dition. The boldness with
which they proceed always charmed me as much
as it disgusted the natives. An old, experienced
male Monkey assumes the leadership and shows the
way to the corn-field ; the females with children
carry them upon their backs, the little ones hooking
their diminutive tails around the tails of their par-
ents. In the beginning a great deal of caution is ob-
served, and they use the tree-tops as far as possible.
The old gentleman is always first, and the crowd fol-
lows step by step, selecting not only the same trees,
but even the same branches as he. From time to-
time the wise leader climbs to the extreme top of a
tree and surveys the neighborhood. If the sight
that meets his eye is favorable, he utters a few assur-
ing, gurgling sounds , if not, he gives a note of alarm.
The Monkeys alight from the tree nearest the cnosen
field and scamper to their paradise. The activity
GUEEEZA MONKEYS. The most beautiful type of all the Monkey tribes and are natives of Abyssinia. Nature has given the Gnerezas a most
magnificent covering of soft and beautiful fur, the black and white markings of which as well as the black tail with white tuft are faithfully brought out in this
picture This pair of strikingly handsome Guerezas are represented securely perched in their forest home, where most of their time is spent, and where
they r.re able to enjoy practical security from the natives, who are poor marksmen. (Colo&us gucrcza.)
(3i5
THE APES AND MOXKEYS.
they display on their arrival is unparalleled. Rap-
idly they go to work, tear off ears of corn or durra,
shell them and fill their cheek-pouches to the utmost.
Then they begin to be more fastidious in their choice.
All the ears and cobs are first carefully smelled, and if
they do not come up to their standard, which happens
rather often, they are thrown away, and the waste-
fulness that is a characteristic of all Monkeys is ex-
ercised to the highest degree. It may be estimated
•that out of ten ears one is eaten. As a rule, they
take but a few grains from each ear and throw the
remainder away. This is just what excites the wrath
of the natives. If they feel themselves secure, the
mothers let their children play with each other, with-
out relaxing the extreme watchfulness they are ac-
customed to bestow upon their pets ; not one thinks
of looking out for danger that might befall the
•whole band, for all place implicit confidence in their
leader. From time to timf he rtops in his meal,
stands upright like a man, and surveys the ground.
After each of these inspections one hears his as-
suring, gurgling sounds, if he has seen nothing that
threatens. If he scents danger, he utters an inde-
scribable, trembling note of warning. Immediately
his subjects rally, each mother snatches up her child,
;and every one tries to grasp as much as he can in
-a hurry. I have seen :. single Monkey bearing
as many as five large ears of corn along, two being
•field in ihe right fore-arm and the others in the
-hands and feet, and the corn touching the ground
as the Monkey ran along. If the danger becomes
pressing, the load is thrown down with a wry face,
though the last ear is kept until the pursuer is very
jiear and they need both hands and feet for climbing.
Boldness Their way lies to the nearest tree. I
of the have seen them climb up an isolated
Guenons. tree, and then descend from it and pro-
ceed on their way upon the ground when I pressed
them hard. Once they reach the forest they are
•secure from all pursuit, for their agility in climbing
•is nearly as great as that of the Long-armed Apes.
There seems to be no obstacle that can stop them ;
not even thorns and hedges, nor long distances be-
tween trees. They are equal to anything. It is very
astonishing, for we do not know of a single ani-
mal in our own temperate climate that could do
anything approximating the feats which they easily
perform. The leader is always in front, making the
whole troop slacken or increase speed by his gur-
gling sounds. Fleeing Monkeys never show the
slightest fear or discomfiture; and their presence
of mind is really remarkable. One might say with-
out exaggeration, that if they wish it, danger does
r not at all. I have often seen them look very
coolly at people on fool or on horseback, and at
Morses or Camels, while they would utter their cry
of danger as soon as a Dog came in sight.
I experiem ed what a great many others do on
[onkey hunt, and became thorough!)' disgusted
with it. I once shot a Guenon that was looking at
me ; it fell off the tree and sat on the ground, calmly,
almost humanly wiping the blood from its face with
one hand, and the impression it made on me was so
painful that I ran towards it and stabbed it twice
with my hunting-knife, to relieve it from its suffer-
ing. Since then I never have shot another small
Monkey, and advise nobody else to do so, unless it
be for scientific research. I felt as if I had murdered
a human being, and the face of the dying Monkey
has haunted me ever since.
Guenons These Monkeys have little to fear
Dread Nothing from beasts of prey. They are
but Reptiles much too quick for them ; only the
Leopard can sometimes overtake an incautious
young Monkey. As to birds of prey, the Monk-
eys ward them off by their united efforts.
They have a great horror of everything that
creeps, and especially of Snakes. I have forgotten
to mention that these Monkeys ruthlessly destroy
all birds' nests and are passionately fond of eggs
and young birds. When they purpose robbing the
nest of one of those birds that breed in caverns or
hollows, they proceed with the utmost caution, for
Snakes are extremely likely to sleep in such a nest.
I have often seen them carefully investigate a hollow
tree, to see if a Snake was, perchance, in hiding there.
First, they looked in as far as possible, then they
listened, and then hesitatingly put in an arm. A
Monkey never yet made a bold plunge in such a
case, but he inserts his arm by degrees, all the time
watching and listening, and dreading the appearance
of a Serpent.
The time of reproduction seems not to be limited
to a particular season with the Guenons. In every
troop one sees infants at the breast, children and
half-grown Monkeys no longer in need of maternal
supervision. Guenons reproduce well and thrive in
zoological gardens [in Europe or America] if they
are well taken care of, though they are not as hardy
as the Macaques and Baboons.
The Guenon During my stay in Africa, which lasted
in several years, I always kept a great
Captivity, many Monkeys, and among them sev-
eral Guenons ; and I may say that every one of them
had an individuality of its own, and was an attract-
ive and interesting object for investigation. One
Monkey would be quarrelsome and bite at every
provocation ; a second wou'd be gentle and tame ;
a third might be peevish, a fourth always cheerful.
One had a quiet and harmless disposition, while
another was cunning, scheming and forever plotting
some nastv tricks. But they all had this in common,
that thev liked to play practical jokes on larger ani-
mals, while they protected and cared for little ones.
They knew how to make the most of every situa-
tion. Daily they gave mc proofs of good common
sense and of cunning reflection, but also of great
good-nature and the tenderest solicitude for weak
or helpless animals, and several of them gained
my sincere affection. Several groups among the
Guenons arc very sympathetic.
The Green One of the best known species, ranging
Monkey of from Abyssinia to the sources of the
Abyssinia. Nile, is the Green Monkey (Cercopith-
ecus saboeus), called Abulandj by the Arabs and by
others the Beautiful Haired. He is four feet long,
the tail being more than half of this length. The
hair on the upper part of the body is of a gray-green
tint; the arms, legs and tail are gray; the short
be ird and the under and inner surface of the legs are
G^tEEN MONKEYS. The artist has put life and action into the above picture, which shows a troop of Green Monkeys fleeing from .1
field of grain they have been robbing, a species of thievery of which these monkeys are very fond. The knave in the foreground has an ear of
corn in his left foot as well as in his left hand, and while making rapid progress is tenaciously holding on to his booty. Just behind him a mother
is reaching out for her young one ; and on the fence an old male stands guard, while the other members of the troop are escaping for their lives.
The Green Monkeys are natives ot Senegal and jealously protect their territory from other monkeys. Some of this family are said to have been
brought over to the Island of St. Kitts, where they thrive, being the only Old World Monkeys living in a wild state in America. They are also
sometimes called Beautiful Haired Monkeys, because of the delicate marking ot each separate hair of their fur. The under portion of the body
and limbs is nearly white, the outer part ot the limbs is of a grayish shading, while the hair on the side of the face is a golden yellow. Many
■Green Monkevs have been taken to Europe and brought to the United States. (Cercopithecus sabaeus )
34
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
whitish ; the nose, mouth and eyebrows are black,
while the face is of a light brown color.
The Diana Among the prettiest and most grace-
Monkey of ful of the Guenons is the Diana
Western Africa. Monkey {Ccrcopithccus diana) whose
color is slate-gray, merging into auburn on the back,
while the under surface of the body and the beard
are pure white. He is a native of Western Africa.
The name is due to a crescent-shaped white band of
long hair stretching across the forehead. The length
of its body is about eighteen inches, while its tail
is longer. It is found in Guinea and Fernando Po.
The Blue-Faced The Blue-faced Guenon ( Cercopitli-
Guenon of ecus cephus), called Muido by the na-
West Africa. tives of Loango, is an inhabitant of
western Africa. He is of the same size as the Green
Monkey, but his coloring is more vivid and pleasing.
The back, upper part of the head and neck and the
outer sides of the limbs are of an olive-green tint,
here and there showing a golden gleam, while the
under surface of the bodv and the inner side of the
EED, OR PATAS MONKEY. Native of West Africa, and its color is mainly a delicate yellowish red and
its face is decidedly humanlike. It has a mustache and full whiskers and is a very pretty animal. Bruce, who
studied it in its wild state, declares that a troop of Red Monkeys watched, from their home in the trees, while his
boats were passing up the river, and that they finally became enraged and pelted the voyagers with bits of wood.
He adds that when fired at they uttered the most frightful cries but continued the fight, even after several of their
comrades were slain. (Cercopithecus ruber.)
limbs are bluish-gray. The face is of a beautiful
blue, showing a white spot on the upper lip, and en-
circled by a beard of flaming yellow, separated from
the olive hair on the head by a black stripe. The
tail is red from the tip nearly to its root. Robust,
healthy Monkeys of this tribe, without distinction
of sex, show this striking variety of color in as
ct a manner as if they had been painted or
led.
They are plentifully found in Lower Guinea, and
south from Yumba to the Congo, and arc more
numerous than any other species. Their favorite
haunts .ire the forests along the coast and deeper
in the continent in the damp forests of the moun-
tains.
The Blue-Faced I'i < luiel-1 .oesclie, who Studied this
Quenon species, as well as a great many
Domesticated, others both in (lie wild state and in
captivity, gives it as his opinion, thai no other
species of Guenon is so well fitted for domestication
" One Guenon that we called by the native name I of
the whole species, Muido, a female, lived in my pos-
session for five years. She was very young when 1
got her, and I took good care to keep her in perfect
health. In this Monkey I distinctly saw what an
effect" experienced care and kind treatment, prac-
ticed from earliest youth, have on the Monkey
mind and how much ill-nature may be traced to
thoughtless teasing and rude jokes. One would have
much less cause for complaint of the malice and vio-
lence of Monkeys, if they were properly cared for
during their childhood.
" Our Monkey, whose childhood had been care-
fully guarded from all pernicious influences, had the
freedom of the whole house in Europe. She roamed
through all rooms and went over tables and cup-
boards, but so cautiously that she never broke any-
thing. She climbed out of the windows, performed
gymnastics on the porch, ran over the whole roof,
and was free to go into the yard and the garden
She followed us like a dog:
on our walks in the woods
and meadows, catching
Spiders, Butterflies and
Grasshoppers (her favorites
kinds of diet), and romped
to her heart's content. Her
health was evidently much
benefited by it, and her con-
stitution became so hardy
that she could roll about ill
freshly fallen snow without
catching cold. On our walks
she liked to invite atten-
tion to herself, and she had
her likes and dislikes. She
never harmed anybody, but
delighted to hide in hedgec
at the approach of some un-
suspecting farmer, and then
suddenly appear and startle
him. .She was fond of little
Dogs, but avoided large
ones ; yet, if they growled
at her, she fearlessly jumped
on their backs, boxed theii
ears, and bit and scratched
to such good purpose that
they hurriedly made their
escape. She did not fear
Frogs or Lizards, neither
If she soiled her hands, she
tried to clean them, and if she did not succeed, came
to us with a human-like request to perform that
office for her.
did she torment them.
Amusing Traits
of the Blue-
Faced Guenon.
" The only thing we could not teach
her was to be clean about the
house. In everything else she was
obedient ; she went to sleep in her basket, closed
the door of her cage herself, and even when too
noisy, would quiet down at a single 'hush!' from
us. She was fond of playing with dolls, balls, corks,
little pieces of wood, etc. For a long time, she
always took one little stick into her basket for the
night, putting others carefully away under cup-
boards, in the draperies, etc., and regarding them
as her personal property, which nobody had any
right to touch. She used her roomy cheek-pouches
as a store-room for a great many trinkets. For
several little articles she showed a great predilection-
THE DOG-SHAPED MOXKEYS—Gl'EXOXS.
35
anJ if we missed them, we knew where they
could be found. My wife early began the practice
of emptying Muido's cheek-pouches every night.
At the beginning, the Monkey resisted these opera-
tions but it was not long till she learned to dis-
gorge these hidden treasures herself, as soon as
my wife took her in her lap. Little stones, peas,
coins, beans, nails, corks, thimbles, glass-stoppers
and other things were brought to light, and the
articles we did not immediately need we gave back,
for she never lost anything. She took a great deal
of pleasure in looking at pictures, especially colored
ones, and attentively watched me turn the leaves.
She would swoop down quick as a flash on the
SOOTY MANGABEY. This Monkey received its name from its color, and the mistaken notion that it
came from Madagascar, where there are no true Monkeys It is a native ot west Africa and, like all the class it
represents, has the upper eyelid white, in strong contrast with its sooty color. This Mangabey is easily tamed,
and, being the finest acrobat in the world, affords endless amusement to those who have the good fortune to observe
it. Besides it has a fashion of raising its upper lip and showing its teeth, at the same time twisting its face into
■the most quaint of grimaces. It is fond of carrying its tail in the manner indicated in the picture, and also of sit-
ting with its eyelids half closed, in the most affected manner possible. (Cercopithecus fuliginosus.)
picture of a Spider or Grasshopper, but soon came
to know that they were not edible She would
not show any fear at the pictures of Snakes, but
knew them for what they were, as we could see by
the expression of her face and voice.
" Her food consisted of everything that came on
our table, except milk and sandwiches, for which she
had a decided contempt. She also liked ink and she
would take the pen out of the inkstand, lick it and
carefully put it aside ; then she would dip her finger
into the ink and lick that until she was satisfied.
She was fond of wine and beer, but never drank too
much, and gave the preference to beer-foam. Fruits
oi all kinds were welcome, especially currants, straw-
berries and gooseberries. She did not care for eggs,
and never destroyed a nest. A couple of little birds
had their nest on our porch, and she was on quite
intimate terms with them, as well as with several
others, among which was a Woodpecker, to which
we threw crumbs every day, so as to entice it into
the room. Her day's work always began at the
breakfast-table. As soon as she awoke she threw
aside the warm blankets, and hurried to the table,
to be in time for the lighting of the lamp under
the coffee-pot, and she always received the lighted
match and extinguished it with her hands. Then
she would warm herself before the coffee-pot, and
look at the blue flame of the alcohol, whose flicker-
ing fascinated her just as
much as the boiling and
singing of the water. Af-
ter breakfast her mistress
brushed her from head to
foot, and this operation
was so thoroughly agreea-
ble to her that she took
all the necessary positions
herself. The daily bath-
ing of the face was liked
much less, and the weekly
bath, with its soap and
scrubbing, was held in
detestation.
Muido's Judg. " She was
ment of invariably
Human Nature, affected
with predilection or antip-
athy on first meeting a
stranger, never changing
the attitude thus assumed,
and she always recognized
h i m at subsequent meet-
ings. Those that she liked
she invited to play with
her by gestures, sounds, or
by touching their clothing;
she would sit in their
laps and take delight in
being petted. Those that
she disliked she treated
with indifference ; if they
persisted in occupying
themselves with her, she
at first declined their at-
tentions by violent gest-
ures ; if that was not suf-
ficient, she would lie
down, open her mouth
wide, show her teeth,
grunt and assume threat-
ening positions. Then it
became necessary to check her, lest she go farther
and bite. It seemed that she formed her opinion
of people from their appearance ; a kindly face, a
pleasant voice, calm, aristocratic manners, gained her
heart forthwith ; violent gestures, cold looks and a
loud, harsh voice were repulsive to her. As to chil-
dren, she liked them all without exception. She
romped and played with them, and when they be-
came too wild she quietly retired. She never bit or
scratched a single child ; they were all as personal
friends to her.
'• Her affection for my wife was really touching.
She regarded herself as my wife's natural protector,
and whoever approached the latter or shook hands
36
THE APES AND MOXKEYS.
with her always found the little Monkey ready to
defend her in case of need, sitting on her shoulder
or in her lap. Once her mistress was very sick, and
the animal became sad and melancholy and would
sit for hours at the door of the sick-room, demand-
ing admission. After several weeks she was let in,
when she immediately jumped on the bed, put her
arms around my wife's neck, uttering a plaintive little
sound, and could not be taken away again.
Muido's Vocal " This little Monkey had a very wide
Accomplish- range of vocal sounds. We distin-
ments. guished thirteen different sounds, or
groups of sounds, that she could utter, ranging from
a low, musical chirping or purring, expressive of
BONNET MONKEY. Found in the hot regions of Asia and Africa, and is quite common in captivity, its
amusing tricks making it very popular in museums and zoological gardens. It has very large cheek-pouches and
stows away in them the greatest possible number of nuts. It is fond of hugging and nursing other animals and of
searching their bodies for vermin. Its color is an olive-gray and the hair of the head is parted in the middle. (Afaca-
i. us.)
contentment or of a request for some favor, to the
yelling and shrieking of anger ; from a softly uttered
' took took,' when she was alone in a dark room,
and slightly nervous, to a loud 'teck' that came
with a violent fright. There were all kinds of cry-
ing- gurgling, screaming, grunting, each expressing
different stages and kinds of excitement. The most
wonderful of all was what we used to call her 'greet-
ing to the sun.' When the sun shone bright in the
morning, she would look up a specially luminous
spot on the table or on the floor, make strange
gestures, lilt her arms with a slightly swinging mo-
tion, and then, addressing the sun, would give us in
a loud, deep lone something like the greater half of
a chromatic scale, always ending with a dec-]), long-
drawn ' o.' They were the strangest of sounds, and
I never heard the like from any other Monkey."
[Other well-known members of the Guenon group
are the Mona, Talapoin and Red-bellied Monkeys,
all of which are distinguished for the beauty of their
fur and their striking appearance.]
MACAQUES.
A great variety of Monkeys are comprised in the
genus Macaque (Macac?is) in Western Africa, but
scientifically speaking there are only a few kinds
having a right to this name, and they, with one ex-
ception, inhabit southeastern Asia. In general the
Macaques have the following distinguishing traits :
they are of sturdy build ;
':':.•... " • • the limbs are of moderate
length; the snout pro-
jects about as much as-
that of the Guenons; and
the tail may be as long
as the body, or quite
stunted. The cheek-
pouches and callosities-
are well developed. A
further peculiarity of
these animals is, that the
hair on the head of some
shows a decided parting,
while in others it assumes
the shape of a huge wig,
and the beard, lacking in
some, is of unrivalled
growth in others.
In former ages they
ranged over a great part
of Europe, and even now
they go farther north
than other Monkeys. The
short-tailed species in-
habit the north of Africa,
China and Japan; the
long-tailed breeds are na-
tives of the East Indies.
They resemble both the
Guenons and the Bab-
oons, and live sometimes
in forests like the former,
sometimes on rocks like
the latter. As to charac-
ter, they seem to possess-
the impudence of both ;
in youth they are playful
and good-natured like
the Guenons ; in old age
they are crabbed and
cross like the Baboons.
The Common The best known of this group is the
Macaque of Common Macaque or Monjet {Maca-
Jaua. Cl(s cynomolgtis), a native of Java. He
attains a length of three and a half feet, the tail
being about twenty inches long. The hair on the
head of the male is pressed down flat, while that of
the female forms a crest. Their color is brownish-
green in the upper part, grayish-white in the lower ;
the hands, feet and tail are black. This animal is a
native of eastern Asia, especially of the great Sunda
Islands. Nearly every ship that reaches Europe
from the East Indies has a number of these Monk-
eys on board, as they can be purchased very reason-
ably from the natives[and many of them find their
way to America]. The Monkey cages in zoological
COMMON MACAQUE. This picture illustrates in a striking manner the impudence that is so strong a characteristic of the Common
Macaques as of many other species of Monkeys. The Crocodiles shown in the stream are the most feared of all the enemies of the Monkey
tribes. But the mischievous troop in the trees know that they are beyond the reach of the reptiles, and they are having some fun with them —
the oldest and boldest male? just out of reach, the others at safer distance, but all evidently deriding their aquatic enemies with chattering glee.
The Common Macaques are natives of Java, Sumatra. Borneo, Celebes and Batchian. They are great thieves, going out in large parties for the.
purpose of robbing fields of grain. They have very large shoulders and are clumsy animals. {Macacus i nomolgus.)
Iv)
38
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
gardens arc, therefore, mainly dependent on this
species for representing the group. He resembles
the Guenon in shape as well as behavior. He is easy
to feed in captivity, capable of reproduction, and
is often used in Monkey theatres, being easily in-
structed and of a cheerful disposition ; generally
playing the part of waiter or servant of some kind.
The Bhunder, The Bhunder or Rhesus Monkey, also
an Indian called the Markat (Macacies rhesus), is
Macaque. s^\d to be held sacred in his native
country. Captain Johnson says : " A man on whose
veracity I can rely, tells me that the reverence shown
this Monkey is nearly as great as that which the
Hoonuman (Semnopithecus entellus) inspires. The
natives of Baka leave one-tenth of their harvests
piled in heaps for the Monkeys, which come down
impression on them, and if one does them real injury,
he endangers his own life.
Lady Barker's The story of Lady Barker's great din-
Feast ner in Simla, shows how peculiarly civ-
Demohshed. iliZed pleasures may sometimes run
their course in India. Lady Barker had everything
prepared for the reception of a great number of
guests. She had herself decorated the table with
flowers, and the choicest delicacies to be found in
India and Europe were disposed about the table.
When the time for dinner drew near, she retired to
dress, while the servants, instead of watching the
rooms, amused themselves more congenially. When
she again descended, and went to cast a last glance
at her work of art, she found the dining-room full
of guests, but unfortunately not of the expected
C~£-'
' <'U.-
^f
^N-T .
/'
M&H
■ .
BHUNDER, OR RHESUS MONKEY. This picture presents a very contented family of Bhunder or Rhesus Monkeys, which are
natives of British India, where, in many localities, they are held in greatest reverence. On account of the protection thus afforded they are out-
rageous thieves and have not the slightest fear of Man. The mothers are at great pains to teach their young how to steal successfully and the
pupils are very apt indeed. The Bhunders, like the Sacred Monkeys, often crowd into villages, where nothing that is edible is safe from their
pilfering fingers. When detected they escape punishment, because the poor natives dare not whip a creature that, in their belief, is favored of
"Is. (Maeaeus rhesus.)
from the hills in a large body and gather their
tribul
Every Hindoo willingly gives his share, and
by shows a gentleness of spirit and goodness
oi heart which, though bordering on the ridiculous,
him so much honor, thai we might well con-
form ourselves to his standard. Neither can I see
anything grotesque in their protection of the ani-
Erom foreigners; I have always thought it but
just that men should protect animal's. Of course the
Hindoo, go too far in this. It is hard for a foreigner
to live with these Monkeys without waging war on
them. It is scarcely possible to have a plantation or
rden ; lor the prot< i t< d ra ;< als di vastate it in
the mosl relentless manner. II one puts out guards,
they are of no avail, lor driven away from one side,
the Monkeys make their appearance ;it the other;
burnin fii nd su< h things make no
kind. A band of Monkeys had effected an entrance
through the windows and were hugely enjoying
themselves at the table. One may imagine the feel-
ings of the hostess, who could offer her guests noth-
ing but the soiled remnants of a splendid feast.
It was probably the same troop of Monkeys that
played another trick on Lady Barker. Her Lap-Dog,
" Fury," waged a continuous war on the creatures
and never missed an opportunity to drive them away.
( Hit of revenge one of the unbidden guests took the
poor thing along to its tree-top. There the pitifully-
howling little Dog went from hand to hand, shaken
and tormented by all the Monkeys, and, at last, was
dropped into a precipice. So " Fury" met with an
untimely death, and the .Monkeys were avenged.
The Bhunder reaches a length of about twenty
inches, its tail measuring ten inches, lie is of strong,
sturdy build ; the color ol the fur is Greenish or
THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS— MACAQUES.
S9
gray in the upper part, with a yellowish tinge over
the hips and buttocks ; the lower part is white, the
tail greenish above, gray below. The face, ears and
PIG-TAILED MACAQUES. Natives of Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula, and are called Bruh, or
"Climbers of Palms," by the natives, on account of their fondness for the fruit of these trees. They are harmless and
-easily domesticated. The artist has sketched them with their favorite food, the hand of one of the animals resting of Spain, that the band of
comfortably upon it. (Macacus n these Monkeys at Qibral-
forehead up and down, puts the snout forward, and
presses the lips together in such a way as to form a
small and perfectly round hole. The Magot inhab-
its mountainous regions,
and is as much at home on
rocks as on trees. It is
said that it feeds on in-
sects and worms like the
Baboon, and therefore
keeps lifting up stones,
which occasionally roll
down hill and endanger the
safety of passers-by. It is
also thought to be very
fond of Scorpions ; very
adroitly twisting off their
poisonous tails, and then
eating tiie bodies. But it
is also satisfied with small-
er insects and worms, and
the smaller the game the
more zealously it is hunted,
and the more voraciously
it is eaten. The prey is
carefully taken up, gazed
upon with a satisfied
chuckle, and speedily de-
voured.
The Troop of The Magot
Magots at is the only
Gibraltar. Monkey
that inhabits Europe in a
wild state. I was told
when I visited the south
hands are of a light copper color ; the callosities of
.a vivid red. The female lets her tail hang down,
while the male curves his laterally and inwardly.
The Magot, or The most important of all Macaques in
"Barbary a certain respect is the Magot, Barbary
APe-" Ape, or Tailless Ape {Macacus syl-
vanus, or Inuus ecaudatus) the only Monkey living in
the wild state in Europe. As he possesses no tail,
he has lately been considered as a representative of
a different species, but usually he is known as the
Turkish or Barbary Ape. His frame is slight, his
limbs slender, his fur and beard thick. The wrin-
kled face, the ears, hands and feet are flesh-colored,
the callosities bright red and the body is of a red-
dish-olive hue. The under surface of the body and
the inner sides of the limbs are lighter and grayish.
The length of a Magot is about thirty inches.
There is no doubt that this Monkey was known
to the ancient Greeks under the name of Pithecus.
Pliny tells us that it imitated everything, could be
taught to play certain games, liked to be petted,
and propagated in captivity, etc.
The Magot is a native of northwestern Africa.
It would appear that the animal lives gregariously,
in large troops, following the leadership of old, ex-
perienced males. It is very clever, cunning and
scheming, agile and strong, and, in case of emer-
gency, defends itself excellently with its splendid
set of teeth. When the creature is excited it dis-
torts its face more than any other Monkey, moving
the lips in all directions and chattering with the
teeth. When it is frightened it utters a short, loud
scream. Desire and delight, horror and anger, are
only shown by grimaces and chattering of teeth.
When it is anerry, it moves the wrinkled skin on the
tar was rather numerous, but did not often show
itself. One could see the animals looking for in-
9-m
BLACK BABOON. This picture presents the Black Baboon when
in motion upon the ground and shows its Dog-like action, a characteristic
of its family. The thumbs spread out when it is walking or running and the
crest and stubby tail are shaken when it is angered. {Cynoccphalus nigcr.)
sects under stones, from the fortress, if he had a
good telescope or field glass. They hardly ever
40
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
came into the gardens. Even the Spaniards do not
know whether the animals originally were natives of
Europe, or whether they were imported from Africa.
A. G. Smith's account of his personal experiences
in this respect is very interesting. In the first place,
he says that the existence of Monkeys in Europe
had so often been doubted, treated as a silly story
and denied by captains of ships frequenting Gibral-
tar, that he himself had lost all confidence in the
reports. But he came to know better, when one day
he made the ascent of the rock, to the flag-pole, to
enjoy the magnificent view. The sentinel guard of
the flag, in the course of conversation, chanced to
remark that "the Monkeys were moving." This led
to a careful questioning about them and he learned
the following particulars :
rocky walls, where they are the sole occupants of
the many holes and uneven places in the loose
ground. It does not seem that they have to work
very hard for their living, for they look quite sleek
and well-fed. They are commonly supposed to be
very shy and to flee at the slightest noise ; but the
sentinel denied this, and showed me a few rock=
from which they had stared at him that very morn-
ing, without being in the least disconcerted by his
English uniform and soldierly gaze. They remained
for quite a little while at the distance of twenty or
thirty yards and then retired very deliberately. Yet,
as one sees them so little, chiefly when they are
moving, it may be concluded that they are of a shy,
unsociable nature, for nobody ever pursues them ;
they are carefully guarded from all intruders."
Posselt's Account A year
of Gibraltar later Pos-
Monkeys. selt sayg.
about the same Monk-
eys: "On my passage
from Cadiz to Gibraltar
I had inquired after the"
Monkeys and an English-
man residing in Cadir
told me there were not
any. Arrived in town, I
learned that there were
from three to fifteen
Monkeys yet in exist-
ence ; nobody knew the
exact number, as they
were shy and kept to*
the steepest and most
inaccessible parts of the
rocks. Without a guide,
I slowly ascended the
main road leading to the
signal station, and after
having gone about two-
thirds of the way, I took
to the left and made for
the highest point on the
northern peak. The mag-
nificent view that spread
out before my eyes
quite engrossed my atten-
tion, and I forgot all
about the Monkeys, until
a sound resembling the
distant yelping of a little
MAGOT, BARBARY, OR TAILLESS APE. This is the only member of the Monkey family that lives in Dog Startled me. About
Europe in the wild state, a colony of them being dwellers upon the Rock of Gibraltar. It is about thesize of a Setter , hundred nnces in-
Dog and a very frail animal. It is also found" in the Barbary States, always living in the hilly or mountainous coun- y\ o iiuuuicu p ci l c -3
try. In the Atlas Mountains these Monkeys are known as great thieves, making raids upon fields of grain, where they front of me was the first
destroy far more than they eat or take away with them, (limits ecatidatus.)
" The Monkeys gained a foothold on these rocks
a great many centuries ago ; how and when they
crossed the wate? is not easily determined, and the
Moorish story that to this day they pass to and fro
between Gibraltar and Morocco, through a sub-
marine passage, is a little too much for the credulity
of any one. It is a fact, though, that they live upon
the rocky elevation, although greatly reduced in
numbers. Eor a long time there were but four of
them. They are seldom seen, except when the wind
changes and they move to other quarters. They
are not very hardy animals and dread every change
of temperature, especially the shifting of the wind
from east to west and vice versa, and try to shelter
themselves from it behind the rocks. They are
active to a degree and preferably dwell on steep,
battery with its huge can-
non pointing at Spain. On the brick platform of
the battery an animal, about the size of a Scotch
Terrier, was slowly running away from me, and from
it the sound had come. I stopped and saw that
it was a Monkey which had probably been standing
guard ; for on the farther end of the platform, nearer
the Mediterranean, two others were lying, lazily
basking in the sunshine. Step by step I cautiously
approached the interesting group, which drew to-
gether and attentively looked at me. At a distance
of about one hundred paces I stopped, and they
soon regained their composure. They resumed their
former occupation, and then started to play. They
hugged each other, ran around, and, sometimes, one
would enter the mouth of a cannon and come out
again. In a word, they seemed thoroughly tame,
THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS— BABOON.
41
and bent on enjoying the beautiful, warm sunshine."
The Tribe My brother requested the com-
Protected by the mander of the fortress himself to
Government set us right in regard to these
Monkeys and we received the following report from
him: "The number of Monkeys at present inhabit-
ing our mountain is eleven. As we have found that
they have no trouble in finding sufficient nourish-
ment on the rocks, we do not feed them, but leave
them entirely alone. The guard of the signals as
well as the detectives watch over them, and see that
they are in no way molested or hunted. The guard
of them, but last summer I saw as many as twenty-
five together, and I think that we may safely claim
as many as thirty. At this season they are not fre-
quently seen, for food and water can be found in
plenty on the top of the hills. During the hot
summer lack of provision compels them to come
farther down, and then they cause considerable
damage in the gardens. In June or July of last year
there were about half a dozen young ones. The
adult male is of considerable size, being about three
feet high ; the largest females are also of good size,
but more slenderly built, and not so strong. The
COMMON BABOON. The group of animals hero .1 ften seen in captivity in Europe and the United States. They are true
Dog-headed Baboons, and their home is in the West Coast of Africa, Abyssinia and the Nile farther northward, and in eastern Equatorial
Africa. They are large, and have hair of a uniform yellowish olive-green. This species is very strong and fierce when attacked, but the young
are amiable and full ot pleasing tricks. The playfulness of the little one is indicated in the picture, as well as the teasing propensities of those
that are older. {Cynocephalus babuin.)
keeps an account of them and as they always keep
together, he is soon made aware of an increase or a
death in the family.
" Xobody knows how and when they got on the
rocks, and the most divergent opinions prevail about
it. Six or seven years ago their number was re-
duced to three ; then Sir William Codrington, fear-
ing they might die out, imported three or four from
Tangier, and since then they have increased to the
number named."
Lately this number has more than doubled itself.
We wrote a letter of inquiry, addressed to some
officer of the English garrison of Gibraltar, and
Captain C. S. Shepard was kind enough to answer
us, on the 18th of March, 1889, as follows :
" It is hard to determine exactly the number of
our Monkeys. Day before yesterday I saw a dozen
strongest male usually keeps a little aloof from the
band." According to these latest reports we may
rest assured that Europe's last Monkeys are not
going to die out just yet.
THE BABOONS.
The Baboons ( Cynocephalus) are one of the most
remarkable groups of the Monkey family, but are
by no means an attractive or pleasing one. We find
its members to be the ugliest, rudest, coarsest and
most repulsive representatives of the Monkey tribe.
We may say that the Baboon stands in the lowest
degree of development of the entire Monkey world.
All the nobler shapes are effaced, and all the nobler
qualities of the mind are drowned in the grossest
passions.
42
THE APES AND MO X KEYS.
Like Aristotle, we call the Baboons Dog-headed
Monkeys, for the shape of their heads resembles that
of a rude, fierce Dog more than it does that of Man.
In reality the resemblance between the two animals
is but a superficial and unsatisfactory one, the head
of a Baboon being as much a caricature of a Dog's
head as the head of a Gorilla is a caricature of a
Man's. But in comparison with the other Monkeys
his snout is peculiar, and, therefore, we may safely
leave the designation which old Aristotle gave to
these animals.
Physical The Dog-headed Monkeys are the
Characteristics largest in size, after the Man-shaped
of Baboons. Apes. The body is of a strong, bulky
make and the muscular power is enormous. The
thick head is provided with a large, long muzzle
abruptly cut off at its end, often swollen or furrowed,
and endowed with a prominent, blunt nose ; the
teeth resemble those of a beast of prey on account
of the formidable ca-
nines, which on their
inner side are fur-
nished with sharp
edges. The lips are
very mobile, the ears
small, the eyes lie
deep in their sockets
and their expression
fully reflects the
Monkey's character
in its true light ; it is
cunning and brutal
to the extreme. The
limbs are short and
-stout, the fore-paws
having five toes ; the
tail may be long or
short, smooth-coated
or provided with a
tuft; the cheek-
pouches are large, the
callosities are hid-
eous and of an enor-
mous size, and of a
very vivid color. The
long hair is some-
times developed into
a mane and is gener-
ally of an undefined
CHACMA BABOON. Is very large, being about the size of an English Mastiff, and
is possessed of great strength. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, where its ferocity
brings terror to the Dogs, whom it does not hesitate to attack and frequently kill. It lives
and in their greed of animal food also attack larger
animals. According to Fisher, the Baboons in east
Africa not only steal chickens, but kill the small
Antelopes and even the larger Bosch-boks. In
plantations, and especially vineyards, Baboons cause
the greatest damage ; they are even said to under-
take-their raids in an orderly, deliberate, and nearly
military manner.
More than any other Monkeys, Baboons show,
by their gait, that they are rea'ly quadrupeds.
The whole frame is adapted for progression on all
fours. They resemble awkward Dogs in their gait,
and even when they do stand erect they like to lean
on one hand. When not hurried their walk is slow
and lumbering ; as soon as they are pursued, they
fall into a singular sort of gallop, which includes
the most peculiar movements of the body. Their
walk is distinguished by a certain bold swagger,
that has to be seen to be appreciated.
Moral Their moral
Traits of traits do not
Baboons, contradict
their exterior in the
least. We will begin
a description of them
in Scheitlin's words :
"The Baboons are all
more or less bad fel-
lows, always savage,
fierce, impudent and
malicious; the muz-
zle is a coarse imita-
tion of a Dog's, the
face a distortion of
a Dog's face The
look is cunning, the
mind wicked. They
are more open to in-
struction than the
smaller Monkeys and
have more common
sense. Their imita-
tive nature seems
such, that they barely
escape being human.
They easily perceive
traps and dangers,
and defend them-
selves with courage
earthy Ol' rocky color' in hilly places, and when not engaged in making forays upon a neighboring field, passes and bravery. As bad
trrav. ^rav-txreen. vel- much o£ its time sleeping ta its hidin2"Place in the rocks- (Cynocefhalus forcarius.) as they may ^ they
gray, gray-green, ye
low or brownish-green.
Homes and The Baboons are found widely spread
Habits of about in Africa, Arabia and India. Dif-
Baboons. ferent countries possess their individual
species, but they may be common to several tracts
of country.
The Baboons are, in the main, mountain Monkeys,
but undoubtedly several kinds also live u. forests
and are better tree-climbers than one might suppose,
seeing them in a country devoid of trees. In the
mountains they go as high as 9,000 to 13,000 feet
above the sea-level, sometimes reaching the snow-
region ; but they seem to give the preference to
countries having an elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 feet.
The oldest travelers assure us that mountainous
regions are their true home.
The food of the Baboons consists principally of
onions, tubers, grass, fruit, eggs and insects of all
kinds. But we may safely assume that these strong
and agile fellows are not satisfied with small fry,
still are capable of being tamed in youth ; but when
they become old, their gentle nature disappears,
and they become disobedient ; they grin, scratch
and bite. P^ducation does not go deep enough with
them. It is said that in the wild state they are more
clever ; while in captivity they are gentler. Their
family name is 'Dog-headed Monkeys ; if they only
had the Dog's soul along with his head ! "
One cannot contradict Scheitlin ; the picture he
draws is correct. The mind of the Baboon seems
to be the Monkey mind in its highest development,
but more in the bad than the good sense. We can-
not deny that they have a few excellent qualities ;
they are very fond of each other and their children ;
they also become attached to their keeper and make
themselves useful to him. But these good qualities
are in no way sufficient to counterbalance their bad
habits and passions. Cunning and malice are com-
mon traits of all Baboons, and a blind rage is their
chief characteristic. Their anger is as easily aroused
THE DOG-SHA TED MONKE I rS - BABOON.
48
as a straw fire is kindled ; but it passes away by no
means as quickly. A single word, a mocking smile,
even a cross look, will sometimes throw the Bab-
oon into a rage, in which he loses all self-control.
Therefore these animals are always dangerous, as
their brutality may break out at any moment. As
enemies they are really terrible.
Baboons The Baboons shun Man, but in case of
and their necessity they enter into combat with
Enemies. hjm as they do with a beast of prey.
The Leopard seems to be their chief enemy, though
he oftener attacks the little ones, having reasons for
considering whether his fangs and claws are strong
enough to cope with the teeth and hands of an adult
SACRED BABOON, OR HAMADRYAS. The sacred Ape of the Egyptians. Native of Abyssinia, and a
most extraordinary looking animal, with its curious adornment of hair, the head, neck, shoulders and all the fore
parts nf the body being covered with a long and shaggy coat ; that of the back of the head and neck being more than
a foot in length. It is about the size of a Pointer Dog and the jaws are possessed of great strength
hamadryas.)
Baboon. Dogs, as a rule, cannot successfully fight
with the Baboons, and yet these noble and brave
animals know of no greater treat than a Baboon-
hunt. With the exception of the Dog, the Leopard
and the Lion, the Baboon has no enemies that
are very dangerous to him ; still it is to be sup-
posed that his tribe have had some very disagree-
able experiences in connection with the poisonous
tooth of Serpents. A Baboon never rolls away a stone
or investigates a bush without first making sure that
no Snake is lurking there. Scorpions they do not
fear, as they break off their poisonous tails with great
skill and they enjoy eating these animals as much as
they do insects or Spiders.
The usefulness of the Baboons is very slight.
They are taught a great many tricks, and in South
Africa they are said to be made use of in. searching
for water in the desert. They are tamed and taken
along into those arid regions, where even the Bush-
men only know how to get water by drops. When
the supply of the liquid is running low, the Baboon
is given some food containing salt and a few hours
later he is turned loose at the end of a line. The
poor animal, crazed with thirst, runs hither and
thither, sniffs the air, tears out plants and examines
them, and finally either finds a place at which to
begin digging for hidden water, or hurries forward to
where he is sure of finding a running stream.
The first animal that we will consider in connec-
tion with this group, is a Monkey that by some is
counted among the Bab-
oons, by others among the
Macaques. In his habits
he is a true Baboon,
but in his structure he dif-
fers from it considerably,
and this is what gave rise
to the difference of opin-
ion among naturalists.
We must consider him as
a connecting link, possess-
ing the peculiarities of
both species. Those who
count him among the Mac-
aques cannot be accused
of error; while those who
believe him to be a Baboon
are also in the right.
The Black The Black Bab-
Baboon oon ( CynoccpJnt-
Described. fa niger) dif-
fers from the others in
having only the rudi-
ment of a tail and also in
his muzzle. His snout is
broad, flat, and short, and
the nose does not project
over the upper lip, Baboon-
fashion, but ends about
half way back on the up-
per part of the snout. For
these reasons this Monkey
is considered the repre-
sentative of a special kind,
the Dog-headed Monkeys
proper (Cynocephalu s).
Face and buttocks are de-
void of fur, while the rest
of the bod}' is covered by
(Cynocephaius long, woolly hair, which is
the longest on the head,
and so arranged as to form a crest. The color of
the fur and face is black, while the callosities are-
red. In size this Monkey is inferior to all his rela-
tives. His length is only about twenty-five inches,
the tail being a little over an inch long.
He is a native of the Celebes, and though he is
found there in numbers, his life in the wild state i^
very little known.
Lately he has been shipped to Europe [and Amer-
ica] and has lived for a considerable time in cap-
tivity. The Black Baboon which I saw in the
Amsterdam Zoological Garden seemed to enjoy life
very much. He was daily brought over to the Gue-
nons ; if these latter had been timid creatures, the
imperious and haughty black Monkey would have
tyrannized over them, but the agile crowd of Guenons
44
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
was too quick for him. He seemed to be on
friendly terms with the Macaques, and sustained
very amicable relations with a female Baboon ; at
least, he was very attentive to the beauty, and, in
return, allowed her to look over his fur.
According to Brockmann, no other Monkey is so
eligible to membership in a Monkey theatre as the
Black Baboon. He learns his part in play, retains
what he has learned, and " works " with real pleas-
ure. Yet he is not a regular member of the stage,
as he is a rare and expensive Monkey, especially if
one considers his frail health when in captivity.
The Common Among the Baboons proper, the
Baboon, Chacma, Common Baboon ( Cy/ioccphalus bab-
and Sphinx. ujn) [s the best known to me, though
only in captivity. He is not easily taken for the
Black Baboon, nor for other Monkeys that are pro-
Baboor
Sphinx is smaller but of decidedly stronger frame ;
his muzzle is shorter and shows a peculiar thicken-
ing of the cheek-bones, and his hair has dark-gray
and reddish brown ringlets.
The mode of life and behavior of these three
Monkeys are very similar, and I therefore will speak
only of the Common Baboon.
This Baboon is a native of the same belt of land
as the Hamadryas, but penetrates farther into the
centre of Africa. He inhabits Abyssinia, Kordofan
and other countries of central Africa and he is
found in troops. He is also common in German
Eastern Africa, according to Bohm and Reichard,
and goes as far to the southwest of Lake Tangan-
yika as the Upper Lualaba, if there is no case of mis-
taken identity in these reports.
In his movements and his gait the Common Bab-
oon is typical of all the Baboons ; but his character
is rather better. He is a very clever animal, and,
when caught young, soon gets accustomed to his
keeper, is easily/ trained to perform certain duties,
and clings to his master, even in spite of bad treat-
ment. The female is of a gentler and more amiable
disposition than the male, which often turns upon
hile she lives with him on the most
GELADA BABOON. With its immense mane, great canines and fierce eye this animal pre-
i formidable appearance, and its looks do not belie its character. Sometimes a troop of these
ody of Hamadryas when on a marauding expedition, and engage in desperate
b ittle, Tlie legs oi the Gelada are black and the mane is a pale brown. {Cynocephalus gclada.)
vided with manes; but he closely resembles the
Chacma {Cynocephalus porcarius) inhabiting South
Africa, and the Sphinx {Cynoccplialus spJiinx) inhab-
iting western Africa. His smooth, even coat of fur
is of a yellowish olive-green color, every individual
hair being alternately dark and yellow, the under
part of the body is lighter, and the checks are whit-
ish. The face and cars assume a gray tint, the upper
eyelids arc white, the hands brownish-gray ; the eyes
light brown. Adult males reach a shoulder height
of twenty-five to thirty inches, and counting from
tin tip of nose to the end of tail arc four feet,
eighl inches long. We must not forget, though,
thai the relatively thin tail conies in for one-third
of this length. The Chacma is considerably larger,
clumsier of motion and darker of hue, while the
The first Common Baboon that came
into my possession was named"Perro."
He was a good-looking, pleasant
grew to like me after a short interval
of three days. I made him guard
our doors, chaining him to the yard
gate. He soon selected a favor-
ite spot, from which he watched
the gate with extreme vigilance.
Only we, or our friends, were given
free access to the place ; strangers
were obstinately denied admission.
When the latter were suffered to go
in he would get very angry and he
always had to be held back until
the person had passed and gone
beyond his reach. At every oppor-
tunity he showed himself to be a
Baboon, from the top of his head
to the sole of his feet, with all the
characteristics, habits and nasty
traits of his kind. When in a rage,
he raised his tail, and stood on both
feet and one hand ; with the other
hand he would beat the ground,
reminding one of an angry Man
bringing his hand down violently
on the table, only that he did not
make a fist of it. With flashing
eyes and a loud yell he would then rush at his
opponent. Not infrequently he would, with con-
summate art, take on a kindly look, smack his
lips, something always intended as a token of
friendship, and put out his arms towards one to
whom he owed a grudge. If the intended victim
would then approach him, he quickly seized his
hand, drew it towards him and bit and scratched it.
He was friendly to all our other animal pets, except
the Ostriches, but these were really to blame for
the enmity existing between him and them. When
Perro's services as guard were not in demand, he
would usually sit on the wall, holding a piece ol
straw matting over his head, as an umbrella. He
took no special care of his long tail, simply letting
it hang down the wall. ( >st riches have a bad habit
THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS— BABOON.
45
of snapping at everything that is not nailed or glued
to a spot, and so it often happened that one of the
birds would waddle up to Perro, reach out for the
banging tail with its stupid head and snap it. In an
instant" the straw-matting was thrown away with a
yell, and the Ostrich taken round its neck and given
a thorough shaking. The Monkey often could not
master his rage for a quarter of an hour after such
an occurrence. It was not very wonderful that he
administered a cuff or a blow to the birds whenever
he had the slightest chance.
Fondness of All our Baboons had, in common with
Baboons for the natives, a passionate fondness for
Strong Drink. Merisa, a kind of beer, manufactured
from the grain of the durra or dohhen. They were
MANDRILL. This is a native of the Gold Coast and inland regions of Africa, and is noted for
dlosities upon its cheeks, caused by swellings of the hones. The *kin here is ribbed and has
ridges that are alternately light blue, scarlet and deep purple in color. The male is rive feet high when
Qg. The hair of the body is a black and olive-green above and silvery gray beneath. The Man-
drill is frequently seen in captivity in this country as well as in Europe. In old age the animal is very
brutal, and, in fact, under most favorable conditions it is very treacherous and likely for no cause to
assail the hand that feeds it. {Cynocephalus mormon.)
often drunk and in this way proved to me that the
Soudanese had told me the truth about the way Bab-
oons arc captured. My Monkeys also drank red
wine, but whisky they scorned. Once we poured a
little wineglassful of this liquor into their mouths by
force. They had already been drinking some Me-
risa, and the effect of the combination soon showed
itself. They became completely drunk, made the
most fearful faces, and were boisterous and brutal ;
in a word, they presented a degrading caricature of
a brutish, drunken Man. The effects of. the de-
bauch on the following morning were most dis-
tressing,[showing that with Baboons as with Men,
strong drink is in the highest degree demoralizing
.and harmful j.
Great Courage Among my pets was a tame Lioness,
of the who made the Guenons rather nervous,
Baboons. Dut. did not strike terror to the hearts
of the courageous Baboons. They used to flee at
her approach, but when she really seemed to be
about to attack one of them, they stood their ground
fairly well. I have often observed them as they
acted in this way. My Baboons turned to flee be-
fore the Dogs, which 1 would set upon them ; but if
a Dog chanced to grab a Baboon, the latter would
turn round and courageously rout the former. The
Monkey would bite, scratch and slap the Dog's face
so energetically that the whipped brute would take
to his heels with a howl. More ludicrous still
seemed the terror of the Baboons of everything
creeping, and of Frogs. The sight of an innocent
Lizard or a harmless little Frog would bring them
to despair, and they would climb as high as their
ropes would permit, clinging to walls and posts in a
regular fit of, fright. At the same time their curi-
osity was such that they had to take a closer look
at the objects of their alarm. Several times I brought
them poisonous Snakes in tin boxes. They knew
perfectly well how dangerous the
inmates of these boxes were, but
could not resist the temptation of
Opening them, and then seemed
fairly to revel in their own trepi-
dation.
•■Atile," a I took another mem-
Tamed Baboon bcr of this family
in Germany, along with me to
Germany. It was remarkably clev-
er, but also exceedingly mischiev-
ous. Our Dog had tyrannized
over us all his life, and had lie-
come so sulky in old age that he
lived in peace with nobody, and
when he had to be punished he
snapped even at me. But in Atile
— that was my Baboon's name
lie found more than a match.
Atile thought it great fun to pro-
voke the poor Dog on all occa-
sions. When he was taking his
nap in the yard, stretched at full
length on the grass, the mischiev-
ous Monkey would softly creep
up to him, get hold of his tail, and
arouse him from his slumbers by
a sudden pull at that esteemed
member. The Dog would jump
up in a rage and with a growl and
bark rush at the Monkey. She (it
was a female) would calmly await
him, beating the ground with her
hand. Greatly to his anger he never could get at
her, for when he was near enough for biting, she
would jump over him and was again pulling his tail.
She would drive him perfectly insane through these
repeated insults, but he always had to sneak away
in the end, his tail between his legs.
Atile's Clever- Her cleverness was really remarkable.
ness and She stole in a masterly way ; opened
Affection. ancj shut doors and could untie intri-
cate knots, when she thought it worth her while.
Boxes she always opened and cleared of their con-
tents. We sometimes frightened her by putting a
little heap of powder before her on the floor, and
setting it on fire. She would give a shriek, when she
saw the flame leap up, and then jump as far back as
46
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
her chain would permit. But she did not suffer us
to practice this joke many times. After awhile she
was shrewd enough to take the burning tinder and
extinguish it with her hands before it had reached
the powder, after which she made a meal of the
whole.
Her affection for me was boundless. I could ill-
treat her and still she would show no resentment.
It seemed that she considered me perfectly innocent
of all the evil that befell her. When I had to chas-
tise her, she never flew into a rage at me, but di-
rected her wrath against the other people present,
thinking, no doubt, that they were the cause of her
punishment. She preferred me to all her friends,
and at my approach would turn against those whom
she had just been caressing.
She felt flattered at kind words, while laughter
was revolting to her, especially when she thought
she herself had provoked it. She responded to
every call, and I could take her out on long walks
without a chain. She followed me like a Dog,
though she was fond of making little trips first to
one side and then the other, extending them as far
as she pleased, but never going very far from me.
The Hamadryas The Baboon which in virtue of his
or Sacred shape, of his great sense, and also,
Baboon. perhaps, of his unlovely character,
played such a prominent part with the ancient
Egyptians, is called the Hamadryas or Sacred Bab-
oon (Cynocephalus hamadryas). How he came by
the honor of bearing the name of a Greek nymph
is a mystery to me, for surely his bearing shows
nothing that is womanly. The ancients certainly
did not bestow this name on him. Herodotus, Plu-
tarch and Pliny call him Cynocephalus, Strabonius
calls him Cebus, Juvenal gives him the name of
Cercopithecus, Agatharchides that of Sphinx. The
modern Abyssinians term him Hebe, the Arabians
style him Robah, and in Egypt he is known as
Khird. Among all these names there is not one
that would recall a nymph, unless it be "Sphinx."
The Hamadryas The reverence accorded to the Ha-
Reverenced in madryas by the ancient Egyptians
Ancient Egypt, has been depicted by Dumichen.
In all Egyptian antiquities and remains, this Baboon
appears as chief of the Monkey tribe. Hieroglyphs
often represent Monkeys, but the adult male of the
Hamadryas is the only one that is shown sitting on
an altar, adored by men. In some pictures he is
shown as a judge of the good and bad actions of
mankind ; he is holding a pair of trembling scales
and attentively looking at them. The deity which
he represented occupies a very prominent place in
all the pictures. Probably the deification of the
Hamadryas had the same origin as that of the
Crocodile, namely — fear ; for even then there were
people who feared their god, rather than loved him.
It is remarkable that the Egyptians were not the
only ones to revere this Monkey. All the inhabit-
ants of the plains of Central Africa, as well as a
great many Abyssinians, wear their hair combed and
parted like the I lamadryas, and if they did not take
the fashion from him, they did from statues of him.
The I lamadryas is no longer held in particular
esteem throughout those countries. The damage
he does is too great to allow of any friendship be-
tween him and Man. In Egypt he is no longer
found in a wild state. I did not meet the Hama-
dryas wild on my first African tour, but later I fre-
quently saw him during my short stay in Abyssinia,
and can speak about him from personal experience.
Home and The Hamadryas inhabits the who
Characteristics of coast 0f Abyssinia and of southern
the Hamadryas. Nubia. The greater the abundance
of plants in the mountains, the more he seems to
appreciate the locality. The vicinity of water is a
condition essential to the welfare of a troop of
these __ Baboons. Sometimes a few troops descend
from the higher mountains to the lower hills of
Samchara or the strip of desert on the coast, but
the great mass always stays in the high mountains.
Every troop has its own territory, one and one-half
to two miles in diameter. Small troops are more
rarely met with than large ones. Once only did
I see a troop of from fifteen to twenty ; at all other
times they were in flocks numbering at least one
hundred and fifty head, and among them were ten
to fifteen adult males (real monsters of large size
and possessing teeth superior to those of the Leop-
ard, both in point of strength and length); double
this number were adult females. The remainder were
young and half-grown animals of both sexes. Old
males are distinguished by their huge size and along,
cape-like mane. The hair of the mane of a middle-
aged male that I killed measured eleven inches.
The females have shorter hair and are of a darker
brown color. The young animals resemble the
mother. P2very individual hair of the body is alter-
nately greenish brown and yellow in tint, a blend-
ing of colors resulting which is hard to describe,
but looks very much like dried grass. The sides of
the head and the hinder limbs are always lighter,
usually merging into ash-gray. The callosities are
flaming red and the face devoid of hair and of a
dirty flesh color. The older a male gets, the lighter
is his mane. In my opinion there are two species
of this Baboon ; the smaller kind, inhabiting Asia,
provided with a gray mane, and the larger, found
in Africa, whose mane remains a greenish blue gray,
even in old age. The length of the adult male is
about three feet, estimating the tufted tail to be
eight or ten inches.
In the early morning hours, or when it is raining,
one can find an entire troop in its sleeping places,
which, in fact, are only holes of a larger or smaller
size in inaccessible recesses of rocky walls. They
are huddled together, the younger and smaller ones-
creeping close to their mothers and sometimes also-
their fathers. In favorable weather the troop leaves-
these rocks during the forenoon, and roams slowly
about pulling out plants, whose roots seem to form
their principal food, and rolling every stone from its-
place, to get at the insects, Worms and Snails that
are hidden beneath, and that are esteemed special
dainties. As soon as breakfast is over, they all re-
turn to the crest of the mountain. The males then
sit on stones, grave and dignified, their backs turned
to the wind ; while the females look after the play-
ing and romping young ones. Late in the afternoon
the troop goes to the nearest river or lake to drink.
After this they look out for another meal, and then
retire to a suitable place for the night. If the lo-
cality is especially favorable, one can count on see-
ing the Baboons return to it every evening, if they
are not disturbed in any way. Eields of durra in
the vicinity of their abodes are counted as special
attractions by them, and have to be carefully guarded
if the owners expect a harvest ; else the impudent
robbers would go day after day, devastate a great
deal more than they could consume, and finally ruin
the entire field.
THE DOG-SHAPED MOXKEYS—BABOOX.
4T
Hamadryas When a troop of these Baboons are see a Dog or a Leopard. Then the old males raise
Watching for sitting still, they all keep perfectly their terrible roaring noise, beat the earth with one
Enemies. silent until something happens. The fore-paw, show their teeth, and with flashing eyes
approach of a Man or herd of cattle, when perceived gaze down from the rock, ready to rush at the enemy.
Brehm's First The first troop I met was just rest-
bv one of them, is noted by a queer sound, which
may best be compared to the barking of certain
Dogs, and probably is uttered only with a view of
attracting the attention of the troop. At the dan-
gerously near approach of Man or of a beast of
prey, entirely different and varying sounds are made
by the members of the colony. The babel of voices
in an excited band of Hamadryas is most fitly com-
pared to the grunting and squeaking of a large
number of Pigs. There are also a few deep sounds,
reminding one of the roaring of a Leopard, or the
low grumble of an Ox. The Monkeys roar, growl,
bark, shriek, grunt and squeal in chorus. All the
BRILL. The Drill his prominent check hone? and ridge? above, the same as the Mandrill, but the vivid color-
ing is lacking. It is smaller than the Mandrill and its hair is greener, while underneath it is whiter and more silvery.
The whiskers which are heavy are brushed back and the small beard is orange colored. It is a native of the coast of
Guinea and its habits are simil ir to those of the Mandrill which it so closely resembles. It is sometimes seen in cap-
tivity in the United States as well as in Europe. (Cyitocefihalus Uucophaevs.)
fighting males come to the edge of the rock and
attentively look down to acquaint themselves with
the danger ; the young ones seek the protection of
the older ones ; the little ones cling to their moth-
ers' breasts or jump on their backs, and then the
whole band gets in motion, and hurries along, run-
ning and hopping on all fours.
A native does not frighten the Hamadryas. He
goes past them and drinks out of the same river
with them, but a white Man arouses their suspicion,
though one cannot exactly say that they flee before
him. More, even, than other Monkeys these Bab-
oons have a confidence and hopefulness which never
despairs of finding a way of escape when danger is
most imminent. It is entirely different when they
Experiencs with ing from a morning's wanderings.
Hamadryas. The Monkeys were sitting on the
crest of a mountain, the ascent to which was very
steep on both sides. I had seen the large forms
of the males at a great distance, but had thought
them to be pieces of rock, for these Monkeys, in
repose, present an impassive appearance. A re-
peated bark told me the truth. All the heads
turned to look at our party. Only the young ones
went on playing, and several females did not im-
mediately give up their occupation, which consisted
of carefully looking over the fur of one of the old
ntlemen. Probably
matters would not have
gone any farther, if we
had not had two Dogs
" _ " ": along, beautiful, slender
. greyhounds, accustomed
to hunt the Hyena and
the Wolf. They an-
swered the Monkey-cries
by a loud bark, and im-
mediately a commotion
ensued among the Bab-
oons. They seemed to
know of .1 better and
more secure abode, and
slowly tiled along the
mountain-crest, till they
disappeared from view.
But at the next bending
of the valley we saw the
whole troop, all in a row,
hanging on to a seem-
ingly vertical wall of rock
in a manner which I have
been unable to solve to
this day. This scene
seemed too inviting to
be left undisturbed. The
pity that stirs the heart
of every one who hunts
small Monkeys because
of their human-like ap-
pearance did not trouble
us in the slightest, for
the Hamadryas look like
furious beasts of prey.
Unfortunately the rock
was too high for our bul-
lets to reach them, but
we determined to at least disturb them. The effect
of the first shot was indescribable. A deafening
roaring, howling, barking and shrieking immediately
followed ; then the entire line began to move, as
easily and securely as if the animals were on level
ground. We could not understand how they obtained
a foothold. But it would seem that a narrow edge
of stone is considered safe and comfortable travel-
ing ground by them. We fired about six shots in
all ; but we were unable to take good aim, because
our surprise at the situation had robbed us of our
equanimity.
Still our bullets were aimed well enough to in-
crease the excitement of the creatures to a demon-
stration of terror. It was extremely ludicrous to
48
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
see how, after every shot, the entire troop clung to
the rock as if they thought the report alone was
enough to precipitate them into the abyss. I believe
that none of them was hurt. Still it seemed that
fright had deprived them of their customary cool-
ness and presence of mind, and at the next bend of
the road we met the troop traversing the valley,
trying to gain the opposite heights. A number had
already succeeded in crossing, but the main portion
were yet behind. Our Dogs were first startled at
the spectacle, but then with a joyous bark rushed at
the enemy. The scene we now beheld was a rare
one. As soon as the Dogs made their attack all the
adult males hurried forward, formed a circle around
the Dogs, roared and showed their teeth, beat the
earth with their fore-paws, and regarded their ad-
versaries with such flashing, furious eyes, that the
horrified animals shrank back and tried to gain our
protection. We encouraged them to again proceed
against the enemy, but when we succeeded in reviv-
WANDEROO. This strange looking creature, which is very cunning and active, has soft and dull
eyes and a long, black muzzle, which peer out from a great ruff, and beard of gray or white color. The
body and tail are a deep black. The Wanderoo lives along the Malabar coast, and has been introduced
into Ceylon. It is easily domestic .ited, but does not long survive a residence in temperate climates. (Cyjio-
ccfihalus silcnus.)
ing their bravery, the aspect of things had changed,
for the greater part of the Baboons had gone. Only
a few of them were yet in the valley, and among
them a half-grown Hamadryas. With a shriek it
fled to the rock, and here our Dogs laid siege to it.
We flattered ourselves that we would be able to cap-
ture the animal, but it was not to be Proudly,
slowly and with much dignity, paying not the
slightest attention to us, one of the strongest males
made his appearance, and, casting looks at the
Dogs, the meaning of which these latter were at no
loss to understand, he ascended the rock, coaxed the
young one to him, and with it made his way back,
walking close to the Dogs, which were so dumb-
founded that they let him completely alone. The
courageous deed of the patriarch made such an im-
pression on us that we forbore to hinder his re-
treat, though we might easily have shot him.
Tenacity, Boldness On other hunts I made a closer
and Fierceness of acquaintance of the Hamadryas,
Hamadryas. ar)(j learned of the wonderful te-
nacity with which they cling to life. If in shoot-
ing our bullets failed to take effect in the head or
in the heart, they were always lost to us, for how-
ever badly wounded they were still strong enough
to escape. Small shot had no effect at all ; they
would simply rub the wounded place with their
hands and proceed on their way.
Since I have seen the animals in the wild state, I
do not think it at all improbable that they would, in
case of danger, attack a Man, unprovided with fire-
arms, as the Arabs and Abyssinians, and several good
observers, notably Ruppell and Schimper tell us. Xo
experience of my own goes to prove this fact, but
we have seen that even from well-armed people the
Hamadryas beat a by no means hasty retreat, and
which is accomplished under a very formidable
showing of teeth and a loud roaring. Schimper told
me that the Hamadryas not only attacked but easily
killed Man, and that old males were known, with-
out any provocation, to have killed young women
gathering wood. Ruppell also says that this hideous
looking Monkey must be
counted among the most dan-
gerous enemies of mankind.
The Gelada, In the immediate
Giant of the neighborhood of
Baboon Family, the Hamadryas,
we find the Gelada of the Abys-
sinians, ( Cynoccphalus gelada),
the giant of the Baboon family,
though his discoverer, Ruppell,
denies his great size. Schimper,
who lived in Abyssinia for over
thirty years, and also Heuglin,
both agree in telling us that the
Gelada sometimes reached a
man's height. He is easily dis-
tinguished from the Hamadryas
at the first glance. The rich fur,
longest on the neck and back,
forms a cape and is of a black-
brown color, the hair in the face
and on the throat being of the
same hue ; while the mane and
the long tuft of the tail are
yellowish-brown. There are two
triangular places, devoid of hair,
on the neck and chin, their
points touching thus present
the form of an hour-glass;
they are framed in gray and white hair. Unlike the
Hamadryas the Gelada's callosities are very small,
completely separated and of grayish-black hue.
MANDRILLS AND DRILLS.
Not without cause the most monstrous of all
Baboons is separated from the others, for he differs
considerably from them. The body has a similar
structure, but the head is disproportionately large ;
the small eyes are placed close together, and are
surmounted by projecting ridges ; on both sides of
the nose is a large, prominent, furrowed, and as it
were swollen projection. The limbs are powerful,
the tail a short stub, standing upright ; the callosi-
ties cover the entire buttocks. The fur is peculiar,
and the chin is provided, at least in one species,
with a pointed, vividly colored beard. Both the
Baboons hereafter to be described, are natives of
western Africa, and have frequently been brought
over living to Europe[and taken to America]during
the last three hundred years.
THE DOG- SHAPED MONKEYS— MANDRILL AND DRILL.
49
The Mandrill, With the right that we call the Gue-
Ugliest of the reza the most beautiful of Monkeys,
Monkey Tribe. we may aiso call the Mandrill ( Cyno-
ccplndus mormon ) the ugliest. In mature age he is
a hideous beast in every respect, and his moral
nature completely harmonizes with his physical
characteristics. The body is very strong, bordering
on clumsiness, the head is horrid, the teeth are for-
midable, the fur is rough, the color of the hairless
spots vivid and repulsive. Every hair is black and
olive green, giving the fur on the upper part of the
body the appearance of a dark brown tinge, washed
over with green ; on the breast the hair is yellowish,
lower down whitish, on the sides light brown ; the
beard is of a lemon yellow ; the hands and cars are
They are said to live in troops in the mountain for-
ests, partly on rocks, partly in trees, and to often
visit and devastate adjoining fields of grain. They
are also said to enter the villages in the absence of
the Men, and ill-treat the Women and Children.
The natives fear the Mandrill more than the Lion,
never enter into a fight with him, and shun the
woods where this Monkey lives, except when a large
and well-armed number of them engage in a regular
crusade against him.
Fierceness and A young Mandrill is a lovely
Ill-nature of the little creature ; in the common
Mandrill. Monkey cage he is the comedian,
always ready for merry pranks, always in good
humor, and in spite of his unlimited impudence by
RED HOWLERS. Like the other members of this numerous family these Monkeys possess extraordinary voices, the great traveler
Waterton saying of them. " Nothing can sound more dreadful than their nocturnal noises. You would suppose that one-half the wild beasts
of the forest were collecting for a work of carnage.'' This animal inhabits the tallest trees. The artist has faithfully portrayed these
interesting creatures in the very act of sending forth their discordant yells, in which they excel the noisiest of the Gibbons. The Red Howler,
like its Black cousin, is rather sluggish for a Monkey. See page 52. (nfyce/es senieulus )
black, the nose and the immediate surroundings ver-
milion, the swellings on both its sides a bright blue,
while the furrows in them are black. The callosities
are blue and red. The usual height attained by
males is a little over three feet.
The Drill, Similar to His cousin, the Drill (Cynoccplid-
but Smaller than lus leucophacus), is a trifle smaller,
the Mandrill. his fur is brown above, whitish
below, the beard dull white, the face black, the
hands and feet are a copper brown.
It is astonishing that we do not know anything
about the life in the wild state of these two Monk-
eys, specimens of which have so often been cap-
tured. Both species arc natives of Upper Guinea.
no means repulsive. But all this changes very early,
much earlier than with the other Baboons, and in a
very few years the Mandrill reveals all the repul-
siveness of his hideous nature. An English author
says that the anger of other Monkeys compared to
the rage of the Mandrills is but as a zephyr to a tor-
nado carrying everything before it. His passions
know no bounds. He rushes at his enemy, like one
possessed, his eyes reflecting a demoniacal rage.
One thought has hold of his brain : to tear his oppo-
nent to pieces, and he heeds neither whip nor knife.
His mode of attack strikes one not as courageous,
but as insane. No animal is more dangerous to a
keeper than an angry Mandrill. Lions and. Tigers
50
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
are as Lambs compared to him, for they have com-
mon sense and adapt themselves to circumstances.
The Hamadryas and other Baboons are but timid
beginners in wrath, as measured by this ugly brute.
Doings of Pechuel-Loesche writes about the Man-
Three Captive drills that he observed for years in
Mandrills. Chinchocho: " We kept three Mandrills
in our yard, tied with ropes to the poles supporting
their house ; they did not attempt to escape, pro-
vided they had sufficient exercise. They were true
Baboons — cunning, ill-mannered, full of mischief, and
well aware that they amused us by their pranks.
Yet the character of the three was different. Paw,
a male, was amiable, affectionate and wheedling.
Jack, a weak female, was a perfect humorist, and
played with everybody but ladies, whom she hated.
She was not very affectionate. Isabella was a very
strong female, and she was presented to us because
her wickedness made her unbearable at the trading
post where she formerly lived. She furiously
attacked people of every size, color and sex. It
took us a long time, and required a great deal of
kind treatment to persuade her that at least we
Europeans were not her enemies. Her character
was utterly spoiled. She accepted everything that
pleased her, but was grateful for nothing.
" Pavy and Jack were like good watch-Dogs.
They used to sit on the roofs of their high houses,
scan the neighborhood, and apprise us of approach-
ing visitors or of any extraordinary occurrence. On
our walks we always tried to collect special dainties
for our animal pets, such as fruit, sweet plants,
leaves. Beetles or Grasshoppers. These two Man-
drills, therefore, always watched for us, and greeted
our return by crowing and executing the most daring
jumps. When we called out to them they tried to
surpass themselves. At the same time a Black-
Monkey would begin his peculiar sermon, and then
all the other animals would raise their voices, includ-
ing a Chimpanzee, whose vocal organs are so dis-
agreeable to the ear. Sometimes the din greeting us
was positively deafening.
Fondness of " It was new to me that Baboons se-
Mandrills lected inanimate objects for toys and
for Toys. took them to bed as children will take
their dolls. Isabella put great value on a little tin
can, and Pavy on a little piece of wood, that he
would play 'toss' and 'catch' with. Once it flew
beyond his reach and Jack caught it. Immediately
a fierce enmity sprang up between the two : but
as the length of their ropes did not allow of a fight,
they had to content themselves with chiding each
other and making fearful faces. I returned the
piece of wood to Pavy but the animosity contin-
ued. Jack had been seized with a passion for un-
insulated thermometer, and whenever she was let
loose, tried to steal it. She evidently liked the lus-
tre of the glass. She was so careful of it, however,
that she did not break it, even when she had suc-
ceeded in taking it along with her on a walk over
roofs and trees, and we had to coax her to give it
back."
The Wanderoo, Another Monkey that is sometimes
a Handsome counted among the Macaques is the
Monkey. beautiful Wanderoo or Nilbhandar
{Cynoccpliahis silctnts). It has a slim body, a rich
beard, enveloping the whole face, and a tufted tail
of moderate size. The fur on the upper part of
the body is of a lustrous black color ; it is brown-
ish-gray on the under part of the body, and the
mane is white. The good-natured eyes are brown.
This Monkey does not exceed three feet in length.
An erroneous opinion as to the native country
of this Monkey has prevailed until lately, Ceylon
having been considered as its home. According
to the latest investigations the animal is a native
of Malabar, and is found in troops of from fifteen
to twenty, exclusively in the high forests, ranging
from the 14th degree of northern latitude to Cape
Comorin.
Hmeucan or Broab^Boseb flI>onke£8,
SECOND FAMILY: Platyrrhini.
The difference between the products of the
tropics of the Old World and those of South Amer-
ica is, as a rule, marked and striking. Everything
in South America combines to produce the impres-
sion of fairyland ; the rich variety of nature charms
us and makes us forget the attractive features of the
other half of the globe.
General View This impression of contrast is felt,
of American to a certain degree, when compari-
Monheys. son is made between the Monkeys
of the Old and New Worlds. The American or
Broad-nosed Monkeys (Platyrrhini) arc peculiar
animals, but they are not beautiful ; at least, not the
majority of them. They are duller and more indo-
lent than the Old World Monkeys, and also much
more harmless and good-natured ; which means that
they are not really Monkeys. We arc too much
accustomed to look for a merry, mischievous dispo-
sition in a Monkey, and to think of Monkey nature
as bold, impudent and good-for-nothing.
The structure of body, limbs and teeth in the
American Monkeys differs from that of their Eastern
cousins. Their body and limbs are as a rule slim.
The tail is never lacking, and in only a few rare in-
stances stunted ; generally it is used as a fifth hand,
as the end may be rolled up by a few strong muscles
and it may therefore be used for grasping and hold-
ing. The thumb in the hands cannot be opposed to
the fingers to the same degree as in the feet. In-
stead of thirty-two teeth, there are thirty-six, each
side being furnished with six molars. Cheek-
pouches and callosities are never found. The
partition between the nostrils is broad. No single
member of this family attains a large Monkey-size
THE AMERICAN MONKEYS.
51
and none of them has a projecting muzzie. Their
coloring is manifold, but never so bright and vivid
as that of some of the Old World Monkeys.
Where Monkeys Their native country is South Amer-
Live in ica, Central America and Mexico.
America. To the north they are bounded by
about the twenty-ninth degree of north latitude [as
tar north as Chihuahua, in Mexico], to the west Dy
the Cordilleras, [Sierra Madre and Andes Mount-
ains] to the east by the Atlantic Ocean and to the
south by the twenty-eighth degree of south latitude
[line of Catamaica, in the Argentine Republic].
All the Broad-nosed Monkeys are essentially tree-
climbers, and the virgin forests are therefore mainly
their home. Marshy regions are preferred by them
to dry localities. They leave the trees only in case
of necessity, for they do
not even drink like other
animals ; they climb to the
■water on boughs and
■branches overhanging it
and drink without leaving
them. It is quite possi-
ble that some of these
Monkeys travel distances
of hundreds of miles,
without touching the
ground. The trees supply
them with everything they
need to eat, their food
being mainly vegetable,
though they also eat in-
sects, Spiders, eggs, young
birds and honey. Few of
them are guilty of devas-
tating plantations.
Most species are active
in the daytime, some come
out in the gloaming, and
some are awake only in the
night. They are lively and
active, with the exception
of several exceedingly lazy
species, representing, as it
were, the American coun-
terparts of the Orang-utans
•of the Old World.
Great Value They are all
of the excellent
Monkeys Tail, climbers and
know how to make very
good use of their tails.
This tail is an indispensa-
ble all-in-all to some of
them, their clumsiness be-
ing such that they would
be helpless without its useful aid. In nearly every
posture, even in deepest slumber, the Monkey twines
his tail round something, even though it be only one
•of his own limbs. The muscular power of the tail
exceeds that of the limbs, and the discriminating
sense of touch with which the tail-end is endowed,
enables them to put this remarkable gift of nature
to the most varied uses and often serves them as a
substitute for the greater quickness of mind and
body possessed by their trans-Atlantic cousins.
Yet the real tree-climbing Monkeys of the Old
World are decidedly their superiors in climbing and
jumping abilities. The walk of the American Monk-
eys is always clumsy and tottering and is performed
■on all fours.
The maternal instinct in the females of these spe-
cies is as sublime as that of the Old World Monk-
eys. They have one and sometimes two young ones
at a birth, and love, pet and protect their children
with a solicitude and tenderness which cannot fail to
win for them our admiration.
American The American Monkeys do very little,
Monkeys Harm- if any, damage to Man. And the vast,
less to Man. productive forests that form their home
provide for them so generously that they stand in
no need of help from him. A few of the American
species sometimes make raids on plantations, but
the little they eat and spoil is remarkably small in
proportion to the robberies of the Old World Monk-
eys. They are hunted for their flesh and their fur.
Many a traveler has had to subsist on Monkey
._
•
BLACK HOWLER MONKEYS
r. HAW*
Found in Guatemala and have prehensile tails but no cheek-pouci.es or
callosities, as the Old World Monkeys. The Black Howlers are one of ten species, which extend from Guatemala to
Paraguay, and tins species is found in the mountains as high as si>: thousand feet. Like all of the Howlers it has
an unearthly yell, which can he heard at a distance of two miles, the great sounds being increased by a peculiar for-
mation of the hyoid bone of the throat. They are the largest of the New World Monkeys, and the Indians are very
fond of their meat. (Mycetes mger.)
roasts for weeks at a time, and did not find them
bad fare. To the natives the Monkey is a very im-
portant animal, for its meat forms a great part of
their food. They use bows and arrows on their
Monkey hunts, usually steeping the arrow-heads in
very strong poison. When a Monkey has been shot
by them and feels that he is wounded he tries to
pull the arrow out, but as the cunning natives take
the precaution to cut the arrow-stem half-way
through, before using it, the head usually breaks off
in the wound.
How Indians The Indians also use bows and arrows
Capture and to hunt Monkeys that they wish to
Tame Monkeys. keep captive. Schomburgk tells us
that the Arekunas, when they wish to tame an old,
5-2
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
sulky Monkey, steep the arrow in weak Urari
poison. When he falls down unconscious from the
agerie in the United States. There are some very
fine specimens in Lincoln Park, Chicago, and in
Central Park, New York City]. The Capuchins are
the species most frequently seen in the European
animal markets ; the Spider Monkeys are rarer, and
the Saimaris one hardly ever meets. Very few liv-
ing Howlers have been brought to Europe.
The Broad-nosed or American Monkeys are di-
vided into two groups : those whose tails are pre-
hensile, the Cebidae, and those whose tails are not
prehensile, the Pithecidae.
THE HOWLERS.
Chief among the Cebidas is the Howler (Mycetes),
The head of this animal is high and of pyramidal
shape and the muzzle projects forward. The thumbs
are thin. The chin is adorned with a beard. A re-
markable peculiarity of the Howlers is their hyoid
bone, or the bone in the neck from which the mus-
cles of the tongue arise. Alexander von Humboldt
was the first naturalist to dissect the Howler, and he
says :
Where Howlers "The other American Monkeys,
get their whose voice is piping like a Spar-
Strong Voice, row's, have a plain, thin hyoid bone ;
but in this species the tongue rests on an extensive
bony drum. Their upper larynx has six pockets
which reflect the voice ; two of these pockets are
shaped like a pigeon's nest and resemble a bird's
larynx. The plaintive sound peculiar to the Howlers
is produced by the air forcibly streaming into the
bony drum. If one considers the size of this drum,,
he is no longer astonished at the strength of the
MIRIKI SPIDER MONKEY. It is only in South America that
Monkeys are found whose tails are prehensile, or capable of grasping the
objects about which they coil. The Spider Monkeys are especially gifted in
this way, a particularly interesting family of these being the Miriki. They
live in Southeastern Brazil, have fur of a woolly texture, rising to a tuft on
the end and a beard surrounds the face. They have very long tails, and one
of their ways of using them is well brought to view by the Monkey in the
background of this picture. (Ateles hypoxanthus.)
effect of the poison they suck the wound ; then they
bury him up to the neck,
and make him swallow
some earth containing salt-
petre or some juice of the
sugar-cane. When the
Monkey which has been
sickened by this treatment
begins to regain conscious-
ness, they dig him out and
swathe him in bandages
In these bandages he is
kept for several days, and
the only beverage he re-
ceives is sugar-cane juice,
while all his food is sea-
soned with saltpeter and
plenty of red pepper. If
this treatment does not
tame him, he is smoked
for some time — "like a
ham." Soon his rage be-
gins to abate, his counte-
nance becomes placid and
he is given milder treat-
ment. The bandages are
taken away and after such
;i cure the most aggressive
Monkey forgets that he
ever lived wild in a forest.
Few American Monkeys arc taken to Europe
| although they may be seen in any museum or nien-
COAITA SPIDER MONKEY. The artist has caught two Coaitas in attitudes that tell more strongly
than words how tin- family came to get the name of Spiders ; for how nearly like large Spiders do they look as they
hang with extended limbs from the tree-branch. The Coaita, which is found in Surinam and Brazil, is large for
its group, although exceedingly slender. (Ateles paniscus.)
voices of these animals, which have earned for them
a perfect right to the name of Howlers."
THE AMERICAX MONKEYS— HOWLER.
53
The tail of the Howler is very long ; its end is
bare on the under side, abundantly supplied with
nerves and blood vessels of very strong muscular
power, and therefore perfectly adapted to prehen-
sile use.
Where the
Howler is
Found.
The Howlers are widely spread over
all parts of South America. Thick,
damp, virgin forests are their preferred
haunts ; they are only found in the prairies where,
in close proximity to water, isolated groups of trees
have in course of time developed into small woods.
They shun dry parts of the country, but do not
avoid the cooler regions if food and water are plen-
tiful.
The Aluate or Red Howler (Mycetes senicuhis),
has a fur of auburn color, merging into golden yel-
low on the back ; the hair is short and somewhat
stiff. The average length
of the male Red Howler
is about four feet two
inches, counting the tail
as from twenty-five to
thirty inches. The female
is smaller and darker.
This family of Monkeys
is found in nearly all the
eastern portion of South
America.
The Caraya or Black
Howler {Mycetes tiigcr),
has much longer hair, of
a uniform black color,
reddish on the sides, and
the under part of the body
assuming a yellowish
tinge, in the female. Its
extreme length is four
feet, one-half of which
belongs to the tail. It
inhabits Paraguay.
Travelers' The Howler
Accounts of Monkey is an
Howlers, animal that,
since the earliest histor-
ical time, has been par-
tially known to travelers,
and many fictions have
been circulated concern-
ing its habits and charac-
teristics. Some of these
are to this day believed
by the unobserving whites
and the Indians resident
in the country inhabited
by this creature; but we
pay no attention to these
doubtful stories, and recount only what is proven.
Schomburgk says : " For some time after my
arrival I had, at sunset and sunrise, heard the fear-
ful howling of the Monkeys in the neighboring vir-
gin forest, but had never succeeded in seeing them
on my walks. One morning I set out after breakfast,
provided with my gun, and a dismal howl just then
resounding made me eager to kill some of these noisy
disturbers. I hurried on through thick and thin,
and after prolonged efforts succeeded in approaching
a whole troop, unperceived. There they were, right
before me, in a high tree, and the concert they gave
might have led people to believe that all the animals
in the forest were engaged in deadly combat. Yet
1 cannot denv that there was some kind of harmonv
in the uproar, for sometimes the whole troop would
pause, and then one of the singers would begin, and
the dreadful howling would start afresh. The bony
drum on the hyoid bone, which gives their voices
such exceeding strength, could be seen moving up
and down. For a few moments the sounds would
resemble the grunting of a Pig ; the next instant
they would simulate the roar of the Jaguar rushing
upon his prey, and then again came sounds like the
deep and terrible snarl of the same animal, when,
besieged from all sides, it recognizes its dangerous
position. The dismal troop also had its ludicrous
features, and the most confirmed misanthrope would
have smiled if he had seen the grave and serious
faces of the long-bearded vocalists. I had been told
that every band had its leader, which differed from
all the deep basso voices, not only in his shrill tenor
CHAMECK SPIDER MONKEY. Belongs to the large family ol Spider or Thum bless Monkey?, corre-
sponding to the Colobus ol Africa, but the Chameck has the thumb slightly projecting, consisting of but a
single joint, without a nail. It is found in great numbers in Brazil, and is nearly black in color, the face and ears
being a deep brown. (Atties fentadactylus.)
but also because of his slim figure. I can corrobo-
rate the first statement, but for a slim, graceful figure
I looked in vain. On an adjoining tree I saw two
silent Monkeys, which I took to be sentinels ; but
they certainly were bad ones, for I stood in the im-
mediate neighborhood unobserved."
This description shows us sufficiently that the
Howlers are highly peculiar animals. One can say
without exaggeration that their whole life is a chain
of peculiarities and richly repays observation ; on
the other hand it must be acknowledged that the
Indians are pardonable in regarding the Howlers as
melancholy and uninteresting, and as deserving of
contempt. It is not even difficult to account for the
calumnies that have been uttered against them when
54
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
one realizes that the poor animals, neither in the
wild state nor in captivity, show any graceful feature
or anything to enliven the monotony of their lives.
General During the day the highest trees in the
Traits of forests are the favorite haunts of the
Howlers. Howlers ; in the gloaming they retire
to the lower trees, whose foliage is made thicker by
creepers, and here they sleep. Slowly they climb
from branch to branch, selecting leaves and buds,
H1A
is
How the
Howler Acts
When Hunted.
GOLD-FACED MONKEY. This is a singular appearing animal, with its project-
ing crest of hair, its long-haired tail and strikingly marked coloring. It has a wide range in
South America and its home is deep in the forests. In the trees it is swift in its movements,
constantly using its prehensile tail in traveling. (Atclcs bartlcttii.)
slowly they pluck them and slowly they eat. When
they are satisfied, they crouch down on a bough, and
sit there without moving, looking very much like
old Men asleep ; or they stretch themselves at full
length on a bough, let their limbs hang down rigidly
from both sides and only hold on to the tree with
their tails. What one docs, the other slowly and
unconsciously docs, also.
Kappler'a Account Kappler, in speaking of the Red
of the Howlers in Guiana, says: "They live
Red Howler. m sma]] troops, composed of about
ten individuals, always comprising one old male,
who occupies a higher seat in the trees and conducts
the concerts. Whenever I had the opportunity of
observing the Howlers closely, an old male was sit-
ting high up in the tree, holding himself on the tree
with his fore-paws and tail, while other males, fe-
males and young ones, were grouped lower down in
differenl positions. 'I he old male would begin with
a"Rochu," repeated five or six times and running
into a roar, which would be taken up by all the
others ; and so loud were the cries that one was
nearly deafened by them. The noise could be heard
at a distance of two miles. The roaring of the
Tigers which so terrified Pichegru and his friends,
on their flight from Cayenne to Surinam, probably
was nothing but a concert given by Howlers, for
the uproar they make may well frighten any one
who hears it for the first time and does not know
that it is created by these harmless Monkeys,
Why these animals should howl so I really do not
know. In Guiana it is believed that they howl
only at the rise of the tide ; but this is not correct,,
as they will sometimes howl at any hour of the
day. The Howler is lazy and melancholy ; he
jumps only when pursued ; ordinarily he deliber-
ately climbs about, always holding fast to some
object with his tail. Captured young, he becomes
tame and plays with Cats and Dogs, but is usually
sad. If a person he has taken a fancy to leaves
him, his cries become a nuisance. Howlers emit
a peculiar, ill-smelling odor, by which one
traveling through the forests they inhabit
can easily detect their proximity. The
females never give birth to more than one
young one at a time. Their chief enemy
is the Eagle.
When Howlers are shot at
they make their escape as
quickly as possible. It is
an amusing sight when, in its fright, a half-
grown young one jumps on the back of an
old male in order to escape with greater
celerity, but is brought down by a sharp-
box on his ears, and thus taught that the
service he covets does not belong to the
duties of a father of a family.
In a great part of Paraguay the Howl-
ers are hunted by the Indians ; their fur is
popular and their meat is a favorite food
with the natives.
Howlers Howlers are seldom tamed,.
in and their domestication is
Captivity, very difficult. Rengger saw
only two in captivity that were over a year
old. They were fed leaves and preferred
them to any other kind of food. They
seemed very dull animals, paid no more
attention to their keeper than to anybody
else, and could not be taught to do any-
thing. Wied relates of other tame Howl-
ers, that they became so attached to their owner
that they always cried when he left them but for a
moment. Yet their laziness, sadness and disagiee-
able voice made them repulsive, even to him.
THE SPIDER MONKEYS.
An exceedingly slim body and long, thin, sprawl-
ing limbs distinguish the Spider Monkeys (Ateles).
The naturalist who first called them by this title found
a most appropriate name, and one which naturally
comes to every one who sees them. The head of
the Spider Monkey is small, the face beardless and
the thumb on the fore-paw lacking or rudimentary.
They are natives of South America, ranging to
the twenty-fifth degree of southern latitude (as far
south as Ascencion). They live only on the higher
branches of the tallest trees.
Spider Monkeys The lives of the different species of
in Their Spider Monkeys seem to be very
Natiue Forests, similar, and exceedingly monoto-
nous. Tschudi, agreeing with many other observers,
THE AMERICAN MOXKEYS— SPIDER.
OD
says : " They live in troops of ten or twelve ; some-
times they are found in couples, and not infrequently
singly. The presence of troops of these Monkeys
is easily detected by the noise they make in bending
branches when they are climbing. When one of
them is wounded he gives a loud yell and tries to
escape. When mothers are shot the very young
ones do not leave them, but remain with them even
after they are quite dead and stiff, persistently cling-
ing to and petting the lifeless bodies. Spider Monk-
eys are easily tamed, are good-natured and affec-
tionate, but do not bear captivity well. They are
subject to skin diseases and diarrhea, and when sick
are extremely miserable." The different species are
very similar to each other.
Various Kinds There are two species which
of Spider are found quite frequentlv
Monkeys. jn Guiana; the Coaita ( Ateles
paniscus), and the Marimonda or Aru
( Ateles belzebutli ). The first named is one
of the largest of his tribe ; his length is
tour feet, two inches, the tail taking more
than half of this length ; and his shoulder
height is about seventeen inches. The fur
i ; harsh, longest on the sides, and forms
a crest on the forehead, and is of a deep
black. Only the face shows a reddish
tinge. Bright brown eyes give the good-
natured face a sympathetic look.
The only representative of the Spider
Monkeys in Quito, Panama and Peru is
the Chameck (Ateles pentadactylus). 1 1 is
fur is long and deep black in color and
his thumb rudimental.
The Miriki (Ateles hypoxanthus), best
described by Max, prince of Wied, inhab-
its Brazil. He is about four feet, four
inches long, with a strong body, a small
head, long limbs and thick, nearly woolly
fur. As a rule the fur is of a dull yellow
color, the inner sides of the limbs being
lighter. The face, devoid of fur, is brown
in youth and dark gray in old age. The
thumb on the fore-paw consists of a short
stub, devoid of nail.
The best-looking of all Spider Monkeys
probably is the Gold-faced Monkey, which
was discovered in Eastern Peru by Bart-
lctt, Jr., and called Ateles Bartlettii in his
honor. The long, soft, thick fur is deep
black on the upper and outer parts of the
body; the hands and the parts of the face
that are not covered with hair are brown-
black. The forehead shows a band of
goiden yellow, the whiskers are whitish
and the lower part of the body and the
inner side of the limbs are brownish yel-
low. The size of this magnificent creat-
ure is about the same as that of the other
Monkeys of this tribe.
Life of the The life of the Spider
Spider Monkeys Monkeys has been de-
Described. scribed' by Humboldt,
Prince Max von Wied and Schomburgk.
In Guiana they are found only in the depth of the for-
ests and never at a greater elevation than 1,600 feet ;
and they shun cold forests on the heights. As a
rule they are found in troops of six, more rarely in
couples or singly, and still more seldom in greater
numbers. Each of these troops quietly goes on its
way without heeding other harmless creatures. In
comparison with the miserable hobbling of the
Howlers their movements may be called quick.
The considerable length of the limbs is conducive
to agility in climbing and jumping. Their arms are
so long and, therefore, admit of such rapid progres-
sion, that the hunter must move quickly if he wants
to keep up with them. They are quite agile when in
the tree-tops. They climb well and at times take
small leaps, but in every movement they throw their
long limbs about in the queerest sort of manner.
The tail is usually sent out first, to feel for a place of
support, before the Monkey decides to leave the
branch upon which he is sitting. Sometimes one
finds whole troops hanging to branches by their tails
HUMBOLDT'S LAGOTHRIX MONKEY. — Was discovered by Humboldt up the
liver Orinoco. It has fur like a hare, hence its name of Lagothrix, and its face is remark-
ably like that of a Xegro. It has no howling apparatus, but has a long, prehensile tail. The
■, inhabits the dense forests, feeding on fruits and buds, chiefly, and lives in
troops. [Lagothrix humboldtii.)
only and forming the most striking groups. Not
infrequently the whole family lazily lies on boughs,
basking in the sun, with their hands on their backs
and their eyes turned upwards. On the ground they
hobble along so very heavily that it makes one feel
quite nervous to look at them. The long tail, which
they move despairingly to and fro in the endeavor
56
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
to balance themselves, increases' the ungainliness of
their movements. European observers have never
seen Spider Monkeys on the ground, and Prince
Wied says that when in good health they never
come to the ground, except when they cannot get to
the water on low branches. They are hunted very
much, for the Portuguese utilize their fur and the
Indians prefer their meat to that of any other game.
These animals are seldom seen in captivity. One
cannot help liking them, for they show neither mis-
chievousness nor malice, and their anger, though
quickly aroused, is soon spent. They are amusing
on account of their queer attitudes and contortions.
They are very susceptible to kind treatment and
acknowledge it by caresses.
THE CAPUCHINS.
The Capuchins (Cebus) differ from the American
Monkeys described in the preceding pages in hav-
ing a tail which is completely covered with hair,
and is not capable of grasping anything, or, strictly
speaking, is not prehensile, although it may be curled
around a branch.
While the Monkey tribes we have ]ust considered
are rarely met with in the zoological gardens in
Europe, a Capuchin is found in nearly every one of
them. The arms of these creatures are of moderate
size and the hands are always provided with five fin-
gers. A more or less developed beard adorns the
face and the fur is short and thick.
Capuchins the The Capuchins are sometimes
Liveliest of called the Guenons of America.
American Monkeys. They much resemble those merry
creatures, though more in their behavior than their
physical characteristics. They are real Monkeys,
that is, they are lively, docile, mischievous, curious
and capricious animals. This is why they are so
much more frequently kept as pets, and tamed ones
so often taken to Europe; They also bear the
name of Weeper Monkeys, and are indebted for it
to their gentle, whining voice. Yet this voice is
only heard when they are in good humor. The
slightest excitement makes them utter abominable
shrieks. They live exclusively in trees and are
completely at home there. They inhabit all the
larger forest regions of the southern portions of
Smith America in rather numerous troops, often
mingling with kindred tribes.
In captivity the Capuchins show all the qualities
of the Guenons, besides several peculiar to them-
selves only. Notwithstanding their uncleanliness,
extraordinary even among Monkeys, they are great
favorites with the Indians and are frequently tamed
by them. Like the Baboons, they are fond of nar-
cotics and spirits. Schomburgk says that when one
blows tobacco-smoke into a Capuchin's face, he
rapturously closes his eyes and rubs his whole body
with satisfaction. Tea, coffee, whisky and other
stimulating drinks produce a similar effect on him.
The Cai, The best known of all the Capuchins
its Home probably is the Cai or Sai {Cebus
and Habits, capucinus). Cai, in the language of
the natives, means " dweller of the woods." The
Cai belongs to the largest kinds of Capuchins and
attains a length of twenty inches. In earliest youth
he is distinguished by a wrinkled, flesh-colored fore-
head, devoid of hair. I lis coloring is a dark or light
brown ; the hairy temples, the whiskers, throat and
;. and tlie upper limbs are light brown. He is
a native of Southern Brazil, and is widely spread
from Bahia to Colombia. lie prefers forests with-
out underbrush, and spends the greater part of his
life on trees, coming to the ground only to drink or
to visit maize-fields. He has no permanent home. ■
In the day-time he roams from tree to tree, at night
he sleeps on an embranchment. Usually he is found
in families of from five to ten, the females outnum-
bering the males. A solitary old male is sometimes
met with. It is very difficult to study this animal in
its wild stare, as it is very shy. Rengger says that
he was only able to observe them a few times by
chance. Once his attention was aroused by a few
agreeable, flute-like sounds. He looked up and saw,
approaching him, an old male, followed by twelve or
thirteen other Monkeys of both sexes. Three of the
females were carrying young ones, either on their
backs or under their arms. One of the Monkeys
suddenly caught sight of an orange tree, bearing ripe
fruit, and quickly uttered a few peculiar sounds. In
a few moments the entire troop was gathered around
the tree, plucking and eating so rapidly that the tree
was soon bare of fruit. Then the stronger Monkeys
tried to rob the weaker ones of their share of the -
booty, vigorously pulling their hair, the assailants
making wry faces and showing their teeth in a spite-
ful way during the contention. Several of the party
busily searched a dead part of the tree, breaking off
the bark and eating the insects hidden beneath it.
When they had had enough to eat they laid down on
a horizontal branch, in the position assumed by the
Howlers, as described on a preceding page, and
rested. The young ones played around, and showed
themselves quite agile. They swung by the tails
of the elders, and climbed up on them as on ropes.
The young Cai is often caught and tamed. When
older it cannot get used to captivity, but becomes
mopish, refuses food, and usually dies in a few weeks.
On the other hand, while quite young it will soon
forget its freedom, become attached to people, and
like many other Monkeys will partake of their food
and drink. Of the senses of this animal, that of
feeling is most acute ; the others are dull. It is
shortsighted and cannot see at all by night. It does
not hear well, and for this reason can be easily sur-
prised. The sense of smell is still more defective,
and often deludes it into attempting to eat what
its taste tells it is not fit for food.
Expressive The cry of the Cai changes according
Cries of the to its emotions. Most frequently it ut-
GaL ters a flute-like sound, which seems' to
denote weariness. If it desires anything it groans ;
wonder and embarrassment are expressed by a half-
whistling note ; when angry it cries in a deep, rough
voice : " hee ! hee ! " When in fear or in pain it
shrieks ; when pleased it giggles.
It not infrequently happens that Capuchins in cap-
tivity give birth to young ones, and then their care
of them seems still more tender than when in the
wild state. The mother plays with her child all day,
allows nobody to touch it, shows it only to people
of whom she is fond, and courageously defends it
from everybody else.
The Cai is very sensitive to cold and damp and
will never go into the water of its own accord. In
captivity it is subject to many diseases, especially
colds in the head and coughs, and it often suffers
from consumption. According to Rengger, it attains
the age of about fifteen years in the wild state.
The Cai The intelligence of the Cai is worthy of
easily notice. From the very first few days
Domesticated. 0f ;ts captivity it learns to know its
mi i i and keeper, looks to him for food, warmth,
THE AMERICAN MOXKEYS-CAPUCHLX.
57
protection and help and places implicit trust in him.
It is pleased when the keeper plays with it, forgives
him for teasing it, and when it has not seen him
for a while, shows great pleasure at his return.
It gets to be so devoted to its keeper that it en-
tirelv forgets its past freedom and becomes almost
wholly a domestic a-nimal. It not only becomes
attached to people, but also to the domestic animals
with which it is brought up. It is no uncommon
thing in Paraguay to rear the Cai in companionship
with a Dog, which it utilizes as a Horse. When
they are separated, it screams ; at the reappearance
of the Dog it overwhelms it with caresses. Its love
is so great that it is even capable of self-sacrifice,
for if its Dog friend becomes engaged in a fight the
Cai helps it with great zeal.
The Cai is entirely different when it is ill-treated.
When it thinks itself strong enough, it opposes force
even tries to make others give in to it, either by
caresses or by threats. This retards its .learning
very much, for it acquires only so much as it deems
profitable to itself, such as opening boxes, searching
its master's pockets, etc.
The Apella The Apella or Brown Capuchin ( Ccbus
or Brown apella ) is a native of Guiana. Its col-
Capuchm. oring varies so much that it is hard to
describe. The fur is glossy and some hairs stand
straight up over the forehead and on both sides of
the head, so as to form a crest. The face and
throat are lighter than the body, while the back, tail
and legs merge into black. The size of this Monkey
is about the same as that of the Cai.
Schomburgk describes the life of the Apella in the
wild state at greater length than other naturalists.
" Closely concealed behind a tree," he relates,
" we awaited the troop of Monkeys. A vanguard
CAI WEEPER CAPUCHIN MONKEYS. ther and child— as seen
m the open woods of Brazil ami Colombia. The sorrow till expression ol their faces is clearly shown. "The Weepers " live altogether in the
trees, leaving them only tor the purpose oi obtaining water or to raid grain fields. They feed upon fruits, vegetables and inserts. They are
very timid but are frequently captured and are often seen in zoological gardens and museums of the United States. (Cabtil capucinus.)
to force, and tries to bite those who offer it insult.
If it fears its opponent, it resorts to dissimulation,
and takes revenge as soon as the intended victim is
off its guard.
The Cai is very fond of good things to cat, and
soon becomes an adept at stealing. When caught
in the act of theft it cries out with fear, before it is
even touched ; but if not detected, it looks very in-
nocent and unconcerned. Small articles are hidden
in the mouth, when it is disturbed, and are after-
wards eaten at leisure. Its covetousness is very
great. What it once gets, it does not give up, except
to its master, when it happens to like him very much.
Besides these qualities, it possesses a high degree of
curiosity and destructiveness.
The Cai is very independent and subjects itself to
•a higher will than its own with "Teat reluctance. It
came first, then followed the main body, and a
quarter of an hour later the rearguard came into
view. I regret to say that I precipitated this latter
into disorderly flight by bursting into a laugh at
their peculiar antics. The weaker ones complained
and whistled, and cast angry glances at the stronger,
which bit and cuffed them when they were in their
way. The young ones seemed perfectly glued to
the backs of their mothers, and made the most pre-
cociously wise little faces imaginable, while the elder
ones searched every leaf and every little crevice,
on their way, for insects, with the utmost gravity.
From four to five hundred Monkeys might have hur-
ried on through the foliage above us (they travel
from tree to tree and do not seem to know any other
mode of progression), and they made such ludicrous
faces that I could not restrain myself and laughed
58
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
heartily. The Monkeys in the trees immediately
over us stopped for a moment as if struck by light-
ning ; then they gave a shriek, which was re-echoed
from all sides, and redoubling their speed the troop
disappeared from view with a few mighty jumps."
The Apella as The Apella is often snipped to
Organ-Grinder's Europe [and the United States, and
Assistant. ;s a familiar figure in zoological
gardens]. Organ-grinders make use of this Monkey,
as well as of the Guenon, to move people's hearts
and purses. While some once popular tune is being
ground out of the none too melodious instrument the
little beggar, loosed from his leading-cord, clambers
up door-steps, or climbs with wonderful agility to
the window-sills of adjacent houses to peer through
the panes. Some child is sure to see him, and then
a gleeful time ensues both for the child and the
A GROUP OF CAPUCHINS. The artist here presents four of the eighteen species of Capuchin Monk-
eys, which differ chiefly in their coloring. These Monkeys are eagerly hunted in many parts of South America
for their flesh. (l. White-Bearded Capuchin— ('cbus lettcogeitys. 2. Apella. or Brown Capuchin — Cebus
apella. 3. White-Faced Capuchin — Cebus liypolcncus. 4. Green Capuchin— Ccins olivaceus.)
Monkey, and upon the latter candy and pastry are
lavished in profuse supply. Oh, if he only had
cheek-pouches ! Besides toothsome dainties for
himself the .Monkey receives many small coins for
his master, to whom he presently returns with them.
Having levied their customary tribute the pair,
Monkey and .Man, move on their way rejoicing, to
repeat the same performance a few doors away.
Monkeys with The second family of the Hroad-
Non-Prehensiic nosed Monkeys, the Pithecidce, or
Tails. the non-prehensile tailed group, is
composed in greatest part of small or medium-
sized Monkeys whose tails an i ov< red with hair to
the tip and are incapable ol grasping or holding
anytli
The Pithecia have a short, stout frame, and
clumsiness of their appearance is increased by the
long, loose hair, and their bushy tail, the hair cove
ing of which is usually longest at the tip. The
on their head shows a decided parting, and the i
and cheeks are covered with a full beard.
There are but few families in this group of Monl
eys," and they are natives of the northern part
South America. They inhabit high, dry fore
that are free from underbrush, and keep aloof frc
other Monkeys. Tschudi tells us that "their acti
ity begins after sunset and lasts till dawn ; dur
the day they sleep, and are hard to hunt, as they
not betray themselves by any noise. They
easily tamed, but stay morose and mopish in
tivity, and are very lazy when awake in the dz
time." Schomburgk says that " wherever the foli
on the banks of the river
thick, troops of Monkey
gathered on the branche
and the Pithecia seemed
most numerous. Their I
hair, beautifully parted, tl
magnificent beards a i
whiskers, and their bust
tails, gave the clever-looki
animals a prepossessing
extremely ludicrous aspect.
Description The most cor
of the mon grou p
Cuxio. this tribe inns
its the extensive forests
the upper Maranon and C
noco rivers. The Indians ca
it Cuxio (Pithecia satanas)
and it is twenty inches lone
the tail being of equal lengtl
The head is perfectly rounc
and covered with a kind of
cap, consisting of not vei
long, thick hair, radis
from a common center, a
parted In front. Ka[
says that " no dandy coult
be more careful of his hair
and beard than this beautiful
animal." The upper part of
his body is thickly covered
with hair, while in the lower
part it is more scant}-. The
general color of the adult
Monkeys is black, spec!
with rust-colored hairs ; the
y o n n g a r e grayish-brown.
He lives in small families,
consisting of from four to six
members, and seldom bears captivity well.
The White A second and well-known member c
Headed Saki this group, the White-headed
of Guiana. [Pithecia leucocephala), shows so man
varieties, according to age and sex, that it is knowi
under several different names. It lives in Guiana,
troops of from six to ten, prefers shrubs to high
trees, and impresses one as a rather lazy creature.
The food of this animal consists chiefly of berries,
fruit and honey. The female brings forth but one
young one at a birth, and carries it around on her
back until it has become strong and independent of
n hunt. Kapplcr corroborates these stateni
and adds that this Monkey is easily tamed, but is
and timid in captivity.
THE AMERICAX MOXKEYS—CALLITHRIX.
59*
The Black- The life of the Black-headed Saki
Headed Saki, (Bnic/iyunts melanocephalits) is very lit-
er Cacajao. tie known, though the many names by
which it is called would indicate that it is frequently
CUXIO MONKEY. This remarkable looking an •- a xerv
, :ul of the latter and
so (earful of wetting it that it dips water up in its hand when it drinks. The
Cuxio is chiefly nocturnal in habits and is found in Brazil. When angry it
gi ts teeth in a savage manner. {Pithecia sat anas.)
encountered by the natives. Besides the preceding
names, this Monkey is also called Cacajao, Chucuto,
Chucuzo, Caruari, Mono-feo or Ugly
Monkey, and Mono-Rabon or Short-
Tail. The last name has been lately
universally adopted; for the Cac.
with a few other species having short.
bushy tails, have been separated from
the Pithecia, under the common fam-
ily name of Short-tailed Monkeys
( Brachyurus l.
This Saki measures from twenty
to twenty-seven inches in length, in-
cluding the tail. Its thick, shining
fur is longer on the shoulders and
sides, and scantier on the under part
of the body. The short, thin tail has
a tuft on its tip. The ringers are
exceedingly long and strong. Its
color is grayish-yellow on the back
and a rusty hue lower down. The
hair of the head and fore-arms is
shining black. In captivity it is
greed\- and obtuse, but not fierce.
It trembles with fear at sight of a
Crocodile or a Snake. This Monkey
is a native of the northwest of Bra-
zil, but does not seem to be very
numerous. But a single living speci-
men has ever been brought to Europe
[although a number of live Short-tailed Saki Monk-
eys have been taken to the United States].
THE CALLITHRIX.
Another genus of American Monkeys, called Cal-
lithrix, is distinguished by a slim body, on slim
limbs, a long, thin tail, a round head with a beard-
less face and a short muzzle ; bright eyes and large
ears ; and the hands and feet each have five toes or
fingers.
The Callithrices inhabit the quiet forests of South
America in small troops, and their presence is easily
determined on account of their loud voices, which
they are fond of using. In point of strength and
loudness of voice they come next to the Howlers,
and they betray themselves to the hunter at a great
distance. The tenderness and agreeable flavor of
their flesh cause them to be hunted vigorously by
the natives. Their disposition is exceedingly gen-
tle, and in captivity they become tame and affec-
tionate to an extraordinary degree.
The Widow One of the most attractive members of
Monkey and this group is the \\ idow Monkey ( Cal-
its Beauties. /,>/„-/., Utgetts). Its length is about thir-
ty-five inches, more than half of tins belonging to
the tail. .According to Alexander von Humboldt,
this little animal has fine, lustrous, black hair, a blu-
ish white face, and small and well-formed ears. The
neck shows a white collar, about one inch in width ;
the feet are black ; the hands white on the back and
black on the palms. The missionaries have com-
pared the white parts to the veil, collar and gloves
worn by widows in .South America, and this has
given the name to the animal.
THE CHRYSOTHRIX.
We may consider the Saimaris ( Chrysothriz ) as the
connecting link between the Monkeys with and
those without prehensile tails. They have slender
bodies, with long limbs, large heads, high foreheads,
short faces, very large eyes standing close together,
plain, large ears, and fur consisting of peculiar
ringlets. As with the Callithrix. the tail is round and
aifeS?
THE HAIRY SAKI. Has hair of a speckled gray color, which is very long, hanging over
the head and half hiding the sad little face. This long hair extends all over the body and out to the
end of the t lil. It is a nocturnal animal, timid and retiring, and does not live long after being cap-
tured. (Pithecia Ursula.)
slender, and they have many peculiarities that are
common to the non-prehensile-tailed group.
<30
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
The Lively The best known member of this
Squirrel Monkey group is the Squ irrel - M o n k ey,
of Guiana. sometimes called the Golden-haired
Monkey {Chrysothrix sciurea), distinguished as much
by a graceful body and agreeable color as by a
merry, cheerful disposition. He may be counted
one of the best looking of all the American Monk-
eys. The tail is very long; the body yellow above
and whitish below. Sometimes the creature is gray
with golden yellow limbs, or the head may be coal
black. The length, tail included, averages about
thirty-two inches.
This attractive little creature is a native of Gui-
ana, and prefers the banks of rivers, which he haunts
in large numbers. He does not inhabit high trees,
but is found in the shrubs on the edges of the forest
.. / ;
H^
WHITE-HEADED SAKI MONKEY, A peculiarity of the"Saki" is that it strongly resembles Man in
the face, as the artist has clearly shown. Its white he. id and yellowish-brown body give it a striking appearance. The
short and bushy tail is not prehensile. The creature is dull, quiet and rather stupid, and is easily made content in
captivity. Its life is spent in the trees and it feeds principally upon fruits. (Pithecia leucocephala.)
like the Capuchins and sometimes may be seen in
company with a troop of those animals. The
Squirrel Monkey is very active throughout the en-
tire day, but at night he retires to the crowns of
palms, where he finds a secure asylum for rest and
sleep. lie is very timid, never stirs at night, and
flees at the slightest alarm by day. When fright-
ened from any cause the troop moves in long rows,
under the guidance of an old Monkey, which usually
succeeds in leading them out of danger.
How Squirrel Kappler, during his twenty-six years'
Monkeys Act stay in Guiana, always contrived to
in Captiuiiy. j^p tim.(. ,)t t|„..r Monkeys in cap-
tivity, supplying each vacancy by death with a new
purchase, and is thus able to speak with intimate
knowledge concerning their habits and traits. Ac-
cording to him they are called Acalimas and Cabu-
anamas by the natives. He says : " The little
Monkeys are very cheerful and always active, ex-
cept that they sometimes take a nap during the
day. They are very easily affected by changes
of weather and dislike the cold. I always selected
those that were quite young for my collection, and
soon taught them to like bread, milk and ripe ba-
nanas. In the beginning I let them run at large in
the room. They would sometimes suck their thumbs
for hours, like babies. The dainty, white little
face, black mouth, large bright eyes and engaging
manners always produced a favorable impression on
everybody. They are not so mischievous as other
Monkeys; they easily
show anger but soon for-
..,-r- -;_ get it. Except under
provocation they never
bite, and when kindly
treated are the merriest
little creatures in the
world. Sometimes they
steal a ride upon the
backs of the Pigs which
roam in the savannas.
Every evening at five
o'clock they were let
loose in the yard and
wildly romped and
played around until dusk,
when they would come in
of their own accord to be
locked up in their cage.
They were fond of in-
sects, but did not know
how to distinguish be-
tween those that were
poisonous and those that
were harmless. Igno-
rance on this point caused
three of mine to lose
their lives. They are not
docile, and are intellect-
ually far below the Capu-
chin. When they are
comfortable, the}' purr
like Kittens ; when an-
gry, their cries remind
one of a Magpie. Most
of them were brought to
me from the sea-shore,
where they jump around
on the Awarra palms,
which are quite full of
thorns, sharp as needles
and three inches long. The Indians shoot the moth-
ers while bearing their little ones upon their backs,
or they shake the young from the trees, where their
dams have left them for a time that is intended to be
brief. Rarely is one able to procure a male ; nearly
all that were brought to me were females."
THE OWL MONKEYS.
Azara was the first naturalist who introduced to
the world the Owl Monkey (Nyctipithecus), which
is a most remarkable animal. A little later, Hum-
boldt described it ; after him Rengger, Schomburgk
and, finally, Bates gave interesting accounts of its
habits and traits. To a certain extent the Owl
THE AMERICAN MONKEYS— OWL.
61
Monkey is the connecting link between the Monk-
eys proper and the Half- Monkeys or Lemurs, being
nocturnal in its habits like the latter and resembling
them in many respects. The head and the expres-
sion of the face enable one to distinguish between
them and all the preceding Monkeys at a glance.
'
,
SHORT-TAILED MONKEY. This strange looking Monkey-has
its home in the forests of the Upper Amazon, which are inundated
through the greater part of the year, and from these trees it never de-
scends to the ground. It does not show much activity in swinging or
jumping, but runs very nimbly up and down the branches. It is of great
interest to naturalists because of its having thirty-six teeth, instead of
thirty-two, the number possessed by most of the Monkeys, as well as by
Man. (Brachyurus calvus.)
The small, round head has large, owl-like eyes ;
the muzzle projects forward but little and is broad
and large ; the nostrils open in a downward direc-
tion ; the ears are small. The hair of the creature is
soft and fluffy, and the bushy tail exceeds the body
in length. The nails of the fingers and toes are com-
pressed from side to side and curved, suggesting
somewhat the idea of claws.
About the The Mirikina ( NycHpithectts trivergatus) is
Mirikina only fifteen inches long, but his tail
Monkey, measures twenty inches. This animal is
thickly clothed with gray or brown fur. while the tip
of the tail is black. The forehead is decorated with
three black, parallel stripes and a wide, yellowish
stripe runs from the neck to the root of the tail.
The Mirikina ranges over the eastern portion of
the warmer parts of South America. Rengger asserts
that in Paraguay he is found only on the right side
of the river, as far as the twenty-fifth degree of
southern latitude. " He spends his life in trees,
commencing his hunt for food at night, and retiring
early in the morning to a hole in a tree-trunk, where
he sleeps through the day."
The servants of this naturalist while gathering
wood once found a couple of these little Monkeys
asleep. The frightened animals tried to escape, but
were so dazzled with the sunlight that thev could
not climb or jump well. They were easily caught,,
though they made good use of their sharp teeth.
Their bed consisted of leaves, covered with moss,
and we may, therefore, conclude that they retire to-
the same place every morning. Rengger says that
they are always found in couples, while Bates asserts
that they are also met with in greater numbers.
The Mirikina A Mirikina caught young is easily
in a tamed, while an old one always re-
Captiue State. tajns lts fierce and wild nature.
They easily bear captivity when well taken care of.
Negligence and uncleanness kill them. They should
be kept in a spacious cage, or in a room, but not
chained up, as they entangle themselves easily in
ropes. When captive, they remain all day long in
the darkest corner of their place of abode and sleep,
sitting with their legs drawn up, the body bent for-
ward, and the face hidden in their crossed arms.
When one arouses them and does not keep them
awake by petting, they go right back to sleep. On
bright days they can distinguish no object, and their
pupils are very small. When they are brought out
of darkness into sudden light, their gestures and
LOVELY-HAIRED MONKEY. This really beautiful creature is
scarcely larger than a Squirrel, and a native of Guiana. The tail is long
and bushy, but not prehensile. It is somewhat nocturnal in its habits and
feeds upon insects. The head is quite humanlike and the animal is very
affectionate in disposition. In captivity it soon comes to know its friends
and to distinguish them from strangers. It has a pleasing habit of turn-
ing its head to one side when spoken to, as though listening attentively to
what is said. yCallithrtx personals, i
plaintive sounds indicate that it is painful to them,
but as soon as evening draws near, they awake, the
pupil dilates gradually and finally the iris is hardly
perceptible. Their eyes flash like a Cat's or an
Owl's and they begin to walk around their cage and
look for food. Their movements seem easy, though
a -2
THE APES AXD MONKEYS.
not graceful, for the hind limbs are the longest.
They climb and jump to perfection. On their noc-
turnal wanderings they easily succeed in capturing
sleeping birds. Insects are also welcome and caught
very dexterously. From time to time they utter a
hollow, loud sound, which has been likened by
SQUIRREL MONKEYS. Here are two of these merry and lively
little creatures perched in a palm tree, the fruit of which one of them holds in
his hands. They are exceedingly timid, fleeing at the slightest alarm, and in
this picture they are depicted as preparing to take flight from real or fancied
clanger. {Chrysothrix scinrea.)
travelers to the distant call of a Jaguar. They ex-
press anger by a repeated " grr, grr, grr, grr."
Zbe flDarmosets.
THIRD FAMILY: Arctopitheci.
Several naturalists see in the Marmosets only a
variety of the preceding genus and class the two
together : but we think that their distinguishing
features are marked enough for us to treat them as
two distinct groups.
The Marmoset has a round head, a short flat face,
small eyes, large ears, sometimes adorned with tufts,
a slim body and short limbs, a bushy tail and silky
fur. The claws on the fingers and toes are small
and narrow, except those of the thumb-toes, which
are broad and nail-like. The claw-like hands, whose
thumbs cannot be opposed to the other fingers— this
I" - "liarity is not noticeable in the feet -have really
become paws in this genus, and the feet only are
similar to those of other Monkeys.
Haunts and The Marmosets have a very wide
Habits of range, being found in Mexico, Central
Marmosets. Ain. .,. ;. and South America to the
Bouthern limits of Brazil. They occur in greater
variety and numbers in Brazil, Guiana and Peru,
Mexico affording but two kinds. I low high they
asceixl the mountains has not b,en determined;
Schomburgk saw^ them at an elevation of 1,600 feet,
but it is believed they inhabit much greater altitudes
in the Andes range.
All Marmosets are arboreal or tree-living, in the
true sense of the word. They inhabit not only the
damp, stately forests of the coast and the valleys,
but also the stunted, bushlike woods in the inner
parts of the continent. In their traits and habits
they resemble Squirrels as much as they do Monk-
eys. They never sit erect as Monkeys frequently
do but roam from tree to tree on the thick boughs,
using their claws exactly like Squirrels. They have
never been seen to go erect, and in walking they
place the sole of the foot flat upon the ground.
Still, in eating, they will often raise their bodies,
like the Squirrel, when bearing food to their mouths.
Special Traits In other respects they also resemble
of the the Squirrels very much ; possessing
Marmosets. the same restlessness and the same
shyness and timidity. The little head of the Mar-
moset never rests, even for a moment, and the glance
of the dark eyes wanders hurriedly from one object
to another and seemingly with little understanding,
the animal evidently thinking of something else all
the time. I do not wish it understood that I thus
credit the Marmosets with great ideas ; on the con-
SILKY TAMARIN. The Silky Tamarins are noteworthy for the
beauty of their fur. Their hair is soft, long and of a chestnut color,
and forms into two tufts over the ears ; while the tail is' long and bushy
They inhabit Brazil, and are about the size of a common Squirrel.
(Ha pale Rosalia.)
trary, I believe them to be the dullest of all Monk-
eys, creatures with decidedly limited intellect, whose
thinking capabilities are probably not any greater
than those of the Squirrel. Timid, distrustful, re-
served, petty and forgetful, the Marmoset seems
to act unconsciously and to be carried away by mo-
THE AMERICAN MONKEYS— MARMOSET.
63
mentary feelings. He has all the qualities of a cow-
ard : the plaintive voice, the evident incapacity or
unwillingness to give in to necessity, the complain-
ing resignation, the morbid fancy that the actions of
all other creatures
in some way relate
to him. the constant
attitudes of either
ostentatiously
showing off or
shrinking from ob-
servation, the incon-
stancy in his expres-
sions, movements
and actions.
Fruit, seeds, leaves
and buds form the
principal part of the
food of the Marmo-
sets, but they also
hunt insects. Spi-
ders, etc., with the
greatest zeal, and
eat them with evi-
dent relish. Indeed,
one might say that
they are animal
feeders more than
any other Monkeys,
preferring this to
vegetable food.
The Three We rec-
Groups of o g n i z e
Marmosets, j- j-j r c c
distinct groups as
belonging to the
family Hapale : the
Lion-like Monkey
(Hapale leonina),
having face and ears
d e v o i d of hair, a
tufted tail, and a
mane on the head,
neck and shoulders;
the Tamar i ns, to
which belongs the
Silver Monkey
» Hapale Arge/itata),
having a longer tail,
but no mane, and
the Silky Monkey
(Hapale pygmcea)
having tufts on its
ears.
The most common
member of the last
named group is the
Saguin Ouistiti or
Common Marmoset
( //< ipale jaceh us). It
is about ten inches
in length and is
clothed with soft,
long hair. The col-
oring is black, white
and russet, each
hair being black at
its root, and then
alternately russet, black and white. The tail is black,
-showing about twenty white ringlets and a white tip.
A whitish spot on the forehead, and a pure white
tuft over each ear stand out in bold relief against
the brown face.
In captivity they subsist on fruit, vegetables, in-
sects, Snails and meat, and soon get familiar with
NIGHT MONKEYS. The picture represents Night Monkeys of South America, one of which has just seized a lit-
tle bird and it regards with disfavor the too near approach of its companion and evidently declines to share the toothsome
morsel in its possession with the intruder. The entire family of Night Monkeys are noted for their small, round heads,
large eyes and long tails. Those indicated in the picture are sometimes called " Three-striped Owl Monkeys," on account
of the three divergent black stripes on their forehead and face. They feed upon small birds, insects and fruits, are strictly
nocturnal and have very powerful voices. {Nyctipithecus trivirgatus.)
those who take constant care of them. They show
themselves distrustful and irritable towards stran-
gers and are capricious like naughty children
64
THE APES AND MONKEYS.
When angered they utter a few whistling sounds.
Everything unfamiliar excites them strongly. They
are so timid that the sight of a flying Wasp throws
them into great excitement. When adult animals are
COMMON MARMOSETS. These gentle little creatures belong to
the same family shown in the preceding illustration, and are found in the
tropical forests of Brazil. Their movements are so swift that it is diffi-
cult for the human eye to follow them as they travel through the branches of
their native trees. Their size is about that of the common gray Squirrel.
made captive, they scream at the approach of every
one, and it is a long time before they allow any one
to touch them. Having been once tamed they soon
become good friends with people
and with other domestic animals,
especially Cats, with which they
like to play and to sleep, the lat-
ter probably because of the
warmth afforded. They are for-
ever protecting themselves against
the cold, carrying all the cotton
and rags they can get hold of to a
corner of their cage, and covering
themselves with it. A pretty sight
is afforded when the little animal,
lying on its bed, is approached by
the keeper, bearing some sweet
morsel, for which it extends its
dainty head forward.
It has frequently happened that
Ouistitis have been born in cap-
tivity, in Europe [as well as in the
United States j.and once, even in
St. Petersburg though under very
unfavorable conditions. The ani-
mals were kept in unheated rooms,
even on cool days in Spring and Autumn, and were
given no liberty at all, still they gave birth to young
ones three times in two years and succeeded in rear-
ing them, notwithstanding the small amount of care
they received.
Pallas' Description We are indebted for their history
of the Common to the naturalist Pallas, who says :
Marmoset. "The Ouistiti, like all the other
little, long-tailed American Monkeys, is much less
Monkey than those belonging to families whose
members attain larger size. It is quick and agile,
but when in a state of contentment it may sit in the
sun for hours without moving. It can climb with
dexterity, but does so with a peculiar phlegmatic
pomposity. Sometimes it hangs from a bough by
its fore-paws, and stretches itself, like a sleepy
human being. Ouistitis like to remain in the warm
sunshine searching each other's fur for vermin,
Monkey-fashion, purring and cooing the while.
With a similar cooing sound they retire on the
stroke of six and are not seen nor heard again till
six or seven the next morning. They are active and
rather noisy in the day-time. Besides these cooing
intonations they sometimes utter the combination of
sharp whistling sounds represented by their name,
" Ouistiti," quite distinctly, especially when food is
in sight.
Many Types Besides the Ouistiti, naturalists have
of the found over thirty distinct species of
Marmosets. Marmosets, differing greatly in size,
color and general appearance, but all having the
physical characteristics of the genus Hapale. Among
them is the Hapale pcnicilata which is about the same
size and nearly as common as the Ouistiti.
The Pinche {Hapale cedipus), belonging to the
Tamarins, bears captivity still less than the Common
Marmosets. These small, pretty animals are remark-
able for their voices, which might be mistaken for a
bird's, when the Monkey utters its long, flute-like
notes.
The Golden Marmoset {Hapale clirysoleacus) is also
a small animal, taking its name from its bright yel-
low fur. The other families of the genus Hapale
are all small creatures with the same general char-
acteristics as those we have described, differing
somewhat in the color and distribution of their furs
PINCHE MORMOSET. Distinguished for its large white tuft, which falls gracefully over and
behind the ears. The throat, chest, abdomen and arms are also white, the rest of the body being a gray-
ish brown. The voice of the Pinche is very soft and sweet, varying with the different moods of the
animal. It is a most delicate creature and does not live long in captivity. Its home is in the tropica>
regions of South America. (Hapale adipus).
and only designated by their scientific names, which
rest only on slight variations.
ZLbc DalWIfoonke^s or %emuroic>s.
SECOND ORDER: Prosimii.
H E majority of naturalists
have classified the Lem-
uroids with the Monkeys ;
but we see in them an en-
tirely distinct order and ac-
cordingly here class them
separately. In reality they
bear but little resemblance
to Monkeys. Their ana-
tomical structure is entirely
different, and their teeth do
not correspond with the
teeth of the Monkeys in any
particular. The name of Quadrumana (four-handed),
is a great deal more appropriately used in connection
with Lemuroids than with the Monkeys, as the dif-
ference between the hand and foot in the former is
very slight. One may take these animals to be the
connecting link between Monkeys and the Marsu-
pialia (pouched animals), imagining them to be suc-
cessors of a genus of unknown animals of the same
family as the Opossum ; but they are not Monkeys.
Distinctive A generic picture of the Lemuroids
Features of is not easily drawn. They differ
Lemuroids. widely in size and shape, teeth and
skeleton. Some are as big as a
large Cat, others as small as a
Mouse. Most species have slim
bodies ; some are extremely thin.
The muzzle of some reminds one of
a Dog or Fox, while that of others «|
may be Owl-like. The hind limbs
are usually longer, and often con-
siderably longer than the fore-
limbs. In some groups the ankle-
bones are relatively short ; but in
some they are rather long. The
tail may be longer than the body
or may scarcely be visible ; it may
be bushy or partly devoid of hair.
Large eyes adapted for use at night, well-developed
ears and a soft, thick, usually woolly fur, character-
ize the Lemuroids externally as nocturnal animals.
The skull is round in the back ; the muzzle is narrow
and short, and the orbits are large and close to-
gether, and have a projecting rim, high in the upper
part, which does not surround the whole of the orbit
but merges into the temple sideways.
The Homes The Lemuroids live in Africa, espe-
of the cially in Madagascar and the adjoining
Lemuroids. islands; but they are also found, al-
though in much smaller numbers, in India and the
South Asiatic islands. They all lead arboreal lives,
some of them hardly ever coming to the ground.
Some are remarkably quick and agile, while others
are slow and deliberate and glide about as noiselessly
as ghosts. Some are active and feed in the day-time,
but the majority awake at sunset, and the dawn of
day finds them already sound asleep. Fruit, buds
and young leaves form the food of some kinds,
while others subsist on insects, small vertebrata and
vegetable matter. In captivity they soon become
accustomed to all kinds of food.
Zbc lemurs.
FIRST FAMILY: LemuridvC
The Romans applied the name Lemur to the souls
of the dead, the good among whom protected the
house and family from evil, while the wicked ones
wandered about as evil spirits and worried poor
mortals. Science also has its Lemurs, but these are
by no means ghosts although they stealthily roam
about at night, being creatures of flesh and blood
and of a more or less prepossessing appearance.
They are the center of the class of animals we pro-
pose to deal with, the family of Half-Monkeys,
which comprises a number of groups of widely dif-
fering characteristics.
Habits The Lemurs possess all the peculiarities of
of the the Lemuroids, the two other groups of
Lemurs. Half-Monkeys differing from them mainly
in their teeth, structure of hands and feet, and fur.
■*.'lj.lvtfAHMtoK»T
THE VARI, OR RUFFED LEMUR. This member of the Lemur
family is especially peculiar because of the striking contrast shown in the
black and white of its long fur, which is faithfully reproduced in the picture.
The graceful limbs, the long, furry tail and pointed muzzle general to the
Maki family of Lemurs of which the Vari is a member, are also well shown.
(Lemur varius.)
The Lemurs (Lemuridte) are natives of Madagas-
car and the adjacent islands, of the whole continent
of Africa, and a few species are scattered over India
and the islands of southern Asia. They all inhabit
forests, preferring the impenetrable virgin woods,
(65)
«6
THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS.
rich in fruits and insects. They do not exactly slum
Man, neither do they seek him. Nocturnal in their
habits to a greater or less degree, they seek the
darkest parts of a forest, crouch or roll themselves
together and sleep a great deal. Their attitudes in
sleep are very peculiar. Either they sit holding
themselves with their hands, the head buried in the
arms, and the tail rolled about the head and shoul-
ders : or else two or more will huddle close together.
Sometimes two Lemurs will roll themselves together
in a ball-like mass, with their tails curled around
each other. If one disturbs such a ball of fur, two
SHORT-TAILED INDRIS LEMUR. -The characteristics of this animal as it appears in its
M lags in forest, are admirably depicted in this picture. The contrasts of light and dark in
, fur, the stumpy tail from which it derives its name, the methods of grasping and climbing aided by
narkable thumb, as well as the keen vision, are all brought out. The Squirrel-like attitude of the
a by the figure In the background, is another strong characteristic
«.l this type o< the Lemur family. [Lichanotus brevicaudatus.)
heads suddenly make their appearance and stare at
I lie intruder with large, displeased eyes.
The sleep of the Lemurs is very fight The hum-
ming of a Fly or the noise of a creeping Beetle is
sufficient often to rouse many of them, when they
prick up their ears and the large eyes look dreamily
around ; but only for a moment. They are ex-
tremely sensitive to light, more so than any other
animals of the family ol mammals. They seem to
dead creatures in the day-time. In their wild
state Lemurs awake only at dusk; but this is only
partially true of those in captivity.
When in their forest homes they rouse themselves
after sunset, clean their fur, exercise their usually
rather loud and disagreeable voices, and then set
out. The activity they display varies much in dif-
ferent species. The majority exert themselves in
the first place to justify their spectral name, and
raise a disturbance that strikes terror to the heart of
a new-comer, who must attribute the indescribable
noise -to the " powers of darkness," though it slightly
reminds one of the roar of dangerous beasts of prey,
such as the Lion.
Some species, on the other hand, are entirely dif-
ferent in their actions and temper-
ament. Stealthily and noiselessly
they creep from branch to branch;
their large, round eyes gleam in
the darkness like fiery balls, and
their movements are so deliberate
and noiseless that not the slight-
est sound betrays them, even to an
interested listener.
The Stealthy Alas! for the sleep-
Habits of ing bird that has
Some Lemurs, attracted the no-
tice of those fiery eyes. No In-
dian on the war-path moves with
stealthier tread ; no bloodthirsty
savage approaches with deadlier
purpose than does the Loris,
stealthiest of Lemurs, when creep-
ing to his sleeping prey. Without
noise, nearly without visible move-
ment, paw after paw is lifted till he
has reached his victim. Then the
hand is raised with equal silence
till it nearly touches the bird, when
with one movement, too quick for
the eye to follow it, he has seized
the poor thing, which is strangled
before it regains consciousness.
Nothing can equal the avidity
with which the harmless looking
Loris devours his prey after the
murder is accomplished. Like the
sleeping bird, the young ones, or
the eggs, are lost if once the Loris
discovers them.
All species belonging to this
group move slowly and assure
themselves of a safe hold upon a
succeeding branch before relin-
quishing the one that supports
them. A uniform and rather high
temperature is a necessity to them;
cold makes them peevish and
brings on illness.
Their intellectual faculties arc
slight; but a few species present a
noteworthy exception to this rule.
They are all shy and timid, though they defend
themselves courageously when attacked. When
they become accustomed to people they are good-
natured and gentle, but rarely lose their timidity.
A few species bear the loss of their freedom very
resignedly ; they may even be trained to render
certain services to Man, such as hunting other ani-
mals. The tailless species usually retain their quiet,
melancholy temper, dislike of being disturbed, and
they scarcely ever learn to discriminate between
their keeper and other people, or show any gratitude
lor any kindness extended to them.
THE LEMURS IXDRIS.
07
They attain a length
THE INDRIS.
The largest and most highly developed of all
Lemurs are the Indris {Luluvwtus) or, as they are
called in Madagascar, Babacoto. There are two
kinds, the short-tailed Lemur ( Liclianotus brevicau
datus) being the better known,
of about thirty-five inches,
inclusive of the tail, which
measures but one inch. The
medium-sized head shows a
pointed muzzle, small eyes
and small ears nearly hidden
in the fur. The body and
limbs are clothed in a thick,
woolly fur; the forehead,
throat, chest, tail, ankles and
sides being white and the
remainder of the body black
and brown.
who made the
know n to the
that he is, like
-the Monkeys —
a very good climber, that he
sits erect, like a Squirrel,
when eating, and carries his
food, consisting chiefly of
Dog, used for hunting purposes by the natives of
the southern part of Madagascar.
"In certain parts of Madagascar," says Pollen, "the
Babacoto is trained for bird-hunts. He is said to be
as serviceable as the best of Dogs ; for, though he is
a vegetable feeder, he by no means despises small
>4L-
Sonnerat,
Babacoto
world, says
his relatives
THE CAT-LIKE LEMUR. In spite of the fox-like muzzle this
•picture shows ample justification for a name that compares this creature to
a Cat. The tail in alternate rings of black and white is the most prom-
inent feature, not only because of its peculiar marking but also by reason
of its length and bushy fur. The position shown in the picture displays
to advantage the symmetrical and well formed limbs that give the animal
the agility it displays in its nightly wanderings. (Lemur catta.)
fruits, to his mouth with his hands. His voice is
of a melancholy, wailing cadence, resembling that
of a crying child. He is gentle and good-natured,
and numbers of his family arc trained, and, like the
MONGOOSE LEMUR. Has a remarkable, bushy tail that is longer
than its body, and is reddish gray in color. It lives chiefly upon fruits and
seeks food in the darkness ol the night. The head is long and the forehead
fiat. It makes a very fine pet, doing well in captivity, i Lemur mo/i£
birds, and catches them with the greatest dexterity,
their brains being esteemed a choice dainty by him."
No Babacoto has been brought to Europe alive,
which is very astonishing. Being more or less of a
domestic animal in Madagascar, neither his capture
nor his keeping can be attended with difficulties.
THE MAKIS.
The name of Maki belongs to the most numerous
family of the Lemurs, and this designation repre-
sents the peculiar cry they give forth. The Makis
have a decidedly Fox-like muzzle, with moderately
large eyes and ears, well formed limbs of nearly
equal length, the hands and feet showing a few
scattered hairs on their backs ; a tail longer than the
body, and a soft fur of fine, and sometimes woolly,
texture.
This group shows many varieties, but modern re-
search has revealed the fact that many so-called
varieties are not distinct species, the difference in
appearance being based on sex, age, etc. The best-
known of the Makis is the Yari, or Ruffed Lemur
( Lemur varius), distinguished by a black and white
fur, the spots of the two colors being differently dis-
tributed in even* specimen. The Vari is one of the
largest of the Makis, equaling in size a large Cat.
The Catta {Lemur catta) is distinguished by his
graceful figure and his long tail, showing alternately
black and white ringlets. His principal color is
gray, the face, ears and under part of the body
being whitish. Other kinds that we often see in
zoological gardens, are the Mongoose (Lemur mon-
goz) and the Macaco or Black Maki (Lemur macaco).
In the last named species the male is nearly pure
black ; while the female is of a lighter or darker
68
THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS.
rusty red, and for a long time was considered a dis-
tinct species.
Pollens Pollen was the first to give us a clear
Account of the and instructive picture of the Makis
Makis. in their wild state. They all inhabit
the forests of Madagascar, sleeping by day and
seeking their food at night in a lively and noisy
manner. They live in troops numbering from six
to twelve, and wander from one part of the forest to
another in search of dates. As soon as the sun sets
one may hear their loud wails. They are extremely
agile and take considerable leaps with great ease.
When pursued by Dogs, they mount to the top of a
tree, fix their eyes on the enemy, wag their tails and
grunt. But as soon as they perceive the hunter,
they make for the depths of the wood.
MACACO, OR BLACK LEMUR. Although called the Black Lemur, it is only the male specimen of the
Macaco that is accui ed by this name, the female being of a light hue or russet color. It will be easily
Men, therefore, that the figure in the foreground is the male and the other the female of this species. The picture also
. the dog-like muzzle and long, hair; tail that ..re prominent in this family. {Lemur Macaco.)
Their intellectual capacities arc not any higher
than those of other I.emurs. Still they are usually
gentle and prepossessing.
Makis in the Several specimens have been shipped
Captive to Europe [and America] and have with-
State. stood the strain of captivity for long
periods of time. One Vari, for instance, lived nine-
teen years in Paris. Usually they become tame and
familiar in a short time. They either employ their
h inds in bearing food to their months, or they take
it up with their mouths without the aid of the hands.
When contented they purr, and in this manner often
sing themselve
Button had a male Alaki in his possession, which
■tied him as niueh by its graceful agility as it
annoyed him by its uncleanliness and mischievous
disposition. It was extremely sensitive to cold and
d imp and in winter always kepi near the lire, some-
times standing upright in order to secure greater
warmth from the flame.
The Maki which lived in Paris was also very partial
to the fire. The poor, chilly southerner held not
only its hands but also its face so near to the blaze
that more than once its mustache was scorched. It
was cleanly in its habits and took very good care
not to soil its glossy fur. Its liveliness was only
equalled- by its curiosity. Everything was investi-
gated by it, and in consequence it was forever spoil-
ing, dropping or spilling something. The creature
was kind to all who petted it and would sometimes
jump into the lap of a stranger.
THE LORIS.
While all the Makis show a lively, active disposi-
tion, the Loris (Ste/iof>s)
are distinguished by the
opposite qualities. One
might call them the
Sloths of their class.
They are small, graceful
animals, devoid of tail,
having a large, round
head and slender limbs,
the hinder ones being a
little longer than the
fore-legs. The muzzle is
pointed, but short ; the
eyes are very large and
placed close together.
The index finger is very
much shortened, the
third finger very long
and the last finger shows
a long and sharp claw.
There are but few va-
rieties of Loris, and they
are natives of India. The
habits and traits of this
animal in a wild state are
nearly totally unknown.
A very dainty little
animal is the Slender
Loris (Stc/iops gracilis),
which is barely as large
as a Squirrel, being but
ten inches long. It has
large eyes, a pointed
muzzle, a long fur, which
is like plush to the touch,
and is of a reddish
brown above and gray or
dull yellow below. Around the hazel eyes the fur
takes a darker hue, contrasting with the light muzzle.
This pretty little creature, named Tevangu and
Una Mappolava by the natives, inhabits the south
of India and Ceylon. It sleeps all day in hollow
tree trunks and makes its appearance in the evening-
It has never been observed in its wild state.
Habits of a To my great surprise and joy I found
Captive a living Slender Loris in the precincts
Slender Lons. of a wandering zoological garden. The
delicate creature had come to Europe with three
others about four years before, and had borne nol
only the voyage to Europe but the captivity of the
colder climate. I purchased the animal at a high
price, in order to have a picture of the species from
nature and to study it, and gave it the best of care.
In the day-time the Slender Loris lies or rather
hangs from a perch in its cage and sleeps, without
THE LEMURS— LORIS.
ats of Europe feed only on insects, especially
Night-butterflies, Beetles, Flics and Mosquitoes.
Their greed is exceptional, the larger ones devour-
in;.; with ease; a dozen Beetles, and the smallest
ones eating several do/en Flies without having their
hunger satisfied. The more active they arc, the
more fooil they require, and for this reason are cx-
ceedingly useful animals, meriting the favor of Man
for ridding the world of SO man)' pests. Of course
H' li is not the case with Blood-sucking Bats, which
may do a great deal of harm, nor with Fruit-eating
which sometimes destroy orchards and vine-
yards.
Heuglin observed that African Bats followed
herds of Cattle in their search for food. He says :
"In the Bogos country there are a great many Cattle,
and the herds will sometimes, in their search for
good pasturage and water, remain from home for
months. When we arrived at Keeren, all the horned
beasts had gone into the valleys of Barka and myr-
iads of Flies accompanied them. There were then
but few Bats around Keeren, but at the close of the
rainy season all the herds belonging to our Bogos
were brought in and in their wake appeared incred-
ible numbers of insectivorous Bats. When the last
herd departed the Bats also disappeared. One
night in the beginning of October we camped out
on a plain, three miles from Keeren, near the fenced-
in places destined for Cattle. The animals then be-
ing in the mountains, we saw but one or two Bats,
but on the following day when the herds had re-
turned, the number of Bats toward evening had sur-
prisingly increased."
It seems probable to me that all the Bats under-
take larger wanderings than is commonly supposed.
Warm Temperature A warm temperature is an
Essential to a essential condition to Bats, not
Bat's Existence. on\y because heat gives life to
insects, but because the Bats themselves dislike cold
weather. The number of Bats in warm climates is
due as much to the richer insect life there as to the
fact that the warmer at-
mosphere is conducive to
their greater development.
Most species stay in their
hiding-places when the
weather is cold, rainy or
windy ; others do go out
on cold evenings, but for
a short time only. We
must also consider the cir-
cumstance that on cold
evenings their flying about
is to no purpose, as the
insects likewise keep in
SB? hiding ; and, besides, wind
makes flying very difficult
to all but the Narrow-
winged Bats.
On the approach of win-
ter all Bats which do not
migrate fall into a mort
or less sound sleep. Thej
select for their hiding-
place nooks or corner.''
that are protected from the
outside cold, as caverns,
cellars, warm roofs, prefer-
ably places near chimneys,
etc. Here one can find them in clusters, sometimes
numbering hundreds, suspended by their hind legs
and closely huddled together, in some cases differ-
ent species being represented, but only such as are
related to each other. It is very rare, indeed, that
one finds two species together, which, in their active
life, wage open war against each other. The heat of
their blood sinks with the outer temperature, some-
times as low as four, or even one degree Reaumur,
while the usual temperature is twenty-four degrees
Reaumur. If the outer air gets so cold that the ani-
mals can no longer withstand it, they awake from
their lethargy and begin to move about. Frequently
they freeze to death, especially in captivity, when
exposed to a very low temperature. While the cold
FLYING DOGS, OR FRUIT-EAT IXG BATS.
79
weather lasts they remain in their pendant attitude,
but on the warmer winter days some species awake
and fly about even in snow and thawing weather.
All Bats carry their young ones around with them
when they fly, even when the little ones can use
their wings fairly well and are able to temporarily
PIPISTRELLE BAT. -Out in the night in the light of the star?
the little Pipistrelle busily tlies, looking for such tiny insects as Gnats.
- and other two-winged Flies, which torm its food. This animal is
found all over the British islands, temperate Europe and central Asia, and
is of great usefulness in ridding those countries of the numerous little insect
' I'csperngo ptpistreUus.)
leave their mother's breast. I have myself found
young Bats hanging alone on trees in the virgin
African forests. The young ones reach their full
growth in from five to six weeks.
Strange Appear- The strange appearance and noctur-
unce and Noctur- nal habits of the Bats have, since the
nal Habits. oldest times, given ample food for
superstition, and the harmless animals still have to
contend with the prejudice and antipathy of a large
majority of people. We will not repeat the innu-
merable stories that have been told, many of which
are still believed ; but we wish to emphasize the
claims of the Bats to consideration and good treat-
ment. In our temperate climes they are all very
useful, for they devour with great greed immense
swarms of harmful insects. The few frugivorous
Bats do not concern us in the least, neither do the
blood-sucking Vampires, which latter, by the way,
are not nearly so dangerous as they were once sup-
posed to be. We may consider the whole class as a
highly useful link in the chain of beings.
But Few The number of prehistoric Bats that
Prehistoric has come to our knowledge is exceed-
Bats. ingly small. Hair from these animals
has been found in amber, and their petrified bones
in stone quarries. There are about three hundred
different species now living. The infinitely great
differences in shape, in spite of superficial resem-
blance, render classification difficult, even for natu-
zralists.
Jfl^tng 2)008, or Uruit*]£atino Bate.
FIRST DIVISION : Pteropina.
The first grand division of the Bat family is
formed by the Flying Dogs or Fruit-eating Bats,
which may be again subdivided into two distinct
groups, the first being the Flying Dogs proper
{Ptcropus), and the second group including the
Night-Dogs (Cynonycteris).
All members of this family of Bats are found in
the warmer countries of the Old World, especially
in southern Asia, central and south Africa and
Australia. Their large size is foundation for the
many foolish tales which make of them living mon-
sters. These harmless, good-natured animals have
actually borne the reputation of being formidable
Vampires, and people thought they saw in them
those hideous creations of the imagination which
attach themselves to sleeping human beings and
suck their heart's blood.
Fruit-eaters have, in the main, a Bat-like shape,
but their size is much larger than that of other
members, and their head is that of a good-look-
ing, sympathetic Dog or Fox ; this having earned
for them the name of Flying Dogs or Flying Foxes.
The membrane, and consequently also the formation
of the arms and legs, is similar to that of the other
Bats ; only that besides the thumb the index finger
has a claw-shaped nail. The nose has no appen-
dage, and the ears never show a flap. They are
easily distinguished by their peculiarities from the
remainder of the Bats.
DAUBENTON'S BAT. A tiny creature, but two inches long. It
haunts church towers and other buildings in central Europe, and is
always to be found near rivers and other bodies of water, where it easiest
finds food at the gloaming and far into the night. As the artist repre-
sents it, it is an odd-looking and unhandsome animal, but useful because
it destroys hurtful insects. {Vcspertili danbeiitonii.)
Flying Dogs prefer dark woods for their haunts,
and by day tenant the trees in large numbers, hang-
ing in innumerable rows, wrapped up in their wings
so
THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS.
as in a cloak. One may find hundreds of them in
hollow trees. They sometimes fly about during the
dav in gloomy virgin forests, although activity prop-
erly begins for them at dusk. Their keen vision
and excellent scent direct them to trees possessing
particularly juicy and ripe fruit ; they come to it
singly at first, but presently the swarm collects in
large numbers and soon divests a tree of all its fruit.
They often make raids upon vineyards, where they
do great damage. They eat only the sweet, ripe fruit,
leaving what is less developed for the other fruit-
eating animals. Sometimes they undertake migra-
tions, flying from one island to another. They suck
the fruit dry, rather than eat it ; for they spit out the
dry pulp. When they make a raid on an orchard
they eat all through the night, making a noise that
L0NG-E\RED BAT. present! these creatures, which are the common English Bat, althoug
I pe and parts <>l Asia, in their favorite haunt, a great barn, and the mighty ears are strongly
brought out in the Dying and the crouching examples. These ears are nearly as long as the entire body. The manner
hown In the third animal, whose ears project far below the body although the head is well drawn up.
.■'in.)
may be heard at a considerable distance. The re-
port of a gun does not disturb them, further than
'lines to cause them to flutter to an adjoining
lure they resume their interrupted meal.
deal, even when suspended,
motionless, from the trees. The voice has a pecu-
liii i real.}' or shrieking sound and sometimes they
hiss In
The female gives birth to one or two young ones
at a time, at intervals of a year. The infants attach
themselves to their mother's breast, and she carries
them about with her, bestowing upon them her ten-
derest care.
In captivity these Bats may be tamed and will ther>
show a certain attachment for their keepers.
Because of their fruit-eating habits they do more
harm than good ; yet, in a country that is rich in
fruit their devastations ought not to weigh heavily
against them. Haacke finds that their flesh is deli-
cate, and tastes like that of Rabbits and Chickens.
Their fur is also sometimes used by the natives.
The Kalong, The largest of the Fruit-eaters is the
Largest of' Kalong- (Ptcropus edulis), his body
Flying Dog Bats, being over fifteen inches long, while
his spread of wings may be four feet, eight inches.
His color is brown-black, the under parts assuming a
russet tinge, much lighter than the upper portion.
The Kalong is a na-
tive of the Indian is-
lands, especially Javar
Sumatra, Banda and
Timor ; living either in
large forests or in the
groves of fruit trees
which surround all the
Javanese villages. Oc-
casionally these Bats
cover the branches in
such numbers as to con-
ceal the bark. In the
evening they arouse
from their sleep and
flutter away, each flying
a little distance from
the other.
Rosenberg writes
from Sumatra : " The
Kalong is one of the
commonest of animals,
as well on the coast as
in the depths of the is-
land. These Bats live
gregariously and fly in
numerous flocks at sun-
set in search of food.
During my stay at Lu-
mut, a flock flew reg-
ularly by the little fort
every evening, return-
ing to its sleeping place
before sunrise. I once
fired a shot at a female
flying rather low; a
young one attached to
her breast fell down,
but before it could
reach the ground the
mother, which followed
it with lightning-like
rapidity, had caught it
in her teeth, rose again
in the air and hurried away with her little one."
The food of these Bats consists of all varieties of
fruits, especially figs and mangoes, and they often do
considerable mischief in the Javanese orchards. Yet
they by no means confine themselves to vegetable
food, for they also hunt insects and small vertebrata.
Shortt has, to his great surprise, seen them eating
fish. " During my stay in Conlieveram," says he,
" my attention was attracted by a little pond that
owed its existence to a recent shower of rain. It
swarmed with little fishes, playing in the water and
THE SMOOTH-NOSED BATS.
il
pumping on the surface. The presence of fish in
ponds that completely dry out and fill again during
a shower, was not new to me; but my curiosity was
aroused by a number of large creatures, flutter-
ing rather clumsily over the water, until they suc-
ceeded in catching a fish, when they retired to a
neighboring tree and devoured it. A closer investi-
gation proved them to be Kalongs."
The Kalongs are hunted not so much because of
the mischief they do, as for their flesh. In captivity
they are easily tamed and kept. In the wild state
they are very fastidious, eating only the juiciest of
fruits, but when captive they are remarkably unex-
acting, eating any fruit that is offered to them and
are also fond of meat.
Unfortunately they do not live long in captivity,
in spite of the best of care. They can be given
any privilege but the freedom of flying about. In
Old Flying Dogs of this genus attain a length of
seven inches, their expanse of wing being thirty to
thirty-five inches.
£be Smootb^lftosefc Bats.
SECOND DIVISION: Gymnorhina.
This division of the Bat family comprises the
Smooth-nosed Bats. The nose is smooth without
any excrescence of the skin ; but the inner part of
the ear shows one small leaf-like appendage. In
some species the ears are united by their inner mar-
gins over the crown of the head, in others this union
is wanting. The nostrils in some open above the
tip of the muzzle ; in others below it. The family
extends all over the globe, with the exception of the
Arctic zone. The number of different species be-
NOCTULE BAT. This sketch accurately portrays the Noctules in the foreground at rest, while one in the distance is flying high in
search of food. Although nocturnal animals they start out upon their hunts long before the setting of the sun. Bold and fearless they soar high
and are so active in their flight that the Falcon cannot capture them.
{Vcspcrugo noc tula.)
consequence, sooner or later, abscesses form on their
wings and finally cause their death.
Egyptian To the group Cynonycteris belongs
Flying-Dog the Egyptian Flying Dog ( Cynonycteris
Bat. asgyptiacus). It is spread all over
Egypt and Nubia and is a regular frequenter of
sycamore plantations. Some text-books say that it
spends its days in the vaults of the pyramids. This
is decidedly false, as it sleeps on trees like all its
relatives.
The specimens I procured died in a short time.
Other naturalists have been able to keep these Bats
longer, and to train them to be very tame and famil-
iar. Zelebor had a couple in Schoenbrunn, which he
had taught to come to him instantly when he offered
them a date, and which would submit to be stroked
and petted by strangers.
How like a Frog is the crouching Bat in the foreground of the picture.
longing to this group is exceedingly large. The
majority keep together in great swarms, especially
during hibernation. One often finds hundreds and
even thousands in one building. Many species live
in perfect peace with each other and there are prob-
ably but very few of solitary habits. They are all
sensitive to cold and retire early in autumn into
their winter retreats, and do not make a reappear-
ance until late in spring. Few fly about before
dusk ; the majority come out at the gloaming and
remain only during the first hours of the night ;
at midnight they rest till the early hours of the
morning, when they again resume their activity.
Their flight is distinguished by strange zigzags,
which make it impossible for birds of prey to catch
them. Their attitude during sleep is the usual one ;
they run on the ground clumsily, but they climb
82
THE U7XG-HAXDED AXLMALS.
with agility and quickness. They eat insects, only,
and for the most part such as are very harmful to
Man. They make a loud, whistling, chirping sound.
jne ' The Long-eared Bat ( Plecotus ouritus )
Long-Eared cannot be mistaken for any other, be-
to*- cause of its long, large ears. It is
one of the largest European Bats, measuring about
four inches in length, its tail occupying about one
and one-half inches, and the expanse of its wings
being ten inches. The ears are more than two
The Mouse- The Mouse-colored or Common Bat
Colored or Com- {Vespertilio murinns) inhabits all of
mon Bat. central Europe, beginning with Eng-
land, Denmark and middle Russia, southern Europe,
northern Africa and- the greatest part of Asia, up to
the Himalaya Mountains. This is one of the largest
of European Bats. It measures nearly five inches,
two being occupied by the tail, and the expanse of
its wings is fifteen inches. Its upper part is light
grav-brown, the lower a dingy white; young animals
inches long, traversed by many furrows, and they being lighter gray
curve backwards. The inner margin of each is
furnished with a tongue-like flap, and the entire
ear is very mobile. The fur is brownish-gray, and
the face is bordered with white hair. Young animals
are darker than old ones.
The Long-eared Bat is distributed all over Eu-
rope, south from the sixtieth degree of latitude ;
The Brown Bat
and its Rela-
tives.
EGYPTIAN RHINOPOME. What queer-looking creatures are here depicted, with their Hog-
like noses, great ears ami long, Rat-like tails. They are African Bats and are found along the waters of
the Nile, being fond of low places, and diligent hunters for food. \Rhino$oma microfi/iylliim.)
The genus Vespertilio, which is found in
both hemispheres, has more species than
any other, there being forty-three of these
species known to naturalists. Its distin-
guishing marks, besides its dentition, are the oval shape of the
ear, of which the tragus is narrow and attenuated. The ear is
also greatly elongated, being as long as the head or longer;
and the muzzle, which is narrow, is hairy in front. There are
four species of this genus found in the United States, one being
the Common Brown Bat ( Vespertilio sub-
ulatus), of the region east of the Rocky
Mountains. The other species, which
seem to have no distinguishing English
names, are the Vespertilio lucifugus,
which is found in nearly all wooded re-
gions of this country, including the Pa-
cific Coast states; the Vespertilio nitidus,
which is found in California and Texas,
and the Vespertilio evotis, having a more
northern range on the Pacific Coast and
being found in Oregon and Washington,
as well as in California. These species
ive for the greater part in woods, but
some of them, especially of the Brown
Bat species, make their homes in caves
or in the roofs of houses and barns.
The Nodule The Noctule (Ves-
or Great pcrngo no c tit I a) is
Bat- an early flying Bat
and is popularly known in Eng-
and as the "Great Bat." It is a
:ommon animal in Europe and is
ibout four and one -half inches
ong, with an expanse of wing of
ifteen inches. Its color is a red-
dish-brown, the ears and wings
being brownish-black. The wings
are long and narrow and its flight
is very rapid, resembling that of
a Swallow.
The Noctule is the strongest of
the European Bats. It comes out
earliest and flies highest. Not in-
and it has also been found in northern Africa,
western Asia and the East Indies. It is very
common, but lives singly, not in troops. It always
keeps in the neighborhood of human dwellings,
sleeping in summer as often in hollow trees as
behind window-shutters, and in winter it visits cel-
lars and basements as frequently as mines and quar-
ries. In the city it likes squares grown with trees
and shrubs, and, therefore, makes its appearance
nearly always in rooms overlooking gardens.
Long-eared Bats bear captivity better than most
of their relatives, and may live for months or even
. with very careful treatment. Eor this reason
they are usually selected for the purpose of a study
of the family in general. They may become more or
. "I the same genus is the American Larpre-
• ] I .at \Plecotus macrotus) which bears
a strong resemblance to the European spe-
cies in many particulars. It has, however,
a distinguishing feature in the large size attained by the gland-
ular prominent es al the side of the muzzle, whii h meet in the
above and behind the nostrils. This Bat makes us home
in the southern and western parts of the l taited States, and on
the Pacific CoaSl it! rai I north to Vancouver.
/ ai ;■ Eared
Bat.
frequently it is seen a few hours before sunset, dex-
terously eluding the pursuits of birds of prey. By
its sudden turnings it escapes nearly all attacks, and
not even the quick Falcon, which captures Swallows
on the wing, can harm it.
Scrotine Bats Thf, ^™.s Ye|PefrUg£ H als° rePresen*ed
Found in Both ln United States by tour species. One
Hemispheres of these' the Serotine Wesperugo serotinus)
V ' is remarkable as being the only species of
Bat found in both the Old and the New World, although the
American is smaller than the European animal. It is an ar-
boreal animal and is found in most of the wooded regions east
of the Mississippi. Other species, differing from the Serotine
principally in dentition are Vcsperugo hespcrus, Vesperugo
.georgianus and Vesperugo noctivagans. The general charac-
teristics of this genus are comparatively thick bodies, flat
broad heads and blunt muzzles, short legs, and ears which are
short, broad, triangular in shape and obtusely pointed
The Barbastelle A strange looking creature is the
orPug-Dog Barbastelle (Synotus barbastcllus),
Bat called in Germany the Pug- Dog Bat.
The ears, united over the crown of the head, give to
the face a remarkable expression. The wings are
long and slender; the spur-bone at the heel shows
LEAF-NOSED OR BLOOD-SL'CKING BATS.
83
a projecting, rounded fold of skin. The tail is a
little longer than the body. This creature measures
four and a half inches in length, with an expanse of
wing of ten inches. Its upper side is a dark brown,
nearly black; beneath it is a little lighter, being
grayish-brown.
The suborder of Smooth-nosed Bats is rep-
resented in this country by several genera
and species peculiar to America. The most
common in all the Atlantic Coast states is
the Red Bat or New York Bat [Atalapha noveboracensis),
which is a busy hunter of flying insects, which it follows so
persistently that it frequently flies into rooms in pursuit of its
favorite prey. It flies rather slowly but it can change the
direction of its flight very rapidly, and its movements in the air
are very graceful. Besides this species several others have
been observed and described, but so far the descriptions have
been principally technical, and little or nothing is known of
their habits, except that no North American species seem to be
harmful, but on the contrary, as they are all insect-eaters.
Red or New York
Bat and Other
Species.
Their principal food consists of Butterflies, Bee-
tles, Mosquitoes, etc.; and the majority, probably,
also have blood-sucking propensities, attacking for
this purpose sleeping birds and mammals, including
Man. Though a great many facts have come to
light pertaining to the blood-sucking habit, this pecul-
iar trait is still steeped in mystery. The probabil-
ities are that all Leaf-nosed Bats are blood-suckers,
but only under certain conditions. The stories about
them are very conflicting, and there is one species of
Leaf-nosed Bats which I can not positively connect
with any of the accounts.
The Spaniard Azara, who calls this Bat"Morde-
dor," which in English means simply "The Biter,"
tells us among other things the following: "Some-
times they bite the combs of sleeping Chickens to
suck their blood, and, as a rule the Chickens after-
wards die, especially if the wound becomes inflamed,
VAMPIRE BA.T. Here is presented a strikingly faithful picture of the Vampire with its enormous wings, great ears, lofty nose appendage
and frightful grin. The Frog-like shape of the body is also clearly shown, as it is fluttering forth at evening time from its sleeping-place in the great
forest. Monster as it seems to lie. the Vampire would not harm anything larger than a night insect. It is not a blood-sucker, like so many of its
cousins, but is satisfied with the fruits and bugs it finds in its home in northern Brazil and Guiana. (Phyllostoma spectrum.)
a thing that nearly always happens. They bite
Horses, Donkeys, Mules and Cows in the sides,
shoulders or neck, for to these parts they can eas-
ily attach themselves. I have been bitten in the
toes four times, when sleeping in the open air. The
wounds which I received in this way, without any
pain, were round or oblong, and about one line in
diameter, while their depth was so slight that they
barely pierced the skin. They became visible
through their raised margins. The blood that flowed
from each bite would in my estimation amount to
an ounce and a half. In Horses and other animals
it might be three ounces, and I believe that their
wounds would have to be deeper because of their
thick skins."
Xeaf^lttoseo or Bloodsucking Bats.
THIRD DIVISION: Istiophora.
All sub-orders of this tribe are distinguished by
leaf-like complications of the nose, which may as-
sume the most varied shapes.
Blood-sucking Bats are distributed over all conti-
nents, but are confined to the torrid and temperate
zones. Some are found hidden in the depths of great
woods, in hollow trees, or among the large leaves of
palm-trees or similar plants ; the majority conceal
themselves in rocky caverns, ruins and dark vaults
or in the roofs of houses.
B4
THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS.
Rengger adds to these words of Azara the follow-
ing : "A hundred times have I examined the wounds
of& Horses, .Mules and Oxen without being able to
determine how they were caused. The incision is
funnel-shaped, and' has a diameter of a quarter of
an inch, sometimes a little more ; the depth is, ac-
cording to the part of the body, from one to two
lines. It never reaches through the skin to the mus-
cles. There is no impression of the teeth, as is the
case in wounds caused by a bite from any other ani-
mal ; but the margins present a soft swelling. I
cannot therefore think that the Leaf-nosed Bats
cause these wounds by a bite, which, by the way,
would awaken any animal. I think it probable that
they first deprive the skin of its sensibility by suck-
ing as is done in the application of a cupping glass,
and when it is swollen, they make a small aperture
with their teeth. That it is impossible for a Bat to
suck and to move its wings at the same time is dem-
onstrated by the structure of the latter. I, at least,
always saw them seated upon the Horses, and this
The following night several of them found their way
into my hammock ; I seized a few that were crawl-
ing around on me and threw them against the wall.
At daybreak I found a wound in my hip, undoubt-
edly caused by the Bats. That was a little too
much for me, and I concluded to exterminate them.
I myself shot many of them that were hanging on
the planks of the roof and then had the negroes
mount ladders into the garret and kill a few hundred
old ones, together with the little Bats."
Hensel and Kappler have had similar experiences,
and it is safe to conclude that many Leaf-nosed
Bats are blood-suckers, that human beings are
rarely bitten by them, and that the mischief they
do varies with time and locality.
The The largest of the South American
Vampire Vampires proper is the Vampire Bat
Bat. (Phyllostoma spectrum). Its length is
seven inches, its expanse of wing, according to
Bates, is twenty-eight inches. The head is long and
thick, the muzzle elongated ; the large ears stand out
GREATER HORSESHOE BAT. What a hideous face is that of this uncanny creature, as the artist presents it, sallying forth towards
sunset on the lookout for food. If naturalists tell the truth this Old World Bat is a blood-sucker, and sleeping Chamois, Squirrels and other
-hould he on their guard. During the summer months it pursues insects up the mountains to a height greater than a mile. {Rhinolo-
phus femtm-equinum.)
necessitated the folding of their wings. The wound
in itself is not dangerous, but as four, five, six or
more Bats suck the same animal in one night, and
often repeat the performance for several consecutive
nights, the animals are much weakened by the loss
of blood, especially as two or three ounces flow out
after each visit."
( )ther travelers besides Azara have been bitten by
the Bats , among whom was Bates, who lived eleven
years in Brazil. "The first night," he writes, "I slept
soundly and perceived nothing extraordinary. The
nd night I was awakened at midnight by the
i flying back and forth in my room.
1 h< y had extinguished my lamp, and when I relit
it, I saw that the room was full of them. The air
with the swarm fixing around in it. I
bad recourse to a stick, and in a few minutes they
disappeared. When everything was quiet, they re-
ired and again extinguished my light. I paid
no further attention to them, and went to sleep.
from the sides and top of the head ; the leaf on
the nose is small in proportion to the size of the
animal ; the soft, delicate fur is of a chestnut hue on
the back and yellowish brown beneath, and the
wings are brown.
The Vampire Bat inhabits northern Brazil and
Guiana, being found in the forests as well as in build-
ings. Bates says : " Nothing in animal physiognomy
can be more hideous than the countenance of this
creature when viewed from the front. The large,
leathery ears, the erect spear-shaped appendage on
the tip of the nose, the grinning features and the
glistening black eye, all combine to make up a fig-
ure that reminds one of some mocking imp of fable.
No wonder that imaginative people have ascribed
diabolical qualities to so ugly an animal. The Vam-
pire, however, is the most harmless of all Bats, and
its inoffensive character is well known to residents
on the banks of the Amazon." According to older
as well as modern observers, this much abused crea-
LEAF-NOSED OR BLOOD-SUCKING BATS— HORSESHOE.
85
ture is, although a Leaf-nosed Bat, by no means a
blood-sucker. It zealously hunts nocturnal insects
and does not disdain fruit. Waterton says : "In the
broad moonlight I could see the Vampire fly to the
trees and eat the ripe fruit. On its return from the
forest it frequently brought a round fruit the size of
a nutmeg into our yard, and when the Sawarri-nut
tree bloomed it searched for nuts growing there.
On moonlight nights I often saw Vampires flying
around the tops of these trees, and from time to
time a bud would fall into the water. This did not
happen without cause, for all the buds that I exam-
ined were fresh and sound. So I concluded that
they had been plucked by the Vampires, either for
the young fruit or for insects that were concealed in
them."
THE HORSESHOE BATS.
The representatives of this group in Europe are
called Horseshoe Bats. The appendage of the nose
covers the whole face from
the forehead to the tip of
the nose, and is the most
remarkable feature in
these animals. The wings
are broad and relatively
short, and the flight in
consequence is far from
perfect. The fur of nearly
all the Horseshoe Bats is
light.
The Lesser There are four
Horseshoe known Euro-
Bats. p e a n species
in this group, the most
common of them being
the Lesser Horseshoe Bat
( RJiinolophus liippocrcpis ).
It is one of the smallest
of the Bats, for its entire
length is only from two to
four inches, with an ex-
panse of wing of nine
inches. The fur is gray-
ish-white above and a lit-
tle lighter below. This
little Bat extends farther
north than any of its kin-
dred, inhabiting nearly all
of middle Europe, and is
also frequently seen in the
southern portions of that
continent. It is found in
the mountains, in localities
above the forest belt, and
is the most gregarious of all Horseshoe Bats.
Though it is less sensitive to changes of tempera-
ture and climate than are the generality of Bats, still
the Lesser Horseshoe Bat does not fly about in
rough or wet weather unless compelled to do so. It
always selects sheltered places for its habitation and
sometimes, for this purpose, descends caverns and
pits to a considerable depth. Its hibernation is of a
rather long duration, but seems to differ in length
according to circumstances. These Bats are among
the first to retreat to their winter quarters, as well
as among the last to leave their hiding-places. Some
go to sleep later and rouse themselves earlier in the
season than others, but this difference in the begin-
ning and end of their hibernation does not seem to
be due to the influence of age, but rather on account
of sex, as Koch found that the males generally as-
sumed a torpid state early in autumn, and that
females continued their sleep until late in the spring.
In the same way some will temporarily awaken at
times during their hibernation while others do not.
During the summer the Lesser Horseshoe Bats
delight in subterranean vaults, old and little fre-
quented cellars, rocky caverns, old mines, and unin-
habited houses. They are as gregarious then as in
winter, but never assemble in such large groups as
other Bats do; and they hang, not in clusters, but
side by side, and far enough apart so that no one of
the group touches another. When at rest this Bat
always suspends itself by its hind legs and envel-
opes itself either partially or entirely in its flying
membrane. During hibernation it wraps itself up
so closely as to resemble a mushroom more than a
Bat. In summer it is easily awakened so that one
cannot well catch it without a net even in broad day-
light, as the approach of Man causes it to quickly
GREATER HORSESHOE BAT. The grotesque and unsightly nose, sharp teeth and huge ears of this
Bat arc strikingly presented in this picture as the creature hangs in its peculiar sleeping posture from a tree-
branch. Partially aroused it would seem to scent danger and be preparing for escape by flight. \Rhinolophus fer-
rum-equinum.)
arouse and fly away. When not asleep, it moves its
head to and fro with extreme rapidity, licks and
cleans itself and searches for the innumerable
parasites which infest its fur. In short, it belongs
to the liveliest, prettiest and most attractive of Eu-
ropean Bats, although it is clumsy and slow in
flight, and, as a rule, does not rise high above the
ground. Unfortunately it does not bear captivity.
Like most members of its family, this Bat is easily
excited, and when disturbed, or even when only
touched, is liable to a violent hemorrhage of the
nose, which often causes death.
The principal food of the Horseshoe Bats consists
of insects that have no hard parts to their bodies,
such as Flies, small Night-Butterflies, etc. They are
likewise genuine blood-suckers, as Kolenati's observa-
86
THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS.
tions show. This explorer one winter found forty-
five sleeping Bats in a cavern. They were, for the
most part, Long-eared Bats and Lesser Horseshoe
Bats all of which he captured and placed in a spa-
cious room, where they were left to settle down at
their own pleasure. A few days later the naturalist
wished to introduce his collection to a friend, and
found to his great surprise that six of the Horseshoe
Bats had been devoured, nothing being left of them
but the claws and the tips of their wings ; while one
had its head mutilated in a shocking manner. Nu-
merous blood spots, bloody muzzles and swollen
stomachs seemed to point out the Long-eared Bats
as the murderers, and when one of them was killed
and its stomach examined, every doubt on this score
was set at rest. The wings of the Long-eared Bats
WELWITSCH'S BAT. This Bat, first discovered by the late Dr. Welwitsch, is noteworthy for the bright
and variegated coloring of its wings which near the body are brown dotted with black, and beyond this blackish
brown with curved lines of yellow dots, while bands of dark orange dotted with black follow the course of the forearm
and three of the fingers. It inhabits the vicinity of Angola. (Scotophilus ■wel-witschn.)
showed fresh wounds near the body, whose margins
had a swollen appearance ; and these Bats were sus-
pended from the ceiling in clusters, while the Horse-
shoe Bats had retired singly to the darkest nooks and
corners. The conclusion from these facts is very
simple. The two species were not on friendly terms
and had given each other battle during the night.
While the Long-eared Bats were enjoying their first
sweet slumber, the Horseshoe Bats had come and
sucked their blood ; the wounded Bats during the
regular interval of their nightly slumbers had
avenged themselves and devoured the culprits for
their evil deeds.
An inhabitant of Grusia told the same naturalist
that his pigeons often received small wounds with
raised edges during the night, a thing he was at a
loss to explain ; Kolenati believes them to have
been caused by the Horseshoe Bat. Hence we
conclude that Lurope also possesses genuine Vam-
pires, though they are rather harmless on the whole,
and do not inspire us with dread and horror.
The Greater The Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rliinolo-
Horseshoe phus fcmim-cqiiinwri) is still more com-
Bat~ mon. Its length is two inches, exclusive
of the tail, which measures nearly an inch and a half.
The wings have an expanse of thirteen inches. This
Bat inhabits the greater part of central and all of
southern Europe, and has been found in vhe Leb-
anon Mountains in Asia. In the mountains it is
seen in summer at an elevation of 6,000 feet or even
higher. Kolenati believes that it also is a blood-
sucker. One sees it at
night fluttering about in
deep valleys, trying to at-
tach itself to Roe-bucks
and Chamois with this
purpose in view. It also
roams about among sleep-
ing Squirrels, and though
it has never been proven
guilty of sucking blood,
its actions are certainly"
highly suspicious.
Other There are a few
Groups other interesting
of Bats, groups among
the Bats. The Megader-
ma contain one species
which is said not only to-
suck blood, but also to
feed upon small Frogs.
These Bats are distin-
guished by a triple ap-
pendage on the nose, by
large ears united by their
inner margins over the
forehead, and by a long
ear-flap.
The Lyre Bat {Megader-
ma lyra), which maybe considered one of the best
typical examples of this genus, owes its name to its
nasal appendage, which somewhat resembles a lyre.
Another group are the Rhinopoma. Their nasal
ornament is simple, consisting of one erect, lancet-
shaped leaf. The ears are also united over the fore-
head and of moderate size, while the tail is very
long for a Bat.
To this group belongs the Egyptian Rhinopome
{RJihwpoma microphylluni). It is a very small ani-
mal, whose most remarkable feature is its long, thin
tail. It consists of eleven vertebrae and reaches far
beyond the flying membrane. The creature is found
in Egypt in great numbers, especially in deserted.
monuments and in artificial and natural caverns.
XLhc leasts of pvey.
FOURTH ORDER: Carnivora.
O CLASS of mammalia pre-
sents a greater variety of
forms than the Carnivora,
nearly all sizes being repre-
sented, from the smallest to
medium ; while in external
appearance there is infinite
variety. How many inter-
mediate connections are to
be found between the pow-
erful Lion and the tiny Wea-
sel, the graceful Cat, clumsy
I lyena, slender, dainty Civet
with its fine, sleek skin, the
strong, rough Dog, lumbering Bear and agile Marten
— all these are members of one great family. One-
can but be astonished that they are united in one
group, living as they do, some on the ground, some
in the water and some on trees !
General All Beasts of Pre}' show in their phys-
Traits of ical endowments and mental capacities
Carnivora. considerable uniformity, notwithstand-
ing their superficial difference. Their modes of life,
their habits, their food, all more or
less similar, indicate that not only
the structure of their limbs, their
teeth and digestive organs, but also
that their minds and mental capac-
ity must, in some degree, be of the
same cast. Caricatures and repul-
sive peculiarities are entirely absent
in this class.
Their limbs are in harmonious re-
lation with each other and the body,
uniformly have four or five toe-.
and are provided with strong claws,
which may be sharp or blunt, re-
tractile in their sheaths, or without
this covering. All the organs of
sense show a high degree of devel-
opment. The teeth are strong,
sharp, often pointed, the upper ones
fitting into or between those of the
lower row, and all deeply fixed in
powerful jaws which are set in
motion by huge muscles.
The stomach is always simple in
structure; the intestines are of short
or medium length. Some species
glands, secreting a liquid of a pungent odor, which
serves either as a defence against stronger animals,
or to attract weaker ones; and which may be o:i/
and used to keep the skin pliabie.
A close examination of the Carnivora will show
us the following general peculiarities of structure :
the skeleton is strong, in spite of its light, graceful
appearance ; the skull is elongated, its solid ridges
and crests and the strongly curved zygomatic arches
affording ample room for the attachment of power-
ful muscles. The orbits are large, and the nasal
bones and cartilages are long, so that the organs of
sense have room for perfect development. The proc-
esses of the vertebra are long, and those of the
lumbar region are often united ; but the number of
vertebrae forming the tail is subject to great varia-
tion. The structure of the limbs may also vary ac-
cording to the mode of life, but always shows a
combination of strength and mobility.
Many Carnivora have the nose lengthened into a
trunk and furnished with special cartilages and small
bones ; with these the trunk serves for digging up
earth. The limbs of some are short and thick and
these species are adapted for a subterranean life. In
others the limbs may be long, giving the capacity
for quick running, or they may be connected by
webs and enable the animal to live in the water.
The claws may be retractile, in which case they are
protected in walking, and may serve as excellent
weapons ; or else they are blunt and immovable, in
which event they serve only to protect the foot and
to dig up the ground. The canine teeth are as for-
midable as the grinding teeth, and may, therefore,
-£^5.
THE ROYAL TIGER. This picture shows with the strictest fidelity the structure and mark'
ings of this great feline. The curved outline of the head with its stripings and shadings, the muscular
limbs and the powerful padded paws, the ringed and tapering tail, and the si.lt and stealthy movement
of the Tiger wandering through the jungle are all revealed by a study of this illustration. (Fclis tigris.)
show peculiar
be used with equal effect in fighting and for the hold-
ing and tearing of prey. Large muscles and tendons
give strength and endurance, and are so arranged as
to permit of wide-sweeping, easy movements.
development of In addition to all this their senses are
Senses in acute to a high degree. In exceptional
Carnivora. cases one sense may be weak, but the
others are then sure to make up for the deficiency
by special keenness. It cannot be said that any
one sense is a distinguishing feature of all alike ; for
some show a wonderful development of the sense of
(87)
88
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
smell, others of the sense of hearing, others again of
the sight ; and in some the sense of touch plays an
important part. As a rule two of the senses are very
acute, being usually those of smell and hearing ;
more rarely hearing and sight.
The mental faculties are in harmony with the
physical structure. We find animals of wonderful
sagacity among the Carnivora and, therefore, it is
but natural that they should be adepts in all the arts
of cunning and dissimulation, for their destructive
and thievish natures call for this. Consciousness of
their strength also gives them a courage and bold-
ness such as other animals never attain. But these
very qualities have others behind them, which do
not show these animals in such favorable light. The
Carnivora are accustomed to conquest, and their
imperiousness often degenerates into cruelty and an
unquenchable thirst for blood.
How Carnivora Differing mental and physical qualities
Live and in an animal indicate a certain mode of
Hunt. iife in a given locality. But Carnivora
live and govern everywhere : on the level ground, in
the tree-tops, in the water, in the mountains and on
the plains. In this order of animals are included
some of perfectly diurnal and others of nocturnal
habits ; some looking for food at dusk, some in the
sunshine, and others in the dark of night.
Many live gregariously, others live singly ; some
attack their prey openly, but the majority stealthily
creep up and surprise it, no matter how strong they
may be, nor how weak their victim. All carnivo-
rous animals habitually secrete themselves in order
not to frighten away their destined prey, and few
are in haste to flee at the first signs of danger. The
more they like daylight, the livelier, the more socia-
ble and more cheerful they are ; the more nocturnal
their habits, the more they show themselves dis-
trustful, shy and sulky.
All Beasts of Prey are flesh-eaters ; and very few
of them eat fruit, grain or other vegetable food.
They are sometimes divided into flesh-eaters and
omnivorous animals, but these divisions do not bear
close scrutiny, for those classed as omnivorous pre-
fer a juicy piece of meat to anything else, just as do
the largest and most ferocious of the flesh-eaters.
All members of this order are downright murderers,
whether they kill large or small animals, and even
those that are fond of vegetable food quickly rise to
the occasion when murder is in view and animal
food is at stake. There is naturally as much differ-
ence in the methods pursued by carnivorous mam-
mals in their selection of food, or rather prey, as
there is in their bodily structure, the character of
their native country or their modes of life. Few
animals are secure from their attacks. The largest
and strongest Carnivora give mammals the prefer-
ence, although not disdaining other animals. Even
the Lion does not feed exclusively on mammals,
and the other Felidae are still less fastidious. The
Dogs, which originally were genuine flesh-eaters, ex-
tend their hunting still farther ; and among the
Civets and Weasels there are some which confine
themselves to fish and similar food. The Bears are
the real omnivorous animals, devouring vegetable
food with as much enjoyment as flesh.
Sexes and Some of the Carnivora are supposed to
Young of maintain perfect marital relations ; but
Carnivora. n0ne of them unite for life. Among
some Felidae and Weasels, both sexes live in close
companionship, and may mutually assist in feeding
and protecting their young ones; with the majority,
however, the father considers his children his lawful
prey and has to be driven away by the mother when
he discovers their lair. Under such circumstances
the rearing of the young devolves solely upon the
mother. The number of young at a birth varies
greatly, but is rarely as low as one. They are nearly
all born blind and very helpless, but develop rapidly.
The mother carefully instructs them in their craft,
and accompanies them in their forays until they are
able to shift for themselves. In a few species the
mothers carry their young upon their backs or in
their arms in times of danger ; the remainder take
them away in their mouths.
Man wages open war upon nearly all Carnivora.
He has tried to tame and domesticate very few of
them, though one genus, the Dog, has come into
friendlier relations with him than any other animal.
Ube Cat 3Famtl£.
FIRST FAMILY: Felidje.
It asked to whom the place of honor among the
oi Prey belongs, no Man would be long in
doubt .is to the family he should name. The Lion
row iicd king of the beasts at a remote period
of time, and so we first turn to his tribe, which is
that ot the ( 'ats, or Felidae.
'Ill' ■ the most perfect and typical mem-
■-I ill' family of Carnivora. No other group
nts the same symmetry of limb and body and
ime regularity ol tructure. Every part of the
body is lithe and graceful and this is why these ani-
mals are so pleasing to our aesthetic sense. We may
safely regard our domestic Cat as representative of
th>- entire family.
Physical YVc may assume the structure of the
Features of body to be known ; the strong, yet
the Cat Family, graceful body, the round head set
on a stout neck, the limbs of moderate length, the
long tail, and the soft fur corresponding in color to
the surrounding objects, are features with which
everybody is familiar. The weapons with which the
Fclicke are endowed arc perfect. The teeth are
formidable, the canines being large, strong, very lit-
tle curved and so perfectly adapted to life-destroy-
ing action that the small incisors are hardly notice-
able beside them. The tongue is thick and muscu-
lar, and is supplied with fine, horny thorns, whose
points lie towards the throat. The teeth are not the
THE CAT FAMILY
89
only weapons possessed by the feline animals, their
claws being no less terrible instruments for seizing
their prey and speedily terminating its existence.
Their broad, rounded paws are proportionately
short ; for the last toe-joint is curved upwards. In
repose and in ordinary walking two tendons keep
the member in its upright position ; but when the
animal is angry and needs its claws, a strong flexor
muscle inserted below draws it down, stretches the
,)a\v and makes it an effective weapon. This struct-
ure of the feet enables the Cats to walk without
leaving any traces of the claws, and the softness of
their step is due to pads upon their soles. The Cats
are both strong and agile and their every movement
displays vigor and lithesome grace. Nearly all
members of this family partake of the same physical
and moral traits, although some special group may
seem to have a particular advantage over the others.
force of their spring. They are also capable of car-
rying considerable burdens, and easily convey to a
convenient hiding place animals they have killed,
although their prey may be as large as themselves.
Acute Senses Of their senses those of hearing and
of the sight are the most acute. The ear
Cat Family. undoubtedly is their guide on their
hunting expeditions. They hear and determine the
nature of noises at great distances ; the softest foot-
fall or the slightest noise from crumbling sand is not
lost upon them, and they are thus able to locate
prey that they cannot see. The sight is less keen,
though it cannot be termed weak. Probably they
are unable to see distant objects, but at short range
their eyes are excellent. The pupil is round in the
larger species and dilates circularly when the animal
is in a state of excitement ; smaller species show an
elliptical pupil, capable of great dilation. In the
THE ROYAL TIGER. Here is presented a faithful portrayal of the scourge of Asia in his native jungle. The flaming yellow hue that
forms the ground color in his coat is left to the imagination, but the dark, stripings are accurately depicted. He sees his prey and is rapidly
approaching it. for the uplifted tail in these animals is a signal of attack, and the whole expression ot the face in the picture is one of voracious
expectancy. Soon those sharp canine teeth and the yet sheathed claws will claim a life. The fierce nature and muscular structure of the Tiger
are well brought out. [Felis tigris.)
All Cats walk well, but slowly, cautiously and noise-
lessly ; they run quickly and can jump distances
that exceed many times the length of their respect-
ive bodies. There are only a few of the larger
species that are unable to climb ; the majority being
greatly skilled in this accomplishment. Although
as a rule averse to water, they swim well, when
necessity compels ; at least, none of them can easily
be drowned. Each member of this family knows
how to curl up its handsome body and reduce its
compass, and all are experts in the use of their paws
The large species can strike down animals larger
than themselves with one stroke of the paw and the
daytime it shrinks to a narrow slit under the influ-
ence of the bright light ; in darkness or when the
animal is excited, it assumes a nearly circular shape.
The sense coming nearest to that of sight in keen-
ness is probably that of touch, which manifests
itself in sensibility to pain and other outward condi-
tions as well as in a discriminating faculty of feel-
ing. The most sensitive organs are the whiskers,
the eyebrows, and, in the Lynx, probably also the
ear-tufts. A Cat with its whiskers cut off is in a
very uncomfortable plight ; the poor thing is at a
complete loss to know how to act and shows utter
indecision and restlessness until the hairs have grown
90
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
out again. The paws also seem endowed with an
exquisite sense of touch. The entire family of Cats
is very sensitive ; being susceptible to all external
impressions ; showing decided dissatisfaction under
disagreeable influences and a high degree of con-
tentment under agreeable ones. When one strokes
their fur they exhibit a great deal of pleasure ;
while if the fur is wet or subjected to similar repul-
sive impressions, they display great discomfort.
Their smell and taste are about equal in degree,
though perhaps taste may be somewhat the more
acute of these two senses. Most Cats appreciate
dainty morsels, in spite of their rough tongue. The
remarkable predilection of certain species for strong-
smelling plants, like valerian, admits only of the
conclusion that the sense of smell is very deficient,
as all animals with a well-developed organ of smell
would shrink from them with disgust ; while Cats
jump around these plants and act as though they
were intoxicated.
Mental En- As to intellect Cats are inferior to
dowment of the Dogs, but not to such an extent
Cat Tribe. as js commonly supposed. We
must not forget that when instituting a comparison
we always have in mind two species that can
scarcely be regarded as fair standards: on the one
hand the domestic Dog, systematically bred for
thousands of years, and on the other the neglected
and often ill-treated domestic Cat. The majority of
the Felidae show a higher development of the lower
instincts than of those that are noble and elevating ;
yet even our Pussy demonstrates that the Cat family
is capable of education and mental elevation. The
domestic Cat often furnishes instances of genuine
affection and great sagacity. Man usually takes no
pains to investigate its faculties, but yields to estab-
lished prejudice and seems incapable of independent
examination. The character of most species is a
blending of quiet deliberation, persevering cunning,
blood-thirstiness and foolhardiness. In their asso-
ciation with Man they soon lose many of the char-
acteristics of the wild state. They then acknowl-
edge human supremacy, are grateful to their owner,
and like to be petted and caressed. In a word,
they become perfectly tame, although their deep-
rooted, natural faculties may break out at any mo-
ment. This is the principal reason why the Cats are
called false and malicious ; for not even the human
being who habitually torments and ill-treats animals
accords them the right of revolting now and then
against the yoke of slavery.
The Cats are well distributed throughout the New
and the Old World, except in Australia, where only
the domestic Cat is found, many of which have
there degenerated into the wild state. They inhabit
plain-, and mountains, arid localities and marshy dis-
tricts, forests and fields.
Food and The food of the feline family con-
Hunting Methods sists of all kinds of vertebrates, pref-
of Felines. crably mammals. Some show a pre-
dilci dbn for birds, a few others are fond of Turtles,
and some even go fishing. All species pursue the
sam<- methods when attacking their destined prey.
With Stealthy footfall they creep over their hunting
ground, listening and looking in all directions. The
slight 'in alert and incites them to
tigat( its origin. They cautiously glide along
m a < rouchine position, always advancing against
the wind, when they think themselves near
,h, they take one or two leaps, fell their prey
by a blow in the neck with one of their fearful paws,
seize it with their teeth and bite it a few times.
Then they open their mouth slightly but without
letting go of the victim ; they watch whether any
sign of life remains, and then again close the teeth
upon it. Many of them utter a roar or a growl at
this time, which expresses greed and anger as much
as satisfaction, and the tip of the tail wags to and
fro. The majority have the cruel habit of torment-
ing their prey, seemingly giving it a little liberty,
sometimes even letting it run a short distance, but
only to pounce upon it at an opportune moment,
and then repeat the operation over and over, until
the animal dies of its wounds. The largest members
of the Cat family shun animals which offer great re-
sistance, only attacking such prey when experience
has taught them that they can do so successfully.
The Lion, Tiger and Jaguar, at first acquaintance,
fear Man and avoid him in a most cowardly manner.
It is only when they have seen how easily he is con-
quered that some of them get to be his most formid-
able enemies. Though nearly all Felidae are good
runners, yet most or them give up their intended
prey if they do not succeed in the first attempt. It
is only in secluded places that they will eat their
prey on the field of capture. Usually they bear
away the killed or mortally wounded animal to a
quiet hiding-place, where they devour it at their
leisure.
The Cat Kind As a rule the female gives birth to
and Its several cubs at a litter, but seldom to
Young. one only. Generally the number
varies between one and six ; although some species
are declared to have more than the latter number.
The father, as a rule, is indifferent or hostile to the
offspring, the responsibility and care resting upon
the mother. A feline mother with her young ones is
a very pleasing spectacle. Motherly tenderness and
solicitude are expressed in every gesture and in
every sound, the voice being gentle and soft to a
surprising degree. Her watchfulness is so unremit-
ting that one cannot doubt the absorbing love she
has for them. It is very gratifying to observe how
carefully she trains them from earliest youth in
habits of extreme cleanliness. She cleans, licks and
smooths their fur unceasingly, and will tolerate no
dirt near the lair. At the approach of a foe she de-
fends her offspring with utter disregard for her own
life, and at such times the mothers in all the larger
species are most formidable enemies. In many
species the dam must protect her little ones from
their father, who, if not prevented, will enter the lair
and devour them while in their stage of blindness.
This, probably, is the origin of the feline habit of
mothers hiding their little ones. When the latter
have grown somewhat older, the aspect changes, and
they have nothing more to fear from the father.
Then begins the merry childhood of the little ani-
mals, for they are full of fun and play. Their nature
is revealed in the first movements and emotions,
their play being nothing but a preparation for the
serious hunts of their adult life. Everything that
moves attracts their notice ; no noise escapes them ;
the slightest rustle makes the little listeners prick up
their ears. The earliest delight of these young ones
is their mother's tail. They first watch it in its
movements, and soon the whole mischievous com-
pany tries to catch it. The mother is not in the least
disconcerted, but continues to express her moods by
tiie wagging of that member. In a few weeks the
little ones are able to indulge in the liveliest romps
and the mother joins them, no matter whether she be
(go
92
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
a stately Lioness or one of our domestic Pussies.
Sometimes the whole family forms a single ball, and
each is intent upon seizing the tail of the other. As
they grow, the games become more serious. The lit-
tle ones learn that their tail is but a part of them-
selves and long to try their strength on something
else. Then the mother brings them small animals,
sometimes alert live ones, then those that are half-
expiring. These she turns loose, and the little fel-
lows practice upon them, in this way learning how to
pursue and handle their prey. Finally the mother
takes them along on her hunts, when they learn all
the tricks— the stealthy approach, the mastery of
their emotions, and the sudden attacks. When they
become completely independent of parental care
they leave their mo'ther, or their parents, as the case
may be, and for some time lead a solitary, roaming
life.
The harmful species are hunted zealously, and
there are men who find the keenest enjoyment in
the very danger of this sport.
Subdivisions The classification of the Felidae is very
of the difficult ; yet we think it proper to di-
Cat Species. vjde them into the Cats proper {Felts);
the Lynxes (Lynx) ; the Cheetah (Cynailurus) and
the Foussa (Cryptoprocta) of Madagascar. Atypical
specimen of the first group is our domestic Cat and
its most highly developed members are the Lion
and Tiger. The Lynxes have a shorter tail and
longer limbs than the Cats proper and have hair tufts
on their long ears. The Cheetah has longer limbs
and the claws are not retractile. The last family,
the Foussa or Cryptoprocta, has a dentition differ-
ing from the other groups, hairless soles and other
peculiarities which place it among the distant rela-
tives of the Civets or Viverridae, and stamp it as a
being similar to the first original Cat, from whom
the others have descended.
THE CATS PROPER.
We will first consider the Cats proper (Felts), sepa-
rating the Old World species from those of Amer-
ica. The striped Cats will be treated in one class ;
the spotted ones and those which are of a uniform
color in another.
THE TIGER.
In the group of the striped Cats the Tiger stands
out most prominent, for he Is, after the Lion, the
most perfect member of the whole family. He is
a genuine Cat, devoid of mane, but furnished with
large whisker-like tufts, and shows most distinct
stripes on hi- fur. He is the most dreaded of all
the feline species, a foe against whom Man, even, is
almost powerless. No other beast of prey combines
such majestic beauty with so cruel a character ; no
other better demonstrates the truth of the fable, in
whieh the Mouse admires the Cat for its prettiness
and amiability. If fierceness were taken as a stand-
ard, he would be counted as first among all mam-
mals, for he has withstood the lord of creation as
no other animal has d tic. Instead of retreating as
the line of agriculture and civilization advances, he
finds himself attracted by human settlements, and
has in some instances forced Man to retreat. He
not fight shy of populous localities like the
I. ion, who scents danger in them, but boldly opposes
Man, not openly, to lie sur , but as a stealthy, cun-
ning foe. Jlis cruelty and Man-eating propensities
been greatly exaggerated ; or, at least, depicted
in very glaring i oloi .
The The Royal Tiger (Felts tigris), also
Magnificent called Bagh, Sher and Nahar by the
Royal Tiger. Hindoos, and Hariman by the Malays,
is a magnificent specimen of the Felidae, with a won-
derfully beautiful color. He is taller and more
slenderly built than the Lion. The entire length of
a full-grown male, counting from the nose to the tip
of the tail, is between nine and ten feet. The female
is about one foot, or one foot, four inches shorter.
The length of the tail varies from two and one-
half to nearly four feet. The height, at the shoulder,
is from three to three and one-half feet. The weight
of two female Tigers has been found to be two hun-
dred and sixteen and three hundred and seventeen
pounds, respectively, while tw'o males weighed three
hundred and twenty-six and three hundred and for-
ty-four pounds. The body is longer than that of
the Lion, while the head has a rounder shape ; the
tail is tuftless, and the hair short and smooth. The
female is smaller and her whiskers are inferior to
those of the male. All Tigers inhabiting northern
regions are clothed during the cold season in thicker
and longer hair than those which are natives of the
tropical valleys of India. The fur shows a harmo-
nious arrangement of colors, and a vivid contrast be-
tween the light flame-color of the groundwork and
the dark stripes. As in all the feline animals the
tinge of the back is darker than that of the sides ;
the belly, the inner side of the limbs, the lips and
the lower parts of the cheeks are white. The stripes
are differently interspaced in individual animals, and
run in a slightly slanting direction from the spine
backwards and downwards. The tail is lighter than
the back and also shows darker ringlets. The whisk-
ers are white. The large eyes have round pupils and
are of a yellowish-brown color. The young ones
show exactly the same disposition of color, except
that the ground tint is lighter. The Tiger, however,
shows variations in his coloring ; the ground tint
may be dark or light, and in a few rare cases it is
black or white with dingy stripes.
So brilliantly adorned an animal would seem to
be very conspicuous and easily detected by the very
animals it pursues ; but that is not the case. I have
already mentioned how the coloring of all animals,
and the Felidae in particular, harmonizes with sur-
rounding objects, and I need but recall the fact that
the Tiger usually takes up his abode in bushes, reeds
and high grass. Frequently even experienced sports-
men entirely overlook a Tiger, as well as other ani-
mals that are lying quite close to them.
Where the The range of the Tiger is wide, not
Tiger is being confined to the very warm parts
Found. 0f Asia, but extending over a portion
of that continent equal In area to the whole of
Europe. He inhabits the country between the
eighth degree of south and the fifty-third degree of
north latitude, being found as far north as southeast-
ern Siberia, which has a much colder climate than
has that part of Europe which lies in the same lati-
tude. His headquarters are India; and thence he
spreads northward through China to the banks of
the Amoor and through Afghanistan and Persia to
the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. A few scat-
tered specimens may occasionally be found beyond
these boundaries, but certainly not westward to the
Caucasus or the Black Sea. On the Malay Islands
the Tiger does not live, except in Sumatra and Java,
and Ceylon is also free from his presence.
Jungles rich in reeds and bushes harbor the Tiger,
as well as stately forests, up to a certain altitude
(93)
s a true Cat. larger than the domestic species and very fierce and
°v^,^Sty' preymg upon al! maramals and birds it can master. Yet like all felines it rears its young with great tenderness and affection. Here is a family
ot \\ ild Cats which has its home in a hole in the rocky forest. The mother has just returned with dinner for the Kittens, who are welcoming her with vora-
cious expectancy. (Felis cat us.)
(toi)
102
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
degenerated in the woods. The latter are frequently
met with, but they never attain the size of the Wild
Cats, though greatly exceeding that of the domestic
Cat. They are as ferocious and dangerous as the
Wild Cat, and after several generations have been
born wild in the forest these animals come to resem-
ble their progenitor, the Egyptian Cat, in color and
marking, though always lacking the blunt tail, the
light spot at the throat and the dark soles of their
ancestor. The animal known as Wild Cat in America
is very different from the European animal of that
name, and is in reality a Lynx. (See Red Lynx.)
THE EGYPTIAN CAT.
The next member of this group is the Egyptian
Cat (Felis maniculata). Ruppell discovered it in
Nubia, on the western bank of the Nile, in a desert
where rocky stretches of country alternated with
bushy tracts. Later writers have found it in Sou-
dan, in Abyssinia, in the innermost centre of Africa
and in Palestine. The length of its body is about
that the Egyptian Cat is more common in the
Niam-Niam country than in any other part of:
Africa that has been fully explored, so that the cen-
ter of the continent might be considered the point
from which it spread. The Niam-Niam do not pos-
sess a domestic Cat, in the proper meaning of the
word, but their boys capture the Egyptian Cat and
wholly or partially tame it. At first they are tied in
the vfcinity of the huts, and soon become com-
pletely at home in the house, where they make it
their business to catch the Mice which infest these
dwellings in great numbers.
Venerated Ebers in "An Egyptian Princess,"
by the Ancient says : " The Cat was probably the
Egyptians. most sacred of all the sacred ani-
mals which the Egyptians regarded with veneration.
Herodotus says that when one of their houses was
on fire, the Egyptians first thought of saving the
Cat and then of putting out the fire, and when a Cat
died they cut off their own hair as a sign of mourn-
ing. When a person wittingly or unwittingly caused.
THE EGYPTIAN CAT. — Tliis picture has a familiar look, the resemblance to the house-cat being so marked. Although still dis-
puted by some naturalists the great weight of authority shows the Egyptian Cat to be the progenitor of our domestic feline. The markings
of the fur in the Egyptian Cat are shown in the picture, and no differences from the house-cat are observable that cannot be accounted for by
the wild life led by the former. [Pelts maniculata.)
twenty inches and its tail measures a little over ten
inches. These are not the exact dimensions of our
domestic Cat, but they approximate them closely.
The arrangement of the colors of the fur is much
like that on some of our Cats. The mummies and
pictures cm Egyptian monuments agree most closely
with this species, and evidently tend to prove that
this was the domestic Cat of the Flgyptians. Per-
haps the priests imported it into Egypt from south-
ern Nubia. It probably extended thence to Arabia
and Syria, and later to Greece, Italy and the remain-
der of Europe, and in more modern times, emigrat-
ing Europeans spread it still farther.
Tin observations oi Schweinfurth in the Niam-
Niam country are of great weight as evidence that
the Egyptian Cat is the original stock from which
the race of our domestic Cats descended. He says
the death of one of these animals, he forfeited his
life. Diodorus himself saw a Roman citizen, who-
had killed a Cat, put to death by a mob, though the
government, in its fear of Rome, tried its best to
pacify the people. Dead Cats were artistically em-
balmed, and of all mummified animals that are
found, the Cat, carefully swathed in linen bandages,
is the most common."
THE DOMESTIC CAT.
All researches point to the fact that the Cat was
first tamed by the Egyptians, and not by the Hin-
doos, or any northern people. The old Egyptian
monuments speak clearly in pictures, signs and
mummies, while the records of other nations do not
even give us food for conjecture. The very fact
that the mummies of both the domestic Cat and
THE CAT FAMILY DOMESTIC CAT.
103
the common Jungle Cat are found supports me in
my opinion, for this goes to prove that when Egypt
was in the meridian of its power, its inhabitants ex-
tensively caught and probably tamed the Jungle Cats.
Herodotus is the first Greek to mention the Cat, and
it is but slightly alluded to by even later Greek and
Roman writers. We may conclude, therefore, that
the animal spread very gradually from Egypt. Prob-
ably it first went East. We know, for instance, that
it was a favorite pet of the prophet Mohammed,
In northern Europe it was barely known before the
tenth century. The Codex of Laws in Wales con-
tains an ordinance fixing the price of domestic Cats
and penalties for their ill-treatment, mutilation and
killing. The law declared that a Cat doubled its
value the moment it caught its first Mouse ; that the
purchaser had a right to require that the Cat have
perfect eyes, ears and claws, to know how to catch
Mice, and, if a female Cat,
countries. Rengger tells us that Cats live in a par-
ticularly independent state in Paraguay, although
Cats that have become really savage are seldom
seen in that country, and the localities abandoned
by white Men are also deserted by Cats.
Domestic Cat Our domestic Cat is an excellent speci-
Worthy men for the purpose of studying the
of Study, whole feline family, for it is accessible
to all. It is an exceedingly pretty, cleanly and
graceful creature. Its movements are stately and as
it walks with measured tread on its velvety paws,
with claws carefully retracted, its footfall is imper-
ceptible to the human ear. It is only when pursued
or suddenly frightened that it displays any precipi-
tate haste, and then it proceeds with a succession of
jumps which soon carry it to a place of safety, for it
profits by every advantageous nook or turn and can
climb to any height. With the help of its claws it
i
to know how to bring
up her Kittens prop-
erly. If the Cat failed to
meet any of these require-
ments, the purchaser had
the right to demand a re-
turn of one-third of the
purchase money.
This law is of great
value as furnishing proof
that in those times do-
mestic Cats were held in
high estimation, and also
because we learn by plain
inference from it that the
Wild Cat cannot have
been the progenitor of the
domestic species, as Great
Britain was overrun with
Wild Cats, whose young
ones it would have been
easy to tame in unlimited
numbers.
The Domestic According to
Cat Almost Tschudi, the
Universal. Cat now in-
habits all parts of the
globe except the extreme
north and the highest alti-
tudes of the Andes, and
has established itself
wherever civilization,
progress and domestica-
tion have penetrated. But
notwithstanding the fact that it is an inmate of hu-
man habitations throughout the world, the Cat re-
serves to itself a large measure of independence and
only recognizes Man's authority when obedience suits
its inclination. The more it is petted, the greater
becomes its affection for the family; the more it is
left to its own devices the more its attachment is
directed toward the house in which it was reared
rather than to the people who live there. Man
always determines the degree of tameness and do-
mesticity of a Cat by his conduct towards it. When
neglected it is likely to take to the woods in sum-
mer. Sometimes it becomes quite wild there, but
usually comes back at the approach of winter, accom-
panied by its Kittens if any have been born to it dur-
ing its vacation. It is often the case that after such
a sojourn in the woods the Cat shows little liking for
people, and this is especially noticeable in warm
THE DOMESTIC CAT. -The animal in the picture is familiar to all, and the playful scone here depicted is
a very common one. The mother Cat watches with every indication of pleasure the merry gambols of her offspring.
The methods of a domestic Cat in training her young are much the same as those of the Lioness, the Tigress and
other larger members of the Cat family, and may therefore be observed with proht by the student. (Felts maniculata
,'<7.)
clambers up trees or walls easily, but on level ground
a Dog can overtake it without difficulty. However a
Cat is dropped, it will always alight on its paws, the
pads of which soften the violence of the fall. I have
never succeeded in causing a Cat to fall on its back,
even when I have dropped it from close range over
a chair or table. As soon as I would let go it would
instantly turn over and stand on its feet quite un-
concerned. How it is able to accomplish this feat,
especially when the short distance is considered, is
quite a mystery to me. In falling long distances, it,
of course, regulates its position in alighting by means
of its tail. The Cat can also swim, but it practices
this accomplishment only when there is an urgent
need for it, and it probably never enters the water of
its own accord, as it even shows a great dislike of
rain; but there are exceptions, for Haacke knew a
Cat which was in the habit of jumping into a pond
104
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
and catching Goldfishes. In sleeping, the Cat likes to
curl up in a soft, warm place, but cannot bear to be
covered. I have noticed that Cats show a decided
liking for hay as a bed, probably because the fra-
grance is agreeable to them After a nap on such a
bed their fur usually has a very pleasant odor.
Of the senses those of touch, sight and hearing are
the strongest in the Cat. The sense of smell is rather
dull, as anybody can sec when the creature is offered
a favorite' dainty in such manner as to prevent it
from using any other sense in the effort to deter-
mine what it is. If the whiskers are used, the result
indifferent, for they are very sensitive organs of
touch ; so are its paws, but in a less degree. The ■
eyes are excellent and capable of seeing by night as
well as by day. But the palm undoubtedly belongs
to its sense of hearing. Lenz tells us that he was
once sitting outdoors with a Kitten in his lap; sud-
denly it jumped backwards after a Mouse, which was
running unseen on a smooth stone pavement from
one bush to another and did not make a particle of
noise that a human ear could detect. He measured
the distance at which the Kitten had heard the
Mouse running behind it and it proved to be fully
fourteen yards.
Noteworthy The intellectual capacities of the Cat
Qualities are usually quite misunderstood. Peo-
ofthe Cat. pje consider it a treacherous, deceitful,
sly animal, that is not to be trusted. Many confess
to' an unconquerable feeling of antipathy towards it.
As a rule it is compared with the Dog, which ought
never to be done; and as such comparison shows that
the Cat does not possess the Dog's good qualities,
the conclusion is frequently drawn that there is no
use of any further investigation. Even naturalists
are given to pronouncing prejudiced and one-sided
opinions against it. I have sympathetically studied
the Cat from my childhood, and therefore accept the
following description of Scheitlin's, which certainly
possesses the merits of originality, understanding
and just appreciation: "The Cat is an animal of a
high order of intelligence. Its bodily structure alone
indicates this. It is a pretty, diminutive Lion; a
Tiger on a small scale. It shows the most complete
symmetry in its form — no one part is too large or too
small. That its every detail is rounded and beauti-
ful is even shown by an examination of the skull,
which is more symmetrical than that of any other
animal. Its movements arc undulating and graceful
to the extent that it seems to have no bones. We
value our Cats too slightly because we detest their
thievish propensities, fear their claws and love their
enemy, tin- Dog, and we are not able to show equal
friendship and admiration for these two opposite
natures.
" l.et us examine the Cat's qualities. We are im-
pressed by its agility, yet its mind is as flexible as
its body. Its cleanliness of habit is as much a matter
of mental bias as physical choice, for it is constantly
licking and cleaning itself. Every hair of its fur
must be in perfect order; it never forgets as much
as the tip ol its tail. It has a discriminating sensi-
bility as to both color and sound, for it knows Man
by his dress and by his voice. It possesses an ex-
cellent understanding of locality and practices it, for
it prowls through an entire neighborhood, through
basements and garrets and over roots and hay-sheds,
without bewilderment. It is an ideally local animal,
and d the family moves it either declines to accom-
pany them or, il (anied to the new residence, returns
at tlie first opportunity to the old homestead; and it
is remarkable how unerringly it will find its way back,
even when carried away in a sack for a distance of
several miles."
The Mother When the mother Cat gives birth to
Cat and Kittens there are usually five or six
her Kittens, in the litter, and they remain blind for
nine days. The mother selects for her young ones a
secluded spot and hides them carefully, especially
from. the Tom-Cat, which, if he found them, would
make a meal of them.
Young Kittens arc beautiful little animals, and
their mother's love for them is unbounded. When-
ever she scents danger she carries them to some
place of safety, tenderly lifting them by compressing
the skin of their necks between her lips so gently
that the little Pussies scarcely feel it. During the
nursing period she leaves them only long enough to
forage for food. Some Cats do not know how to
take care of their first young ones and have to be
initiated into the duties of motherhood by Men or
by some old experienced Tabby. It is a proven fact
that all mother Cats learn how to care for Kittens
better and better with each succeeding litter.
A Cat during the suckling period tolerates no Dog
or strange Cat near her Kittens; even her owner is an
unwelcome visitor at such a time. At the same time
she is particularly open to compassion for others.
There are many instances on record where Cats have
suckled and brought up young Puppies, Foxes, Rab-
bits, Hares, Squirrels, Rats and even Mice; I myself
have tried similar experiments successfully with my
Cats, when I was a boy. Once I brought a little
Squirrel yet blind to one of my Cats. Tenderly she
accepted the strange child among her own, and from
the first cared for it with motherly solicitude. The
Squirrel thrived beautifully, and after its step-brothers
had all been given away, it stayed and lived most
harmoniously with its foster mother, and she then
regarded it with redoubled affection. The relations
between them were as close and tender as possible.
They understood each other perfectly, though each
talked in its own language, and the Squirrel would
follow the Cat all over the house and into the garden.
Intelligence It is commonly thought that Cats are
and Affection incapable of being educated; but this
of Cats. js an injustice. They are also capable
of constant affection, and I have personally known
some which moved with their owners from one house
to another and never thought of returning to their
former home. They were well treated, and there-
fore thought more of the people than of the house.
They will allow those they like, and especially chil-
dren, to take incredible liberties with them, nearly as
much, in fact, as Dogs will. Some Cats accompany
their owners in their walks, and I knew two Tom-
Cats which usually followed the guests of their mis-
tress in the most polite manner. They would accom-
pany them for ten or fifteen minutes and then take
their leave with many an amiable purr, expressive of
their good will. Cats often strike up friendships
with other animals, and there are many instances
where Dogs and Cats have become fast friends, in
spite of the familiar proverb.
Anecdotes There arc a great many anecdotes illus-
About trating the intelligence of this excellent
the Cat. . animal. Once our Cat gave birth to four
charming little Kittens, which she kept carefully
hidden in a hay-shed. Three or four weeks later she
came to my mother, coaxingly rubbed against her
dress, and seemed to call her to the door. Mother
followed her, and the Cat then joyfully ran across
THE CAT FAMILY— DOMESTIC CAT.
10£
the yard to a hay-shed. Soon she appeared in the
-door of the upper story carrying in her mouth a
Kitten, which she dropped down upon a bundle of
hay. Three other Kittens followed in like manner
and were made welcome and petted. It proved that
the Cat had no more milk to give her young ones,
and in her dilemma bethought herself of the people
who gave her food.
Pechuel-Loesche had a Cat which had struck up a
friendship with an old Parrot, and would always go
to it when the bird called its name: "Ichabod."
When the Parrot interrupted the Cat's slumbers by
biting its tail the latter never showed the least resent-
ment. The two friends were fond of sitting together
at the window, looking out at the passing sights.
In my native village a friend of mine lost a little
Robin Redbreast and in a few days his Cat brought
it back in its mouth unharmed. Thus it had not
■only recognized the bird, but caught it with the
intention of pleasing its master. Therefore I also
believe the following story to be true: A Cat lived
on very good terms with a Canary bird and fre-
quently played with it.
One day it suddenly
rushed at it, took it in
its mouth and growling
climbed up on a desk.
The terrified owner, on
looking around, per-
ceived a strange Cat in
the room. Pussy had
distrusted her sister and
thought it best to res-
cue her friend from the
other Cat's clutches.
Great F r o m all
Usefulness these a c -
of the Cat. counts we
must conclude that Cats
are deserving of the
friendship of Man, and
that the time has come
at last to correct the un-
just opinions and preju-
dices many people hold
against them. Besides,
the usefulness of Cats
•ought to be taken more
into account. He who
has never lived in an
old, tumble-down house,
overrun with Rats and
will also wage war upon Rats. Young and inexpe-
rienced Cats catch and kill Shrews, but do not eat
them, as their powerful scent repels them; older Cats
usually leave these odorous animals unmolested.
The Cat finds variety in its diet by hunting Lizards,
Snakes and Frogs, May-Bugs and Grasshoppers.
The Cat exhibits as much perseverance as dexterity
in its hunting. Being a Beast of Prey at heart, it is
also guilty of many little depredations. It destroys
many an awkward young bird, attacks rather grown-
up Hares, catches a Partridge once in awhile, lies in
wait for the very young Chickens in the yard, and
under some circumstances goes fishing. The cook
is usually not on speaking terms with it, for it proves
its domesticity by visiting the pantry whenever it
has a chance. But the sum total of its usefulness
by far exceeds all its peccadilloes.
Varieties The Domestic Cat {Fclis nianiadata do-
of the t/icstica) embraces but few differing
Domestic Cat. species. The following colorings are
the most common: black with a white star on the
breast; white, yellow and red; brown and striped;
THE ANGORA CAT. — Although it is as tame and tractable as any others of the domestic Cats, the animal
shown in the picture has such marked differences from the more common type as to be classed as a distinct variety.
The fur is just as soft as that of the common Cat, but is remarkably long, and the tail is bushy, and these characteris-
tics are well brought out in the picture. (Felis maniculata domestica angorensis.)
bluish gray; light gray with darker stripes, or tri-col-
ored, with white and yellow or yellow-brownish and
coal-black or gray spots. The bluish gray Cats are
rare, the light gray ones very common. The most
handsome Cats have dark gray or blackish brown
stripes like a Tiger. It is a peculiar fact that tri-
colored Cats, which in some localities are regarded
as witches, and for this reason slain, are nearly with-
out exception females.
The Angora The Angora Cat {Felts maniculata domes-
Cat, a Distinct tic a a/igorc/isis) is usually regarded as a
Variety. quite distinct variety of the domestic
Cats. It is one of the most beautiful Cats, distin-
guished by its large size and long silky hair, which is
either a pure white or assumes a yellowish, grayish
or mixed tinge. The lips and soles are flesh-colored.
THE LION.
A single glance cast at the Lion and particularly
at the expression of his face, suffices to make us
Mice, does not know the
real value of a good Cat. But when one has lived
with this destructive plague for years and has seen
how powerless Man is against it, when one has
suffered day after day from some fresh mischief and
has become thoroughly enraged at the detestable
rodents, then he gradually comes to the conclusion
that the Cat is one of the most important domestic
animals, and deserves not only tolerance and care,
but love and gratitude. The mere presence of a Cat
in the house is sufficient to render the impudent
rodents ill-humored and inclined to desert the place.
The Beast of Prey pursuing them at every step, seiz-
ing them by the neck before they have become
aware of its presence, inspires them with a whole-
some terror; they prefer moving away from a locality
defended in this way, and even if they remain, the
Cat soon gains a victory over them.
Mice of all kinds, notably house and field Mice,
are the preferred game of the Cat, and most Cats
10G
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
subscribe to the opinion held concerning him from
remotest times. The Lion is the king of all Beasts
of Prey, a ruler among quadrupeds. The classifying
naturalist calls him merely a Cat of a particularly
powerful build, yet the impression produced by the
magnificent animal induces even the most scientific
to give him a fitting place among his kindred.
Lions are easily distinguished from all other Felidae.
Their special peculiarities are: a strong, powerful
body, clothed in short, sleek hair of a uniform tint ;
a broad face with small eyes; a mane, resembling the
tippet of an emperor, adorning the shoulders of the
male ; and a tuft at the tip of the tail. In compari-
son with the other Felidae, the body of the Lion
seems short, the flanks retracted, and the whole body
produces an impression of power, but not of clum-
siness. Hidden in the tuft of the tail is a horny
nail, noticed by Aristotle, but denied by many mod-
ern naturalists. The eyes have a round pupil, the
whisker-hairs are arranged in from six to eight rows.
Above all else it is the mane which distinguishes
the male Lion and bestows upon him his proud,
kingly look.
The mane clothes the whole neck and the breast,
but varies so much, that, with or without just cause,
it has served as a basis to divide the Lion into a few
distinct kinds. I will give a short description of the
different species and leave the reader to judge for
himself whether these distinctions are justified. Let
us first consider the Barbary Lion, for it is he that
has, since time immemorial, retained the title of
"King of Beasts" by his courage, strength, bravery,
nobility, generosity, gravity and calm demeanor.
The Lion The Barbary Lion {Felts leo barbarns) like
of all his kindred has a strong frame; and the
Barbary. front part' of his body is much larger than
the hind part, because of the broad chest and re-
tracted flanks. The thick and nearly square head is
prolonged into a broad, blunt muzzle; the ears are
rounded, the eyes are of medium size but full of fire,
the limbs are very strong, and the paws are the larg-
est among all Felidae. The long tail ends in a short
thorn, which is covered with a fluffy tuft. The color
of this Lion is tawny, inclining to a reddish yellow
or dull brown hue, according as some hairs have
black tips or are quite black. The mane is very
thick. A male Lion may measure four feet in height
at the shoulder, and about eleven feet in length from
the nose to the tip of the tail, the latter occupying
from five to six feet. Newborn Lions have a length
of about thirteen inches, but have no mane or tail-
tuft. They are clothed in woolly, grayish hair, which
shows markings suggestive of those of the Ocelot to
an experienced observer. These brindlings are faint
during the first year, but are visible on the legs and
under portions for several years, especially in the
female Lions; and the exterior marks of adult age
make their appearance during the third year. The
Lioness always resembles the young Lion to a greater
or less degree; her coat is either of the same length
on the breast as upon the remainder of the body,
or, at most, but a very little longer. The Barbary
Lion La confined to the Atlas country.
Other The Senegal Lion (Felts leo senegedensis)
Varietlet has a lighter mane, very little developed
oftheLion. OI1 t)lc breast. The South African Lion
(Felis leo capensis ), and probably also the Abyssinian
Lion, are di itinguished by their huge size; and they
have a dark- mane. The Persian Lion (Felis leo pcr-
i, a |po esses a mane ((insisting of mixed brown
and bfa< k hair; and tiiis animal extends over Persia
to India; he is still too little known for us to be able
to say whether he resembles more closely the Sene-
gal Lion or the Guzerat Lion, which is occasionally
manelcss.
The Senegal Lion and the South African Lion
are distributed all over central and southern Africa,
from the western to the eastern coast, and as far
north as the 20th degree of northern latitude. They
are regularly met with on the banks of the Blue and
White Nile and in the Abyssinian forests; and in the
deserts of central and southern Africa they are of
common occurrence.
The Guzerat Lion, known to the ancients, and im-
properly called the Maneless Lion (Felis leo guzerat-
ensis), was formerly supposed to be small and mane-
less, but both these conjectures have been proved to
be erroneous. He is of a dull tan color, the tail-tuft
and ears being darker.
Decrease in The time when six hundred Lions could
Numbers be brought together in one arena is
of the Lion, irremediably past. The King of Beasts
has since then retreated farther and farther before the
Lord of Creation. Man fights him with all his might
and will continue to steadily press him back and
ultimately exterminate him. The Lion of Barbary
formerly inhabited all Northeastern Africa, and was
nearly as common in Egypt as in Tunis, Fez or Mo-
rocco; the increase of population and the progress
of civilization drove him back farther and farther,
until nowadays he is rarely found in the valley of the
Lower Nile or on the southern coast of the Medi-
terranean. In Algeria and Morocco he is still no
rarity, and in Tunis and the oasis of Fessan he is a
permanent feature. In Algeria the Lions are much
reduced in numbers ; the frequent wars between the
French and the Arabs have driven them away, and
the French Lion-hunters, notably Jules Gerard, have
made sad havoc in their ranks. The conditions under
which the Lion of Senegal exists are more favorable.
The native of central Africa is not sufficiently well
armed to rise successfully against his worst tyrant
and tax-gatherer. Still even the Negro presses the
Lion into more remote regions.
TheLion's The Lion leads a solitary life, living with
Manner his mate only during the breeding season.
of Living. At other times every Lion in northern
Africa has his own hunting district, although he does
not quarrel with others of his kind over such mat-
ters. In South Africa it often happens that several
Lions unite for a hunt upon a large scale. Living-
stone tells us that troops of six to eight Lions will
prowl around together. In extraordinary cases the
troops may be still more numerous. Selous, one of
the latest writers on the subject, also says: " In
central South Africa one more frequently meets four
or five Lions together than single specimens, and
troops of ten or twelve are not extraordinary."
The Lion does not inhabit virgin forests, but likes-
an open landscape: jungles of grass, interspersed
with low, bushy forests, and prairies grown with
stunted shrubs and deserts, no matter whether they
are mountainous or level. In some secluded spot in
Soudan, usually in bushes, or in South Africa in the
high reeds growing on the banks of the temporarily
flowing rivers of that region, he selects a shallow
place as his den and uses it for a day or more, accord-
ing as the country is rich or poor, protected or open
to attacks. When dawn surprises him on his wan-
derings, he goes to sleep wherever he happens to be.
On the whole his habits are those of the entire
feline species; still he differs in many essentials. He
■■:, ■-■■■: .'
HEAD OF THE BAKBARY LION. A single glance at this head explains sufficiently why the animal that bears it is called " The King of Beasts.''
Power, strength, self-reliance and the air of the conqueror are depicted in the face, and its expression, and the bold and shaggy mane that covers the head and
neck gives to this head an especially imposing appearance.
(107)
108
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
is lazier than the rest of the Cat family and avoids
extended journeys, trying to make life as easy as pos-
sible. Selous' experiences taught him that the South
African Lion prefers feasting off the game some
hunter has killed to exerting himself to capture his
own prey. This is why, in East Soudan, he regularly
follows nomadic tribes wherever they go. He goes
with them into the treeless plain and returns with
them to the forest; he regards them as his tributary
subjects and the taxes he levies on them are indeed
of the heaviest kind. His manner of life is noctur-
nal. He is seldom met with in daytime in the for-
est; probably only when sought for and disturbed
in his lair by Dogs.
He does not visit the vicinity of villages before
the third hour of night. The Arabs aver that " he
roars thrice to apprise all animals of his coming and
warn them to keep out of his way." Unfortunately
this good opinion is based upon rather imaginary
premises, for whenever I heard the roar of the Lion,
I was always sure to learn that he had previously
slunk into the village and stolen an Ox or Cow.
Other writers also concur with me, that he often
comes "like a thief in the night." •
Yet the Arabs are not wholly wrong, but only put
a wrong construction on facts. I have never believed
the roar to be a warning, but have been led to think
that its purpose is to disturb the whole locality, thus
causing the other animals to flee, and perhaps in
their confusion to run right into the fangs of either
the roaring Lion himself, or a hunting companion of
his.
Lion's Attack I am fully persuaded that when a Lion
on a Cattle breaks into a roar near an enclosure in
Enclosure, which Cattle are guarded, his sole pur-
pose is to render them so mad with fear that they
will blindly try to break out. I will attempt to de-
scribe the Lion's attack upon such an enclosure.
At sunset the nomad has led his herd into the
seriba (camp), closed in by a fence about nine feet
high and three wide, woven out of the thorny
branches of the mimosa: the most secure wall that
he can build. The Sheep bleatingly call their young
ones; the Cows have been milked and are at rest.
A pack of Dogs mounts guard. Gradually all noises
die away and the peace of night descends on the
scene. The Women and Children have gone to
sleep, and the Men are returning from their work to
the huts. Bats come down from the trees and glide
over the camp like ghosts. Everything else is quiet
and in repose. Even the Dogs have ceased their
yelping, although still intent on their faithful watch
and keep.
Suddenly it seems as if the very earth quakes; a
Lion roars in closest proximity. He truly deserves
his name of " Essed," that is, "the causer of alarm,"
for the greatest confusion reigns in the seriba. The
Sheep run against the thorny fence as if insane; the
Goats bleat loudly; the Cattle gather together with
moans; the Camels try to break all fetters in their
mad longing for flight, and the courageous Dogs,
which have been victorious in many a fight with
Leopards and Hyenas, howl loudly and plaintively
and seek the protection of their masters. With one
gigantic leap the powerful animal clears the wall and
selects his prey. One blow with his fearful paw fells
a young Ox, whose neck the Lion breaks with its
huge jaws. With a low growl the robber lies on his
prey; his eyes glow and Ins tail lashes the air. He
go of the dying animal, and again closes his
teeth on it until it ceases to move. Then he beats
his retreat. He must go back over the wall, but
does not intend to leave his victim. All his strength
is taxed to take such a leap with the prey in his
mouth, but he succeeds. I have seen a Lion with a
two-year-old Ox clear a wall over six feet high. I
have also seen the deep impress the Ox left in the
sand, when the Lion dropped it on the other side,
previous to taking it up again. The Oxen in those
countries are not as heavy as ours. Often one sees
the furrow which the animal had made when being
dragged to the place at which he was devoured.
The Terrific The fact is well known that all animals
Roar which know the Lion will tremble at the
of the Lion, mere sound of his voice. Yet we must
not think that the Lion lets his roar re-echo through
the wilderness at all times. His usual sounds are a
long-drawn tone, like the mewing of a giant Cat, and
a deep growl. When frightened he utters a short
"huff" or " wau." His real roar is uttered compara-
tively seldom, and many people who have visited
countries inhabited by Lions have never heard it.
The roar is characteristic of the whole animal, and
may appropriately be called the expression of his
power. It is the only one of its kind, and is sur-
passed in fullness of tone by the voice of no living
creature except the male Hippopotamus, according
to Pechuel-Loesche. The Arabs have a pertinent
expression for it: "raad," meaning "thunder." It
seems to come from the very depth of the chest and
to strain it to the utmost.
The effect of the King's voice on his subjects
is indescribable. The howling Hyena is stricken
dumb, though not for long; the Leopard ceases to
grunt; the Monkeys utter a loud, gurgling sound and
mount to the highest tree-tops; the Antelopes rush
through the bushes in a mad flight; a bleating flock
becomes silent; the laden Camel trembles and list-
ens no longer to its driver's appeal, but throws load
and rider off and seeks salvation in flight; the Horse
rears, snorts and rushes back; the Dog unused to the
chase creeps up to his master with a wail.
The Lion The North African Lion, when within the
in Search reach of a village, seeks nowhere else for
of Prey. prev. He is an unpleasant visitor and
difficult to get rid of; the more so, as he is possessed
of a great deal of craft, Livingstone also says:
"When the Lion is too old to hunt, he frequents the
villages in search of Goats, and if a Woman or Child
crosses his path, he attacks it instead. The Lions
which attack human beings are always old ones, and
it is a common saying among the natives, when a
Lion has helped himself to a Goat in a village: 'His
teeth are used up; he will soon kill a human being.'"
In an attack on wild animals the Lion behaves
quite differently. He knows that they scent him
from afar and are fleet-footed enough to escape.
Therefore he lies in ambush for them or slinks up
to them, sometimes with others of his own kind,
keeping well to. leeward of his victims, and hunts
them not only at night, but even in broad daylight.
Still such day hunts are always the exception. Gen-
erally he awaits dusk at least before he sets out on
his prowlings. He follows wild herds as wrcll as the
herds of Cattle, and like other Felidae he likes to lie
in wait in such places as water-courses in open ground
where the animals of the wilderness come to drink.
According to Livingstone the Lion seizes his prey
usually in the neck, or in the flanks, where he is most
fond of beginning his meal. Selous corroborates the
statement that the Lion always begins devouring
his victim at the flanks and first cats the intestines
a
THE BARBAEY LION. Seeking their prey in the afternoon or evening the Lion and Lioness spend the daytime sleeping in their lair. In the
picture they are represented as roused from their slumbers by the arrows of secreted foes, one of which has grazed the skin of the Lioness, who is depicted in
the act of roaring. Both are bewildered as well as enraged, and will fall an easy victim to the shower of arrows and bullets that will follow. (Felis leo bar-
barus.)
(109)
110
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
and inner organs. He has also seen Lions take these
parts and cover them with earth, doubtless to keep
them till the following night and to protect them
from the Vultures which are sure to put in an ap-
pearance during the day. Concerning their mode
of attack he says: "In my experience Lions attack
animals in the most varied manner; I have seen a
Horse, a young Elephant and two Antelopes killed
by bites in the throat; but I have also seen a Horse
and several Zebras killed by bites in the nape of the
neck. I suppose that Buffaloes sometimes meet
their deaths through dislocation of the vertebrae of
the neck, the Lion jumping on the shoulder, taking
the nose with his paw and giving it a sudden turn.
I have seen and shot a great many Buffaloes which
had escaped the Lion in time to save their lives,
after being terribly lacerated about the shoulders
and neck.
The Lion prefers large game, but in default of it
he accepts rather small fry with good grace. It is
said that he even eats Locusts. The aim of his hunt
is the capture of large prey always, as he is most
frequently found where there is much game, or nu-
merous herds of Cattle. He finds his principal food
among flocks of domestic animals, wild Zebras, An-
telopes and wild Boars. Under certain circumstances
he even eats animals he finds dead. Selous says:
"The South African Lion is often a very dirty feeder
and frequently gorges himself with the huge bodies
of Elephants in a state of decomposition and crawl-
ing with worms in the tropic sun; night after night
he returns to the feast, until all is gone." Probably a
great many other animals help him, and rarely let the
opportunity slip of feasting at the King's table. The
cowardly, lazy Hyena and the whole genus of Dogs
proper think it very convenient to let others do the
killing for them; and as soon as the Lion has left
they eat their fill and more. The King does not tol-
erate them, and it is said that serious quarrels occur
over this matter.
Lions Attach Man is very seldom attacked by the
Men Lion, and his tall form seems to in-
but Seldom. spire the latter with fear. In Soudan
at least, where His Majesty is met with rather fre-
quently, scarcely any instances of Lions eating Men
are known. More frequently Man meets with an
untimely death in that country from attacks by
Crocodiles and even Hyenas than from Lions. In
South Africa the anecdotes about their attacking
.Men arc common, as they penetrate into camps, in
spite of fires, to carry away Cattle, or even human
beings sitting near the fire. Probably only semi-
starvation leads them to the camp fires, as it did that
strong Lioness with an empty stomach, of which
Sdous says that notwithstanding fires, guards and
shots, she thrice came into the camp and attacked
a Horse and two natives close to the fire. Each
time her murderous attempts were frustrated, and
finally she was killed. "A hungry Lion is like a
devil" is a saying in South Africa; and whether
old and debilitated or young and strong, by night
or by day, a famished Lion will attack Men, and if
such an experience teaches him what an easy prey
Man is, lie is sure to wish again for such convenient
game. Real " Man-eaters " can hardly be developed
there though) as most of the South African natives
art not the people to stand much from a Lion.
Selous' Nobody has described the South Afri-
Description can Lion in plainer and more perti-
of the Lion. m.,lt language than Selous: "It has
always appeared to me that the word 'majestic' is
singularly inapplicable to the Lion in the wild state,
as when seen by daylight he always has a stealthy,
furtive look that entirely docs away with the idea of
majesty. To look majestic a Lion should hold his
head high. This he seldom does. When walking he
holds it low, lower than the line of his back, and it is
only when he first becomes aware of the presence of
Man that he sometimes raises his head and takes a
look at the intruder, usually lowering it immediately,
and trotting away with a growl. When at bay, stand-
ing with open mouth and glaring eyes, holding his
head low between his shoulders, and keeping up a
continuous low growling, twitching his tail the while
from side to side, no animal can look more unpleas-
ant than a Lion; but there is then nothing majestic
or noble in his appearance. If the Lion throws his
tail twice or thrice vertically upward, it means 'look
out'; for this is the sign of an immediate .attack.
Lions met in the daytime nearly always retreat be-
fore Man, even when they are disturbed in their meal,
and, consequently, hungry. Of course, when they are
attacked or wounded they reciprocate. In my ex-
perience Lions are more aggressive than any other
South African game I have ever met. As they are
more easily concealed and more rapid and agile in
their attack than Elephants, Unicorns or Buffaloes,
I consider them much more dangerous. Still Lions
show as much individuality as Man, and it is not to be
supposed that what one does, the next one is also
sure to do. I think that nobody has a right to call
Lions cowards, because he has shot two or three
which happened to be such. There are more acci-
dents happening from encounters with Buffaloes, but
this is explained not by the fact that Buffaloes are
more dangerous, but because they are more fre-
quently met with. In the '70's one met fifty Buffa-
loes to a single Lion on a hunt."
The awe-inspiring presence of the Lion, his great
power and courage, have always been acknowledged
and admired. Though this enthusiasm may at times
have been exaggerated and may have resulted in
ascribing properties to the Lion which he does not
possess, still it is not without foundation. The most
prominent naturalists give the Lion credit for quali-
ties which in my opinion include nobility enough.
And whoever has become more closely acquainted
with that animal ; whoever has, like myself, inti-
mately known a captive Lion for years, must think
as I do ; he must love and esteem it as much as a
human being can love and esteem any animal.
The Lioness A Lioness gives birth to from one to
and six cubs at once, the number usually
Her Cubs, being two or three. The little Lion-cubs
have their eyes open at birth and are about half the
size of a Cat. The Lioness treats them usually with
great tenderness and one can hardly imagine a more
beautiful spectacle than the mother with her cubs.
They play together like Kittens, and the mother
regards them gravely, but yet with infinite pleasure.
They may be seen thus in captivity, as a Lioness
often gives birth to a litter when a captive. In well
managed zoological gardens Lions are now bred as
carefully and as systematically as Dogs ; and even in
circuses, where the animals have but little room and
often insufficient nourishment, Lions are born and
sometimes grow up.
Lion- cubs are at first rather clumsy. They learn
to walk in the second month of their life and their
play begins still later. At first they mew like Cats,
but later on their voice becomes fuller and stronger.
In their play they are at first awkward and clumsy,
THE CAT FAMILY— LION.
11]
but agility comes in time. Towards the close of the
first year they have attained the size of a strong Dog.
In the third year the mane begins to appear in the
male, but full growth and distinction of sex are only
completed in the sixth or seventh year. The age a
Lion attains is in proportion to the slow develop-
ment. There are cases on record where Lions have
lived to be seventy years old in captivity ; although
they lose much of their beauty and show signs of
decay rather early, in spite of the best of care.
He needs about eight pounds of fresh meat daily.
This will keep him in fine condition and he will
grow fat on it.
Experience I have taken care of a Lioness for
with a two years. She became accustomed
Tame Lioness. to the household in a very short time
and enjoyed the freedom of the whole yard. She
soon followed me about like a Dog, caressed me at
every opportunity and annoyed me only by coming
to my bed in the night and awakening me with her
THE SENEGAL LION. Although there are differences in the Lions found in various parts, they are so slight as to scarcely justify a
scientific division. The principal variance is in the mane of the male, which is largest and darkest in ihe Barbary Lion. In the Senegal Lion the
mane is lighter and only covers the head, neck and a part of the breast. The Lion in the picture, with his Lioness, have secured their prey and
are about to take their meal, but appear to have heard suspicious sounds, which they would like to know more about before commencing. (Felts
Uo senegalensis.)
The Lion Lions captured young may become very
in tame if they receive intelligent care. They
Captuity. know their keeper and become attached to
him in proportion to the attention he bestows on
them. One cannot imagine a more amiable creature
than a Lion tamed in this way, which has forgotten
his freedom, and I might say his Lionhood, and de-
votes himself to Man with his whole soul. With
good food a Lion will live in captivity for years.
caresses. A few weeks after her arrival she reigned
supreme in our yard. She teased and frightened all
the other animals in every imaginable way. The
only one that defied her successfully was a Marabou.
At their first meeting the bird went up to her and
gave her so thorough a lesson with its huge beak that
after a prolonged fight she had to give in. She
would often lie down like a Cat, and then jump on
one of us, like the Cat on a Mouse, her only intention
112
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
being to be playful. She was not treacherous, and
even when she was punished, would, after a few min-
utes, come and want to be friends again. In Cairo
she forgot herself twice ; once she caught a Lamb,
and another time a little Negro Boy. Fortunately, I
was near to rescue him, and she never thought of
resisting me. I walked in the street leading her with
a line, and on my passage from Cairo to Triest I
brought her on deck daily to the great pleasure of all
passengers. I left her in Berlin and did not see her
for two years. Then I visited her and she recognized
me instantly. I have no reason to doubt the many
similar stories we hear about captive Lions.
Great Damage Nobody will be astonished at the fact
Done " that the Africans seek to exterminate
by Lions. the Lion with all their might and
main. Yet, the dread of the Lion is not so great as
one might tl. ink. Even in regions where he lives he
is by no means met with daily. He is not forever
breaking into camps, but also seeks food in the wil-
derness. He makes himself actually useful to some
tribes by his hunting. The Bushmen owe him many
a juicy meal, and wherever a Lion has hunted they
search the country high and low, and often find the
remains of his meal, which are very welcome. They
sometimes go so far as to chase the Lion away from
his prey, so as to have more meat left for themselves.
North Africans also complain but little about the
Lion. They talk about his depredations, yet not
with rage at the loss of Cattle they have suffered
or expect to suffer, but take them as a dispensation of
Providence which has to be borne resignedly. Set-
tlers of European extraction set a different valuation
on property than the simple-minded Africans. Jules
Gerard has estimated that in the year 1855 about
thirty Lions which inhabited the province of Con-
stantine caused a damage of 135,000 marks. In the
years 1856 and 1857 the same writer tells us that sixty
Lions in Bona carried away ten thousand head of
Cattle of all sizes. In the centre of the continent the
damage is considerably slighter, as Cattle are bred
much more extensively than in the countries where
agriculture prevails.
Methods In the Atlas country the Lion is hunted
of Hunting in various ways. If he molests a Bed-
the Lon. ouin camp, the Men surround the bushes
in which he has hidden and try to drive him out by
screams and shots. When he finally appears, they
cripple him with so many bullets that he usually falls
down, though he sometimes mutilates or kills a few
of his pursuers before he dies. The Arabs some-
times dig a hole and then cover it well, leaving only
holes for shooting through, and then a freshly killed
Boar is thrown on it; or else they lie in ambush on
trees and shoot from these places of safety. In the
Atlas country Lions are also caught in pitfalls, which
are about ten yards deep and five yards wide. As
soon as the kingly animal falls into the pit, it is sur-
rounded by a crowd. Everybody screams at the top
of his voice, insults the Lion and throws stones at
it, until at last it is killed. When it is quite dead,
it is tied with ropes and hauled up with great diffi-
culty, for a full-^rown Lion may weigh as much as
four hundred pounds. Every boy cats a piece of the
In-art, tor this is supposed to make him courageous.
The hairs of the mane are worn as charms, as they
are believed 1<> protect their wearer from other Lions.
Ancient The Bible mentions the Lion in a great
Accounts of many places and the Hebrews have a
the Lion. number of names for him. The Greeks
and Romans give us lengthy reports of the kingly
animal, intermingling them with many fables. The
first fight with Lions was given by Scaevola, the
second by Sulla. He had one hundred Lions in the
arena, Pompey had six hundred and Julius Caesar at
least four hundred. Their capture was a difficult
feat, and mostly accomplished by means of pitfalls.
Under Claudius a shepherd found an easy method
of capturing Lions. He threw his coat over the
Lion's head, which so bewildered the animal that it
could easily be taken prisoner. This method was
afterwards repeatedly used in the circus. Marc An-
tony, after the battle of Pharsalia, drove through the
town with an actress in a chariot drawn by Lions.
Hanno, the great Carthagenian, was the first to drive
a tamed Lion. This was the cause of his exile, for
it gave rise to the belief that he who tamed a Lion
would surely attempt to reign over the people.
Adrian had often as many as one hundred Lions
killed at a single performance, and so had Marcus
Aurelius. In this way their numbers were so greatly
reduced that hunting them was prohibited in Africa,
in order that there might be sufficient for the circus.
Still the hour of extermination of this noble animal
did not begin until the invention of firearms.
LEOPARDS AND PANTHERS.
Since Aristotle and Pliny naturalists have had dif-
ferences of opinion about three Old World Felidae,
regarding them either as varieties of the same spe-
cies, or as three distinct species.
Distinguishing The Leopard {Felis pardits) has the
Features of following distinguishing features: his
the Leopard. total length is about six feet, of
which the tail takes two feet or more. The head is
large and round, the snout projects but little^ the
neck is very short; the limbs are of medium length
and the paws not very large. The ground color is a
pale reddish yellow, which is darker on the back but
merges into yellowish-white at the throat and breast
and on the inner surface of the limbs. In this ground
color are strewn small, black, full circular spots, vary-
ing in size from that of a pea to that of a walnut.
Some of them unite to form bands, others lie in
irregular patches, and some form rings, enclosing a
darker tawny area. The markings of the lower and
inner surfaces of the limbs consist either of plain or
double spots. The outside of the ear is gray-black,
with a large whitish spot at the tip; the eye has a
greenish-yellow iris and a round pupil. Neither sex
nor old age influences the markings very much; but
some individual specimens are darker or even quite
black. One kind has a lustrous brownish-black skin
whose spots show only in the sun. It is called Gesela
in Abyssinia and is much hunted for its skin.
Characteristics The Panther {Fclis panthera) is usu-
of the ally about seven feet long, including
Panther. tjie tail, which measures about three
feet. The head is of moderate size, the snout pro-
jects distinctly, the neck is short, the limbs are very
powerful in proportion to the body and the paws are
large. The ground color is a light, ochre yellow; on
the back it merges into a dark reddish yellow and
under the body and on the inner sides of the limbs it
fades into a yellowish white, like the Leopard's; but it
is much more vivid in tinge. The spots on the head
arc smaller and less numerous. Besides the head,
only the nape and sides of the neck, and the throat,
chest and the upper parts of the limbs show distinct
spots. In the other parts of the body several spots
are grouped around a lighter centre. These group-
ings are larger in size than those of the Leopard.
I
LIONS ATTACKING A BUFFALO. Here is a battle-royal between a South African Lion and Lioness and a Cape Buffalo. The latter is the
strongest and wildest animal of his species in Africa and his horns are large and powerful. A Lion will seldom attack a Buffalo unaided ; when one does the
Buffalo is as likely to be victor as the Lion. Usually two or more Lions unite to conquer this powerful beast. In the picture the Lioness, who has led the
attack, has been thrown to the ground and the Buffalo is about to use his horns to good effect when the male Lion springs on his back, making the contest so
uneven that the Buffalo is certain to be vanquished.
(ii3)
114
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
The Long- The Long-tailed Panther . {Felis varie-
Tailed gaia), inhabiting Sumatra and Java, is
Panther. believed to be an entirely distinct spe-
cies. He has a small oblong head, a long neck, a
tail the length of which equals that of the body,
and short, strong limbs endowed with powerful paws.
1 [is spots arc small and dark and are grouped very
closely together. Viewed obliquely the animal's fur
presents a lustrous, blue-black appearance. In real-
ity the ground color is a dark clay yellow, and the
spots are brownish yellow.
The The Black Panther {Felis melas) differs
Black from his kindred only in color; and ac-
Panther. cording to Rosenberg every inhabitant of
lava knows that he is found in the same litter with
the yellow animals. Sanderson believes them to
inhabit only thick, extensive forests, and not to be
found everywhere like their yellow kinsmen. Nearly
THE LEOPARD. This fierce but beautifully formed and marked feline animal is here depicted with great
accuracy. The large, rounded head, the stout limbs of medium length ending in a Cat-like paw, the fur with spots that
are small on the head, larger on the breast and limbs and very large on the sides and back, the muscular development,
and even the undulating, stealthy, yet rapid motion of the animal can all be accurately discerned. {Felis parti us.)
every zoological garden now has Black Leopards,
and in some they are systematically bred.
Leopards and Hunters, merchants, etc., readily dis-
Panthers criminate between the smaller, bulk-
one Family. jer Leopard and the larger, more
slenderly-built Panther, but in zoology they both
belong to one group. The Panther and Leopard arc
both /■'rfis pardus. In West Africa they arc called
"Ngo," in Persia " Palang," in India " Tschita,"
"Adnara," "Honiga" and " Kerkal," and on the
.Malay Peninsula they are termed " Harimau-bin-
The size, the shape of the head," the slender
or bulky frame, the length of the tail, the ground
color and spots ot the skin are subject to the great-
est variation. Some are yellow or reddish, others
light or dark brown; and black ones, whose spots
show only under a certain light, are known; and
even white'specimens have come to light. The dif-
ferent e in the size is probably due to the difference
. locality and food.
Traits of It is as customary to speak of the
Leopards and Panther and Leopard as it is to speak
Panthers. 0f the Panther or Leopard. We will
call the African animal, Leopard; the Asiatic, Pan-
ther. In their character and mode of life they agree
as much as is consistent with their varying strength
and size. The former is content with smaller game
and smaller domestic animals; the latter enters the
ranks against larger game and Cattle of all kinds,
as well as human beings. It comes next to the
Tiger in point of rapacity, and in India is often con-
sidered more dangerous. We will probably hear
similar reports from Africa when that continent has
been more thoroughly explored. There is no doubt
but that there the size and other features vary much.
The Felis pardus is distributed over the whole of
Africa and all southern Asia. In the west he pen-
etrates much farther north than the Tiger, but in
the east he is confined
much more closely to
the south. The Panther
extends from Persia,
Asia Minor and Arme-
nia to the Caucasus. In
southern Daghestan his
numbers are much re-
duced, yet he is still a
permanent feature
there. At the western
inclination of the Cau-
casus to the Black Sea,
he is said to range still
farther north, but it has
not been established
how far. In central Asia
the middle and lower
Oxus are his northern
boundaries. Blanford
says he is not found in
the Punjab nor in some
parts of Sinde.
These animals might
be called taciturn, for
their voices are not loud
and are seldom heard
In captivity they have
been heard to make
plaintive sounds, re-
minding one of a Cat's
cry. Sometimes one
hears a hoarse cry from
them in the wilderness, repeated three or four times.
Pechuel-Loesche represents it by the spelling "Hura-
ak." When frightened, or when attacking they utter
the same coughing sound, sometimes blended with
the indescribable growl of a ferocious Dog.
Symmetry of The Leopard or Panther is the most
Leopards beautiful of all the Cats. We look
and Panthers. Up0n the Lion as the King of Beasts.
The Tiger is considered the most dangerous of this
cruel family; the Ocelot's skin shows a greater vari-
ety of color; but they are all much inferior to the
Leopard in symmetry of bodily structure, in beauty
of coloring, in agility, vigor and gracefulness of
movement. He unites all the advantages which
other Cats possess singly. His velvet paw vies in
softness with our Pussy's, but hides a claw that com-
pares with the strongest. His teeth arc proportion-
ately much stronger than those of his kingly kins-
man. He is an ideal Beast of Prey, combining beauty
with agility and vigor, and intrepidity with cunning.
LEOPARDESS AND YOUNG. Here is shown a Leopardess in repose, enjoying the playful sport of her young ones, yet keeping watch
for anything that may endanger them, and at the same time for any luckless animal tnat may serve tor a convenient meal. The spots on the fur
are the main distinguishing feature of this animal, extending as they do from the round head and short neck to the tip of the long tail. The
youngsters are having a good time, a characteristic of all Kittens whether they belong to Pussy or a stately Leopardess. (Felis pardus.)
;:■■■,•
11G
THE BEASTS OF PREY
At a cursory glance we might deem the spotted
fur of the Leopard much too bright for a successful
life of rapine, in which the prey must be overpowered
by stealthy, unperceived movements. But even a
superficial consideration of the native country of
the animal dispels these ideas. Whoever has seen
his haunts personally, finds it only natural that so
brightly clothed an animal should disappear in their
vegetation and their rocks. These animals are found
in large numbers wherever there are extensive forests
with a dense growth of underbrush. They do not
like grassy plains, although they are frequently met
in other open places and in the plantations and fields
surrounding settlements. Mountains are a favorite
resort for them, for high elevations abound in game
and furnish excellent places of concealment.
The Leopard Notwithstanding his moderate size, the
a Terrible Leopard is a truly terrible foe to all an-
Foe- imals and even to human beings, though
he avoids Man as long as possible. He is a master
in all athletic accomplishments, and craftier than
other Beasts of Prey; so that he catches even the
most wary or the fleetest of game. He climbs a
pole or tree as well as any Cat, and is quite as often
found on trees as on the level ground. In case of
necessity he can swim streams of considerable width.
It is only in movement that he shows his full beauty.
He is so full of lithe, easy gracefulness that one can
not fail to enjoy watching him, however one may hate
him for his cruelty. Nothing denotes the slightest
effort in his soft, rounded movements; his feet tread
as gently as if they carried the lightest of bodies,
and the Leopard delights the eye to an extent
equaled only by one other much smaller beast of
prey — the Genette.
Unfortunately his intellectual gifts do not harmo-
nize with his external beauty; at least, not according
to our standard. The Leopard is crafty, ill-natured,
ferocious, vindictive and by no means cowardly. In
Africa he is, like the Jaguar in America, sometimes
called Tiger, for this name is thought to designate
the embodiment of cruelty, and no other Cat is as
worthy of the name as he. He kills all the creatures
he can, be they large or small, aggressive or defense-
less. His principal food is probably furnished by
Antelopes, Jackals, Sheep and Goats, but he also
climbs after Monkeys and catches birds of all kinds.
Anything in the animal world serves him for prey
although, according to Pechuel-Loesche's observa-
tion, he also devours the fruit of the oil-palm. The
Baboons always have him at their heels. He pre-
vents these animals from becoming too numerous, as
may be seen in the mountains where the Leopard
does not range, the Dog-headed Monkeys being
found there in much larger numbers than elsewhere.
1 1 e is said to cause fearful slaughter in herds guarded
by enclosures, and will kill a dozen or more Sheep in
a single night. That is why the herdsmen fear him
more than the other Carnivora, which stop with a
single victim. He is also an inveterate Chicken thief.
Exciting En- The Leopard gave me a personal proof
counter with a of his intrepidity. One day we were
Leopard. riding on horseback through a part of
t lie Bogos mountains. Suddenly we heard the bark-
ing of Baboons over our heads and decided to try
our guns on them. The servants were left in the
valley with the Mules, while we climbed the mount-
;im and, having selected a convenient spot, fired at
the Baboons. They were perched at a great eleva-
tion, and most of our shots failed to reach them.
Some of them did, though, and the victims either
fell or escaped wounded. A very old Baboon came
staggering down the mountain-wall, and we thought
we would surely find him dead in the valley.
Suddenly there was a terrible uproar among the
Monkeys and then sounds of tumult reached us from
the valley. All the male Baboons advanced to the
edge of their rocks, grunted, growled and roared,
and furiously beat the earth with their fists. All eyes
looked downward and a few of the strongest males
started to climb down. We thought they were going
to attack us and reloaded our guns with a little more
haste. The noise from below grew greater, our Dogs
barked, and at last we heard the words: "Help!
help! a Leopard!" We looked down and saw a Leop-
ard making straight for our servants. He seemed
occupied with something else on the way, but his
body concealed the object from our view. Then two
shots followed and all became quiet, except for the
barking of the Dogs.
Events had happened so quickly, that we did not
know what the matter could be. So we hurried down
at once, and found our servants staring at a bush in
every possible attitude. "There is the Leopard,"
they cried. Cautiously I approached the bush, but
could see no trace of the beast. Then one of them
pointed to a particular spot, and I saw a dead Leop-
ard lying close before me. About ten paces farther
off lay a dead Baboon.
Now we had an explanation of everything. In
mounting we had probably passed quite close to the
Leopard. Then we had fired about ten shots, whose
report had been re-echoed by the rocks. Upon this,
the Leopard had rushed on the wounded, descending
Monkey, in spite of the Men he had seen and heard,
undeterred by the loud reports of the guns which
had frightened all the other animals, and heedless of
the broad daylight. Sitting on the Baboon as on a
Horse, he rode down into the valley, nothing daunted
by the shouts of the servants. The cook said that
he then, being " frightened to death," had seized one
of my guns and shot at random, the bullet luckily
piercing the Leopard through the chest. Then he
had killed the Baboon without being quite clear why
he had done so. Investigation brought to light the
fact that the Leopard had put his claws into the
Monkey's face, tearing deep holes in it, while he had
in some places let his hind paws drag.
Destruction In villages and cities lying in the
Caused woods, the Leopard makes frequent
by Leopards, attacks upon dwellings. Before the
very eyes of people he seizes upon his prey and
drags it away, paying no attention to the shouts and
noises of the spectators. Every domestic animal is
food for him. He is fond of Dogs, too, though they
object strongly, and resist being carried away. In
many localities the natives are compelled to build
strong stables for their domestic animals, so as to
protect them during the night.
When the female Leopard thinks her cubs are in
danger, she rushes at her foes in a mad rage. There
are also instances on record, where Leopards have
attacked people without any reason. In Abyssinia
such things happen every year, especially to children.
In Western Africa they also become dangerous to the
inhabitants at times.
Government statistics in India show that in the
decade from 1876 to 1886, 2,368 people were killed
by Panthers, the number killed in a single year
ranging from 194 to 300. It does not say how many
of these accidents were caused by wounded or irri-
lar.ed beasts. Sanderson says that he knows of no-
THE BLACK PANTHER. This member of the Panther species differs from the others principally in the dark hue of its fur and the consequent
indistinctness of its spots. It is a restless hunter, killing not only mammals but also birds. The animal in the picture is represented in Us native Sumatra
jungle, ready to seize an aquatic bird which has become aware, too late, of its enemy's stealthy approach, (tchs melas.)
(u7)
118
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
instance where a Panther had developed into a sys-
tematic Man-eater, like Tigers do; but in some parts
of India this complaint is made in regard to these
animals. Blanford writes that they occasionally get
into the habit of eating Men, and then are more ter-
rible than Tigers with the same propensities.
Difficulties The hunting of Leopards is attended
of Leopard with greater difficulties than the hunt-
Hunting. jng 0f Tigers. They are much more
numerous than the latter, but they are harder to find,
for they are not so dependent on water or on partic-
ular localities; and they can hide themselves in a
THE LONG-TAILED PANTHER. The merest glance at this picture shows that the animal it represents is
aptly named. It is spotted differently from other Panthers, and its head is less round and the neck proportionately
longer. It is one of the boldest and fiercest of the animals infesting the forests of Sumatra and Java, and its strong
limbs and muscular development make it an assailant to be feared. {Felis variegata.)
marvelous way. All writers are agreed in ascribing
to them greater courage than the Tigers possess.
Sanderson relates the story of a Panther which,
hedged in by fences, jumped at the barriers, threw
them down, charged at a guard standing by, lacer-
ated his left arm, and was gone before anybody could
come to the rescue. 1 le was pursued and found hid-
den in a bush. Once more he was surrounded by
nets, but obstinately refused to leave the thicket, in
spite of the clubs and stones thrown at him. The
pursuers were too excited to wait patiently, and San-
derson, accompanied by a band of armed Men, en-
tered the enclosure and made for the thicket. We
know that the Tiger is afraid of such a compact
body o I Men; hut ihis Panther suddenly rushed out
of the bush, threw down and badly hurt with his
claws the third .Man to the left of Sanderson; the two
Men at his side and back fared equally badly, and
then the animal disappeared, without having been
touched by bullet or spear. Thus one Panther dis-
abled four of his pursuers in one day and himself
escaped unscathed.
Mother The breeding season of the Leopard falls
Leopard in the months preceding spring in the dif-
and Cubs. fcrent latitudes that he inhabits. Captive
females give birth to from three to five cubs at a lit-
ter. The little ones are blind for ten days after
birth, and are charming little animals, as well in
respect to their markings as in their conduct, and
they a're as playful as Kittens. In the wild state, the
mother hides them in caverns, under roots of large
trees, or in thick bushes. When they have attained
the size of a large Cat,
they accompany their
mother on her nightly
hunts, and owing to the
excellent training she
gives them, they are
soon able to cater for
themselves. A nursing
Leopard is a plague to
the whole neighborhood.
Her depredations are ac-
complished with the ut-
most boldness, yet with
still greater caution than
usual, and it is seldom
that one can catch either
the mother or cubs.
The Leopard During my
in stay in Af-
Captivity. rjca J kept
a male Leopard for a
long time, but I could
not make our mutual re-
lations friendly. When-
ever I approached the
cage he expressed his
dissatisfaction by grin-
ning, showing his teeth
and sometimes hissing.
Whenever I approached
an inch nearer than
usual, he would watch for
an unguarded moment
and try to give me a
blow with his paw. Like
all the other Beasts of
Prey which I kept, I had
him fastened to an extra
long chain, so I could
let him out of his cage once in a while. As soon as
he entered the yard, he began to act as if mad; he
jumped, stretched himself, hissed and looked wildly
around. The longer I made his chain the greater
was his rage. His eyes threatened danger and death
to all the rest of the animals. The Monkeys would
fly up the walls, pillars and poles, and utter their
gurgling sound of terror; the Goats would bleat,
the Ostriches would run to and fro like creatures
possessed, and the Lion would gaze with a growl at
this raving Orlando Furioso. With all his might
and main the Leopard would try to break his chain,
and I must confess that several times we were afraid
he would succeed. The most difficult task was to get
him back into his cage. He would not go of his
own accord, and we could not compel him to do so.
Threats were of no avail; when we showed him the
whip, he showed us his jaws; when we shouted at him,
he hissed back; when we attempted to approach him
he crouched down ready for a jump. We had to>
THE CAT FAMILY— OUNCE.
119
overcome his obstinacy without ill-treating him, for
he did nut belong to me, and I had to be careful with
him. I dared not even use my whip, made of the
hide of a Hippopotamus; it was sufficient to cow all
the other animals, but it was not long enough to
drive this one to the door of his cage. So I took a
that the animal is destined to live in colder regions
than the Leopard. He is indigenous to central Asia
as far as Siberia. A. Walter says: "He takes the
place of the Panther in the mountains of Turkestan,
and inhabits the Atlas and the South Siberian mount-
ains, southeastern Buchara, the Pamir, Cashmere
and the whole of Thibet."
In the Himalayas he feeds
on wild Sheep, wild Goats,
rodents and birds, and also
kills the smaller domestic
animals. He is said to at-
tack Horses, but has never
been known to attack
Man.
OTHER OLD WORLD
FELINES.
There are still a few
smaller Old World Felidae
which deserve to be men-
tioned in connection with
the preceding group.
The Viverrinc Cat ( Felts
viverrina) is of the same
size as the Wild Cat. It
has a gray ground color,
which may vary in inten-
sity, and is spotted with
black. It inhabits Past
India, southern China and
the Malay Peninsula, liv-
ing chiefly near rivers and
swamps and feeding upon fish. It is said, also, to
attack rather large mammals, like Dogs and Sheep.
The majority of these Cats behave badly in captiv-
ity and are very difficult to tame.
Still smaller is the Leopard-Cat (Fclis bengalensis),
whose size is that of our domestic Cat. It is spread
^sv-^'.v-' >...." Ask Ns .
THE OUNCE. The animal which is shown in this picture in an attitude characteristic of the stealthy move-
ments of the entire family, is especially distinguished from the Leopard and Panther by its thick coat which enables
it to live in cool and mountainous regions. The distinct markings of the spots, small on the head and larger and
ring-shaped on the body, are well brought out. It is sometimes called the Snow Leopard. {Felts uncia.)
new stable-brush and fastened it on a long pole; with
this he got his beating, but it did not have the desired
effect. Then I hit upon the plan of pouring water
over him, and as soon as a pail was emptied upon his
head or the hose was turned upon him he made for
his cage with all possible speed. Later on I only had
to show him the hose to
make him decamp.
The Romans frequently
used Leopards and Pan-
thers in their amphithea-
tres. The latter were then
plentiful in Asia Minor,
and Scaurus sent in one
hundred and fifty of the
spotted animals. Pompey
sent four hundred and ten
and Augustus four hun-
dred and twenty.
THE OUNCE. OR SNOW
LEOPARD.
A large-sized Cat of cen-
tral Asia, the Ounce, prob-
ably comes nearest the
Leopard. The Ounce, or
Snow Leopard {Fclis uncia),
attains nearly the same
, . ',' . ' , • THE LEOPARD CAT. Fierce, cruel and untamable, this Cat is a terror to small animals and birds in all
ground COlor Ot thC Skill parts of eastern Asia. It derives its name from the number and shape of its spots, although they are not so sharply
is whitish °Tay the hairs defined as those of the Leopard. It is noted for its agility in climbing, and the picture shows it in the appropriate
.. , • ,,s> i-i. n surroundings of its arboreal home. (Felts beiigalcnsis.)
tipped with light yellow;
the back, as usual in this class of felines, assumes a
darker tinge, the under part of the body a lighter
hue. The black spots are distinct; they are small
and full on the head, larger and ring-shaped on the
neck, and form large rings surrounding a dark cen-
ter on the body. The fur of the Ounce shows clearly
all over eastern Asia, and enjoys the reputation of
being a very agile climber and an intensely cruel and
ferocious animal. It is said to be tamable only in
rare instances.
We may regard the Serval (Fclis serval) as a con-
necting link between Cats and Lynxes. He is of
120
THE BEASTS OF PREY
slender build, and the head is adorned with large,
wide ears, which give it the appearance of being
remarkably high. The fur is of a light tan color
with black' bands on the back and spots on the sides.
It is a rather common Cat in South Africa, and is
also found in all grassy plains of the continent. Its
chief prey is smaller mammals, and especially poul-
try. When caught young it may be tamed by good
treatment, but adults usually retain their ferocity.
The fur is sold as "African Tiger-Cat," but does not
command a high price.
AMERICAN FELINE ANIMALS.
The next of kin to the Lion was formerly supposed
to be found among the New World Felidas, to which
we will now turn; but their slender body, shorter legs,
and small head devoid of beard and mane place the
**&m
THE SERVAL. — One of the vices of tins African Cat is that it preys upon birds and is an accomplished Chicken
thief. It is thi ipriately portrayed in the picture with a bird as its victim. The characteristics of this Cat, the
• r body, black sti ipi and spots on the light (tan-colored) fur, and especially the large, long ears, are all well shown in
the illustration, (/
uniformly colored New World Felidae on a much
lower plane than the Old World Cats. ,
THE COUGAR, OR PUMA.
The best known species of the uniformly colored
American Felidse is the Cougar, Silvery Lion or
Puma (Felts cancolor), commonly called "Panther"
in the United Mates, and having different local names,
anion- which are those of " Tiger," " Catamount" and
"Mountain Lion." His length is about Eorty inches,
the tail measures about twenty-live inches, and the
shoulder height is aboul twenty-five inches. Hie
dense, short, soft fur is more abundant under the body
than on the ba< k. The prevailing color is tan-brown,
darkest on the spine, whitish on the under parts.
i and below the eye there is usually a white
spot. The head is gray and the tip of the tail is
dark. There is no difference in color between male
or female, but the cubs are totally different from their
parents. The tint of adult Pumas also varies with the
localit} ; those in South America are lighter, being
nearly a silver-gray, while those confined to Mexico
and the United States are of a dark tan color.
Home and The Puma is very widely spread. He
Haunts of the is found not only all over South Amer-
Puma. jcai from Patagonia to New Granada,
but he extends over Mexico into the United States
and as far as Canada. In some localities the animal
is very common, in others it had already been nearly
exterminated in the last century, when Azara fur-
nished the first good description of it.
The haunts of the Puma depend upon the nature
of the country. In sections well wooded he decid-
edly prefers forests to
• • • /jQ^
plains; but his favorite
spots are edges of for-
est and plains grown
with very high grass,
though he apparently
visits these latter only
for hunting purposes;
at least, he always
makes for a forest
when pursued by Men.
Still he is constantly
found in the pampas
of Buenos Ay res,
where there are no for-
ests at all, and there
he hides very skill-
fully in the grass. He
seems to avoid banks
of streams and locali-
ties that are subject to
inundations. Like
many of his family he
has no particular den
or lair. He spends
the day sleeping on
trees, in bushes or in
the high grass; in the
evening and at night
he goes forth to hunt.
He sometimes covers
great distances in a
single night, and
sportsmen do not al-
ways find him near the
place where he struck
down his prey.
P2very movement of
the Puma is full of grace and vigor; he is said to
make leaps of eighteen feet and more. His sight is
keenest in the dusk and by night, though bright sun-
shine does not seem to dazzle him. His sense of
smell is deficient, and his hearing extremely acute.
He exhibits courage only in the direst necessity;
and as a rule he flees before Men and Dogs.
preu All smaller, weak mammals are. his prey,
of the Deer, Sheep, young Calves, and Colts when
Puma, separated from their mothers. Even the fleet-
to.. ted Monkeys have no immunity from his attacks,
for he holds sway in the trees as well as on the level
ground. Rengger once observed him hunting Monk-
eys. The flute-like tones of a few Capuchins had
attracted the naturalist's attention, and he seized his
gun to kill a few of them. Suddenly the whole troop
PUMA ATTACKING AN ANT BEAR. There is no more harmless creature than the Ant-Be n of South America, when let alone. But its fore-
feet are muscular and its claws are powerful and when a Puma attack? it they are used with such erfect that the fierce feline is often severely wounded,
although generally succeeding in making a meal of the Ant-Bear. The Puma is a very bloodthir«'t\ animal, and, whether hungry or not, usually attacks
every animal that comes in its way. The savage character of its onslaught is well portrayed in the pit ture. {Felis concolor.)
(121)
122
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
of Monkeys broke into a croaking cry and came
rushing in his direction. Dexterously the animals
swung from branch to branch, from tree to tree ex-
pressing, in plaintive cries, their great terror A
Puma was pursuing them, leaping from tree to tree
He slipped through the tortuous branches, wound
with creeping vines, with most incredible agilitv
making his way out on boughs until they bein with
his weight, and then jumping to another tree.
When the Puma has seized his victim, lie tears
open its neck, and laps its blood before he begins to
eat. He devours even- part of a small animal; but
larger ones he eats only in part, usually the head
neck and shoulders, and, according to Azara's obser-
vations, he covers up the remainder with straw or
sand. Frequently the slaughter of a single creature
THE CO CIGAR OR PDMA
eyes I he picture represent, a famUy renv e *dei tlv "Vhe ff T^T^l^ ^ Sp0tS above and b"™ **
the other wants .t. There will be trouble. (ftS^.) m the backe>^nd has captured a large bird and
-?«S»fr"i^«i^aei6iiSS
doe not content this sanguinary animal, and thus he
becomes a dangerous enemy to owners of flocks
He never carries his victim far from the ohc ar
vdnclHiekiHed.t H-are.y attacks amma^Sg
than Sheep; Horses, Mules and Cows arc secure
from his attacks, as well as Dogs; although he fre
quently prowls - lose to houses. k c"
Hunting Owing to Ins cruelty and the injury he
the does to the property of Man the Puma is
being energetically exterminated. There
U 00 great danger in hunting him if one is cautious
for even a wounded Puma is not much to be feared'
Among the many stories illustrating the character
of this annual, the following seems to me to be v< g :'■
good: An Englishman, hunting wild Ducks in the
pampas, was creeping along on the ground towards
some birds. He had wrapped his head and bod y£
a poncho so as to escape the notice of the birds.
Suddenly he heard a short, hoarse roar, and nearly
simultaneously something touched him. Quickly he
threw down his covering and to his great surprise^
beheld a Puma at arm's length. The8 animal Pwas
just .as much astonished as he. It gazed at the
sportsman for some moments, slowly retreated a few
steps stopped again, and then made its escape in
huge bounds. ^c In
The Puma Pumas captured old sometimes reject all
Cap'Lty. h°b°eianirefer StarVatl°" to the loss of
r * liberty, when very young cubs are can
tured they soon become thoroughly tamed Some
of them enjoy the liberty
of the whole house.
They look for their keep-
er, lick his hand, rub
against his feet and then
lie down near him.
When petted, they purr
like Cats. Probably they
also do this when they
feel particularly comfort-
able. When displeased
they growl, but a roar
has never been heard
from them.
Two tame Pumas that I
took care of always
greeted their friends with
a shrill whistle, the like
of which I never heard
from any other Cat.
There is one draw back to
a tame Puma; when he
has great affection for
his master and likes to
play with him, he hides
at his approach and then
jumps on him unexpect-
edly, as tame Lions are
also wont to do. One
may easily imagine how-
uncomfortable such an
ill-timed caress may be-
come.
The skin of the Puma
is only used in the north-
ern parts of America. In
some localities his flesh
is eaten and is said to be
very palatable, being
similar in taste to that of
the Calf.
THE YAGUARUNDI.
Description Nearest to the Puma stands the Vag.
Yagtarundi ^T* {Fc/'f W™"*), a slendlr
raguarund,. creature nearly resembling a Marten io-
his long body and tail. The head is small the eve
moderately large, the cars rounded, the fur short
dense and of blackish gray-brown color; each hair
is of a gray-black hue at its root, then black and the
tip is brown. The female is alwavs lighter in tinge
1 he size ,s much smaller than that of the Puma for
the body is only twenty-two inches long; the lcneth
of the tail is nearly thirteen inches and the shoulder
Height fourteen inches.
THE JAGUAR. The most dreaded denizen of the forests of the New World is the Jaguar. It attacks mammals and birds, from the largest to the
smallest ; devours Turtles, and will lie on a tree branch on the bank of a running stream, watching for big nsh which it frequently succeeds in catching in the
manner portrayed in the picture. It is stated as a singular fact that the Jaguar never attacks the Electrical Eel that abounds in South American waters,
seeming to know that its only reward would be a shock. (Felis onza.)
(123)
124
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
The Yaguarundi inhabits South America, between
Paraguay and Panama, and 0. Stoll has also found
him in southern Guatemala under the name of Gato
del Monte.
Usually the Yaguarundi lives in pairs in a given
strip of land, and undertakes short journeys from
these headquarters. Not infrequently he shares his
hunting grounds with other couples, contrary to
the habits of Felidae in general. Rengger's Dogs
once found six Yaguarundis in one hedge. He does
not attack Men, and hunting him is not fraught
with any danger. He scarcely ever defends himself
against Dogs and is also caught in traps.
Rengger kept several Yaguarundis that were capt-
ured young. They were as tame as the gentlest of
domestic Pussies, but their Poultry-stealing propen-
sities were such that he could not allow them the
freedom of the premises.
THE JAGUAR.
The Jaguar (Fclis onza) is the largest, strongest
and most ill-famed of all New World Felidae. Every
traveler has had some new tale to tell about him,
although it seems that old accounts exaggerated his
ferocity. It is easily explained that many stories
were believed to be true that were only founded on
current gossip, for the animal was but little known.
The Jaguar shows more vigor than agility in his
frame, and his appearance is a little clumsy. The
body is not as long as that of the Leopard or Tiger,
and the limbs are proportionately shorter than theirs.
According to Rengger's statement a full-grown Jag-
uar measures fifty-eight inches from the tip of his
snout to the root of his tail, and the length of the
latter is twenty-seven inches. A. von Humboldt saw
several specimens which were as large as the Royal
Tiger. The average shoulder height is thirty-two
inches. The fur is short, thick, lustrous and soft, and
longer at the throat, on the breast and on the under
part than on the rest of the body. The ground color
as well as the spots arc subject to great variations.
The majority have a tan colored body, except that the
inner side of the ears, the jaws, the throat, the under
part of the body and the inner side of the legs are
white. The fur is marked all' over, either with small
black, circular, oblong, or irregularly shaped spots,
or with larger spots and rings edged around with
black or tan color, and having one or two black points
in the middle. On the inner side of the legs the
spots sometimes unite to form bands, and the end
portion of the tail shows two or three full rings. All
varieties show a black spot at the corners of the
mouth. On the spine the spots merge into an irreg-
ular stripe, which divides in two on the buttocks.
More exact particulars can hardly be given, as no
two or three skins are marked exactly alike. The
female shows a paler tint than the male, and her
spots are smaller and more dense. Black Jaguars
are not a very great rarity. Their skins are so dark
that the spots arc hardly distinguishable.
The variety in size, ground color and markings
must be considerable, and rather uniform in essen-
tials, as many naturalists recognize several distinct
ics.
Home and The name of "Jaguar" is taken from
Haunts of the the Guaran language, in which "Jaguar-
"""■ ette" signifies "body of a Dog." The
Spaniards call the animal "Tigre," the Portuguese
"Onca." The Jaguar extends from Buenos Ayres
and Paraguay all through South America to Mexico
and the southwestern pari of the United state-,.
Probably he is most common in the temperate re-
gions of South America, and least frequently found
in the United States, where the encroachments of
civilization have driven him farther and farther into
retirement. He inhabits the wooded banks of
streams, edges of marshy woods and marshes grown
with grass and reeds over six feet high. He is sel-
dom seen in a field or in the center of large woods,
and then only when he transfers his abode from one
locality to another. Where dawn surprises him he
lies down and spends the day.
The Jaguar In the morning dawn, or evening dusk,
Searching or in broad moonlight, the Jaguar sets
for Prey. forth on his travels, but never by day-
light, nor during very dark nights. All of the larger
kinds of vertebrates that he can get hold of he
preys upon. He is a formidable enemy in every
respect. His gait appears clumsy, but he moves
with the greatest ease and agility when circumstances
require it. His strength is exceedingly great for an
animal of his size, and may safely be compared to
that of the Lion and the Tiger. The senses arc
acute and are of uniform development, except that
the smelling faculty is rather deficient, as is the case
with all Felidaj ; and he seems perfectly endowed
for a life of rapine. He is not fastidious in his feed-
ing. Azara found bristles of a Porcupine and Reng-
ger found parts of Rats in stomachs of Jaguars, so
that they evidently prey upon the smaller as well
as the larger animals. The Jaguar lurks for birds
in the reeds, and very skillfully catches fish in the
water. A. von Humboldt says : "The Jaguar is the
most formidable foe of the Arrau-turtlc, and follows
it to the place where it deposits its eggs on the
beach. In order to devour it more easily he turns
it over on its back. The Turtle is thus rendered
helpless, as it cannot regain its feet unassisted, and
as the Jaguar turns over many more Turtles than he
can eat in one night the Indians often profit by his
industry. One cannot too much admire the dexter-
ity of the Jaguar's paw, with which he empties the
Turtle's shell, penetrating the double coat of mail
with as much adroitness as if the tendons had been
cut by a surgical instrument."
"An experienced sportsman," says Rengger, "can
often observe the Jaguar, especially along water-
courses where he may be seen creeping up to the
bank in search of Otters. From time to time he
stops and looks attentively around ; but I never saw
him follow the spoor of game guided by his scent,
his nose on the ground. The patience and circum-
spection with which he approaches a victim are
incredible. His movements are sinuous, like those
of a Snake, and he often keeps quite still for a few
minutes, or makes wide circuits to approach his prey
from another and more advantageous side. When
he succeeds in approaching near enough, he jumps
on his victim with one, or sometimes two bounds,
fells it to the ground, lacerates its neck, and carries
the agonized animal into the thicket."
The Jaguar makes great ravages among herds
and flocks. He especially preys upon young Cattle,
Horses and Mules.
Methods He catches his prey as well in the
of the Jaguar's water as on terra firma, but he does
Attach. not attack animals on trees, although
he climbs very well when pursued. A great many
stories have been set afloat about the way he catches
fish. Rengger gives us the following report : " 1 was
returning in my canoe from a Duck hunt one sul-
try summer evening, when my Indian companion
JAGUAR ATTACKING A TAPIR. — Here is a graphic scene in the South American forest. From a convenient ambush the Jaguar springs out
upon a Tapir, which has been enjoying herself with her young on the river bank. Frequently when a Jaguar jumps on the back of a Tapir the attacked r.ni-
mal runs into a thicket with its bloodthirsty assailant, whose hold on the tough, thick hide is weak, and thus the Jaguar is olten thrown off. In the case pre-
sented in the illustration the Tapir can dive with its young, and thus escape the Jaguar, which, like all other Cats, can do little damage in the water.
(125)
126
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
perceived a Jaguar on the bank of the river. We
approached him and hid ourselves so as to observe
what he was about. He had crouched down on a
little projection of the bank, where the current was
swift, and where a kind of fish called "Dorado"
was likely to be found. He did not take his eye off
the water, but sometimes bent forward a little, as if
he wanted to pry into the very depths of the water.
In about a quarter of an hour I saw him strike at
something with his paw, and then he threw a fish on
the ground. It will be seen, therefore, that he fishes
exactly like our domestic Cat.
When the Jaguar has killed a small animal he eats
it immediately, including the skin and bones ; but of
large prey, like Horses and Cows, he eats only a
part, without showing special partiality for any par-
ticular piece ; but he leaves the entrails of these ani-
mals untouched. After the meal he retires into the
forest, usually not over a mile from the place where
he has eaten, and goes to sleep. In the evening, or
on the following morning, he returns to his prey,
makes another meal from it and leaves the remainder
to Vultures.
It is Rengger's opinion that a Jaguar never eats
more than twice of an animal he has killed, and never
touches the carcasses of animals that are dead when
he finds them. He never kills more than one animal
at a single onslaught, and in this he distinguishes
himself greatly to his advantage, as compared with
other large Felidas.
Jaguars not A Jaguar which has not yet made
Usually Danger- the acquaintance of Man, avoids him
ous to Man. respectfully, and regards him curi-
ously at a distance. There is no instance on record
of a Jaguar having killed a Man in a forest. Only
those Jaguars living in populated districts, or near
rivers on which there is much navigation, lose their
fear of Man and attack him. Traditional stories are
current that Jaguars have been known to enter boats
tied to the bank at night and carry away meat or
Dogs, and even kill sailors ; but as a general thing it
is only imprudent people who lose their lives from
attacks of Jaguars, and cautious ones find it not diffi-
cult to save themselves from these animals. It is
a noticeable fact that the Jaguar differs from some
of the other large feline animals in having no fear
whatever of fire.
Sounds Made The much talked of "roar" of the
by the Jaguar cannot be a very impressive
Jaguar. sound. Former travelers have either
selected the word too carelessly, or else they have
mistaken the noises made by other animals for his.
The unrecognized sounds of a strange and unknown
environment also may have impressed them in too
high a measure. Modern travelers know nothing
about this roar. Like the Panther and Tiger, the
Jaguar is a silent animal ; it is not often that he
growls, grunts, howls, or utters a cry that would ap-
propriately befit a Cat of his size.
Habits and Tlie Jaguar remains in one locality
Wanderings of as long as there is anything left for
the Jaguar. \mn to prey lmon an(j jle js not an_
noyed too much. When food becomes scarce, or
pursuit waxes hot, he leaves the neighborhood and
emigrates to other haunts. His journey is made dur-
ing the night. He goes through the most densely
populated localities and swims across the widest
rivers in his migration, daunted by nothing.
Rengger writes : " The yearly swelling of streams
and rivers drives the Jaguars away from the islands
and wooded shores, and causes them to come nearer
settlements ; as a consequence they do more mis-
chief during this season. If the inundation is great,
one may not infrequently see a Jaguar in a town or
a village situated on the high bank of a river. His
appearance is not always attended by damage, for
the barking of the Dogs and thronging of people
bewilder the animal so much that he looks about for
a place of concealment. The wounds inflicted by a
Jaguar are always dangerous, not only because of
their depth, but also because of their character.
Neither his teeth nor his claws are very sharp or
pointed, and so every wound combines bruising with
laceration."
The Female During the greater part of the year the
Jaguar and Jaguar, as Rengger's observations show,
her Cubs, lives alone, and only in the months of
August and September do the two sexes seek each
other's companionship. A litter of young Jaguars
consists of two or sometimes three cubs, the mother
selecting the most impenetrable thicket of the forest
or a pit under a half uprooted tree for a den for her-
self and children. During the first days the mother
does not leave her young ones, unless it be for a
very short time, and when she believes them to be in
danger she carries them in her mouth into another
den. Her motherly love is said to be very great ;
she defends the young ones with a kind of frenzy,
and if one of them be killed or captured she pursues
their assailant for hours.
Young Jaguars are often brought up in households.
For this purpose they must be captured while they
still live on their mother's milk, for otherwise it is
too late to tame them. Thev olav with Cats and
Dogs and show a particular fondness for wooden
balls. Their movements are easy and lively. They
know their keeper perfectly and after a separation
show pleasure in seeing him again. As soon as they
become conscious of their power, which is about the
third year, they do not fail to use their strength to
the great inconvenience of their owner. It is use-
less to file off their canine and incisor teeth to the
roots and to cut their fangs from time to time, for
they are so strong that they can do a great deal of
mischief without these weapons. While they are
young they can be kept in check by blows, but later
it is very difficult to master them. Generosity and
gratitude are emotions unknown to the Jaguar ; he
shows no permanent attachment for his keeper, nor
for any animal that has been brought up with him,
and therefore there is great risk in keeping him out-
side of a cage after he is a year old.
Methods The Jaguar is constantly pursued
of Hunting the and hunted in all possible ways be-
Jaguar. cause of his harmfulness. In South
America the Indians use arrows poisoned with the
deadly Urari. Besides this method there is a- much
bolder proceeding: the sportsman wraps his left arm
in a sheep-skin and procures a two-edged knife,
about two feet long. Accompanied by two or three
Dogs he then sets out in search of the Jaguar,
which, when found, attacks the Dogs. Then the
sportsman approaches and excites him by words or
gestures. The animal makes for the Man with wide-
open mouth, approaching on his hind legs like a
Bear. The hunter presents his protected arm to the
claws of the Jaguar, and, bending a little to the
right, thrusts the knife into his left side.
The natives of Paraguay attack the Jaguar on
horseback, using a lasso ; they throw it around his
neck and then gallop away dragging him behind
them and sometimes strangling him with the aid of
OCELOT AND SLOTH. In the South American forests there is no more harmless animal than the Sloth, and none is fiercer than the Ocelot. The
Sloth derives its name from its slow, crawling movements when on the ground, due to the shape of its toes, but it seldom leaves the trees, where it can move
about with considerable rapidity. But it is no match for the agile, cruel, bloodthirsty Ocelot, to which it falls an easy prey when, as here shown, it is discov-
ered by the latter in its prowlings through the swampy forests which are favorite haunts with both of these animals.
f«7)
128
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
a second lasso, which is pulled in the opposite di-
rection. Sometimes he is caught in pitfalls or killed
with spring guns put near his prey.
The fur of the Jaguar is of slight value and is
seldom used in any way except as a rug. Von der
Steinen. who has tried Jaguar flesh, says that the first
animal was tough, but the second " tasted like roast
pork. The cutlets would have been excellent cooked
with red cabbage." Certain parts of the Jaguar's
body are used as medicines.
THE OCELOT.
The Ocelot (Felts pardalis) is a smaller American
Cat. His length is about four feet, of which the tail
takes up about one foot and a half, and his height
at the shoulder is about twenty inches. The body
is proportionately strong, the head rather large, the
tapering tail moderately long, the ears short, broad
and rounded, the pupil of oblong, ovoid shape ; the
fur is thick, soft, lustrous and marked with bright,
well-harmonized colors. The general color is tawny
good as moonlight to him, in fact, he prefers those
that are stormy, as he can then slink into farmyards
unperccived and work destruction at his own will.
In dark nights the farmer has need to lock his poul-
try yard with extra care, for if the Ocelot succeeds
in entering lie will work fearful havoc. In the woods
his sustenance consists of birds, small mammals,
young Roes, Pigs, Monkeys, Rats, Mice, etc.
Ocelots live in couples within a circumscribed
territory. When the sportsman has seen one he
may look for the other in close proximity, but more
than two are never found in one locality. Male
and female do not go out for prey together, nor do
they help each other in the hunt or in an attack.
The Ocelot does comparatively little mischief to
Man ; he is too much afraid of Man and of his
Uogs to approach human dwellings. Only houses
that are very near woods receive an occasional visit
from this animal, and even then he has designs only
on the poultry ; he usually carries away about two
Chickens and eats them in the nearest bush. If his
first raid is successful,
he is likely to repeat
it for several succeed-
ing nights, until he is
captured or the pursuit
becomes too hot for
him. In Paraguay he
is hunted with Dogs or
caught in traps. He is
very shy and wary, and
on moonlight nights he
generally manages to
see the hunter and
make good his escape
before he himself is
mg^m
THE PAMPAS CAT. — -This Cat is noted as having more clearly defined stripes than any other feline animal,
and these markings are accurately shown in the picture, which portrays the animal in its native home amid the cacti and
long grass of the South American plains. (Fclis fiajcros.")
or grayish brown above and yellowish white below.
A black stripe runs from the eyes to the ears. The
body shews bands and spots of black, and the tail
is ringed with black. The markings may vary greatly
in the different specimens.
The Ocelot is widely distributed. He is found in
the southern parts of North America and in South
America south to Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. He
lives more in the deep, virgin forests than in the
vicinity of settlements, although he may also be met
with there. He is never found in the open country,
but only in the woods, in rocky or marshy situa-
tions. II >1 seem to have a permanent den.
How the Ocelot During the day he sleeps in the most
Liues impenetrable part of the forest; at
and Hunts. dusk, and particularly at night, he
goes forth to prey. Dark or stormy nights are as
seen.
The Ways Young Oce-
of Tame lots are often
Ocelots, caught and
tamed, and are interest-
ing animals when in
captivity. They will
play with a little piece
of paper, an orange or
other trifle like young
Kittens. They soon
come to know their
keeper, will lick his
hands, lie down at his
feet and climb upon
him. They are very
susceptible to caresses
and purr whenever they
are petted, and never snow a treacherous disposition.
Captive Ocelots will live on very good terms with
Dogs and Cats, but cannot overcome their Chicken-
stealing propensities. Forgetful of all former casti-
gations, they will spring at a Hen at every opportu-
nity and then nothing can keep them from killing
the fowl. For this reason they are usually kept in a
cage or chained up.
THE PAMPAS CAT.
The Pampas Cat {Fclis pajcros) possesses more
distinct stripes in the markings of its fur than any
other member of the Cat family. Its ground color
is a beautiful silvery gray, traversed by paler or
darker russet stripes. Kach hair is gray at its root,
and then yellow, tipped with silver-gray, or in the
stripes with a russet yellow. Along the spine black
THE CA T FAMIL Y—MARGUA Y.
129
and dark red hair is mixed, and the tail shows from
tour to six dark rings near the tip. Though the
colors of the Pampas Cat are rather dull, the dis-
position of its markings makes it one of the pretti-
est members of the Cat tribe. Large Tom-Cats of
this species may attain a length of from forty-eight
to fifty inches, of which twelve belong to the tail.
THE LONG-TAILED TIGER CAT
The Long-tailed Tiger Cat {Felis macnira) seems
to be more common than the two preceding species
in the Brazilian forests. Its dimensions are about
the same as those of a large domestic Cat, but its
paws are much stronger. Its length is forty inches,
inclusive of the tail, which measures twelve or thir-
teen inches; and its
height at the shoulder is
about twelve inches. Its
distinguishing features
are a small head, large
eyes, lancet-shaped ears
and curved, whitish claws.
Its general color is tan-
brown on the upper part,
w h i t e below, and the
whole body shows longi-
tudinal rows of dark
spots, some of which as-
sume a ring-like shape
around a lighter center.
A slender body and
beautiful fur make this
animal one of the most
attractive of. the whole
Cat family. It inhabits
nearly all the great for-
ests of Brazil. The Bra-
zilians call it the Spotted
Wild Cat, and often kill
it for the sake of its
beautiful fur. It climbs
very well, and likes to
clamber up creeping
vines and search the trees for birds' nests ; it also
catches and devours all kinds of small animals. It
is a dangerous foe to both wild and domestic Chick-
ens and often invades farmyards to steal poultry.
It has its lair in hollow trees, rocky holes or caverns.
THE LYNXES.
THE MAEGUAY. OE TIGEE CAT. This South American feline is rather smaller than the domestic Cat,
and has a soft and beautiful tan-colored fur, prettily striped and spotted, and a tail that is thickest at the end. It is
an arboreal animal, partial to birds as well as rodents and other small mammals. The Cat in the picture seems to
have a bird in view. (Fehs tigrina.)
The Pampas Cat, as its name denotes, is indig-
enous to the pampas or plains of South America,
extending through Patagonia as far as the Straits
.of Magellan, being especially abundant on the banks
of the Rio Negro.
THE MARGUAY.
Two other American species are the Marguay and Nearly all naturalists agree in assigning the Lynx
the Long-tailed Tiger Cat. The Marguay is called {Lynx) a place of its own among the Cats. The
Tiger-cat {Felis tigrtrds) by nat-
uralists and in commerce; and
barely attains the size of our
domestic Cat. Its body length
is twenty inches, its tail length
twelve. Its beautiful, soft. Cat-
like fur has a pale, tawny color
on the upper portion of the
body, and is white with dark
spots below. The ears are
black interspersed with white
spots. The tail is bushier at
the tip than at its root.
This Cat resembles the Oce-
lot in its mode of life in all re-
spects. When taken young it
becomes a very docile and
affectionate animal. Waterson
brought up a young Marguay
in Guiana with great care. It
soon formed a strong attachment for him and fol-
lowed him about like a Dog. The house was over-
run with Rats and Mice, which had eaten holes in
thirty-two doors. The Marguay waged an incessant
war against them and in a short time it freed the
house from these destructive rodents, and thereby
especially endeared itself to its owner.
THE LONG-TAILED TIGEE CAT. This slender Brazilian feline, which is about the same size
but proportionately longer than the house Cat, has a beautiful fur with almost straight rows of spots length-
wise of its body, vis shown in the picture. The smallness of the head and the pointed ears are also distin-
features. (Felis minrura.)
Lynxes are distinguished by a moderately sized
head endowed with tufted ears, and most species
also possess well-developed whiskers. The body is
slender but strong, the legs are long and the tail in
most species is stump}-.
All continents except Catless Australia are well
stocked with Lynxes, Europe itself has two distinct
130
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
species of its own. They preferably inhabit dense
forests, in which they select the most inaccessible
places, but they are also found in plains and deserts
and even in districts well settled by Man. They
may all be regarded as highly-developed Cats; and
they are destructive and dangerous to both wild
game and domestic animals.
The The Common Lynx {Lynx vulgaris) ranks
Common first among this group, by virtue of his
Lynx. beauty and strength. The museum of
Christiania has revealed to me the dimensions a
Lynx may attain; those shown in German collec-
tions usually are but of moderate size. A fully
grown Lynx is at the least as large as the Leopards
we usually see in zoological gardens; only he is a
little shorter of body and has longer legs. His
length is from three and one-half to four feet; the
tail from six to eight inches and his shoulder height
is thirty inches. A male Lynx may weigh sixty,
aye, even ninety pounds, as I was told in Norway.
The animal has an exceedingly strong frame and
powerful paws, reminding one of the Tiger and Lion,
and reveals his great strength at the first glance.
The ears are rather long and pointed, and end in a
thick tuft of stiff black hair, about an inch and a
half long. The thick upper lip is provided with
several rows of stiff, long whisker-hairs. The body
is clothed in a thick, soft fur, which is elongated in
the face into a beard, hanging down in points from
both cheeks, and in connection with the ear-tufts,
giving the Lynx face a rather peculiar appearance.
The color of the fur isi reddish gray above, spotted
with reddish brown on the head, neck, back and
sides, while the under part of the body, the inner
sides of the limbs, the throat, lips and rings around
the eyes are white. The tail is covered with hair of
uniform length, and has a wide black tip, which oc
cupies nearly half of its entire length; the other half
of the tail shows indistinct rings. In summer the
fur is short and reddish, in winter the hair is longer
and grayish white. The coloring may vary much in
different animals. The females, as a rule, are redder
than the males and their spots are more indistinct.
The young ones are almost white.
The Lynx was known to the Ancients, but was
exhibited much mOre rarely in Rome than the Lion
and Leopard, because even then he was so much
more difficult to take alive. The one that Pompey
exhibited had been imported from Gaul. His life in
the wild state was shrouded in a mystery which left
room for many fables,
Range and Haunts In the middle ages he was a per-
of the inanent occupant of German for-
Common Lynx. csts anc| was universally detested
and pursued. His numbers have been steadily re-
duced since and he may now be considered extermi-
d in Germany proper.
The present eastern range of this Beast of Prey
begins east of the Carpathians. He is found in Rus-
sia and Scandinavia, and all the mountainous and
wooded parts of eastern Siberia, and his southern
Asiatic limit is Turkestan and the Himalayas.
An essential requirement of his existence is a
dense forest abounding in inaccessible thickets and
game of all kinds. In sparsely wooded sections the
Lynx shows himself only in exceptional cases ; for-
esl fires may, lor instance, compel him to shift his
quarters, and he will sometimes search an almost
treeless locality for Hares. It may happen that a fire
will drive him as far as the orchards of a village.
Unlike the Wolf, the Lynx remains for some time in
one locality, searches it in all directions, often trsv
ing miles in one night and using highroads for thi
purpose, generally returning to his old quarters.
Traits and Habits The Lynx is inferior to none of
of the the other Cats in physical and
Common Lynx. mental endowments. He is ca-
pable of great endurance in walking, can leap an
astonishing distance, climbs fairly well, and seems
to be a good swimmer Of his senses his hearing is
probably the most efficient, and he therefore has a
full right to the ornamental ear-tuft. His eyesight
is probably very keen, although modern observers
have given us no proofs in corroboration of the old
stories about the Lynx's eye
Former writers have compared the sounds he
makes to the barking of a Dog, but this is by no
means a correct comparison. His cry is a sound
beginning high on the scale and ending low, resem-
bling more the roar of a bear.
According to Noleken, the Lynx is an entirely
nocturnal animal. He hides at the dawn of day
and then, if undisturbed, lies still till evening :
something the Wolf never does. He selects for his
lair a thicket, a cavern, and sometimes holes made
by Foxes and Badgers. His choice unfailingly falls
on the very densest thicket that is available, like that
formed by young fir trees, and then he cares very
little whether the environs are much frequented or
not.
As the shades of evening fall he becomes active.
During the day he seems as rigid as a statue, but at
night he sets out, and during the first part of his
journey he makes frequent pauses, like those made
by a Cat previous to entering an enclosure that
appears to threaten danger. Only a very inexperi-
enced person could mistake the spoor of the Lynx
for that of any other animal. The imprint is very
deep, owing to the strength of the paw, which ex-
ceeds that of a large Wolf; and it is very round in
shape, and, as the claws are hidden, is blunt in
front. The pace is short compared with the size
of the imprints made, and the spoor takes a form
something like that of a row of pearls, and every
person who has once seen it is sure to recognize
it again.
The peculiar structure of the Lynx invests all of
his movements with a certain degree of clumsiness.
His step seems heavy ; but if he lacks the graceful-
ness of his feline kindred, he possesses their agility
in full measure, and surpasses them in rapidity of
movement and endurance. The best illustration of
his capabilities in these respects is furnished by a
view of the ground where he has attacked his prey
in freshly fallen snow.
The Common Apparently the Lynx regards as his
Lynx rightful prey every animal that he may
and His Prey. ue able to subdue. There is hardly a
living creature, from the smallest mammal or bird
up to the Roe, which is secure from him; although
it is probable that only the very strong Lynxes will
venture to attack large Deer. The Lynx decidedly
prefers large to small game and seldom condescends
to catch Mice.
In the north the Lynx does comparatively little
mischief; but in countries of temperate climate he
makes himself equally detested by the flock-owner
and the sportsman, as he not only kills much more
than he needs for his sustenance, but often only laps
the blood of his victim, eating the choicest portions
and leaving the remainder to Wolves and Foxes.
In these milder climates he seldom returns to feast
-g2*S&£>y ^^S^iSSKSsmi^^^^^^^^SS^^aS^S^SaSm^7'. estless hunter and a relentless foe of all small
P1cture the artful animal has invaded the ^^^^^S^L impotent rage of the bereaved mother below. iLynx ■ ulgaru )
where, with its prey in its mouth it views, without apparent compunction.
(131)
132
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
a second time on his prey, but in the north, where
game is scarce, he does this habitually and to such
an extent that he totally gives up the search for other
prey and remains near the carcass of his victim until
it is all eaten. In the Alps he makes his presence
felt in quite another and more emphatic way. Ac-
cording to Schinz, he preys upon Badgers, Hares,
Rabbits and Mice, pursues the Roes and Chamois,
and makes raids upon herds of Sheep, Goats and
Calves. Bechstein says that a Lynx can kill thirty
Sheep in one night; Schinz's experience makes the
number from thirty to forty and Tschudi tells of a
Lynx who in a short time killed more than one hun-
dred and sixty Sheep and Goats.
A Tamed Lynx Captive Lynxes may unconditionally
an Attractive be counted among the most attract-
Ammal. jve 0f Cats. If they have not re-
ceived careful training in youth, they do not always
show themselves in their most amiable light, but
they never fail to attract very marked attention.
her great excitement she always had enough reason-
ing power to gauge the distance and to approximate
the difference between the Hare's speed and her
own. She would obey only my brother's or my own
summons, and showed no respect toward any other
person. When we were both away for a whole day,
nobody could control her and then woe be unto the
careless Chicken or the thoughtless Goose! During
our. absence she would, as soon as it became dusk,
climb on the roof, lean against the chimney, and go
to sleep. As soon as our carriage came into the
yard, late at night, she sprang to the stairs in a few
bounds. If I then called her name she would come
to me quickly, put her strong fore-paws on my
shoulders, and purring and rubbing herself against
me like a Cat, she would follow me into the room
and prepare to pass the night on the bed or the
lounge.
"Once my brother and I were obliged to stay away
from home for a whole week. The Lynx in the
THE PARDINE LYNX. Although one of the smallest members of his family, the Pardine Lynx of southern Europe is as agile and
as I'll- largest. The principal characteristics of this Lynx, the short and distinctly spotted fur, the long whiskers and ear-tutts are shown
in this picture, which represents him watching for prey from a secure hiding place in a tree. (Lynx pardinus.)
We are indebted to Loewis for an excellent report
of a female Lynx that he kept. He says: "A few
months sufficed to teach my young Lynx her name,
' Lucy.' When, during a hunting expedition, I would
call out this name, together with those of numerous
Dogs, she would always respond to her own name,
but to no other. Her training had been very easy
and had rea< hed such a point that when she was en-
■ I in a passionate hut forbidden chase of Hares,
Sheep or poultry, and 1 called her, she would stop
instantaneously ami come back like a guilty Dog,
crouching low on the ground and pleading for
merpy. When she was too far away to hear our
voices, the report o\ a gun was sufficient to call her
ba< 1 to us in breal hli haste.
" Lucy took pari in all my autumnal hunting expe-
ditions. When sh( caughl ight of a poor Hare, she
immediately engaged in a hoi pursuit, and in spite of
meantime grew to be afraid of Men, made piteous
cries while she searched the place for us, and on the
second day emigrated to a birch forest near by, with-
out receiving any supplies from the kitchen. Only
at night would she go back to her old place on the
roof near the chimney. When we at last returned
her joy knew no bounds. With lightning speed she
came down from the roof, and nearly choked my
brother and myself in the embrace she gave us.
From that time she was reinstated in our house, and
every evening, when my mother would read aloud to
us, she would resume her place on the lounge, purring,
yawning or snoring, and presenting an interesting
spectacle. She displayed highly developed sensibil-
ity, an illustration of which was furnished by a scene
that I once observed from my window. Our great
pond was frozen, but a hole had been cut in the ice
for the benefit of the Geese. When the Lynx saw
THE CA T FAMIL Y—L YNX.
133
the flock her eyes sparkled, and with cautious move-
ment she slowly crept toward them. The vigilant
descendants of Rome's rescuers grew uneasy, but the
Lynx was already near. With one bound she darted
like an arrow into the frightened assembly, but in-
stead of catching a Goose with each paw, as she had
evidently intended, she fell into the water. I gave
the Geese up as lost, for they stood about on the slip-
pery ice in utter confusion, making no effort to
escape, but the Lynx, dripping wet and completely
disconcerted, slunk away through the defenseless
crowd with her head lowered, evidently ashamed to
be seen after her failure. She hid herself and did
not come out again for hours."
Hunting the The Lynx is zealously hunted, not only
Lynx— Its because of the mischief he does, but be-
Valuable Fur. cause 0f the pleasure the sport affords.
The fur of the Lynx is very valuable. The Scan-
dinavian specimens are counted among the finest
Lynx by the short hairs of his fur, by the propor-
tionately very long whiskers, long ear-tufts and by
entirely different markings on his skin.
The Peshoo In North America the Peeshoo or Cana-
or Canadian dian Lynx {Lynx borealis) takes the place
Lynx. 0f the aDOVe named European species.
He is a little smaller than the European Common
Lynx, his length not exceeding forty-six inches.
His fur is shorter and thicker than that of the Eu-
ropean Lynx. He is spread all over those parts of
North America to the north of the great lakes and
east of the Rocky Mountains, and lives in forests
like the Old World Lynx.
The Canadian Lynx is, next to the Red Lynx, the
most useful wild Cat of America, for his fur serves
a variety of purposes. Thousands of skins of this
species of Lynx are shipped every year to Europe,
where they are assorted according to their different
qualities and are given various names in commerce.
THE CARACAL LYNX. This animal is the most vicious member of the Lynx group, and the picture well shows the slender body,
long limbs, and long ear-tufts that are his prominent characteristics. He is fleet of foot, and attacks Antelopes as well as small mammals and
birds in the deserts and grassy plains of Africa and western Asia. [Lynx caracal.)
and largest, and these skins command a price of
from twenty-five to thirty marks each. Siberia fur-
nishes annually about fifteen thousand, Russia and
Scandinavia about nine thousand Lynx furs. The
skins of the Lynxes of eastern Siberia are disposed
of exclusively in the Chinese markets and bring a
high price in Mongolia.
Lynx flesh is said to be very savory. Kobell says
that during the Congress at Vienna, in 1814, Lynx
roast frequently came on the table of Emperors,
and in 1819 the King of Bavaria took a Lynx diet
to cure himself of vertigo. The flesh is light col-
ored and tender, like the best veal, and is free from
the disagreeable taste so often found in game.
The In the south of Europe the genus Lynx
Pardine is represented by the Pardine Lynx ( Lynx
Lynx. pardinus). He is much smaller than his
northern kinsman, for his length barely reaches three
feet. He is also distinguished from the Common
The Red Lynx The species of Lynx found in forests
or American m the United States is the Red Lynx
Wild Cat. or p,ay Lynx {Lynx rufits). It is pop-
ularly known as the Wild Cat, but is a true Lynx, with
the ear-tufts characteristic of that group, and differs
from the other members of it principally in the color
of its fur. It is found all over the United States,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The general color
is usually red, but darker, and sometimes nearly
black, along the backbone, while under the body it is
whitish and on the breast pure white. The entire
fur, except the breast, is covered with spots and
streaks of darker fur. The length of the body and
head is about fifty-three inches, and the tail is six
inches long. The color of the fur is a brighter red
in summer and a darker brownish red in winter.
Different writers have classified several species of
the American Lynx, including the Texas Lynx {Lynx
maadata), which is found in Texas and Southern Cal-
134
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
ifornia ; the Oregon Lynx (Lytix fasciata), which in-
habits northern Oregon and Washington ; the Flor-
ida Lynx {Lynx florida?ius) , which is found in Florida,
Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana, and the Carolina
PEESHOO, OR CANADIAN LYNX. This animal is somewhat smaller and is neither so active nor so fero-
cious as the European species. It is regarded as a lazy animal, liking its ease, and is appropriately presented by the
artist in an attitude of repose. Its ears are not quite so long, but its ear-tufts are longer than those of the Common
Lynx. (Lynx borealis.)
Lynx (Lynx carolznensis) , found in North and South
Carolina. There does not appear to be much justifi-
cation for these divisions, which are based principally
upon the different
markings of the fur. In
a general way it may be
said that the specimens
obtained from southern
climates are shorter in
their fur, more brightly
colored and more dis-
tinctly spotted than
those from the northern
regions, but otherwise
these animals do not
differ in their habits and
characteristics, which
are those of the Lynx
group in general.
The Caracal, Among
a Southern southern
Species of Lynx. Ly n x e S
the Caracal (Lynx cara-
cal ox Caracal melanotis),
strikes one as a genuine
child of the desert and
plain. This animal is
smaller than the north-
ern species being from
twenty-six to thirty
inches long, while its
tail attains a length of
nearly ten inches.
The range of the Car-
acal is surprisingly large. He inhabits all Africa,
western Asia and India, and lives in deserts as well
as on grassy plains, but he is not found in forests.
His mode of life is similar to that of his kindred.
He preys upon all smaller mammals and birds of
the desert, and also attacks Antelopes; at least the
Arabs, who call him "Khut el Chala," have assured
me that he does. This
also agrees with the fact
that in Asia, and espe-
cially India, he is trained
for Antelope, Hare and
Rabbit hunting. In my
experience the Caracal,
proportionately to its
size, is the fiercest and
wildest member of the
Lynx group. No zoo-
logical garden has as
yet succeeded in taming
the ferocious little beast
beyond mere toleration
of the presence of his
keeper in his cage.
The The common
Common Jungle-Cat
Jungle-Cat. (Lytix chaus)
chiefly inhabits the low
swampy woods on the
shores of the Caspian
and Aral Seas, and also
in Persia, Syria, Egypt,
Nubia and Abyssinia.
He is, like the Caracal,
slender and long of limb,
but has a longer tail and
shorter ear-tufts. The
fur is thick, of a yellow or greenish gray, with faded,
darker stripes which are not very sharply defined.
He attains a total length of thirty-six inches of
COMMON JUNGLE-CAT. This animal, which is of the I.ynx family, lives in western Asia and in the Nile
valley. He is pictured in one of the reedy swamps which form his favorite haunts, and the somewhat slender body and
limbs, marked with indistinct stripes, and the tail which is longer than that of other members of his family are all
shown. {Lynx chaus. i
which about ten inches must be allowed for the tail.
I have met the Jungle-Cat several times in the
Nile valley. He is not rare in Egypt, although he
THE CAT FAMILY— CHEETAH.
135
is frequently passed unnoticed. In this country
there is almost an entire lack of the larger forests
in which a Beast of Prey could effectually conceal
itself, and therefore the only refuge for such an
animal is that furnished by reeds, high grass and
corn-fields. The Jungle-Cat prowls around both day
and night. He boldly comes up to the very out-
skirts of villages, and seems even to select orchards
in their vicinity as his favorite haunts.
Captive Jungle-Cats are seldom seen, and when
taken old, they are of a fierce and unamiable dis-
position, but young animals may, with kindly care,
become very affectionate. The Egyptian explorer,
Dumichen, recounts the following story of a young
Jungle-Cat which he found half-starved in a subter-
ranean vault as he was searching the ruin of a tem-
ple : " The Jungle-Cat made no attempt at escape
when I seized it, but seemed to be meekly resigned
the Guepard. It serves to bridge over the chasm
between the Cat and the Dog. This animal has a
perfect right to its scientific name, Cynailurus (Dog-
Cat), for he is really half Cat and half Dog. The
head and the long tail are Cat-like, but the rest of
the body, and especially the long legs, are much like
a Dog's. The paws still show, like the Cat's, a per-
fect arrangement for retracting the claws, but the
flexor muscles are so weak and ineffectual that the
claws nearly always protrude, and therefore are
blunted like those of Dogs. The teeth are similar
to those of the other Cats, but the canines are
pressed together as they are in Dogs. The mental
endowments correspond to the physical attributes :
The expression of the face is in the main Cat-like,
but the disposition of a Dog, in all its good-natured
gentleness, speaks to us through the eyes.
THE FAHHAD, OR AFRICAN CHEETAH. A glance at this picture will show why the naturalist lias given these animals a name
which means Dog-Cat. The limbs are long like those of the Dog, but the long tail, the head and the paws are Cat-like. The African variety,
shown in this picture, differs from the Asiatic species principally in the shortness of the mane on the nape of the neck and different markings of
the fur. (Cynailurus guttatus.)
to its fate. It ravenously ate the food I gave it. and
allowed itself to be taken up and caressed. Fully
appreciating the service I had rendered it, the little
animal became my inseparable companion, jumped
on my Camel when I set out on a trip, wandered
with me through the greater part of Xubia, and
when I was copying inscriptions, it would keep near
me for hours at a time. It also was on friendly
terms with my Dog. The two never quarreled, but
often played with each other in the most amiable
way."
THE CHEETAH.
We now turn to a singular species, the Cheetah or
Hunting Leopard, which is sometimes also called
Character- Our present knowledge is not sufficient
isticsof the to enable us to decide whether the Chee-
Cheetah. tahs constitute more than one species.
Certain naturalists hold the African and Asiatic ani-
mals to be identical ; others count besides the Asi-
atic Cheetah, sometimes called the Maned Cheetah
{Cynailurus jubaius) , and the Fahhad or African
Cheetah {Cynailurus guttatus), the Spotted Cheetah
I Cynailurus soemmeringii), and the Woolly Cheetah
( Cynailurus laneus). The Asiatic Cheetah is very
slender, and has much longer limbs than the Cats
proper. The head is small and elongated in a Dog-
like way, instead of being round like that of a Cat ;
the ear is wide and low, and the eye has a round
pupil ; the fur is long and tangled, especially on the
13fi
THE BEASTS OF PREY
back, where it forms a short, though distinct mane.
It is of a very light yellowish gray, closely spotted
with black or brown, and at the extremity of the tail
the spots unite to form a few small rings. The leng.
of the Cheetah's body is about fifty-five inches ; the
tail measures thirty inches, and the height at the
shoulder is from thirty to thirty-three inches. In the
Fahhad, or African Cheetah, the mane on the nape
of the neck is nearly absent, and the ground color of
the fur is orange, except the under portion, which is
white and unspotted ; the spots on the back are dif-
ferent from those of the Asiatic species, and the tip
of the tail is white instead of black.
The Asiatic Cheetah is indigenous to the whole of
southwestern Asia, and if we count the Spotted Chee-
tah as belonging to the same species, also in north-
eastern Africa. He is a genuine animal of the plains,
who has to gain his livelihood by agility more than
by strength.
The Cheetah's His principal prey are the small and
Habits in a medium-sized ruminants which live
Wild State. [n ^e regions he inhabits, and he is
•very skillful in their capture. His favorite game are
Antelopes, and he is most frequently found in the
vicinity of the localities preferred by these animals,
generally taking up his abode among the rocks of
low hills. Experts agree in saying that for short
distances the Cheetah is the fastest runner among
mammals. Still he also uses cunning to subdue his
prey. Whenever he perceives a flock of Antelopes
or Deer, he crouches down and creeps forward,
stealthy and quick as a Cat. He adapts his move-
ments to the peculiarities of his game, always keep-
ing to leeward of it and lying quite still when the
leader of the herd lifts its head to reconnoitre. In
this way he approaches as near as possible to the
most conveniently situated animal ; then he makes
a rush at it, pursues it when it flees with wind-like
rapidity, fells it to the ground with blows aimed at
the feet and then seizes it by the throat. When he
is within a rifle shot's range of his prey he does not
hesitate to enter into the pursuit of the fleetest-footed
game, confiding in his own quickness.
The Cheetah Such innate cunning and such abil-
as a Hunting ity for the chase naturally attracted
Ammal. the notice of the observing natives
of his country and incited them to an endeavor to
profit by this animal's hunting ability. A simple
training suffices to make the Cheetah an excellent
sporting animal, scarcely inferior to the Falcon in
its way. All over East India he is considered a very
valuable assistant in the chase. The Shah of Persia
imports Cheetahs from Arabia and keeps them in
a house of their own. In 1474 Joseph Barbaro saw
a hundred Cheetahs belonging to the Prince of Ar-
menia. In Europe the Cheetah has also been used
in the chase.
It is said that packs of these Cat-Uogs are still
kept by a few native Indian princes at no small cost.
Their training is confided to specialists, and their
use in the chase presupposes the direction of expert
huntsmen, occupying a position like that formerly
held by falconers; so we may imagine that this sport
is not of the cheapest.
In India, when such a chase is in progress, the
Cheetah, his head covered with a hood, is set on
one of the light, two-wheeled carts peculiar to that
country. With this vehicle the hunters approach
a herd of grazing game as closely as possible, for
as is the case with wild herds everywhere else, even
the shyest Asiatic animals will permit a carriage to
approach much nearer than people afoot. When
the hunters are within two hundred or three hundred
paces of the game the hood is removed from the
Cheetah's head and the keepers point the game out
Lo him with expressive gestures. All the animal's
latent passion for the chase, together with his nat-
ural craftiness, is brought into play. Softly but
swiftly he slips from the cart, and unseen and un-
heard he creeps up to the game. When he succeeds
in catching his prey, he seizes it by the neck, and
then the" trainer hurries to it and cuts its throat.
The flowing blood is caught in a dish and given the
Cheetah to drink, after which his head is again cov-
ered with the hood.
It is very surprising that we know so little of the
life in the wild state of this animal which is so often
domesticated. I have questioned even the African
nomads in vain ; these people who know the animal
so well could only tell me that it is caught in traps
and tamed in a very short time in spite of its native
fierceness.
The Cheetah That domestication cannot be difficult
in is a fact clear to everybody who has
Captivity. seen a captive Cheetah. I do not be-
lieve that I exaggerate when I say that there is no
better-natured animal in the whole Cat family, and
I doubt if any other wild Cat becomes so thor-
oughly tame. Good-nature is the essential trait of
the Cheetah's character. A Cheetah, when tied, will
never think of biting through the slender cord which
holds him. A tame Cheetah never attempts to
harm anybody and it is perfectly safe to walk boldly
up to him and pet him. He accepts caresses with
indifference, or at best only acknowledges them by
purring a little louder than usual ; for when he is
awake, he purrs all the time, just like a Cat, except
that the tone is louder and deeper. Frequently he
will stand for hours dreamily gazing in one direc-
tion, complacently purring, and at such periods
Chickens, Pigeons, Sparrows, Goats and Sheep may
pass him unmolested, for he will not even deign to
look at them. It is only other carnivorous animals
that can disturb his reverie and upset his good-
humor. A passing Dog immediately excites him ;
he ceases purring and turns a keen glance upon the
intruder, who usually looks somewhat sheepish at
such a moment, and the Cheetah pricks up his ears
and sometimes tries to overtake the Dog in a few
bounds.
I had a Cheetah which was so tame that I could
lead him through the town by a string. So long as
we only encountered people, he walked quietly by
my side, but whenever he saw Dogs he became so
excited that once I thought I would make a trial of
what he would do if he had less restricted liberty;
so I tied him to a rope fifteen or twenty yards long,
wound it around my arm and set out with him.
Two large, lazy curs crossed our path. Jack (that
was my Cheetah's name) ceased his comfortable
purr, looked at them sharply and grew impatient.
I quickly unwound the rope so as to let him have
free play. Instantly he crouched down and crept
toward the Dogs, which looked at the singular crea-
ture with a puzzled expression. The nearer he
came to the Dogs, the more excited and the more
cautious he became. Like a Snake he glided along
on the ground until at last he thought himself near
enough ; then with three or four gigantic bounds he
reached one of the now fleeing Dogs and threw it
down. This the Cheetah did in a quite peculiar
manner; not trying to bury his claws in the Dog's
1 1371
L38
THE BEASTS OE PREY.
flesh but beating it with his fore-paws, until it fell.
The poor cur was in great terror when it saw the
Cat-like face above it, and expressed its fright in a
dismal howl which was re-echoed by all the Dogs
in the street with demonstrations of compassion
and excitement. A large crowd assembled around
us, and I was obliged to take my Cheetah and re-
turn home without having accomplished my object,
which was to see what the Cheetah would finally
do with the Dog.
Encounter Between I must confess, to my shame, that
a Cheetah I delight in no other spectacle so
and a Leopard. mUch as a fight between animals,
and so I arranged one in my yard. I possessed a
nearly full-grown Leopard at the time, a demon in
Cat's shape : I have already described him. I made
his chain longer and let him into the yard. The
Cheetah was not tied to anything. He was in an
staying in Alexandria, had called on me, expecting-
to see my animals, but had not found me at home.
I promised to show them some of the animals
in their own houses, and once, when I knew they
were all together, I led Jack by a string and called
on them. I pacified the frightened servants, and
went up-stairs. There I opened the door slightly
and asked whether I could come in with my Dog.
Permission was granted and Jack entered the room.
The ladies- greeted him with a shriek and then in
their despair jumped on a large, round table in the
middle of the room. Before they had collected
their senses, Jack had followed their example and
also stood on the table, purring very good-naturedly
and rubbing himself against their dresses. So their
terror was soon dispelled, they started to caress and
pet him, and he seemed to be very proud of being
treated with such distinction by them.
THE FOUSSA, OR CRYPTOPROCTA. This animal, which is confined to the island of Madagascar, forms a distinct group by itself,
connecting the Cats and the Civets. The picture shows its peculiarities: the long tail, the short ears, long whiskers, and especially the short,
stumpy legs tipped with sharp, retractile claws. The animal is said to be very ferocious and bloodthirsty, and it is greatly feared by the
Malagassy natives. (Cryptoprocta fcrox.)
THE FOUSSA, OR CRYPTOPROCTA.
amiable temper when I brought him into the yard,
and purred very expressively ; but as soon as he
caught sight of the Leopard he appeared a different
animal. His mane stood on end and he even started
to spit (something I had never heard him do before),
and courageously rushed at his opponent. Then a
fight followed accompanied by such a terrible spit-
ting and ".swearing" that 1 must say I was frightened.
The Leopard was soon vanquished and lay on the
ground, but still threatening the Cheetah with his
mighty paws. Jack would certainly have come out
tin: victor, if 1 had not poured two pailfuls of water
on the enraged warriors. They stopped immediately
and looked rather sheepishly at. each other. Then
the Leopard, with his antipathy to his occasional
baths rearoused, made lor the cage, which I imme-
diately shut. In a few minutes Jack was licking
and cleaning his fur and purring as if nothing had
happened.
I low really amiable my Jack was, may be; seen
in the following anecdote: Several German ladies
Pollen's and Schlegel's investigations have shown
that the animal named Foussa, or Cryptoprocta,
which formerly was counted among the Viverridas or
Civets, really belongs to the Cats, or at least forms a
connecting link between the Cats and the Civets. It
possesses the general structure, the expression of
the face and the retractile claws of the Cats, while
other features, such as the elongated body, the short
legs, the short, egg-shaped ears and the long whis-
ker-hairs point to the Viverridae.
The Cryptoprocta ( Cryptoprocta fcrox ) attains an
extreme length of sixty inches, twenty-seven being
the length of the tail ; but it is far from tall, as the
legs are only six inches long. The fur is close and
short, having a shorn aspect on the head and legs. It
is reddish yellow, and darker on the upper part, as
there each hair is alternately yellow and brown ; the
ears are of lighter hue, and the whisker-hairs are
partly black and partly white. The pupil of the eye
THE CIVET FAMILY— CAT-FOOTED CIVETS.
139
is of a grayish green color and is similar to that of
the Domestic Cat.
The Cryptoprocta is indigenous to Madagascar,
where it is called the "Foussa." It is generally
known there, and dreaded in a ridiculous way. It is
even said to attack human beings and is the hero of
a great many stories. Its life in the wild state is very
little known.
Zhe Civet tfamil^.
SECOND FAMILY: Viverrid*:.
The Cryptoprocta has led us to the family of the
Civets (Viverrida). Its members are distinguished
from the Cats by their long, round, thin body, which
rests on short legs; by a long, thin neck and elongated
head and a very long and usually pendant tail. The
eyes are generally small, but the ears vary greatly in
size in different species ; the feet have either four or
five toes, and the claws are retractile in a great many
varieties of these animals. Under the tail, where it
joins the body, are two or more glands containing
a peculiar secretion which has an odor that is not
always agreeable; and this secretion is sometimes
stored in a special pouch.
The Civets are, in a general way, very much like
the Weasels, whose place they take in the southern
countries of the Old World. On the other hand
many of them remind us of the Cats, and some even
bear a slight resemblance to Bears. They are chiefly
distinguished from the Weasels by their sharper and
more pointed teeth.
Home and Habits The Civets inhabit the southern part
of the of the Old World, preferably Africa
Civet Family. an(j southern Asia. Three species
are found in Europe, on the Mediterranean coast, one
being found exclusively in Spain. The Civets are
distinguished by a great variety of forms, and their
haunts are as varied as their species. Some inhabit
sterile, high and arid countries, deserts, plains or the
unproductive forests of the rainless regions of Africa
and central Asia ; others prefer the most fertile val-
leys, especially reed-grown banks of rivers. Some
approach the neighborhood of human dwellings,
others retire into the depths of dense forests ; some
lead arboreal lives, while others are only found on
level ground. Rock}- caverns and crevices, hollow
trees and holes in the ground, which they either dig
themselves or take possession of, form their abode,
and there they rest for the portion of the day which
they give up to relaxation.
Most Civets have nocturnal habits, but there are
also many which are active only during the day;
these latter hunt while the sun shines, except at high
noontide, ami rest during the night. Very few can
be called lazy, slow or clumsy; the majority equal in
agility the quickest of Carnivora. Some walk only
on their toes, while others step on the whole sole of
their feet; some climb, but most of them remain on
the ground.
Their organs of sense are very keen, especially the
three higher attributes of sight, smelling and hearing.
They are perfectly endowed for a life of rapine and
are only equalled in rapacity by the Weasels. All
Civets are bloodthirsty in the extreme, and attack all
animals which they believe the}- can conquer. Their
principal food probably consists of small mammals,
birds, eggs, insects, and in some cases fishes and
Crabs. The agility and intrepidity shown by some
of these animals in their struggles with poisonous
Snakes have earned for them a wide reputation in
all countries where they are known, and remarkable
fables have been invented in regard to some species.
Unceasingly they prowl around during their waking
hours and they investigate every crevice or hole in
field, forest or rock, which offers the slightest prom-
ise of food. When at rest they usually lie curled up
like a ball, in quiet, contemplative reserve; and only
a few species have a fixed place of abode, to which
they constantly return after their forays. The sound
emitted by some species is a hoarse, dull growl,
while others make a shrill, monotonous, whistling
noise, and others have varying cries.
Many species have the singular faculty of giving
forth a strong odor of musk, which has its origin
in the glands before mentioned, whose secretion is
known to us under the name of civet and is of an
oily or greasy nature.
As with the other Carnivora, the number of young
at a birth greatly varies, being usually between one
and six. The mothers are devoted to their off-
spring, and in some species the father also assumes
part of the training of the young. Civets taken
young can, as a rule, be easily tamed and then prove
as good-natured and familiar as tin- old ones are
fierce and obstinate. They bear captivity well, and
several Species of these animals are extensively kepi
for the sake of the secretion of their glands, which
is a valuable article of commerce.
On the whole the usefulness ot the Civets may be
regarded as compensating for the mischief they do.
In their native country their depredations are not
much noticed, while their useful service in catching
harmful insects is recognized, and for this reason
one species of this family was declared sacred by
the ancient Egyptians, and enjoyed universal vener-
ation among the people of that remarkable nation.
The most prominent members of this group are
the Civets proper or Cat-footed Civets ( Ailuropodd),
which are endowed with retractile claws, like a
Cat's, and the Mungooses which have non-retractile
claws, like those of Dogs.
THE CAT-FOOTED CIVETS.
The bodies of the Civets proper ( Viverrd) are
light and elongated, the tails long, the legs also long
and the soles covered with hair ; the feet are pro-
vided with five toes and partly retractile claws.
Short, broad ears, moderately large eyes with round
pupils, a pointed snout and nose, a soft fur and a
very perfectly developed pouch for the glands com-
plete the characteristics of this family.
140
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Structure The African Civet {Viverra dvetta)
of the African attains the size of the average Dog,
Civet. but its looks are feline and its whole
appearance reminds one very much of a Cat, al-
though it has also many points of resemblance to
a Weasel. The broad, rounded head ends in a rather
pointed snout ; the ears are also pointed and the
eyes, which have round pupils, are obliquely placed
in the face. The body is elongated but not particu-
larly slender, being among the stoutest in this group;
the tail is about half the length of the body ; the
legs are of medium length and the soles are entirely
covered with hair. The fur is not very long, but
thick and coarse ; a rather long mane or crest, which
the animal can erect at will, extends along the neck
and spine and is still perceptible on the tail. The
ground-color is a beautiful ashen-gray merging into
yellow, and shows numerous irregular black-brown
spots, which on the hind legs form distinct stripes.
The crest or mane is brownish-black, and the under
In captivity it is kept in special stables or cages
and is fed with meat and poultry. When taken
young it not only bears the loss of its liberty much
better than when captured old, but soon gets tame
and familiar. The strong odor of musk which cap-
tive Civets give forth renders them almost unbear-
able to people with sensitive olfactory nerves.
African Civets Alpinus saw Civets kept in iron
Valued cages by Jews in Cairo. They
for their Perfume. were fecj exclusively with meat to
increase their production of civet and render them
a profitable investment. In his presence some civet
was extracted from them and he had to pay an ex-
tremely high price for it. These animals were at one
time kept for this purpose in European cities also,
like Lisbon, Naples, Rome, Venice, and even in Ger-
many, and especially in Holland.
To obtain the perfume, the animal is tied to the
stakes of its cage ; the pouch is turned out with
the fingers and the civet is expressed from all the
THE AFRICAN CIVET. This is a typical member of the Viverrine family of carnivorous mammals. He is shown in his native Guinea
forest where he frequently climbs trees to rob birds' nests of their eggs. The long body with spots of brownish black and a crest of long hairs of
the same color extending from the nape of the neck along the spine and tail ; the rounded head with its Weasel-like expression and the white
stripe on the side of the neck are characteristic features of the African Civet. (Viverra civetta.)
portion of the body is, as usual, lighter. The tail,
which is thickly clothed with hairs at its root, shows
from six to seven black rings and its extremity is
black-brown. On both sides of the neck there is a
long, oblong, white stripe running backward. The
length of the body is about twenty-eight inches ;
tin tail measures fourteen inches and the shoulder
height is about twelve inches.
Home and The native country of this Civet is
Habits of Africa, chiefly the western part of the
African Civets. Continent ; that is, Upper and Lower
Guinea. In the eastern half of Africa only a few
scattered specimens may be met. Its habits are
like those of the majority of the Civet family,
mainly nocturnal. It sleeps during the day and
starts out in the evening to look for small mammals
and birds. It is said that eggs form its favorite
and thai it will even climb trees for the sake
( uring them.
glands terminating in the pouch. As a rule it is
taken from the pouch twice a week, but the amount
obtained varies very much. Freshly expressed it is
a white foam, which, after a time, becomes brown
and loses a little of its strength. The perfume
offered for sale as civet, is, for the greater part,
only imitation, and even the genuine civet must go
through a series of processes before it is fit for use.
The best is said to come from the Asiatic Civet, and
is brought from Boorou. The Javanese Civet is also
said to be superior to the Bengalese and African
kinds. During recent years the trade in civet has
fallen off greatly, for vegetable musk is being more
and more substituted for it.
The Asiatic Nearly all I have said about the Afri-
Civet can Civet may be applied to the Asi-
Described. ;itjc Civet ( Viverra zibetha), which, for
a long time, was taken for a variety of the African
pecies. Its color and markings are different; its
THE CIVET FAMILY-CAT-FOOTED CIVETS.
141
head is more pointed, the body more slender and
the ears are longer, and it lacks a mane. Its ground
color is a dingy brownish yellow, with dark russet
colored spots. On the spine these spots merge into
one large, black band : on the sides they fade. A
THE LESSER CIVET, OR RASSE. One of the smallest of the Viverrine. or musk-bearing family. It:
markings resemble those of the African more than the Asiatic Civets, but it is much Smallei than either ol the others
although its tail is proportionately longer. It is an inhabitant ol India
full-grown animal has a body thirty-two inches long,
the tail is twenty-two inches long and the shoulder-
height is fifteen inches. It weighs from sixteen to
twenty-four pounds.
The Asiatic Civet has
been widely spread by
the Malays who call it
"Tinggalong." Accord-
ing to Blanford it is in-
digenous to Bengal, As-
sam, Burmah, southern
China and the Malay
Peninsula. The Asiatic
Civet leads a solitary
life and prowls around
at night, not infrequent-
ly visiting human dwell-
ings and stealing Chick-
ens and Ducks. It also
eats fruit and roots, in-
sects, Frogs, Snakes,
eggs, birds and all mam-
mals it can subdue.
The Lesser A Civet now
Civet, or frequently
Rasse. seen in zoo-
logical gardens is the
Lesser Civet or Rasse
{Vive mi malaccensis). It
is considerably smaller
than the Asiatic Civet,
but its tail is much
longer; the length of its body is about twenty- four
inches, the tail measuring nearly as much. Its head
is narrow and its ears very long. The rough fur is
grayish brown, tinged with black, showing rows of
dark spots, and the tail has several dark rings.
The Rasse inhabits all India, except the country
of the Indus and Western Rajputana. It is much
valued in its native country for the sake of its civet,
which is there put to the most varied uses. This
secretion is usually mixed with some other perfume
and is not only sprinkled
on dresses, but is also
used for the scenting of
rooms and beds in a
manner that is perfectly-
unbearable by European
noses.
The Genettes— Thesub-
The Common order of
Genette. tnc Gen-
ettes (Gawttrf) is distin-
guished by a very long
body, a hairless stripe
on the soles, five-toed
fore and hind paws fur-
nished with retractile
claws and a long tail.
The Genettes also have
a shallow civet-pouch at
the root of the tail.
The best known spe-
cies of these animals i<
the C o m m o n Genette
< Viverra genetta), the
o n 1 y Ci vet inhabiting
Europe. It bears a great
resemblance to its rela-
tives which have already
been described and even
its coloring is similar. The body is twenty inches,
long, its tail sixteen inches and its height at the
shoulders is liom six to seven inches. The body
THE COMMON GENETTE. One of the prettiest of all creatures is the Common Genette, a small, graceful.
but bloodthirsty animal, with a beautifully marked and valuable fur. Its agile but wary movements are well shown,
in the picture, especially in the Snake-like attitude of the animal in the background. Its quickness as well as stealth,
ol movement are remarkable. (Viverra genetta.)
rests on extremely short legs and is very slender.
The head is small and distinguished by a long snout
and wide ears. The pupil of the eye is like that of
a Cat, having a slit-like appearance in the daytime.
The pouch secretes only a small quantity of a fatty
142
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
matter, having the odor of musk. The general color
of its fur is light gray, tinged at the surface with yel-
low and showing dark spots. The fur is commer-
cially valuable.
This little animal, which, notwithstanding its dainty
appearance, is of a cruel, bloodthirsty and audacious
disposition, is found most plentifully in the Atlas
country, but it also inhabits southern Europe, espe-
cially Spain and southern France. It exists in large
numbers in the localities that are adapted for its
habits in Spain, although one seldom meets it. It
lives in forests as well as on plains, but it is most
frequently found in damp situations in the vicinity of
springs and rivers, woods rich in underbrush, moun-
tains abounding in crev-
ices and similar places.
A sportsman may some-
times come across it in
such a locality even in the
daytime, but usually he
has no time to shoot, for
its fur is so similar in
color to that of the rocks
and the ground that it is
difficult to keep it in
view, and its movements
are so wary, and at the
same time so agile, that
when detected it is
already escaping. It slips
through plants, grasses,
shrubs and stones like an
Eel or like a Fox. Its
movements are as grace-
ful as they are agile and
rapid. I do not know of
any other mammal which
so completely combines
the sinuosity of the Snake
with the quickness of the
Weasel. Its movements
are so perfect as to cause
'^voluntary admiration.
An Account P e C h U e 1 -
of Tame Loesche
Genettes. writes from
Chinchocho, the former
station of the Gussfeldt
Loango exploring party:
"We kept several Civets
and Genettes. The for-
mer are not possessed of
an amiable disposition,
can never be trusted and
the odor they give forth
is insufferable. The Gen-
ettes, on the contrary, be-
came exceedingly tame,
knew the names we gave them, ran after their keeper
like Dogs in broad daylight and their whole demeanor
afforded us great pleasure. One half-grown Genette
had established itself in our main barrack, and
seemed to find abundant nourishment in the Rats
which infested the house. When we sat talking in
the large meeting room of an evening it would often
come out on one of the rafters of the roof, look down
with curious eyes and then jump down on the table
with one graceful bound. Then it would keep slid-
ing from one of our party to the other, uttering soft,
low sounds, submit to being stroked and teased, and
would soon disappear as quietly as it had come."
the Indian
Paradoxure.
THE ASIATIC CIVET. This animal is commercially valuable for
the "civet,'' or animal-musk, which is procured from it, in which respect it
excejs all musk-bearing animals. Its slender body bears distinct markings,
with a black stripe along the spine ; and the head has keen eyes and a
pointed snout. It is a night prowling animal and very destructive among
Chickens, Ducks and small mammals and birds. (Vnerra zibetha.)
The Paradoxures The Civets lead us to the Paradoxures
or or Palm Cats \\Paradoxurus) . These
Palm Cats. animals are semi-plantigrade, that is,
they step on half of their soles in walking. The tail,
from which the animal derives its name, Paradox-
urns, meaning queer-tailed, can be curled by a few
species of the Palm Cats, but this peculiarity is by no
means striking. The paws have claws that are more
or less retractile in different species and which are
used, Cat-fashion, to seize the prey and to defend
their owner".
All species of this group inhabit southern Asia and
the adjoining islands. They set out in search of prey
after sunset and are agile enough to catch small
mammals and birds, al-
though they also eat fruit.
Description of The Indian
Paradoxure
(Paradoxit-
rus niger) resembles the
Genettes in shape as well
as coloring. His dimen-
sions approximate those
of our Domestic Cat, his
body being about twenty
inches in length, and the
tail nearly as long. The
body is elongated, the
legs short and strong,
and the long tail can be
closely curled downward
as well as upward. The
eyes, which are very
prominent, have a brown
iris, and a large and ex-
ceedingly mobile pupil,
which may be contracted
until it presents only a
slit of a hair's breadth.
The general color of the
hair is black or brownish-
gray, marked with dark
bands and rows of spots.
The Indian Paradoxure
is common on the island
of Ceylon, and in India,
north to the Himalayas,
wherever there are trees,
in the jungles as well as
in settlements. Not infre-
quently he takes up his
abode in barns or sheds.
Like all other members
of his family he eagerly
hunts small mammals and
birds, eating the eggs or
young birds in their nests,
Lizards, Snakes, and in-
sects; and he is also fond of fruit. He is said to
cause great ravages in pineapple plantations, to be
an annoying visitor in coffee plantations, and to be
very fond of the juice of palms, or "palm-toddy."
He also makes frequent calls in the poultry-yards
of his vicinage.
The Common The Common Paradoxure or Musang
Paradoxure ( Parado.x urns hermaphroditus ) , rcpre-
or Musang. sents the family in Burmah, Siam, the
Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. His
body is about seventeen inches long, the tail a little
shorter than the body, and his coloring is subject to
great variations.
INDIAN PARADOXURE, OR PALM-CAT. This graceful animal is about the size of the ordinary house Cat. It is an eager hunter of birds and
small mammals but is also very fond of pineapples, bananas and other fruits and coffee berries, and is therefore very destructive to the plantations of India
and the Malay Peninsula, where it is found. The handsome head and spotted fur are well depicted here, and its long tail is a prominent characteristic and
can be curled by the animal at will, upward as well as downward. The animal in the lower foreground is feeding on small fruit while the other on the tree is
resting and watching. (Paradoxurus niger.)
(143)
144
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Junghuhn furnishes much information about his
life in the wild state and his visitations of the cof-
fee-plantations. When the coffee-berries begin to
ripen and their color becomes a vivid red, at which
period adults and children strip the branches of the
red berries and hurry to the drying-grounds with
THE COMMON PARADOXURE, OR MUSANG. This animal, which inhabits the Malay Peninsula.
Java. Sumatra and Borneo, is smaller than the Indian species, although his habits are much the same. The
broad head with pointed snout, slender body and long tail are shown in the picture, but the markings vary in dif-
ferent specimens. He makes such ravages on the plantations in Java when the coffee berries are ripe that the
natives call him " Coffee-Rat. " {Paradoxarus hermaphroditic.)
their full baskets, then " one often sees on the paths
intersecting the coffee-gardens the spoor and signs
of the Musang, which enjoys the evil reputation of
being a Chicken-stealer in the mountains, but is also
fond of fruits, and frequently, when the berries are
ripe, visits the coffee-plan-
tations where he is often
caught by the Javanese at
that season of the year.
The Musang also lives on
birds and insects, catches
wild Chickens, and sucks
the eggs of both tame and
wild birds. In captivity he
is often kept on nothing
but pisang for weeks at a
time, and gets so used to
the house that it is safe
to allow him his freedom.
The keeper who occasion-
ally presents him with a
Chicken egg gains his
affection to such a degree
that he follows him around
like a Dog and submits to
being petted and stroked
by him."
The Masked Paradoxure
(Paradoxurus larvatus) in-
habits China and Formosa.
1 1 is color is principally
black on the head, gray
on the checks, lower jaws,
throat and neck, and yel-
lowish-gray on the upper part of the body. A whit-
ish band runs from the tip of the nose to the back
of the head; another extends under the eyes, and
a third above them. The ears, the tip of the long
tail and the feet are black. It is sometimes called
the Masked Paguma.
THE DOG-FOOTED CIVETS.
Among the Viverridae with non-retractile claws,
or Dog-footed Civets (Cynopoda), we must first turn
to the Mungooses or Ichneumons, so widely cele-
brated in olden times. The Mungooses {Herpestes)
have the following distinct-
ive features: the body rests
on short legs, and is long
and round; the head is of
small or medium size; the
snout is pointed; the eyes
are rather small, and have
a circular or elliptical pu-
pil; the ear is short and
rounded; the nose is short,
hairless, smooth and fur-
rowed in the median line;
the feet are five-toed; the
tail tapers toward the end,
and the fur is rough and
long. The teeth are forty
in number and are for the
most part very strong.
The Ichneumon As is but
of Ancient just, we will
Fable. first consid-
er the Ichneumon, or "Pha-
raoh's Rat" {Hcrpcstcs ich-
neumon), the sacred animal
of the ancient Egyptians.
Herodotus tells us they were embalmed after their
death and buried in sacred ground. Strabo writes
that this excellent animal never attacked large
Snakes without the aid of several companions and
then easily got the better of the most poisonous
THE MASKED PARADOXURE. This species of Palm-Cat, which is found in China and Formosa, dif-
fers from the others in the absence of spots on its fur. It has several white bands on its face, black feet and a long,
somewhat bushy tail. Like the other Paradoxures, it lives on fruits as well as hV>h. (Paradoxurus larvatus.)
reptiles. Therefore its image stood in the Hiero-
glyphs as an emblem of a weak Man who could not
get on without the support of others. yElianus, on
the contrary, assured us that it chased the Snakes
unaided, but with great cunning, first wallowing in
the mud and then drying itself in the sun, so as to
THE CIVET FAMILY- DOG-FOOTED CIVETS.
145
insure certain protection from the teeth of its op-
ponent, while it protected its face by enveloping it
with its tail. Tradition is not content with all this,
but according to Pliny it invests this courageous
promoter of public welfare with a great many more
brilliant qualities. When the Crocodile has eaten
its fill, it comfortably
lies down on the sand
and opens its huge
mouth, well garnished
with teeth, threatening
dire peril to every dis-
turber of its peace.
Only one little bird is
impudent enough to
pick out the shreds of
food remaining be-
tween the teeth. Be-
sides this little bird all
animals dread the mon-
ster, except the Ich-
neumon, which stealth-
ily approaches, enters
the Crocodile's mouth
with a bold bound,
bites its way through
the throat to the Croc-
odile's heart, lacerates
it, and in this way kills
the huge monster.
Then, covered with
blood, it works itself
out of the dead body
with its sharp teeth.
Or else it lurks around
and finds the place
where the dreaded rep-
tile's numerous e g g s
are buried; it digs and
works until it reaches
the treasure in the
depths of the earth and
in spite of the mother,
which carefully mounts
guard over the eggs, it
devours them all in a
short time and comes
out an inestimable ben-
efactor to mankind. It
is not to be doubted
that the Egyptians be-
lieved all these tales
and recounted them to
the above mentioned
authors; and that these
naturalists, ordinarily
so accurate, were thus
led into complete error
in this particular case.
All these beautiful sto-
ries are wholly without
foundation. It is only
in modern times that
exact data about the
life and habits of the Ichneumon has been obtained,
but even several centuries ago travellers were led to
express grave doubts as to the usefulness of the
Ichneumon, and only the strong tendency of hu-
manity to cling tenaciously to all old and well-be-
loved traditions prevented these ancient tales from
being long ago relegated to the category of fable.
Characteristics A full-grown Ichneumon consider-
ofthe ably exceeds our domestic Cat in
Ichneumon. sjze. its body is about twenty-six
inches long, and its tail at least eighteen inches.
Its short legs make the animal appear smaller than
it is. The body is slender, like that of all Yiver-
THE ICHNEUMON.— Tins animal is appropriately pictured in the Nile Valley with pyramids in the distance,,
for although they are also found elsewhere they are most intimately connected with Egypt, as this was the sacred animal
of the ancient Egyptians, and is sometimes called '* Pharaoh's Rat." The animal is very bloodthirsty and kills all ani-
mals it can overcome, among which Snakes are. very fortunately, included. The slender body thickly covered with long^
fur, the long tail and short, black legs are shown in the picture. {Hcrpestcs ichneumon.)
ridas, but is by no means as graceful as that of the
Genette. The legs are short, the soles naked and
the toes are connected by membranes for half their
length. The long tail appears very thick at its root,
owing to its very long fur, presenting almost the
appearance of gradually merging into the body, and
its extremity is provided with a tuft. The small
H<»
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
eyes are not surrounded by hair and therefore pre-
sent the appearance of being even fiercer in ex-
pression than they really are. The fur is quite
peculiar. It consists of an inner woolly coat of
a russet yellow color, entirely covered with hairs
which are about two and one half inches long and
are alternately black and cream colored, the tip
being pale yellow. The resultant general color is
a greenish gray which harmonizes perfectly with
the environment of the animal in its native home.
( )n the head and back the hue is darker and under
the body it is paler. The legs and the tuft of the
tail are black.
The Ichneumon's Pharaoh's Rat extends not only all
Home over northern Africa and part of
and Haunts. Asia, but may be found in southern
Spain, northern Asia, all of Africa and Madagascar ;
although it may have been imported by Men to the
latter place. It never goes far from valleys. Its
favorite haunts in Egypt are the thickly-grown
banks of rivers and the reed thickets which often
.surround fields in that country. Here the animal
Its walk is plantigrade, the soles are
The snout is long and the ears small.
MANGUE OR KUSIMANSE. A small, burrowing animal of West Africa, forming by itself a distinct group
of the Yiverrine family. It has a thick, stout body covered with harsh fur of a chocolate brown, and its length from
snout to root of tail is fifteen inches. The tapering tail is eight inches long,
bare, each foot has five toes and the claws on the fore-feet are long and curved.
It lives on mammals, insects and fruits. (Crossarc/ias obscurns.)
spends the day and lays out for itself, among the
reeds, narrow but very carefully kept walks leading
to deep, but not very capacious dens. In these the
female gives birth to from two to four young ones
in spring or the beginning of summer. The mother
suckles her offspring for a very long time, and both
parents care for their young for a still longer period.
Habits and The name Ichneumon signifies "tracker,"
Traits of and the animal fully justifies this desig-
Ichneumons. nation. He resembles the Weasels in
his traits and his mental endowments, for he pos-
sesses their disagreeable smell, their cunning, their
adroitness in stealing and their thirst lor blood. He
is shy, cautious and distrustful to the highest degree.
He never ventures into an open field, but always
sneaks along under cover. He prowls around in
the daytime and attacks and cats every animal he-
can overcome : mammals smaller than the Hare,
and birds from the Goose or Chicken downward to
the smallest. He also feeds on Snakes, Li/.ards,
insects and worms ; and he probably eats fruit also.
His thievish propensities have earned him the de-
testation and contempt of all Egyptian peasants,
for he mercilessly plunders their Hen and Pigeon
roosts and he is very destructive to the Chickens'
nests, which in that country are constructed exactly
like those of wild birds. He is of no real use in
the present age, unless the extermination of Snakes
be counted as a particularly useful achievement.
His gait is very peculiar, giving the animal the
appearance of creeping along on the ground with-
out moving a limb, for the short legs are entirely
covered by the long hair of the fur and their
movements are barely visible. During the summer
months the Ichneumon is seldom met alone, but as
a rule is accompanied by his family. The male
comes first, then the female, and the young ones
bring up the rear. One animal always runs close to
the other, in such a manner as to create the impres-
sion that the whole chain is composed of but a single
being with a shape something like that of a huge
Snake. From time to time the father stops, lifts his
head and looks around
to see if danger threat-
ens, moving his nostrils
to all sides and sniffing
like a panting animal. If
he sees prey, he noise-
lessly slides up to it
through the grass, and
when he has approached
sufficiently near he will
make one or two bounds
even after a flying bird.
Before a Mouse-hole he
mounts silent guard, and
after a Rat or a young
bird he creeps with
amusing gravity.
Probably he tracks as
well as the best Dog;
and it is an established
fact that he is guided
by his sense of smell in
the chase. If he finds
eggs he sucks them; and
as a general thing he also
sucks the blood out of
small mammals and
birds and eats only the
brain. He kills a great
many more than he can devour.
His voice is only heard when he has been wounded
by a bullet, although the Egyptians say that he ut-
ters a shrill, monotonous whistle during the breeding
season.
Methods of The chase of the Ichneumon is consid-
Hunting the ered a pious deed by all Egyptians. It
Ichneumon. js only necessary to go into a village
and announce that one has come to hunt the Ichneu-
mon, or "Nims," and old and young will joyfully
render all necessary assistance in the extermination
of the detested rogue and pillager. The hunter
takes his post at some place grown with reeds, and
the Arabs begin to drive the animal out of it. The
Ichneumon fully realizes what is going on, and as
soon as the people begin their noise, he tries to hide.
His efforts are of no avail, for the Arabs poke long
poles into the holes and burrows of the ground, and
he is compelled to look for an asylum in another
field. With the greatest caution he glides along,
THE CIVET FAMILY- -DOG-FOOTED CIVETS.
147
sniffs and looks around; but as the pursuers approach
nearer and nearer, he attempts at last to run over
some place which does not afford absolute shelter.
This lie does noiselessly and gently, so as not to be-
tray himself by quick movements. It is essential to
shoot at a short distance and with very large shot in
THE MUNGO. Among the Mungooses the Mungo, which inhabits India, Ceylon and Afghanistan, is
especially distinguished because of the skill he exhibits in destroying poisonous Snakes, llis long body covered
with a coat o( almost uniform gray, with a tapering tail nearly as long as the body, arc shown by the picture of the
animal in the foreground. (Hcrpcstcs mungo.)
order to kill him, for the animal has a wonderful
tenacity of life and if he be only wounded he is sure
to escape.
French naturalists say that captive Ichneumons are
easily domesticated, know their owner's voice and
will follow him about like Dogs. But they are very
restless creatures and
cause annoyance by the
persistence with which
they drag portable arti-
cles all over the house
and upset everything. In
one respect they are use-
ful. A house that harbors
an Ichneumon is secure
from Rats and Mice, for
he pursues these rodents
with indefatigable zeal.
When he has caught one,
he runs with it into a dark
corner and expresses his
ability to take care of it
himself by grunts and
grumbling sounds.
The Mungo Mungooses
and its resembleeach
Habits. other in their
shape and mostly also in
their behavior. The de-
scription of the Ichneu-
mon might, therefore,
serve our purpose, if there
were not a few others deserving of mention. The
species representing Pharaoh's Rat in India is the
Mungo {Herpestes mungo). It is much smaller than
the Ichneumon, its body being from sixteen to twenty
inches long, and its tail nearly the same length. Its
long, coarse hair is gray, with a white band close
to the tip of each hair.
It ranges to the East as far as Assam, and west-
ward to Afghanistan and Belooc'iistan, and on the
island of Ceylon.
The Mungo likes hedgerows, groves, plantations,
rocky forests grown with underbrush, and frequently
visits human dwellings, causing great depredations
in the Chicken-roosts. His
family consists of three or
four young ones, born in
burrows. He seems to be
fond of sweet fruit, but pre-
fers an animal diet. He
runs from rock to rock, and
from cavern to cavern, and
s e a r c h e s his h u n t i n g
ground so thoroughly that
hardly anything edible can
be overlooked. Sometimes
he hides himself in a small
hole, and when he makes
his appearance, he is sure
to bring with him a Mouse,
a Rat, a Lizard or a Snake
which he has caught in his
own hiding-place.
The Mungo The Mungo
as a Snake is honored
Extetminator. an(j cele-
brated for his tights with
poisonous Snakes. It is his
agility which gains him the
victory in such encounters.
The natives believe that when he has been bitten by
a Snake he digs up a plant or very bitter root, known
as Manguswail, eats it, and instantly recovers, so
that he is able to resume his fight with the Snake.
Even exact observers assure us that there is some
foundation to this story, inasmuch as the Mungo,
THE BANDED MONG00S.
This African species of the Mungooses is one of the prettiest as well as one
of the smallest of the group, and is distinguished from the others also by the stripes or bands from which it derives
its name. It is often domesticated m Africa and becomes as much attached to the house as the domestic Cat.
( Hcrpcstcs fascial us . )
when bitten and exhausted, runs away, looks for
some plants with which he rehabilitates himself, and
then returns ready for the fray. Blanford calls the
story about the antidote a fable. If there was any
truth in it, it would be difficult to understand win-
other Snake-hunters, such as the Secretary-bird and
some Eagles, should be left defenseless and the
148
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Mungo alone provided with a prophylactic. Besides
one would think that with the consciousness of se-
curity he would be careless about the way he ap-
proached the serpent, while the truth is the very
tiling in this animal that excites admiration is the
MM**
THE CRAB MUNGOOS. This animal, sometimes called the Urva, derives its name from the fact that it
feeds on Crabs, which, with Frogs, also a favorite food with it, are plentifully found in the wet valleys of Nepaul,
where it lives. It has a stout body, a pointed snout, and a rather long and bushy tail. The picture shows it with a
Crab it has captured. (Hcrpcstes urva.)
adroitness with which he escapes the spring of the
Snake, and the cunning he exhibits in his methods
of attacking it. His thick, coarse hair, bristling with
excitement, and his thick skin render it very diffi-
cult for the Snake to bite
him, but if he is bitten,
the Mungo dies from the
wound as well as any
other animal, although
the effects of the poison
seem to be slower in his
case.
The Mungo was im-
ported into Jamaica dur-
ing the '70's, and is said
to have exterminated so
many of the Rats infest-
ing the sugar-cane plan-
tations on that island
that his usefulness is es-
timated at several mil-
lion marks a year.
The Mungo The Mun-
as a go is the
Domestic Pet. member
of his family that is best
adapted for domestica-
tion, for he is a cheerful,
rather good-natured ani-
mal of cleanly habits.
Stcrndale had a Mun-
go, which was his steady
companion in India for three years. "Pips" knew
very well when his owner was going to shoot a bird
for him; he danced around when he saw the gun
adjusted, and hurried to procure the falling prey.
lie was very clean, and after eating picked his teeth
in the funniest way with his claws. He was an in-
trepid fellow; once he successfully fought with a big
Dog, and at another time killed a bird six times his
size. He also killed many Snakes. When excited,
his hair stood on end and he looked twice as large
as usual, but his master only had to lift his finger to
make the angry pet desist
from his attack. He fol-
lowed his master to Eng-
land and was the favorite
of all who knew him. He
knew a great number oi
tricks: jumping, turning
somersaults, sitting on
chairs with a cap on, play-
ing soldier, etc. Pips died
of grief. During a tempo-
rary absence of his master
he refused all nourishment
and starved to death.
Besides the Ichneumon
there is only one Europe-
an Mungoos that is worth
mentioning, the Mcloncillo
( Hcrpestcs widdri?igto/iii ) .
This animal was well
known to Spanish sports-
men long before it fell into
the hands of a naturalist.
Its chase was profitable, for
the hair of its tail is long
and especially adapted for
making painters' brushes,
and therefore the tail,
which brought a high price, was the only part that
was used and the remainder of the fur was thrown
away.
The Meloncillo lives exactly like the Ichneumon,
hBIIsk
THE FOXY MUNGOOS.- — This animal, which is found in the southern part of Africa, is of a beautiful form,
has a smooth, tan-colored fur and a bushy tail with a white tip. It resembles the Mungoos group in its nature and
habits, and is generally classed with them, although differences in its skeleton have caused many naturalists to place it
in a group by itself. ( Cynictus pcnicillata)
in valleys crossed by rivers, especially in Estrama-
dura and Andalusia. It inhabits almost exclusively
the reedy woods and plains grown with Esparto and
is not found in mountains, as is generally stated. Its
total length is forty-four inches, of which about
twenty inches is taken by the tail. The fur is longer
THE SUKICATE. This animal, which lives principally in south Africa, is distinguished by its rough coat and its strong claws, of which those on the
forefeet are particularly long. It is the special enemy of the Elephant-Mouse, a remarkably prolific and destructive rodent of south Africa, which the picture
shows it in the act of attacking. The Suricate forms by itself a distinct genus of the Viverrine order. (Suricaia tetradactyla.)
(149)
150
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
on the spine and the neck and under portion of the
body are hairless. Its color is dark gray, sprinkled
with lighter hairs.
The Banded Mun- A distinguished member of the
goos, an group is the Banded Mungoos
Interesting Animal. {Herpestes fasciatus). It is small,
the length of its body being given as sixteen inches,
and that of its tail as eight inches, but I have seen
decidedly larger ones.
The best authorities intimate that this Mungoos
inhabits all of eastern Africa, from the Cape of
Good Hope to Abyssinia, and also part of western
Africa.
This dainty little sneak shows its bloodthirsty dis-
position plainly in its flashing eyes. Its food consists
of all small mammals, birds, insects, eggs and fruit.
In western Africa the Banded Mungoos is often
kept in factories, missions and on mail steamers. It
is allowed perfect liberty, but never attempts to
return to its wild habits. It is a general favorite, but
like the domestic Cat, seems to think more of the
house than of people, though it sometimes does get
attached to persons and will jump into their laps; and
it is fond of being petted. It opens eggs with its
fore paws, or more frequently by throwing them back-
wards, between its hind legs, against some hard sub-
stance. It treats other small, round objects in the
same way, and it is advisable to keep valuables secure
from it. Pechuel-Loesche kept mercury, which he
used for an artificial horizon, in a strong glass bottle,
which he found in pieces near a trunk, and E. Teusz
relates how he had a chronometer in Malandje, where
another one could not be bought, and his Banded
Mungoos had thrown it several times against walls
and trunks before its owner discovered what it was
that the animal played with so gleefully.
The Crab I will mention one other member of this
Mungoos or group, the Crab Mungoos or Urva (Hcr-
Urua. pestes urva), for it is a peculiar transi-
tional form between the Mungooses proper and the
Gluttons. It does not essentially differ from the
Mungooses, but its body recalls the Glutton in sev-
eral respects. The snout is pointed and the body
stout. The toes are connected by large webs, and
the scent-pouches are highly developed. The back
is of a dingy gray color, with an admixture of brown;
the under portion of the body and the legs are of a
uniform brown tinge. Sometimes it shows darker
stripes and a white band runs from the eye to the
shoulder. It is a large animal of its kind, measuring
from thirty-two to thirty-six inches, of which twelve
inches is taken up by the tail.
Hodgson discovered the Urva in the swampy val-
leys of Nepaul. He thinks that it is rather aquatic
in its habits and feeds principally on Frogs and Crabs.
Allied to the Mungooses are a few animals which
differ from them mainly by the structure of their feet;
the fore paws have five toes, the hind paws only four,
and the soles are partly covered with hair.
The Foxy The Foxy Mungoos (Cy?iictis penicil-
Mungoos, an lata) is about twenty-eight inches in
African Species, length, twelve inches of this length
being taken up by the tail. The fur is smooth and
the tail bushy. The general color is tawny, but the
tip of the tail is white, and long, black whisker-hairs
stand over the eyes and lips.
It lives north of the Cape of Good Hope, in bur- '
rows in the sand, feeds upon Mice, birds and insects,
is fierce, cunning and agile, and has hardly ever been
hunted; its life and habits have never been observed
to any extent.
The Suricate The Suricate (Suricata tctradactyla )
and Its inhabits Africa from Lake Tsad to
Strong Claws. t\\c Cape of Good Hope. The snout
has something of the proboscis in its character, the
legs are long and the feet are provided with four
toes and long, stout claws. The claws of the fore
paws show a higher development than those of any
other member of the family. With their aid the
Suricate can easily burrow long and deep tunnels in
the ground.
The Suricate reminds one as much of the Mun-
gooses as of the Weasels; it is a small, long-legged
creature, with a length of from twenty to thirty inches,
of which the tail takes up half. Its rough coat is
grayish brown, traversed by darker bands.
There are no known species of the Viverrine fam-
ily in America. The Cacomixle, or Mountain Cat,
found in Mexico and California, was formerly con-
sidered as forming a group of this family, but it is
now placed with the Raccoons, to which it is more
closely allied.
Zhc flftarten jfamllie.
THIRD FAMILY: Mustelidje.
The family of the Martens, or as it is sometimes
called, the Weasel family, shows a greater variety of
species than that of the Viverridse or Civets. It is a
difficult matter to give a general description of this
family, for the structure of the body, of the teeth and
of the feet is subject to more variations than those
of any other Carnivora. We can only say that the
members of this family are small or medium-sized
Beasts of Prey, with bodies of very elongated shape;
resting on very short legs.. The feet have either four
or five toes. These animals are provided with scent-
pouches like the Civets, but the secretion of their
glands is by no means an agreeable perfume, and in
some cases has an abominably fetid odor. The fur
is usually thick and of fine texture, and in this family
we find the most valuable fur-producing animals.
Where and Members of the Marten family are
How the Marten distributed over all continents ex-
Family Lives. ccpt Australia. They endure all cli-
mates, on plains as well as mountains. Their haunts
are most often in woods or rocky regions, but they
also frequent the open country, gardens and human
dwellings. Some live in the water, some on terra
firma, those of the latter class being excellent climb-
ers, and they all know how to swim. Some burrow
holes in the ground, others take possession of exist-
THE MARTEN FAMILY.
151
ing ones; others again live in hollow trees or seize
upon the nests of Squirrels or of birds; in a word, it
may be said that this family knows how to take ad-
vantage of any kind of retreat, whether it be the
natural crevice in a rock or an artificial cavern; a
dark nook in a human dwelling or the branches or
roots of trees in the heart of the forest. The ma-
jority of these animals have a permanent dwelling-
place, but many species prowl around. Some of
those which inhabit northern regions hibernate; the
others are active all the year round.
Physical and Nearly all animals of this family are
Mental Traits of remarkably quick, adroit creatures
Martens. ancj adepts in all physical exercises.
They walk on the soles of their feet, use their paws
and tails in swimming, and climb excellently in spite
of their blunt claws. Their organs of sense are all
developed in nearly equal degree. Their mental
place of concealment to another when she scents
danger. When taken young and treated with care,
animals of this family attain a high degree of docil-
ity and may be trained to follow7 their master about
and hunt and fish for his benefit. The descendants
of one species have been domesticated for a period
so long that it cannot be specified, and have been
bred to serve the purposes of a certain class of
sportsmen.
The Marten Fam- Some of these animals work a great
ily Destructive deal of mischief through their de-
but Useful. structive, sanguinary instincts, but on
the whole their usefulness, direct or indirect, more
than compensates for the damage they do. Their
services in catching harmful animals should not be
underestimated, and though it may be difficult to
forgive them their encroachments on human prop-
erty, it must be admitted that the losses they occa-
t hwfelfl I
.
THE PINE MARTEN. — Beautiful I the most attractive animals in the
forests of Europe and northern Asia. The sides of dark brown, the long, bush; tail ol the same color, the black legs, the lighter tinge of the for--
head and cheeks, and the very light, bright yellow of the breast are distinguishing features of the animal. It i- a I. nest animal and is very
destructive of small quadrupeds and birds. The picture shows it with an animal it has just caught. (Mustela martes.)
endowments are of a high grade, and some species
give evidence of an astonishing amount of reason-
ing power. They are cunning, distrustful, wary, ex-
tremely courageous and sanguinary, but devoted to
their offspring. Some are gregarious, others live
singly or only temporarily with their mates. Some
are active both day and night, but the majority of
them arc of nocturnal habits, and in populated dis-
tricts they sally forth only at night. Their principal
food consists of animals. Some eat fish, Crabs and
vegetable food, especially sweet, juicy fruit. The
thirst for blood that inspires them all is surprising in
its intensity. They slay more than they need for
their sustenance and some species might be said to
intoxicate themselves with the blood they suck from
their victims.
The young, whose number varies between two and
ten to the litter, are born blind and are under nurs-
ing care for a long time. The mother defends them
boldlv when attacked and carries them from one
sion happen only through the carelessness of the in-
voluntary contributors to their appetites.
How great a number of animals of the Marten
family arc killed annually for the sake of their furs
is best seen from the statistics of the commerce of
furs. According to Lomer about three million skins
arc marketed annually, exclusive of those which
Indian and Asiatic hunters retain for their own use.
Some Indian and Mongol tribes live almost exclu-
sively from the product of their chase of fur-pro-
ducing animals, and among these the Martens rank
first. Thousands of Europeans and Americans owe
their living to the fur trade, and many extensive and
previously unknown tracts of country have been
opened to civilization by hunters and trappers who
have ventured into them to seek this game.
Three Sub-Fam- We will begin our description with
Hies of the the Martens proper and those mem-
Marten Family, bers of the family whose mode of
progression is digitigrade, that is, those which walk
152
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
on the tips of their toes. They form the first sub-
family, Martida. The second sub-family, Melidce,
includes the Badgers and others, whose walk is plan-
tigrade; and the third is formed by the Otters and
their relatives, which we separate from the other
Martens under the name of Fissipedia, or web-footed.
THE MARTEN GROUP.
The first place in the first sub-family belongs to
the Marten and its group {Mustela). They are of
medium size, endowed with a siender, elongated
body, short legs, a head that is somewhat narrow in
front and ends in a pointed snout. The ears have
a transverse position, are rather short, nearly three-
sided, and somewhat rounded at the tip. The eyes
are moderately large and of a vivacious expression,
the feet have five toes provided with sharp claws, and
the tail is of moderate length. The Martens all have
glands near the root of the tail secreting a peculiar
fluid, and their fur is long and soft.
The Pine Marten's The Pine Marten {Mustela martes) is
Physical an animal as agile as it is beautiful.
Characteristics. jts body measures about twenty-two
inches, its tail about twelve inches in length. The
fur is of a dark brown color in the upper parts, pale
on the snout, light brown on the forehead and cheeks
and yellowish on the sides and under portion ; the
legs are a brownish black, the tail dark brown. A
narrow, dark brown stripe runs from the ears down-
ward. Between the hind legs there is a tawny spot
with dark brown edges, which sometimes is continued
as a band of dingy yellow and runs as far as the
throat. The lower part of the throat and the breast
are of a beautiful yellow tinge and constitute the
most prominent distinguishing feature of the animal.
The fur is dense, soft and lustrous and consists of an
outer coat of rather long, stiff hair and an under fur
which is short, fine and woolly, which assumes a whit-
ish tinge in the fore parts and a yellowish hue on the
sides. The upper lip is provided with four rows of
whisker hairs, and there are also a few bristles under
the corners of the eyes, under the chin and on the
throat. In winter the general color is darker than
in summer. The female is distinguished by a paler
hue on the back and a less distinct spot. The throat
and lower part of the neck of young animals are of a
lighter tint.
The Pine The Pine Marten inhabits all the
Marten's Home wooded parts of the northern half
and Habits. 0f the Qld World. In Europe it is
found in Scandinavia, Russia, England, Germany,
Prance, Hungary, Italy and Spain; in Asia it ex-
tends to the Altai, its southern confines being the
sources of the Yenisei. Corresponding with such an
extensive range, its fur is subject to considerable
modifications. The largest specimens are found in
Sweden, and their fur is twice as long and thick as
that of the German Martens, and grayer in tint.
The German furs are more of a yellowish brown or
dark brown ; and specimens of the latter color are
especially found in Tyrol and bear an astonishing
resemblance to the fur of the American Sable. The
Martens of Lombardy are of a pale gray-brown or
yellowish-brown hue ; those of the Pyrenees are
large and strong, but also of a light tint, while the
Macedonian and Thcssalian Martens are of moder-
ate size and a dark color.
The Pine Marten inhabits forests and is found
most frequently in lonely, dense and gloomy spots.
It is a genuine arboreal animal and has no superior
as a climbef, Hollow trees, and nests deserted by
wild Pigeons, birds of prey and Squirrels are its
favorite places of abode, and in rare instances it
looks for an asylum in the cleft of a rock. As a
rule it sleeps all day ; with the approach of night,
usually before sunset, it sallies forth and attacks all
creatures that it believes it can master. No quad-
ruped between the Mouse and the Hare or young
Pawn is secure from it. It stealthily follows its vic-
tim, and when near enough, makes a sudden charge
and kills, it. The Pine Marten has been repeatedly
observed to attack weak young Fawns and it is
quite as destructive of birds as of quadrupeds. All
species of Chickens living in the temperate zone
have in it a formidable foe. Stealthily and softly
it creeps up to their roosts, no matter whether they
are on trees or on the level ground, and before the
watchful Hen has the slightest suspicion of its pres-
ence, it springs upon her neck, lacerates it with a
few bites, or severs the carotid arteries, and eagerly
laps the flowing blood. Besides it plunders birds'
nests, visits bee-houses and steals the honey, and
eats fruit and berries, pears, cherries and plums.
When food is scarce in the forest, it becomes bolder,
and extreme hunger drives it near human dwellings.
When once it succeeds in entering Hen-roosts or
Pigeon-houses it causes greater devastations than
any other animal, except those of its own group.
Three or four young Pine Martens are usually
found in each litter, the nest being warmly lined
with moss, and generally in a hollow tree, but more
rarely in a Squirrel's or Magpie's nest or a cleft of
rock. The mother watches over her family with
untiring devotion, and never leaves the vicinity of
the nest for fear of losing her children. In a few
weeks the little ones are able to accompany her on
her promenades on the trees, playfully and adroitly
climbing and leaping on the branches; and she gives
them a thorough training in all physical exercises,
warns them of danger and hurries their flight to a
place of safety. Young Martens are easily brought
up in captivity ; at first they should be fed with milk
and bread, but later on they may be kept on meat,
eggs, honey and fruit for a long time.
Doings of a " On the 29th of January," says Lenz,
Captive Pine " I received a young Pine Marten,
Marten. which had been taken out of a hollow
tree that very day. I soon induced it to lap warm
milk, and in a few hours it ate bread soaked in milk.
In this little animal I could clearly observe the nat-
ural development of taste in the species. In the
beginning, that is, in June and July, the young Pine
Marten is fed certain things by its parents, mostly
birds ; later it must, according to the season of the
year, accustom itself to Mice, fruit, etc.
" On the second day I offered it a Frog, but it paid
no attention to it; then I gave it a living Sparrow,
which it immediately snapped at and devoured, feath-
ers and all. On the fourth day I let it go hungry
and then tempted it with a Frog, a Lizard and a
Snake. It paid no attention to them ; neither did it
care for a young Raven. On the sixth day it left its
cage and killed a P'alcon in its nest, eating the head,
neck and part of the breast. I offered it many kinds
of food in the course of time and found that it pre-
ferred small birds to everything else.
"When it had attained three-fourths of its com-
plete growth and showed great voracity, I again
offered it a Snake, but although very hungry the
Marten approached very cautiously and drew back
at every movement made by the reptile. Finally
becoming persuaded that the Snake was not danger-
THE MARTEX FAMILY— MARTEN GROUP.
153
ous, the Marten gave it a bite that broke off the
tail, which it ate. Then it carried the Snake into its
nest, from which the reptile escaped and hid in the
hay, but was drawn from this retreat by its adver-
sary. The Marten then bit off another piece of the
tail, but did not dare take the Snake by the neck and
kill it until about two hours later, when it carried
the dead reptile to the nest and ate it with evident
pleasure, but not with avidity. It had not finished
this meal when I threw another Snake, twenty-four
inches long, toward the Marten, which tried to ap-
proach it, but drew back frightened, as the Snake
resented its advance and hissed. Then I brought a
large Snake of another kind, freshly killed. After
it had become convinced that this one was dead, the
Marten carried it back
and forth and an hour
later ate it, head, venom-
ous fangs and all. Then
I gave it a Lizard, which
was greeted with a sniff;
the little animal hissed
hoarsely, nearly like a
Snake, opened its mouth
and jumped at the Mar-
ten about ten times.
The Marten evaded its
bites, but soon became
bolder, as it saw that the
Lizard could not harm
it, and after an hour
killed and devoured the
reptile.
"This goes to prove
that by nature the Mar-
ten has no inclination to
kill Snakes and similar
animals, yet in the light
of this experience it is
not improbable, that in
winter, w hen it f i rids
them in a defenseless
state, it kills and eats
them, for it probably
suffers severely from the
pangs of hunger at this
time of year, as it is ex-
tremely voracious.
"I wish to call atten-
tion to an erroneous
opinion that prevails
generally. It is com-
monly believed that the
Martens, in killing any
animal, always find the
carotid arteries and sev-
er them with their strong
intending to do harm. Once it bit my hand through
thick gloves, drawing the blood, although the bite
was meant in a friendly way. It does not express
real affection in its face and gestures, but it never
intentionally harms those with whom' it is well ac-
quainted when it is kindly treated. Its black eyes
express only avidity and sanguinary proclivities.
When it lies comfortably in its nest, it often utters a
long, drumming, murmuring sound. I never heard
it produce sounds similar to those made by the Pole-
cat. When it was angry, it growled violently."
Pine Martens The Pine Marten is hunted in all
Vigorously Hunted possible ways, not so much with a
for their Fur. view to checking its murderous
career, as for the sake of its fur. It is most easily
pursued on freshly fallen
snow, as its spoor may
then be seen not only
on the snow-covered
ground but also on the
branches of trees. Oc-
casionally it may be en-
countered lying in the
win k1, usually stretched
at full length on the
branch of a tree. When
found in this position it
is easy to shoot it, for
if the first shot misses
the gun may be reload-
ed and a second shot
taken, as the animal
does not flee, but fixedly
looks at its assailant.
In hunting the Pine
M a rten one needs a
good Dog, which will
seize it boldly and hold
it fast, for the animal is
\\ out to jump at its pur-
suer and w ill frighten a
Dog that is not very
courageous. It is easily
caught in traps, which
arc prepared in a very
i n g enio u s way. The
bait is usually a piece of
bread, fried with a small
piece of onion and a lit-
tle honey in unsalted
butter and strewn with
camphor. Other baits
THE STONE MARTEN.— Sometimes also called the Beech Marten, is are ingeniously mixed
distinguished by it? short tail, small ears, white throat and beautiful, grayish r & . ,
brown fur, darkening on the legs and tail as shown in the picture. It attacks all I r O ill various Strongly
small mammals and birds, and is particularly partial to poultry, as European and scented materials.
Asiatic farmers frequently find \ log pile near a dwelling is a favorite resort
with it, and the animal in the picture seems to be in a locality especially favor-
The fur of the Pine
able to us habits. (Mustelafoina.)
teeth. This is not correct. They do seize larger
animals by the throat and strangle them, but with-
out touching the carotids ; therefore they cannot
suck their blood, but content themselves with lick-
ing the blood that chances to ooze out, and then eat
the animal, beginning at the neck. The larger ani-
mals, like Rats of good size, Chickens, etc., do not
have the tough, yielding skin of their necks even
lacerated by the Marten while it is killing them, but
only when it begins to devour them.
"While my captive Marten was little it was very
fond of playing with people who started the play, but
later on play was not advisable, for when it was grown
up it used its teeth rather freely, although without
Marten is the most valu-
able of Fairopean furs, and in quality resembles that
of the Sable more than any other found on this con-
tinent. The best skins are found in Norway, the
next best in Scotland and others are brought from
Italy, Sweden, north Germany, Switzerland, upper
Bavaria, Tartary, Russia, Turkey, and Hungary.
The Stone The Stone or Beech Marten ( Mustela
Marten or Beech foina ) is a little smaller than the
Marten. pme Marten ; the legs are propor-
tionately shorter, the head longer notwithstanding
the shorter face ; the ears are smaller, the fur shorter
and of a lighter hue and the throat is white. The
total length of a full-grown male is twenty-eight
inches, a little over the third of which is taken up by
i:»4
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
the tail. The fur is grayish brown, assuming a darker
tint on the legs and tail and merging into dark brown
on the paws. The spot on the throat is smaller than
that of the Pine Marten and consists of pure white
hairs; though in the young animal it is sometimes of
a reddish-yellow shade. The margins of the ears are
set with short whitish hair.
The Stone Marten is found in nearly all the coun-
tries that the Pine Marten inhabits ; it is a native of
all of central Europe and Italy, excepting Sardinia ;
England, Sweden; temperate European Russia,
bounded by the Ural, the Crimea and the Caucasus;
and western Asia, especially Palestine, Syria and
Asia Minor. But it also extends over Afghanistan
and a great part of the Himalayas, although in this
latter region it is not found at a lower elevation than
4,800 feet. In the Alps it mounts higher than the
fir-tree belt in summer, and descends in winter. In
Holland it seems to be almost exterminated. Nearly
everywhere it is more common than the Pine Marten
and approaches much more closely to human dwell-
ings ; in fact, one might go so far as to say that vil-
lages and cities are its favorite haunts. Isolated
barns, stables, garden-houses, old walls and large
piles of wood in the vicinity of villages most fre-
quently harbor this dangerous foe of domestic birds.
Habits and Food The mode of life and habits of the
of the Stone Marten correspond with those
Stone Marten. 0f the Pine Marten in a great many
respects. It is an adept at all physical exercises,
and is as lively and agile, as courageous, as cunning
and as ferocious as its kinsman ; it climbs perfectly
smooth trees and poles, takes long leaps, swims with
ease, and can creep without noise and force itself
through extremely narrow apertures.
Its food is nearly similar to that of the Pine Mar-
ten, but it is guilty of a considerably greater amount
of mischief, for it has larger opportunities of causing
damage to property. Whenever it has the slightest
chance, it enters the Chicken-coops and slays the
inmates with insatiable ferocity. Besides this it
preys on Mice, Rats, Rabbits, birds, and when it is
in the forest, on Squirrels and reptiles. Eggs seem
to be a favorite dainty with this animal and it also
revels in fruit of all kinds, cherries, plums, pears and
gooseberries, and hemp seed. It is necessary to pro-
tect valuable fruit from it, and this is best accom-
plished by painting the tree-trunk with tobacco-juice
or kerosene oil as soon as one perceives the mischief.
Chicken-coops and Pigeon-houses must be securely
locked, and every hole large enough to admit a Rat
must be closed up.
Taming the Even specimens that are taken old are
Stone capable of a certain degree of domes-
Marten. tication. In Scotland a Stone Marten
was once caught in a peculiar way. The unwelcome
guest had taken up his abode near a mountain vil-
lage and for a long time had been guilty of murders
innumerable among the Chicken tribe. With the
aid of good Dogs the villagers succeeded in driving
him out of an isolated barn, which the robber had
appropriated for his den. They drove him to the
edge of a precipice, and thought they had him, but
lie preferred to jump down, falling from a height of
ninety feet. The shock proved too violent for him,
and he lay motionless, as if dead. His pursuers felt
assured that he had killed himself and one of them
went down, in hopes of obtaining the fur, and took
the poor creature up. It suddenly began to move,
and gave its reseuer a distinct proof of its return-
ing consciousness by biting him. Still the wounded
Man did not let the animal go, but seized it by the
neck and brought it home. The family treated it
with kindness and in a short time it became quite
tame, either owing to the fall it had taken or from
gratitude for the friendly care. Its owner resolved
to make use of its abilities in catching Mice, and
therefore the Marten was installed in the stable,
where it not only made itself at home in a short
time but struck up a friendship with the Horse.
When, any pers.on entered the stable the Marten was
found near its friend, whom it seemed to defend with
a growl. It would sit on the Horse's back, or run
back and forth on it ; and sometimes played with
the Horse's tail or ears. The Horse seemed to ap-
preciate the affection the little robber had for it, but
unfortunately the tie of friendship was severed in a
cruel way. While on one of its nocturnal excursions
the Marten entered a trap and was found dead the
next morning.
The Sable, a The celebrated Sable {Mustela zibel-
Most Valuable li?ia)\s closely allied to the Martens.
Fur Animal. jt js distinguished from the Pine
Marten, which most resembles it, by its conically-
shaped head, large ears, long, stout legs, large feet
and lustrous, silky fur.
The fur is valued according to its thickness, soft-
ness and uniformity of tint. The woolly coat should
show a smoky brown tint merging into bluish gray.
The lighter the color of the outer coat, the smaller
is the value of the skin; the darker and more uni-
formly tinted it is, the greater its value. The hand-
somest pelts are blackish in the upper part, mixed
black and gray on the snout, gray on the cheeks,
reddish chestnut-brown on neck and flanks, a beau-
tiful yellow on the throat and lower part of the
neck, and the ears usually show margins of grayish-
white or pale brown. The yellow color of the
throat fades after the animal's death, and the most
vividly yellow specimens are the first to fade.
The Sable's Originally the native country of the
Range and Sable extended from the Ural to the
Principal Food. Bering sea and from the southern
mountainous boundaries of Siberia to latitude sixty-
eight degrees north, and also over a small part of
northwestern America, but it has much narrowed
during recent times. Incessant persecution has
driven the animal to seek refuge in the darkest for-
ests of northeastern Asia, and as even there Man
follows it eagerly, even at the risk of life, it retires
farther and farther back and is constantly becoming
more rare. While Sable hunters were still reaping
golden harvests, they founded associations in Kam-
chatka, and the decrease of the animal there as well
as all over Eastern Asia dates from that time. The
principal cause of its extermination is the activity
of hunters. The animal undertakes rather prolonged
wanderings, following, as the natives say, its favorite
game, the Squirrel. In the pursuit of these rodents
it crosses wide streams by swimming, even during
the season of drifting ice, although it usually avoids
water. Its favorite haunts are forests of fir trees,
whose large trunks afford shelter, while the seeds
contained in the cones of the tree furnish the animal
food.
The Sable seems most to resemble the Pine Mar-
ten, partaking of its agility and masterly way of
climbing. Its food consists chiefly of Squirrels and
other rodents, birds and similar prey, but it does not
disdain fish, as it is sometimes induced to enter traps
in which fish is used as bait; it has ale been observed
that it is fond of the honey of wild Bee* Tt seems
^ great value of its fur. Wis
i upon to defend its prey fro. a hu^r.
156
THE BEASTS OF PREY
to consider cedar nuts desirable food, for the major-
ity of the Sables that Radde caught had their stom-
achs quite full of these nuts.
Hunting the The hunting and capturing of Sables
Sable for sets the whole male population of cer-
its Fur. tain tribes annually in motion and causes
merchants to travel thousands of miles. Stellcr, and
later the Russian Stshukin, inform us that the largest
number of Sables are still found in the gloomy for-
ests between the Lena and the Eastern Sea, and the
product of their furs is still the greatest source of
income to the natives as well as to the Russian
settlers. The hunting season lasts from October to
the middle of November or the beginning of Decem-
ber. The hunters assemble in small groups on the
hunting grounds, where every association has its own
dwelling; and during the journey the Dogs have to
draw the sledges, packed with provisions for several
months. The hunt is still conducted essentially in
the same manner as described by Steller. Traps and
nooses of the most varied descriptions are put out;
the spoor of the Sable is followed on snow-shoes, the
animal's hiding-place is surrounded by nets, and
the fleeing Sable is killed by arrows or with a gun.
The most popular method is to use traps that catch
the animal without damaging the fur. The hunter
and his associates spend several days in constructing
all the traps, and often enough, when he looks for a
victim on his daily visit, he finds that an impudent
Arctic Fox or some other Beast of Prey has eaten the
precious booty. Or a storm may come along and
compel the poor man to look out for his own safety
without thinking of disentangling the captive animal.
In this way Sable-hunting is really a series of contin-
uous troubles.
How Sables There are, even at this late day, very
Behave When few accounts about the life of Sables
Tamed. Jn captivity. One specimen was kept
in the palace of the archbishop of Tobolsk and was
so completely tamed that it was allowed to walk
about the town at its own will. Other tamed Sables
played very merrily together, sat upon their hind
legs in order to fight more effectually, jumped
around in the cage, wagged their tails when they
felt comfortable and expressed their anger by grunt-
ing and growling like young Dogs.
The American In the northeast and extreme
Sable a north of North America the Sa-
Northern Variety, ble genus is represented by the
American Sable (Mustcla americana). Jt is eighteen
inches long, exclusive of the tail, which measures
seven inches, and is more closely allied to the Pine
Marten than to the Sable. Its color is a uniform
brown, except that the patch on the breast is yellow
and the head and ears are gray or white. The hair
is considerably coarser than that of the Sable and is
of about the same quality as that of the Pine Mar-
ten.
The finest pelts of this species come from the
shores of the Hudson Bay, the country around the
Little and Great Whale rivers, eastern Maine and
Labrador. According to Lomer about 100,000 pelts
are annually sold from the region named, and from
30,000 to 50,000 come from Alaska, very fine pelts
commanding a price of about nineteen dollars each.
The Fisher The Fisher Marten is a native of the
Marten, or same region of country. It is called
Pehan. pckan in Canada and Wijack by the
Indians, and is also known as Pennant's Marten
(Mus/c/a pciiiuintii). It is a large, thick-set, Fox-like
animal, whose body measures over twenty -four
inches ; the tail from twelve to fourteen inches.
The fur consists of a thick, fine, lustrous outer coat
and a long, soft, woolly under fur. Its color is, as
a rule, very dark, or even black, and only the
head, nape of the neck and back show an admixture
of gray ; but there are also individual members of
this species that are very light, chestnut or light
brown or even yellowish white.
The range of the Fisher extends over the whole
north of America. In his habits he resembles dif-
ferent species of his relatives. His usual habita-
tions are caverns, which he excavates near river
banks. His food is said to consist mainly of quad-
rupeds living near the water. These animals are
hunted by young Indians who find in this viciously
biting creature an antagonist which can test their
courage, while at the same time they are not ex-
posed to as much danger as are the Men of their
tribe who hunt the grim Bear. Lomer says that
there is hardly another fur so well adapted for
Men's clothing, and the pelt is highly esteemed in
northern American countries as well as in Russia,
commanding a price from eight to fifteen or even as
high as twenty dollars, a coat made from this fur
costing as high as from three hundred to one thou-
sand dollars. Comparatively few of these furs reach
the European market ; the number may be about
twelve thousand annually, and they are known com-
mercially under the name of Virginian Polecat.
THE WEASEL GROUP.
"Putorius" or "Foetorius" (each meaning "foul-
smelling") is the name given to another group, in
honor of the renowned Polecat, which certainly de-
serves this designation, while other members of the
group do not. The animals belonging to this group
are distinguished by a head that tapers in a marked
degree toward the sharp snout; short, rounded,
three-sided ears; a slender, elongated body; short
legs provided with long-toed feet, and a round tail,
clothed with rather long hair, which does not at-
tain half the length of the body.
Description The Polecat {Putorius fcetidus) attains a
of the length of body of from sixteen to sev-
Polecat. enteen inches and a length of tail of
six inches. The fur is of a uniform brownish black
color below, while the upper parts and the sides are
lighter, usually of a dark chestnut tinge; and the
upper part of the neck is also lighter, the shorter,
yellowish woolly coat being nearer the surface in
these parts of the fur. A red-brown band, indis-
tinctly defined, runs lengthwise under the body; and
the chin and tip of the snout are of a yellowish-
white tint, with the exception of the dark nose.
Above the eyes there is a yellowish white spot, fad-
ing at its edges, and uniting with an indistinct band
beginning below the ears. There are variations in
coloring which have by some been considered as
marking distinct species; and yellow or white Pole-
cats have also been observed. In the female all
those parts of the fur which arc yellow in the male
are of a pure white. The fur of the species is thick,
but it is much less beautiful than that of the Pine
Marten.
TheTigerPole- The Polecat has a kinsman, the Tiger
cat,aSepa- Polecat {Putorius sarmaticus) , which in-
rate Variety, habits southeastern Europe, extending
as far north as Poland, and several parts of western
Asia; and it is of frequent occurrence in southern
Afghanistan, especially around Kandahar. Its mode
of life is identical with that of the common Polecat
THE MART EX FAMILY- \\ LASkL GROUP.
157
The Polecat's The Polecat inhabits the temperate
Range zone of Europe and Asia and even en-
and Habits, croaches a little upon the arctic zone.
It is found throughout all Europe except Lapland
and northern Russia. In Asia it ranges from the
Caspian sea through Tartary and Siberia to Kam-
chatka. Every locality holding out a promise of
food is adapted for its existence and therefore it fre-
quents plains as well as mountains, forests and fields,
and is particularly partial to the vicinity of large
farms. It takes up its habitation in hollow trees,
rocks, old Fox burrows and similar holes which it
happens to come across; and, if driven to it, can
burrow itself. It establishes itself in fields of high-
grown wheat or corn; it also makes its home in
fence corners, under bridges, in old walls, the roots
of large trees or close hedges; in short, it settles
down wherever there is a good chance to do so, but
fights shy of work, preferring to let other animals do
the digging and burrowing. In winter it shifts its
Polecats, and as the result of his labors, concluded
that they devoured Frogs and Snakes with great
pleasure, never caring for the bites of .venomous
Snakes and experiencing no discomfort from them.
The Polecat Besides feeding on venomous Snakes
a Vigilant the Polecat, Marten-fashion, attacks
Hunter. every creature it holds to be its inferior
in strength. It is a deadly enemy of all Moles, field
and house Mice, Rats and Hamsters, Hedgehogs,
Chickens and Ducks. Frogs seem to be one of its
favorite dainties, for it catches them in great quanti-
ties, and keeps them in its burrow by the dozen.
When food is scarce it contents itself with Grasshop-
pers and Snails. It also goes fishing and lies in wait
for fish on the banks of rivers, lakes and ponds,
jumps after them into the water, dives and seizes
them with great adroitness; it is even said to take
them from under the ice in winter. It is also very
fond of honey and fruits. Its sanguinary instincts
are great, but not so great as those of the Martens
> ,' ■ "' : /
THE POLECAT. An animal which is generally avoided by those ol sensitive olfai I I olecat, which inhabits the greater
part of Europe and Asia, where it ravages poultry yards, but also catches Rats. Mice and other rodents. It is also partial to Frogs, and the
mother Polecat in the picture is shown in the maternal act of bringing to her young a Frog she has killed. (Putorius fectidus.)
quarters and moves into villages and cities, often
encroaching upon the domain of the domestic Cat
and the Stone Marten. Occasionally it enters Hen-
houses, Pigeon-roosts, Rabbit-hutches and similar
places, where it displays an activity little calculated
to bring joy to their inmates or owners, and only
equaled but never surpassed by other members of
the Marten family. On the other hand it makes it-
self useful, and if the farmer is careful of his Hens,
Pigeons and Rabbits, he cannot find fault with his
guest, for it catches a multitude of Rats and Mice,
thoroughly rids the immediate neighborhood of
Snakes, and requires nothing for its services but
a warm bed in a very dark corner in the hay-loft.
There are localities in which the Polecat is as wel-
come as it is detested in others.
The Polecat We must agree with Lenz, who advises
Useful in the every forester to spare the Polecat. Its
Woods. right place is in the woods, and it does
much good by killing Mice and Snakes; its usefulness
in destroying Hamsters is also worthy of mention.
Lenz experimented a great deal with half-grown
proper. As a rule it does not kill all the poultry in
a house into which it has effected an entrance, but
takes the first fowl that it comes across and hurries
with it to its hiding-place; but it repeats this per-
formance several times in one night. More than
other members of the Marten family it is in the habit
of stocking its larder with provisions, and not in-
frequently goodly supplies of Mice, birds, eggs and
Frogs are found in its burrows. Its agility makes its
task of providing for its sustenance an easy one.
All movements of the Polecat are quick, agile and
to the purpose. It is past-master in the arts of sneak-
ing and leaping; it climbs, swims, dives, in short,
makes use of every movement that may further its
purposes. It is crafty, cunning, cautious, distrust-
ful, ingenious and, when attacked, courageous, and
addicted to vicious biting; in short, it is perfectly
fitted for committing great robberies. Like the
Skunk [which in America is frequently called "Pole-
cat "], it defends itself in extremities by ejecting a
foul-smelling fluid and thereby deterring the Dogs
from pursuing it. Its tenacity of life is incredible.
158
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
It jumps from great heights without injuring itself,
bears pain of all kinds almost with equanimity and
succumbs only to extremely severe wounds.
A litter of Polecats is composed of four or five,
sometimes six young ones, for which a retreat is
usually established by the mother in a cavern, or
still better, in a heap of wood or dry branches. The
mother is exceedingly fond of the little ones, cares
for them in the tenderest way and defends them
against any enemy ; sometimes, when she hears a
noise in the neighborhood of her nest, she will attack
a human being of her own accord. The little ones,
after an infancy of about six weeks, accompany
the mother on her hunts, and at the end of the
month they are nearly as large as she is herself.
Young Polecats may be suckled by Cat-mothers
and tamed, but they do not afford one much pleas-
ure, for their sanguinary proclivities revive when
they grow up and they pursue every good-natured
domestic animal.
Polecats Sometimes Polecats in the wild state some-
Dangerous — times conduct themselves in the
Hunting Them. most audacious manner when they
meet human beings and may even become dangerous
to children. " In Verna, a village in Hessen," says
Lenz, " a six year old boy, who had been given care
of a baby, set it down on the road, near a canal.
Suddenly three Polecats made their appearance and
attacked the child. One seized it by the nape of the
neck, another by the side of the head, the third by
the forehead. The baby gave a loud scream and
the brother was coming to the rescue, when still
more Polecats emerged from the canal and charged
at him. Fortunately two men came to save the chil-
dren ; they killed two Polecats and the others then
made their escape."
This animal is pursued in nearly every locality it
inhabits because of the considerable damage it causes.
All the customary weapons and traps are used in its
extermination. In those localities that are infested
with Mice it would be better to leave the Polecat
alone and direct attention to the repairing of the
Chicken-coops.
The fur of the Polecat is warm and serviceable,
out it is not valued as much as it would be if it were
not for the really unbearable odor that clings to it.
The long hair of the tail is used for brushes ; the
flesh is perfectly useless and is disdained even by
Dogs.
The Ferret, a All modern naturalists agree in regard-
Domesticated ing the Ferret (Pntoriits fitro) as a
Variety. descendant of the Polecat, having un-
dergone certain modifications in captivity and domes-
tication.
The Ferret lias been known from the earliest ages,
but only in a domesticated condition. Aristotle re-
fers to it under the name of Iktis, Pliny under the
name of Viverra. On the Balearic islands the Rab-
bits at one time had so increased that the natives
appealed to the Emperor Augustus for help. He
responded by sending them a few " Viverrae," whose
abilities as hunters were great. They were put into
the burrows of the Rabbits and drove the harmful
rodents out into the nets of their enemies.
The Ferret resembles the Polecat in shape and
size. It is a little smaller and weaker, but we ob-
serve this phenomenon in many animals that live in
dependence upon Man, that is, in captivity. The
body is eighteen inches long, the tail five inches.
These are the relative measurements of the Polecat;
and the Ferrel does not differ in any marked degree
from the Polecat in the structure of its skeleton. In
Europe the Ferret is usually seen as an Albino,
being of a whitish or yellowish color, a little darker
in the lower parts, and with pink eyes. A few spec-
imens are darker and look like genuine Polecats.
No essential differences have as yet been found be-
tween Polecats and Ferrets, and the reasons that
have been given as sufficient to entitle the Ferret
to being ranked as a distinct species do not bear
close investigation, as the principal distinguishing
features of the Ferret have been counted its deli-
cate, chilly nature, its gentleness and its tameness.
In my opinion this is no valid proof, as all Albinos
are weakly and delicate. Some naturalists supposed
the Ferret to be of African origin and to have ex-
tended from Africa to Europe, but they have not
been able to support their opinions by any observa-
tion.
How Ferrets The Ferret is found only in captivity
are Used and is kept in continental Europe only
and Kept. for Rabbit-hunting. In England the
Ferret is also used to exterminate Rats, and the
"Ratters" are considered of much higher value than
those that hunt only Rabbits. The animals are kept
in chests and cages, the hay and straw is frequently
changed and they are protected from the cold in
winter. Usually they are fed on bread and milk,
but a diet of tender flesh of freshly killed animals
is much more conducive to their health. Lenz's
observations show that they can be very cheaply
kept on Frogs, Lizards and Snakes, of which they
are very fond.
Habits and The Ferret resembles the Polecat in
Traits of the its temper, except that it is not so
Ferret. lively; its thirst for blood is not in-
ferior to that of its wild brother. Even when it
is nearly satiated, it attacks Rabbits, Pigeons and
Chickens with a kind of a mad frenzy, seizes them
by the neck and does not loosen its hold until the
prey is thoroughly disabled from moving. It laps
the blood oozing out of the wound it has made with
incredible avidity, and appears to consider the brain
a dainty morsel. It attacks reptiles with greater
caution and seems to be aware of the danger apper-
taining to venomous Snakes. It attacks the harm-
less species of Snakes without hesitation, even when
it sees one of them for the first time, and in spite of
its violent writhings, the Ferret seizes it, bites it
through the backbone and eats a fairly large piece.
But it approaches a venomous Snake with caution
and tries to bite the treacherous reptile in the mid-
dle of the body. It does not die from the effects of
a Snake bite, but becomes sick and dejected.
Only in rare instances is the Ferret completely
tamed ; there are cases on record, however, where
Ferrets have followed their masters about like Dogs
and could be allowed to roam about at perfect lib-
erty. But in the majority of cases these animals
know how to profit by their freedom when once they
have made good their escape; they straightway seek
the forest, where they make themselves at home in
some Rabbit's burrow, which serves them as an asy-
lum during the summer. In a short time they forget
Man, and if they arc not recaptured they perish dur-
ing the winter, as they are much too delicate to with-
stand the cold.
The voice of the Ferret finds expression in a dull
growl, or, when expressing pain, in a shriek. It is
seldom heard, for the animal usually lies snugly
curled up and quite still, and becomes active only
when there is some sanguinary feat to be achieved.
THE MARTEN FAMILY WEASEL GROUP.
159
A family of Ferrets includes from five to eight
young ones, which remain blind during the first two
or three weeks of their lives. They are admirably
cared for by the mother and are weaned when about
two months old, and when this has been done they
are old enough to be separated from maternal care
and reared by themselves.
How Ferrets The Ferret is excellent as an assistant
Hunt Rabbits in a Rabbit hunt, but its real useful-
and Rats. ness is very slight in comparison with
the cost of its maintenance.
The hunt is begun in the morning. The Ferrets
are carried in a basket or box lined with something
soft or in a game pouch. On arriving at the burrow
the hunter looks for all the outlets and places before
each of them a net about a yard long and fastened
to a large ring ; then the Ferret enters the principal
outlet and this is also closed against egress in a sim-
ilar manner. As soon as the Rabbits become aware
of the presence of the intruder, they rush out and are
caught in the nets and killed. The Ferret itself is
prevented from killing them either by a muzzle or by
having its teeth filed, and a
little bell is suspended from
its neck so that its where-
abouts may be constantly
known. As soon as it reap-
pears at the outlet, it is taken
up, for if it should enter the
burrow a second time, i t
would lie down to rest and
its master w ould be com-
pelled to wait for it for hours.
It is very important that it be
taught to respond to a whis-
tle or a call. If it does not
obey this signal, resort is had
to coaxing in order to induce
it to come out. An effectual
expedient, for instance, is to
tie a Rabbit to a pole and
thrust it into the burrow. No
Ferret can withstand such a
temptation; its teeth close on
the Rabbit, with which it is
drawn out of the hole.
In England the Ferret is
more frequently employed
to exterminate Rats, and still
oftener to fight with these
biting rodents. A Ferret which is only accus-
tomed to Rabbits cannot be used for Rats, for it is
afraid of every large Rat. A "Ratter" has to be
specially trained. It is at first made to fight with
young, weak Rats, and then becomes gradually accus-
tomed to combats and victories. The innate san-
guinary nature of the Ferret asserts itself by degrees,
and the courage of the little robber grows until it at
last attains such perfect skill in fighting the black
game that it accomplishes marvels. A thoroughly
trained Ferret can kill fifty Rats in one hour, within
a space two or three yards square.
The Ferret, in its search for Rabbits, may meet
enemies of its own family which have taken up their
abode in a deserted Rabbit's burrow. Then a fright-
ful struggle takes place between two animals well
matched in strength and agility. Such a combat
is hardly enjoyed by the owner of the tame member
of the tribe, as he has cause to fear for the life of his
assistant in the Rabbit-chase.
Weasels and The Weasels and their next of kin are
their Kind 0f still more slender and attenuated
Described, shape than the Martens proper. They
all dwell in fields, gardens, burrows, clefts of rock
or under stones or wood-piles and then roam about
by day as well as by night. They are the smallest
Beasts of Prey, but their courage and sanguinary
disposition render them model types of the Car-
nivora.
Characteristics The Weasel (Putoriits vulgaris) attains
of the a total length of eight inches, about
Weasel. two 0f which go to the diminutive
tail. The body is extremely elongated and appears
to be longer than it really is on account of the
neck and head being of about the same circumfer-
ence as the body. The animal is of the same thick-
ness from head to tail, and only in adult Weasels do
the loins seem a little retracted and the nose some-
what pointed. The legs are very short and thin and
the paws are tender ; there is a covering of hair
between the balls of the soles, and the toes are
furnished with thin, sharp and pointed claws. The
THE FERRET. — A domesticated variety ol the Polecat, which is used very largely for ridding- fields
of Rabbits, and is also, in England, trained for Rat-killing purposes. It is an Albino, the fur entirely white
and the eyes red. The animal in the picture is evidently of the Rat-killing kind, which is considered the most
valuable. (Putorius furo.)
tail is short, in proportion to the length of the body,
and tapering. The nose is blunt and somewhat
divided by a longitudinal furrow. The wide, rounded
ears stand well back and low down on the side of
the head, the small eyes are oblique and full of fire.
The hair is smooth and of moderate length and ap-
pears a little more dense toward the end of the
muzzle ; and there are long whisker-hairs over the
eyes, and a few bristles under them. The color of
the hair is reddish brown ; the margin of the upper
lip, the under part of the body and the inner sides of
the legs are white. There is a small, round, brown
spot at each corner of the mouth, and sometimes a
few brown spots show under the loins. This tint
does not undergo great variations in temperate and
southern climes ; farther north the Weasel, as well as
its nearest relative, changes its dress in winter and
makes its appearance spotted with white and brown,
but it does not display the beautiful black tip of tail
which distinguishes the Ermine.
1 60
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Range and The Weasel is of frequent occurrence
Habits of the throughout Europe, though perhaps
Weasel. not so frequent as in northern Asia ;
it is also found in British North America, and the
northern portions of the United States. It inhabits
plains as well as mountains, forests as well as wood-
less stretches of country, and it frequents populated
districts as well as the wilderness. It discovers a
suitable dwelling place in any locality, for it adapts
itself to circumstances, and always devises for itself
a loop-hole of escape from enemies. In this way it
inhabits hollow trees, heaps of stone, hollow river
banks. Mole's burrows and the hiding places of
Hamsters and Rats, and in winter repairs to barns,
cellars, stables, garrets and similar retreats, fre-
quently even in cities. In those localities where its
movements arc undisturbed it prowls around in the
daytime ; but in those where it is pursued or har-
assed it sallies forth only at night, or if by daylight
only with the greatest caution.
The observer who noiselessly approaches the hid-
ing place of a Weasel may easily secure the pleasure
of watching it. He may then hear a slight rustle of
leaves and see a small, brown creature gliding along.
As soon as the Weasel catches sight of a human be-
ing it stands on its hind legs to obtain a better view.
The idea of flight seldom enters this dwarf-like
creature's head, but it looks at the world with a pair
of bold eyes, and assumes an attitude of defiance.
When one goes very near it the Weasel is some-
times bold enough to approach him, putting on an
indescribably impudent look, as if it wishes to find
out what the intruder means by disturbing it.
Great Courage More than once it has happened that
and Audacity the audacious little creature has at-
of Weasels, tacked Man, and retreated only after a
prolonged fight. It has also been known to suspend
itself by its teeth from the legs of Horses, and in
these cases has only been made to relax its tenacious
hold by the joint efforts of Horse and rider. With
so great a degree of courage the Weasel combines
an incomparable presence of mind. The Weasel is
never at a loss for a way to escape ; it does not give
up hope even in the claws of a bird of prey. A nat-
uralist once saw a large bird swoop down on a field,
pick up a small quadruped and fly away with it high
up in the air. Suddenly the bird staggered in its
flight, and then dropped to the ground dead. The
surprised spectator hurried to the place and saw a
Weasel tripping merrily away. It had adroitly sev-
ered its formidable enemy's neck with a bite and so
saved itself.
Animals Preyed It is a natural conclusion that so
Upon by courageous an animal must be a ter-
the Weasel. rjblc Beast of Prey, and such the
Weasel truly is. It wages open war upon all small
quadrupeds and causes dreadful ravages among
them. Among the mammals it preys upon all Mice,
house Rats and water Rats, Moles, young Hamsters,
Hares and Rabbits. Among the birds it kills young
Chickens, Pigeons, Larks and others living on the
ground ; it attacks even those birds it finds sleeping
on trees, and plunders their nests. Among the rep-
tiles it lies in wait for Lizards and Snakes, though it
cannot withstand the repeated bites of a venomous
Snake. It also feeds on Frogs and fishes, in short, on
every kind of flesh, including even that of its own
species. When if can get hold of Crabs, it opens
their hard shell very adroitly to get at their meat.
Its small size and incredible agility stand it in good
stead in its hunts, and it may be said that no small
animal possesses immunity from it. It has been
observed to hunt in company with others of its
species, a fact which is not astonishing, as it lives
gregariously, and there are great numbers of these
animals in some places. Pechuel-Loesche once saw
seven adult Weasels, probably belonging to the same
family. They were diligently searching a piece of
meadow for game in bright daylight, and they did
not seem to be much disconcerted at having a spec-
tator. The Weasel seizes small animals by the nape
of the neck or by the head; larger ones it tries to
seize by the throat. It will make one or two aper-
tures in the tip of an egg and suck out the entire
contents without losing a drop. It is said to carry
away large eggs between its chin and breast; smaller
ones it carries in its mouth. When it has killed a
large animal it does not eat the flesh but contents
itself with lapping the blood ; but smaller prey it
eats up entirely. When it has once seized an animal,
it never lets the victim go until it is dead. It can
often be seen hunting in the immediate neighbor-
hood of human habitations, and it displays scarcely
any timidity in its actions.
The Young A litter of Weasels numbers from three
Weasel and to eight blind young ones, the mother
Its Mother, usually selecting a hollow tree or a bur-
row and preparing a nest-like couch for them out of
straw, hay or leaves. She is very fond of her off-
spring, suckles them for a very long time and pro-
vides for them for a few months after they are
weaned, bringing them live Mice to eat. When she
thinks the retreat unsafe, she carries them away in
her mouth. In danger the faithful mother defends
them with unlimited courage. When the charming
little animals are grown up, they often play with the
mother, and it is both curious and pretty to see such
a little group romping aronud in the sunshine on a
meadow; they prefer one that abounds in subterra-
nean burrows, especially holes made by Moles.
Young Weasels while still following their mother
are of the proper age to be domesticated. Buffon
was the originator of the belief that the little animal
is not capable of domestication, but this is a wrong
opinion to hold, though it is not entirely without
foundation. Weasels which have been accustomed
to people from childhood are remarkably tame and
charming little creatures.
Anecdote Of the different anecdotes about Wea-
of the Tame sels, one, recounted by Wood in his
Weasel. Natural History as coming from a lady,
strikes me as the most attractive, and I will here give
an extract from it :
" If I pour some milk into my hand," says this lady,
" my tame Weasel will drink a good deal, but if I do
not pay it this compliment it will scarcely take a
drop. When satisfied, it generally goes to sleep.
My chamber is the place of its residence and I have
found a method of dispelling its strong odor by per-
fumes. By day it sleeps in a quilt, into which it gets
by an unsewn place which it has discovered on the
edge ; during the night it is kept in a wired box or
cage which it always enters with reluctance and
leaves with pleasure. If it be set at liberty before
my time of rising, after a thousand playful little
tricks, it gets into my bed, and goes to sleep beside
me. If I am up first, it spends a full half-hour in
caressing me, playing with my fingers like a little
Dog, jumping on my head and my neck with a light-
ness and elegance which I have never found in any
other animal. If I present my hands at the distance
of three feet, it jumps into them without ever miss-
WEASEL ATTACKING A BROWN RAT. During the present century the Brown Rat has greatly increased in numbers in Europe, largely taking
the place of the smaller black member of his tribe. This vicious rodent has a most determinec. enemy in the Weasel, which, although inferior to this Rat in
size, pursues it relentlessly and with almost uniform success. The picture shows the Weasel attacking one of these destructive rodents, and illustrates its
method of seizing its victim by the neck. This small Beast of Prey is slender and hindsomely proportioned, has a smooth fur, and is an agile and audacious
little animal. (Putorius vulgaris.)
162
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
ing. It exhibits great address and cunning to com-
pass its ends, and seems to disobey certain prohibi-
tions merely through caprice.
" In the midst of 'twenty people it distinguishes my
voice, seeks me out and springs over all the others to
come at me.
" One singularity in this charming little animal is
its curiosity. It is impossible to open a drawer or a
box, or even to look at a paper, but it will examine
it also. If it gets into any place where I am afraid of
permitting it to stay, I take a paper or a book and
look attentively at it, on which the Weasel immedi-
ately runs upon my hand and surveys with an inquisi-
tive air whatever I happen to hold. I must further
observe that it plays with a young Cat and Dog, both
of considerable size."
If carefully tended a domesticated Weasel may
live from four to six years ; in its wild state it prob-
ably lives from eight to ten years. Unfortunately
these small, useful animals are much pursued by
malicious people and killed from sheer mischievous-
ness. A Weasel is easily caught in a trap, with bait
of an egg, a small bird or a Mouse. On account of
its great usefulness, the little animal ought to be
thoroughly protected instead of being pursued. It
may be safely stated that no other animal is so fitly
endowed for hunting Mice.
The Ermine, Closely allied to the Weasel is the Er-
or Stoat, ' mine or Stoat (Putorins er?ni?ica) which
Described, resembles the former in its shape and
mode of life, but is of larger dimensions than its
little kinsman. The total length of the Ermine is
thirteen inches, or a little more in high northern
latitudes. The upper part of the body and hair of
the tail are of a brownish red color in summer
and white in winter, and the woolly coat is also
brownish red, or white, according to the season.
The under part of the body is always white with a
slight yellow tinge and the extremity of the tail is
always black.
Changes in The modifications of tint which the
the Fur of the Ermine undergoes in the different sea-
Ermine. sons have given rise to differences of
opinion among naturalists. Some assume that it
^heds its hair twice a year; others, with whom I
agree, are of the opinion that the summer-hair simply
bleaches out at the approach of cold weather, a
phenomenon which is also observed in the Arctic
Fox and the Alpine Hare. The Swedish writer,
Grill, whose charming descriptions I quote below,
has had excellent opportunities of watching the
change of color in captive Ermines in the spring.
"On the 4th of March," he says, "one could see the
first dark hairs between the eyes. On the 10th a
dark patch had spread over half the forehead, but
still snowed white spots here and there. Around the
eyes and nose several small dark spots had appeared.
When it bent itself, one could see that the roots of
tin- hairs on the middle of the back, the shoulders
and on the head were dark. The change of color
took place very rapidly, especially at first, so much
so that its progress could be traced daily or even
half-daily. On the 3d of April the only white places
were the lower part of the neck and throat, the
whole under portion of the body, the ears, a strip
running from the cars to the eyes, which were sur-
rounded by a narrow dark border, a small piece
adjoining the black part of the tail, the feet, the
inner sides of the legs, and the buttocks. On the
19th the ears, with the exception of a small spot, had
ime brown. At first the dark hairs grew to-
gether, and before they were as long as the white
ones, the latter had fallen out. We may say that
the real change went on during the first half of
March ; after the 19th of March the brown coat only
spreads more and gradually takes the place of the
white one."
Where and The Ermine is spread over a large ex-
How the tent of country in the north of both the
Ermine Lives. Old and New World. It inhabits all
Europe to the north of the Pyrenees and the Balk-
ans, and northern and central Asia to the eastern
coast of Siberia. It has also been found in Asia
Minor, Persia and Afghanistan and even in the Him-
alayas. In America it is found from the extreme
north southward, taking in the northern half of the
United States. Wherever it exists, it is rather com-
mon, and in Germany it is one of the commonest
Beasts of Prey.
Like the Weasel, the Ermine is found in any kind
of locality, and knows how to make itself at home
anywhere. Holes in the ground, burrows of Moles
and Hamsters, clefts of rock, holes in walls, crevices,
heaps of stone, trees, deserted buildings and a hun-
dred similar hiding places are used by the Ermine
during the day, and there it sleeps while the sun
shines ; though it also frequently happens that it
promenades around, boldly exposing itself to human
eyes. Its real activity, as a rule, begins at dusk.
Toward evening it exhibits a lively disposition, and
one who looks in favorable localities at this time
will not need to search long before discovering this
ingenious little creature with its intelligent eyes.
It may be called a master in all physical exercises;
runs and leaps with the greatest agility, is an excel-
lent climber and can swim rapidly across wide rivers.
Its mental endowments harmonize completely with
its physical attributes. It possesses as much cour-
age as its small cousin the Weasel, and has an ex-
tremely sanguinary disposition.
The Ermine The Ermine preys upon all small quad-
and ItsNumer- rupeds and birds which it can conquer,
ous Prey. ail(j often attacks animals greatly its
superior in size. It wages constant war on Mice,
Moles, Hamsters, Rabbits, Sparrows, Larks, Pigeons,
Chickens, Swallows, which it takes from out of their
nests; Snakes and Lizards, and even Hares are not
secure from it.
It is a very pretty sight to watch an Ermine bent
on pursuing one of its favorite prey, a Water-Rat.
This rodent is hunted on the ground and in the water
by the little rascal and, unfavorable as the proper
element of the Rats seems to be to the Ermine, it
succeeds in worsting them. At first it searches all
the holes. Its acute sense of smell informs it accu-
rately whether one or two Rats are taking repose in
one of the holes. When the Ermine has found a
promising hole, it enters it without further ado. The
Rat, full of dismay of course, rushes into the water,
and makes for a thicket of reeds ; but this does not
place it out of the reach of its vigilant pursuer and
most ferocious enemy; keeping head and neck above
water like a Dog, the Ermine glides on and pursues
the Rat with indomitable perseverance. If chance
does not come to the rescue, the Rat is lost.
The Ermine is caught in all kinds of traps, some-
times in Rat traps which it chances to enter.
Ermines which are caught young may become very
tame and afford their keepers a great deal of pleas-
ure. Some specimens are said to have followed
their keepers about like Dogs. Even old Ermines
may sometimes be domesticated.
THE ERMINE, OR STOAT. This fierce little Beast of Prey is found in the northern portion of both hemispheres. It preys upon all small mam-
mals, attacking even Hares, docs not despise Snakes or Lizards, and is especially fond of birds. The animal in the picture will find no difficulty in despoil-
ing the nest above him. This animal's fur changes with the seasons. It is shown in this engraving in its summer coat, the upper part brownish-red, the lower
"white. In the winter the animal is entirely white, except at the tip of the tail, which is black at all seasons. {Putorius erminea.)
(163)
164
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Account of "A few days before Christmas, 1843,"
a Captive says Grill, " I was given a male Ermine,
Ermine. which had been caught in a pile of wood.
It wore its pure white winter dress. The round
black eyes, the red-brown nose, and the black tail-tip
stood out in bold relief against the snow-white fur,
which only at the root and on the inner half of the
tail had a sulphur yellow tint. It was a pretty, lively
little animal. At first I put it in a large, untenanted
room, which soon took on the disagreeable odor that
characterizes the Weasel tribe. Its skill in climb-
ing, leaping and hiding itself was marvelous. It
climbed up window curtains with ease, and if fright-
ened, it would drop down with a scream. On the
second day it ran up the stove-pipe and stayed in
that grimy retreat a few hours, and came out covered
with soot. It often eluded me for hours at a time
when I would be looking for it, and then it would
issue from some place where I thought it least likely
to be concealed. As the room was not heated, it
soon made itself a nest in a bed, but always left this
warm refuge when anybody entered the room. Still
the bed remained its favorite hiding place. It
would run to it when rapidly approached, but if one
came up to it gently, uttering a few kind words, it
would stop, crane its long neck and lift one fore-paw.
Its fondness for petting is well known, and the peas-
ants often say, ' Little Weasel likes to be praised.'
If its curiosity is aroused, or it scents danger, and
wishes to see farther than its small stature permits,
it sits up on its hind legs. If one approaches it, it
barks before fleeing, in a violent, yelling tone, re-
sembling that of a woodpecker.
" When it was put in a large cage on the third day
and it saw that there was no escape for it, the Ermine
did not suffer any one to approach toward the cage
without jumping to the bars, biting viciously, and
uttering the sound described above in a long trill re-
sembling the cry of the Magpie. It felt itself secure
in the cage, and did not even fear the Dog, and the
two animals used to bark into each other's faces, each
on its own side of the bars. When I put the fingers
of a glove through the bars it bit at and tore them.
When it was very angry (and so little a cause as
disturbing its sleep was sufficient to rouse its ire), all
the hairs of its long tail stood on end.
" In general my little Ermine was very wicked. It
detested music. If one played on a guitar in front
of its cage, it jumped against the bars as if insane,
and barked and hissed as long as the playing con-
tinued. It never tried to use its claws for the lacera-
tion of its prey, but always used its teeth.
" 1 )n the 7th of May, when the animal had been
four and one-half months in my possession, I tried
for the first time to pet it, having gloves on. It bit
into them, but I did not feel the teeth, neither did
they leave any traces. At first it tried to evade my
caresses, but later it seemed to like them, lying down
on its back and closing its eyes. On the following
day I repeated the experiment, as I had a firm inten-
tion of rendering it as tame as I could. Soon I
pulled off my glove and stroked it and it did not
attempt to bite me. I could pet and stroke it, lift
its paws and even open its mouth without making it
angry, but when I took it by its body it slid out of
my hands like an Eel. It had to be approached
gently, if one did not wish to scare it, and the rule
for the treatmenl of all wild animals held good for
this one also : the trainer must show at the same
time that he docs not fear the animal and that he
does not intend to harm it."
The fur of the Ermine is not very expensive, but
is still highly valued for its beauty. In olden times
it was used only by princes, but now it is more com-
mon.
Special Charac- The Mink and its nearest relatives.
teristics of are very closely allied to the Polecat
the Mink. ancj differ from it only by a flatter
head, larger canine teeth, shorter legs, the presence
of webs between the toes, especially developed in
the hind legs, a proportionately longer tail and a
lustrous fur consisting of close, smooth, short hairv
resembling Otter fur. Its color is a uniform brown^
There is a European and an American species. Until
very recently little was known about the mode of life
of these two animals and even now the published
observations are far from satisfactory, especially
those relating to the European species. I owe a
great deal to the experiences of a Lubeck forester,,
who has kindly put his observations at my disposal.
The American Mink has been described by Auduboa
and Prince de Wied.
The European The European Mink or Nerz (Putorius
Mink or lutreola) attains a length of twenty
Nerz. inches, about six of which go to the
tail. The body is long and slender, the legs are short,
and the whole animal resembles the Otter, except
that the head is still more slender. The feet are
similar to those of the Polecat, but the toes are con-
nected by webs. The lustrous fur consists of dense,.
smooth, short and rather hard outer hair, of a brown
color, and a grayish, matted, woolly inner coat. The
color is darker in the middle of the back, on the nape
of the neck and on the buttocks than on the rest of
the body, and the tail is usually darker than the
sides. On the under parts the tint merges into gray-
ish brown. The throat shows a small whitish or
light yellow spot, the upper lip is white in front and
so is the whole lower lip.
The American The American Mink {Putorius vison)
Mink's shows a similar distribution of colors,.
Superior Fur. Dut. its fur is much more esteemed,
as it is softer and of a more woolly character. It is
a little larger than the European Mink.
In their mode of life both animals probably agree
in all essentials and, therefore, I will give an account
of the most important points in the description of the
American Mink by the above-mentioned naturalists,
before I proceed to describe the European Nerz.
Audubon's According to Audubon the Mink
Observation of ranks next to the Ermine in de-
the Mink. structive activity, prowling around
the farm-yard or duck pond ; and its presence is
soon detected by the sudden disappearance of sundry
young Chickens and Ducklings. Audubon had a
personal experience with a Mink which had taken up
its abode in the stone-dam of a small pond near the
home of the naturalist. This pond had been dammed
for the benefit of the Ducks in the yard, and in this
way afforded the Mink hunting-grounds of ample
promise. Its hiding place had been selected with
cunning and audacity ; very near the house and still
nearer the place where the Chickens had to pass on
their way to drink. In front of its hole there were
two large stones, which served the Mink as a watch-
tower, from which it could overlook the yard as well
as the pond. It would lay in wait for hours every
day, and would carry away Chickens and Ducks
in broad daylight until the naturalists put an end
to its career. Audubon found the Mink to be espe-
cially plentiful on the banks of the Ohio river and
there observed it to be of some use in catching Mice
THE MARTEN FAMILY— WEASEL GROUP.
165
and Rats. Besides this sport, which is of some bene-
fit to Man, it is unfortunately addicted to poaching
and fishing. Audubon observed it to swim and dive
with the greatest agility and pursue and attack the
quickest of fishes, such as the Salmon and Trout, as
successfully as an Otter. When better provender is
not procurable it is content with a Frog or a Lizard,
but when food is plentiful, it is very fastidious. In
swampy regions it preys upon Water-rats, Finches
and Ducks ; on the shore it preys on Hares, in the
ocean it feeds on Oysters and from the bottom of
rivers it takes Mussels and other shell-fish ; in short,
it adapts itself to the locality and knows how to
profit by whatever food supplies it may be able to
find. When frightened, it gives forth a very fetid
odor, like the Polecat.
The five or six young
to which the female gives
birth at the end of April,
may be found in holes un-
der projecting banks of
rivers or on small islands,
in moors, or even in hol-
low trees. If taken young,
they get to be exceeding-
ly tame and become gen-
uine pets. Richardson
saw one in the possession
of a Canadian lady, who
used to carry it about with
her, in her pocket.
The Mink is e a s i 1 y
caught in any kind of trap
and is as frequently shot
as it is caught; but its
tenacity of life renders a
good aim necessary.
The European The Europe-
Mink now an Mink or
Rare. N e r z has
been described much less
than the American spe-
cies. Wildungen wrote in
1799 that the Mink was
then a rare animal, un-
known to most German
sportsmen ; he had long
wished to see it closely
and owed the realization
of this wish to the inde-
fatigable zeal of Count
Mellin. He proceeds to
give us a few details, ob-
served by the latter:
"'The Mink resembles the
Marten in its manner of
"walking, in its mode of arching its back, and in its
ability to insinuate itself into the smallest apertures.
Like the Ferret, it is incessantly in motion, search-
ing all nooks and holes. It runs badly and does
not climb on trees ; but it swims like an Otter and
can stay a long time under water.
"The Mink likes quiet and solitude around its
abode. It shuns human beings and avoids traps very
intelligently, although it sometimes visits poultry-
yards and then proceeds, with a zeal equal to that of
the Marten or the Polecat, to slay as long as there are
any victims left or until it is disturbed. This, how-
ever, happens only in isolated dwellings, and I have
never heard that it visited villages. Its usual food
consists of fish, Frogs, Crabs and Snails ; and proba-
THE EUROPEAN MINK. This animal, sometimes also called the
Ner?, much resembles the American Mink, except that it is somewhat
smaller and its fur is coarser. The long, slender body, the webbed feet and
the keen, watchful mode of waiting for and attacking its prey, are well shown
here. It inhabits swampy regions and banks of streams, and is an expert at
fishing and catches small mammals, birds and Frogs. (Pn/orius lutreola.)
bly young Water-hens and Woodcocks also fall vic-
tims to it. The high price which its fur brings, even
in summer, increases the efforts made to capture this
rare animal, and it may soon be exterminated in
Pomerania, where Mellin observed it."
This extract contains really all we have so far
known about the Mink. The fear that it has been
exterminated in Germany has become general, but
luckily it is groundless. The Mink occurs all over
northern Germany, though not plentifully. Its real
home is eastern Europe, Finland, Poland, Lithuania,
Russia. There it is found from the Baltic Sea to the
Ural, from the Dwina to the Black Sea, and not very
rarely. It also inhabits Bessarabia, Siebenbuergen
and Gallicia. In Moravia, Silesia and Holstein it is
very rare; yet I received
from Holstein the follow-
ing report from Mr.
Claudius, a forester well
versed in zoological mat-
ters :
Habits of the "The Mink
European likes the
Mink- broken and
reedy surroundings of
lakes and rivers, and takes
up its abode in dam-like
eminences in the roots of
alder trees, as near as pos-
sible to some body of
water, and it provides this
habitation w i t h several
outlets in the direction
of the water. Burrows
leading away from water
are never found. When
a Polecat is compelled to
desert its hole, it cannot
be driven into the water,
but invariably looks for
safety on land, where it is
always able to find innu-
merable chances for es-
cape; but the Mink, under
like circumstances, drops
vertically into the water
and disappears from view.
It is extremely difficult
to shoot it in the water,
for it stays in a long time,
and emerges at a consid-
erable distance from the
place at which it dived
beneath the surface.
When under water, even
if the swimming space is
very limited, the Mink is perfectly secure from cap-
ture by a Dog."
The European For many years Claudius and I had
Mink in tried in vain to obtain a living Mink.
Captivity. At last, in 1 868, he wrote me that a
female Mink had been caught and brought to him.
It appeared to thrive on a diet of milk and meat,
and, as its temper seemed quiet, he hoped the wound
caused by the trap would soon heal. "It is a great
deal better-natured than the other Weasels," Clau-
dius writes, " it is only angry when irritated. It pre-
fers to pay no attention to me, but allows me to
stroke its fur with a little stick without taking it
amiss. All day long it lies curled up on a bundle of
hay in the cage. At night it prowls around in its
k;i;
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
spacious dwelling, and several times has left it. The
first time it did this, I found it hiddenin a corner of
a room. Later on, whenever it succeeded in freeing
itself during the night, I always found it on its hay
in the morning, as if it had undertaken its nocturnal
wanderings with a view to relaxation rather than with
the intention of escape."
After the Mink had become completely reconciled
to its loss of liberty, and so tame that it allowed its
owner to take it up and seemed susceptible to
caresses, Claudius sent it to me in a chest. Even
v/hile I was opening it, I knew that I had to deal
with a Mink, for there was a trace of the disagree-
able odor a Polecat would have given forth under
similar circumstances. I may well say that no other
animal ever gave me the joy I experienced in seeing
this rare specimen, a European Mink. I had been
yearning for years to possess one, and this animal,
fortunately, has thrived for many years in my care.
Late in the evening, never before sunset, it quits its
bed and prowls around in the cage. This it does
every night, and thus explains the ignorance that pre-
vails concerning its habits ; for who can follow the
Mink in the dark of night in its favorite haunts — the
moors ? As far as one can judge in a confined space
it seems to resemble the Polecat most in its move-
ments. It possesses the agility of the Martens, but
has neither their aptitude at climbing nor their activ-
ity. It may be said that the Mink does not make
one unnecessary step. The intelligent little head is
never at rest ; the keen eyes incessantly search the
room, and it pricks up its little ears to take in, by its
sense of hearing, what might escape the eyes. If it
is offered a living prey, it pounces upon it with
Weasel-like rapidity, kills it with a few bites and
drags it into its hole.
Fish and Frogs seem to be its favorite food,
though Claudius thought that it preferred meat and
ate fish only in default of it. It astonishes me, that
my prisoner rather shuns water than yearns for it.
An Otter tries to profit by the friendly element even
within the most limited space, but my Mink never
thinks of it ; it uses the water only for drinking,
never to bathe or play in.
THE GLUTTON.
The Glutton, or Wolverine, is one of the clumsiest
members of the Marten or Weasel family and rep-
resents a distinct group, Gido, whose distinguishing
features are as follows : The body is stout and
strong, the tail short and very bushy, the neck thick
and short, the back arched, the head large, the snout
elongated and blunt, the legs are short and stout, the
clumsy paws have five toes, and are provided with
curved and compressed claws.
Description of The Glutton ( Gido borealis) is a little
the Glutton over three feet long, six inches of
or Wolverine. which go to the tail. The shoulder
height is from sixteen to seventeen inches. On the
snout the hair is short and thin ; on the feet it is
thick and lustrous ; on the body long and shaggy ;
on the legs, the light side-bands and the tail it is very
long and coarse. The top of the head and the back
are of a brownish black, with an admixture of gray
hairs ; the under part and the legs are black. There
is a light gray patch between eyes and ears1 and a
light gray band runs from the shoulders along the
sides. The woolly under-fur is gray, and beneath
the body is brownish.
The Glutton inhabits the north of the globe.
From southern Norway and Finland it spreads all
over northern Asia and North America to Green-
land. Formerly its southern boundaries in Europe
were formed by lower latitudes than now ; during
the Reindeer period it extended to the Alps. Bech-
stein tells us of a Glutton that was killed in Saxony,
Zimmerman of another caught in Brunswick. These
two are considered isolated animals, for it seems.
very improbable that the Glutton is to be found so
far south in modern times. Its native range is Nor-
way, Sweden, Lapland, northern Russia, especially
the country surrounding the White Sea, Perm, Sibe-
ria, Kamchatka and North America.
The Glutton's Older naturalists relate the most
Voracity marvelous tales of the Glutton, and
Exaggerated. [t 1S thejr fauit that the animal bears
a name signifying the same thing in all languages.
Michow, for instance, says: "In Lithuania and Mos-
covia there is an animal called Rosomacha (the Rus-
sian name for it), which is very gluttonous. It is as
large as a Dog, has eyes like a Cat, very strong claws,
a body clothed with long brown hair, and a tail like
a Fox, only shorter. When it finds a carcass it eats
until its stomach is distended and returns to its
repast as soon as it is able to eat more, repeating its
meals until it has devoured the carcass. It seems to
do nothing but eat and drink and eat again." Stel-
ler has long since refuted these silly stories, and Pal-
las gives a correct account of this strange animal.
Range and The Glutton inhabits the mountainous
Habits of the parts of the north, preferring, for in-
Glutton. stance, the barren heights of the Scan-
dinavian Alps to the immense forests of the lower
mountains, although it is also found in these latter
situations. It has no permanent hiding-place, but
changes its lair according to circumstances and hides
at the approach of night in any place that is pro-
pitious, be it in a thicket, a cleft of rock, a forsaken
Fox burrow or a natural cavern. Like all of the
Weasel tribe, its habits are essentially nocturnal, still
it prowls around at will in its native country, so little
inhabited by human beings, and shows itself also in
the light of the sun. It would be compelled to do
this, anyway, as in the most northerly regions of its
native range the sun shines day and night during the
summer.
It spends the winter, like its nearest relatives among
the Weasels.without falling into a deep sleep, and its
large paws enable it to walk on the snow with ease.
As it is not fastidious in its taste it leads a comforta-
ble, easy life, without ever being in great straits. Its
movements are peculiar, and its walk especially
distinguishes it from all other animals of which I
have any knowledge. It rolls itself along with large
bounds, limping and turning somersaults. Yet, de-
spite its peculiarities of gait, its walk is not slow,
and it can easily overtake small quadrupeds and
attack larger ones after a longer pursuit. In spite
of its clumsiness it can ascend small trees. It lies in
wait on the branches, close to the trunk, till some
game passes beneath. Its smelling faculty ranks first
among its senses, and its sight and hearing are also
very efficient.
How the Glut- Its principal food consists of Mice, and
ton Secures especially Lemmings, of which it exter-
Its Food. minates astonishing numbers. As these
animals abound in certain seasons, it does not need
to look for other prey. It follows Wolves and Foxes
in the hope of obtaining a portion of their prey.
When Mice are scarce it is obliged to hunt nobler
game. It is an established fact that it attacks and
sometimes kills Reindeer, and even Klks. Thunberg
THE GLUTTON, OR WOLVERINE. This animal, which is found in the cold northern regions of Europe. Asia and America, receives
its name Irom the earlier belief that it was abnormally voracious, but it does not appear to deserve its title. It is a very fierce hunter, however,
snd kills animals of all sizes from the Mouse to the Elk. the picture portraying its attack on the latter animal. It is a cluaisy but powerful animal
with a coarse fur which is long and shaggy, except on the snout. (Gulo borcalis.)
(167/
168
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
was told that it could kill Cows, lacerating their
throats. Loewenhjelm, in his "Travels in the North,''
mentions that it causes ravages among flocks of
Sheep, and Erman was informed by the Ostjaks that
it would jump upon the neck of Elks and kill them
with a few bites. My hunting companion, Eric
Swanson, told me that in Scandinavia it gently
approaches Snow-birds, pursuing them in the bur-
rows which they excavate for themselves, and easily
kills them. The Glutton is heartily detested by
the hunters. My companion assured me that when-
ever, having killed a Reindeer, he neglected to hide
the carcass under stones, he would find, on his return,
that his game had been partly eaten by the Glutton.
Frequently it steals bait from traps or eats a portion
of the animals caught in them. It acts exactly in the
same way in Siberia and America. It often creates
great ravages in the huts of Laplanders. It opens
for itself a way into the dwelling through doors or
roofs, steals meat, cheese, dried fish or similar things,
tears the skins of animals which the inmates have
prepared for market, and often, when famished, eats
part of them. It is active day and night in winter,
and, when tired, scoops a hole in the snow and rests
in comfort. It eats smaller animals on the spot
where it kills them, but it carefully buries the uneaten
portion of larger animals, to which it returns for a
second repast.
Methods of Owing to the great activity of its dep-
Hunting redations the Glutton does not enjoy
the Glutton, the particular esteem of the northern
nations, and it is hunted, pursued and killed in every
possible way, though its fur is by no means widely
used. Only the natives of Kamchatka value it
highly, but they believe that there is no fur superior
to the Glutton's pelt.
Although a small animal the Glutton is an antag-
onist not to be despised, for it is strong, fierce, and
has a capacity for resistance out of proportion to its
size. It defends itself against Man only when there
are no means of escape. Usually it takes to flight
at sight of a hunter, and when pursued, it climbs a
tree or mounts high rocks, where its enemies cannot
follow it. In treeless plains it is soon overtaken by
Dogs, but defends itself against them with great
intrepidity.
How the A young captive Glutton is very play-
Glutton Acts ful, nearly -like a young Bear. When
in Captivity. t;ed to a poie) jt runs back ancj forth ;n
a semicircle, shaking its head and grunting. When
it anticipates an unfavorable change of weather it
becomes sulky. Though not quick in its movements,
it is in constant motion when awake and lies still
only when sleeping. When a tree is brought into its
cage, it climbs it with ease and seems to delight in
performing gymnastic feats on the branches.
Three Gluttons The real character of the Wolverine is
Observed only completely displayed when it is in
in Captivity, the society of animals of its own kind.
In the Berlin Tiergarten three W'olverincs, an old
one and two young ones, shared a cage. It would be
difficult to imagine anything merrier than these two
young creatures. They were seldom seen at rest ;
the greater part of the day they spent in play, which
at first was good-natured, but soon became more
serious and occasionally ended in a duel, in which
both fighters made good use of claws and teeth.
When the play was over, they tripped through the
cage, sniffed in all corners, threw the dishes con-
taining food and water over and vexed the honest
washerwoman who had to clean their cage, display
ing a great liking for the investigation of things
which did not in the least concern them. Then they
again picked a quarrel with each other and resumed
their play, keeping people for hours before their
cage. When the keeper entered bringing the food,
they behaved quite differently. The first time I saw
them fed, I suddenly understood why they had been
called "Gluttons." Whining, howling, growling, bark-
ing, showing their teeth and boxing each other's ears,
they ran about the cage in a crazy manner, looking
at the meat with avidity. If the keeper did not
hand it to them immediately, they rolled themselves
on the floor in despair, and as soon as a piece was
thrown them, they rushed at it with such eagerness,
chewed it with such an accompaniment of growling
and smacking of lips, devoured and swallowed it so
greedily, that one could no more doubt that the
older authors had found some foundation for their
stories about the Glutton, by observing the animal in
captivity.
THE GRISONS.
The Grisons (Galictis) are members of this family
which live in Brazil, and they are of slender, Marten-
like build. They have a rather thick head, larger
behind, provided with low, rounded ears and rela-
tively large eyes, short legs, moderately large feet
provided with five toes connected with webs, bear-
ing sharp, curved claws, and naked, callous soles.
The tail is of moderate size, or rather long, the fur is
short and the teeth differ from those of the other
Weasels. The secretion of their scent-glands has a
strong odor of musk. There are two species known
now, both inhabiting forests and bushes. They are
very agile, climb well and prey upon small and me-
dium-sized animals; they also share the predilection
of the Ratel and the Bears for honey. The names
of the two species are the Tayra {Galictis Barbara)
and the Grison {Galictis vittata).
THE BADGERS.
The second sub-order of the Martens is formed by
the Badgers (Mclidce) and numbers among its mem-
bers the stoutest forms as well as those giving forth
the most offensive odors. Their mode of walking is
plantigrade.
The Badger is a complete type of a selfish, dis-
trustful, sulky, ill-humored creature. Nearly all
observers agree on this point, though they do not
depreciate the usefulness of the animal. The Badger
is the most harmless of all European larger beasts of
prey, yet it is hunted like the Wolf or the Fox, and
has not even found defenders among sportsmen, a
class of people who usually are fondest of the ani-
mals they pursue most. People condemn it, with-
out stopping to consider that it honestly makes its
living in its own way, and that only its peculiar
mode of life is at the bottom of this dislike. It is
really a sulky fellow, avoiding the society of Man or
beast, and as lazy withal as it is possible to be.
These qualities are not adapted to gain it many
friends, but I must confess that I personally am
fond of it; its mode of life and its actions amuse me.
The genus Mclcs, represented by the Badger, is dis-
tinguished by a heavy, stout body, a thick neck, and
a long head, the snout tapering like a proboscis, the
eyes and cars are small, the soles naked, and the
fore-paws arc provided with strong claws. The tail
is short, the fur coarse and thick, and under the in-
sertion of the tail there is a slit leading into the
scent-pouch. The teeth are surprisingly strong.
THE MARTEN FAMILY— BADGER.
169
Characteristics The common Badger ( ' Mclcs taxus or
of the Meles vulgaris) attains a length of
Common Badger, thirty inches in its body and seven
inches in its tail. Adult males may weigh as much
as forty pounds in the fall. The fur is rather long,
harsh, nearly bristle-like and glossy. Its color is
grayish white mixed with black on the back, reddish
on the sides ot the body and the tail, black-brown
on the under surface and the feet. The head is
white, but a faded black stripe runs on each side of
the snout, over the eyes and white ears and loses
itself in the neck. The females are smaller in size
and lighter in color, the whitish woolly under fur
coming nearer the surface. White badgers are very
rare, and those that are white with chestnut sputs
are still more rarelv found.
retain its independence to the most complete degree.
Its strength enables it to dig out burrows with ease,
and like a few other animals leading a subteiranean
life it can bury itself in a few minutes.
Observations of The Badger spends nearly all its life
Badgeis in in this burrow and goes a certain dis-
the Wild State, tance away from it only at night. In
very solitary woods it may come out for a walk in
the afternoon in late summer, and I have met it
myself in the daytime, on the Isle of Rugen, but such
instances are the exception. Tschudi says: "A
sportsman who had the rare chance of observing a
Badger in the free state, gives an interesting account
of it. He repeatedly visited a Badger's burrow, situ-
ated on the edge of a precipice, and which was
plainly seen from the opposite side. When the wind
THE TAYRA. This Brazilian animal belongs to the Marten family, having the long, slender body distinctive of the tribe. The illustra-
tion depicts them appropriately in the woods, for thej are arboreal animals, and prey upon Rabbits and other small mammals, birds, fish, etc. The
claws are webbed, but they climb well and are very quick ami dexterous hunters. (Galictii bariara.)
Home and With the exception of Sardinia and
Haunts northern Scandinavia, the Badger is
of Badgers, found all over Europe : it inhabits Asia
from Syria through Georgia and Persia to Japan, and
Siberia as far as the Lena. It leads a solitary life in
burrows, which it digs out with its strong, curved
claws on the sunny side of hills, provides with from
four to eight outlets, and furnishes most comfortably.
The round chamber at the bottom, which may be
approached through several conduits, is so large that
it can hold a soft, large heap of moss, the animal
and its young. Few of the conduits are regularly
used, most of them serving only as means of escape
in danger, or as ventilators. Scrupulous cleanliness
is observed throughout, in great contrast to most
similar subterranean habitations of other animals.
The site selected by the hermit is usually a wood
near a meadow, or a meadow on a hill, but always a
quiet, solitary spot. The animal is fond of a com-
fortable, contemplative mode of life, and likes to
was favorable, the hunter softly approached the
object and soon saw an old Badger, sitting there
sulking and lost in its own tiresome thoughts, but
seemingly enjoying the warm sunshine. This was
no accident, for he often saw it again on bright days,
basking in the sun's rays. It spent its time in com-
fortably doing nothing. Either it sat still, gravely
looking around, or rocked to and fro upon its fore-
legs like a Bear. This comfortable quietude was
sometimes interrupted by sanguinary parasites, which
it destroyed on the spot with great expedition, after
which it would again bask in the sunshine, alternately
exposing its broad back or well-nourished abdomen
to the warming rays of the sun."
During the breeding season the Badger lives with
its mate ; the rest of the year it lives alone, holding
friendly relations with no other animal. The Fox
sometimes forces its society upon it in old and wide-
extended burrows, but even then the animals care
little for each other, the Fox inhabiting the upper
no
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
chambers and conduits, while the Badger is content
in the lower ones.
Habits and The movements of the Badger are slow
Food of and lazy, its walk is clumsy and its most
the Badger. rapid trot is so slow that it is believed
a good pedestrian can overtake it. The animal's
appearance is so strange that it is often misleading.
At first sight of it one is reminded of a Pig rather
than a Beast of Prey, and I think that in order to
identify it positively one has need to be fairly famil-
iar with its shape and habits. The grunting noise it
makes is very suggestive of the Pig.
During the spring and summer its food consists of
roots, insects, Snails and Rain-worms ; also, occasion-
ally, young Hares, eggs and young birds. It is very
expert in digging out Rain-worms with its sharp,
long claws, which it uses likewise in searching for
the larvae of the May-bug and other destructive in-
sects, which live in the ground, in fields and mead-
ows. It also digs up Humble-bees' and Wasps' nests,
tribe and does not damage, but helps to preserve, st
forest. A forester who exterminates it sins against
himself and works detriment to the forest which is
in his care.
Hibernation At the end of autumn the Badger is well
of the fattened. Then it thinks of the coming
Badger. winter, which it intends to spend as
comfortably as possible, and, therefore, makes its
preparations to that end. It carries leaves and grass
into its hole and makes a thick, warm bed. Until
the approach of cold weather, it lives upon the pro-
visions it has garnered. Then it curls up, lying op
its abdomen, puts its nose between its fore-paws and
goes to sleep. The hibernation is irregular, like
that of the Bear. If the cold is not intense, espe-
cially if a thaw comes, or there are mild nights, it
rouses itself, and sometimes leaves its hole to drink.
If the weather is comparatively warm, it transiently
sallies forth as early as January or February to dig
out roots, or, if fortune smiles on it, to catch a
THE COMMON BADGER. This animal, found in nearly all Europe and a large part of Asia, has a thick, gray fur on its back and sides,
dark brown underneath, and a white face with black stripes, as shown in the picfure. It is as clumsy as if looks, but is famous for the carefully
constructed burrows it scoops out with the sharp, curved claws shown in the illustration. (Mclcs taxits.)
delighting in the honey-combs and caring little for
the stings of the angry owners, protected as it is by
its rough fur, a thick hide and a goodly layer of fat.
Snails, and possibly Butterflies and Caterpillars, are
picked from trees and eaten with relish.
In autumn it rejects such food as acorns, etc., but
enjoys fallen fruit, carrots and turnips ; nor does it
disdain small quadrupeds, such as Mice, Moles, etc.,
and Lizards, Frogs and snakes are welcome additions
to its bill of fare. Sometimes it ravages vineyards,
compressing the ripe fruit with its paws and reveling
in enjoyment of this relish. Very rarely it steals
young Ducks and Geese from farms lying near for-
ests ; for it is exceedingly shy and distrustful, and
[eaves its abode only when it feels sure it will not
be observed. Frequently it feeds upon the carcasses
of animals it finds dead. On the whole, it eats little
and its winter provisions do not amount to a very
large store. The Badger does not cause any per-
ceptible damage in Europe ; or when it may do so,
it always amply compensates lor it by catching and
eating all kinds of vermin that infest the forests and
fields. It is the most useful member of the Weasel
Mouse. Still, fasting does not agree with it, and at
the approach of spring its roundness has disappeared
and its appearance is nearly that of a skeleton; but
after the period of hibernation is over it rapidly ac-
cumulates flesh and regains its rotundity.
The Female Toward the close of February, or begin-
Badger ning of March, the female Badger gives
and Young. birth to from three to five blind young,
for which a soft bed of moss, leaves, ferns and long
grass has been carefully prepared. Of course she
lives in her own burrow, for the female Badger is as
inveterate a hermit as the male. She loves her little
ones tenderly, and, after weaning them, brings them
worms, roots and small animals, until they are able
to provide for themselves. Three or four weeks later
the small and pretty animals appear at the mouth of
the hole and bask in the rays of the sun. They are
very playful and afford a pleasing spectacle, the
more so as one rarely has the chance of seeing it.
They remain with their mother till autumn, when
they leave her and undertake to cater for themselves.
They arc fully grown in the second year and may
attain an age of ten or twelve years.
THE MARTEX FAMILY— BADGER.
171
Methods of Various devices are employed in catch-
Catching jng the Badger. Sometimes it is dug or
the Badger, bored out of its burrow in a most cruel
manner, with an instrument resembling a corkscrew ;
or it is driven out by Dogs and then shot. Its only
chance of escape is by hiding so successfully that
not even the Dogs can find it in its burrow, it being
so clumsy that it could never escape by flight*. When
pursued to its burrow it therefore usually seeks to
save itself by noiselessly burrowing deeper with
great rapidity. Frequently it escapes the vigilance
of the Dogs by pursuing this course.
The best time for shooting the Badger is very early
in the morning, when it is upon its return home.
Waiting for it in the evening is a very tedious task,
as the distrustful animal comes out only in the middle
of the night and then it sallies forth in the most quiet
manner possible.
Old Badgers that are taken from their burrows
are most disagreeable creatures, ungrateful for kind
treatment and incapable of receiving instruction,
being lazy, distrustful, treacherous and malicious
They show their teeth
at the slightest prov-
ocation, and viciously
bite every one who
approaches them in-
cautiously. Those
that are captured
young and handled
with care behave
differently. They are
capable of domestica-
tion and affection, es-
pecially if they are
fed a vegetable, o r
mainly a vegetable
diet. They may be-
come so tame as to
follow their keeper
about and return to
their cage at his com-
mand.
Account of L u d W i g
a Tame Beckman
Badger. writes to
me as follows about a
tame Badger: "I have
had a perfectly tame female Badger in my posses-
sion, and I mourn her loss deeply. Kaspar that
was her name — was an honest soul, though not given
to refined notions. She desired to live at peace with
all the world, but her clumsy tricks often led to
misunderstandings and unpleasant experiences. Her
best chum was a very agile, sagacious Setter, which
I had trained from puppyhood to associate with all
kinds of wild animals. The Dog and the Badger
gave us, so to speak, veritable tournaments on beau-
tiful evenings, and people who were fond of animals
came to see them from miles around. The essential
feature of the fight consisted in the Badger's shaking
her head like a Wild Boar, and then running at the
Dog, trying to hit him sideways with her head in
passing. But the Dog would jump over her with a
graceful bound ; when she proceeded to a secon J
and a third attack. Then he would run into the gar-
den, and if, in the pursuit, she succeeded in catching
him by his hind leg, a vigorous fight ensued, which,
however, never proceeded to serious results. When
Kaspar became angry, she would retreat a short
distance, stand on her hind legs, trembling and pant-
ing, with her hair standing on end. In this manner
she would trot back and forth before the Dog, like an
enraged Turkey. In a few moments her hair would
lie flat again, she would put her fore-paws down, and
shaking her head with a conciliatory grunt ' hu hu,
gu gu,' she would resume the wild play.
" She was allowed the freedom of the whole house,
for she had exceedingly cleanly habits, and seemed
to take special delight in trotting up and down
stairs. Frequently she would trot quietly around in
the barn, putting her curious nose into every corner.
She esteemed it a special favor when she was al-
lowed to stay with me during a meal ; at such times
she pushed the Setter unaffectedly aside, put her
fore-paws and her sleek, striped head on my lap,
and uttering her customary ' hu hu, gu gu,' pleaded
for a piece of meat, which she very gently and dex-
terously detached from the fork with her front
teeth. During the winter she liked to lie in front
of the stove, turning her broad under surface to the
cheerful fire.
" In summer she often accompanied me to a little
THE AMERICAN BADGER, OR TAXEL. The Vmerican representative of the Badger family, distributed all
over this country, I nit espei ially numerous in the W est, is .1 Ben e a n< I bloodthirsty little animal. Its bulky, squatty body,
and short, broad tail, and the long, strong claws and short, soft fur which distinguish tliis animal, are seen in this illustra-
tion sketched from a picture by Audubon. Although its movements are somewhat slow and ponderous its craft en
it to catch not only rodents but also birds, as shown in the illustration. ( Taxidea americana.)
wood, where she felt completely at home and made
new discoveries at every step. Either she caught
a Humble-bee or dug a worm out of the ground,
or she found some berries, or a Snail on the way.
When I was returning, she sulkily trotted at my heels,
and usually would begin to pull my trousers with her
teeth. If I administered to her a sound kick with
my foot, she regarded it in the light of an encour-
agement to proceed with her play ; but the slightest
slap with the hand or a blow with the whip wounded
her deeply."
The American The American Badger or Taxel ( Taxidea
Badaer a americana), which was formerly classed with
Distinct Variety. its European cousin, is now justly regarded
" as a distinct species. The body is verv
stoutly built, has a flattened appearance, and is about twenty-
four inches long ; the tail six inches. The fur is a grizzled
mixture of a blackish tawny-gray and white, and the tail is
broad and flattened. The claws on the fore-paws are very
large and strong, furnishing the animal excellent tools for dig-
ging. The snout is shorter and the over-hair, which projects
above the woolly undercoat, is softer than that of the European
Badger ; and this soft hair is used for making painters' pencils.
Dr. Elliott Coues says that "the Badger, above all our other
animals, is notable for its flatness ; even when running it looks
broad and flat, and its body seems to sweep the ground during
172
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
its rather slow, heavy and awkward progress. Seen when
•crouching in fancied security, or hoping to escape observation
Canada and6MexiCo. The
0J£mencan Badger inhabiting the latter country and
portions of Texas and California has been
by some authorities classed as a distinct species under the
name of the Mexican Badger (Taxidea americami), but the
characteristics of the animal differ little from those of the
of broad backs, short snouts and short tails ; the
body is clumsier than that of the Badger and has a
flattened appearance, the back being very broad and
flat ; the snout elongated ; the small ears scarcely
visible above the fur ; the eyes are small and lie very
deep ; the legs are short, stout and bare-soled, and
the toes of the fore-paws are provided with long
claws, adapted for burrowing.
The Rate/ The Ratel, or Honey Badger (Mel-
01 Honey Badger livora capensis), attains a length of
Described^ twenty-eight inches, ten of this form-
ing the proportionately long tail. The hair is long
„ and wiry; forehead, back
•' of head and neck, back,
'; shoulders and tail are
=~=-v , ashy gray, w h i 1 e the
jgg^^V^ snout, cheeks, ears, throat,
^^^^^^/X?^ breast, underpart and legs
i are grayish black, the line
o f demarcation between
the two colors being very
distinct. Usually a light
gray stripe separates the
coloring of the back from
that of the under surface
of the body, distinguish-
ing the African Ratel from
its Indian cousin.
Haunts and The Ratel
Habits lives in sub-
o/ Ratels. terranean
burrows, which it exca-
vates for itself with in-
credible dexterity. It is
so slow and clumsy that it
could never escape its ene-
mies, were it not for this
ability to bury itself, at
least in soft ground, dig-
ging a burrow so quickly
as to hide before its an-
tagonist has had time to
attack it. Its habits are
THE EATEL, OE HONEY-BADGEE. This African animal is so peculiar in its markings as to be at nocturnal and it Seldom
once distinguished from any other. The difference between the light fur which covers the upper part of the body n- r ,i • ,. ,
and the dark covering of the lower half is sharply defined as shown in the picture. The stiong claws, which are also Sallies IOrtn in tile Clay-
shown, give it great digging ability, for it eats roots as well as small animals, and excavates itself a burrow with great time. On OUT h U n t i n f*
rapidity. Its predilection for honey gives it the name it bears. (Mcllivora capensis.) trin tr» th(=> Tsr^rrn t
!»^^
American Badger, of which it is now regarded as being only a
local variety.
The American Badger inhabits plains principally, although
it is also found in wooded districts, and is especially numerous
in the region west of the Mississippi to the Pacific coast,
abounding in very large numbers in the plains watered by the
Missouri and the arid, sage-brush plains between the Rocky
Mountain and the Sierra Nevada ranges, where Badgers' bur-
rows are encountered constantly. The animal itself is not so
frequently seen, for it shuns Man and hastily retreats to its
burrow to escape human sight. When attacked by a hunter
at close range it shows fight, bristles up its hair until it appears
much larger than it really is, and instead of retreating advances
open-mouthed and with a great display of ferocity. The hunter
who attacks it with a stick will need much caution, for it clings
to life tenaciously, and snaps at its assailant viciously, and its
bite inflicts a serious wound. It is usually caught in traps, as
it is difficult to find, and only a few can be obtained by hunting
them.
I he American Badger is more carnivorous than the Euro-
pean species, and its principal prey are the rodents which
abound in the region it occupies. Where Gophers are found
the Badger digs them out and kills them, taking possession of
their burrows and, according to Dr. Samuel Lockwood, "en-
larges the establishment to suit his own ideas of convenience."
THE RATELS.
Another group is formed by the Rati Is, or Honey
Badgers ( Xhllivora). They are animals possessed
we saw the Ratel twice, both times in the evening,
before sunset. At night it prowls around slowly, at
its own will, preying on small mammals, especially
Mice, or birds, Tortoises, Snails and worms; digging
out roots or tubers, and looking for fruit. One pref-
erence determines its whole mode of life and gives
it a distinguishing name : it is passionately fond of
honey and, therefore, is a zealous hunter of Bees.
The Ratel on In the treeless regions of Africa Bees
the Hunt settle in all kinds of deserted holes in
for Honey. the ground, just like the Humble-bees
and Wasps. Such a nest is the most welcome thing a
Ratel can find, and when discovered the creature pro-
ceeds to destroy it with marked satisfaction. The
Bees defend themselves as well as they can, seeking
to wound the enemy with their stings, but its hairy,
thick hide is an excellent shield, for it lies more
loosely on the subcutaneous layer of fat than that
of any other animal. The Ratel is said to be really
able to turn around in its skin. . Bees are utterly
powerless before such an enemy, which greedily digs
around in their abode and feasts on its contents.
The Ratel is not only fond of honey, but also
looks for more substantial food. Carmichael says
THE MARTEN FAMILY— TELEDU.
173
that owners of poultry-yards regard it as one of the
most destructive creatures to be found. In Algoa
Bay several peasants were once quarreling over
some eggs, which Hens had laid outside of their
coops, when a Ratel put an end to the contention
by killing all the Hens — there were about thirty of
them — in a single night, and carrying three away
to its den.
Description The Indian Ratel (Mellivora indica)
of the is said to have the same habits as the
Indian Ratel. preceding animal and also to be a
destructive visitor of poultry-yards. It is found all
over India, to the west and northwest of the Bay of
Bengal, to the foot of the Himalayas (with the excep-
tion of the coast of Malabar) and Lower Bengal. It
is not found in Ceylon.
Ratels when captured young are capable of domes-
tication and afford much amusement by the clumsi-
ness and originality of their movements.
THE TELEDU.
The Teledu or Stinking Badger {My dans meliceps)
is a small member of its family attaining a length of
nearly fifteen inches, one of which goes to the stumpy
little tail. The color of the thick, long fur is a uni-
form dark brown, with the exception of the back of
the head and neck. A white or yellowish-white
band runs along the spine to the tip of the tail. The
under surface of the body is lighter than the upper
part. The fur consists of a silky inner coat and a
coarse outer one, form-
ing a kind of a mane on
the sides and nape of the
neck. The Teledu in-
habits Sumatra, Java and
Borneo, but it is not
known whether it is
found on the Malay Pe-
ninsula and other parts
of the continent.
Burrow of Horsfield was
the Teledu the first to
Described, describe the
habits of this peculiar
creature. It digs its hole
to a slight depth under
the surface of the ground
with great caution and
dexterity. When it has
found a place protected
by the long and large
roots of a tree, it scoops
out a hole between the
roots, and a central round
chamber about three feet
in diameter is built right
under the tree. Conduits
about six feet long lead
to the surface in various directions, the entrances
being skillfully concealed by twigs and dry grass.
During the day it remains in its burrow; but after
sunset it sets forth to hunt for larvae of all kinds,
and worms, especially Rain-worms, which it finds in
great numbers in the fertile soil. It digs them out
like a Pig and thereby does great damage in the
fields. According to Horsfield it lives in Java only
upon mountains having an elevation of more than
7,000 feet above the sea, and is found there as regu-
larly as certain plants. Modern accounts contradict
these statements. Karl Bock avers that in south-
eastern Borneo, "where the Teledus are as common
as Rats," they are found "at an elevation of eighty
or one hundred feet. In Sumatra, the highest eleva-
tion in which they are found is lower than 1,000 feet
and there they occur but rarely."
Traits and The Teledu is a very slow-moving ani-
Habitsofthe mal, and is therefore often caught by
Teledu. tne natives, who do not fear it in the
least, but even go so far as to eat its flesh, for they
believe that whoever can bring himself to eat this-
meat enjoys immunity from disease.
During his stay in the mountains of Prahu, Hors-
field asked the natives to bring him a few Teledus-
for examination and dissection, and they brought
him so many that he soon refused to accept any
more. "I was assured," says this naturalist, "that
the flesh of the Teledu was very savory, if one suc-
ceeded in killing the animal quickly and immediately
proceeded to remove the tail-glands, before they had
time to communicate their abominable odor to the
body. My native hunter also told me that the
Teledu could not eject its secretion to a longer dis-
tance than twenty-four inches. The fluid is of a
viscid character, and its effect is produced by reason
of its great volatility ; it may infect the surroundings
of a whole village, and in its immediate neighbor-
hood it is so strong that some people who cannot
escape its powerful odor faint away. The various
American animals remarkable for their ill odor are
distinguished mainly for their ability to eject the
fluid to a greater distance.
THE TELEDU, OR STINKING BADGER. This animal, which gives forth an odor fully entitling it to its
name, is distinguished by the white stripe that extends from its forehead to the tip of its queer, stumpy little tail as
shown in the illustration. Its strong, curved claws enable it to make its burrowing chamber, and with the aid of its
strong snout to dig and root for worms and larva? in Java and Sumatra, where it lives. (Mydaus meliceps.)
"The Teledu is of a gentle, mild disposition, and
when taken young may easily be domesticated. One
specimen, which I caught, knew its home and its
keeper, and never once emitted its horrid odor."
THE SKUNKS.
It cannot be averred that any of the Weasel family
give forth an agreeable perfume ; there are some,
even among the European species, from whose bod-
ies a terrible stench issues forth. But the Polecat
cannot vie with some of its American and African
relatives, or with the Teledu of the southeast of the
Old World, which has just been described. When
174
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
one reads what abominably fetid odors they are ca-
pable of spreading, he can understand what a genu-
ine scent gland means ! All accounts of American
travelers and naturalists agree that one cannot por-
tray the effect of the secretions of these animals.
No chemical laboratory, no heap of refuse, no foul
carcass, in short, no stench on earth is said to be as
fetid and unbearable as that which the graceful ani-
mals of the genus Mephitis give forth, and with which
they impregnate objects for weeks or even months.
The odor is said to be pestilential, and a person who
has had the misfortune to come in close relations
THE SURILHO. This Brazilian animal is closely related to the more familiar Skunk, and ejects a mephitic
secretion which is the nearest approach in foulness of odor to that of its northern cousin. The brown or black coat
is generally varied with wide, white stripes, from the forehead to the root of the tail, but dividing into two along the
spine as shown in the picture. It is a rather handsome animal, with a head somewhat elongated and narrowing
toward the snout, and long claws to aid it in scratching up the ground in its search for Beetles. (Mephitis suf-
fneans.)
with one of those animals is avoided by every one,
as though he had the plague. In spite of their small
size, these animals are such powerful enemies of
Man, that those whom their terrible secretion has
touched are ostracised from human society. These
creatures can render an entire house uninhabitable,
or make valueless a stock of precious goods.
Characteristics The Mephitis have a more slender
of the body than th>j Badgers, a long tail,
Skunk Group. a large nose, a black ground-color,
and white striped markings. The head is small
in proportion to the size of the body, and pointed;
the small eyes have a sharp, penetrating look,
the ears are short and rounded ; the short legs
have medium sized paws, endowed with five toes
almost completely united, and having rather long,
slightly curved nails. The soles of the balls of the
feet are naked. The scent-glands are large, and can
be compressed by a special muscle. The secretion
is a yellow, oily fluid, which, by compressing the
muscle, the animal can eject a distance of several
vards. Old animals and males arc said to produce
a stronger odor than young or female specimens.
Mode of Life The Mephitis cannot be called genuine
of the forest animals, as they prefer grassy or
Skunk Group, bushy plains to extensive forests of tall
trees. During the day they lie in hollow trees, in
clefts of rocks, or in caverns which they dig for
themselves, and sleep ; at night they rouse them-
selves and eagerly seek for prey. Their usual sus-
tenance is worms, insects, birds and small quad-
rupeds, but they also eat roots and berries. They
use their fearful secretion only when irritated or per-
secuted and, consequently, frightened. They make
the most sanguinary and predaceous Felidae modestly
keep at a distance and
< find antagonists only in
very courageous Dogs,
who, after having been
tainted by the secretion,
rush at their mephitic as-
sailants, evidently caring
little, under these odor-
iferous circumstances,
whether they, themselves,
live or die. The habits of
all known species of the
Skunk group are very
similar, and it therefore
suffices to consider one
or two of them only.
The Surilho The Surilho
of Brazil of Brazil (Me-
Described. phUis suffo-
ca?is) inhabits the greater
part of South America.
It is sixteen inches long,
exclusive of the tail,
which measures eleven
inches. Its color and
markings are subject to
great variations. The
hair is thick and long,
short on the snout and
may be of any tint, be-
tween grayish black,
brownish black or lus-
trous black. The white
stripes begin on the fore-
head and run, separated
by a finger's breadth, to
the root of the tail; in some rare instances the}' are
absent and the animal is uniformly black. Hensel
says that it would be difficult to find two specimens
exhibiting exactly the same markings.
The habits of the Surilho are not essentially dif-
ferent from those of the Weasels. It lives in the
Campos country of the valley and the Sierra and
shuns dense virgin forests ; yet it is confined to the
woods, for it is only found in isolated forests of
the Campos. Its presence is easily detected by the
small, funnel-shaped holes which it makes in the
grassy ground near the forest edges in its search for
Beetles.
The Skunk The ill-famed Skunk {Mephitis varians)
of North takes the place of the Surilho in North
America. America. It is about sixteen inches
long, its tail measuring nearly the same. The ground
color of the lustrous fur is black. A plain, narrow,
white stripe commences at the nose, broadens on the
forehead and still more so on the back of the head,
and divides at the shoulder into two bands, which
run the whole length of the body and unite at the
tip of the tail. Small, white spots appear on the
THE MARTEN FAMILY— ZORILLA.
175
neck, near the shoulders, on the outside of the legs,
and more rarely on the breast and under portion.
The tail either shows two broad, white, longitudinal
bands or else is irregularly marked with black and
white.
The Skunk has been known lor a long time on
account of the reckless manner in which it insults
our sense of smell, and nearly all modern travelers
continue to refer to it. Its range is rather extensive;
the animal being most plentiful near Hudson Bay,
whence it is distributed southward. Its favorite
haunts are the rather elevated portions of country,
especially forests and beech-tree woods on river-
banks, or rocky regions, in which it takes up its
abode in caverns and clefts of the rocks.
The Skunk is so well aware of its formidable
weapon, that h is by no means shy or cowardly.
It is slow in its movements ; it can neither
jump nor climb, but only walk or hop. Its
walk is nearly plantigrade, and it arches its
back and carries its tail in a downward direc-
tion. From time to time it burrows in the
ground or sniffs around for something eata-
ble. If one happens to meet it, it quietly
stops, lifts its tail, turns around and, if the in-
truder comes too near, ejects its noxious fluid.
Hensel says that when it is pursued by Dogs,
it lays its tail along its back like a sitting
Squirrel, turns its hinder quarters towards the
Uogs and performs queer, angry, hopping an-
tics, such as one sometimes sees in the cages
of Bears. The Dogs know their opponent's
dangerous weapon and keep at a respectful
distance, but few of them having the courage
to seize and kill a Skunk. The attacked ani-
mal never wastes its secretion by unnecessary
haste, but continues to threaten as long as the
Dogs are a few yards distant from it.
Audubon's Ex- Audubon had a personal experi-
pen'ence ence with a Skunk. "This small,
with aShunk. dainty, innocent looking animal,''
he says, "is capable of putting the greatest
braggart to flight with its first shot, so that he
will run with cries of misery. 1 suffered from
it myself when I was a school-boy. The sun
had just set. I was slowly walking along with
a few friends of mine. We perceived a charm-
ing little animal, unknown to us; it stopped
and looked at us, as if waiting for us to come
up and keep it company, like an old friend.
The little thing looked so innocent ami tempt-
ing and it kept its tail lifted up, as if it invited
us to take hold of it and earn- it home on our
arms. I was quite delighted and put out my
hand to take it— and the pretty little beast
overwhelmed me with its diabolical secretion.
I had my eyes, nose and mouth full of it and
dropped the monster as if I had been struck
by lightning."
South American Skunks do not differ from their
North American relatives in the strength of their
secretion.
The Skunk I'1 captivity Skunks do not emit their
in a terrible odor, provided one guards care-
Cap tive State, fully against irritating them. They get
very tame and tolerably well accustomed to their
keeper, though the)' walk backwards in the begin-
ning, their tails lifted, and ready for assault. Hay
is their favorite bed, for they prepare a perfect bed
with it and then curl up on it like a ball. After eat-
ing, they wipe their snouts with their fore-paws, being
very cleanly, and they always keep their fur dainty
and dressed. They are fed upon meat, and their
favorite food is birds.
THE ZORILLAS.
In Africa the place of the Skunks is taken by the
Zorillas, which are closely allied to them, but have
hairy soles and have teeth more closely resembling
those of Weasels.
The best known species is the Cape Zorilla (Rliab-
dogale mustelina), which attains a length of fourteen
inches, exclusive of the tail which is ten inches long.
It extends throughout Africa, reaching into Asia
Minor through Suez, and is said to be found even on
the Asiatic side of Constantinople. Rocky regions
form its favorite haunts, and it lives either in clefts
or burrows, which it digs for itself under trees and
THE SKUNK. This American animal boars the unenviable distinction of
emitting a fetid Mention which, once Smelted, makes all other stenches Seem per-
fumes. When an enemy approaches, the animal lifts its long, bushy tail, preparatory
to emitting its foul secretion ; and when a Skunk is seen in the attitude of the one in
the picture one would do well to retreat, {Mephitis varians or Mephitis mcplutnu.)
bushes. Its habits arc thoroughly nocturnal and
therefore it is seldom seen. Its food is small mam-
mals, especially Mice, small birds and their eggs,
amphibia and insects. It is frequently a menace to
poultry, effecting an entrance, Marten-like, into farm-
yards and slaying the Chickens like a Polecat.
The Zorilla is not Marten-like in its movements,
for it is not agile, and may even be called lazy. It
does not know how to climb and is afraid of water,
though it swims fairly well. It uses its abominable
weapon exactly' like the Skunk, and finds it a very
effective means of defense.
176
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
THE OTTERS.
The third sub-order of the Martens is formed by
the Otters (Liitridcc), which number about twenty
distinct species that are distinguished by a long, flat
body resting on short legs, a flat head with a blunt
snout, small, prominent eyes and short, round ears ;
very well developed webs between the toes; a long,
tapering, flattened tail, and short, coarse, sleek, glossy
hair. The paws are five-toed, the two middle toes
being but slightly shorter than the outer ones. Otters
do not possess a scent-pouch, but have two scent-
glands terminating at the root of the tail. The
structure of the teeth and skeleton resembles that
of the other Martens. The most peculiar feature is
THE CAPE ZOEILLA. While our own American animals of the Skunk group
have no rivals in the faculty of emitting offensive odors, the Zorillas of Africa have great
ability in that way. The Cape Zorilla is a prettily marked animal with white stripes
extending along its body and a long, bushy tail, ft hunts and kills all small mammals and
birds, and is an accomplished Chicken-thief, so that the picture appropriately shows it with
feathered prey. [Rhabdogale mustelina.)
the strikingly flat skull, with its wide cerebral part,
its narrow facial ana, and a short snout, these char-
acteristics appearing in all the various species.
Aquatic Otters inhabit rivers and oceans, and
Nature of the range over nearly all parts of the globe,
Otters. w i t h the exception of Australia and
very high latitudes. They Leave the water only when
compelled to do so, and then solely with a view
of finding some other body of water. They swim
and dive in a masterly manner, being able to stay
under water a very long time ; they run tolerably
well, in spite of their short legs, and are strong, cou-
rageous animals. They are capable of domestica-
tion. Their relations to Man are always strained, for
the damage they do is far in excess of the benefit
they confer by their valuable furs.
Description Europe harbors only one species of this
of the Com- sub-order, the Common Otter {Lutm
mon Otter, vulgaris). The length of this animal is
forty-eight inches, sixteen of this going to the tail.
The head is of an oval shape; the eye is small,
but has a vivacious expression ; the ear is very short,
rounded, can be closed by a fold in the skin, and is
nearly hidden in the fur ; the body is slender but
flat ; 'the tail is more or less rounded and tapering
toward the end ; the legs very short; the feet webbed
to their claws and adapted for a plantigrade walk.
The fur is thick and fits the body closely ; its outer
coat consists of wiry, lustrous hair of a dark brown
color ; the under surface is of a slightly
lighter tinge, which at the throat and sides
of the head merges into whitish -gray
brown, the hidden margin of the ear being
light brown ; the lower lip shows a patch
of faded white, and several other small
white spots are distributed over chin and
lower jaws. Some animals have a tint in-
clining to grayish brown, rather than dark
brown.
Where and How The common Otter inhab-
the Common its all Europe and the
Otter Lives. greater part of central and
northern Asia, ranging as far as the Amoor
to the east, and to the Himalayas on the
southeast. It does not seem to extend
very far north, for Lapland shows only a
few scattered specimens. In India, China
and Japan its place is taken by closely al-
lied species, while those inhabiting Africa,
and America rank as distinct species. In
middle and southern Europe it is found
in every body of water offering any prom-
ise of food, even in rivers running through
densely populated countries. In central
Asia it is also common everywhere. The
Indian Otter even goes into the sea, lives
at the mouth of rivers and occasionally
visits the ocean.
The Otter has a predilection for rivers
whose banks are thickly grown with for-
ests. There it lives in subterraneous bur-
rows, constructed in accordance with its
tastes and mode of life. The place of exit
is always located below the surface of the
water, usually at a depth of about eighteen
inches ; a tunnel about two yards long
leads thence, slanting upwards into a spa-
cious chamber, which is lined with grass
and always kept dry. Another narrow
tunnel runs from the central chamber to
the surface and aids in ventilation. Under
all circumstances the Otter has several retreats or
homes, unless fish is exceedingly plentiful and it is
not obliged to undertake extended journeys for
food. When the water rises and inundates its habi-
tation, it has recourse to trees or hollow trunks,
where it spends its leisure hours when not hunting.
Traits and The Otter entails great loss upon the
Movements of owners of fisheries and upon enthusi-
the Otter. astic anglers, but is extremely attract-
ive to the naturalist. Its life is so peculiar that it
has to be observed in a special manner, and therefore
must furnish pleasure to every person fond of nature.
The Otter is remarkable in everyway ; in its aquatic
life, as well as in its movements ; in its hunt for food
THE MARTEN FAMILY— OTTER.
177
and in its mental endowments. It belongs, without
question, to the most attractive class of animals.
That it is an aquatic animal is seen even when it is
on dry land, having a creeping and Snake-like walk,
on account of its short legs; but its movements are
by no means slow. It moves quite differently in the
water, which is its proper element, and to which it
flees when danger threatens it on land. Its structure
is admirably adapted for swimming and diving. The
Snake-like, flat body, the short feet, converted into
vigorous oars by large webs, the rather long and
powerful tail serving as a very efficient rudder, and
the sleek, slippery fur — all these endowments com-
bine to enable it to glide swiftly through the waves.
Its sharp, vigorous teeth serve to seize the prey and
nev.er let anything they once have closed upon es-
cape, however slippery it may be. In winter, when
the water is frozen over, it looks up holes in the ice
and descends, and returns through them to breathe.
Unfailingly it finds these holes again and is just as
fishes only by night, especially in full moonlight.
It sometimes comes quite close to human dwellings
during its hunts, and passes villages that lie on the
bank, usually without being detected. '
Old Otters usually live singly, but the females
swim about accompanied by their young, or other
females. During the breeding season one may meet
males and females fishing together. The}- always
swim up stream from their habitation, and some-
times search a river for miles away, as well as the
smaller rivers and ponds that are connected with
the large stream.
Skill of the An Otter is as effective and skillful a
Otter hunter in the water as are a Fox and a
as a Hunter. Lynx combined on the land. In shallow
water it drives the fishes into aba}- to prevent their
flight, or sometimes it beats the surface of the water
with its tail, and frightens them so that they seek
refuge in holes in the bank or under stones, and
thus fall an easy prey.
THE COMMON OTTER. The characteristics of the Common Otter of Europe and Asia are well depicted in this illustration— the rounded
head, small ears, tapering tail, short legs, ending in webbed feet, and rough wiry outer fur. The predilection of the animal for hsh is also shown, the
animal in the picture having just captured a tinny meal, coming to the river bank to enjoy it. (Lutra rulgiiris.)
ingenious in detecting others. The hole need only
be large enough to admit its nose for the purpose of
breathing ; and where such apertures exist the frozen
deep is perfectly adapted for its hunting.
The voice of the Otter is much more rarely heard
from animals in the wild state than from those in
captivity, which are more easily excited. When the
Otter feels comfortable it utters a low chuckle ; when
it is hungry it emits loud cries, sounding like " girrk "
and so loud as to be disagreeable. It signifies its
anger by a loud shriek, and its contentment by a
shrill, harmonious whistle.
The senses of the Otter are extremely acute. The
presence of a Man or Dog is perceived at a distance
of several hundred paces, and the approach of either
is always deemed a signal for prompt escape into
the water. The incessant persecution which it has
suffered has rendered it extremely shy and cautious,
and one who wishes to see it has to lie in wait for
days. As a rule it sallies forth after sunset, and
The Otter also preys upon Crabs, Frogs, Watlpr-
voles and small and medium-sized birds, though
fishes, especially Trout, are its favorite food.
Young Otters The Otter has no set breeding season,
and How for one meets young ones all the
They are Tamed. ycar around. There are from two
to four blind young ones in the litter. The mother
selects for them a secure place, warmly lining the
nest with soft grass. She loves her offspring ten-
derly and takes great care of them. They reach
their full growth by the third year. Otters taken
young and kept on milk and bread may become
very tame. The Chinese tame one species and train
them to catch fish, and in Europe Otters have also
repeatedly been trained for the same purpose. A
tame Otter is a very pretty and sympathetic animal.
It soon comes to know its owner and follows him or
her about like a Dog. It prefers a milk and vege-
table diet to one of meat, and may be trained not to
touch fish at all.
178
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Story of "A well-known sporting gentleman,"
a Tame says Wood, " was possessed of an Otter
Otter. which had been trained with singular
success. When called, the Otter immediately an-
swered to the appropriate name of 'Neptune.' The
animal early showed signs of docility and in proc-
ess of time increased in aptitude and sagacity. It
ran freely about and could fish at will. Frequently
it procured a dish of excellent Trout quite alone, the
fishing exploits sometimes occupying the greater
part of the night. When morning came it was always
to be found at its post and a stranger would have
been astonished to see it among several brace of
Pointers and Greyhounds. In fact, according to the
game-keeper, ' it was the best Cur that ever ran.'
Its reputation as an angler was advancing rapidly,
and its master's neighbors intended to borrow it, for
On larger lakes and ponds it is followed in boats and
shot when it comes up to breathe. A light ripple on
the surface of the water indicates its course to the
sportsman and guides him in his action. In deep
water this mode of hunting is not practicable, for an
Otter when killed falls to the bottom like a piece of
lead, and when the body finally reappears on the sur-
face it is half-decomposed and the skin is spoilt. In
rivers where Otters are plentiful one can employ still
another method. Large nets are quietly laid across
the river and the Otters are frightened by Dogs.
Several people take their posts at the nets, armed
with guns and spears, or else, if possible, they accom-
pany the Dogs into the water. Then the predaceous
animal is either shot or speared. This is the method
of hunting usually pursued in Scotland, and to some
extent in Germany. A captured Otter hisses, makes
THE AMERICAN OTTER. In all parts of temperate North America, and encroaching closely on the Arctic region, the American Otter
makes its home on the banks of nearly all streams except those from which it has been driven by Man. While it resembles the European Otter, it is
much larger in size, has a longer tail, and has a nasal pad between the nostrils which is larger than that of any other species. The American Otter is
vigorously hunted for its fur, and for this purpose traps are largely used after the manner shown in this illustration. \Lutra canadensis.)
the purpose of ascertaining the size of the larger
Trout in the pools on their estates."
Methods of The Otter is ruthlessly persecuted on
Hunting account of the damage it does. Its cun-
the Otter, ning renders many modes of hunting
either impossible or tedious in its case. It is very
difficult to shoot it, for when it scents the approach
of Man it keeps out of sight. In winter the task of
finding it is easier, especially if one lies in wait for it
at a hole in the ice. It is most frequently caught in
traps set into the water at a depth of about two
inches, without any bait. The trap is concealed with
moss, and is best put in a ditch which the Otter has
to cross on its way from one pool to another. The
ditch is for this purpose made so narrow that the
Otter must run over the trap to reach its destination.
a furious show of resistance and defends itself as long
as it has a spark of life left ; it is especially danger-
ous to imprudent Dogs, as it often breaks their legs
with a bite. Experienced Otter-hounds know how
to avoid such accidents and soon master the animal.
When it finds itself overpowered the Otter expresses
its agony by a plaintive whine.
The fur is used for trimming winter clothing, for
caps and fur collars, and in Kamchatka the most
valuable Sable pelts are packed in Otter fur for ship-
ment, as it is supposed that the latter absorb the
dampness and preserve the Sable. The hair of Ot-
ters' tails is used for painters' brushes and out of the
fine, woolly inner fur expensive and durable hats are
manufactured. In consequence of the demand for
its fur, the Otter is persistently hunted.
THE MARTEX FAMILY— OTTER.
179
The American The American Otter (Lutra canadensis),
Otter a although closely allied to the Common Ot-
„ ' . ter, has sufficient distinctive differences to
Larger bpecies. entjt]e jt to ^e c]assed as a separate species.
It is considerably larger than the European animal, being
about four feet in length from the tip of the snout to the root of
the tail, and the tail is about two feet long; it has a pad or
protuberance on its nose. The soles are covered with hair,
and have callosities. The fur is of a brownish black color.
The young are born in April in the northern, and earlier in
the southern part of the animal's range, and a litter is com-
posed of from one to three young ones, which are the object of
most tender care on the part of their mother.
_ , This Otter is found in the greater part of
Hh% f the United States and in Canada north to
Habits of the Hudson Bay reg;on. Its habits resem-
Amencan Utters. Wfi t±t . ^ of ks European cousin, but it has
one peculiarity that is noticed by all naturalists who have closely
observed this animal, and that is its habit of sliding, or coast-
ing down hill, in which it displays a zeal and proficiency that a
school-boy might envy. In Canada, and other sections where
the snow is plentiful, Otters indulge freely in this sport and, as
described by Godman, they select in winter the highest ridge
of snow they can find, scramble to the top of it, " lie on their
riers, but those from Canada are deemed more valuable than
those from the more southern sections.
American Otters may be most successfully tamed, especially
when taken young. Audubon had several young Otters which
he says "became as gentle as Puppies in two or three days.
They preferred milk and boiled cornmeal, refusing fish or meat
till they were several months old." They became so tame that
they would romp with their owner, and were very good-natured
animals.
Besides the American Otter three other American species
have been mentioned by some authorities, including the Mexi-
can Otter (Lutra califomica), the Peruvian Otter (Lutra fc/itia),
inhabiting Central America, Peru and Chili, and the Brazilian
Otter (Lutra brasilienis); but as they are much alike in size and
coloration, and differ little, if any, from those already described,
it is doubtful if these can be regarded as distinct species. Lit-
tle is known about them or their habits.
The Sea Otter, The Common Otter and some of its
a Marine relatives temporarily visit the ocean,
Variety. |-)ut one Specjes belongs to it entirely.
The Sea Otter or Kalan (Enhydris /utris) is a repre-
sentative of a distinct species and is perhaps a tran-
SEA OTTER, OR KALAN. This is the true marine Otter, for
water the Kalan makes its home in the ocean, and is found on the shores
short tail, flipper-like hind paws, and dense fur are shown in the animal
icy, northern home. (Enhydris lutris.)
bellies with the fore-feet bent backwards and then, giving
themselves an impulse with their hind-legs, glide head-foremost
down the declivity, sometimes for the distance of twenty yards.
This sport they continue, apparently with the keenest enjoy-
ment, until fatigue or hunger induces them to desist."
It is not only in winter that they enjoy this sport. " Otter
slides" or places on the clay banks of streams where they pur-
sue this diversion, are well known in the West Audubon says:
"On one occasion we were resting on the bank of Canoe Creek,
a small stream near Henderson, which empties into the Ohio,
when a pair of Otters made their appearance, and, not observ-
ing our proximity, began to enjoy their sliding pastime. They
glided down the soap-like, muddy surface of the slide with the
rapidity of an arrow from a bow, and we counted each one
making twenty-two slides before we disturbed them."
„ .. . The number of the Otters is rapidly decreas-
unmgan ^ m ^merjca because of the systematic
taming . which thev are pursued bv trappers
American Otters. ^/^ va]ue of ^ fur The skin (>f' the
American Otter is in high reputation and general use with fur-
while other species of the group make occasional excursions into salt
and islands of the North Pacific. The flattened face, rounded head,
in the picture, which is enjoying a meal of shell-fish on a beach in its
sition member between the Otters and Seals. The
head is somewhat flattened, but rounder than that of
the other Otters, the neck is short and thick, the
body is uniformly round, the tail is short, thick and
compressed, of a conical shape and clothed in thick
hair. While the fore-paws differ from those of the
Common Otter only in their short toes (which are
connected by tough webs, naked on their under sur-
face and provided with small, weak claws), the hind
paws are really fin-like, at least as much as a Seal's
flippers, from which they differ in having their toes
increase in length from the inner to the outer side.
In some respects the hind paw of a Sea Otter resem-
bles that of the Beaver, only that it is covered with
short, dense, silky hair. The outer fur consists of
long, wiry, brownish-black hair with white tips, which
180
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
lend it a grizzled appearance. The under fur is of
a fine, woolly texture. Young animals have a lung.
coarse, white or grayish brown fur, entirely covering
the under fur. Adult Sea Otters are at least sixty
inches long, about twelve of which go to the tail.
Their weight is from sixty to eighty pounds.
The Sea Otter is indigenous to the North Pacific,
extending as far north as the chain of the Aleutian
Isles. It extends farther south on the American
than on the Asiatic coast, being confined by the
twenty-eighth parallel of north latitude, but each
year shows a decrease in its numbers.
Steller's Account We owe the best description of the
of the animal to Stcller, who was ship-
SeaOtter. wrecked in 1741, with Bering, and
had abundant opportunities for observing the animal.
"The fur of the Sea Otter," says he, "whose skin
lies loosely on the body and moves all over in run-
ning, exceeds that of all Beavers in length, beauty,
and in the intense black color of the hair. The best
pelts sell for thirty roubles in Kamchatka, forty in
Irkutsk, and one hundred at the Chinese boundary,
if one takes merchandise in trade. The flesh is
tender and savory. The Sea Otter is a beautiful
and pleasing animal, merry and playful, kindly and
affectionate in disposition. When one sees it run,
the lustre of its black hair is superior to that of the
finest velvet. Otters usually live together in fami-
lies, male, female, half-grown and little children.
The love of the parents for their offspring is so great
that they brave death in defending them and at their
loss cry very much like human beings. They grieve
so that in ten or twelve days they lose all their flesh,
become weak and sick and remain dejectedly in one
spot. These animals have no special breeding sea-
son, but are seen with their young ones all the year
round. The female carries her little ones in her
mouth, but in the water lies on her back and holds
the young one in her fore-paws as a mother holds
her child. She also fondles it affectionately, plays
' toss and catch ' with it, pushes it into the water to
teach it how to swim, and takes it up and kisses it
when it is tired.
"The food of the Sea Otter consists of Crabs, shells,
small fish, and to a less extent of sea-weed and meat.
I do not doubt that if one cared to go to the expense
of importing specimens into Russia, they could there
be domesticated; they even might breed in a pond or
river. In reality they care little for salt water, for I
have seen them spend days on islands and in rivers.
This animal deserves the greatest consideration of our
crew at least, for we had scarcely any other food but
its llesh for six months, and it was also the only cure
for those suffering from scurvy.
"The Otters are very graceful and quick in their
movements ; they swim well and run rapidly. One
cannot imagine anything more beautiful than this
animal running along, clothed in its silky, glossy
black fur. It is remarkable that the more beautiful
their fur is, the more lively and cunning they are.
Those that are perfectly white are probably very old
and can be caught only with great difficulty, they
are so wary. When they sleep on land, they curl
up like Dogs. When they emerge from the water,
they shake themselves and dress their fur with the
fore-paws, like Cats. In running they proceed at a
rapid pace, but make many detours. If a Man bars
the way, they Stop, arch their backs, hiss and threaten
to attack him. ( )ne blow on the head is sufficient to
make them drop down as if dead and cover their
eyes with their paws.
"In Juh- and August Sea Otters change their coats,
but only to a slight extent, and their color becomes
browner. The best pelts are taken in March, .April
and May; the greatest number are shipped to China.
In Kamchatka the most gorgeous apparel is sup-
posed to be a dress made from white Reindeer skins
and trimmed with Otter. A few years ago, every-
body was wearing Sea Otter furs, but this custom has
gone out since they have become so dear; besides,
Dogs.' skins are now thought to be finer, warmer and
more durable in Kamchatka."
Hunters Have In modern times this valuable fur-
Made Sea Otters producing animal is very rare and
Scarce. nas become so shy that it is ap-
proached with the greatest difficulty. Pechuel-
Loesche, who observed and occasionally hunted the
Sea Otter twenty-five years ago near the Aleutian
Isles, says that the wary animal rarely suffered a
sailing vessel or boat to approach within gunshot.
Animals that do not succumb to the first shot are
always lost to the hunter, unless he can shoot them
again when they come to the surface. A single
boat stands little chance of success, as the animal
can easily remain a quarter of an hour under water
and often reappears at a place quite distant from
that expected.
How the The Otter is hunted in many different
Sea Otter is ways. When the sea is calm the peo-
Hunted. pje g0 out in boats, and as soon as
they notice an Otter they surround the place with
their boats and keep a sharp lookout. When the
animal reappears it is immediately frightened back
into the water by spear-thrusts, shots and yells, and
a new circle is formed around the point where it dis-
appeared, and so on, until the Otter, which is not
allowed sufficient breathing time, wearies and falls
a prey to the nearest hunter. Such a hunt may be
prolonged for two or three hours unless a well-
aimed spear ends the chase. In this way the hunt-
ers, if they have good luck, may kill from forty to
fifty Otters in three months, every pelt bringing a
price of at least fifty dollars.
Some hunters try to kill the animals from the
shore, fur merchants providing them with excellent
guns for the purpose. When the sea is rough the
hunter wanders around on the cliffs and tries to
shoot the Otters (which appear beyond the surf, in
the more quiet waters), aiming at their heads. The
roar of the waves and the flying foam prevent the
wary animal from recognizing the danger that
threatens it, and a persevering hunter may send out
one bullet after another. When one of his shots
finally reaches its aim he sits down and waits pa-
tiently until wind and waves bear his precious booty
ashore. The most exciting method of hunting, on
account of the dangers which attend it, is the killing
of an Otter by blows from clubs. During a storm
the Otters are frightened by the rising fury of the
waves, which beat upon the nearly inaccessible cliffs
upon which they have taken refuge in order to es-
cape the pursuit of Man. The animals mount higher
on the cliffs to escape the wrath of the waves, and
there are foolhardy sportsmen who will risk their
lives in order to surprise the Otters on their high
resting-places. If they succeed in landing on the
leeward side of the cliffs, they mount and kill the
Otters with clubs. The howling of the storm and
the roar of the waves deaden all sounds the hunts-
men may make, while the rain and fog prevent the
more distant animals from seeing the fate that
awaits them. Two men once succeeded in this way
COMBAT BETWEEN AN OTTER AND A STONE MARTEN. Members of different species of the Martin family sometimes quarrel, and
the picture represents an encounte%between an Otter and a Stone Marten which was observed at Beilstein in Swabia. Both these animals are per-
sistent hunters of the Water-Kat and it was probably over such a booty that the combat began. The Man who saw the fight approached the animals
unnoticed and killed the Otter, which was on top. with a blow, while the Stone Marten made its escape, although the teeth of the dead animal held
a mouthful of Marten-fur. The Marten, however, notwithstanding its inferior bulk and strength, had valiantly borne its part in the fight, as was shown
^>y several severe wounds on the Otter's bod]
fiSO
182
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
in killing seventy-eight of these valuable animals
within an hour.
If the hunting of these animals is not restricted
by law, the Sea Otter will be exterminated in the
near future, and, like Steller's Northern Sea Cow,.
be among the number of the species we have seen
disappear from the earth, so to speak, before our
eyes.
Zhe 1b\>aena jfamll^.
FOURTH FAMILY: Hy^'ID/E.
Among the animals exhibited in traveling shows
there is one which usually attracts the special atten-
tion of the spectators owing to the extravagant ex-
planations of the keeper, who never fails to depict
it as a genuine monster and ascribe to it the most
dangerous traits. Bloodthirstiness, cruelty and a de-
ceitful, wicked disposition are usually the mildest of
the qualities he ascribes to this animal. In addition
he accuses it of exhuming the dead bodies of human
beings and eating them, in order to further excite the
excusable indignation of those spectators who are
not well versed in zoology. Science has not been
able so far to dispel these unfounded notions, which
keep their hold on people's minds despite all teach-
ings to the contrary.
Many Fables There are few animals whose history
Told About has been adorned with so many fan-
the Hyosnas. tastic and horrible tales as that of the
Hyaenas. The ancients told the most incredible
stories about them. Dogs were said to lose their
voices and senses if the shadow of a Hyaena fell on
them. The hideous animals were alleged to imitate
the human voice, in order to decoy people toward
their retreats and then devour them. The most
remarkable feature of these tales is that they found
credence with all the nations which came in contact
with the Hyaena. The Arabs especially are rich in
stories concerning it. They firmly believe that peo-
ple who partake of the brain of a Hyaena become
insane, and the head of a slain Hyaena is always
buried, lest it should be used by wicked sorcerers for
their diabolical charms. They are even firmly per-
suaded that Hyaenas themselves are nothing but
sorcerers in disguise, who assume human shape by
day and prowl around as Hyaenas during the night,
working destruction upon good people. I have been
repeatedly and earnestly warned by my servants not
to shoot the Hyaenas, and fearful stories were told
me about these despised creatures and their supposed
supernatural powers.
Hyodnas Have Tradition always selects its heroes.
Many An animal which is the subject of
Peculiar Traits, many marvelous talcs must have
something peculiar in its appearance. This is con-
firmed in the Hyaenas, which resemble Dogs, yet
differ from them in every point. Their appearance
is far from pleasing ; in fact, is decidedly repulsive.
All 1 ly;enas are ugly. Some naturalists have seen in
them a connecting link between Dog and Cat, but we
cannot agree with this opinion, for the Hyaenas have
a distinctively peculiar shape of their own. The body
is stout, the neck and head are thick; the snout is
strong and unattractive. The curved fore paws are
longer than the hind paws, the body sloping from
the shoulders to the tail, and the feet are all four-
toed. The ears are scantily clothed with hair and of
ignoble shape ; the eyes have a slanting position, and
glow with an uncanny, unsteady, repulsive expression.
The thick head looks stiff, the bushy tail docs not
reach lower than the ankle-joint and the long, coarse
fur forms a crest on the spine, resembling a Hog's
bristles ; the color is sombre and all these features
combine to produce an unattractive appearance.
All Hyaenas are nocturnal animals and are possessed
of a repulsive, discordant, shrill and even ghostly,
laughing voice ; they are greedy, gluttonous, give
forth an offensive odor, and walk in a skulking, nearly
limping manner. In fact, these animals have many
oddities in their appearance and the most kindly
observer could not call them good-looking. Com-
parative anatomists credit them with still more
marked peculiarities. Their teeth are of an exclu-
sively carnivorous character, and the great strength
of the clumsy jaws and teeth enables them to devour
what has been left of the carcasses slain by other
carnivorous beasts, as they are able to craunch the
largest bones. The incisors are well developed, the
canines of a blunt, conical shape; the premolars have
strongly depressed crowns, and the grinding-teeth
are distinguished by their enormous size. Powerful
cheek-muscles, large salivary glands, a tongue fur-
nished with callous projections, a wide gullet and pe-
culiar anal glands are further distinguishing features
of the animals under consideration.
Range and The range of the Hyaena is very wide,
Habits of the comprising all of Africa and south-
Hyasnas. ern Asia as far as the Bay of Bengal,
but not extending east of it, and excluding Ceylon.
These animals do not frequent close, extensive for-
ests, but prefer the open country grown with grass,
bushes, small woods, and even plains or deserts.
They are met in the daytime only when they have
been frightened from their hiding places ; the sun
must have set before they think of sallying forth.
Then may be heard the howl of these animals, as
they prowl around singly or in small troops, looking
for carcasses or live prey. When one of them com-
mences its abominable nocturnal song, all the others
usually join in the unearthly music. Thevoice of the
Striped Hyaena is very discordant, but not as disa-
greeable as common report declares; hoarse sounds
alternate with shrill notes, shrieks with murmurs or
growls. On the other hand, the howl of the spotted
species consists of a really ghostly laughter. He
who hears these sounds for the first time cannot
refrain from shuddering, and recognizes in them one
of the main reasons for the invention of the many
stories concerning these animals. It is very probable
that Hyaenas call one another by these howls, and
the noise immediately ceases when one of them has
SPOTTED HYJENAS. The Hyaenas, although their vices have been greatly exaggerated by tradition, have much that is repulsive, both in appear-
ance and character. Largest of the family is the Spotted Hyaena, deriving its name from the brown spots on its yellowish gray fur. The picture shows the
characteristics of these animals. They have found a carcass which they are preparing to devour, while the envious Vultures, which they have driven away,
hover above. The stout body, neck and head, the powerful jaws that enable these beasts to crunch large bones, the thick neck affording room for the wide
throat, are all well shown here. (Hyitna crocuta.)
(183^
184
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
found its prey. The animals prowl around during
the entire night, even entering villages and cities,
paying no attention to the Dogs, and retiring only
towards morning.
How Hycenas Hyaenas are guided in their wanderings
Prowl by their scent as well as by their sight
and Hunt. ancj hearing. The ugly fellows are as
much attracted by any dead beasts, or the body of a
dead human being, as by a flock of Sheep or Goats,
or by a herd of Cattle, and they will prowl around a
fence which is too high for them to climb. As soon as
they have scented prey, they cease their howling and
silently trot nearer and nearer to their victim, stop-
ping every now and then to look, listen or sniff, and
c i. ready to flee if danger threatens. The spotted
species are a little more courageous than the Striped
Hyaena, but still may be termed exceedingly cow-
pleased when they find carrion. Around a carcass
that lies in the Hyaenas' range there always assem-
bles a gathering that can hardly be described. They
are the Vultures among quadrupeds, and their vorac-
ity is really extraordinary. When they find carrion
they forget all considerations of prudence, and even
the cowardice which they usually display. It is said
that feasting Hyaenas engage in violent fights, and
there is such a croaking, shrieking and laughing at
such times that a superstitious person might really
think all the inhabitants of the infernal regions had
been let loose. They are useful in removing dead
animals, but the loss they entail by attacking flocks
outweighs this benefit, as carrion would, without
their assistance, be taken away by far better scaven-
gers among the birds and insects. They follow car-
avans through the plains and deserts in greater or
smaller numbers, as if they
knew that out of such bands
something would surely fall to
their share.
How Hycenas Varying opinions
Act have prevailed as
Toward Man. to whether or not
they attack human beings. The
Striped Hyaena has not been
convicted of doing this, but
there have been so many re-
ports to this effect about the
spotted species that its danger
to human beings is not to be
disputed. It sometimes steals
children, but usually does not
attack adults except when the
latter are sick, overcome by
fatigue, or asleep; but in ex-
ceptional instances it also at-
tacks armed Men. In some
African regions it is therefore
looked upon as a scourge to
be dreaded, especially where it
is plentiful. It is pursued in a
rather persistent manner by
European settlers as well as by-
many native tribes. It is shot,
caught in nooses, traps and pits,
and poisoned with strychnine.
If taken very young, Hyaenas
are easily tamed and frequently
become very affectionate. They
bear captivity well, but often
BROWN HYJENAS. Frequenting the seashore on the southwest coast of Africa, the Brown Hya-na become hi in d" i l nlrl acrp
f Strand-\A oil looks for cat I ashore by the tide. The fur is long and thick, and a long mane ex- UeCOme Dllna ln OId age.
ilong the back, hanging down on both sides, this mane being in part whitish gray and the remainder Divisions of In former
h black, rhe legs have black stripes on the general brown color, and the long ears are erect
1.//1 i mi brunr,
anil)-, when their size is considered. If they do not
find any carrion they confine themselves to attacking
useless prey, and therefore do damage only to
the weaker domestic animals, in whose ranks they
may make considerable havoc. Hyaenas destroyed
two strong Asses belonging to the traveler and hunter,
Selous, the marauders eating every part but the
skulls, and oil another occasion they devoured part
of a Lioness he had killed in the evening. Probably
they attack healthy living animals only when they
cannot find sick, exhausted or dead ones.
In some rare instances they become veritable
Beasts of Prey, pursue Antelopes in the night, drag
them down as Wolves do their victims, and' kill and
devour them. Such hunts, however, must be re-
yarded as exceptions, as they are certainly best
Divisions of m tormer ages
theHycena Hyaenas were dis-
Family. tributed over a
much greater part of the globe, and were rather nu-
merous in Germany, as is shown by the many remains
of bones. In the present day there are four species
belonging to this family, three Hyaenas proper and
the Aard-Wolf, which may be considered a connect-
ing link between the Hyaenas and the Civets.
THE HY/ENAS PROPER.
The Spotted Hyaena {Hycena croaita) is distin-
guished by its greater strength and spotted skin
from the striped and brown species which are much
oftencr seen in Europe. The ground-color is whit-
ish gray, with a surface tinge of yellow ; tr»c sides
and thighs show brown spots. The head is brown,
with a reddish hue on the cheeks and top ; the tail
is ringed with brown and its extremity is back; the
THE HWENA FAMILY— HYAENA.
185
feet are whitish. These colors are likely to show-
considerable variations, as they may be much darker
or lighter. The length of the body is about fifty-
two inches ; the height of the shoulder is nearly
thirty-two inches, but much larger specimens are-
reported to have been killed.
Spotted Hyaena's The Spotted Hyaena inhabits
Haunts and southern and eastern Africa, ex-
Mode of Life. tending from the Cape of Good
Hope to about the seventeenth parallel of north
latitude, and wherever it is plentiful it almost com-
pletely crowds out the Striped Hyaena. The two
species live together in Abyssinia and East Soudan,
but farther south the Spotted Hyaena gradually
becomes sole possessor of the field. It is very corn-
more stupid, and of a more wicked and brutal dispo-
sition than its striped relative, though it may be
tamed to a certain extent in a short time, with the
aid of the whip. Still it seems that it never attains
the degree of docility that is reached by the Striped
Hyaena. The tricks performed in wandering circuses
by the Hyaena do not furnish us with a standard, and
it is only such peripatetic zoologists as these that
find pleasure or profit in bestowing much attention
upon these animals, which are so ugly, clumsy and
unprepossessing in their cages. For hours they lie
like logs, then they jump up, look at people with
remarkably dull-witted expressions, rub themselves
against the bars from time to time and then break
out with their abominable laughter.
JAXW-V"
STRIPED HYJENAS. This species of the Hvama family is the best known, and derives its name from the markings of its fur, as shown in the
picture. Tins is. like the other species, a carrion eating annual, and the dispute Over the possession of a bone, as here depicted, is a very Common occur-
rence on tnc African ami Asiatic plains which form its habitat. The rough, coarse lur and mane, the ereel ears and somewhat slender limbs which distin-
guish the animal, are seen in this group. {J/yana stria/a.)
mon in Abyssinia; and is found even at an elevation
of twelve thousand feet above the sea. Its mode of
life is similar to that of the others, but it is much
more dreaded because of its large size and strength,
and probably it is on this account that it is consid-
ered a spirit of evil, bringing misfortune to man. A
great many observers agree that it attacks human
beings, especially when the latter are asleep or tired.
Ruppel says that the Abyssinians declare this to be
the case.
Character and The Spotted Hyaena is the animal
Disposition of that plays the most important part
Spotted Hycenas. m tradition. Of all Beasts of Prey
it undoubtedly possesses the ugliest and most repul-
sive shape ; and its mental endowments are such
as to make the animal still more detestable. It is
The Brown The Brown Hyaena or Strand-Wolf
Hywnaor ^Hycrna brunnea) is mainly distin-
Strand-Wolf. crUjshed from its relatives by a long,
rough mane on the back and hanging down on both
sides. The hair is long over the entire fur, and its
color is a general dark brown, diversified by a few
spots on the legs of a mixed brown and white hue ;
the head is dark brown and gray, the forehead black,
sprinkled with white and reddish brown. The hair
of the mane on the back is whitish gray at bottom
and brownish black above. The Brown Hyaena is
considerably smaller than the Spotted Hyaena, and
at the most only attains the size of the striped species.
This animal inhabits the south of Africa, but prob-
ably only the desert-like western regions, and is said
to exist usually near the sea-shore. It seems to be
186
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
much less plentiful than the Spotted Hyaena, but to
have about the same habits, living mainly on carrion,
perhaps on that washed ashore by the waves.
The Striped The Striped Hyaena {Hycena striata) is
Hycena a very well-known animal, and is quite
Described, often seen in zoological gardens. It
is very frequently shipped to Europe, for it exists
nearest that continent. [It is also a very familiar
feature of menageries in the United States.] It is,
in fact, a very common animal and the one usually
trained to perform the ordinary tricks one sees in
circuses. A description of its appearance may be
limited to a few words, since it is so extensively
known. The fur is rough, stiff and rather long; the
color is a whitish-yellow gray diversified by black
stripes. The hair of the mane also has black tips
and the throat is not infrequently entirely black.
The tail is either of a uniform tint or striped. The
head is thick, the snout relatively thin, though still
clumsy enough; the ears are erect, large and entirely
THE AARD-WOLF. This animal forms a distinct group of the Hy
stripes and a rough mane extending along its back. In the picture one Aard-
othc;r is just emerging, for they are burrowing animals and live gregariously.
of Sheep in southwestern Africa. (Prolcles lalandii.)
devoid of hair. The younger specimens resemble
the adults. The average length of the body is about
three feet, a little more or less.
Where and How Hie Striped Hyaena has the most
Striped extensive range of the three species;
Hycenas Liue. jt js common throughout the north-
ern part of Africa, beginning with the extreme west,
and is found over a considerable part of southern
Africa and all southern Asia, from the Mediterranean
to the Bay of Bengal. Like all Hyaenas it does not
affect woods, but delights in the open country. It is
the least harmful of the three species of Hyaenas,
and probably is nowhere much feared. There are so
many carcasses, or hemes at least, lying around in its
native country, that it is seldom driven by hunger to
boldly attack living animals. Its cowardice exceeds
ill hounds; still it sometimes enters villages, and in
Egypt prowls around their outskirts. Carcasses put
out by us as a bait to decoy Vultures within range
of our guns always attracted Hyaenas during the
night, and they annoyed us very much. When we
were camping out, they often came sneaking up,
and even entered the encampment, and several times
we were able to fire at them without rising. In spite-
of this animal's voracious persistence, nobody fears
it, and it is really too cowardly to attack even sleep-
ing people. Neither does it dig up the dead, unless
the bodies are but thinly covered with a little sand or
earth; -and it is quite innocent of the ghoulish prac-
tices imputed to it by showmen. Its habits are much
the same as those of the spotted species, except that
it is seldom found in large numbers.
Two Striped A few days after our first arrival in
Hycenas Trained Khartum we purchased two young
as Pets. Hyaenas [for a price equal to twenty-
five cents in American money]. The animals were
about the size of a half-grown Terrier, clothed in a
very soft, fine woolly fur of dark gray hue and very
spiteful, notwithstanding
they had enjoyed human
society for some time.
We put them in a stable
and I visited them daily.
At first they were addict-
ed to vicious biting, but
repeated sound blows
overawed their resist-
ance, and three months
after the day of purchase
I could play with them
as I would with a Dog,
without having to fear
any mischief on their
part. Their affection for
me increased every day,
and they were overjoyed
when I visited them.
When they were more
than half-grown they sig-
nified their pleasure in a
very strange manner. As
soon as I entered the
room they rushed at me
with a joyous howl, put
their fore - paws on my
shoulders and sniffed my
face. Later on I led them
by a slight string through
the streets of Cairo, to-
the horror of all good
citizens. They were so
affectionate that they often paid me a call without
being invited, and it made a surprising as well as
uncanny impression on strangers to see us at the
tea-table. Each of us had a Hyaena at his side, and
the animal sat on its haunches as quietly and sensi-
bly as a well-bred Dog, who pleads for a few scraps
at table. The Hyaenas did that also, and their gen-
tle request consisted of a low but very hoarse cry.
They expressed their gratitude either by the same
sounds and actions they used in greeting me as
above described, or by sniffing my hands.
They were passionately fond of sugar, but also
had a great liking for bread, especially if it was
soaked in tea. Their usual food was Pariah Dogs,
which we shot for the purpose. My pets were on
good terms with each other. If one were absent for
any considerable time there was great joy when the
two met again; in short, they proved to me quite
aena family, has a yellow fur with black
Wolf has left the hole from which the
. They are great enemies to the flocks
THE DOG FAMILY.
187
conclusively that even Hyenas are capable of warm
attachment.
THE AARD-WOLF.
The Aard-Wolf (Proteles lalandii) forms the sec-
ond genus of the Hyaena family. In its external
appearance this animal, which as yet has been stud-
ied but very little, strikingly resembles the Striped
Hyaena, and like it, has a blunt snout, long fore-
paws, a sloping back, a mane on its spine, and a
bushy tail ; but its ears are larger and the fore-paws
are furnished with a short thumb, after the manner
of some Dogs. So far the Aard-Wolf is the only
known variety of the species. Its length is forty-
four inches, twelve of this going to the tail. The
fur is of a pale yellow color, brindled on the sides
with black stripes. The head is black with an ad-
mixture of yellow; the under surface has a yellowish
white color, and the second half of the tail is black.
The Aard-Wolf is a native of southern Africa,
especially of its western portion. From all accounts
it would seem that this animal has nocturnal habits
and hides in burrows resembling those of a Fox, but
more extensive and affording shelter to several indi-
viduals. Verreaux saw three Aard-Wolves killed by
members of his part}', all of them driven out of the
same burrow by Dogs, although they issued from
separate exits. When they made their appearance
the mane or crest on the back was erect with angry
excitement, while the ears and tail were pendent.
They tried to run away with great celerity, and
one of them attempted to dig a hole to hide itself,
displaying a remarkable dexterity in the act. In-
vestigation of the burrow showed that all the con-
duits communicated with each other and led into a
spacious chamber, which probably was temporarily
inhabited by all of them. The same observer states
that these animals mainly feed on Lambs, but from
time to time also kill full-grown Sheep, from which
they usually eat only the fat tail. If this be correct
they do not need very strong teeth. In all other
respects the life of the Aard-Wolf is quite unknown.
Zbe H)oo tfamil^
FIFTH FAMILY: Camiu
The fifth family of the Carnivora comprises the
Dogs, and its limits are more or less clearly defined.
We have already stated that the Dogs do not differ
so widely in their bodily structure from the Cats as
a cursory glance would lead one to believe. As
marked as their peculiarities are in the external and
internal structure, in their mode of life and their
habits the two families still have man}- traits in com-
mon. In point of size Dogs are all inferior to the
large species of the Cat tribe, and therefore are
deprived of the fear-inspiring strength of those most
perfect Beasts of Prey. The body is lean, the head
small, the snout pointed ; the blunt nose is promi-
nent, the neck rather weak. The body rests on thin
or long legs provided with small paws, and is re-
tracted in the flanks; the tail is generally short ami
frequently bushy. The fore paws usually show five
toes, the hind paws are always limited to four, bear-
ing strong but not retractile claws. The eyes are
large and better adapted for bright light than those
of the Cat; the ears are usually larger and more
pointed; the lacteal nipples are more numerous. The
teeth are strong and from thirty-six to forty-eight in
number; the incisors, especially the upper ones, are
proportionately large, the outer ones being enlarged
so as to resemble the canine teeth: the canines or
fang-teeth are slender and slightly curved, the pre-
molars are less sharply indented than the Cat's; the
molars are rather blunt, adapted to thoroughly grind-
ing the food. The skull, and especially the jaws, are
of an elongated shape. The vertebral column is
formed by twenty dorsal and lumbar, three sacn.l
and from eighteen to twenty-two caudal vertebra:.
The visceral cavity exhibits thirteen pairs of ribs,
nine true and four false. The clavicle is stunted,
the shoulder narrow, the pelvis strong. The digest-
ive apparatus is distinguished by a roundish stom-
ach; the smaller intestines attain from four to seven
times the length of the body.
General Charac- Dogs show in their entire structure
teristics of that they are not exclusivelv animal
the Dog Family, feeders, and therefore admit of the
inference that they are of a less sanguinary nature
than the Fclid.e. This is, indeed, one of the princi-
pal distinguishing features between the two. They
are unquestionably inferior to the Cats so far as sav-
age, bloodthirsty instincts go, and all show more or
less pronounced good-nature. The expression of a
Dog's face is as a rule friendly, and never shows
much resemblance to the defiant self-reliance and
savage disposition expressed by a feline face.
Dogs were widely spread in former periods of the
world; it is unquestioned that they made their appear-
ance on earth in very early ages. They now extend
all over the globe, and are common nearly every-
where. Their favorite haunts are solitary, quiet
regions and the wilderness, be it mountainous or
level; gloomy, extensive forests, thickets, plains and
deserts. Some prowl around continuously and stay
in one locality only as long as a dependent little
family keeps them there ; others burrow habitations
in the earth or use read}- made subterranean retreats
as a permanent abode. Some are of purely noctur-
nal habits, others are half-nocturnal, and some are
on excellent terms with daylight. The former con-
ceal themselves during the day in their burrows or
lonely, secluded hiding places, in bushes, reeds, or
fields grown with high cereals, between deserted
dark rocks, and prowl around during the night either
singly or in packs. Sometimes they cover miles in
their wanderings, hunting during these expeditions,
visiting even larger villages and cities and retiring
at dawn to the first convenient hiding place they
come across; these species are hardly less active in
the day than at night. Few animals of this family live
singly or in couples; for even those species of which
the male and female keep temporarily together,
sometimes unite into more numerous packs; and it
188
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
may therefore be said that all Dogs are gregarious
animals.
Physical I'1 respect to agility the Dogs are very
Capabilities of little inferior to the Cats. Their blunt
the Dogs. claws prevent them from climbing and
confine them to the ground; neither can they leap so
high and far as the Cats; but in all other respects
they rather surpass them. They are excellent run-
ners, possessed of nearly incredible endurance; they
swim, without exception, and some in a masterly way,
and we find veritable aquatic animals among them :
that is, such as really take delight in the water.
Their mode of progression is digitigrade, like that
of the Cats, but their gait is peculiar, as they always
bend their legs at the joints in walking. All Dogs
have highly developed senses. Their hearing is not
inferior to that of the Cats, while the sense of smell
THE WOLF. The most common of the wild members of the Dog family, lean, long-legged, with erect ears
and a bushy tail. This common Wolf is found in Europe, Asia and America, although a few minor differences have
led certain naturalists to make separate species of some of the varieties. It is a great enemy of flocks and herds, is
relentlessly hunted by Man hut is still found in large numbers wherever the country is wild. (Canis lupus.)
is developed to a marvelous degree, and their faculty
of sight may be said to be better than that of the
Cats, for the nocturnal Dugs are equal to the Cats,
and those of diurnal habits decidedly surpass them.
Mental Endow- The mental endowments of the Dogs
ments of arc still more highly developed than
the Dog Family. thosc 0f the Cats. Those species
that stand on the lowest plane show notable cunning
and craft, sometimes at the expense of their courage,
a quality possessed by others to a high degree ; the
higher grade of Dogs, especially those which know
.Man, or, as I might better term it, arc denoted to
him body and soul, daily prove to us that their intel-
lect has reached a higher development than that
<>\ any other animal. The tame Dog and the wild
Fox act with rational deliberation and carry out
carefully thought-out plans, as to the outcome of
which they are tolerably secure in advance. It is
the high grade of intellect of the Dog which has
allied it so closely to us and puts it above the other
animals.
Habits and Their food is mainly animal, consist-
General Traits of ing of mammals and birds. They do
the Dogs. not eat freshly killed meat in pref-
erence to carrion, showing in very many cases a con-
siderable predilection for the latter, and some are
very foncl of bones. Besides, they feed on reptiles,
amphibia, fish, Crabs, insects or honey, fruit, the
products of the field and garden, even buds, young
shoots, roots, grass and moss. Some species are very
greedy and kill more than they can devour ; but
their bloodthirstiness never assumes so formidable a
shape as that of some of the animals of the Cat and
Marten families. There
is no one Dog which de-
lights in the blood of his
victims to the point of
intoxication.
Dogs are more prolific
than the Cats, the num-
ber of their young in
some instances reaching
the greatest limit of the
reproduction of mam-
mals. On the average a
litter consists of from
four to nine young ones,
but there are instances of
record where one female's
litter has amounted to
eighteen and even twenty-
three Pups at a birth. It
happens not infrequently
that the father or some
other male Dog pursues
the offspring with mur-
derous intent and devours
them, if he can, and this
is especially the case with
Wolves and Foxes, which
under favorable condi-
tions do not spare each
other. With most spe-
cies, however, the grega-
rious instincts also assert
themselves in respect to
the little ones; and the
mothers always provide
for them with a really
self-sacrificing affection.
The mischief caused
by Dogs as a family is considerable on account of
the fact that some species are very numerous, and
those that entail any loss to mankind are ruthlessly
pursued everywhere. The smaller species do us
good service, as they catch rodents and insects or
devour carrion and other noxious matter, also yield-
ing their skin, fur and teeth for useful purposes.
Divisions The Dogs may be divided into three
of the groups, and two of these maybe split up
Dog Family. \n^0 smaller sub-orders. These groups
are formed by the Wolves or wild Dogs (Cams), with
a round pupil and a short tail ; the Foxes ( J'trfpits),
distinguished by a slit-like pupil and a long, bushy
rail, and the Long-cared Dogs (Otocyo/i), animals of
the desert, having a different and much more numer-
ous set of teeth.
A PACK OF WOLVES. The common Wolf is a fearful destroyer among the Hocks in Europe The manner in which Wolves assemble in packs and
relentlessly attack all animals they come across is well shown in this illustration. The Wolves have pursued their victim until it has finally fallen, and they
are now sure of a meal.
190
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
-n order to judge correctly of the domestic Dog
and his numberless varieties, it is absolutely neces-
sary to become acquainted first with his relatives in
the wild state, the Wolves, among which we must
look for his progenitors. It also seems but logical
to consider the wild Dogs before we turn to the
domestic varieties. The former teach us what the
Dog originally was before he became the property
of Man; in them we see the aboriginal animal, while
the tamed Dog represents the changed, or if I may
term him such, the humanized animal.
THE WOLVES PROPER.
The sub-order of Wolves proper {Lupus) comprises
all Wolf-like Dogs except the Hyaena-Dog ; they
have forty-two teeth, and show a great variety in
their external appearance, though the head is al-
•ways moderately large and the snout rather pointed.
takes on a yellowish hue ; in northern countries it is
of a whiter, and in southern regions of a blacker tint.
The forehead is whitish gray, the snout yellowish gray,
but always mixed with black; the lips are whitish, the
cheeks yellowish and sometimes indistinctly striped
with black ; the dense woolly under-fur is dull gray.
Here and there one may meet a black Wolf, which
as well as some other modified species is only a
variety. Wolves inhabiting mountains are in general
large and strong, while the Wolves of the plains are
most perceptibly smaller and weaker, but by no means
less aggressive or bloodthirsty than their mountain
relatives. In Hungary and Galicia a distinction is
generally recognized between the Wolf of the forest
and the Wolf of the plain.
An adult Wolf attains a length of sixty-four inches,
about twenty of which are taken up by the tail ; the
height at the shoulder is about thirty-four inches. A
THE JACKAL WOLF. This is a species of Wolf found in Egypt. Nubia. Abyssinia and the Soudan and called " Abuel Hossein" by
the A rabs. It has a stout body on slender legs, pointed snout, and a general appearance of strength and agility. While generally attacking
only smaller animals, the Wolves sometimes hunt in packs, and several of them are often found together, as in the picture. (Cauis antlius )
The Wolf the The Wolf (Cams lupus or Lupus vulgaris)
Most Common has much the shape of a large, long-
Species. legged, lean Dog which lets its tail
hang down instead of curling it upward. A close
inspection shows the following characteristics: the
body is lean, waist retracted; the legs correspond to
this bodily structure; the long-haired tail reaches the
ankle-joint ; the snout appears long and pointed in
comparison with the thick head; the forehead is slop-
ing; the eyes have a slanting position and the ears
are always erect. The fur is subject to changes both
in density and color, according to the country the
Wolf inhabits. In the northern regions, the hair is
long, rough and dense, longest on the under surface
of the body and the thighs, bushy on the tail, dense
and erect on the neck and sides; in southern coun-
tries it is on the whole shorter and rougher. The
color is usually a dull, grayish yellow with an admix-
ture of black; it is lighter, often assuming a whitish
gray tint, on the under surface. In summer the gen-
eral color has more of a reddish tinge, in winter it
large specimen may weigh eighty or even one hun-
dred pounds. The female differs from the male by
being of a slighter build, and having a more pointed
nose and a thinner tail.
Wide Range The Wolf is still spread over a wide
Inhabited by area, though his territory has been much
the Wolf, restricted in comparison with former
times. He is found throughout nearly the whole of
Europe, though he has disappeared from the most
densely populated parts of this continent. He is
extensively distributed in Spain, being found in all
the mountainous sections and even on the larger
plains; he is common enough in Greece, Italy and
France, more rare in Switzerland, and is extinct in
middle and northern Germany and Great Britain.
He is common in eastern Europe. The countries in
which he is most abundant are Hungary, Galicia,
Croatia, Craniola, Scrvia, Bosnia, the country of the
Danube, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Norway and Lap-
land. He has never been found on Iceland and the
islands of the Mediterranean, but he seems to exist
THE DOG FAMILY— WOLF.
191
;n the Atlas country. He also extends all over
northeastern and central Asia, throughout Afghan-
istan and Beloochistan south to the Indus, perhaps
to the upper Punjab, and has a so closely allied rela-
tive in North America that his range may be said to
extend also over the western hemisphere, and the
North American and Mexican Wolves may be re-
garded only as varieties.
The Wolf as The ancients knew the Wolf well. Many
Known to Greek and Roman authors mention him,
the Ancients. some not only with the horror which he
has always excited, but with a secret terror of the
uncanny or ghost-like attributes of the animal. In
the old German mythology the Wolf, as the animal
consecrated to Woden, is rather venerated than de-
tested; the latter feeling arises, however, later, when
Christianity takes the place of pagan mythology.
Then Woden became "The Wild Hunter" and the
south. It even takes up its habitation in bushy but
not very large thickets, in damp forests, in maize
fields, and, in Spain, is even found in corn fields,
sometimes in the immediate neighborhood of vil-
lages. In densely populated districts it shows itself
before sunset only in exceptional cases, but in lonely
forests it begins its activity in the afternoon, like the
Fox under similar conditions, and prowls around,
seeking something for its ever famished stomach.
During spring and summer it lives singly, in twos
or in threes; during the autumn it lives in families,
and in winter in more or less numerous packs, va-
rying in size with the favorable or unfavorable chai-
acter of the locality for such a union.
How the Wolf When Wolves have once gathered
Hunts in into a pack they do everything in
Packs or Singly, common, calling each other with a
howl, and mutually assisting in the search for food.
GUA.RA. This is the native name of an animal also called the Red Wolf, or Maned Wolf, which has a wide range in South America
and is especially plentiful in southern Brazil, Paraguay and the Argentine Republic. It differs from other Wolves in its lighter build, more
pointed muzzle, shorter tail and elongated feet. The fur is yellowish on the under portion, reddish brown on the sides and a darker brown on
the spine, where it forms a mane about five inches long. The hair is short and smooth on the face and feet and longer on the body. Its caution
keeps it away from settlements, and it is cunning and cowardly, fearing Man and fleeing at his approach. It rarely attacks domestic animals,
but lives principally on small animals, especially rodents, which it finds in the marshes which form its favorite haunts, and is also said to eat
small fruits. (Cants jubatus.)
Wolves his Dogs, until finally the animal becomes
the ghost-like Wolf of nursery fables, a monster who
is alternately Man and Wolf.
The numbers of the Wolf are being more and more
reduced, but his last days in civilized Europe are evi-
dently still far off. During the past century this
harmful Beast of Prey existed in every larger Ger-
man forest, and statistics show that even during this
century thousands have been killed. They appeared
in great numbers in the wake of the French army
fleeing from Russia, that retreat furnishing them so
many corpses which served them as food.
Where the The Wolf inhabits lonely, quiet regions,
Wolf Makes and spots in the wilderness, delighting
His Lair. jn dense, gloomy forests, bogs with alter-
nating swampy and dry places, and plains in the
A Wolf prowls around in company with others
exactly in the same way as he does singly ; he fol-
lows chains of mountains, wanders through plains,
traverses entire provinces in crossing from one wood
to another, and therefore may suddenly make his
appearance in localities where he has not been seen
for a long time, sometimes for a lapse of several
years. It has been proven that he may cover from
twenty-five to forty-three miles in a single night on
his wanderings. Not infrequently, and always in
winter when the snow is deep, packs of Wolves run
in single file, like Indians on the warpath, and tread
into each other's foot-marks, if possible, so that
even an expert finds difficulty in estimating the
size of the pack. The agility of the Wolf presup-
poses a great expenditure of strength, rapid tissue
192
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
change and need of a proportionately great supply of
food, therefore the dangerous animal causes sad
havoc among the flocks that he can reach. His
favorite game is among domestic flocks and the
larger wild animals, both furred and feathered, but
lie also contents himself with the smallest, even eat-
ing insects ; and he does not disdain vegetable food,
consuming, it is said, maize, melons, pumpkins, cu-
cumbers, potatoes, etc. The mischief he causes
by his hunting might be borne, though it is con-
siderable, if he were not impelled by his wild
hunting zeal and indomitable thirst for blood to
slay more than he needs for his sustenance. This
renders him a curse to the flock-owner and sports-
man, and makes him everybody's cordially hated
enemy. During the summer he is less harmful than
in winter. The forest gives him much food besides
his regular game, such as Foxes, Hedgehogs, Mice,
various birds and reptiles and vegetable food, so the
only domestic animals which fall a prey to him are
the smaller ones which graze unsuspectingly near his
haunt. He commits fearful ravages among the wild
animals, such as Elks, Stags, Fallow Deer and Roes,
and he exterminates nearly all Hares in his range,
the only prey procurable in winter in the proximity
of villages. He does not neglect to profit by oppor-
tunities, and enters stables without scruple, slaying
all smaller domestic animals he can find. The in-
habitants of the localities he infests lose a great
number of their Dogs every winter, and the Wolf-
hunter usually sacrifices several of his faithful com-
panions in the chase during the summer. When the
Wolf hunts in packs, he also attacks Horses and
Cattle, though these animals know how to defend
themselves. It is said in Russia that hungry packs
of Wolves even attack Bears and finally come out
victorious in the deadly struggle. It certainly is a
fact, that the Wolf hunts every living thing that he
thinks he can subdue. However, he always shuns
Man, as long as it is possible to do so. The horrible
stories which are told about the Tiger as well as the
Wolf, and are profusely adorned by the imagination,
are to a very small extent based on truth. A pack
of Wolves, suffering severely from hunger, may in
their desperation attack, kill and devour human be-
ings, even if they are armed Men; but the dangers
to which inhabitants of Wolf-infested countries are
exposed are not so great as has been supposed.
AGUARA, OR BRAZILIAN FOX. This animal, which is a species of Wolf with many Fox-like attributes, is found throughout
South America. It is a vigoious hunter of birds and small mammals, is very cunning and agile, nocturnal in its habits, and has other indica-
tions of the Fox In its nature besides its pointed muzzle and bushy tail. (Canis retains.)
but he attacks larger domestic animals only in excep-
tional cases. Sometimes he contents himself with
following the lowest of prey, pursuing the Lem-
mings for hundreds of miles, feeding chiefly on these
Mice, and also picking up Lizards, Adders, Frogs,
and May-bugs. He is passionately fond of carrion,
and wherever his range is co-extensive with that of
the Lynx, he clears away the remains of his cousin's
repasts.
Great Destruction He acts quite differently in autumn
Inflicted and winter. Then he uninterrupted-
by the Wolf. \y sneaks among the Cattle grazing
out of doors and spares neither large nor small ani-
mals; refraining from attacking Horses, Cattle and
Hogs only when they form compact herds, and be-
fore he has combined with other Wolves in a pack.
At the beginning of winter he approaches nearer
and nearer to human habitations. He penetrates to
the very outskirts of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and
other Russian cities, enters Hungarian and Croatian
villages, daring to run through towns as large as
Agram, and regularly hunts in small villages, espe-
cially pursuing Dogs, which arc a favorite game and
Single Wolves hardly ever attack a Man, even if his
only weapon is a club, unless circumstances are par-
ticularly favorable for the assault, but defenseless
Women and Children may be in greater danger.
The preceding accounts show clearly enough how
much mischief the Wolf causes. The nomadic tribes,
and all those nationalities which breed Cattle, con-
sider him decidedly the worst of all their enemies;
and it sometimes happens that he really makes Cat-
tle-breeding in many localities an impossibility.
According to Kobell, a single Wolf, which prowled
around Schliersee and Tegernsee for nine years be-
fore he was shot, had, according to government
statistics, killed one thousand Sheep and much other
game during this time; so that the loss he entailed
was considered to amount to from eight to ten thou-
sand florins. In Lapland the word "peace" is syn-
onymous with freedom from Wolves. Only one
kind of war is known there, and that is the one
waged against the animals under consideration,
which often damage the living property of the poor
northern nomads to a considerable extent. In Spain
the Wolves also do much harm. In Russia about
THE DOG FAMILY— WOLF.
193
one hundred and eighty thousand head of horned
Cattle and three times that number of small domes-
tic animals are annually slain by them; Lazarewski
estimates the loss in domestic animals as amounting
to fifteen million and that in game to fifty million
roubles. Besides all this. Wolves sometimes suffer
from hydrophobia, and then are equally dangerous
to Man and beast.
Animals that It is easy to understand that these
Withstand dangerous animals are dreaded not
the Wolf. oniy by Men but also by other ani-
mals, especially where they exist in large numbers.
Horses become extremely restless when they scent a
Wolf, and the other domestic animals, except the
Dog. take to flight when they have the slightest
warning of the proximity of their principal foe.
Good Dogs, on the other hand, delight in nothing
so much as in a Wolf-hunt, it being a characteristic
trait of Dogs that they are ^— - — tz^^^t- - -
fondest of the most dan- ^J?
gerous hunting. It is dif-
ficult to understand, or, at
least remarkable, that
hatred should become so
great between two species
as closely allied as the
Wolf and Dog.
There are other domes-
tic animals also which
know how to defend them-
selves against the Wolf.
In southern Russia Wolves
live in burrows which they
dig for themselves, some-
times as deep as six feet.
At night they continually
prowl around the herds of
the Russian steppes. They
approach the Horses with
caution, and try to steal
Colts that have strayed too
far from the flock; or they
attack an isolated Horse,
springing at his throat and
throwing him down. If
other Horses perceive the
Wolf, they immediately go
up to him, and if he does
not retreat they strike him
with their front hoofs, and
the Stallions may even
seize him with their teeth. He gets into quite
as bad a plight when he tries to procure himself a
pork roast in the forests of Spain or Croatia. A sin-
gle Hog may fall a prey to him, but a large, com-
pact herd is always avoided by a Wolf If he mis-
times his attack by a moment, he is trampled down
by the enraged Hogs and devoured with as much
enjoyment to them as a meal of pork might give him.
Attributes The Wolf possesses all the Dogs' attri-
and Traits of butes and traits; he has their strength
the Wolf. an{j perseverance, their acute senses and
their sagacity. Rut he is much more one-sided and
less noble than the domestic Dog, undoubtedly be-
cause he lacks the education which Man gives to the
Dog. His courage is out of all proportion to his
strength. When he is not hungry he is one of the most
cowardly and timid animals in existence. He then
flees rot only before a Man, a Dog, a Cow, or a Goat,
but even before a flock of Sheep, if only the animals
crowd together and turn their heads towards him.
The Wolf is by no means inferior to the Fox in cun-
ning and caution; if anything he surpasses Reynard
in these qualities. As a rule he adapts himself to
circumstances, reflects before he acts and knows how
to find a loophole of escape in danger. He sneaks
up to his prey with as much cunning as caution; and
if he is himself pursued he trots along with the
utmost deliberation. His sense of smell, sight and
hearing are all equa'ly acute. He is said not only to
track prey but to scent it at a great distance. When
he finds spoor in his path, he knows very well the
animal to which it pertains. He follows it and does
not suffer anything to divert him from it. His cow-
ardliness, his slyness and the acuteness of his senses
are well shown in his methods of attack.
The Mother In the early spring the female Wolf
Wolf and gives birth to from three to nine, usu-
Her Young. aHy from four to six young, in some
THE STRIPED WOLF. — The (ox-like muzzle, long legs, long tail, and general appearance of agility and
Intelligence are Striking characteristics ol the Striped Wolf, an African species. It dues not attack large animals
and docs little harm, unless it he the occasional killing of a Chicken, and is little molested by the natives of the
country it inhabits. (Cants adushts.)
hidden place in the depth of the forest. The newly
born whelps remain blind for twenty-one days, grow
very slowly at the first and very rapidly when they
are older, and conduct themselves exactly like young
The\' are very playful and their howling and
yelping during their romps are sometimes heard at a
great distance. The mother treats them with all the
tenderness of a good canine mother, licks and cleans
them, suckles them for a very long time and then
procures them ample nourishment, suitable for their
age; she is always on her guard lest she betray them,
and if her distrust has been aroused or danger threat-
ens, she carries them to another place she deems more
secure. The age a Wolf may attain probably reaches
to twelve or fifteen years.
It has been sufficiently proven by many experi-
ments that the interbreeding of the Wolf and Dog
produces hybrids capable of further reproduction.
These cross-breeds are not always intermediate in
character between the Wolf and Dog, and even the
194
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
young of the same litter may differ among them-
selves. As a rule they are most wolf-like, though
there may be some which more resemble the Dog.
Taming of Wolves taken young and properly
the Wolf not treated become very tame and very
Difficult. much attached to their master. Cuvier
tells us of a Wolf, which had been brought up like a
young Dog and at full growth was donated to the
Jardin des Plantes. "There he showed himself very
dejected for a few weeks, ate very little and mani-
fested utter indifference towards his keeper. Finally
he conceived some affection for those who were em-
ployed about him, and seemed to have forgotten his
former master, but when the latter returned to Paris,
after an absence of eighteen months, the Wolf heard
his voice in spite of the noisy crowd, and being set
free, signified his joy most demonstratively."
The North Ameri-
can Wolf
and Its Habits.
THE JACKAL. The comely shape of this impudent night prowler of Asia is well shown here. The body
is stout but not clumsy, the limbs are long, the muzzle is fox-like, and the tail is long and bushy. They are noc-
turnal in their habits and very audacious, invading towns as well as plantations and carrying away everything edible
which they can get. They kill many rodents, but they also are insatiable chicken-thieves. Their bowlings make
night hideous in the Orient. (Caiiis aureus.)
The Wolf is The Wolf is killed in every possible
Hunted manner; by the bullet, by insidious
With Zeal, poison, by the treacherous noose or
trap, by the club and any other obtainable weapon.
Most Wolves are probably killed by strychnine.
When food begins to be scarce in winter, a slain
Sheep is prepared in the following manner: The"
animal is skinned and the poison sprinkled into lit-
tle incisions all over the body. Then the skin is put
on again and the bait is laid in a place known to be
frequented by Wolves. No Wolf eats his fill of an
animal poisoned in such a manner, as the poison
affects him very quickly and he succumbs to it at
This mode of extermination probably pro-
duces the surest results. Pitfalls are also success-
ful ; they are dug about three yards deep and two-
and-a-half yards in diameter, are covered with a
light roof of small, flexible boughs, moss, etc., and
the bait is fastened in the middle. To prevent the
Wolf from making too close an investigation before-
hand and also to protect people from falling in, the
pitfall is surrounded by a high fence, which any one
who desires to reach the prey has to clear at a bound.
In populous districts hunts are sometimes arranged
on a large scale. The finding of a Wolf's spoor was,
and still is, a signal for the rallying of whole parishes.
In the larger forest districts of Poland, Posen, east
Prussia, Lithuania, etc., wide strips have been cleared
in the forest, and then divided into smaller squares,
for the sole purpose of Wolf-hunting.
The. inhabitants of the Russian steppes hunt in a
different manner. They deem a gun an entirely
secondary feature of the chase; the Wolf is pursued
by hunters on horseback, until he can no longer run,
and is then slain.
The greatest profit that the Wolf yields is his win-
ter fur, which, as is universally known, may be profit-
ably used. The best and
largest pelts are furnished
by Scandinavia, northern
Russia, Siberia and north-
ern China and are sold at
from S2.50 to $8 apiece.
Besides this, many gov-
ernments give a fixed pre-
mium for every Wolf that
is killed.
The North
American
Wolf ( Cants
occidentalism
is a species closely allied to the
common Wolf, and the question
whether it is a distinct species
is still an open one. As a rule
it is a little smaller than the
European species, but the hab-
its of the two are very similar,
although the American Wolf is
not dangerous to Man except
when it is made desperate by
hunger. There are great vari-
eties in color among animals of
this species in America. Those
of a gray color similar to that
of the European Wolf are the
most common, and are distrib-
uted from the Gulf of Mexico
to the arctic latitudes and from
ocean to ocean, but in some of
the northwestern states there
are white Wolves and in Texas
a variety is found with a reddisli
fur. Black Wolves range in
Florida and some of the other
southeastern states and in the
lower Missouri Valley there are
some of a dusky drab color. The Wolf is much less numerous
in the greater part of the United States than formerly, but it is
still quite plentiful on the western plains and in many portions
of Canada. Packs of Wolves follow herds of Bisons and when
one of the herd becomes isolated they attack it, and although in
the combat which follows some of the pack are often killed the
Bison, if it happens to be sick or exhausted, frequently falls
a prey to the Wolves. Deer, Antelopes, Boxes, rodents and all
small mammals are attacked by Wolves, and those of their own
pack that are killed by Bisons are devoured by their compan-
ions. In general, what has been said of the European Wolf as
to habits, hunting and feeding, applies to the American Wolf.
The Jackal Wolf, The Jackal- Wolf, or the Abu el Hos-
an African scin of the Arabs {Ca/iis at/thus), is
Variety. a small, northeast African species,
known to the ancient Egyptians and pictured by
them on their monuments. His snout is pointed ;
the ears arc large and broad ; the body, supported by
long legs, is stout and of a dark tawny color, which
is subject to considerable variations, according to the
locality. Small animals, carrion and fruit form his
nutriment, but sometimes he joins others of his kind
THE WOLF. There is no other animal of its size and few even among the larger Beasts of Prey which equal a hungry Wolf in fierceness and bold-
ness. In the winter time, especially, when domestic animals are housed and burrowing animals have retired to their winter quarters, the Wolf, emboldened
by scarcity-of food, becomes dangerous to Man. whose only safe refuge, at such a time, is to climb to a place of safety and with a trusty gun make war on the
lupine pack until such as are not killed are scared away. The picture represents such a scene and is typical of the dangers which may come in winter in the
Wolf-infested regions in the west of our own country, as well as in others where these animals range.
(195)
96
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
in a pack and together they attack the Sheep and
Goat flocks of the natives.
The Striped A species much resembling these is
Wolf an Inter- the Striped Wolf (Cams adustus), an
mea.ate Specws. animal resembling both the Wolf and
the Jackal. The body is elongated; the head of a
conical shape, pointed toward the snout, not unlike
that of the Fox; the eyes have a slanting position-
the ears are widely separated, like those of the Jackal,
and rounded; the legs are strikingly long and slen-
der. The tail reaches to the ground.
"The Striped Wolf," says Pechuel-Loesche, who
observed him in Lower Guinea, especially in Loango
in the wilderness as well as tamed, " is statelier and
has longer legs than the Fox. He has the same sly
expression of the face, but suggests also a decidedly
better disposition and has a more aristocratic bearing
These Wolves are remarkably agile, lithe animals'
freedom. Not only did he run around in the enclos-
ure and visit our rooms, but he prowled around for
hours in our plantations and the forests of the neigh-
borhood. He searched for Beetles and Grasshop-
pers, playfully jumping after those that whirred away
and also caught many an unwary little mammal or
bird Unfortunately he did not catch the Rats which
had become quite a plague in our camp. He left
the poultry alone after once having received a slight
castigation for catching a Hen. When after this he
regarded some forbidden dainty with covetous eves
a mild word or a slight remonstrance was sufficient
to turn him from his evil way. Sometimes he strayed
trom the enclosure and remained away all day but
he always made his appearance in the dining-room at
rnght to receive a few scraps. If he was forgotten
for a longer time than he deemed proper, he pushed
his nose against the leg of some one present, or like
SSBSr and smaU domestlc — ls- andfs -^^^ ciSSnS
and it affords one great pleasure to observe their
SeseSrntt Ju CT T10 qUit° Cl°Se t0 ^man dwell-
ings, for the village Dogs never think of picking a
quarrel with them; neither do the nativcs,Pwho fall
hnfl o " /'• h;irVhcm; The Mbulu 'utters hi
an" 1^£?™1 ,yC I' !n _** «?** -d evening
a Dog, put his head on somebody's knee He ac
cepted everything thankfully : bread, beans rice
fish meat, even raw bananas, or oil nuts ; but he
could crush only the smallest bones with his teeth
If one of us paid him attention or spoke to him kindly
he would look into our eyes with a greatly pleased
all the year round ; it is I T T S ^ ,W°^ld l0°k into our e>'es with a greatly pleased
■nay be quite startled w en he n in T'T^ 7* affectio"? te expression, like a Dog. but' ven sel
lite proximity of a vilfi* or fnL V^Z ^1 fZZTf ^ ^ /he-man voice produced an
imp ession on him such as I have seen exhibited onlv
* . . ; — ***- *t^a.i?> ii in LJic mime-
dfte proximity of a village or encampment The
piteous cries of a Mbulu once brought ul to the edit
Of a bushy little forest just in time to rescue the ^
mal from a huge Snake which was strangling it
The Striped » \\ e frequently kept half-grown Striped
CWa°PVny. ^Z "/ °l,r enclosure One of them
' » grew to be a very state y animal and
was so tame and docile that he was given Sited
by the Gorilla ; it literally seemed to fascinate him."
Character- The Jackal ( Cams or Lupus aureus) is
/sties of the the animal which the ancients called
Jackal. Thos or Gold- Wolf, and probablv the
same as the " Foxes " mentioned in the Bible 'with
which Samson, by setting fire to their tails, burned the
wheat fields and vineyards of the Philistines The
THE DOG FAMILY—WOLF.
197
Jackal is known all over the Orient and his actions
are there talked about with the same interest that
we give to the deeds of the Fox.
The Jackal is from twenty-six to thirty-two inches
long; of this length from nine to twelve inches are
taken up by the tail, and the height at the shoulder
is from eighteen to twenty inches. He is of vigor-
ous build, the legs are long, the snout more pointed
than that of the Wolf, but blunter than that of the
Fox ; the bushy hanging tail reaches to the ankle-
joints. The ears are short, and the light-brown eyes
have round pupils. The fur is rough, of moderate
length and difficult to describe. The ground color
is a dingy tan-color or grayish-yellow, merging into
black on the back and sides, or tinged with black
in waves or stripes. This color is in sharp contrast
to that of the sides, thighs and paws, which is a pale
red, and the sides of the head and neck are of the
same tint. The pale or grayish-yellow ground color
merges into whitish yellow on the throat and the
under-waist, reddish yellow on the breast and gray
on the lower part of the
throat.
Asia must be consid-
ered as the native country
of the Jackal. From India
he extends over the west
and northwest of the con-
tinent, through Beloochi-
stan, Afghanistan, Persia,
the Caucasus, Asia Minor,
Palestine, Arabia to north-
ern Africa ; but he is also
found in Europe, in Tur-
key, Greece and a few
localities of Dalmatia. In
India and Ceylon he is
found everywhere, in for-
ests as well as in the open
country, on plains and in
mountainous regions, and
in the Himalayas to an
elevation of over three
thousand feet.
Mode of In his mode
Life of the of 1 i f e t h e
Jackal. Jackal repre-
sents an intermediate form
between the Wolf and the
Fox. He resembles the latter more than the former.
In the daytime he keeps in hiding; towards evening
he sallies forth on his hunt, howling loudly to attract
others of his kind, in company with which he then
prowls around. He is gregarious, though he also
hunts alone. He might be termed the boldest and
most importunate of all wild Dogs, and is not at
all afraid of human settlements, boldly penetrating
into villages and even populous towns, and entering
yards and houses, taking away what he can find.
This boldness renders him a great deal more dis-
agreeable and annoying than do his celebrated
nightly songs, which he keeps up with admirable
perseverance. As soon as night has really set in, one
hears a howl of many voices, highly piteous in char-
acter, resembling that of our Dogs, but combining
a much greater variety of sounds. At any rate,
these melancholy howlings cannot be regarded as
the expression of grief on the part of these ani-
mals, for they howl in a manner equally mournful
when their food is plentiful, and they have every
reason for expressing joyful satisfaction.
There are still other deeds of the Jackals which
excite our aversion. The slight amount of useful
service they perform is out of all proportion to the
destruction wrought by them. They are useful in
clearing away carrion and all kinds of vermin, and
especially in catching Mice, but they do much harm
by their insolent robberies. Not only do they de-
vour everything edible, but they also steal all kinds
of non-eatable things in the house and yard, tent and
room, stable and kitchen, taking anything that strikes
their fancy. Their thievish disposition is perhaps as
great as their voracity. In the poultry-yard they
play the part of the Fox, slay with a Marten-like
greed, and steal with all the insolence, if not the
cunning, of the Fox. According to circumstances,
they may also attack a stray Lamb or Goat, pursue
small game and plunder orchards and vineyards. In
India they are said to ravage sugar-cane plantations
and maize fields and damage the coffee plantations,
devouring a considerable quantity of the ripe berries.
Jackals taken young become very tame, much
COYOTE, OR PRAXRIE WOLF. Here is an animal familiar to the residents of the western plains. It
might aptly be called the Jackal of America, except that it is more cowardly than the Asiatic animal. Its long,
thick fur makes the body look somewhat clumsy, but it can run very fast. The head bears a strong resemblance
to that of the Fox. The Coyote prowls at Bight, like ethers ol the Woll species, and may most frequently be seen
in the gray dawn of the morning, [Cants la trans.)
tamer than do Foxes. They become entirely ac-
customed to their owner, follow him about like a
Dog, not only accept but beg for caresses, respond
to a call, wag their tails in a friendly manner when
petted, and, in short, show all the qualities of domes-
tic Dogs. Even when taken old, they finally recog-
nize Man's supremacy, though they may be addicted
to biting viciously in the beginning.
The Coyote, or A well known American Wolf, the
Prairie Wolf of Coyote or Prairie Wolf ( Cams la-
America, trans), appears to be an intermediate
form between the Wolf and Fox, although his Wolf-
ish traits are unmistakable. He has the body, tail
and vigorous limbs of the Wolf, and the pointed snout
of the Fox. His strong body appears still stouter
than it really is, owing to his thick fur ; the neck is
short and strong, the head more slender than that
of the Wolf, broader at the top and sharper at the
snout ; the ears are rather large, wide near the head
but not rounded at the tip ; the light brown eyes
have a round pupil. The color of the fur is a dingy
yellowish-gray.
198
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Range and The Prairie Wolf is spread extensively
Habits of the over the central parts of North Amer-
Coyote. icai to the west of the Mississippi, and
to the south of British America, perhaps as far as
Panama ; it is especially plentiful in the great plains
west from the Missouri to the Rocky Mountains, in
California and in British Columbia. Prince de Wied,
to whom, as well as to Audubon, we owe the best
descriptions of this animal, says that it lives only
singly or in couples, after the manner of Fmropean
Wolves. It preys upon everything it can subdue
and is as sly as the other Wolves and Foxes. At
5 I
RACCOON DOG. This species of Wolf, sometimes also called the Tanate. is an inhabitant of Japan,
China and contiguous countries. It has a head that scmewhat resembles the animals of the Marten family, has
long fur, a short, bush? tail and short legs. It does little damage, its prey being fishes and the smaller mammals.
{Cuius firocyonoides.)
night it often goes so far as to enter the Indian vil-
lages and in winter, when prey is scarce, it is not in-
frequently seen to trot around in the daytime, as the
Wolf does, in deep snow or during very cold weather.
The traveler on the western plains will seldom see a Coyote
in the daytime during the milder seasons of the year, the ani-
mal being both crafty and cowardly and nocturnal in its habits.
At night, however, it may be frequently seen to prowl quite
near to a belated horseman or even in close proximity to a
camp tire, but it is very alert and oidy a quick shot is likely to
[i i essful. It continues to make its presence known, how-
ever, for like the Asiatic Jackal, which in its habits it much
ibles, it keeps up an incessant howling during the night
until the early morning.
This animal is much despised by the frontiersman, and " as
mean as a Coyote " is a proverb in the far West, probably be-
of its howling propensities, and its destruction of Quail
and other birds and small game. But the Coyote is not without
its redeeming traits. It kills large numbers of destructive
rodents, and is an adept at killing Rattlesnakes and other
venomous reptiles.
During the breeding season, it inhabits burrows or
caverns that it excavates for itself, and there the
female gives birth in April to from six to ten young
ones. At this time her voice is heard on the prairie.
It is a curious bark, ending in a drawn out note, re-
sembling the sound made by Foxes.
Account I can R'vc a personal account of its life
of a Captive in captivity, for I took care of a Prairie
Coyote. Wolf for some time. He had been
reared in the house and was as gentle as a good-
natured Dog, but only towards acquaintances. His
actions were those of a domestic Dog in every
respect. When he caught sight of his friends, he
used to leap with joy, wag his tail and come to the
bars of his cage to be petted. But he never licked
anybody's hands ; at the most, only sniffing them.
When left alone, he was very miserable and relieved
his feelings by a pitiful howl; but when he had
company, he ill-treated the animals, unless they were
better biters than himself.
He" was very susceptible to the complainings of
other animals. He always joined in the howl of
Wolves and even respond-
ed to the roar or growl of
Bears. If a person talked
to him in a plaintive tone,
as if j^itying him, he howled
and whined as some domes-
tic Dogs do under similar
circumstances. Music also
always moved him to loud
outcries, but his howling at
such times was evidently
not meant to be taken se-
riously.
The Raccoon As a repre-
Dog of sentative of
China and Japan. a low grade
of Wolves on the Northern
Hemisphere, may be men-
tioned the Raccoon Dog
(Cams procyo/ioides), a pe-
culiar animal, indigenous to
temperate eastern Asia, es-
pecially China and Japan;
it has a somewhat Marten-
like aspect and nocturnal
habits, and feeds princi-
pally on Mice and fish.
The Wolf According
Species of South to modern
America. naturalists
the Wolf has a few allied
species among the South American wild Dogs,
namely the Crab-eating Dog ( Qr/iis cancrivortts)
[an animal with a Fox-like muzzle, conical ears and
a rather long, bushy tail, which hunts in small packs]
and the Aguara or Azara's Fox, also called Brazilian
Fox (Cams vctulus or azarcz). The latter is a native
of all South America, from the Pacific to the Atlan-
tic and from the equator to the southernmost part
of Patagonia. This animal is said to be possessed of
the curious peculiarity of stealing and hiding all
kinds of things for which it has no use. Tschudi
found in the cavern of a " Zorra," as the Brazilians
call this animal, a stirrup, a spur and a knife.
THE HYiENA DOGS.
A second sub-order of the Wolves is formed by
one of the most remarkable as well as most beau-
tifully marked species, the Hyaena-Dogs (Lycao/i).
The body is slender, but of strong build, the head is
moderately large or rather small, the snout is blunt.
Hearing and sight arc very well developed; the ears
are high, wide and nearly devoid of hair, and the
large eyes have a circular pupil. The legs are mod-
erately long and the front feet as well as the hind
ones have only four toes: differing from other Dogs.
The further distinctive features of this species are a
moderately long, not very bushy tail and a smooth,
short-haired fur, of a very peculiar color.
THE DOG FAMILY— HY^X A DOG.
199
The Hycena The Hyaena Dog or Cape Hunting
Dog or Cape Dog {Canis or Lycaon pic tits) is about
Hunting Dog. tjie sjze 0f a lean \\olf or medium-
sized domestic Dog, while his aspect more closely
resembles the latter. In spite of the slender shape, it
produces the impression of a vigorous, strong ani-
mal. No two Dogs are marked exactly alike, only
the head and nape of the neck exhibit a certain uni-
formity in tint. The prevailing colors are white,
black and ochre-yellow. Some have their ground
color white, some black, and the lighter or darker
spots contrast with these hues in bold relief. The
spots are also of irregular shape; they may be small
or large, and sometimes are distributed all over the
body; but the white and yellow ones always have
black margins. The snout is black up to the eyes
and this color is continued in long stripes between
the eyes and ears, along the top of the head and
nape of the neck. The ears are black, the eyes
brown. The root of the tail is ochre-yellow, the
middle black, and the bushy tip white or ochre-
yellow.
The Hyaena Dog is a native of Africa, but his
boundaries have not yet been exactly determined.
He ranges in south Africa; Bochm saw him in east
Africa to the east and
also to the southwest of
the Tanganyika Lake ;
Ruppell found him in
Nubia, Schweinfurth
says that he is abundant
in the Bongo country
and Nachtigal says the
same about Kanem on
the Tsad Lake.
Cummings Gordon
Account of Cumming
Hycena Dogs. met H\;e-
na Dogs in southern
Africa. "These Dogs,"
says' he, "hunt in packs,
varying in number up to
sixty, and by their ex-
traordinary power of en-
durance are enabled to
overcome the largest
and most powerful An-
telope. They do not at-
tack Buffaloes, as far as
my knowledge goes.
They pursue their quar-
ry until it is worn out;
then it is dragged to the
ground and in a few
minutes torn to pieces
and consumed." In
spite of the really beau-
tiful coloring and high
stature of the Hyaena
Dog, Heuglin calls it
Behind it is the pack, yelping, howling, whining and
uttering indescribable sounds, which might be termed
joyous, for they resemble the bright tones of a bell.
As the chase progresses, the Antelope forgets all
danger except that which is most imminent, and
hurries along, heedless of human beings, whom it
usually shuns, followed by the close-banded pack of
Dogs. The pace of the latter is a long, never-tiring
gallop and their discipline is excellent. When the
leading Hounds are fatigued they fall to the rear,
and others, which have been reserving their strength,
come up, and so they relieve each other as long as
the chase endures. Finally the hunted animal is
tired out and brought to bay. Conscious of its
strength the Antelope turns around and faces its
deadly foes. The slender, pointed horns sweep the
sward in wide curves. But, although one or two of
the pursuers succumb in the struggle, it is usually
but a minute before the unequaUy matched Ante-
lope lies on the ground in panting agony. Some-
times, but rarely, it succeeds in freeing itself when
first brought to bay. Then the hunt begins afresh
and the voracious Dogs again rush after the Ante-
lope, their snouts covered with blood. Their thirst
for carnage is said to increase with the death of each
/s~t
THE CRAB-EATING DOG. This is a South American species of wild Doe, which is placed by some natu-
ralists along with other South American animals in a group under the name of Fox-Wolves. The muz/le is distinctly
Fox-like but the remainder ol the body, with the exception of the bushy tail, is more like that of the Wolf. Little is
known about its habits except the Crab-eating propensity, from which it derives its name, and the fact that it hunts in
small packs. (Canis cancrh
an unclean, evil-smelling
animal, addicted to biting and incapable of hiding
its false and treacherous disposition," and he says
that, when wounded, it does not fear to attack Man.
Hunting Abilities However this may be, the multi-
of the colored Beast of Prey remains a
Hycena Dog. highly attractive creature. It must
be a magnificent spectacle to see these beautiful,
agile and loud-voiced animals hunting. A large,
strong Antelope has been frightened by them ; it
knows its pursuers and hurries through the grassy
plain with all the speed its fleet legs can command.
victim, and it is also said that they eat only the
intestines of the killed game, leaving the rest for
other animals of prey. They seem to eat very little
of the muscular meat, for Burchell found a freshly
killed Antelope, of which these Dogs had eaten only
the inner parts, so he made use of the rest in his
own kitchen.
Usefulness of The Hyaena Dog is a wild animal which
Tamed seems to promise a great deal if it only
Hycena Dogs. Were tamed. It would make an excel-
lent tracker, but an animal of such characteristics is
not easily brought under subjection to the will of
200
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Man. Schwcinfurth saw a Hyaena Dog in a Scriba
in the Bongo country, "which was thoroughly tamed,
and was as docile as a Dog with its master." In
1859 I had the pleasure of finding an admirably kept
and nearly full-grown Hunting Dog in Leipzig. I
have seen several later and have also kept a few
myself. Their distinctive traits seem to me to be a
boisterous mischievousness, and an indomitable habit
of biting, perhaps without the intention of hurting
anvbody and only as an outlet to the fidgety live-
liness of their ever active spirits. As soon as a
Hyaena Dog is excited, its every nerve quivers and
moves. Its remarkably active disposition first as-
sumes the semblance of exaggerated mirth, and then,
a moment later, strikes one as a savage, sanguinary
mania for biting. Grandville represents a Wolf as
declaring: " Barking is of no avail; one has to bite."
HYJENA DOG. The slender, long limbed animal in the picture, sometimes also called the Cape Hunting
Dog, is the representative of a distinct sub-order of the Wolf species. As will be seen from the picture, it is hand-
somely marked, has long Hound-like limbs, a tail with a bushy tip, and a form that suggests both agility and
Strength, qualities that are requisite to the tracking of the Antelope, which is the favorite prey of these wild Dogs.
{Cams pictus.)
If he had known the Hyama Dog, he would, doubt-
less, have ascribed this sentiment to that animal.
The Indian Sykes has described the Indian Wild
Wild Dog or Dog, or Kolsun, which he considered
Kolsun. [ \] c progenitor of all domesticated
Dogs. This animal bears, according to his account,
a greater resemblance to the Greyhound than to the
Wolf or Jackal, and belongs to a third sub-order of
the Wolves (Cyou), whose range is co-extensive with
that of the Tiger. It has much the same propor-
tions as a medium-sized Greyhound and its hair is of
uniform thickness, rather short on the body but long
on the tail. The color is a beautiful brownish or
russet red merging into brownish gray, light on the
under surface of the body and dark on the snout,
ears, feet and extremity of the tail.
This Dog is called Son- kam-kutta, Djangli, Kol-
sun, Kolsa, etc., in India, Buansu, etc., in the Hima-
layas {Canis or Cyon dukhunensis and Primavus), and
is found all over the Himalaya country from the val-
ley of the upper Indus and Cashmere as far east as
Assam, in eastern Thibet, and in all the woody re-
gions of East India.
The Kolsun or Buansu is a genuine arboreal animal
and inhabits principally extensive forests, but some-
times is also found in jungles; while in the northern
and elevated portions of his native country, where
forests are lacking, he has to content himself with
the open country and rocks. He does not seem to be
plentiful anywhere, and as he drives the game away
and makes it very restless by his mode of hunting,
he does not stay long in one locality. He hunts in
packs, which were formerly said to comprise fifty or
sixty of these animals, but which, according to mod-
ern observers, seldom include twenty, and gener-
ally number only from two to twelve. The Indian
Wild Dog usually pursues
his game noiselessly, and
his voice is heard only at
rare intervals. He does
not bark, but the sound he
makes is rather a plaintive
whine. All accounts agree
as to his exceedingly good
hunting qualities. In his
mode of hunting he resem-
bles the Hyaena Dog. As
soon as the pack has found
some animal that will serve
for prey, they pursue it
with the utmost persever-
ance, and sometimes divide
into smaller packs in order
to cut off its escape on all
sides; and are thus said to
be able to overtake even
the fleetest - footed Stag.
Their chief attack is not
made from the front and is
not directed at the throat,
but rather at the flanks and
the soft hinder part of the
body, which they tear by
rapid bites during the
chase, so that the intes-
tines protrude and the ani-
mal soon succumbs.
The Malay The Malay
Wild Dog, or Wild Dog or
AdJ°9- Adjag (Cants
or Cyon rntila?is) is smaller
and weaker than his Indian relative and has a yel-
lowish Fox-red color, which is lightest on the under
surface of the body. The tail is tipped with black.
The Adjag does not seem to differ in any marked
degree from the Kolsun, except that there are no
accounts to the effect that he preys upon large and
strong animals. He is a native of Sumatra and Java,
ranging, so far as his haunts are now known, from the
sea level to about three thousand feet above, preying
on rather peculiar game on the sea beach, as Jung-
huhn's observations show: "On the 14th of May,
1846, I came out of the bushes covering the coast of
the Tandjung-Sodong. Looking at the wide beach
before me, I thought I gazed on a battlefield. Hun-
dreds of skeletons of huge Tortoises lay strewn on
the sand. Some had been bleached by the sun so
as to present nothing but smooth bones, some were
still filled with decaying, foul-smelling intestines, and
some were yet fresh and bloody ; but all lay on their
THE DOG FAMILY— DOG.
201
backs. This was the place where the wild Dogs
attack the Tortoises, which here make nightly jour-
neys to the downs and back to the sea. The Dogs
come in packs of twenty or thirty, seize the Turtle
at all available parts of its body, and, snapping at
INDIAN WILD DOG. OR KOLSUN. — An exceedingly skillful hunter, keen of eye and fleet of foot is the
Indian Wild Dog, or Kolsun, which beats a strong likeness to some domesticated hunting Dogs. The animal in
the picture is shown with cars erect, and eyes watching for same. The strong though not bulky form, the bushy
♦ail, and the fur. light below and dark above, are faithfully illustrated. {Cams dukhummsis.)
the feet and the head, succeed in turning the animal
over by their joint efforts, in spite of its huge size.
Then they begin to
gnaw, tear up the under
shields and proceed to
make a bloody meal of
the intestines, meat and
eggs. Many Tortoises
escape these attacks and
reach the sea, some-
times dragging the tug-
ging Dogs along with
them. But even when
the Dogs have secured
a Turtle for their prey,
they are not always per-
mitted to quietly devour
it. On some nights it
happens that the lord
of the wilderness, the
Royal Tiger, leaves the
forest, stops for a mo-
ment and overlooks the
beach with glistening
eyes, and then, softly
slinking up toward the
Dogs, suddenly jumps
among the pack with a
low growl. They scat-
ter to all sides and hurry
to the wood in a mad
flight, uttering an agi-
tated sound that more
resembles whistling
than growling.
By this account it is
seen that these Dogs wage war with the inhabitants
of the deep at a place exceedingly gloomy and bar-
ren, never visited by the natives of Java, but recog-
nized from a distance by the wanderer in the wilder-
ness from the birds of prey which soar high above.
THE DOG.
"The world exists through the intellect of the
Dog." This saying occurs in the Vendidad (Book
of Laws), the most ancient and genuine part of the
Zendavesta, one of the old-
est books of mankind.
Great Merits No animal of
of the the globe is
Do9- more deserv-
ing of the fullest, most un-
divided esteem, friendship
and love of Man than the
Dog. He forms a part of
humanity, for he is indis-
pensable to our welfare.
"The Dog," says Cuvier, "is
the completest, the most
singular, and the most use-
ful conquest that Man has
ever made. T h e w hole
species has become our
property, each individual is
devoted to Man, his mas-
ter, adopts his manners,
distinguishes and defends
his property, and remains
attached to him even unto
death: and all this springs
not from mere necessity,
nor from fear, but from a true friendship. The
swiftness, the strength, and the highly developed
MALAY WILD DOG, OR ADJAG. On the islands of Java and Sumatra the wild Dog known as the Adjag is
found. The artist has appropriately depicted these animals on the sea-shore by the side of the inverted shell of a great
Turtle which they have emptied, for the barren coasts frequented by these sea animals is a favorite resort for the Malay
Wild Dog in search of food. {Canis rutilans.)
power of smelling of the Dog have made him a
powerful ally of Man against the other animals, and
were perhaps necessary to the establishment of soci-
202
THE BEASTS OF PREY,
sty. The Dog is the only animal which has followed
Man all over the globe."
The Dog is well worthy of being considered at
length, and spoken of with pleasure and love, not-
withstanding the fact that he is so well known.
Wherever Man has made a habitation the Dog is
found, and even the most uncivilized nations pos-
sess him as a companion and defender. But neither
tradition nor research has given us sufficient clues
as to his progenitors, and opinions the most diver-
gent have been promulgated as to the origin of the
most important of all domestic animals. There is
no other animal about which so many conjectures
and hypotheses have been advanced.
The Dog and "If one wishes to separate the Dog
the Wolf from the other Wolves," says Blasius,
Compared, "there still remain no further distin-
guishing features than the curve of the tail to the
left, which Linnaeus mentions. The historic fate of
the Dog resembles that of Man. The total subjec-
tion of the Dog to Man has led to consequences for
which we find no parallel in the animal world. The
existence of the Dog is so closely allied to that of
Man, and the Dog, like Man, has been obliged to
adapt himself to the most diverse and antagonistic
influences of nature to such an extent, in order to
help to conquer and reign over the whole globe, that
his original state in nature may only be conjectured
theoretically, like that of Man. But this relates
only to his physical properties. As to his intellect-
ual nature opinions cannot differ. In the structure
of his skeleton, his skull and his teeth, the Dog is
a Wolf; still neither his skull nor his teeth serve
to identify him with any one species of Wolf, nor
disclose any sharp line of demarcation between him
and the known species of Wolves. The European
Dogs waver in the peculiarities of their skull between
the Wolves and the Jackals, but in such manner that
the peculiarities either cross, unite or vary.
Universality " The Americans had indigenous Dogs
of the before the Spaniards imported the Eu-
D°9- ropean species. In Mexico the Span-
iards found dumb Dogs. A. von Humboldt says
that the Indians of Jauja and Huanca adored Dogs,
before the Inca Pachacutec converted them to the
adoration of the sun. Their priests blew on Dog-
skulls, and the skulls as well as mummies of Dogs
were found in the oldest Peruvian tombs. Tschudi
has inspected these skulls and thinks them to be dif-
ferent from those of European Dogs; he believes
them to come from a distinct species, which he calls
Canis ingce. The native Dogs in Peru are called
Runa-allco, to distinguish them from the European
species which have degenerated into the wild state.
These Dogs are said to sustain particularly un-
friendly relations with Europeans.
" It is surprising that the native Dogs show in
their skulls an approximation to the structure of the
Wolves of their own country, but it is a matter of
still greater surprise that they also show an affinity
in their general appearance to the wild species when
they have returned to the savage state. This relates
not only to the coloring, but also to the shape of the
animal, the pointed, erect ears, the hair and other
characteristics. Olivier has remarked that the Dogs
in the environs of Constantinople resemble Jackals.
In southern and eastern Russia there are number-
less half savage Dogs running around in packs and
bearing a striking resemblance to the Jackal in their
color, their bodily shape and the structure of their
ears. The observation of Pallas, that the Dogs live
in decided friendship with these Jackals, is easily
understood in the face of such resemblances. It is
a known fact that Dogs and Wolves may interbreed
to any degree. Crosses between Dogs and Jackals
are no rarity. Pallas even mentions that crosses
between the Dog and P"ox are well known to the
Russians, but he evidently does not found this state-
ment on his own observations.
"The question as to whether the Dog is a distinct,
separate and independent species, like the Wolf, the
Jackal and the Eox, is difficult to settle in the affirm-
ative. No single species of wild animal shows such
divergence in the skull, in the structure of the whole
body, and in the proportions of actual size. But
neither do the domestic animals in which we must
suppose the original species to be still unaltered, or
only changed by domestication and culture, such as
the Horse, Ass, Cow, Goat or Hog, show any such
extremes, and still less may it be said that several
species are contained in this great variety of forms.
It is clear, then, that we cannot speak of one species
as being the stock from which the Dog sprang. It
is also improbable that such a species would as yet
have remained undiscovered by scientific research.
"And so, as long as one wishes to retain these
problematic points in the domain of natural history,
there remains but one conclusion, which agrees with
the opinion of Pallas : that the origin of the domes-
tic Dog must be sought in the domestication and
interbreeding of the different species of Wolves
indigenous to the different countries. Naturally
this supposition in relation to the point at issue is
but a hypothesis, but if it is founded on facts in
nature, it will be possible to make it a conviction by
direct comparison of the skulls of Dogs with those
of Wolves. It is clear that the fact that Dogs in-
terbreed without limits among themselves and with
Wolves and Jackals, is most readily reconciled vi ith
this hypothesis. The great similarity between Jack-
als and Dogs which have returned to the savage
state, in their shape and coloring, and the ready
approximation and friendship of the two is also of
great importance. Horses returned to savagery also
show an approximation to wild Horses. Goats,
which for generations roam at large in the moun-
tains the greater part of the year, as often happens
in Dalmatia and some parts of Italy, much resemble
the wild Capra cEgagrus ; and colored Rabbits, when
given their liberty, after a lapse of several years
produce young which cannot be distinguished from
the wild species and are themselves perfectly wild."
Darwin on the "The reasons," says Darwin, "which
Origin have led various authors to infer that
of the Dog. our Dogs have descended from more
than one wild species are : Firstly, the great differ-
ence between the several breeds, and secondly, the
more important fact that, at the most anciently
known historical periods, several breeds of Dogs
existed, very unlike each other, and closely resem-
bling or identical with breeds still alive. Youatt
gives a drawing of a beautiful sculpture of two Grey-
hound Puppies from the villa of Antonius. On an
Assyrian monument, dating back to about 640 B. C,
an enormous Mastiff is figured, and such Dogs are
still imported into the same country. On the Egyp-
tian monuments from the Fourth to the Twelfth
dynasties- -that is, from about 3400 to 2IOO B. C. —
several varieties of the Dog are represented, most
of them allied to Greyhounds. At the later of these
periods a Dog resembling a Hound is figured, with
drooping ears, but with a longer back and more
THE DOG FAMILY— DOG.
203
pointed head than in our Hounds. There is, also, a
Turnspit, with short and crooked legs, closely resem-
bling the existing variety. The most ancient Dog
represented on the Egyptian monuments is one of
the most singular; it resembles a Greyhound, but
has long, pointed ears and a short, curled tail. A
variety closely allied to it still exists in northern
Africa, for Mr. E. V. Harcourt states that the Arab
Boar-Hound is an eccentric, hieroglyphic animal,
such as Cheops once hunted with, somewhat resem-
bling the rough Scotch Deer-Hound. With this most
ancient variety a Pariah-like Dog coexisted. We
thus see that at a period between four and five thou-
sand years ago, various breeds, namely Pariah Dogs,
Greyhounds, common Hounds, Mastiffs, house
Dogs, lap Dogs and Turnspits existed, more or
less closely resembling our present breeds. But
there is not sufficient evidence that any of these
ancient Dogs belonged to
the same identical subva-
rieties with our present
Dogs.
"In Europe the Dog was
kept in a domestic state a
long time previous to any
historical record. The
bones of a canine animal
were imbedded in the Dan-
ish Kitchen-Middens of
the Neolithic or Newer-
Stone period, and probably
belonged to a domestic
Dog. This ancient Dog
was succeeded in Den-
mark, during the Bronze
period, by a larger a n d
somewhat different Dog,
which, during the Iron pe-
riod, was replaced by a still
larger kind. A medium-
sized, domesticated Dog
existed in Switzerland in
the Neolithic period, which
in its skull was about
equally remote from the
Wolf and the Jackal, and
partook of the characters
of our Hounds and Setters
or Spaniels. During the
Bronze period a larger Dog
appeared which, judging
from his jaws, resembled
a Dog of the same age in
Denmark. Schmerling
found the remains of two notably distinct varieties
of the Dog in a cave, but their age cannot be posi-
tively determined.
"The main argument in favor of the several breeds
of the Dog being the descendants of distinct wild
stocks, is the resemblance they bear in different coun-
tries to distinct species still existing there. It must,
however, be admitted that the comparison between
the wild and domesticated animal has, except in a
few instances, been made with sufficient exactness.
There is no inherent difficult}- in the belief that sev-
eral canine species have been domesticated. Mem-
bers of the Dog family inhabit nearly the whole
world, and several species correspond, to a consider-
able extent, in their structure and habits, with our
several domesticated Dogs. Savages keep and tame
animals of all kinds, naturally preferring sociable ani-
mals, like the Dog. At an extremely ancient period,
when Man first entered any country, the native ani-
mals had no instinctive or inherited fear of him, and
would consequently have been tamed far more easily
than now. For instance, when the Falkland Islands
were first visited by Man, the large Wolf-iike Dogs
( Canis antarcticus ) came to meet Byron's sailors with-
out fear ; but the latter fled into the water to avoid
them, mistaking the animals' curiosity for ferocity.
Even recently a Man, by holding a piece of meat in
one hand and a knife in the other, could sometimes
stick them at night. At the Galapagos Archipelago
I pushed Hawks from a branch with the muzzle of
my gun, and held out a pitcher of water for other
birds to alight on and drink. It is a more important
point that several canine species evince no strong
repugnance or inability to breed under confinement;
and the incapacity to breed under confinement is one
A'.U/i./U*"-
ALPINE WOLF. This animal, by some accounted a sub-ordei ol the common WOK. has so many points
of difference in size, color, and fur. that it may be properly called a distinct species. It is about thirty-eight
inches Ions;, exclusive of the bush] tail, which measures fourteen itu lies, and its shoulder height is eighteen inches.
Its long, coarse fur is of russet, or yellowish gray, but of lighter tint and longer about the neck; the head is broad,
the muz7le blunt and the ears small. It is found in northern Asia and inhabits mountains surrounding the
valleys ol the Venesei and Amoor rivers, attacks Deer, especially Roes and Fawns, and the Mountain Goat;
runs in packs usually, but sometimes Singly and vigorously tights Men and Dogs when they attack it. By Some
writers it is called the Wild Dog of Siberia. (Canil alfiinus.)
of the commonest bars to domestication. Lastly,
savages set the highest value on Dogs even half-
tamed animals are highly useful to them. North
American Indians cross their half-wild Dogs with
Wolves, and thus render them wilder than before,
but bolder. The savages of Guiana catch and par-
tially tame and use the whelps of two wild species of
Cams, as do the savages of Australia those of the wild
Dingo. From these several considerations we see no
difficulty in believing that Man might have domes-
ticated various canine species in different countries.
It would have been a strange fact if one species alone
had been domesticated throughout the world.
Points ofSimi- "We will now enter into details. The
larity Between accurate and sagacious Richardson
Dog and Wolf. says . ' The resemblance between the
North American Wolves and the domestic Dogs is so
204
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
great that the size and strength of the Wolf seems
to be the only difference. I have more than once
mistaken a band of Wolves for the Dogs of a party
of Indians, and the howls of the animals of both
species is prolonged so exactly in the same key that
even the practiced ear of the Indian fails at times to
discriminate them. Dr. Kane has often seen in his
teams of sledge Dogs the oblique eye (a character-
istic on which some naturalists lay great stress), the
drooping eye and scared look of the Wolf. In dis-
position the Eskimo Dogs differ little from Wolves,
and according to Dr. Hayes they are capable of no
attachment to Man, and are so savage that when hun-
gry they will attack even their masters. According
to Kane they readily become feral. Their affinity is
so close with Wolves that they frequently cross with
them, and the Indians take the whelps of Wolves to
improve the breed of their Dogs. Turning to the
southern parts of the New World: Columbus found
two kinds of Dogs in the West Indies, and Fernan-
dez describes three in Mexico. Some of these native
Dogs were dumb, that is, did not bark. In Guiana
it has been known since the time of Buffon that the
natives cross their Dogs with an aboriginal species,
apparently the Marcong or Carissi (Cams cancrivorns).
A careful observer, Rengger, gives reasons for believ-
ing that a hairless Dog was domesticated when Amer-
ica was first discovered by Europeans. Some of these
Dogs in Paraguay are still dumb, and Tschudi states
that they suffer from cold in the Cordilleras. This
naked Dog is, however, quite distinct from that found
preserved in the ancient Peruvian burial places, and
described by Tschudi, under the name of the Inca
Dog (Canis ingce) as withstanding cold well and as
barking. It is not known whether these two distinct
kinds of Dog are the descendants of native species,
and it might be argued that when Man first emigrated
into America he brought with him from the Asiatic
continent Dogs which had not learned to bark, but
this view does not seem probable, as the natives along
the line of their march from the north reclaimed, as
we have seen, at least two North American species of
Canidae.
"Turning to the Old World: some European Dogs
closely resemble' the Wolf. Thus the Shepherd
Dog of the Hungarian plains so much resembles a
Wolf that Mr. Paget, who gives this description,
says he has known a Hungarian to mistake a Wolf
for one of his own Dogs.
"The European Wolf differs slightly from that of
North America, and has been ranked by many
naturalists as a distinct species. The common Wolf
of India is also, by some, esteemed as a third spe-
cies, and here again we find a marked resemblance
between the Pariah Dogs of certain districts of
India and the Indian Wolf. With respect to Jackals
Isidore Geoffroy Saint-I I illairc says that not one
constant difference can be pointed out between their
structure and that of the smaller races of Dogs, and
they agree closely in habits. Ehrcnberg asserts
that the domestic Dogs of Lower I^gypt and cer-
tain mummied Dogs have for their wild types a
species of Wolf (Canis lupastcr) of the country;
whenas certain other mummied Dogs have the
closest relation to a wild species of the same coun-
try, namely, Canis sabbar, which is only a form of
the common Jackal. Jackals and Dogs sometimes
naturally cross in the East, and a case is on record
in Algeria. I may add that the domestic Dogs on
the coast of Guinea are Fox-like animals and are
dumb. ( )n the east coast of Africa between latitude
4° and 6° south and about ten days' journey inland,
the Rev. S. Erhardt informs me a semi-domestic
Dog is kept, which the natives assert is derived
from a similar wild animal. Lichtenstein says that
the Dogs of the Bushmen present a striking resem-
blance even in color with the Brown Hyama. Mr.
E. Layard informs me that he has seen a Caffre
Dog which closely resembled an PLskimo Dog. In
Australia the Dingo is both domesticated and wild.
Though this animal may have been introduced
aborig-inally by Man yet it must be considered as
almost an endemic form, for its remains have been
found in a similar state of preservation and associ-
ated with extinct mammals, so that its introduction
must have been ancient.
"From this resemblance in several countries of
the half-domesticated Dogs to the wild species still
living there; from the facility with which they can
often be crossed together; from even half-tamed
animals being so much valued by savages, and from
the other circumstances previously remarked and
which favor their domestication, it is highly prob-
able that the domestic Dogs of the world have
descended from two good species of Wolf (namely,
the Common Wolf and the Coyote) and from two or
three other doubtful species of Wolves (namely, the
European, Indian and north African forms); from
at least one or two South American canine species ;
from several races or species of the Jackal ; and
perhaps one or more extinct species. Those authors
who attribute great influence to the action of climate
by itself may thus account for the resemblance of
the domesticated Dogs and native animals in the
same countries; but 1 know of no facts supporting
the belief in so powerful an action of climate. So I
conclude the domestic Dog is nothing but the arti-
ficial product of Man."
The Dingo, An instructive example of the state-
or Australian ment that domestic Dogs may return
Wild Dog. to the wild state, is given us by the
Dingo or Warragal (Cams dingo"), the so-called Aus-
tralian Wild Dog, which, in view of his mode of
life, I myself have considered one of the original
species of wild Dogs ; now that I have seen several
specimens of this doubtful tribe, I can only suppose
him to be a domestic Dog run wild. The fact that
the Dingo is, with the exception of a few Wing-
handed animals and rodents, the only Australian
mammal not belonging either to the pouched ani-
mals or to the Monotremata, is of great importance
in this question. The reasons to the contrary are
not valid, unless one considers as such the alleged
discovery of Dingo remains in diluvial strata. It
is, however, difficult to establish the period and cir-
cumstances of the return to savagery, and to do so
seems of no great importance in the settling of this
question, in view of the general character of the
animal, which is that of a domestic Dog, and not
that of a wild one.*
Physical The Dingo attains the size of a moder-
Characteristics ately large Shepherd Dog. His shape
of the Dingo. js thick-set, the head large and clumsy,
the muzzle short and blunt. The ear is erect, wide at
the root and rounded at the extremity ; the tail is
bushy and reaches lower than the ankle-joints; the
limbs appear muscular and are somewhat short; the
* In the latest researches of MacCoy and Nehring the fossil remains of
the Dingo have been found in the pliocene and quartenary strata of Victo-
ria, and therefore the Dingo is proved to be a genuine Wolf, and not a
domestic Dog returned to the savage state. He is allied to the Wolf of
India, and immigrated into Australia through the country uniting Australia
and southeastern Asia at a certain period of the pliocene epoch. (Note to
last German allium.)
o i «?rhweiszhund or German Bloodhound. 2.
Hector IV.-German Short-ha.red Pointer. 3. Kun _Female Badger-Dog. *. Schnipp. Long n Lorne.-Bull-
206
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
fur is composed of hairs of uniform length. In
most specimens which I saw, the color varied be-
tween a vague pale yellowish red and a more or less
grayish tinge, or even a blackish hue. The chin,
throat, lower parts and tail are usually lighter, while
the hair of the upper surface is darker. Though
these colors prevail, one may meet black Dingos,
or some with white paws and other unusual mark-
ings.
The Dingo is still found in nearly all the denser
forests of Australia, upon the eminences grown with
shrubs; in the groves of the park-like plains, and on
the plains themselves. He ranges throughout the
whole continent and is rather common in all parts
of it. He is considered the most dangerous foe of
flocks and is hunted in every possible manner.
Habits and I'1 bis habits and practices the Dingo
Traits of the resembles the Fox more than the Wolf.
Dingo. Like the former he hides all day in his
lair, in localities where he is not quite secure, and
prowls around at night, threatening all Australian
quadrupeds. He also resembles the Fox in the
trait that he rarely hunts in great packs. Dingoes
are generally seen in troops of five or six, usually a
mother with her offspring; but it sometimes happens
that a great many Dingoes assemble around a heap
of carrion; some settlers state that they have seen
as many as eighty or one hundred of these animals
together. It is said that Dingo families keep faith-
fully together, and that each family takes posses-
sion of an allotted range, never encroaching on the
domain of another pack, nor suffering other Dingoes
to cross the boundaries they have appropriated for
their own hunting grounds.
Harmful Before the settlers inaugurated a
Depredations of determined warfare against this
the Dingo. deadly foe of their flocks, they lost
an astonishing number of Sheep. It is said that
out of one single flock one thousand two hundred
head of Sheep and Lambs were lost in three months
because of the depredations of the Dingoes. Still
greater than the immediate loss that a visit of this
predaceous animal entails, are the indirect losses,
for upon his appearance the Sheep are seized by an
insane fear, which causes them to run away into the
wilderness, where they fall a prey to other Dingoes,
or perish of thirst. The Dingo also preys on Kan-
garoos of all kinds and other larger and smaller
animals of the bush. He attacks every animal in-
digenous to Australia and fears only domestic Dogs.
Shepherd Dogs and Hounds bear eternal enmity to
the Dingoes and the wild and tame Dogs pursue
each other with eager ferocity. If a number of
domestic Dogs see a Dingo, they pounce upon him
and tear him to pieces; the reverse happens when a
stray tame Dog is found by Dingoes.
The Dingo When the Dingo meets a human being
Holds Man he always flees, if he has the time to do
m Fear. so jn njs flight he shows all the cun-
ning of a Fox, and knows how to profit by every loop-
hole of escape, but if he is driven to bay, he turns
around in a savage manner and defends himself with
the frenzy of despair ; yet even then he tries to make
good his escape. Bennett relates really wonderful
stories about the Dingo's tenacity of life. A Dingo
had been surprised by his enemies and had been
beaten so severely that it was thought that all his
bones must have been broken ; so he was left lying
where he had been struck down. But hardly had the
Men left the supposed corpse, when to their greal
surprise, they saw the animal get up, shake himself
and hurry to the woods. At the present day the
Dingo is being exterminated by fair means and foul.
Everybody's hand is against him, and he is shot,
caught in traps or poisoned with strychnine. It is
only by chance that he is shot ; for he is too timid
and cunning to cross a hunter's path, and even when
pursued by Hounds the chances are that he will
somehow cunningly elude them.
The Dingo The Dingo has usually been considered
in a incapable of domestication ; yet he is
Tame State, occasionally found, half-tamed, in the
keeping of the Australian natives. A great many
Dingos which were kept captive in Europe, remained
savage and ferocious and their Wolfish nature con-
stantly asserted itself, so that the keepers had always
to be on their guard. That opinions as to the char-
acter of a whole tribe, when formed from the obser-
vation of a few scattered specimens, may be very
deceiving, is well illustrated by the Dingoes of the
Breslau Zoological Garden. One of them became
as tame as a Dog, while the other remained savage.
The first named learned to bark (a noteworthy accom-
plishment) and used the newly-acquired language to
good advantage ; for instance, when a door near the
cage was opened, while his untamed companion pro-
duced long-drawn, laughing tones, like a Jackal, the
tamed animal always joined the duet with a truly
Dog-like howl. Schlegel, to whom I am indebted
for this account, was, like myself, of the opinion that
the progeny of the Dingoes might be trained to be
very useful companions to Man.
King has succeeded in bringing up a young Dingo,
and training him to assist in guarding Cattle; and
Pechuel-Loesche observed a beautiful, strong Dingo
on board the English iron-clad ship Defence, which
roamed about all over the ship like a Dog, climbed
the steep stairs with sure-footed dexterity, and was
on good terms with everybody on board.
The Owner- From the Dogs run wild let us now turn
less or to those which, though ownerless, yet
Pariah Dogs, stand in a certain relation of depend-
ence to Man. The English have given them the
name of Pariah Dogs, and we may well adopt this
designation, for Pariahs they are, indeed: miserable,
degenerated animals, cast off by the better classes;
they are but poor Curs, in spite of their complete
freedom; they lick the hand that imposes the joke
of slavery upon them, and seem happy when Man
allows them to serve him and keep company with
him.
In the south of Europe the Dogs are kept in a
manner quite different from that usual in the north.
In Turkey, Greece and southern Russia herds of
ownerless Dogs besiege the cities and villages,
sometimes entering the streets, but never penetrat-
ing into a yard; for, if they did, they would be
driven away by the Dogs of the house. They feed
chiefly on carrion or occasionally upon small ani-
mals, especially Mice and the like. The Dogs kept
by peasants in the south of Spain arc also fed very
b'ttle at home, and they prowl about at night, seek-
ing food. According to Bolle, it has occasionally
happened, during recent years, on the Canary
Islands, that a Dog has run wild and perpetrated
great damage among the flocks of Sheep.
Pariah Dogs All Egyptian cities stand partially
of the upon the ruins of former towns, that
Egyptian Towns. js to say) on heaps of rubbish. The
majority of these cities, and more particularly the
largest of them, like Alexandria and Cairo, are sur-
rounded for a considerable distance by veritable
THE DOG FAMILY—DOG.
207
mountains of debris. These mounds serve as habi-
tations for the Dogs that have run wild. The ani-
mals are all of one breed, and are of the size of
a Shepherd Dog, but have an ungainly shape and
a repulsive expression of countenance. The tail is
long, rather bushy, and usually pendent; and the
color of their coarse, matted hair is a dingy, reddish
brown, sometimes merging into gray or yellow.
Other colors, more particularly black and light yel-
low, are sometimes seen, but not often. These
Dugs live on the elevations just described in a
condition of complete independence. There they
spend the greater part of the day in sleep, and
prowl around at night. Each one of these Dogs has
his own habitation, which is arranged with peculiar
care, his home consisting of two holes, one of which
faces east and the other west. If the situation of
the mountain is such that the holes on both sides
are exposed to the north wind, each of the animals
digs for himself another
excavation, into which
he moves when the cold
wind annoys him in his
morning and evening re-
treat. In the morning
the Dogs can always be
found in the holes that
face toward the east un-
til about eleven o'clock,
for in these recesses
thc\' await the first rays
of the sun to warm them
after the cold of the
night. The sunshine, in-
creasing in intensity, at
last becomes too warm,
and one Dog after an-
other arouses himself,
climbs over the summit
and slinks into his hill-
ing place on the other
side. When the after-
noon sun begins to an-
noy them in this retreat
the colony returns to the
holes on the east side
and stays there until
sunset.
Then lite begins in the
mountains. Largo and
small troops and some-
times packs arc formed.
Sounds of barking, howl-
ing, or quarreling are
heard, according to the mood the animals are in. A
large carcass always causes them to collect in great
numbers; a dead Ass or Mule is eaten up even to
the largest bones by the hungry pack. If they are
very hungry, they go to the carrion even in the day-
time, especially if their most disagreeable rivals, the
Vultures, should come down, and they fear •their
competition. They are possessed of professional
envy to a high degree, and enter into violent com-
bats with all uninvited guests. Vultures are not
easily driven away and of all carrion-eaters offer
the most determined and courageous resistance, and
therefore it is from the competition of these birds
that the Dogs sustain the greatest loss. Carrion
forms the chief part of their food under all circum-
stances ; but these Dogs may sometimes be seen
mounting guard before a Mouse-hole like Cats, or to
attack a bird, like Jackals or Foxes. When carrion
fails them, they undertake long journeys, enter cities
and prowl through the streets. As they clear away
vast quantities of filth they are tolerated though not
welcome guests, and nowadays it is probably very
seldom that a pious Moslem mentions them in his
will, as is said to have happened not infrequently in
former times.
When resting in their proper abode these Dogs
are rather cautious and timid, and especially shun
people in European attire who may endeavor to
approach them. If one of the Dogs is attacked a
genuine uproar begins. A head appears at every
hole and in a few minutes the tops of the mounds
are covered with Dogs, which keep up an uninter-
rupted yelping. I have hunted these Dogs several
times, partly for the purposes of observation, partly
with a view to procuring their flesh, which 1 used
either as bait for wild Vultures or to feed my cap-
DINGO. — The wild Ootr of Australia, known as tin- Dingo, is generally disliked by the present white inhabit-
iuse of the damage it causes among the flocks in ti"- great Sheep ranges, The aborigines, however, frequently
tamed it sufficiently to make it an important assistant to them in the chase. It is
domestic Dog. has a shaggy coat ami a bushy tail, and makes its living by bunting the marsupials ami rodents of the
southern continent. [Cants dingo.)
tive Vultures and Hyaenas. During such hunting
expeditions I saw how these animals keep and live
together and I also observed the fact that they soon
learned to know and fear me. In Khartum, for
instance, it was impossible for me to shoot one of
these masterless Dogs, as they would not permit me
to approach them nearer than four hundred paces,
and they were so wary that they baffled even' at-
tempt to get within gunshot.
Sometimes the masterless Dogs increase in such
numbers as to become a plague. In order to get
rid of these pests Mohammed Ali once freighted a
ship with them and threw them overboard into the
deep sea. Fortunately cases of hydrophobia are
extremely rare among these animals, and instances
of persons having been bitten by a mad Dog are
nearly unknown.
208
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Ownerless In Constantinople the relation of Man
Dogs in to Dog is said to be quite similar.
Constantinople. Hacklander says: "Inseparable from
the streets of the capital is the thought of their per-
manent inhabitants, the ownerless Dogs, which one
sees in countless numbers. Usually one gets an ex-
aggerated impression of things when he reads of
them and is disappointed when brought face to face
with the facts. This is not the case with these Dogs.
Though all travelers agree in representing them as a
plague, the majority of these writers are too mild in
their description of the nuisance. The animals belong
to a quite peculiar breed. In appearance they prob-
ably come nearest the Shepherd Dogs, but their tail
is not curled, and the short hair is of a dingy yellow.
When one sees them slinking along in a lazy manner,
or lying in the sun, he must confess that no animal
has a more impudent, I may even say, depraved look.
All the streets and squares are full of them; they
stand either in a row before the houses, waiting for
scraps that may be thrown to them, or they lie in the
middle of the street; and the Turks, who carefully
avoid harming any living creature, go around them. I
have never seen a Moslem kick or beat one of these
animals ; but, on the contrary, the tradesman throws
them the remains of his meal from his shop. The
Turkish Kaikshi and the sailors from the ships do
not have this tenderness of feeling, and many a Dog
ends his life in the Golden Horn.
" Every street of the city has its own Dogs, which
hold possession of it, just as beggars have their par-
ticular localities in our large cities; and woe to the
Dog which enters a strange domain ! I have often
seen a number of these Dogs pounce upon such a
luckless Cur and literally tear him to pieces, if he did
not make a hurried escape. Every time we bought
anything eatable at some corner bazaar, all the Dogs
we passed would follow us, and would leave us only
when we entered another street, where a similar
escort awaited us."
Linnaeus' The description of the character and
Description of life of domestic Dogs is best begun
the Dog. by the incomparable characterization
given by the father of zoology, Linnaeus, in his pecul-
iarly succinct and pertinent manner: "Eats meat, car-
casses, cereals, no herbs, digests bones, vomits after
partaking of grass. Drinks in a lapping manner ;
the nose is damp, the scent is excellent ; runs side-
ways, walks on toes ; perspires very little, lets his
tongue hang when he is overheated ; before going to
sleep goes round the spot where he intends to lie ;
hearing keen ; when asleep, dreams. The litter of
Pups numbers from four to eight, the males resem-
bling the father, the females the mother. Very
faithful companion of Man; wags his tail at ap-
proach of owner; defends him; if owner walks he
runs ahead, stopping at crossings; is docile, searches
for lost things, makes the rounds of the master's
premises at night, announces the approach of people;
guards goods, drives Cattle from fields, keeps Rein-
deer together, defends Cattle and Sheep from wild
animals, keeps Lions at bay, drives up game, points
Ducks, brings killed game to the hunter, turns the
spit in France, draws the wagon in Siberia. Pleads
for scraps at table; if he has stolen, he timidly hides
his tail ; eats greedily. At home he lords it over
all ; is the enemy of beggars, and attacks strangers
without provocation. Heals wounds, gout and can-
cers by licking the affected place. Howls when he-
hears music, bites at stones which are thrown toward
him; feels depressed and has an unpleasant odor
before a thunderstorm. Suffers from tape-worm ;
propagates rabies. Einally gets blind and gnaws
his own limbs. The American species forgets how
to bark. Moslems abhor him. Victim of dissect-
ors for observing circulation of blood, etc."
Character and This description needs nothing save
Life of elaboration. All domestic Dogs arc
Domestic Dogs, practically alike in their mode of life
and conduct, so long as the influence which the hab-
its and customs of human beings exert over them
does -not change their manner of living.
Dogs are both diurnal and nocturnal animals, are
equally well endowed for light or darkness, and are
as active and lively by day as by night. When
allowed to do so, they hunt in the daytime as well
as after nightfall, showing a predilection for uniting
into packs. One of the essential traits of their char-
acter is love of society, and this has a most decided
influence on their habits. They eat all kinds of food
that Man eats, both animal and vegetable food, and
are indifferent as to whether it is cooked or raw.
They are most fond of meat, especially if it has
begun to decompose a little, and they greedily
devour carcasses. Some of the breeds prefer meat
to any other food, others esteem it less highly. Of
cooked foods they prefer that which is of a wheaten
nature, especially if it be sweet; and those Dogs that
eat fruit prefer the sweet to that which has an acid
flavor. Bones, good broth, bread, vegetables and
milk are the best food for a Dog; fat and too much
salt are harmful. He can also thrive on an exclu-
sive bread diet if he is trained to eat it at regular
times. His food should never be given to him hot,
but should always be lukewarm and served to him in
a clean dish. An adult Dog receives sufficient nour-
ishment if he eats his fill once a day, but it is better
to feed him twice daily, and if he is given enough
to eat in the evening he will be a more faithful
watch Dog; for a hungry Dog may not infrequently
be bribed into treachery by a meal. Dogs drink a
great deal of water, lapping it with the tongue,
which they bend in the shape of a spoon, curving
the tip. A plentiful supply of water is an essential
condition to their health.
Physical The Dog can run and swim excellently,
Traits of the and can also climb to a limited extent,
D°9- but he finds it difficult to walk on the
edge of a precipice without becoming dizzy. He
walks and trots in a peculiar slanting direction.
When running quickly, he may take leaps of consid-
erable length, but is not capable of making sudden
turns. Some Dogs are very fond of the water, but
those that are spoiled in training are afraid of it.
The climbing abilities of Dogs I observed in Africa.
They climb walls or the slightly inclined roofs that
are common in that country, very adroitly, and run
on the narrowest landings with the unfailing security
of Cats. In repose the Dog either sits on his hind
legs, or lies down on his side or abdomen stretching
his hind legs sideways and his fore-legs to the front,
and putting his head between them. He rarely
stretches his hind legs behind him.
All Dogs like to sleep, but only at intervals, and
their sleep is very light and restless, frequently dis-
turbed by dreams, which cause them a perturbation
which they indicate by wagging their tails, by twitch-
ing movements, growling or low barking. They arc
exceedingly cleanly in their habits; and the place
where they are kept, and especially where they sleep,
must be kept clean. They perspire very little, even
when they have been running for a long time; saliva
~=r-—=^~ . . . Hprcules.-English Blood-
__, Dr„„n.h.-Scotch Abound. -.He^e ^
■•Tiger" Mastiff. 7- Prince-English Masun.
man Rough-coated Terrier. (209)
210
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
takes the place of the perspiration, and drops from
their tongues, which they let hang from their mouths
when they are overheated.
Development The senses of the Dog are acute, but
of the not evenly developed in the different
Senses in Dogs, breeds. Smelling, hearing and sight
seem to rank first, some being distinguished by their
scent, some by their keenness of sight. The sense
of taste in Dogs cannot be disputed, but it finds
expression in a strange manner. Everything that
excites their organs of sense too much is distasteful
to them. They are least susceptible to light, and
most to loud, yelling sounds and pungent odors.
Ringing bells and music make them howl. Cologne
water, ammonia and ether excite their disgust when
held under their noses. The sense of smell is exceed-
ingly well developed in some breeds of Dogs and
attains a degree of acuteness which is scarcely com-
prehensible to a human being.
Scheitlin on Books might be written about the
Mental Charac- mental characteristics of Dogs; it
ieristics of Dogs. ls very difficult to describe them in
a few words. The description of the Dog's mind
which has pleased me most, has been given by
Scheitlin, and I will here reproduce some portions
of it: "As great as may be the physical difference
between Dogs," says he, "the mental dissimilarity is
still greater; for some breeds are incapable of learn-
ing, while others learn all kinds of tricks and duties
almost instantly. Some cannot be tamed at all,
others become tame very soon, and what some love,
others hate. The Poodle goes into the water of its
own accord, the Spitz desires to always remain at
home. The Mastiff may be trained to attack Man,
the Poodle cannot be made to do so. The Hound
alone has a perfect scent. The Bear Hound is the
only Dog that will attack a Bear by biting at its
hind legs; and it is only the long Badger Dog,
which seems to need an additional pair of legs in
the middle, that is so low in stature and has such
crooked limbs that it can easily crawl into a Badg-
er's burrow; a feat it performs with a degree of
pleasure equal to that with which the Drover's Dog,
describing great curves, compels a drove of Calves
and Cattle to hurry onward.
" The Newfoundland Dog does not fear the Wolf,
and is therefore fitted for guarding flocks ; he
digs, swims and dives, and pulls people out of the
water. The Drover's Dog, which also contends
with the Wolf, is a good guardian of flocks, hunts
Wild Boars and all other large animals; shows
reasoning powers and affection, but will not go into
water unless compelled to do so. He is used and
abbsed in the chase, and according to a settled psy-
chological law, this renders him a real brute, espe-
cially with young Calves, which do not defend them-
selves with their heels, and which he consequently
does not fear. His bloodthirstiness is repellant, and
his inclination to bite, to drink blood, and to pull
about and devour remains of animals, are his worst
qualities. The Greyhound is said to lack nearly
all reasoning powers, capability of education and
faithfulness, and to be childishly fond of a stran-
ger's caresses; still he may be trained to course
Hares. The Setter indicates its most striking trait
by its name. The Dog and every other animal must
first give an intimation of what it likes, before it can
be trained. The King Charles Spaniels seem to have
been created for the sole pleasure of being carried
in ladies' arms, to sleep on sofas, to lie in people's
laps, to growl at strangers, to stay in rooms, to
drink out of their mistress' glass and eat out of her
plate, and to be kissed. The Hound is praised for
his keen scent, his sagacity, docility and faithful
affection for his master. The house and Shepherd
Dogs are equally sagacious, and are also good
watch Dogs. The Spitz, or Pomeranian Dog, is
said to be clever, docile, lively and agile, to be
addicted to biting, and a good watch Dog, but some
varieties of this species are treacherous and deceitful.
The northern Dog is devoted to Man, but does not
know his master, is not afraid of blows, has an insa-
tiable appetite, and yet can endure hunger for a long
time. The Mastiff's character is a combination of
faithfulness with little sagacity. He is a good watch
Dog, a fierce, courageous antagonist of the Wild
Boar, Lion, Tiger and Panther, and sets little value
on his life. He can be guided by a wink of the eye,
a gesture, or still more by a word from his master ;
and may be trained to attack Man, not fearing to
enter into combat with three or four Men. When
engaged in an onslaught he pays no attention to
shots, stabs or lacerated limbs, and enters into
dreadful fights with animals of his own kind. The
Mastiff is very strong, being able to pull down the
strongest Man and strangle him, or hold him captive
and helpless until he is released, and he can hold an
enraged Wild Boar by the ear so that it cannot move.
The Mastiff is remarkably obedient, and has con-
siderably more sense than is usually accredited to
him. The Dog which stands on the lowest plane is
undeniably the Pug Dog. He owes his degeneration
to mental deterioration, and naturally cannot elevate
himself. He does not comprehend the human mind,
neither does the human mind understand him.
Great "The body of the Dog has in life so
Capabilities of spiritual an expression that the skin
the Dog. 0f tne dead animal cannot be effect-
ually stuffed. The mind of the Dog is undeniably
as perfect as an animal's mind can be. Of no other
brute creature can it so appropriately be said that
the only human quality he lacks is that of speech.
Of no other animal have we so many pictures of all
his different varieties, such an extraordinary number
of anecdotes illustrating his sagacity, his memory,
his reasoning powers, his imagination and even his
moral qualities, such as faithfulness, affection, grati-
tude, vigilance, love for his master, patience with
human beings, ferocity toward and hatred of his
master's enemies, etc., and no other animal is there-
fore so frequently pointed out to us as a pattern.
How much there is to tell of his docility! He can
dance, drum, walk a rope, mount guard, take and
defend fortresses, shoot off pistols; he turns the
spit, drags the wagon; he can be taught to recognize
notes, numbers, cards, letters; to take his master'.';
hat off, bring his slippers, and even attempt to take
his shoes off; he knows the language of the eyes and
of the face and many other things."
"I have known Dogs," says Lenz, "which ap-
peared to understand nearly every word their master
uttered, opened and shut doors at his command,
brought in a chair, a table or a bench, took off or
brought his hat, looked for and brought a hidden
handkerchief or such things, sought and found a
stranger's hat among a lot of others by scent, etc.
It is a pleasure to watch a clever Dog, the manner
in which he turns his ears and eyes when expecting
his master's command, how pleased he is when he is
allowed to follow his master's footsteps, what a mis-
erable face he makes when he is made to remain at
home; how, when he has run ahead, he stops at a
THE DOG FAMILY— DOG.
211
crossing and looks back for an indication as to
whether he shall go to the right or to the left; how
happy he is when he has done a clever thing, how
ashamed when he makes a blunder ! How, when
he has been up to some mischief and is not certain
whether his master has perceived it, he lies down,
yawns, makes believe he is half asleep and indiffer-
ent in order to put suspicion on a wrong track, and
still casts an anxious, tell-tale glance at his master
from time to time! He soon knows every friend of
tli ; house, easily discriminates between the welcome
and unwelcome visitors and harbors a dislike for
beggars. It is a pretty sight to see him looking for
truffles for his master, though naturally the Dog is
not fond of them; or how he helps his master drag
a wagon and makes greater efforts when he sees his
master do so."
Most Promi- 'All this goes to shew that the several
nent Traits species of Dogs differ from each other
in Dogs. mentally as much as they do physically.
Unwavering faithfulness
and affection for his mas-
ter, unconditional obedi-
ence and devotion, alert
vigilance, gentleness, an
obliging and kind dispo-
sition, these are the prom-
inent traits of their
character. No one Dog
combines them all in an
equally high degree; some
of these characteristics
will be more and the oth-
ers less prominent in one
Dog than in another. Ed-
ucation has more to do
with forming a Dog's
character than is gener-
ally supposed. Only well
disposed human beings
can bring up Dogs prop-
erly. The Dog is a faith-
ful mirror of his master.
The kinder, the more at-
tentive one is to him, the
better a n d cleaner one
keeps him, the more rea-
sonably one d e m e a n s
himself with him, the
more sensible and good
he becomes; and exactly
the reverse happens if
the Dog has received bad
treatment. He adapts
himself to all circumstances and is always devoted
to Man, body and soul. This high virtue is usually
not appreciated and therefore the word "Dog" is
still used as an insulting term, while it should, prop-
erly, mean the reverse. The great variety of the
Dog's capabilities lifts him to the highest plane in
animal nature, and his faithfulness makes him Man's
most indispensable companion.
The Marked Several peculiarities are possessed by
Peculiarities nearly all species. Many Dogs howl
of Dogs. ancj bark at the moon, without any ob-
vious reason. Their nature incites them to quickly
follow any moving beings or objects, whether Men
or animals, wagons, balls or stones, which they try
to seize and impede even when they are well aware
that the object of attack is entirely useless to them.
They are great enemies of certain animals, without
any real cause. For example, Dogs hate Cats and
Hedgehogs, and even take pleasure in torturing
themselves by biting into the bristles of the latter
animals, although they know very well that such an
onslaught is sure to prove unsuccessful and result
in nothing better than bloody noses and snouts.
The strong presentiment which a Dog possesses
of impending change of weather seems worthy of
notice. The approach of rain is indicated by an
unpleasant odor exhaled by his body at such times.
Dogs rarely live on very good terms with one
another. When two strange Dogs meet, they first
sniff each other, then they show their teeth and a
fight is on, unless tender feelings come into play.
The more surprising, therefore, are the very sincere
friendships which Dogs sometimes strike up. Such
comrades never quarrel, but seek each other's society
and assist each other in case of necessity. Similar
alliances are sometimes entered into with other ani-
mals, and even the popular saying about Cat and
THE GREYHOUND. Coming originally from the region of Arabia and Egypt, the beautiful Greyhound is
admired wherever beauty, grace and fidelity are appreciated. The slender body, long legs and intelligent head with
drooping ears, the long thin tail, the short smooth fur, and the graceful bearing of this noble friend of Man are fully
brought out in this illustration. (Canis familiaris grajus.)
Dog may be refuted by exceptional examples.
The Mother The birth of Pups usually takes place
Dog and Her in some dark corner, the litter number-
Puppies. [ng from three to ten, usually from four
to six, and in rare instances twenty or more Pups,
which are born with incisor teeth already developed,
but remain blind for ten or twelve days. The mother
is tenderly devoted to her young, suckles and cares
for them, licks, warms and defends them, and, not
infrequently, changes their place of abode, carrying
them gently by the loose skin of the neck. Her
love for her offspring is really touching, and there
are well-attested stories that must incite not only
our esteem, but our admiration. Bechstein relates a
fact, which seems almost incredible: "A shepherd
in YValtershausen was in the habit of buying Sheep
every spring in Eichsfeld and. of course, his Sheep
1
212
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Dog, a female, had to accompany him on the jour-
ney, which was a distance of eighteen miles. Once
she gave birth to seven Pups in a strange locality
and the shepherd had to leave her there. But a day
and a half after his return he found the mother Dog
with her seven Pups at the house door. She had
carried the little ones, one after another, a short
space at a time, and in this way made the entire dis-
tance thirteen times, in spite of her weakness and
^Siwsi
:J>:
ITALIAN GREYHOUND- Because of its great symmetry ot body and limb the Italian Greyhound is
highly prized by connoisseurs of Dogs. It is the smallest of the Greyhounds, but its more delicately shaped out-
lines and especially smooth, soft coat make it a great favorite. It resembles the other Greyhounds in its general
traits. ( Canisfamiliaris grajus italicus.)
exhaustion, and had successfully accomplished the
difficult task."
How Young It is usual to retain but two or three
Puppies Should or at the most four Pups out of a
be Trained. Utter, in order not to weaken the
mother too much. The little fellows need a great
deal of nourishment, and the mother is hardly able
to satisfy them. Man, being the animal's protector,
ought to feed a suckling mother Dog particularly
well. Every thoughtful owner of such an animal
prepares for her a soft place in some dark, warm
corner, and then helps her to rear the little family
as best he can. The mother seems to have a heart
capable of great love, and she tolerates strange
Pups, or even other animals, such as Kittens and
little Rabbits that may be given her. I have often
tried this experiment, but think that suckling Cats
are still kinder than a mother Dog, which rarely can
refrain from wrinkling her nose somewhat disdain-
fully at foster children. Still they prove excellent
wet-nurses for Lion and Tiger cubs.
Usually the Pups are weaned after six weeks.
The mother is then put on short rations, so that
her milk will dry up. The young ones arc taught to
eat light, solid food and trained to be cleanly in their
habits. They shed their first teeth during the third
or fourth month; at the age of six months they do
not care much for the mother. If one wishes to
educate or train them, he must not wait much longer
before he begins. The opinion prevailing among
hunters and Dog breeders of the old school that a
Dog is too young and weak to be taught before he
is a year old is not correct. Adolph and Karl
Mueller, who are distinguished both as naturalists
and sportsmen, begin the training of their Hounds
as soon as they can run, and their success has been
marked. Their pupils do not receive a single ill-
meant blow, hardly ever an angry word or any cor-
rection beyond a slight remonstrance, and they turn
out to be the most efficient
companions and assistants
in the chase. Young Dogs
ought to be treated like
Children and not like stub-
born slaves. They are, with-
out exception, willing and
docile pupils, soon listen
attentively to every word
of the trainer, and do more
and better work when actu-
ated by love than when
impelled by fear. Trainers
of Dogs who can do noth-
ing without a collar of
thorns and a whip are igno-
rant torturers, and not
thinking educators.
Length of Life Dogs enter
and Diseases upon old age
of Dogs. when they
are twelve years old. In-
stances are on record, how-
ever, where they have
lived to be twenty, or even
as much as thirty years old;
but these are rare, excep-
tional cases. If they do
not die of o 1 d age their
death is caused by one of
the many diseases to which
they are subject.
A very common Dog disease is the mange, caused
by parasites, and not, as was formerly believed, in
consequence of improper food, lack of exercise or
uncleanliness. Young Dogs often suffer from dis-
temper, consisting of a contagious inflammation of
the mucous membranes, occurring oftenest between
the fourth and ninth months of their age. It may
be said that more than half of the European Dogs
succumb to it, or at least have their usefulness
spoiled by it. They also suffer from parasites, of
which more than a dozen kinds are known. They
are often infested with Fleas and Lice, and in cer-
tain localities suffer from Ticks. The former are
easily got rid of by strewing a layer of ashes on
the ground under the straw upon which the animal
sleeps, or else by rubbing Persian insect powder
into the fur. The Ticks which plague them most
may be exterminated by dropping a little brandy,
salt-water or tobacco juice on them. It is not ad-
visable to tear these insects out by force, as the head
is apt to remain in the wound and cause suppura-
tion and abscesses.
Hydrophobia, its The most terrible malady known to
Symptoms and Dogs is hydrophobia or rabies,
Dangers. which endangers not only other
Dogs and domestic animals, but also human beings.
Usually this fearful malady occurs in the older Dogs,
mostly in summer, when the heat is greatest, or
in winter, when the cold is intense. One may recog-
nize it by the Dog's changed conduct. He becomes
THE DOG FAMILY— DOG.
213
deceitfully amiable, or growls at his master, shows
an unusual drowsiness and melancholy, constantly
looks for warm places, often slinks to his food, but
does not eat, drinks water greedily, but in small
quantities, and generally behaves in a restless, dis-
turbed manner. Unmistakable signs are also a
change in his voice, the bark becoming a hoarse
howl, loss of appetite, inability to swallow, flow of
saliva, a bleared look; he makes frequent trips out
side the house, licks and swallows strange objects,
and, as the disease advances, snaps and bites with-
out cause. In the later stages constipation sets in,
the ears droop, the tail hangs down, the eye has a
dull and squinting look. Then the eye becomes red
and inflamed. The Dog ceases to be susceptible to
caresses, pays no attention to his master's command,
becomes more and more restless and shy ; his look
is rigid or fiery, the head droops, the eyes and
cheeks swell, the tongue becomes very red and
hangs out of the mouth, from the sides of which
viscid saliva runs down. Soon the animal only
growls without barking, and ceases to recognize
any person, even his master. He pants for a drink,
but cannot swallow ; the water chokes him and the
muscles of the gullet contract convulsively. Then
a dread of water and all other liquids begins. He
ceases to lie down, but slinks around with drooping
tail and squinting eye.
After this stage the
malady develops into a
quiet or a raging variety. * :"~:,'j^m.
In the former the eyes IgUj
are inflamed, but rigid
and blear; the tongue
becomes bluish and
hangs out. White foam
covers the corners of the
mouth, which is always
open; the lower jaw be-
comes paralyzed and
droops. With his tail be-
tween his legs and with
deep sunken head the
Dog runs for miles, stag-
gering and shivering,
biting everything that
crosses his path, espe-
cially other Dogs. If he
encounters an obstacle
in his way, which does
not allow of his pro-
ceeding in a straight di-
rection, he turns around
in a circle, falling and
snapping.
In the raging variety
the eye glistens, the pu-
pil enlarges, the mouth
is open but little, is cov-
ered with saliva and the
bluish tongue hangs out.
Even in the first stages
of this form of rabies, the Dog shows a great deal
of obstinacy and deceit, even towards his master;
he involuntarily snaps after Flies or anything that
approaches him; attacks poultry and tears it to
pieces without eating; invites other Dogs to join
him and then makes ferocious rushes at them; shows
his teeth, distorts his face, whines, licks his lips with
his inflamed tongue, watery saliva dropping from
his mouth the while. He turns away from water in
a staggering manner, but still may swim across rivers
and pools. He bites everything he encounters, even
inanimate objects, and if chained up bites his chain.
The ancient Greeks knew hydrophobia, though it
is of much rarer occurrence in the southern coun-
tries than in somewhat colder latitudes. In the
arctic and torrid zones the malady occurs very
rarely, or not at all.
Remedies for Per- Many remedies have been vaunted
sons Suffering as a cure for rabies, but they have
from Rabies. noj- proved efficacious; and it has
been generally found impossible to say whether the
animal which had bitten a person was really suffer-
ing from rabies or not. The only unfailing remedy
was the cauterization of the wound, but it had to be
done immediately and thoroughly. If this was neg-
lected, or if the poison had already penetrated into
the body, it depended on circumstances over which
Man had no control, whether disease, and with it
death, would result. Lately Pasteur has tried to
save even such cases. His procedure consists in
the inoculation of the disease as early as possible, in
the same manner as small-pox is prevented by vac-
cination. He dries the spinal marrow of rabid ani-
mals, rubs it in broth and injects this mixture into
the skin several times. By the drying process the
spinal marrow is weakened in the intensity of its
SCOTCH GREYHOUND. Thi
than any of tlic others to withstand cold
head and a kind disposition, make this
grajus hibernicus.)
I breed of Greyhound is by its much longer and thicker fur, better adapted
climates. The markings of black or brown and white, added to an intelligent
Dog both a beautiful and a faithful companion to Man. (Canis famiiiaris
poison and converted into a protective virus for in-
oculation. Thousands of people have been treated
in this way since 1885. Many of them have un-
doubtedly been bitten by Dogs that were mistakenly
suspected of being rabid; but there still remains a
great number of persons who have been bitten by
really mad Dogs. Of these some have died in spite
of, or perhaps in consequence of, the inoculation,
while the majority have been saved from death by it
214
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
Signs of Health The best sign of a Dog's health is a
and Sickness cold, moist nose. If the nose be-
in Dogs. comes dry and hot, if the eyes be-
come blear and the appetite fails, one may be sure
that the Dog is ill. If his condition does not rap-
idly improve and the remedies prescribed by a good
veterinary surgeon have no effect, there is little
hope for recovery; for few Dogs live through seri-
ous disease. Wounds heal quickly and well, fre-
quently without any assistance; but diseases of the
THE DANISH DOG. One of the noblest of Dogs, and the handsomest of the Mastiff
group, is the Danish Dog. The long legs give it great running ability, and the strong body and limbs
confer upon the animal great powers ot endurance, while the eyes speak kindness and intelligence.
(Canis familiaris molosstis danicus.)
inner organs generally baffle even experienced phy-
sicians, and bunglers still more surely, and such dis-
eases end fatally in a surprisingly short time.
Great Useful- The usefulness of the Dog can not be
ness of the easily overestimated. Every reader
Do9- knows from experience what a part the
Dog plays with civilized peoples, but the animal is
still more important to savage and uncivilized tribes.
His flesh is eaten on the South Sea Islands, and by
sundry African tribes, the Tungus, Chinese, Eskimos,
North American Indians, etc. In China one often
sees butchers carrying slain Dogs, and those bearing
such burdens always have to defend themselves
against the attacks of other Dogs, which run about
and attack them in packs. Let us here mention
another relation between Man and Dog, which may
seem to us horrid and uncanny : since Bernardin de
St. Pierre gave utterance to the idea that Dog-eating
was the first step towards the eating of Man, anthro-
pology has gathered many facts tending to confirm
the opinion that the habit of consuming Dog's flesh
is either a precursor, an accompaniment, or a remnant
of the cannibal habit.
Even where the Dog is occasionally or regularly
used as an article of food, he still is the companion
and assistant of Man. In the tropics he serves, in
the capacities of sentinel and assistant in the chase,
even those people of the lowest races who have no
individual name for him; while the northern nations
would be helpless without him, for he drags their
sleds over the deserts of ice and snow, or carries the
hunter's outfit on his back, like a beast of burden.
In northern Asia Dog furs are manufactured into
clothing, and even in Germany caps,
pouches and muffs are made out of
them. The bones and tendons serve
to make glue; the tough, thin skin is
tanned and made into shoes and
gloves, while the hair is used as a
stuffing in upholstery. Dog's fat is
utilized to make wagon -grease, and
was formerly used as a medicine in
consumption. On the field of battle
in former times, Dogs were also used:
not as it is in our day proposed to
use them, as trained warners and
fleet-footed messengers easily escap-
ing detection, but as real fighters by
the side of the warriors. When the
Spaniards were subjecting the coun-
tries of the New World, the Blood-
hounds played no small part as fight-
ing companions, and many of these
animals were esteemed for their
bravery and distinguished deeds of
daring, and were honored as much
as any hero among the greedy army
of the conquerors. Like all partici-
pants in those fights and pillages,
these Dogs, or, rather, their masters
for them, received their share of
booty. Later on, up to very recent
times, it was usual to track escaped
slaves or subjugated natives, who
had deserted the yoke of the Euro-
peans, by Bloodhounds into the very
wilderness; [and similar methods
were sometimes resorted to in recap-
turing fugitive Negroes during the
days of slavery in the United States].
The usefulness of Dogs was appre-
ciated in the oldest times; but the treatment they
received and the esteem accorded them varied much.
Socrates was wont to swear by the Dog; Alexander
the Great was so afflicted at the early death of his
favorite Dog that he built a city with temples in
honor of the lamented animal. Homer sings in a
touching manner the praises of Odysseus' Dog,
Argus. Pliny valued Dogs highly and narrated
many things about them ; he stated, for instance,
that the Colophonians kept great herds of Dogs on
account of their constant wars, and that the Dogs
were first in the attack and did not scruple to take
part in any battle. When Alexander the Great went
to India, the king of Albania made him a present of
a Dog of immense size, which pleased Alexander
very much. He pitted Bears, Wild Boars and other
animals against him, but the Dog lay quite still and
did not get up. Alexander believed him to be lazy
and ordered him killed. When the king heard of
this, he sent another Dog of the same breed, with a
message that Alexander should not send weak ani-
mals against him, but Lions and Elephants. The
king had had only two such Dogs, and if Alex-
THE DOG FAMILY— GREYHOVXD.
215
ander killed this one, his like would not remain
upon earth. So Alexander made the Dog fight first
with a Lion, then with an Elephant, and both of
these animals were killed. The ancient Egyptians
used Dogs in the chase, and, as is seen from the
monuments left by that interesting people* they
thought highly of them. The Hebrews, on the
other hand, despised the Dog, as is proven by many
passages in the Bible, and the Arabs of to-day still
hold him in contempt. The ancient Germans hon-
ored the Dog highly. When the Cimbri were con-
quered by the Romans, 108 B. C, the latter still had
a hard fight with the Dogs which guarded the bag-
gage of the defeated army. The Canary Islands de-
rive their name from Dogs, as Pliny tells us. Von
Humboldt writes that in Peru it was customary to
beat Dogs during a lunar eclipse, until the eclipse
was over.
It is amusing to read what medicinal uses the Dog
could be put to, according to the older authors.
The entire Dog was, in their opinion, made up of
medicines of varied virtues.
Having considered the Dog in general, let us turn
to some of the breeds of this remarkable tribe,
selecting only the most
important out of the
numberless array o f
species. Reichenbach
counts one hundred and
ninety- five different
kinds !
THE GREYHOUND.
The distinguishing
features of the Grey-
hound ( Cards familiaris
grajns) are an extremely
slender, graceful body,
a pointed, finely shaped
head, thin, long limbs,
and usually smooth,
short hair. The fine,
elongated muzzle, the
rather long, narrow,
pointed ears, half of
which stand erect, the
other half hanging over
and grown with short
hair, the short, stiff lips,
give the head an ex-
tremely graceful ap-
pearance and at the
same time indicate a
different development
of the senses. The Grey-
hound sees and hears
excellently, but its sense
of smell is deficient, as
the nasal bones have but
little room for expan-
sion in the narrow nose, and the nasal nerves there-
fore can never attain as high a development as in
other Dogs. The chest is the most remarkable part
of the body. It is wide and capacious, and con-
tains relatively very large lungs, capable of inhaling
enough oxygen to purify the blood, the circulation of
which is greatly increased by rapid exercise. The
loins, on the contrary, are extremely retracted, as
if they were intended to compensate for the extra
weight of the large chest. We have noticed a sim-
ilar shape in the Long-armed Apes, or Gibbons,
and the Cheetah, and we find it in a great many
other animals, always as an unmistakable proof of
capacity for swift and enduring motion. The limbs
of the Greyhound are exceedingly fine, and every
muscle in them, and especially the strong tendons
in which the muscles terminate, are plainly visible.
But the chest also shows all the intercostal muscles,
and some Greyhounds look as if their muscles had
already been laid bare by a skillful dissector. The
tail is very thin, rather long, reaching below the
ankle-joints, and either hangs down or the Dog
extends it horizontally behind him with a slight
upward curve. The hair is usually thick, fine and
smooth, but in some varieties it is longer and also
assumes a hue different from that of the others, most
breeds being of a tawny hue. The most perfect
Greyhounds, namely, those of Persia and central
Africa, are nearly always of this color. Spotted
Greyhounds are more rare and always weaker than
those of a uniform color.
Traits and The Greyhound differs from other
Uses of the Dogs in his mental qualities. He is
Greyhound. an exceedingly selfish animal, being,
as a rule, not very faithful to his master, but liking
£g&z&£L
THE GERMAN MASTIFF. A famous breed of Dogs, popular in Germany, of strong and vigorous build
and great sagacity; a kind friend, but a powerful antagonist. Perhaps no animal of modern times is more widely known
or has been more written about than Prince Bismarck's "Dog of the Empire," a fine specimen of this breed. (Cants
familiaris molossus germanicus.)
to be petted by everybody and inclining to any one
who is kind to him. If his master treats him with
unvarying kindness, he is pleased and becomes to
a certain extent attached to him; but his unfaithful-
ness displays itself when somebody else pets him
more than his master. This faithlessness is histor-
ical. When Edward III. died his Greyhound left,
him at the very instant and went over to his
enemies. However, there are praiseworthy excep-
tions among the Greyhounds, individuals which are
scarcely inferior to other Dogs in point of affection
216
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
and faithfulness; and these dutiful animals reconcile
us to the breed in this respect.
The Greyhound acts toward other Dogs precisely
as he does toward human beings. He does not
bear them any love, and adopts a manner almost
of indifference toward them; but if a fight is started
he is the first to bite and may become dangerous-
for in spite of his fine, slender body he is strong'
and as soon as the biting stage of a fight is reached
he takes advantage of his high stature, holding his
game with fearful rapidity, making leaps of great
distances, sometimes vying with the larger Felidi ir
this respect clearing two, three or foS yard at a
bound, so that he soon comes up with the Hare
When he is nearly on the point of seizing it th
hunted animal suddenly turns around and retrace
its steps, but the Dog, taking a straight course
rushes ahead and nearly falls to the ground from his
sudden halt, when he finds his prey has eluded him
He looks around savagely and/in great anger , agahi
seeks the Hare anH y^c ,> -,, — : _i _ ° ' . &. 1I]
opponent by the nape of the neek, tightening Zlk^^^T^T^lL^^ ^^ a"gCr' a8ai»
grasp when"'e°tnerDoe moves' l"J to "«"*» <^™*£%**I^Si^ffiZ£^
rushes after it and just as
he is ready to seize it, the
Hare turns around again
and the Dog fails as in
the first instance. In this
manner the hunt might be
continued forever if the
hunter did not send two
Dogs after one Hare; one
pursuing it, the other cut-
ting off its retreat.
The Grey. While Grey-
hound of the hounds of the
Desert North djffer
much in their structure
and fur, those of the
South seemingly all be-
long to the same breed, a
specimen of which, the
Greyhound of the Desert,
we will consider. He is
as noble as he is graceful,
his fur is of silky softness,'
his color light tawny,
sometimes with a whitish
tint, frequently merging
into a dark roe-brown.
This breed of Dogs is
found pictured on the
Egyptian monuments
with other species, es-
pecially among spotted
T 0 0 T Greyhounds,
in 1848 I spent several weeks in the village of
Melbes ,n Kordofan, and had a great many oppor-
tunities of watching the Greyhound of central Africa
The natives although they cultivate the soil, depend
chiefly on Cattle-raising and hunting for their live-
lihood For this reason they keep only Shepherd
Dogs for their flocks and Greyhounds to guardtheir
village. It was a real pleasure to walk through the
village, for in front of every house several of these
Dogs were sitting, vying with each other in beauty
They were watchful differing in this respect from
other Dogs of their kind. They protect the village"
from the attack of Hyaenas and Leopards, and the
Lion is the only animal with which they dare not
enter into a contest. During the day they were quiet
and it was only after sunset that they became
active. One could then see them climbing about on
the walls and even mounting on the conical straw
roofs of the round huts, probably to have a better
vantage-ground for surveying the neighborhood,
lheir agility in climbing was well calculated to
evoke astonishment.
Every week there were holidays for these animals
In the early morning one would sometimes hear the
sound of a bugle in the village : that was the signal
for a hunt. The Men and the Dogs assembled and
the sffi.^hS tte^nf^uz^hf,' ^T^T' a°-e all other animals, is
sides and the diminutive ears, all of which are show, ; ,, 1 „ mu"le' the uPPcr >'P overhanging the lower jaw on both
mai. He is a faithful watch Dog, ^t^^^^^SS^H^^ ,°i *f™«™$ «>is well'known an£
famtharis molossus hibernicus.) g d servant- but a bold and invincible antagonist. {Cants
and gives him a shake that makes the poor animal
ose his senses. All the unsympathetic qualities of
the Greyhound cannot diminish his importance, how-
aTthe Pm°n,g Tnl nati?m he is as indispensable
as the Pointer to the European sportsman, or as
tj« Collie to the shepherd. In the South espe-
cially in all countries abounding in plains, he is used
to a far greater extent than in the North. The Tar-
ars the Persians the inhabitants of Asia Minor, the
Bedouins the Cabyls, the Soudanese, the people of
India and other tribes of central Africa and Asia
put a great value on him, sometimes as great as on
a 1 Lorse. Among the Arabian tribes of the desert
or rather of the desert-like plains on the border of
tlic Sahara, there is a proverb: "A good Falcon, a
swift I og and a noble Horse are worth more than
twenty Women.
In our temperate climes the Greyhound is not used
tO any great extent A level country, through which
a Horse maybe ridden unobstructed, is the only one
suitable for the hunter who desires to be ■' in a^ the
death when a Greyhound has caught a Hare.
The Greyhound Such a chase affords a beautiful snec-
Chas,ng a tacle. The Hare is not as stupid L it
looks and plays an inexperienced
Dog many a trick, The Greyhound follows his
THE DOG FAMILY— GREYHOVXD.
217
the whole concourse left the village in an orderly
manner, presenting a magnificent sight. They sel-
dom went very far, for the nearest woods furnished
plentiful game, and, owing to the zeal and skill of
the Dogs, the hunt was an easy one for the Men.
Arrived at a forest of bushes, the hunters formed a
wide circle and let the Dogs loose. The latter en-
tered the thicket and caught nearly every animal it
contained. Bustards, Guinea-fowls, and many other
birds which the Dogs had captured, were brought to
me. An Antelope never escaped them, for from four
to six Dogs always united in pursuing it.
Daumas' Account of General Daumas tells us about the
the Greyhound of Greyhounds of the western part
the Desert. 0f the desert: "In the Sahara, as
well as in all other Arabian countries, the Dog is
only a neglected, importunate servant whom one
repels, in spite of his great usefulness both in watch-
ing the house and guarding the Cattle ; and the
Greyhound alone enjoys the affection, the esteem
and the tender consideration of his master. Rich
and poor consider him their inseparable companion
in all chivalrous sports, which the Bedouins follow
with such zest. The Dog is carefully tended, spe-
cially fed, being, as it were, allowed to eat out of the
master's dish, and the breed is kept strictly pure.
"When the Greyhound is about three or four
months old, his education is begun. The
boys let Mice run before him, and pit the
young racer against this game. In a short
time the noble animal shows great pleasure
in such a chase and in a few weeks it can be
used against larger rodents. At the age of
five or six months it is taught to course the
Hare, the teaching of which presents much
greater difficulties. Then comes the turn of
the young Gazelles. They are approached
with great caution when resting by the side
of their mother. The Dog's attention is
directed to them, they are excited until they
grow restless and then are let loose. After
some practice the Greyhound becomes pas-
sionately fond of hunting, even without much
encouragement.
"Such practice continues until the noble
animal is a year old and has almost readied
his mature development. Still the 'Slugui'
is not employed in the chase until he is about
fifteen or sixteen months old. From that
moment he is expected to do nearly the im-
possible: and he meets every expectation.
When such a Dog catches sight of a herd of
thirty or forty Antelopes, he trembles with
excitement and pleadingly looks up to his
master, who takes his water-pouch and moist-
ens the Dog's back and flanks, knowing that
the Dog will be more fortified by this than
by anything else. Finally the Greyhound is
set free, and with a yelp of joy darts for the
prey like an arrow, always selecting the finest, state-
liest animal of the herd. As soon as he has caught
his Antelope, he immediately receives his rightful
part of the game, namely, the flesh of the ribs; for
he would turn with disdain from the intestines.
" The noble Greyhound hunts only with his mas-
ter, for whom he displays great affection. When
t!:e master has been absent for a few days the Grey-
hound rushes joyously out of the tent upon his
return and jumps into the saddle with one bound
to caress the Man whom he has missed so much.
Then the Arab says to him, ' My dear friend, excuse
me, it was necessary for me to leave you; but I will
go with you now, for I need meat; I am tired of
eating dates, and you will be kind enough to pro-
cure me some flesh.' The Dog, listening to all these
kind words, acts as if he understood every syllable.
The price of a Slugui, trained to catch the larger
kinds of Gazelles, is equal to that of a Camel; a
Greyhound which kills the larger Antelopes easily
brings a price equal to that of a fine Horse."
The Italian The most graceful of the whole
Greyhound, a Grace- Greyhound family is the Italian
ful Dog. Greyhound ( Cams familiaris gra-
jus italicus), a mere dwarf compared with the others,
but a very well-formed dwarf, whose limbs and body
display the greatest symmetry. His weight seldom
exceeds six or seven pounds and the most valuable
Italian Greyhound does not weigh over four pounds,
in spite of his height, which reaches sixteen inches.
In shape and color he corresponds closely to the
Greyhound proper.
The Scotch Grey- The smooth, thin fur and the con-
hound a Rough- sequent sensitiveness to cold, as
Coated Variety. \\q\\ as their frequent occurrence
in Africa and Asia, indicate that the Greyhounds
originally came from hot countries. For the greater
part these breeds retained all their peculiarities, even
after having been transplanted to the north, but some
Mtat
THE PUG DOG. This very familiar little animal is a sort of aininialuic Bull-
dog, which he resembles in shape, and on a small scale, in disposition. Landseer once
chose this Dog to represent "Impudence" in one of his paintings, and the selection
was not inapt. Pug-DogS are easily spoiled by too much petting, and then make them-
selves very disagreeable. {Canis familiaris molossus frieator.)
adapted themselves to the rougher climate. To
these latter belongs the Scotch Greyhound ( Canis
familiaris grajus hibernicus ) whose fur is about three
times as long as that of the common Greyhound,
and is so thick as to effectually protect it from cold.
The color is black or brown and white, sometimes
reddish brown brindled with gray. The pure breed
is now perhaps extinct, or at least is rarely met with.
Vet even those now commonly known are among the
stateliest of Dogs; they are more affectionate and
faithful than other Greyhounds, but have a quick
temper and may become dangerous to other Dogs.
218
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
The Naked Dog An ugly, degenerated type of the
of Central Greyhound is the naked Dog found
Africa. jn central Africa ( Canis familiaris
africanus). The body is long, slender and much
retracted in the flanks. A few hairs are found only
near the tail, around the mouth and on the legs ; all
the rest of the body is entirely devoid of hair, and
this is what gives the Dog its ugly appearance. The
black hue of the skin, which in our climate after some
time merges into gray and here and there shows
flesh-colored spots, is not pleasing. The length of
the body is twenty-two inches, that of the tail ten,
and the shoulder height fourteen inches.
Besides this unclad relative of the Greyhound
other hairless Dogs exist, some of them having a
THE DOG OF TIBET. One of the largest and noblest Dogs of the Mastiff group is the Dog of Tibet,
which as a watch Dog and a guardian of flocks makes himself very useful in the mountain villages ot central Asia.
The long, rough, black hair, strong, heavy body, courageous and intelligent face and pendent ears shown in the pict-
ure, represent his character as a faithful and especially useful servant ot Man. (Canis familiaris molossus tibel-
anus.)
faded tuft of hair on the forehead. They may be
found in China, Central and South America, Manila,
the Antilles and the Bahama Islands.
THE MASTIFFS.
A second group of the Dog tribe is formed by the
Mastiffs ( Canis familiaris molossus).
The Handsome, To this group belongs, in the first
Large Danish place, the Danish Dog (Canis famil-
Doa- iaris molossiis danicus) though it may
be considered a cross between Greyhound and Bull-
dog. I [e is a large, handsome animal of noble shape,
has slender le^s, a smooth tail and large, beautiful
eyes ; the muzzle is tapering, but, like the whole
body, is of stouter build than that of the Greyhound.
The German Much more common than the Danish
Mastiff or Dog is li is near relative and descend-
Ulmer Mastiff. ant" i\n. German Mastiff (Canis fam-
iliaris molossus germanicus) distinguished as much for
its beauty us its sagacity, and popular in Germany
for still another reason. Who has not heard, or, at
least read about, Bismarck's "Dog of the Empire"?
The German breeders have been successful in de-
veloping this breed (which originally bore the title
of the parent stock or that of "Ulmer Mastiff") to
such an extent that for the last decade it has only
borne the name of German Mastiff.
Its fur is short and thick, both on the body and
on the tapering, slightly curved tail. The color is a
uniform black, light or dark gray, brownish or light
yellow. The lighter tints are sometimes brindled with
darker hues; and those of a light gray ground-color
usually have spots of a darker tinge; while those
German Mastiffs that have a fur of uniform color
frequently show white marks on breast and toes.
The ears are of moderate size, placed high on the
N head, and are, as a general
thing, partially split.
Story of a A Dog of
Large German this breed,
Mastiff. according
to Grassner's description,
had in his third year at-
tained a shoulder height of
thirty-seven inches, a total
length of seventy inches
(including the tail) and a
weight of 122 pounds,
which is an extraordinary
size. His master was di-
rector of a school and lived
in an unprotected neigh-
borhood at the outskirts
of a German manufactur-
ing town. He deemed it
necessary to purchase a
strong Dog for the pro-
tection of his family and
home. " My choice," said
he, "fell on a five months'
old German Mastiff, whose
parents, owing to their
large size, intelligence and
faithfulness, were held in
high esteem by the Dog-
fanciers of the neighbor-
hood, but were also much
feared on account of their
fierce disposition. When I
brought the Dog home, his
clumsiness and his fero-
cious looks incited very unfavorable comment. But
it was only a few hours before he had forgotten his
awkwardness and began to feel quite at home in the
midst of his new surroundings. Naturally he be-
came my constant companion on my daily walks,
during which he displayed an entirely unexpected
liveliness and activity. As I paid but little atten-
tion to him, he sought out for himself all kinds of
amusement after his own fashion, especially observ-
ing all human beings with constant attention, and if
he disliked their actions, he immediately stepped in
to regulate matters more in accordance with his
notions. Quarreling, for instance, was highly dis-
tasteful to him. Even if persons at a great distance
began to exchange loud words, he rushed between
them, growling and showing his teeth, and soon
quieted the disturbance.
"The sight of a driver maltreating a Horse aroused
him to the greatest excitement, and he would at
once go to the side of the Horse and assume a
threatening attitude. If the driver then persisted in
THE DOG FAMILY— MASTIFF.
219
striking the Horse the Dog would throw the Man
to the ground with such force that he could not
immediately recover from the shock. On the other
hand, if my Dog saw a Man pushing a very heavy
wheelbarrow, he would always run to help, pulling
the vehicle from the front with his strong teeth.
"His strength was in keeping with his huge size.
It was child's-play for him to carry, for a long
THE BADGER-DOG, OR DACHSHUND. This animal, largely bred in Germany, is famous for its
hunting qualities, its staying powers, courage and keen scent, especially qualifying it for the pursuit of game.
The most marked physical characteristics are the large, pendant ears, and the crooked, short legs, which are
so little in the way that the Dog can make its way into burrows after Hares. Badgers and other earth-boring
animals where Dogs with longer legs could not enter. [Canis/amUiaris vertagus.)
distance, a basket weighing fifty pounds. A Goat
which had butted at him as it passed by, was seized
by the Dog and brought to me, the Dog clearing
two railway fences on his way. A ferocious Bull,
which was being driven to pasture with other Cattle,
came toward me in a threatening manner. The
Dog sprang at the ani-
mal's throat and held it
until the beast roared
with pain, and when its
assailant loosened his
hold it made a hurried
flight. Once Tom ( that
was the Dog's n a m e I
had to be sent away,
and the carpenter made
a box out of new boards,
strong enough, as he
said, to hold a Tiger.
Tom gnawed the box
into splinters before he
reached the station.
When he was rushing at
any object that had
excited his wrath, the
strongest Man could
not have checked him;
he threw down all who
interfered with him and
dragged them along on
the ground.
"He participated in all
family events. If one of
us was sick in bed, he
would sit by the bedside
for hours and look at the patient's face, from time to
time putting his muzzle or paw gently on the hand
held out to him, as if he wished to express his com-
miseration. If an absent member of the family sent
some package by mail, the Dog could hardly wait to
see it unpacked, and would seize the first object that
came to light from the parcel and hurry with it to
all members of the family who had not been present
at the unpacking, in order to make the joyful event
known to them. It was not astonishing that he soon
became the pet of tne whole household, especially
of the female members.
"His demeanor was most amusing when he had
an opportunity of stealing
and hiding in his huge mouth,
unobserved, as he thought,
some object which my daugh-
ters needed for their needle-
work, such as a skein of wool
or a pair of stockings rolled
together. If my daughters
would then pretend to make
diligent search for the miss-
ing object, he would assume
a very grave demeanor and
a foolish expression of coun-
tenance, to show that he had
no idea what the fuss was
about, but would give up the
missing object with a sly
twinkle of his eye, when he
was asked the direct ques-
tion: 'Tom, do you know
where it is?' If I happened to
be present before this ques-
tion was put to him, and he
saw that the girls were not observing him, he would
come to me, open his mouth so that I could see the
hidden object, give me a sly, knowing look, and then
turn around again and assume his former silly ex-
pression of countenance.
" It would lead me too far to mention all his tricks
56 t^ttuj JjC(.hll\aiVru.
THE POINTER. There is no more valuable Dog from the standpoint of the hunter than the Pointer, a
smooth-coated animal of the Hound group, endowed with a keen scent, great sagacity, and a capacity for perfect
training. The Hound in the picture sees game and has assumed the position it uses to indicate to its master that the
opportunity for a shot has come. It is a symmetrical, shapely animal, and its physical characteristics are admirably
shown in this illustration. (Cants familiaris sagax avicularius.)
and qualities, some of which are usually thought to
be characteristic traits of certain other breeds only;
but I will here relate two more proofs of his intelli-
gence. One day I happened to be near the station
at the time a train was arriving. Force of habit
220
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
made me look through the window, to see whether
an acquaintance was there. I noticed that Tom
kept looking alternately at me and at the train,
evidently thinking that I expected somebody. De-
sirous to know whether I had guessed his thought, I
said: 'Yes, Tom, run!' Like a flash of lightning
he was off to the station, after the train. I hurried
there also, and arrived in time to see how he hastily
looked over all the alighting passengers, went
through all the cars twice and then only, not having
found any well-known friend, sadly took his depart-
ure. From that time the Dog always went to meet
THE RETRIEVER. The Retriever variety of Hounds includes hesiHpe the. =r,,™ii, „,(.j 1 • j ,
the Pointer, the Retriever proper, or Water Spaniel/the beSS^tfhZtaff^ fT^hTthe
same trans as the Pointer, but is more fond of the water. Well trained Does of this sner Zl . ^ 1, ™i . m
ass.stants of the chase but are amiable and especially docile friends of ^^Si^^^t&SSf*
all our guests who came by rail and whom he knew,
and really was the most trustworthy messenger we
could send, especially at night time. As soon as
the train came into the station, he would make his
way through the crowd to the cars, kindly greet the
arriving guests, coax them to give him a piece of
luggage to carry, and triumphantly lead the march
home, opening a way through the crowd in an admi-
rable manner, and leading our friends by the most
direct route to the place where we stood outside the
platform."
Physical Charac- The Bulldog {Canis familiaris molossus
teristicsof the hibcrnicus) is a sub-order of the Mas-
Bulldog. tiffs . he |s of a stQut( vigorous bujjd
the body being but slightly retracted in the flanks ;
the back is not arched, the chest is broad, the neck-
is rather short and thick, the head broad and rounded
the forehead is strongly curved; the muzzle is short'
narrows somewhat in front and is very blunt. The
lips hang down low on both sides, but do not come
together in front, and saliva is perpetually dropping
from them; the cars arc rather long, of moderate
width, rounded and semi-erect, the tips hanging over
I he legs are strong and of medium length. The
tail is thick at its root, tapering towards the end and
reaches to the ankle-joints; it is seldom held straight
or backward, but is usually lifted and bent forward
The ordinary coloring is a pale or brownish yellow'
sometimes with a surface tinge of black; the muzzle'
the hps and the outer margins of the ears are black!
There are many variations in coloring, however as
with all other Dogs.
Life and Princi- The original native country of the
pal Tmits of the Bulldog is probably Ireland; at
Bulldog. least k ig there that one finds the
best existing types of Bulldog. In keeping with
the heavy and clumsy build of these animals their
pace is neither swift nor enduring. On the other
hand they are possessed
of enormous strength,
much determination and
great courage; and it
may be said that, with
a few exceptions, they
are the most courageous
of animals. By virtue
of their great strength
Bulldogs are especially
adapted for a difficult,
dangerous chase and for
fights with wild animals.
Their mental qualities
are not as pronounced
as those of other saga-
cious Dogs, but neither
are they on as low a
plane as is generally
supposed; for every
Bulldog accustoms him-
self to Man and sacri-
fices his life for him
without hesitation. He
is particularly adapted
for the duties of a watch
Dog and defends what
is confided to him with
really a wonderful intre-
pidity. As a traveling
companion to Man in a
dangerous, lonely coun-
try he has no equal,
lnere are anecdotes, relating how he has success-
fully defended his master against five or six high-
waymen, and there are further narratives of victo-
ries he has won in such unequally matched fights,
in spite of the numerous wounds he received. He is
also used to guard herds of Cattle and he knows
how to tame the wildest Bull, for he is expert enough
to suspend himself by his teeth from the Bull's nose,
and hold fast until the beast is ready to patiently
submit to him. He is easily trained for fiehts with
large Beasts of Prey,such as Bears, Wolves and Wild
Boars. He is very forbearing in his' behavior to
other Dogs; seldom picks a quarrel, and allows
smaller Dogs to take liberties with him. He is faith-
ful to his master, but is dangerous to strangers, no
matter whether he is chained up or at liberty; and
when pitted against people, he is a really formidable
foe.
Bulldogs proper arc very large and strong ani-
mals, with a short, truncated muzzle, whose upper
lips, though hanging down low at the sides, do not
close in front, so that the teeth are always exposed.
The nose is not infrequently split, the fur usually
consists of short hair of a plain reddish color; some-
times it shows several colors. In former and less
secure times, when protection was more needed,
THE DOG FAMILY— BADGER-DOG.
221
Bulldogs were kept in greater numbers than now,
for at the present time they are seldom seen, except
in the possession of Dog-fanciers.
The Boxer, an The breed of Bulldog known as
Especially Pugna- the Boxer ( Cams familiaris molos-
cious Bulldog. s//s typicus ) is most frequently seen
in England. More than the Bulldog proper he is
regarded as a ferocious, dull-witted animal, though
he possesses these qualities only in a limited degree.
He is affectionate and faithful to his master, but he
must know him well, and also know that the master's
mental powers are superior to his own physical ones;
else he thinks he can accomplish with Man what he
succeeds in doing with beasts. He is extraordina-
rily imperious and is addicted to vicious biting, and
he really enjoys killing other animals. It must be
stated to his praise, that his courage is still greater
than his really formidable strength.
What the Boxer has once seized, he cannot be
easily made to relinquish. If a stick or handker-
chief be held out to him, and he closes his powerful
jaws upon it, one can lift the Boxer by this tightly
held object, swing him or throw him on his back,
without succeeding in making him release his tena-
cious hold.
There are some Mastiffs which are not agreeable
companions to Man. Instances are on record where
they have placed their own new master in a state of
siege, and have refused to permit him to move. It
is therefore easy to understand why Bulldogs are not
kept to any great extent nowadays. They are not
so stupid as they are supposed
to be, and there are individuals
among them whose sagacity nearly
equals that of the Poodle.
I knew such a Dog, which af-
forded much pleasure by his sagac-
ity. When his master said : " Go,
get a cab," he went to the nearest
cab-stand, jumped into a vehicle
and barked until the driver started;
then he either directed him by
barking, or ran in front.
The Pug, a Cari- To the Mastiffs be-
cature Among longs that cari-
D°9S- cature of a Dog, if
such I may term him, the Pug
{Cams familiaris molossus fitcator),
which is really a diminutive Bull-
dog, with the same peculiarly trun-
cated muzzle and curled tail. His
stout, vigorous build and distrust-
ful, grumpy character closely par-
take of the Bulldog type.
The Pug was widely spread in
former times, then became nearly
extinct and lately has again be-
come very common. He is easily
spoiled and petted, and in conse-
quence becomes capricious and
naughty, and is an abomination
the Dogs and received double rations of food.
During an attack he used to rush into the middle
of the band of opposing Indians, seize one by the
arm and lead him away captive. Such captives as
obeyed, he did not harm, but any Indian who re-
fused to go with him, he threw down and strangled.
He knew the conquered Indians from the enemies
and never touched the former.
As late as 1798 these Dogs were used for the
same purposes, not by the Spaniards but by English-
men who employed them in the chase of Men.
The Magnificent A Mastiff which was known by
Dog of Tibet the Romans, is the Dog of Tibet
Described. (Cam's familiaris molossus tibi'tamis)
a magnificent, beautiful, large animal of really awe-
inspiring appearance. One glance suffices to show
that this Mastiff is the giant among Dogs and is
distinguished as much for his nobility of form as for
beauty of color. He is black, for the greater part,
but the muzzle and eyebrows are yellowish; the
hair is long and rough. In his native country this
animal is considered as useful as he is docile; and
he is therefore found in all mountain villages of
Tibet, as guardian both of flocks and houses.
THE BADGER-DOGS.
A group very different from that of the Mastiffs is
that of the Badger-Dogs or Dachshunds {Cains fami-
liaris vertagus). They are among the most peculiar
and remarkable of Dogs. The body is long, round
and arched downward, the back being bent in that
THE SCHWEISZHUND, OR GERMAN BLOODHOUND. A valuable Hound, principally
bred in Germany, stout oi body, bold in disposition, with a keen scent and a cool head, is the Schweisz-
huiul. It is allied to the Pointer and Retriever in its main characteristics, but its more vigorous build
makes it even more valuable than these in the pursuit of large game. The very large, pendent ears, the
overhanging upper lip, and the great development of the chest, are marked characteristics shown in
this illustration, i Canis familiaris sagax sanguinarius.)
people
Mastiffs Formerly
Used as Man-
Chasers.
to a great many
A large species of the Mastiff was
used for a brutal practice in former
times. It was trained to catch
Men, throw them down and even kill them. At the
invasion of Mexico by the Spaniards, such Dogs
were used both as fighters and trackers, and one of
them, called Becerillo, is celebrated, or rather, noto-
rious. His courage and his sagacity were equally
extraordinary. He occupied a high rank among
direction; the legs are short and crooked, the head
and muzzle large and furnished with a set of good,
serviceable teeth, the ears are pendent, the paws
large and provided with sharp claws. The hair is
short, sleek and coarse. The legs are very srfcrt,
clumsy and strong; the wrist-joints of the fore legs
are crooked inward to such an extent that they
nearly touch each other, and from this point they
again assume an outward curve; the hind legs have
the last toe placed higher than the others and pro-
vided with a claw. The tail reaches nearly to" the
OQO
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
ankle-joints and is carried in an upward line, with the
end curved toward the thighs, and seldom hangs
straight down. The short hair is coarse, but smooth
and of varying colors, usually black or brown above,
russet below, or it may be, a uniform brown or yel-
lowish hue, or even gray; and these colors may be
spotted with colors differing from the ground-tint.
As a rule, there are two light russet spots over both
eyes.
Senses and All Dachshunds have a very fine
Traits of the scent and an exceedingly acute fac-
Badger-Dog. uhy of hearing; thev possess cour-
age, reasoning power, bravery and endurance to a
high degree, and may therefore be used for any
kind of hunting. They will even boldly attack Wild
'mm
only ™ "he™°a?t^o{ tt VSZ£2wX*A* u "^ ^hich in itS Pure breed is n°w "* to be
iB^tU^maMft^^^a^rtS^M^^h. eXCelsf' o^er Dogs ,n speed and endurance and
( Cants famitiaris sagax acceptors) ^^ K 'S aPProPn*tely dep.cted by the side of a wounded Stag.
Boars, and protect themselves very effectually from
the savage onslaught of these animals, as the Boar
cannot seize them so easily as he can taller Dogs
I hey are sagacious, docile, faithful, lively and sym-
pathetic, but are very vigilant and strangers find it
hard to get acquainted with them. Unfortunately it
is also true that they are very cunning and thievish
and in old age become sullen, sulky, addicted to bit-
ing and often treacherous.
During the chase they give one a great deal of
trouble, ihe Dachshund undertakes the pursuit
Of game with astonishing eagerness, and will enter
the most impenetrable thickets. Owing to his ex-
cellent scent he soon finds a quarry, and then he
ts everything else. Although he may have
ived, on previous occasions, severe chastisement
for his disobedience, still he will let the sportsman
whistle, call and look for him in vain; as long as he
sees the quarry or can track it by scent, he goes his
own way with an obstinacy that is hardly equaled
by any other Dog. He will spend hours in follow-
ing a Hare, or in digging and burrowing in some
hole in which a Rabbit has concealed itself- and
indifferent to fatigue, he will hurry after a Deer
utterly forgetful of time and space. When he is
tired, he lies down, rests and then resumes his hunt
r-or these reasons the Dachshund is usually em-
ployed only for one kind of hunting— to drive ani-
mals out of their subterranean burrows.
The English The English Turnspit is bred in France
DeTXd and GrCat Bntain ( C(",lS f«»"ll«ris
uescnoea. vcrtagus rcctipcs). It differs from the
breeds common in Germany mainly in its sturdier
shape, larger head, shorter snout, straight fore-legs
and a longer and thinner tail. It is a true Dachs-
hund in its character, be-
ing as eager, lively, vio-
lent and pugnacious as
its relatives. It is more
rarely used for hunting
than it is to guard the
house and perhaps also
to turn the spit. In this
latter capacity it is put
into a drum which serves
as a turning -wheel. It
can occasionally be seen
at work in restaurants
and inns in French towns.
It serves its term without
grumbling, but neither
cheering words nor chas-
tising can compel it to
work longer than a cer-
tain customary length of
time.
The Otter- The Otter-
Hound a Rare Hound, ac-
Species. cording to
some authorities, is a
cross breed between the
Deer-Hound and Terrier,
nearer to the latter than
to the former. It is of
vigorous frame, has a
long head, a pointed
muzzle, long, drooping
ears, a long body, straight
legs and a rough coat of
varying colors, the hair
T. , . . being of medium length.
It derives its name from its ability as a hunter of
the Otter.
THE HOUNDS.
The group of Dogs, ranged under the common
name of Hounds {Cams familiaris sagax) displays a
great variety of types and forms; they are much
more open to instruction than Dachshunds and
are indisputably entitled to rank first among the
domestic Dogs. The largest number of varieties of
Hounds is found in Great Britain, where a great
deal was accomplished in the breeding of these
excellent Dogs much earlier than German people
bethought themselves of undertaking the work of
improvement.
All Hounds arc born hunters, and if this happens
not to be true in exceptional cases, they are good
for nothing. Careful breeding is of more impor-
tance with Hounds than with any other Dogs and
one always finds that good mothers or tried, skillful
_
THE DOG FAMILY— HOUND.
223
parents bring up excellent Pups. They are strong,
swift, and more than other Dogs are fitted for the
chase by the perfect development of their senses,
especially by their delicate scent. They are en-
dowed with such smelling powers that they can
detect the track of game after hours, nay, after days
have elapsed.
The Pointers Among the many breeds we will first
and Their Track- consider the best known, the Point-
ing Abilities. ers They are of moderate size and
rather strong build; the muzzle is long and thick,
the nose is sometimes split, the ear is wide, long and
drooping ; the hair may be long, short or bristly
and the color usually is white, spotted with brown
or more rarely black ; but there are also entirely
white, brown, black or yellow varieties.
Pointers are sagacious, docile, obedient animals,
eager for the hunt, to the success of which they are
quite indispensable. They track the game by fol-
lowing fresh spoors or simply by scent, and, under
favorable circumstances,
they are able to scent
small game at a distance
of thirty or even fifty
paces.
"For many years past,"
says Diezel, " I have com-
pared the capabilities of
the animals inhabiting
Germany, and have per-
suaded myself that there
is one far superior to all
others, and that is the
Pointer.
Requisites in " To make my
Training a assertion hold
Pointer. good, the Dog
must be of very pure breed
and possessed of all his
natural endowments, espe-
cially a delicate scent.
Further, he must not have
been brought up isolated,
but immediately under the
eyes of his trainer, and thus
be taught from puppyhood
to understand every word
and gesture. Then, also,
his trainer must possess all
the qualifications of a good
teacher, among which pa-
tience is not of the least
importance, and must be a
good marksman; for only
when all requisite condi-
tions are fulfilled can the
Dog reach that admirable degree of obedience,
self-control and skill, which I will try to describe.
A perfectly trained Dog, three or four years old,
always looks for the game by natural instinct, hold-
ing his nose to the wind and from time to time
turning to the right and to the left. Sometimes he
stops and looks around at his master, who by a
gesture indicates the locality the Dog has to search.
These gestures arc scrupulously obeyed. If he
scents important game, the almost constant motion
of the tail ceases at once, and his body is converted
into a living statue. Frequently he slinks nearer the
object with stealthy tread like a Cat before he stops.
After a few moments he turns his head to see
whether his master has noticed him and is coming
towards him. Some especially sagacious Dogs, when
the locality does not permit the master to follow
their lead (as a forest, or a field of tall corn where a
Dog cannot be seen), leave the quarry for a short time,
in order to find their master and lead him to the
spot But of the many Dogs which I have had in my
possession, few did this, and not at the beginning;
they learned it only in after years."
A thoroughly trained Hound is a really admirable
animal, and a bad sportsman, when accompanied
by a good Dog, runs the risk of being frequently
rebuked by the Dog, by actions expressing decided
disapproval.
I knew a Pointer, called Basco, which belonged to
an excellent sportsman. His owner lent him to a
young friend, better accustomed to the use of the
pen than to that of the gun. Twice the young
hunter shot, and twice he failed. The Dog then
approached him, gave him a look of profound con-
tempt and straightway trotted home. This Dog was
THE FOXHOUND. No other Dog ol any species has had so much attention paid to its training as the
Foxhound. The results are seen in an animal that combines in the most perfect degree the qualities of a hunting
Hound. Keen scent, most astonishing endurance and running qualities, courage and sagacity are combined in the
Dog which the picture shows intent on the Fox's trail. Its perfect proportions and vigorous build make it an ideal
animal of the chase. (Canis familiaris sagax vulpicapus.)
an enthusiastic hunter, but after some years he could
not be prevailed upon to accompany a bad marks-
man on a chase, for his contempt for unskillfulness
was too deep-rooted.
General Obserua- It goes without saying that if a
tions on the good Dog is to be well trained,
Training of Dogs. jie mUst have an excellent trainer.
The training of a Dog is a difficult matter; patience,
earnestness of purpose and affection for the animal
are essential qualities of a teacher. In former times
those training Dogs proceeded in a more forcible
manner, using the whip and a rough collar. A great
many trainers still pursue this plan, but others pro-
ceed on different and better principles. They do
not consider their pupil a slave, but a reasoning
224
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
assistant, and consequently treat him as such even
from his puppyhood.
The Schweisz- Resembling a smooth - coated
hund or German Pointer in size and form is the
Bloodhound. German Bloodhound or Schweisz-
hund ( Cards familiaris sagax sanguinarius) . Nothing
definite is known as to the origin of these Dogs.
They are of vigorous build and of a brown, red or
pale yellow color, with a blackish tinge on muzzle
and ears, and frequently also have a black stripe on
the back. The head is wide and only slightly
arched; the nose is black or nearly flesh-colored and
- TWW*1
THE BEAGLE. A small but valuable Hound, which is especially useful in chasing Hares and other
small but fleet-footed game, is the Beagle. Its characteristics are a stout build with a development of the chest
especially adapting it for a long chase, large, pendent ears, pointed muzzle, short but strong and sinewy legs and
rather short tail. (Canis familiaris sagax irritans.)
much wider than that of other Hounds; the lips of
the wide snout hang over and form deep creases
at the corners of the mouth. The wide ears are of
moderate length and rounded. The expression of
the face is grave, intelligent and noble. The tail
gradually tapers toward the extremity. The voice
is full and deep and the bark is a peculiarly long
sound. Whoever has heard it once easily recognizes
it again.
The Schweiszhund is a nearly indispensable assist-
ant in the chase of large game; his office is to pur-
sue the track of the wounded quarry. He is held
on a line and quietly leads the hunter to the place
where the animal has broken down. When he is let
loose and has found the game dead he announces it
by his bark; but if the hunted animal has fled, he
pursues it and "sets" it until his master comes and
ends the hunt with a shot.
The Staghound Another member of the group is the
a Very Rare Staghound (Cams familiaris sagax
Animal. acccptoriits), which is said to be a
descendant of the Bloodhound and Greyhound,
whose good qualities he is believed to combine. He
is distinguished by his keen scent and great speed.
There are but few specimens of this breed left, and
they are in the possession of the Queen of England.
It was very different in former times. George III.
was passionately fond of Stag hunts, in which he
frequently took part personally. Not infrequently
the hunt was conducted with such zeal that of the
one hundred riders who originally set out after the
Stag ten or twenty only were left when the fleet
quarry was finally taken by the Hounds. Astonish-
ing distances were covered with wind-like speed,
and the hunt was continued so long that a large
number of Horses and even many Dogs perished.
Now things are different, as the cultivation of the
ground offers too many obstacles to this mode of
hunting.
The Foxhound An animal of much greater impor-
Greatest of tance than the Staghound is the Fox-
Hunting Dogs, hound (Canis familiaris sagax vulpeca-
pus). Many people of distinction have occupied
themselves with him more
than with other animals or
things, and large books
have been written about
him. He possesses the
speed of the Greyhound,
the courage of the Bull-
dog, the delicate scent of
the Bloodhound, the sagac-
ity of the Poodle, in short,
he has, in combination, the
superior qualities of all
other Dogs. His speed
and endurance are extraor-
dinary. A good pack may
follow the Fox for half a
day, or longer, with untir-
ing zeal. Bell tells us, for
instance, that the Hounds
of the Duke of Richmond
found a Fox at 7:45 o'clock
in the morning, and caught
up with him only after ten
hours' hard running, shortly
before 6 in the evening.
Several of the sportsmen
changed Horses three
times, and some of the
Horses died from exhaustion; but of the Dogs there
were twenty-three present at the end of the chase.
The Beagle Famous The Beagle (Cams familiaris sagax
as a Hunter irrita?is) is an extremely sympa-
of Hares. thetic little animal. His height at
the shoulder does not exceed fourteen inches. He
resembles the Foxhound in appearance, fur and ears,
but his legs are shorter and stouter, and it therefore
would seem plausible that he is a cross between Fox-
hound and Badger-Dog.
Beagles are used in packs to bait Hares, and on
such hunts it is pleasant to hear their harmonious
voices, which sound like bells. The scent of the
Beagle is extremely acute, and he is capable of pro-
longed running.
THE SPANIELS.
Several Dogs which differ a great deal from each
other are grouped under the common title of Span-
iels (Cam's familiaris extrarius). All Spaniels are
possessed of great speed, but they lack endurance.
They have a delicate scent and great intelligence,
but are not very docile. Some of them are used
in hunting small game, especially birds; but they
stand in need of very careful training, for their innate
hunting fever is excessive. Even when they have
had the best of training they will tremble with ex-
citement at finding a spoor, unable to restrain their
joy or zeal, and will yelp and bark almost inces-
santly. For this reason they are more frequently
kept as pets than used for the chase. They are very
*fc'3BP
THE DOG FAMILY— SPANIELS.
225
courageous, however, and they retain their original
boldness in other climes, even in tropical India,
which soon spoils the best of other northern Dogs.
Captain Williamson says that one of these small,
foolhardy animals once boldly went up to a Tiger.
The huge beast at first looked with astonishment at
the yelping little thing, then got up, disturbed by
the noise of the importunate prig, and fled ! The
narrator assures us that it was an indescribable sight
to see these two animals, so ill-matched in size and
strength: in front, the big, powerful Tiger with lifted
tail, while the courageous little Dog brought up the
rear, yelping and growling.
King Charles and The small toy Spaniels are called
Blenheim Spaniels, King Charles Spaniels ; and the
Diminutive Dogs, smallest bear the name of Blen-
heim Spaniels. The former owe their appellation to
the fact that King Charles II. of England was very
fond of them and always had a few around. They
are of a dark color, which often merges into brown,
while the breast is white. The hair is long and silky
and the ears large and long. The best and most
esteemed specimens weigh but five pounds, and the
largest not more than seven pounds. They are
popular pets, for they are
pretty, lively and docile
when treated properly, and
are very amusing compan-
ions. They are always in-
tent on some prank and are
easily taught a number of
tricks. They have one dis-
agreeable feature, though
— their eyes are always
moist with tears, and tear-
drops are incessantly fall-
ing from the corners of
their eyelids.
The Noble New- While we
found/and may con-
Dog Described. sjder the
species just mentioned as
dwarfs, the Newfoundland
Dog ( Cards familiaris ex-
trorius terrce nov wnere the trapping of fur-
bearing animals is so extensively carried on.
This Fox is very wary, and the Silver Fox variety is particu-
larly shy and difficult of approach, owing to the persistency
with which it is sought for its valuable fur.
Some writers hold the opinion that the Red Fox may be de-
scended from individuals of the European species introduced at
an early period, and account for the points of difference by the
altered conditions. In support of this theory it is argued that
no remains of the Red Pox have been found in the cave de-
posits of America, while those of the Gray Fox are abundant.
However this may have been, it seems certain that the Red
Fox has driven out the Gray Foxes from many localities in
which the latter were formerly very common.
Th let f One of the smallest of the Foxes is the Kit Fox
IV r (Vulpes vclox) which is an inhabitant of the
a esem northwestern states and of the western Cana-
dpecies. (jjan provinces; covering the region from south-
eastern Nebraska northwest to British Columbia. Its length is
about twenty inches, exclusive of the tail, which is about twelve
inches long. The overhair is fine and the back is a pure gray,
the sides yellow and the under parts white. The ears are small
and covered with hair and the soles are also hairy. The muz-
zle is shorter and the head broader, proportionately to its size,
than that of the Red Fox. It is sometimes called the Swift Fox
and also the Burrowing Fox, getting the latter name for the
ability and rapidity witli which it makes the holes in the ground
in which it lives.
The Arctic Fox, I" the animal world we find relations
a Northern closely allied in a physical respect
Variety. 1 >n t differing at all points in mental
characteristics. Such a degenerated fellow is the
Arctic Fox, a near relative of Master Reynard, but
widely differing from him in manners and customs.
I le is one of the simplest and at the same time most
importunate, stupidest and yet slyest members of
tin: Fox tribe. 'Fhe Arctic Fox [Vulpes lagoptis) has
short, rounded cars, short legs— the balls of the feet
being as thickly grown with hair as the rest of the
body a full, bush)- tail and a peculiar color. He is
perceptibly smaller than the Common Fox, being
about thirty-eight inches long, a third of which is
taken up by the tail. In summer his fur is of an
earthy or rocky color, in winter it assumes either a
snow-white or dark bluish hue. Some Foxes there
are which do not undergo a white change of coat
fi r winter, but preserve their slate or bluish color.
White mothers are often found with both bluish and
white young ones, lor in tin- latter the outer coat has
not \ it real hed its lull length, and the color is deter-
mined by the inner fur, which may be dark or white;
but blue coated mothers are never found with white
c hildren. A proof thai white and blue Arctic Foxes
hi tint varieties, is, according to (i. Lomer,
furnished by the fact that among the furs coming
from Alaska, those that are blue are the larger by
about a hand's breadth and the hair on them is
shorter and coarser than that of the white furs.
Home and As the name indicates, the Arctic Fox
Haunts of the inhabits the high latitudes both of the
Arctic Fox. old and New World, being of rarer
occurrence on the islands than on the continents.
It may be assumed that he became distributed all
over the northern part of the globe by means of ice
floes; at least Arctic Foxes have often been seen
drifting in the ocean on these natural ships and they
have been found in great numbers as the only non-
aquatic mammals on islands which are quite dis-
tant from any others, under such conditions that
the only reasonable explanation of their presence
was that they had immigrated in former times.
Life and Only before a storm or when he deems
Habits of Arc- himself insecure, the Arctic Fox retires
tic Foxes. jnt0 caverns in the rocks or into bur-
rows which he has himself scooped out; and then
he sallies forth to prey only at night; but in locali-
ties where he is not obliged to hide from Man even
in daytime, he does not take the trouble to dig bur-
rows or pits, but lies in wait for prey under stones
and bushes and in other similar places. He is not
fastidious in his feeding but is content with any
animal food. Mice are his favorite game; and he
often follows the armies of Lemmings for a long
distance and pursues them persistently, even if he
has to cross rivers and other large bodies of water
in doing so. Among the birds he preys on Snow
Birds and other birds of the sea and its shore, and
is especially destructive to the young broods. He
also claims all the animals that are washed ashore.
Arctic Foxes are frequently encountered in packs;
yet no great peace prevails among them, as bloody
combats often take place which afford an amusing
spectacle to the looker-on. One animal will seize
another, which he throws to the ground, tramples
under foot and keeps down until he thinks he has
bitten his antagonist enough. During the whole
performance the champions scream like Cats and
signify their excitement by shrill howls.
Elliott's H. Elliott, who explored Behring Is-
Observations of land and investigated the existence of
Arctic Foxes, fur-producing animals and the methods
of hunting them, gives us many details about the
Arctic Fox. He tells us that the inhabitants of Attu,
the westernmost island of the Aleutes, have inten-
tionally imported the blue Fox into their country
and breed him there, so to speak, in liberty and in a
pure way. The common Red Fox had already been
exterminated on Attu when the inhabitants brought
the beautiful blue Arctic Foxes from the Pribylow
Islands. Other less valuable Foxes cannot reach
this remote island, for not even the ice furnishes
them with a bridge; and besides this the inhabitants
guard carefully against the deterioration of the race
of their Foxes; consequently no detrimental cross-
breeding can take place and the beauty of the furs
of their blue Foxes, of which the inhabitants of Attu
sell from two to three hundred annually, is beyond
reproach and is universally acknowledged.
Arctic Foxes The breeding season of the Arctic Fox
and Their lasts through April and May. In the
Young. middle or latter part of July the female
gives birth to from nine to ten or even twelve young
ones in some cavern or crevice of a rock. She
makes her lair preferably on a mountain or at its
edge. The mother Foxes love their little ones
THE DOG FAMILY— FOX.
239
tenderly, and, in fact, overdo their solicitude, for
they betray their presence with the intention of pro-
tecting their offspring from danger. As soon as they
see a Man, even at a distance, they begin to yelp
and bark, probably with the intention of frightening
him away.
Hunting and Arctic Foxes are trapped and hunted
Taming of Arc- in various ways; they are caught in
tic Foxes, nets, nooses and iron traps. These
Foxes probably have also dangerous enemies in the
Polar Bears, and the sea Eagles also seem to pursue
them. Steller saw an Eagle seize a Fox with his
talons, lift him up and then drop him on the ground,
the Fox being killed by the fall. The fur is really
the only thing for which the Arctic Fox is useful to
Man. Arctic explorers have been reduced to the
necessity of eating its flesh, but all such unfortu-
nates agree that its meat is not a dainty.
goes a change according to the season. The sum-
mer fur grows afresh and is reddish in tint, while in
the winter fur every hair has a wide silver-white ring
preceding the dark tip, and in the resulting general
color sometimes the reddish and sometimes the
white hue will predominate.
The Corsac ranges from the steppes surrounding
the Caspian Sea to Mongolia, but the animal inhab-
its only desert or steppe-like regions, never being
found in forests nor in mountainous countries. He
has no permanent place of abode, not being addicted
to burrowing for himself, but roams about and
takes his sleep in the open country; or at times he
may utilize a Bobac burrow found by chance, and
sometimes, perhaps, may enlarge it for his own
occupancy. In such deserted holes several, or at
least two, Corsacs are said to be frequently found
together. The Corsac's principal food seems to be
THE ARCTIC FOX. — -This Inhabitant of thi . regions ol the North is a hold and impudent animal with all the cunning and slyness
of its relatives. This species of the Foxes is vigorously hunted because the till which nature lias given it to withstand the northern wintei is
dense, warm and beautiful. Some are pure white and others ha\e a darker hue ol a bluish tinge hut all are ol the same species and are fre-
quently found in the same pack as shown in the picture. (l'u//>cs lagof>us.)
Arctic Foxes taken young become tolerably tame
and may be taught to follow their master like Dogs.
As a usual thing they are of an irritable temper,
however, and when they are touched they growl like
angry Dogs, and their green, flashing eyes assume a
ferocious glare. They do not very well tolerate
others of their own kind in their cage.
The Corsac, Of the other Foxes I will here only
orFoxof mention those which are distinguished
the Steppes. by a peculiar mode of life or a striking
color. A small variety is the Asiatic neighbor of
the Common Fox. the Fox of the Steppes, or, as he
is called by the Russian, the Corsac ( Vtdpes corsac).
He is much the inferior of Reynard in size, his
length being twenty-two or twenty-four inches at
the most, exclusive of the tail, which measures four-
teen inches. In appearance and manners he much
resembles his kinsman. His dense fur shows less
variety than the Wolf or Common Fox, but under-
Harcs and Mice, but he also preys on birds, Liz-
ards and Frogs, and also, probably, on larger insects,
particularly Grasshoppers.
He is zealously pursued, especially by the Kir-
ghiz people, for his winter fur is soft, thick, warm
and handsome. Besides being caught in traps and
nooses put in front of his holes, he is baited by Dogs,
after having been driven out by smoke. The Tar-
tars have trained more dangerous animals for his
chase than Dogs. They use tamed Eagles and Fal-
cons to capture him and the poor fellow can cer-
tainly not escape such winged pursuers.
I have kept living Corsacs for a tolerably long
time and have often seen other captive Corsacs, but
have seen no essential differences between their
behavior and that of the Common Fox. A Corsac
is one of the happiest inhabitants of a zoological
garden, soon feels at home in his cage, does not
dread either the heat of summer or the cold of
240
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
winter and endures the burning rays of the sun with
the same equanimity with which he lies down on the
stone floor of his cage when there is a hard frost.
The Graceful Some exceedingly pretty, small spe-
Fennecs or Large- cies of Foxes inhabit Africa and the
Eared Foxes. contiguous portions of Asia. They
are the dwarfs of the Dog tribe in general and the
Fox genus in particular; are of graceful build and
a pale yellow color. They are principally distin-
guished by the large ears, which in two species ex-
ceed all usual proportions, but in other allied spe-
cies also are notably larger than those of other
Foxes. They have been called Large-eared Foxes
or Fennecs, though their teeth are similar to those
of the other Foxes.
When the hot day is drawing to its close and all
animals of diurnal habits seem revived by the cool-
ness of the evening, another somewhat gloomy but
yet dainty tribe thinks ...
. . .;•-.. •
1
only of beginning their
day's or rather night's
work. I do not mean
the abominable Hyaenas
nor the howling Jackals,
which hungrily prowl
around for food at that
time; neither do I mean
the Lynx of the desert,
the Caracal; but it is an-
other robber, the dain-
tiest and most graceful
of them all that I wish
to introduce. This is the
Fennec, or Fox of the
Desert ( Vulpes zerdo), an
animal more character-
istic of the desert than
the Gazelle itself. Imag-
ine a Fox's face, delicate
and fine of feature, cun-
ning and sly of expres-
sion like that of Reynard
himself. This face shows
a pair of unusually large
eyes and both sides of it
are surmounted by ears
more huge than are
found in any other mem-
ber of the Fox family or
even among the rest of
the Canidae. The slen-
der body rests on small,
extremely delicate and
dainty feet, and ends in
a thick, long, bushy tail
THE FENNEC. Here is a peculiar species of Fox with ears that might
incur the envy of a lively Hare or a Long Eared Bat. The Fennec. which is
found in African and Asiatic deserts, is a graceful, alert animal, a small but per-
sistent Beast of Prey. The body and tail are similar to those of ordinary Foxes,
but the ears give the Fennec an interesting individuality. (Vulpes zcrdo.)
One glance at the animal
suffices to show that it must be extremely quick and
agile, besides being most efficient in its organs of
sense.
Acute Sometimes, at dusk, there may be heard
Senses of the a low, shrieking sound, difficult to de-
Fennec. scribe. Then if one be fortunate, he
may see, between heaps of sand or stones, or in the
valky grass, the Fennec, gliding along with extreme
caution, listening, sniffing and looking to all sides.
Nothing could possibly escape the notice of this
accomplished robber. Yonder Locust, in perform-
ing its final leap for the evening, lias made so great
a noise lli it the large ears of the Fennec have easily
heard it; and the graceful creature, impelled more
by curiosity than hunger, sneaks up stealthily and
i' hea it; or an agile Lizard has moved, and in
an instant the Fennec approaches to see what is
going on. His principal food, however, consists of
other animals, especially birds. Woe be unto the
Lark which chances to sit near the Fennec's path !
It is doomed if it but moves a wing, or, dreamily
thinking of its simple song, gives forth but a single
note ! Woe also to the Prairie Chicken, for it is the
prey the Fennec hunts most eagerly ! He has no
need to catch many; a single one is sufficient to
provide him, and perhaps his hungry family also,
with a dainty repast. His abilities are shown to the
best advantage when his fine nose has scented a sign
of these Chickens! Perhaps only one or two have
crossed the path the thief is pursuing, but that suf-
fices. The track is carefully investigated and he
follows it with his nose to the ground, noiselessly,
unheard and unseen. The Fennec knows his birds
well and his sight is keener than that of most trav-
elers. He is not deceived
vj* ■'• A iVfe l' '' by St°neS °r mounds Of
'^*^j^5r\ V*I*4l"-^ lyl earth of a similar color,
•^^^^^y^gj^jpl^^ for his nose and his acute
hearing do their part in
the tracking. However
slight the noise which a
bird produces in dress-
ing its feathers, however
seemingly invisible the
movement of a. cautious
male bird, which looks
for enemies even when
half asleep, and however
imperceptible the odor
of a bird's spoor, indis-
cernible to us, none of
them escapes the Fen-
nec. See! he has made
sure of the track now
and glides along, nearly
creeping on his stomach,
indistinguishable by
sight or hearing. There,
behind the last bush, he
stops. The eyes glow,
the ears are expanded,
he greedily sniffs at the
dreaming, slumbering
birds. His whole body
is full of life, yet one sees
no movement; the entire
soul of the Fox lies in
his face, and yet it seems
as rigid as his body,
which appears to be
desert. Then — a single
the bird is killed. The
made of the sand of the
bound, a flutter of wings-
others rush up, noisily flapping their wings. Un-
steadily they roam in the darkness, and soon fall
asleep again, perhaps without knowing who their
nocturnal foe has been.
The Fennec is the smallest of all Foxes.
Including his tail, which measures about
eight inches, his length is barely twenty-
six and his height at the shoulder eight inches. His
frame is exceedingly delicate, the head is very
pointed; the pupils of the large eyes are nearly
circular and surrounded by a brown iris. The most
remarkable features of the animal are undoubtedly
the ears. They attain nearly the length of the head,
and are about half as wide as they are long. They
give the animal a truly adventurous appearance
Description
of the
Fennec.
THE DOG FAMILY— FOX.
241
and in a certain respect invest it with a Bat-like
aspect. The inner margins of the ears are covered
with white hair, in such a way that two tufts go up
from the aperture of the ear, which unite in one run-
ning to the upper tip, where it becomes short and
thin. The small snout is adorned by long bristly
THE CORSAC. This species of the Fox, which roams about on the broad steppes of Asiatic Russia to
the east of the Caspian Sea, is small but active, and seldom makes a burrow for itself, but sleeps with no further
attempt at concealment than is afforded by the vegetation of these treeless plains. The picture shows one of these
animals taking a nap, while the other, wide-awake, presents the characteristics of a true Fox, with a dense fur and
a bushy tail. ( Vulpes corsac.)
whisker hairs, which add to the peculiar appearance
of the animal. The fur is of silky softness and in
winter is supplemented by a woolly inner coat,
which in spring is rubbed off in flakes by brushing
the body against branches, etc. One would think
that the Fennec did not ,_
need a thick fur in the '~-
warm country he inhab-
its; but the little fellow
seems to be very sensi-
tive to cold, and to stand
in need of more than or-
dinary protection. The
upper surface of the
body has a color decid-
edly similar to that of
the sand; the under sur-
face is white; and there
is also a white patch
over the eyes, while a
darker stripe is found
beneath them. The tail
is very long, bushy and
nearly of an ochre yel-
low tint, but with only
black patches at the root
and the tip. The fur of
the female is of a straw
muzzle, although the ears are similar to those of the
Fennec and nearly as large.
Its favorite haunts are the bushy, elevated plains of
the interior in southern Africa, north of the Orange
river. During the day it lies hidden like all its rela-
tives, affecting thick bushes or the ant-hills that
the Earth-hog has broken
open; at night it roams
about and sometimes ap-
proaches camp fires utter-
ing really doleful wailings.
Its food consists of small
animals and animal refuse,
but mainly of Locusts.
The Gray Fox The Gray Fox
an American ( Vulpes cincrco-
S pedes. arg€?itatus)
may be considered a spe-
cies allied to the Common
Fox, but standing on a
lower plane. It differs
from the latter by its shorter
legs, proportionately longer
tail and a more graceful
shape in general. Approx-
imately, its length is three
feet including the tail,
w h i c h is about sixteen
inches, and the shoulder
height is twelve inches.
The prevailing color is a
peculiar spotted gray, com-
posed of black and silver
gray and covering the forehead, top of the head,
back of the cheeks, nape of the neck and the whole
upper surface. Each individual hair is white at its
base, and then black, and marked with a wide white
band near the tip. The cheeks and throat are yel-
Lilt. ILILltllC 13 Ul A SUclVV- {> ""5> U/Uf
yellow tinge, and the $\ 'fi&
color usually becomes
THE LONG-EARED FOX. This animal, which has long ears somewhat similar to those of the Fennec, is a
ii&iucr \v ll n clUvdIlLinb night prowling creature. Its proportionately longer legs, larger size and shorter muzzle distinguish it from the Fen-
age. nec; which it resembles in other respects. The artist has appropriately pictured it amid the surroundings of a high,
The Long- The Longf-
bushy plain, for it is in such localities in southern Africa that this Fox is principally found. (Otocyon megalotis.)
Eared Fox of eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) inhabits
South Africa, southern Africa. In appearance it re-
sembles other Foxes especially the Fennec, and has
frequently been mistaken for the latter. But it is
much larger, has longer legs and a much shorter
lowish white, the ears and sides of the neck grayish
yellow, the under portion and the inner surfaces of
the limbs a light russet yellow; a band on the chest
is darker; a black stripe marks the fore-paws; the
tail is black above, russet-red below, gray at the tip.
241
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
According to Audubon the Gray Fox is more fre-
quent in the .southern than in the northern states of
North America and it does not seem to exist to the
north of Maine. It is of rare occurrence in New
England and Canada; in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey it is about as frequent as the Red Fox, but in
the southern states, excepting the mountains of Vir-
ginia, it is the only existing species; and in Florida,
Mississippi and Louisiana especially it is quite com-
mon. To the west it ranges as far as California.
Traits and Life It 's difficult to say in what respects
of the Gray the Gray Fox differs from Reynard and
Fox- his relatives proper. The descriptions
known to me. among which the detailed account of
Audubon ranks first, resemble the biography of the
Common Fox as one egg does another. The Gray
Fox is said not to be so rapid and enduring a runner;
as to the rest its ways probably do not differ mate-
rially from those of its kinsman. Its haunts are
thickets difficult of access and impenetrable to large
Beasts of Prey, and rocks abounding in hollows and
crevices ; its hunting-grounds are the surroundings
THE GRAY FOX. Here is one of our own American animals, found only in the United States and a small
portion of Canada. The lean legs are shorter than those of the Common Fox, but the body is less clumsy. It does
not ravage Hen-roosts to such an extent as the Red Fox, but this is not because it is less inclined to robbery, but
b« au^c it is more timid. This species was formerly much more common than it now is in the north, where the Red
Fox lias supplanted it to a great extent, but Gray Foxes are still plentiful in the south. ( Vulpcs cincrco-argcntatus .)
of its abode, from the sea-shore to the farm-yard.
Audubon affirms, that though it is much more timid
and shy than the Red Fox and is driven to flight
not only by the bark of a Dog but even by" the crack-
ling of a branch ; and although one hears little or
nothing of inroads made by it on protected poultry
yards or flocks of Sheep, yet the animal is detested
and pursued in the south to the same extent as the
Red Fox in the north. The latter, he says, may be
compared to a sly, bold robber, the former to a
sneak-thief.
How Gray The females of both species are equally
Foxi-.a Live impudent, however, when they have
and Hunt. young. Like Reynard, the Gray Fox
shows a predilection for Mice and Rats, especially
the Meadow Mouse and the Cotton Rat, without,
however, disdaining anything eatable. Audubon
d< ' ribes in a very graphic way, how the animal,
which may be compared to an' excellent Hound,
sneaks up to a bevy of Quail, pays most careful
attention to the wind, and succeeds in carrying off
one of the birds. "On a cold, rainy, traveling day,"
says he, "we caught sight of a Gray Fox, whose gait
was exactly similar to that of a Setter. Slinking
on against the wind, through the high grass, it sud-
denly stopped and sat down on its haunches. An
instant later it got up, and sneaked on with slow and
cautious tread, occasionally lifting its nose high in
the air and moving it from side to side. Finally it
seemed to be sure of its prey and moved on in a
straight direction, though still very cautiously some-
times creeping along the ground and occasionally
getting out of our sight, until we noticed it again as
it made the last stop. We saw no Cat-like move-
ment of the tail ; but the ears were lowered, the head
raised but a few inches from the ground. In this
position it remained for about half a minute, and
then it jumped on its prey with one powerful bound.
The whirr of a rising bevy of Quail and two or three
sharp, screaming sounds were heard, and soon after-
ward the successful thief came into view, with a
Quail in its mouth. We were provided with a gun,
and probably could have killed it, but why should
we have done so? It had demonstrated to us that
it not only belonged to
the Dogs, but could match
an excellent Hound; and
besides, it had procured
its food in a lawful way:
why should we kill it?"
Our judgment is some-
what less mild when we
find the nests of Turkeys
and other useful birds
plundered by it or come
to a place which plainly
shows the traces of a com-
bat between it and a Tur-
key. We then understand
why it is pursued as much
as its kinsmen, although
we may assume that, like
them, its usefulness in
diminishing the numbers
of harmful rodents out-
weighs the damage it
causes by destroying use-
ful animals. Besides pur-
suing larger game, espe-
cially vertebrates of all
classes, the Gray Fox also
hunts insects, sometimes scratching the half-rotted
bark from trees to get at them, and it likewise
feeds on all kinds of vegetable substances. In the
state of New York a farmer called Audubon's atten-
tion to a maize-field in which several unknown ani-
mals had caused considerable damage, feeding on
the ripening cobs. The trace of the culprits proved
them to be Gray Foxes and the suspicion was
shown to be correct by the capture of three of
these animals.
Young Gray 1" the Carol inas Gray Foxes are
Foxes and their born during the last days of March
Training. or jn the beginning of April, in the
northern 'states a little later. The young remain
under the mother's protection for about three
months and then disperse, as soon as they are in-
dependent and able to lead a solitary life. Even
when they have attained their full size, the younger
foxes are still easily recognized, by their compara-
tive lack of caution, ami if hunted with Hounds,
they seek safety in prolonged flight only when com-
pelled to do so, usually trying to climb some con-
THE BEAR FAMILY.
243
venient tree, while old and experienced Foxes fre-
quently foil their deadly enemies by all kinds of
tricks and artifices. Audubon seems to think it sur-
prising that a Fox should climb a tree, while we,
who judge from the specimens of skill furnished by
Master Reynard, do not share his opinion. So agile
an animal as a Fox sees no insurmountable obsta-
cles to climbing a tree with low reaching branches,
snarls and other excrescences, while the clumsy
Dog is unable to imitate it in this respect.
How the Practically, the same that has been said
Gray Fox is about the hunting and other methods
Hunted. 0f extermination of the Common Fox
will likewise hold true in respect to the Gray Fox.
Traps the most manifold are used in America also,
to overpower the annoying rascal, and the hunt is
followed as diligently as in England. Captive Gray
Foxes behave like their European kinsman in all
essentials, but are said never to become completely
tame and always to suffer from an unconquerable
yearning after liberty. It is said to be especially
difficult to break them of their tendency to bite; at
least Audubon affirms that he never saw a captive
animal of this species which would have become
more than half tame. In one respect, the Gray
Fox differs from its relatives to its advantage : it is
not possessed of their unpleasant odor.
The skin of the Gray Foxes is of slight value,
owing to its short and coarse hair, and it is gener-
ally used as a lining for traveling coats. According
to Lomer about twenty-five thousand skins are sold
annually, and they command a price ranging from
about a dollar to a dollar and a half apiece.
The Coast ®ne °^ l'ie 'owest forms of the vulpine family
r„„ o.„~n is shown in the Coast Fox ( / '////>, s littoralis), an
American species, found along the Pacific coast
Fox, a Small
Species.
from Central America north to Oregon and Brit-
ish Columbia. It has weak jaws, small teeth, short, slender
limbs and a not very stout body. The fur is black on the
back, a cinnamon brown on the sides, and the sides and under
portion of the muzzle are black. There is also a stripe of
black along the upper surface of the tail. Its nearest relative
is the Gray Vox, but it is much inferior to the latter in strength
and agility as well as in size.
Zbe Bear tfamil^.
SIXTH FAMILY: Uksid*:.
The last family of the order Carnivora consists of
animals which we knew and loved in the days of our
childhood. The Bears {Ursula) are animals so dis-
tinguished that probably everybody can recognize
them at a glance; but the smaller species differ from
the larger ones in many respects, and with some we
are yet doubtful whether we should place them in
this family at all.
General The body of the larger Bears is thick
Characteristics set, while that of the smaller ones is
of Bears. sometimes slender; the head is of a
rounded, elongated shape, with a pointed and usu-
ally truncated muzzle, the neck is relatively short
and thick; the ears arc short and the eyes compara-
tively small; the limbs are of medium length, both
hind and front paws being five-toed and provided
with large, curved, immobile, non-retractile claws,
which consequently are frequently much blunted at
their tips. The soles of the feet touch the ground
for their entire length in walking, ami are almost
entirely hairless. The teeth are from thirty-six to
forty in number, and consist of six incisors above
and below, four canines or fang-teeth, from four to
eight premolars above and below or four above and
six below, and lastly four upper and from four to
six lower molars. The incisors or cutting teeth
are relatively large, and harmonize with the strong
canines, which latter are generally provided w'th
edges and ridges. The premolars, on the other hand,
are of plain conical shape or furnished with a few
small, insignificant cusps; the carnassial tooth is
very weak, and is even absent in some species, while
with others it is only a strong premolar with an in-
ner cusp. The grinders arc flat, those of the lower
jaw being always longer than they are wide. The
brain area of the skull is elongated and marked with
strong ridges; the cervical vertebra: are short and
strong, as also are the nineteen or twenty dorsal
vertebrae, to which fourteen or fifteen pairs of ribs
are attached. The sacrum consists of from three to
five vertebras, the tail of from seven to thirty-four.
The tongue is smooth, the stomach is simple, the
small and large intestines do not differ markedly;
and the caecum, or blind process, is absent.
Where Bearsare Hears existed in former periods. At
Found Their present they extend all over Europe,
Habits. Asia anil America and part of north-
western Africa. They inhabit the warmest as well
as the coldest of countries, high mountains as well
as the coasts of the Arctic Sea. Nearly all species
select dense, extensive forests or rocky regions,
generally lonely spots. Some delight in watery or
damp situations, streams, rivers, lakes, swamps and
the sea, while others prefer stretches of dry land.
One species is confined to the sea-coast and seldom
penetrates the depths of the continent, but still un-
dertakes more extensive migrations than the others,
traversing great distances on drift ice, crossing the
northern Arctic Ocean and migrating from one con-
tinent to the other. All other species roam about
within narrower limits. Most Hears live singly, or
male and female together only during the breeding
season; but some are gregarious and unite into larger
bands. Some dig holes in the earth or in the sand,
and use them for their lair, others take shelter in
hollow trees or in clefts of rock. Most species are
nocturnal or semi-nocturnal in their habits, go forth
to hunt after sunset and spend the day sleeping in
their hiding places.
Bearsare More than the other Beasts of Prey,
Omnivorous the Bears seem to be omnivorous in
Animals. t}ie fun sense of the word, and able to
subsist on vegetable food alone for a long time.
They not only devour edible fruit and berries, but
also corn, ripe or half-ripe grains, roots, juicy herbs,
buds, etc. Captive Bears have subsisted on oats
244
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
for a long time without impairing their health. In
youth they are probably vegetable feeders exclu-
sively, and later in life most species continue to
prefer vegetable food. They are not fastidious feed-
ers, and also eat animals, namely, Crabs, shell fish,
worms, insects and their grubs, fish, birds and eggs,
mammals and carcasses of animals, but they eat
the latter, probably, only while they are still fresh
and give forth no odor. When in the neighborhood
of human habitations they do some damage; and
the stronger species temporarily become great rob-
bers and, when driven by hunger, attack even larger
animals and work destruction among Cattle. Some
are so bold that they penetrate into the very villages.
Vet even the strongest are, as a rule, dangerous to
.Man only when they are disturbed, frightened or
wounded; in short, provoked to do so.
Movements and People who think the movements of
Capabilities a Bear clumsy and slow, are mis-
of Bears. taken. The large species are not,
as a general thing, particularly fleet or active, but
they are possessed, to an exceptional degree, of
endurance ; while the smaller species are remark-
ably swift and agile. The Bears are plantigrade in
their walk and deliberately put one foot in front of
the other ; but when they are excited, they can pro-
ceed at a great pace, running in a peculiar but rapid
gallop; and even the largest species, under such
circumstances, display an astonishing speed and
agility. Those which are clumsiest know how to
stand erect, and can walk a short distance tolerably
well, though with a somewhat staggering gait. They
all know how to climb fairly well, though they do
not often exercise this ability on account of their
heaviness, and totally give it up in old age; at least
the large species do. Some avoid the water, while
others are excellent swimmers; some can dive deep
and long. The Polar Bear is often found miles from
shore, swimming in the ocean, and then presents an
opportunity for observing his quickness and endur-
ance. Their great strength facilitates the move-
ments of the Bears, enables them to surmount diffi-
culties which would put serious obstacles in the way
of other animals, and stands them in good stead in
their depredations, for they can drag an. Ox away.
Senses of The smell is the most efficient among
the Bears in their senses. The sense of hearing is
General. good and in some species excellent,
sight is fairly keen, the sense of taste deficient and
the sense of touch rather undeveloped, though some
possess a genuine organ of touch in their elongated
muzzles. Some species are sensible and sagacious,
and may be trained to a certain extent ; but they
exhibit no high mental development. Some indi-
viduals become very tame, though they display no
particular affection for their master and keeper.
They always revert to their grosser animal instincts
in old age, for then they become wicked, intractable
and violent, and the strong species may be dan-
gerous. The Bears signify their various moods by
modulations of their remarkable voices, finding utter-
ance in dull growling, snorting and murmuring, or
grunting, whistling and sometimes barking sounds.
Hibernation All the larger bears inhabiting the
of the north roam around only in summer
Bear Family. ancj retire into a lair or hiding-place
at the beginning of winter. But they do not Ball
into an uninterrupted hibernation, but sleep, or
rather slumber in a half-waking condition, and they
an awak< as soon as anything suspicious occurs
near them. The)' very seldom go forth during this
period, however, and still more rarely do they par-
take of food. It is surprising that only the Bears
of the continent proper hibernate, while the Polar
Bears and sea Bears roam around during the sever-
est cold, or, at most, calmly lie down in the worst
snow-storm and seek shelter in the snow itself as it
falls; that is, they allow it to completely cover them.
The female gives birth to from one to six young ■
ones in a nest-like lair, and feeds, tends and protects
them with careful tenderness. The Cubs are born
blind, but after they gain their sight and activity
they are exceedingly jolly, playful little animals.
The destruction wrought by the Bears is just about
compensated for by their usefulness, especially as
they, for the greater part, inhabit thinly populated
districts where they can hardly do much damage to
Man. The fur of nearly every species is used and
highly valued. The flesh is also eaten and even the
bones, tendons and intestines are put to some use.
THE LARGE BEARS.
The Bear family is divided into three sub-orders,
of which the first comprises the Large Bears (Ursinoe)
which have the bulkiest forms of the whole family.
They are endowed with a long snout, small eyes
and ears, moderately long limbs, five-toed feet with
naked soles, blunt, non-retractile claws, a stub-like
tail and thick, shaggy fur. This sub-order numbers
two groups; the Bears proper and the Sloth Bear.
THE BEARS PROPER.
While every person believes he knows the Com-
mon Bear fairly well, zoologists have not yet come
to a conclusion whether they are to count his varie-
ties as one species or divide them into several dis-
tinct ones.
The Common or If we accept but one species, the
Brown Bear Common or Brown Bear ( Ursus arc-
Described. f0S)t we have to admit that there are
a great many varieties in it, differing not only in
fur and color, but also in shape and form of skull.
The fur may be called thick and is longest around
the face, on the under portion and behind the legs;
it may consist of longer or shorter hairs, which may
be straight or slightly curly; the color may be any
shade between brownish black, dark red and yel-
lowish brown, or between blackish gray, silver gray
and isabel color. The white collar often found in
young animals sometimes remains to old age, or
else reappears in the aged animal as distinct as it
was in youth. The snout is elongated (in some
species very much), the forehead is more or less
flattened, the body is either very thick set or some-
what slender, the limbs may be long or short.
There are two species living in PZurope : the Ursus
arctos, which has several varieties and is distin-
guished by long legs, a long body, a high forehead,
a long head and muzzle, and a plain fur of a faded,
grayish hue; secondly, the Ursus formicarius, en-
dowed with shorter, thick legs, a stout body, a wide
head, a flat forehead and a short muzzle.
This Bear may attain a length of from eighty to
eighty-eight inches, and a shoulder-height of from
forty to forty-six inches. His weight varies between
three hundred and five hundred pounds, but in very
large, fat specimens may be as great as seven hun-
dred pounds.
Range and If all the species be regarded as one,
Haunts of the he may be described as being spread
Brown Bear. from Spain to Kamchatka, and from
Lapland and Siberia to the Atlas, the Lebanon and
BEAR AND YOUNG BATHING. The life of the Beasts of Prey presents constant examples of the universality of maternal affection among
mammals of all species. Bear mothers are very attentive to their young, and the picture shows a family of Bears which has its home in the deep forest so much
favored by these animals. A convenient spring is being utilized for the purpose of giving a bath to the little ones, which seem to enjoy it. The mother is a
typical specimen of the Brown Bear, with the clumsy appearing body and limbs, shaggy fur, elongated head and muzzle and high forehead belonging to
that species. (Ursux arctos.)
(245)
246
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
the western Himalaya mountains. Extensive, nearly
inaccessible, or at least little frequented forests, rich
in berries and other fruits, are a prime condition for
his existence. Hollows in trees or under their roots,
caverns, dark, impenetrable thickets and swamps
with dry islands afford him shelter and protection
from Man. his deadly enemy.
Physical Quali- The Brown Bear, the clumsiest and
ties of Brown heaviest of the predaceous animals
Bears. 0f Europe, is, like most of his near
relatives, an unwieldy and rather dull-witted fellow.
But he really looks clumsier than he is. He goes at
an ambling pace, that is, he lifts both limbs of the
same side at once in walking and trotting, his gait
in consequence appearing uncouth, waddling and
sprawling. When hurried, he goes at a gallop,
overtaking Man with ease, and in other respects
displays a degree of speed and activity not gen-
erally credited to him. He is an excellent swimmer
and climber, but in old age, when he is large and
heavy, he gives up the latter accomplishment; or, at
least, does not climb smooth trees devoid of boughs.
His powerful muscles and strong, hard talons much
facilitate his climbing, and he will sometimes even
mount very steep, rocky walls. Of his senses, hear-
ing and smelling seem to be the most acute. His
sight is rather deficient, though his eyes cannot be
called weak. His sense of taste seems to be quite
well developed.
Forester Forester Krementz has lately pub-
Krementz on lished his experiences of many years
the Bear. wjth the Bears living in the Rokitno
swamps. His book is very instructive, but he par-
ticularly states that he does not know whether his
observations will also apply to Bears of other
regions. "In general," says he, "the Bear cannot
be called cruel or bloodthirsty. If he were, he
would find daily opportunities for exercising his
instincts, and taking into account his formidable
strength, the question would present itself, as to
whether it would not be advisable to persecute him
more. I have not met with a single case where he
would have taken the offensive in his rencontres
with Man on his wanderings. On the contrary, he
usually seeks safety in flight on such occasions, or
else, in the consciousness of his power, he pays no
attention to the miserable inhabitant of the earth, or
at tlie most vents his displeasure by a sham attack
accompanied by short growls. The Bear is rather a
good-natured animal, though he is not to be trusted
under any circumstances. He especially objects to
being provoked or disturbed in his rest. He is of
a very phlegmatic temper, is exceedingly fond of
being comfortable, and his attacks always display a
certain frank, open-hearted, chivalrous disposition,
which has nothing in common with the cowardly
cruelty of the Wolf or the deceiving, treacherous
i":k k of the Lynx. In certain isolated cases he is
even possessed of a certain kind of grim humor."
Food and A single glance at the Bear's teeth
Depredations tcai Iks us that he is an omnivorous
of Bears. animal and more of a vegetable than
da animal feeder, lie is best compared to the Pig:
everything edible is welcome to him. As a usual
thing, plants form his principal food, small animals,
such as insects, Snails and the like constituting the
dessert. For months he may be satisfied with such
food, gorging himself with young, budding rye or
juicy grass like a Cow, feeding on ripening grain,
buds, fruit, acorns, berries and mushrooms; digging
up an occasional Ant-hill, delighting in the larvae or
the Ants themselves, whose peculiar acid taste may
be to his liking. Sometimes he scents a Bee-hive,
which provides him with an exceedingly welcome
feast. In southern Carinthia the Bee-hives are car-
ried into the mountains in summer, and according
to the season at which the various plants of the Alps
bloom, they are placed higher or lower on the moun-
tain. Sometimes a Bear comes over from Craniola
and then works sad havoc, breaking the hives and
emptying them. A few years ago one such strag-
gler roamed from one Bee-house to another destroy-
ing over a hundred of them; eight belonged to the
narrator, Forester Wippel. The attacks of Bees are
by no means a matter of indifference to him; he
growls with pain, rolls on the ground, tries to rub
the tormentors off with his paws, and if he can stand
it no longer he even makes his escape and retires
into the forest or into the water, but only to return
sooner or later and resume the struggle for his
favorite dainty.
How one Brown It is impossible to follow a Bear
Bear Spent about on his daily wanderings in
His Day. order to watch his doings ; and the
chance meetings one has with him, even when await-
ing him at his favorite resorts or drinking places,
are of too short duration to throw much light on the
mode of life of the Bears, which as yet is steeped in
darkness in many respects. The fresh spoor in dew
or hoar frost are of great use as furnishing an insight
into the daily life of Bears, so we will here give the
result of following such spoor : " A Bear of medium
size crossed a meadow early in the morning; at its
edge there lay a fallen pine tree, which he turned
over, scratching the earth under it in several places
in his search for worms, grubs and larvae. The
bark of the two year old tree had been torn away in
a few places, and his soul had been delighted by the
fat grubs and Beetles under it. His further prog-
ress through the forest was made clear by foliage
scratched away, Ant-hills thrown about, wood and
bark turned over, and plucked blue-berries, cran-
berries and mushrooms. In several places he had
scratched up the earth on finding fresh sign of
Deer. Following the Deer tracks, he had trotted
on; then he went in the direction of a swamp,
proceeded about one hundred paces, suddenly
turned to the left, went back to the wood he had
just come from, and made- a jump at a few Hazel-
Hens, as was shown by the feathers the birds had
lost in their hurried flight from the sudden attack.
Then he again turned his face to the swamp and
crossed it in a straight direction without any notable
incident. He again entered the wood, tore an
empty Thrush-nest from a bush, then used his teeth
and claws in the endeavor to enlarge the aperture
of a hollow oak, in which a swarm of wild Bees had
stored their honey, ate some blue-berries, sniffed at
the entrance of a Badger's burrow, and made him-
self conspicuous by running back and forth on a
grassy plot. A closer investigation showed the sign
of young Woodcocks, whose track he had zealously
pursued. From here he crossed a swampy, dense
alder-tree forest, then entered a forest of old pine
trees, tore the bark off the lower half of a dead pine,
scratched up the earth and sat down on it, the ground
also showing a great many imprints of the claws and
soles of the forepaws. Then he set his face toward
a buckwheat field, which he crossed, and then entered
a district of soft-wood trees and pines, situated on
low land and abounding in cut trees; he seemed to
prefer the parts where the trees were cut, crept
THE GRIZZLY BEAR AND BISONS. Except Man, the Bison or American Buffalo has little to fear from any antagonist, for its great strength,
courage and endurance overawe all Beasts of Prey, except, occasionally, a hungry Grizzly Bear. This Bear can sometimes overcome a solitary Buffalo which
may become isolated from the herd. The episode which is illustrated in the picture is one of excitement among the most formidable animals which are found
in valleys and foothills of the Rocky Mountain regions. The Grizzly Bear has attacked a Bison Calf which has become separated from the herd. The piteous
wail of the dying Calf has brought the herd of Buffaloes to the scene and the Grizzly Bear must now reluctantly abandon his prey and seek safety in flight, or
be killed, for he cannot overcome the attack of the herd of infuriated beasts, although his running powers are sufficient to enable hiin to escape.
(247)
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
under the root of a fallen pine, slipped over a pros-
trate aspen tree and his hind quarters had sunk
rather deep into the swamp. Finally he made for
the drier ground of a pine wood near by and disap-
peared, his pursuit being abandoned at this point."
The Brown As long as the Bear has vegetable
Bear in Search food in abundance he confines him-
of Prey. seif to it; but when driven by neces-
sity, or when he has become accustomed to animal
food, he occasionally develops into a predaceous
animal in the full sense of the word. He tries to
sneak up to his prey; but he is also said to tire
out Cattle by pursuit, or, when they graze on high
mountains to disperse and drive them over prec-
ipices, which he then cautiously descends and eats
his fill below. Success increases his boldness. In
the Ural mountain region the Bear is accounted the
worst enemy of Horses. Drivers and coachmen
sometimes refuse to go through a forest at night,
though it is probable that it hardly ever happens
that a Bear attacks Horses harnessed to a carriage.
Those, however, that graze at liberty in the forest
are never secure from him. A friend of mine, Von
Beckmann, an expert Bear-hunter, told me how the
animal proceeds in his attack, having personally wit-
nessed the encounter. Several Horses were grazing
near a swampy thicket, in full view of the hidden
hunter. A Bear made his appearance in the thicket,
and slowly crept up to the Horses, until they noticed
him and fled in great haste. The Bear followed
them with enormous bounds, overtook one of the
Horses in a surprisingly short time, gave it a blow
on the back with one paw, a blow on the face with
the other, threw it down and tore its breast open.
When he saw that among the fleeing animals one
was lame and could not escape, he left the killed
prey, ran after the second victim, easily reached it
and killed it also. Both the Horses uttered fearful
outcries.
When the Bear has become bold, he also ap-
proaches stables and tries to break the doors, or,
as has repeatedly happened in Scandinavia, he un-
covers the roofs. He is so exceedingly strong that
he can carry even large animals away. Krementz
gives several examples of the exceeding strength of
the Bears. One Bear broke pine poles that were
three and four inches thick; another took a Cow
that had just received her death-blow and was still
struggling, with his fore-paws and carried her across
a small river in a forest, walking on his hind-legs.
A keeper of the forest, who was sitting at a fire, was
attacked by a Bear, which had been frightened out
of his hibernation. The Man had his skull crushed
by a single blow from the Bear's fore-paw, so that
instant death ensued. A fourth Bear dragged a
living Deer out of a pit into which it had fallen.
The Deer weighed about six hundred pounds and
the Bear dragged it through the swamp for about
one-third of a mile. It is probable that Deer often
escape a Bear's pursuit by their vigilance and speed;
still he often follows even Reindeer in the north of
Scandinavia for a long distance. He also preys on
fishes and follows the course of rivers for miles
intent on catching the finny prey.
Hibernation At the approach of winter the Bear
of the prepares a resting place between
Brown Bear. rocks or in caverns which he either
finds ready for his use or excavates for himself; or
in a hollow tree; or frequently chooses a retreat in
the thicket, or on a dry island in a swamp. When
severe cold weather sets in, the Bear settles down
in his winter quarters and then sleeps through the
cold season. The time when he begins his hiberna-
tion varies according to the climate of the locality
and the weather. A female Bear usually retires as
early as the beginning of November, but the male
Bear, heedless of cold weather and the amount of
snow, still roams about in the middle of December,
as I saw myself by his spoor in Croatia. Accord-
ing to Russian Bear-hunters, he thoroughly investi-
gates the surroundings of his den before going to
sleep, and shifts his quarters if he finds human
tracks in different directions. If the snow begins to
thaw in the middle of the winter, he leaves his den,
even in Russia and Siberia, to drink or eat. It is an
established fact, that he lies under the snow for
three or four months in Livonia, taking no nourish-
ment whatever, and is found with an entirely empty
digestive tract if killed during this period.
If the winter is mild, his rest is perhaps not pro-
longed more than a few weeks, and beneath gentler
skies he probably never thinks of a winter's retreat at
all. Observations of captive Bears seem to indicate
this, for these Bears do not hibernate, and behave in
winter exactly as they do in summer. While they
are given their food regularly, they eat nearly as
much as at other times, and during a mild winter
they sleep only a little more than in summer.
The Mother A litter of young Bears usually num-
Bear and bers two or three, sometimes one or
Her Young. four> and very seldom five Cubs at a
birth. As a rule the mother prepares a complete
nest for them, but it has also been observed that she
occasionally placed them simply on the snow. If
danger threatens her offspring, she sometimes car-
ries them far away in her mouth. It is a surprising
fact, that the mother often deserts her Cubs, when
hard pressed, while they are still very small and
helpless, but courageously defends them when they
have become larger and stronger. In the latter case
she considers herself an autocrat of the whole
locality which she has selected as her place of
abode, and meets every disturbing element with an
immediate attack. Some she-Bears become the
terror of all who have to pass through their domain
and may even suspend communication on a road;
and whoever enters their neighborhood without
Dogs, risks being wounded or killed. In their
fourth month the Cubs are large enough to follow
their mother about ; then she diligently teaches
them to climb and to find their food, and instructs
them in many branches of knowledge necessary to
a Bear's education.
Young Bears when they are finally deserted by
their mother, are said to stay around the old den
during the summer, and make use of it in bad
weather, until they are driven away; they also like to
associate with other young Bears. Accounts of Rus-
sian peasants and hunters, first published by Evers-
mann and yet lacking confirmation, throw a pecu-
liar light on these associations. They affirm that a
Bear-mother employs her older children as nurses
of the younger ones, if necessary using force, and
the two year old Bears which run around with their
mother, brothers and sisters are simply called
" Pestun," that is, " child's nurse." Eversmann
relates the following story of a Bear family which
crossed the Kama: " When the mother had reached
the other side, she saw that the Pestun was slowly
coming after her, instead of helping his younger
brother and sister, which still were on the other
side. As soon as he reached the shore, the mother
THE BEAR FAMILY— BROU'X BEAR.
•240
quietly administered to him a box on the ear. This
enlivened his understanding, and he went back and
brought one ©£ the Cubs over in his mouth. The
mother looked on, and he again went back to bring
the other one, which, however, he dropped in the
middle of the stream. Then she rushed in, admin-
istered another castiga-
Bear-Hunting A Bear hunt is dangerous sport ;
is a Danger- still, the formidable stories told in
ous Sport. former times are being refuted by
experienced modern Bear hunters. Good Dogs
seem to inspire all Bears with extraordinary terror
and under all circumstances are the best assistants
tion, compelling him to
do his duty, and the
whole family went on
its way in peace." The
young peasants and
hunters of Russia and
Siberia all say that every
female Bear has a Pestun
to take care of her little
Cubs. It is his duty
among other things to
watch over them in some
thicket, when the mother
goes out to prey or sati-
ates herself with some
prey which she cannot
carry away. He shares
her den in winter and is
left free only when an-
other has been found to
take his place. There-
fore one may even find
a four year old Pestun
in a Bear family.
Amusing An- Young Bear
tics of Young Cubs, when
Bears. about five or
six months old, are very
amusing animals. Their
liveliness is great and so
is their unwieldy clumsi-
ness, and they arc con-
stantly playing the droll-
est antics. Their child-
ishness shows in their
every action. They are
very playful, climb trees
from sheer mischievous-
ness, wrestle with each
other like boys, jump
into the water, run to
and fro without purpose
and play a hundred
tricks. They show no
particular affection for
their keeper, but are
amiable alike to every-
body, making no distinc-
tion of persons. Whoever
gives them something to
eat is the right man for
them; whoever rouses
their anger, is considered
a foe and if possible
treated as such. They
are as irritable as child-
ren; their love may be
won in a moment and
lost as rapidly. They
are clumsy and awkward, forgetful, inattentive, un-
wieldy and silly like their parents, with the only dif-
ference that these qualities are more prominent in
them. With careful training, however, young Cubs
may be taught to perform many amusing feats.
THE GRIZZLY BEAR. Most formidable among the Beasts of Prey found in the United States is the
Grizzly Bear, the monster of the far West, abovit which more thrilling tales of adventure have been told than any other
American animal. The picture shows him just as he has struck down his prey with a blow of his powerful paw and
is about to make a meal of it. The ponderous body, elongated head and muzzle, shaggy, grizzled fur and strong limbs,
ending in paws with five toes on each, are all brought out in faithful manner in this illustration. (L'rsus cinereusj
of the hunter. In southeastern Europe the Bear is
chiefly hunted in a battue during the autumn, rarely
by a single huntsman and very rarely in or in front
of his winter den ; in Russia, however, the latter
place is where he is usually sought. As the Bear
>0
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
always follows the same daily route, one can count
with tolerable security on meeting him, provided
one knows his habits. Cool blood, a good, steady
aim and good and tried weapons are prime necessi-
ties of a Bear-hunter.
Krementz says: "The prevailing opin'on, that the
Bear always stands on his hind-legs in his attacks
and walks up to his antagonist, is an erroneous one.
It would be easier to meet his attack if he did. I
have personally shot twenty-nine Bears, and seen
others shoot about sixty-five-; I have been present
at the attack of Bears of every size and description
and have been several times attacked myself; but I
saw only one male and one female Bear walk erect
toward their antagonists for any considerable dis-
tance. I do not wish to assert that the attack, as it
is usually pictured in hunting accounts and also in
scientific' works, never happens that way; only that
such cases seem to me to be extremely rare. The
attack of a Bear is usually sudden and rapid, and he
either tries to deal his opponent a blow with a fore-
paw by executing a rapid and violent movement to
the side, or he quickly trots up to his enemy, sud-
denly lifts himself on his hind-legs in the immediate
proximity of his foe whom he tries to knock down
with a violent stroke of the front-paw, or else he
deals him a sound blow and gives him a quick bite.
I [e never remains near his victim when Men or Dogs
are about, but makes his escape."
Besides being hunted in accordance with all the
rules of sport, the Bear is persecuted in all other
possible ways, in those countries where it molests
people. The purpose is accomplished by intrepidity
combined with cunning. In Galicia and Transylvania
strong iron traps are placed in the usual path of the
Bear; a chain is fastened to the trap and to the
chain a heavy log is tied with a long, strong rope.
If the Bear steps into the trap, he tries in vain to free
himself from the chain, and finally the long rope
entangles him in a tree and he tires himself out by
his struggles and perishes. The hunter inspects the
road every two days, and the track of the dragged
iron, chain or log clearly show him the way taken
by the Bear. "The natives of Asia," says Steller,
"construct a building of many logs, all of which
fall upon the Bears and kill them when they step
on the traps, which are carefully concealed in front
of the structure. The natives also dig a pit and
fasten a pointed, smooth, burnt pole in it, rising
several feet above its bottom; the pit is covered
with grass. Then they arrange a sham trap, a
spring, fastened to a rope; when the Bear steps on
the rope, the spring is loosened and hits the animal,
which, frightened out of its wits, incautiously runs
on. falls int" tin- pit on the pole and is killed."
In Norway, Russia, Transylvania and Spain there
are still to be found experienced and intrepid men
who, accompanied by a few Dogs, and armed only
with a spear and knife, meet the Bear, and risk a life
and death struggle with him.
Profits of The profit of a successful Bear hunt
a Successful is quite considerable. The flesh
Bear Hunt brings a good price; the fat, which
i^ reputi '1 to be an excellent remedy for promoting
the growth of hair, is much sought after and well
paid lor. Bear-fat is white, never becomes hard,
rarely gets ranCid i! kept in closed jars, and the
repulsive taste it has when iresh disappears on
steaming the fat with onions. The flesh of a young
B Ll is very palatable, the hams of old Bears are
considered a dainty, cither roasted fresh or cured.
The Barren
Ground Bear, an
Arctic Variety.
has been classed
The paws are esteemed the most savory part by
gourmets; but one must first get used to their
appearance, for when they are skinned and prepared
for cooking they resemble a large human foot to a
disgusting extent. The head is also said to make
an excellent dish. The fur is used in different ways;
that of the smaller animals has hardly any value,
while that of the larger ones brings, according to
Lomer, a price of from twenty to eighty dollars,
according to its beauty.
The Romans matched Bears in the arena, receiv-
ing their supply principally from the Lebanon
region, although we read that they had some which
came from northern Africa and Libya. Their de-
scriptions of the life of this animal are mixed with
fables. Aristotle, as usual, gives the most correct
account ; Pliny borrows from him, but adds a few
fables; Oppian gives an excellent account of the
magnificent Bear hunts of the Armenians on the
banks of the Tigris ; Julius Capitolinus describes the
fights in the circus and mentions that Gordian I.
brought a thousand Bears to the arena in one day.
In arctic North America there is a brown
Bear, which was found in the barren grounds
of the Arctic Zone, by Sir John Richardson,
who called it the Barren Ground Bear. It
by some naturalists as a distinct species
(Ursiis ric/nirttso)iii)h\xX. its similarity to the common Brown
Bear is so great and its points of difference so few that it can
scarcely be regarded as more than a local variety.
The Grizzly The nearest relative of the Brown Bear
Bear, an Amer- is the Grizzly Bear (Ursus cinereus or
icon Species. Ursus horribilis) known to the Ameri-
cans under the familiar appellation of " Old
Ephraim," and ranging over the whole of north-
western America. He resembles the common Bear
in structure and appearance, but is larger, heavier,
clumsier and stronger. The color varies greatly,
from iron gray to light reddish-brown, the former
hue sometimes having a somewhat silvery glint, the
latter a golden one, produced by the silver-white or
yellowish tips of the outer hair. American hunters
therefore distinguish between the Grizzly proper,
the Brown and the Cinnamon Bear, the latter variety
being considered the handsomest. His range com-
prises the west of North America. In the United
States he is found from the southern part of the
Rocky Mountain region, thence to the northern
part of Dakota. The farther we go to the west,
the more frequently he is encountered, especially
in mountains. In the south he is also found in the
high lands of Mexico; while in the north his range
extends as far as the Arctic Circle and farther.
Mode of Life In his mode of life the Grizzly resem-
of the bles the common Bear, and also hiber-
Gnzzly Bear, nates; but his walk is more staggering
and all his movements are clumsier. He is said to
be able to climb trees only in youth, not being equal
to this accomplishment in old age; on the other
hand he swims over wide streams with ease. He is
a capable Beast of Prey, and more than sufficiently
strong to conquer any creature living in his native
country.
Stories of Eormcr accounts all tend to char-
Encounters with acterize him as a cruel and formid-
the Grizzly. a\Ac animal. He was said to have
no fear of Man but to boldly attack him, no matter
whether the latter was on Horseback or afoot, armed
or defenseless, whether he had offended him or
never thought of hurting him. For all these rea-
sons, the hunter who had measured his strength with
"Old Ephraim " enjoyed the admiration and esteem
THE BEAR FAMILY— GRIZZLY BEAR.
251
of all Men, white or Indian, who heard of him, the
latter praising the killing of a Bear as the highest
deed of Man. Among all the Indian tribes the
possession of a necklace of Bears' claws and teeth
invests its wearer with a distinction scarcely enjoyed
by a European prince or commander of a victori-
ous army. Only he who has earned the Bear-chain
by his own prowess and efforts has a right to wear
it. It is further said that the monster, who walks
boldly up to other people to kill them, flees when
he scents the wearer of such a necklace. To the
same degree that the Grizzly fears the scent of such
a Man. all other animals are afraid of the Bear.
Domestic animals act exactly as if they perceived
the odor given forth by a Lion or Tiger, and even
the carcass or fur of the Grizzly inspires them with
a wholesome terror. Several hunters there are who
assert that the American Wild Dogs, so voracious in
other respects, show their awe of the Bear by leaving
his carcass untouched.
Food and Prey The Grizzly feeds on vegetable mat-
of the Grizzly ter, being fond of fruit, nuts and
Bear. roots, but he also kills animals; and
he is said to catch fish very dexterously. In Alaska,
where he is very common, one frequently sees paths
which he has trodden down and walks on regularly,
either on banks of rivers, or on desert plains, in
marshy or mountainous districts; and the direction
and course of these paths are selected with such skill
that one only needs to follow them in order to
strike the shortest road between two localities. "On
the steep slopes of the mountainous coast on the
west side of Cook's Inlet," says Elliott, "one can
occasionally see troops of twenty or thirty of these
unwieldy animals, in quest of berries and roots.
But their furs are not very valuable, because they
are of coarse, uneven, shaggy texture. As they are
also very ferocious, they are not hunted generally,
except by the Kenai people, who hold them in high
esteem like the rest of the natives, and are wont to
THE BLACK BEAR. — The most common species of Rear found in America is the Hlack Hear, which inhabits nearly all forest regions
of the United States and Canada. The picture well portrays this familiar animal, with its fur of almost uniform hlack, its clumsy hody and long,
somewhat pointed snout. The paws are smaller than those of the Brown Hear. The artist has appropriately pictured the animal in a dense
forest. This animal does not often assume the offensive toward Man, but is formidable when attacked. (I 'rsus americanus.)
There is no doubt that these as well as other
reports are partly incorrect, and in part greatly
exaggerated. They were spread and gained cre-
dence when the far West was as yet little frequented
and a monstrous animal was needed, capable of play-
ing the same part in stories of adventures, as the
most notorious predaceous beasts played in the Old
World. Occasional deeds were thought to be char-
acteristic of the whole species under all conditions,
and so the Grizzly became the terror of the unknown
far West. Many a Man has perished by Grizzlies,
as well as by the common Bear; wounded beasts
have defended themselves, and those taken by sur-
prise, especially mothers who thought their Cubs in
danger, have also, probably, assumed the offensive;
but still the American Bear is no more formidable
than his European relative, nor does he show greater
courage, but resembles him in all respects. Bears of
either species may become dangerous if provoked.
address eulogies to a Bear before killing or trying
to slaughter him. As the natives are further afraid
of entering on places where volcanic influences are
at work, the surroundings of craters, hot springs or
places where steam is issuing from the ground, form
an asylum for wild animals, especially for Bears,
which are all well aware of the fact that Man will
not molest them there."
Young Grizzly A young Grizzly can easily be tamed
Bears are and, like the Brown Bear, is then a
Easily Tamed, companionable, amusing animal for
a time. In spite of its length and thickness, his fur
is of so fine a texture and so lovely a color that it
is very becoming to the little fellow. Palliser, who
conveyed a little Grizzly to Europe, praised his
prisoner very much. He ate, drank and played with
the sailors, and amused all the passengers, so that
the captain of the ship later assured the sportsman
that he would like to have a young Bear on board
252
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
on every journey. This animal had struck up a
queer friendship with a little Antelope which was its
traveling companion, and defended it in the most
gallant way on one occasion. When the Antelope
was being led through the streets on its way from
the ship, a huge Mastiff pounced on it and seized it
in spite of the shouts and the blows which the
keeper administered to him with his stick. Fortu-
nately- Palliser and his Bear had taken the same
road, and when the latter saw what was going on, he
tore himself loose ; in another instant he had seized
his friend's foe by the neck and administered such
a castigation to him that he ran away with a piteous
howl.
Captive Grizzlies do not differ materially from the
European Bears in their customs. In the London
Zoological Garden there were two, which once
played an important part from a medical point of
view. In their youth they suffered from a severe
inflammation of the eyes, as a result of which they
became blind. It was decided to cure them. The
patients were separated, and the keepers put a
strong collar on each, and pulled the head of the
gigantic Bear close to the iron bars with ropes so
that the sponge saturated with chloroform could be
held to his nostrils with safety. The effect was dis-
proportionately rapid and sure. After a very few
minutes the huge animal lay like one dead in its
cage, deprived of consciousness and movement, and
the oculist could enter safely, put the terrible head
in position and do his work. Just as the cage had
been darkened, the animal awoke, staggered to and
fro as if intoxicated, and seemed to become still
more unsteady as its consciousness returned. In
time it appeared to realize what had happened to
it during its death-like sleep, and when it was ex-
amined a few days after, it had become conscious of
its regained power of sight and appeared to rejoice
in the light of day, or at least to know the contrast
between the former perennial night and the actual
brightness of the sunlight.
The Cinnamon Bear The Cinnamon Rear {Ursus cinnamoneus)
of the Rocku ls ^ some considered as a distinct spe-
Mn t ' siis 7nalayanus) [which
is by some authorities called the Malayan Sun Bear]
differs markedly from the species we have so far
considered. It is of elongated yet clumsy shape,
with a thick head, a wide muzzle, small ears, very
small, stupid eyes, comparatively huge paws, long
and strong claws and short fur. Its length is about
fifty-six inches, its height about twenty-eight inches.
The fur is short, but close, and is of a lustrous black-
hue, with the exception of the pale yellow sides of
the snout and a yellow or light mark on the breast
in a horseshoe or ring-like form.
The Biruang inhabits Borneo, Sumatra, Java and
the Malayan 1'eninsula. Very little is known about
his life in the free state. He is known to be an
excellent climber, perhaps the best among all his
family, and is said to live as much in trees as on the
ground, and to feed almost exclusively on plants,
though he may occasionally devour a quadruped or
bird. ,\( < ording io Marsden, he causes great devas-
tations in the cocoa plantations on Sumatra and also
cocoa palms to feed on the tender shoots.
1 1' i dd to be often kept in captivity in his native
country, lor he may be allowed to play even with
children, being a good-natured, harmless fellow,
which ma)- be given the freedom of the yard. Sir
Stamford Raffles, who possessed an animal of this
spe< ies, could let him go into the nursery and
never had to punish him by chaining him up, or by
blows. More than once the Bear went to the table
and asked for something to eat. lie also proved
to be a consummate gourmet, as the only fruit he
would eat were mangoes, lb- was loved and hon-
ored by the whole household and behaved in
model way, never harming the smallest animal,
often took his meals in company with a Dog, a Ca
and a small Parrot, out of the same dish.
In our cages the Biruang proves to be very differ-
ent, at least in so far as my experiences go: he seems
stupid, though anything but good-natured, rather
exhibiting an obstinate, wicked temper. He rarely
makes friends with his keeper, in spite of the best of
care.-
The Polar Bear, If the rather slight differences in
a Distinct structure and habits exhibited by
Species. the common Bears entitle them, in
the opinion of some naturalists, to be ranked as dis-
tinct species, it is easy to understand why the Polar
Bear ( Ursus maritimus ) is regarded as the represent-
ative of an independent species. The first naviga-
tors who mention him believed him to be only a
variety of Master Bruin, whose fur had assumed the
snowy color peculiar to high latitudes; but this error
did not prevail long, as the material differences
between the Brown and the Polar Bear were soon
discovered. The latter is distinguished by an elon-
gated body, a long neck, short, strong legs, with
feet much longer and broader than those of the
generality of Bears, and which have their toes con-
nected by strong webs nearly to their middle. He
is by far the largest of all Bears, for his height at
the shoulder is from fifty-two to fifty-six inches,
while he attains a length of from one hundred to
one hundred and twelve inches. He weighs twelve
hundred pounds, and, if very fat, even sixteen hun-
dred pounds.
The body of the Polar Bear is much clumsier,
though more elongated, and the neck much thinner
and longer than those of the Common Bear. The
head is long, flattened and comparatively narrow,
the back of the head is much elongated, the fore-
head is flat, the snout is thick at the root, pointed
in front ; the ears are small, short and rounded ;
the nostrils are wider and the mouth cleft less
deeply than those of the Brown Bear. The paws
are provided with thick, curved claws of moderate
length ; the tail is very short, thick and stub-like,
scarcely protruding from the fur. The long, shaggy,
rich and close fur consists of a short inner fur, and
of a plain, lustrous, soft outer coat of nearly woolly
texture. The hair is shortest on the head, neck and
back, longest on the hind quarters, the under por-
tion and the legs. There are a few bristle-like hairs
on the lips and over the eyes; but the eyelids have
no lashes. With the exception of a dark ring around
the eyes, the bare tip of the nose, the margins of
the lips and the claws, the Polar Bear is of a snowy
white color. The hue of young animals is a pure
silvery white, while the older individuals assume a
yellowish tinge, supposed to be caused by their oily
food. The season of the year has not the slightest
influence on the coloring.
The Icy Home The Polar Bear inhabits the highest
of the Polar latitudes of the globe, the genuine
Bear. jcc rCgion of the pole, and is found
only where the water is frozen, at least partially,
either a great part of the year or perennially. It
has not yet been established how far north he pene-
trates; but as far as Man has gone in those inhospi-
table regions, he has found the Bear to be a living
inhabitant of that zone so inimical to life, while to
the south he has been seen only in exceptional cases
as far as the 55th parallel of North latitude. He
belongs to none of the three northern continents
THE MALAYAN BEAR. This inhabitant of the Malayan Peninsula and Islands, sometimes called the Biruang, has a clumsy, black body to which
the pale yellow markings of the face present a decided contrast. These Bears are of arboreal habits, are expert climbers and like to disport themselves on
palm trees like the two shown in the picture. They are of playful disposition, and those here depicted appear to be having a pleasant time together. ( L'rsus
wtalayanus.)
(255)
256
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
exclusively, but is common to them all. Interfered
with and endangered by no other creature, heedless
of the severest cold and braving heavy storms, the
fierceness of which is almost beyond our power of
conception, he roams about through continent and
oceans, over the icy covering of the water or through
the waves, and the very snow itself may become his
covering and his shelter. He is plentiful on the
eastern American coast, around Baffin's Bay and
Hudson Bay, in Greenland, Labrador and some
islands, and is found as well on the land as on drift
ice. In Asia, Nova Zembla is his headquarters; but
he is also seen in New Siberia and even on the con-
tinent, though only when he drifts there on ice-floes.
In this way he sometimes lands in Lapland and also
in Iceland; and Polar Bears have frequently been
seen drifting on ice-floes in water that was otherwise
free from ice, at great distances from the shore.
Sometimes they roam about by the dozen or in even
more numerous troops. Scoresby says that he once
met about one hundred Polar Bears together on
the coast of Greenland, of which twenty were near
enough to be killed. The uninhabited island of
St. .Matthews, in Behring Sea, seems to be a real
Polar Bear country, for it is full of them; hundreds
of them keep house there, unmolested and secluded
from the world. They also abound north of the
Behring Strait and sometimes gather in considerable
numbers around some food. Pechuel-Loesche says:
" We saw an unusually numerous troop of Polar Bears
on an ice field, for which we thought there must be
some special reason. It soon became evident to
us. On the edge of the field lay the swollen car-
cass of a whale which had been washed ashore, and
the Bears had collected for a repast. It was an
interesting sight to see the participants of this feast,
some of which had soiled their white fur in a de-
plorable way in the difficult carving of the mountain
of flesh. They seemed very much displeased at our
arrival and quite disposed to dispute the right to the
prey with those in the approaching boat. But when
the largest fellow broke down with a shot in his
neck, and another was severely wounded, they made
their escape with surprising quickness. Like a pack
of angry Wolves they then surrounded us at a safe
distance and waited for our departure with all kinds
of lumbering, threatening gestures."
Physical Traits The movements of the Polar Bear,
of Polar on the whole, may be termed clumsy,
Bears. Dut njs pOWCrs 0f endurance are re-
markable. He exhibits them to the full in swim-
ming, as he is a masterful adept in this exercise.
Scoresby estimates the speed with which a Polar
Bear moves in the water, uniformly and without
apparent fatigue for hours at a time, at two and a
half to three miles an hour. The large amount of
fat stands him in very good stead, counterpoising
the weight of his body with that of the water. He
is therefore enabled to swim across vast expanses of
water for days at a time and is often met in the
open ocean far from the shore. According to
Pechuel-Loesche's observations, he always enters
the water hind quarters first, unless he is hart!
pr< mental qualities are somewhat Monkey-like.
He is cheerful, lively, inquisitive, mischievous and
prone to play merry tricks, but is also courageous,
and, when necessity demands it, cunning as a Fox
in catching his prey. He lives on excellent terms
with his own kind and even in old age he plays for
hours with like-minded companions, or in captivity
with any animal that is moved to play with him.
Raccoons Live on The 'Coon [for so he is familiarly
Varied Kinds called] eats anything edible, but
of Food. seems to be rather fastidious, select-
ing the choicest morsels wherever he can do so.
Fruit of all kinds, chestnuts, wild grapes, and sweet
corn while the ears are still soft, are articles of diet
highly esteemed by him; but he also preys upon
birds and their nests, knows how to slyly circumvent
a Chicken or a Pigeon, is a master in finding the
most carefully hidden nest, and then delights in the
eggs, which he knows how to open and empty with
marvelous agility, without losing a drop of their
contents. Not infrequently he enters gardens or
houses with the sole intention of stealing Chickens,
or devastating Hen's nests, and therefore does not
enjoy a very high place in the favor of farmers.
He even levies tribute on the water, for he very
adroitly catches fish and Crabs, and during low tide
he often travels far out into the sea in search of this
favorite dainty. He seems to be extremely partial
to the stout grubs of some Beetles and displays
preat skill in the capture of Grasshoppers. He
ses tin- peculiarity of dipping his food into
the water and then rubbing it between his forepaws,
as if to wash it. lie does this only when he is not
very hungry, however; for, when hunger presses, the
mds Of his stomach probably leave him no
time lor the much liked, playful occupation, which
has caused the' Germans to name him, "Wash-Hear."
The little Raccoons make their appearance in
May, They are from four to six in number to the
litter and very small. The mother, with consider-
able care, prepares a nursery for them in a hollow
tree.
Raccoon Hunt- The Raccoon is pursued not only
ing a Favorite account of his fur, but he is also
American Sport, killed for mere sport. If one has
only his fur in view, he is easily caught in iron and
other traps, baited with a fish or a little piece of
meat. The hunt is less simple. Americans are pas-
sionately fond of this sport. The Raccoon is not
hunted by day but by night, with Dogs and torch-
lights. When the Raccoon leaves his solitary den
and glides through the underbrush with low, noise-
less steps, and the forest is buried in stillness, the
hunters and Dogs set out. A good, experienced
Dog finds the trail and the whole pack rushes after
the fleeing, agile 'Coon, which finally mounts a tree
with Monkey-like quickness and tries to hide among
the darkest branches. The Dogs surround the foot
of the tree, barking and howling, while the pursued
animal lies cuddled far up in the branches comfort-
ably at rest, enveloped by the darkness of night.
Then the sportsmen come nigh. The torches are
thrown in a heap, dry wood and pine-cones are
gathered, and suddenly an immense fire blazes up
under the tree, shedding a magic light on the sur-
roundings. Some good climber then mounts the
tree, and undertakes the office of the Dogs among
the branches. The Man and the Monkey-like Bear
race with each other on the tree, till the 'Coon goes
forth on a wavering branch in the hope of reaching
another tree in this way. His pursuer follows him
as far as he can, and suddenly begins to shake the
branch with all his might. Then the poor Raccoon
must hold fast, or he will fall to the ground. But
all efforts are of no avail. The enemy advances
nearer and nearer, the animal's efforts to hold on
become more and more strenuous and then he
grasps a brittle branch and tumbles down. The
Dogs greet his downfall with joyous barks and the
chase is renewed with fresh vigor. The Raccoon
tries to escape the Dogs by climbing other trees, but
he is doomed to become the prey of his four-footed
enemies at last, and their bites end his life.
Raccoons May A Raccoon taken young usually be-
Become Very comes tame in a very short time.
Tame. jq;s familiarity, cheerful disposition
and peculiar restlessness, his never-ceasing enjoy-
ment of moving about, and his amusing, Monkey-
like temper, render him an agreeable pet. He en-
joys being petted very much, but never shows great
attachment to any person. He is ahvays ready for
play and pranks and testifies his contentment by a
little growl, just as Puppies are wont to do. His
demeanor reminds one of a Monkey in every re-
spect. He is always busy with something and pays
a great deal of attention to all that is going on
around him. He causes much mischief on his walks
around the house and yard. He investigates and
tastes everything, in the pantry as well as in the
yard and garden.
L. Beckmann's "Foremost among the qualities of the
Account of 'Coon," says L. Beckmann, "are his
the Raccoon. unlimited inquisitiveness and greed,
his obstinacy, and his tendency to search all nooks
and corners. In sharp contrast to these qualities, he
also possesses coolness, self-restraint and a marked
sense of humor. These contending instincts, natu-
rally, often bring about the queerest results. As
soon as he realizes the impossibility of attaining
any special object he has been striving for, the
fiercest curiosity immediately gives place to an
apathetic indifference, and obstinate perseverance
changes into resignation. On the other hand he
THE EACCOON. — Our Ameiii an n presentative of the Small Boars, the famous 'Coon, is very fond of eggs, and many a bird's nest is levied on for
these dainties by this sly, keen animal. The Raccoon in the picture has found a feast of this kind, and the little one beneath, too small to forage for himself,
is looking on enviously while his mother is enjoying her delicate repast. (Procyon lofor.)
(267)
268
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
often passes quite unexpectedly from lazy sulkiness
into the best of spirits by turning a somersault ;
and in spite of all his self-restraint and sagacity he
commits the silliest blunders when once his desires
have been aroused.
'• In the numerous leisure hours which fall to the
lot of every captive Raccoon, he occupies himself
with a thousand things for his amusement. He will
cither sit erect in a lonely corner and with the
utmost gravity try to tie a grass-blade around his
nose; or he will play meditatively with the toes of
his hind foot, or make dashes at the wagging tip
of his long tail. At other times he will lie on his
back, pack a large heap of hay or dry leaves on
his stomach and try to compress the whole pile by
drawing his tail over it with his fore-paws. If he
-2.
THE RACCOON. Perhaps do wild animal of the forest is better known to Americans than the Raccoon.
11 ls ,! 'ding cornfields while the corn Is green, visiting Hen roosts intent on robbery, and despoiling
fardeil Egetables. It Is therefore much hunted. It has dense gray fur with markings of white
and 1,1a. 1;, and has several brownish-black rings on its tail. These markings, the stout body, the pointed muzzle
and other features of the Kan oons are seen in the picture. (Prucyun lutor.)
can reach a stone wall, he scratches the mortar out
of the joints with his sharp claws and in a short time
es a sad devastation. Like Jeremiah on the
ruins of Jerusalem, he then crouches in the midst of
his mound of rubbish, casts grim glances at the sur-
roundings and loosens his collar with his fore-paws,
exhausted by the hard labor.
"After a prolonged drought, the sight of a tub
filled with water rouses his enthusiasm, and he tries
every means of approaching it. Then the first step
he takes is to investigate the depth of the water,
for he only likes to dip his feel into it in order to
wash various objects in it in play, and he decid-
edly disapproves of standing in the water up to his
neck. If the investigation proves satisfactory he
steps into the water with evident delight and gropt
on the ground for some washable object. An ol
pot handle, a piece of porcelain or a snail's shell ar
welcome finds and are immediately put into use.
"One Raccoon had entered into a covenant with a
large Setter. He liked to be coupled with the Dog
and then they both followed every step of their
owner, while, on the other hand, when the Raccoon
alone was led with a rope, he would always try to
go his own way. As soon as he was freed from his
chain- in the morning, he hurried to join his friend
with joyous bounds. Standing on his hind feet, he
hugged the Dog's neck with his flexible paws, and
caressingly put his head close to his companion,
and then touched and looked at the body of his four-
footed friend curiously from all sides. It seemed
rtJ ,._. , ,. __ that every morning he de-
tected and admired new
beauties in it. If there
were any flaws in the
hairy covering, he imme-
diately tried to remedy
them by licking and
stroking the Dog's fur.
"He did not care to
have any dealings with
the small, biting Dachs-
hunds; yet he occasion-
ally tried to embrace one
of the crooked - legged
creatures from above. If
he succeeded in doing
this, he would execute a
high, backward leap into
the air in his delight, try-
ing to bite his dangling,
curled tail between his
parted fore-paws, while
still in the air.
"He attacked smaller
mammals and poultry of
all kinds, and it was ex-
tremely difficult to make
him surrender his victims.
Mice, Rats and other such
animals he killed with a
bite in the neck and ate
them skin and all, as he
could only partially suc-
ceed in skinning them, in
spite of all his worrying
and pulling."
A Raccoon killed in the
chase is fairly profitable
game. His flesh is eaten
not only by Indians and
Negroes but also by some white people, and his
fur is extensively used: Raccoon fur being popular
for clothing. The long hair makes good painters'
brushes, the woolly fur is used in the manufacture
of hats, and the tails are used entire as boas.
The Crab-Eating Another member of the Raccoon
Raccoon De- family is the Crab-eating Raccoon or
scribed. Aguara {Procyon ca/icrivorus), which
represents the genus in South America, where it
is principally found on the eastern coasts. It is a
little taller than its relative, is of a grayish-black
or yellowish-gray hue, which is lighter on the under
than the upper surface, and the tail is bushy and
marked with yellowish rings. The face is dark, and
over the eyes there is a light patch.
THE BEAR FAMILY— RACCOON.
269
The Coatis and The Coatis (Nasua) naturally follow
Their Long the Raccoon and its companion.
Noses. They arc easily recognized by their
long, slender, nearly Weasel-like body, their short
neck and long, pointed head, their tail which equals
over the mouth, and has sharp and upturned edges.
The ears are short and rounded, the eyes of medium
size, and the five toes are united and armed with
long and slightly curved claws. The teeth resemble
those of the Raccoon, but are more slender.
THE COATI. In South America there is an animal resembling a Raccoon in many
respects, but having a most striking and distinguishing feature in its long, proboscis-like
nose. This is the Coati, of which a group is here depicted. They are arboreal in their
habits and are appropriately shown disporting themselves on trees, and their method of
descending from the tree head first is also portrayed. {Nastta rufa.)
the body in length and is thickly grown with hair,
and their short, vigorous legs, furnished with broad
paws and naked soles. Their most prominent feat-
ure is the nose, which projects, proboscis-like, far
Among the various species of Coatis
recognized by naturalists, only two are
differentiated in modern times. Not
only do the animals vary in physical
characteristics but they lead different
lives according to age, as Hensel has
distinctly proven. Prince von YVied
recognized two kinds in Brazil, the
Gregarious and the Solitary Coati, but
in the light of Hensel's researches
both are one and the same species;
for the Solitary Coatis are nothing but
old, sulk}- males which have separated
from the bands of the Gregarious Coa-
tis. It is, however, probably the case
that the two species which we will de-
scribe are correctly differentiated.
Characteristics The best known of
of the Red these species is the
Coati. Coati or Red Coati,
called Cuassi in Guiana {Nasua rufa).
Its range extends over a wide area of
country, from the north of South
America to Paraguay. Its length is
from forty to forty-two inches, about
eighteen of which go to the tail. The
height at the shoulders is eleven or twelve inches.
The thick, long, though not shaggy fur consists of
wiry, coarse, lustrous hair, longer on the tail than on
the body, and a short, soft, slightly curly, woolly
270
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
inner fur, which is especially dense on the sides
and back. The ground color varies on the back-
between red and grayish brown, and merges into a
yellowish tinge on the under surface. The forehead
and top of the head are yellowish gray, the lips are
white, the ears brownish black behind and grayish
yellow in front. A round, white spot is placed
above each eye, another on the outer corners of the
eyelids, and two, which sometimes merge into one,
stand under the eyes; a white band runs down along
the root of the nose. The tail is ringed alternately
with brownish yellow and brownish black.
Description of Hensel considers the Narica (Nasua
the Narica, a narica) of Central America an en-
Distinct Species, tirely distinct species. It is about
the same size as the Coati and the general coloring
also recalls the latter. The upper surface of the fur
is more or less dark, according to whether the light
or dark hue of the hair-tips prevails in the individual
animal. A ring around the eye, a band commencing
over the eye and running toward the tip of the nose,
and the front part of the snout above and below, are
yellowish white ; the throat and sides of the neck
are slightly darker, the rest of the under surface
brownish, the feet of a pronounced brown.
The Coati in We are indebted to Azara, Hensel,
His Wild Rengger and Prince von Wied for
State. detailed descriptions of the Coati as
it is seen in the wild state.
"The Coati," says Hensel, "is so common in
Brazil that I was enabled to purchase as many as
two hundred skulls. Comparison of these skulls
and observation of the Coati in the wilderness lead
me to the conclusion that the old males, which have
been considered a distinct species, lead a solitary
life. At a certain age they leave the troop of which
they have so far been members in company with
the females, and after that they return to the troop
only during the breeding season. Solitary females
are scarcely ever seen ; and if a single one be occa-
sionally found, it has probably been driven away
from the troop by hunters, or the troop has been
quite near but has remained unnoticed by the sports-
man. The Coatis are diurnal animals. They rest
at night and display an incessant activity from
morning till evening. During the day they seem to
be perpetually wandering, leaving no place acces-
sible to them unsearched. Their food undoubtedly
consists of everything edible in the animal and veg-
etable world. They also like to enter plantations
to plunder the maize fields, especially while the
grains are still tender."
The Daily Small animals of all kinds become
Life of the their pre)- ; and they seem to regard
Coati. insects and their larvae, worms and
Snails as dainties. When they have scented a
worm in the ground or a grub in some rotten
wood, they take the greatest pains to possess them-
selves of this prey; they eagerly dig with their fore-
paws, put their noses into the excavated holes from
time to time and sniff, like Dogs which hunt for
Mice in the field, until they have attained their ob-
ject. The morning is spent noisily in whistling, dig-
ging and rooting, climbing and quarreling. When it
is to get hot in the forest, the troop looks out
tor a suitable place for a nap. A well-placed tree
or a convenienl bush is picked out and each com-
fortably stretches itseli on a branch and takes its
m ileep. In the afternoon the wandering is
resumed, until the task of finding a good sleeping-
place at night interrupts it. If Coatis notice a Eoe,
they immediately apprize their companions of it by
loud, whistling sounds, and hurriedly climb a tree;
all others follow this example and in a minute the
whole troop is distributed on the branches at the
top. If one ascends after them or only gives the
trunk a sound blow with an axe, they go out farther
on the branches, jump to the ground and run away.
If they are undisturbed, they descend from the tree
head first. They turn their hind-paws outward and
backward and hold fast with them to the trunk.
On branches they proceed cautiously and do not
dare to take leaps, as Monkeys do, for instance,
from one tree to another, though they could do so if
they would try, for their agility is scarcely inferior
to that of the Monkeys or Cats. On the level
ground they are much clumsier than in the branches
of a tree. They either walk, holding their tails
vertically upward, or jump in short bounds, always
touching the ground with but one half of their
soles. It is only when standing or sitting on their
haunches that they step on the entire sole. Their
running gait looks awkward, but consists really of
a gallop, in which much ground is quickly covered.
They seem to fear the water and enter it only when
hard pressed ; yet they are sufficiently good swim-
mers to cross rivers and streams.
Of their senses, that of smell is undoubtedly the
most acute; the one next in keenness is the sense
of hearing, while sight, taste and touch are relatively
weak. At night they do not see, and even by day-
light their sight is not very keen, and sensibility
in the animal seems to be nearly confined to the
proboscis-like nose, which is also the principal organ
of touch.
According to Rengger the young Coatis make
their appearance in October, from three to five in
number, in a hollow in a tree or in the ground, a
ditch grown with thick bushes, or some other se-
cluded nook. Here the young are kept hidden until
they can follow the mother on all her prowlings.
How The white inhabitants of South Amer-
ce Coati is ica and Mexico hunt the Coati prin-
Hunted. cipally for pleasure. They roam the
woods with a pack of hounds, which track a troop.
At sight of the Dogs, the Coatis flee, screaming, to
the nearest trees and are shot. It requires a well-
aimed shot, if one wishes to get them into one's pos-
session; for those which are wounded lie down on
an embranchment and can only be dislodged with
much effort. A single Dog cannot cope with this
animal. The Coatis which live solitary know espe-
cially well how to use their teeth to good purpose,
turning courageously on any Dog which may happen
to be near, screaming fiercely and biting viciously.
The victory is dearly bought, at any rate, for the
Coati sometimes incapacitates five or six Dogs
before yielding to superior power. The flesh is
liked not only by natives, but also by Europeans.
How the Coati In captivity, the Coati becomes at-
Acts in Cap- tached to people, although it never
tiuity. shows any particular preference for
its keeper, however tame it may be. It plays with
everybody, Monkey-fashion, and also with its ani-
mal companions, such as Dogs, Cats, Chickens and
Ducks. It is unsafe, however, to disturb it when it
eats, for even the most domesticated Coati will bite
men or beasts if they try to take its food away;
Independent or even fierce traits enter into the
composition of its character. It by no means sub-
mits to the will of Man, but becomes furious when
compelled to obey. Not even blows are of much
THE BEAR FAMILY— KINKAJOU.
271
avail, for it courageously resists and bites those who
punish it, be it the keeper or anybody else.
Not much docility can be expected of so irritable
and intractable a creature. It is hardly possible to
train it for anything. Rengger saw one which stood
on its hind legs, like a Poodle, at the command of
THE KINKAJOU.
i is an animal which has puzzled the naturalists. Wl
scientific world it was classed with the Lemurs, then with the Civets, but is now put with the Hear family, to which it
is allied by its anatomical structure, its teeth, its food and its plantigrade walk. It has a short. Cat-like head, and a
tail which is prehensile like that of the Monkeys, its neighbors, for its home is in South America, although it has
been found as far nortli as Louisiana. (Cercoleptes caudnoliulus.)
did the one in Paris. This enigmatical creature was
a Kinkajou, an animal really nearly unknown at the
time. Some believed it to be a Lemur; others, con-
sidering the teeth, which were entirely different from
those of the Half-Monkeys, classed it with the Civ-
ets, and called it the Mexican Weasel; but the pre-
hensile tail did not fit
into this category and
the teeth also differed
markedly, distinguished
as they were by blunt
grinders, adapted for a
mixed diet. At last it
was placed among the
Bears, together with sev-
eral other animals as pe-
culiar as itself.
The Kinkajou, Mana-
viri or Cuchumbi, as the
animal is called in its
native country, northern
Brazil ( Cercoleptes caudi-
volvtdus), seems to be a
transitional form be-
tween Bear and Civet.
The body is very long,
but clumsy, and rests on
short legs; the head is
remarkably short, thick
and short -snouted; the
eyes are of moderate
size, the cars small, the
toes are five in number,
half grown together and
armed with strong claws,
and the soles are naked.
The tail is longer than
st made known to the
its master, and shammed death at the report of a
gun, but such docile individuals are exceptions to
the rule.
If allowed the freedom of the house, the Coati
makes itself extremely disagreeable. It digs up
or upsets everything with its nose. It is possessed
of much strength in this
member and of a good
deal of agility in its fore-
paws, and makes good use
of both. It leaves nothing
untouched. If it can get
hold of a book, it turns all
the leaves, using its two
fore-paws alternately with
remarkable rapidity. If it
is given a cigar it unrolls it
completely by a like move-
ment. If a standing object
attracts its attention, it
gives it a blow first with
the right paw, then with
the left, until the object
falls down.
The Kinkajou a Some time
Very Peculiar ago the pos-
Animal. s ess or of a
zoological garden in Paris
had the right to claim that
he showed the world an animal as yet unknown to
naturalists, and which he had received from America.
This happened toward the end of the last century,
and another specimen came to London at the same
time, interesting the naturalists there as intensely as
the body, and is as completely prehensile as that of
some pouched animals or of the Howlers. When
full-grown the Kinkajou measures thirty-six inches,
about nineteen of which go to the tail; the height at
the shoulders is six or seven inches. The fur is very
thick, rather long, slightly curled, soft, and of vel-
THE CACOMIXLE. Long erroneously thought to belong to the Civet family, the Cacomixle is now-
classed with the Raccoon gioup of the Bear family. It is found in Mexico, Texas and California, and has many
popular names in the latter state, including " Raccoon-Fox " and " Mountain-Cat."' It has a face much like that of
the Raccoon, but has a ringed tail as long as the body. It can be tamed very successfully and is an excellent adept
at catching Mice. [Hassaris a
vety lustre; the color of the upper and external sur-
face is a light, grayish yellow, with a reddish surface
tinge, and shows brownish black waves, especially
distinct on the head and back. Its appearance har-
monizes excellently with its arboreal surroundings.
.)-.)
THE BEASTS OF PREY.
At present we know that the Kinkajou is widely
spread. It is indigenous to the whole of northern
Brazil, Peru and to the north as far as Mexico, or
even southern Louisiana and Florida. It lives in
virgin forests, on trees, and delights in the proximity
of great rivers. Its habits are completely nocturnal;
it spends the day sleeping in hollow trees, but at
night it displays great activity, climbing with remark-
able adroitness about the high tree-tops in search of
food. Its prehensile tail is extremely useful in this
connection. It is inferior to hardly any Monkey in
climbing ability. All its movements are marked
by great agility and security. It can hold fast to
branches with its hind legs or tail and grasp a tree
so firmly that it is able to climb down head first.
Its mode of progression is plantigrade.
Traits of the All those who have so far observed
Kinkajou the Kinkajou agree in that it is
Described. gentle and good-natured in its re-
lations to Man, and soon becomes as familiar and
kind as a Dog, likes to be petted, recognizes its
owner's voice and seeks his company. By actions
it invites its keeper to play with it, or to speak to it,
and these friendly traits make it one of the most
popular domestic pets of the natives in South Amer-
ica. In captivity, as well as in its wild state, it
sleeps during most of the day. It then covers its
body, especially the head, with its tail. It eats any-
thing which is given it: bread, meat, fruit, boiled
potatoes, vegetables, sugar or preserves; drinks milk,
coffee, water, and, if permitted, wine or even brandy
until it is intoxicated, which makes it sick for
several days. Occasionally it also attacks a fowl,
kills it, sucks the blood and leaves the rest. Kap-
pler, who observed the Kinkajou in Guiana, says:
" It lives only on fruit and becomes extremely tame.
I received a young one from Indians, and gave him
complete liberty. Nobody knew where he spent the
day, but as soon as we sat down to the table in the
evening, "Wawa," as we called the creature, arrived
and amused us by his funny, caressing actions, one
of which consisted in his trying to insinuate his long,
slender tongue into my mouth, ears and nose. He
ate ripe bananas and other fruit. When the house
was closed at night, Wawa was put out, and he then
mounted the bread-trees, cocoanut palms or Avogato
trees, for he did not like to stay on the ground. I
kept him over a year, until he suddenly died."
The Cacomixle A small Beast of Prey, which for-
a Small but merly was placed among the Civets,
Liueiy Species, according to recent research belongs
to the American Small Bears. We mean the Civet,
or as Hernandez called it as early as 165 1, the
Mexican Cacomixle {Bassaris astuta). An adult
male attains a length of about thirty-eight inches,
two-fifths of which go to the tail. In shape, the
animal reminds one of a small Fox; in coloring, of a
Coati.
The Cacomixle inhabits Mexico, Texas [and Cali-
fornia, and it has been found as far north as Oregon.]
In Mexico it takes up its abode in rocks and de-
serted buildings, but in Texas is found principally
in hollow trees. In Mexico it is frequently found
in the very capital, and Charlesworth even supposed
that it never made its habitation far from human
dwellings, as the poultry yards furnished it such
favorable hunting grounds.
The Cacomixle is a lively, playful and active
creature, frequently recalling to mind a Squirrel by
its movements and attitudes, and the Mexicans call
it "Squirrel-Cat" for this reason. If disturbed in its
den, it assumes the same graceful attitudes as the
Squinel and lays its tail upon its back. It is an
excellent climber, but can not leap from branch to
branch with the agility and security of the Squirrel.
When frightened it runs along one branch and tries
to reach another from its twigs. Occasionally one
may see it lying on some bough basking in the sun.
It then lies motionless, half curled up and appar-
ently sleeping; yet at the slightest signal of danger
it slips into its hole with all possible speed and re-
appears only after sunset.
In spite of the slyness and timidity of the Caco-
mixle, it may become moderately tame, and after it
has been kept in a cage for some time, it may be
allowed to run about the house at will. It is fre-
quently kept as a pet in Mexico, and makes itself
useful as a mouser.
Zhc Scale or jfin*3footeb Bntmals.
FIFTH ORDER: Pinnipedia.
N THE Seals we see inhab-
itants of the sea, which,
unlike the Whales, appear
to be mammals even to
the uninitiated. Though
essentially aquatic, they
possess four legs, which
are distinctly outlined
and not joined for their
entire length to the body,
as in the Whale, although
their motion is of a trail-
ing character, and the feet
show the existence of fin-
gers and toes with some distinctness. With most
of the Seals the toes are perfectly mobile and con-
nected only by webs, but with a few they are entirely
enveloped in the skin of the body and immobile,
but may, nevertheless, be usually recognized by the
little nails, which are developed externally. There is
nothing that should strike us as absolutely strange
about these animals except the feet. The structure
of the toes is different from that of any animals we
have so far considered: the middle toe is here not
the longest and strongest, but all the toes are of
practically identical conformation. Though the
bodily structure of the Seals differs notably from
that of all other mammals which we have so far dis-
cussed, in other respects comparison may still be
drawn between it and that of the beasts of prey —
especially the Otter and the Bear — with a fair degree
of ease, and some naturalists, who class the Seals
among the beasts of prey, are therefore justified in
doing so. The head is comparatively small, toler-
ably distinct from the neck and resembles that of
the Otter or the Bear. The nose is provided with
oblique, slit-like nostrils, which may be closed; the
eye is large and furnished with a lid, the outer ear
may be closed, and is developed to an appreciable
extent only in one species, the other Seals lacking
an ear-conch. The short, thick neck merges imme-
diately into the body, the shape of which is more
or less cylindrical and gradually tapers to the but-
tocks, while the tail has deteriorated into a stub.
The thick, firm skin is, for the greater part, covered
only with a plain outer fur of uniform length, which
sometimes is elongated into a mane, or there may
be a somewhat thick, woolly inner fur. The teeth
and the inner structure show a distinct character of
their own, in spite of the manifold resemblance to
the respective parts of the beasts of prey.
The vertebral column resembles that of the Carni-
vora; the cervical vertebrae are distinct and furnished
with well-developed processes. There are fourteen
or fifteen dorsal and five or six lumbar vertebrae ;
from two to seven united vertebras form the sacrum,
and from nine to fifteen go to the tail. The clavicles
are absent. The bones of the limbs are very short ;
the bones of the fore-arm and leg are always
separate, the wrist and ankle-joints are of regular
formation.
Wide Distribu- The Seals are distributed over all
Hon of the the oceans of the globe, inhabiting
Seals. ^e higher south as well as the
north, and are even found in great inland Asiatic
lakes, into which they have either penetrated by way
of the rivers flowing from them, or in which they
were left, when all the means of communication
by water with the greater ocean were shut off. The
north exhibits the most species, the south is stocked
with those that are most striking in appearance.
Usually Seals delight in the proximity of a coast,
and many undertake wanderings from one locality
to another, and also often go up rivers.
Sea/s on the They live on the mainland only on
Ground and in special occasions, namely, during the
the Water. breeding season and in their earliest
youth; and the water is their proper element. Seen
on the ground they strike one as very helpless
creatures, but in the water they proceed with the
greatest ease. It is with difficult},- that they climb
rocks from the beach or drifting ice, and then they
comfortably stretch themselves on the firm ground
and bask in the sun; at the sound of danger, they
seek the friendly depth of the ocean with all pos-
sible despatch. They swim and dive in a masterly
way. It matters not to them, whether the dorsa".
surface of their body lies upward or downward; they
are even able to move backward, as I can vouch for
from my own experience. In the water they can
turn about in any direction, and change their loca-
tion with the greatest agility.
Haache's Haacke writes: "We are moved to
Observations involuntary admiration when we ob-
of Seals. serve Seals engaged in fishing. At
the Frankfort Aquarium, from the dark space re-
served for visitors, one may observe the Seals under
glass in a spacious tank, hunting live fish for their
sustenance. It is astonishing to note the accuracy
and speed with which they conform to every rapid
movement of the fish and anxiously dart through
the water, every movement and turn of each flipper
of the Seals being to the purpose and planned with
exactness, while they elongate or shorten their necks
at will. In a few seconds the fish disappears in the
Seal's mouth, as if sucked in. Great, also, is the
dexterity with which our Seals, standing erect in the
water and looking for the food-bringing keeper, can
keep themselves in one place by a gentle movement
of their hinder flippers."
Movements of On the ground, on the other hand,
Seals on even those species which really walk,
Land. hobble along in an awkward way,
while all the other species move about in a very
odd fashion, peculiar to themselves. Their method
of locomotion is nearly the same as that of some
Caterpillars. The Seal which wishes to go from one
place to another on the ground throws itself on
(273)
274
THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS.
its breast, arches its body as a Cat does its back,
then rests its weight on the hind quarters, about the
loins, and quickly jerks its body forward, throwing
its fore part further to the front by this means. It
is thus enabled to grovel along at a somewhat rapid
pace, by alternately resting its fore and hind parts
on the ground, and arching and stretching its body.
The legs are, in fact, not called into service in thus
moving along the ground, but are only utilized when
the animal climbs upward. It also uses its limbs
very skillfull}- for the purpose of dressing and clean-
ing' its fur, or scratching itself, or to grasp some-
thing with them; for instance, when clasping its
young to the breast.
General Traits All Seals are gregarious in a high
and Habits of measure, and solitary specimens are
the Seals. hardly ever seen. The more deserted
the locality, the larger are the troops and families
sides or their under surfaces to the kindly rays of the
sun; they close their eyes almost completely, yawn
and generally deport themselves more like dead
masses of flesh than living creatures ; and the
regular opening and closing of the nostrils are the
only signs of life they give under these circum-
stances. When they feel very well, or during the
breeding season, they neglect eating for weeks at a
time ; but at last hunger urges them to rise and
return to the ocean, where their lean body soon
regains its pristine roundness and sleekness and
again acquires its bolsters of fat. According to
Haacke's observations in Frankfort they can endure
hunger for at least six weeks. The little Seals are
lively, playful and cheerful, but old animals are
sulky in disposition, and appear to become degener-
ated in consequence of their laziness. It must be
admitted, however, that their helplessness on the
THE COMMON SEAL. The typical animal among the Ordinary or Earless Seals is the Common Seal, which is sometimes also called the Harbor
Seal. It is one- of the smallest hut hest known species of the Seal family, has a fur varying in color with different individuals, but usually brown or brown-
ish yellow with darker spots. It likes to rest on the beach or rocks bordering on the sea. but its movements on land are very slow and awkward. It is the
only Seal at all common on the eastern coast of the United States, and it frequently ascends large rivers, sometimes to a considerable distance above tide
water. It is found on both sides of the Atlantic and north Pacific, and also in the Mediterranean. (Phoca vitulina.) '
formed by the Seals; and the less they come in con-
tact with Man, the more comfortable and sympa-
thetic become these creatures, which exhibit so
much timidity in regions frequented by human
beings.
The habits of the Seals are nocturnal. They pre-
fer to spend the day on the mainland, sleeping and
basking in the sunshine, and then exhibit charac-
teristics which arc the reverse of those they display
in the water. When they are on land one perceives
no sign of the agility and speed which mark their
actions when they are in their proper element, but
on the contrary they present a complete picture of
laziness. Anything that disturbs their repose is
highly distasteful to them; in fact, some species can
scarcely be incited to flee. Blissfully they stretch
themselves, alternately presenting their backs, their
ground makes them appear even lazier than they
really are. When they see that they are in danger,
they speedily enter the water, as I said before; but
if peril suddenly overshadows them, they become so
frightened that they sigh and tremble, and are so
excited that their frantic efforts fail to avert their
peril. But if they have to defend females and young
ones some of them exhibit great courage. On the
loneliest islands some species are so indifferent to
strange visitors that they calmly permit the intrud-
ers to walk around among them and do not flee; but
they develop great wariness after they have once
become acquainted with Man, the destroyer of the
animal world.
Of their senses, that of hearing is excellent, in
spite of the absence or small size of the external
ear ; sight and smell are less strongly developed.
THE ORDINARY SEALS.
275
The voice consists of hoarse sounds, sometimes
resembling the bark of a Dog, sometimes the bleat-
ing of a Calf, or the bellowing of a Cow.
Family Life Every group of Seals is one family,
of the A male always unites himself to
Seals. several females. From about six to
twelve months after the breeding season, the female
gives birth to one, or more rarely two young Seals,
which are pretty and cheerful little creatures.
Old and young love each other with equal tender-
ness and the mother protects her offspring against
any danger at the peril of her own life. The father
enjoys the merry play of the little ones, and signifies
his approbation by a contented growl, and as his
constitution forbids an active participation in the
pranks of the young one, he follows its somer-
saults and rapid movements back and forth, at least
with his eyes. After two months at the utmost
the young Seals are so far developed that they can
be weaned. Their growth proceeds rapidly. After
from two to six years they have reached maturity;
at the age of from twenty-five to forty they are old
and decrepit.
Their food is of an animal character, chiefly con-
sisting of fish, Crustacea and mollusks. A few spe-
cies are also said to attack various sea-birds, which
smaller Pinnipedia do not annoy, or even other
Seals. It has happened in Dusseldorf that Seals
which have been peacably inhabiting a tank with
Ducks, suddenly dragged all the latter under water
and killed them. In order to promote their diges-
tion, some Seals swallow stones, after the same man-
ner as certain species of birds.
A Seal-hunt is nothing but merciless slaughter.
Therefore the word "sport" is never used in connec-
tion with it; Seal-hunters talk of "killing," but never
of "sport." Old and young, large and small Seals are,
or at least were, all being destroyed without distinc-
tion. In this way it has been brought about that
nearly all species of Seals are much reduced in num-
bers and some are on the road to complete extinc-
tion. In many places but few remain of the large
herds which during the last century covered lonely
islands. The oil and fat, teeth and skin of the Seals
are commodities much sought after, and this ex-
plains the zealous pursuit of these animals by Man.
Nearly all Seals may be tamed and some nearly
become domestic animals. They come and go at
will; fish in the ocean and return to their owner's
house of their own accord; learn to know him and
follow him like Dogs.
Divisions of the The order of the Seals is naturally
Fin-Footed divided into three families. The
Animals. first are the Ordinary Seals, which
are entirely devoid of an ear-conch and of the
power of walking on their hind feet. In marked
distinction from them is the family of Eared Seals,
which are possessed of ears and have the ability to
use their hind legs for the purpose of walking. Be-
tween these two are placed the Walruses, in which
the ears are wanting, but which are able to advance
their hind legs under their body.
TEbe ©rbinar\> Seals.
FIRST FAHILY: Phocid^.
Much more numerous than all other families, the
Ordinary Seals populate not only the oceans of the
globe, but also large inland lakes, which are con-
nected with the former, or which formed part of
them in bygone times, as for instance, the Baikal
and the Caspian Seas. They inhabit all the zones
of the earth, but are especially abundant in the frigid
zones, and divide into a considerable number of
species in the north. Off some coasts these much-
pursued animals are still plentifully found, and,
speaking generally, they are not rare on any coast,
although their numbers continue to steadily decrease.
Habits of the Bi their habits they much resemble
Ordinary the Eared Seals; in their movements
Seals. on tiie ground they differ from the
latter quite materially, because they are not able
to walk, but have to propel themselves by a sliding
movement. It is only in the water that they show
themselves to be the equals of the Eared Seals and
display all their swiftness, for they swim and dive
in masterly fashion. They dart through the water
with the speed of a predaceous fish, turning around
with lightning-like rapidity; they also can stay in
any particular place as long as they please. For
amusement they describe circles, from time to time
jump out of the water full length, chase or tease each
other, or play quite alone in the water, acting as if
they were intoxicated ; they come to the surface
lying on their backs, push themselves along while in
that position, turn around and around, and act in the
oddest manner, sometimes forgetting themselves to
such a degree that a skillful hunter can approach
them unnoticed, within a harpoon's throw, and kill
them.
Actions of They descend to a great depth and
Ordinary Seals occasionally stay under water for a
in Water. considerable length of time, but bv
no means as long as is averred by some writers. If
they are not pursued, they come to the surface to
breathe, on an average once a minute. It may hap-
pen that Seals, when pursued, will stay three or four
times as long under water; but at any rate they are
not capable of spending half an hour there, as has
been repeatedly affirmed and believed. Fabricius,
who described the Seals living in Greenland at great
length, does not believe that a Seal can stay under
water longer than seven minutes. Seals really sleep
in the water. With a few strokes of their flippers
they rise to the surface from time to time with their
eyes closed, breathe, go again to the bottom and
repeat the performance at every breath of air. That
they can sleep lying on the surface is amply proved.
The Greenlanders, who intimately know this animal
which is so important to them, have a special name
for each of its attitudes in the water, because they
decide, from the various positions assumed by the
animal, whether they will be able to approach a
swimming Seal or not.
276
THE FIX-FOOTED ANIMALS.
The Ordinary Though the Seals live in the ocean
Seal on the for days and weeks and can dispatch
Land. an their business in the water, they
are fond of repairing to the land for the purposes of
resting, sleeping and basking in the sun's rays.
They jerk themselves out of the water to a consid-
erable distance on the shore, by violently flapping
their expanded hind feet together. When fright-
ened or in danger all Seals constantly spit water,
perhaps in order to make their pathway smoother.
Clumsy as their gait may appear, it is a very rapid
pace: a running Man must expend some effort in
order to overtake a Seal gliding along on land. The
hind part of a Seal's body is as mobile as its neck.
The Seal can twist itself so as to lie on its back in
front and on its under surface behind, or the reverse,
and can turn its head in any direction.
In the higher latitudes these animals, even when
not compelled to do so, preferably select drift-ice as
their resting places, and stay there, quietly stretched
out, for periods as long as those in the south lie on
the beach warmed by the sun. The possibility of
lying for hours on so cold a surface without giving
up too much heat or catching cold is afforded them
by the layer of fat which spreads between the skin
and muscles, and is a very poor conductor of heat.
The voice of the Seals is either a hoarse bark or a
whine; when angry they growl like Dogs.
Development Even the ancients described the
of the Senses Seals as highly gifted animals.
of Seals. Their senses seem to be efficient
and of rather uniform development. Nose and
ears may be closed and in a living Seal alternately
have the appearance of triangular, roundish holes or
only of narrow slits. The nostrils are opened at
every breath and immediately closed again and stay
so, even when the animal is on land, while the ears
are shut only in the water and not always even there.
In the large and very slightly protruding eyes the
light or dark brown iris fills the entire space left
open by the lids ; the white of the eye is seldom
seen. The pupil is neither circular nor elliptical but
four-cornered. The expression of a Seal's eye is
worthy of notice, as is also the fact, that when
moved by emotions of any kind, all Seals shed tears.
If we regard sight as the most highly developed
sense, as we probably have the right to do, we may
consider hearing as the next best. The ancients had
discovered the fact that Seals are fond of music and
singing, and modern observers have noticed that
they attentively listen to bells and other loud
sounds. Brown affirms that he has frequently seen
Seals lift their heads out of the water and listen to
the songs of sailors who were hauling in an anchor
with a windlass*. The church at Hoy on the Ork-
neys is situated near a narrow, sandy bay, much fre-
quented by Seals, and they find particular attraction,
as it seems, not only in its situation but also in the
church-bells; for the animals have often been seen
swimming straight to the coast when the bells were
ringing, their eyes fixed in the direction from which
the sounds proceeded, while they listened, with rapt
and delighted attention, as long as the bells contin-
ued ringing.
Mental It is difficult to pass judgment on
> Characteristics the mental qualities of Seals. There
of Seals. js no doubt as to their sagacity; but
frequently they display such stupidity and clumsi-
ness as to puzzle the observer. Hold in deserted
localities, they behave with extreme caution where
they know that they are threatened by deadly
enemies. It is established that the warnings of
older animals are heeded and acted upon by the
younger ones. Captive Seals soon make friends
with their keepers and soon become very tame,
respond to the names that are given them, will leave
the tank and take fish out of the keeper's hand and
show their interest and affection in other respects.
There are certainly some which suffer themselves to
be touched and stroked by the keeper, shake hands
with him, and even allow a friend to put his hand in
their mouths.
It seems that Seals are rather indifferent toward
all animals which are not classed as fish, mollusk or
Crab; but if one were to regard this as a proof of
their good-nature, one might be mistaken. They
are always violent when brought in contact with
Dogs; they snort angrily and try to drive the canine
intruders away by gnashing their teeth together.
Development Like all members of their family
of the Young they give evidence of special tender-
Seals. ness toward their young. They play
with them in many ways, and defend them in peril
even against stronger animals.
Varying with the locality in which the Seals live,
their young are born during the months of May,
June or July, birth being given to one, or more rarely
two young Seals, on some lonely, uninhabited island,
preferably on sandy spots on the beach, in caverns,
on rocks or on an ice-field. The young Seals make
their appearance perfectly developed, but are clothed
in a dense, white, pliable fur, which hinders them
from swimming and still more from diving, but is
soon exchanged for the sleek, stiff fur of youth.
Until that time the female stays on land with the
little ones.
In the Zoological Garden of Hamburg a perfectly
developed little Seal was born on the 30th of June,
at an early hour, for the keeper, to whose care I
had committed the Seal, saw the little one playing
in the water near its mother when he arrived in the
morning. On the land I found the whole fur of the
newborn, consisting of a not inconsiderable heap of
short, wavy hair of silky softness, all of which was
lying on a spot of small circumference. The little
one wore no trace of the woolly fur; its coloring
closely resembled that of its mother, except that the
different colors were fresher and brighter. The eyes
had a clear and lively appearance. Even the very
movements of the young animal were entirely those
of its parent: as agile in the water, as clumsy on
land. It seemed, that during the first hours of its
life it had already acquired all the accomplishments
of its race, for it swam on its stomach and on its
back, dived easily and long, and, in a word, it acted
like an old Seal. But then it had been born as a
remarkably developed and strikingly large speci-
men. On the very day of its birth we succeeded
in weighing and measuring the already intractable
little fellow. He weighed seventeen and one-half
pounds and was thirty-four inches long.
The spectacle the two animals presented was a
highly fascinating one to the observer. The mother
seemed to rejoice in her offspring, and displayed the
greatest tenderness in every respect, while the preco-
cious little one seemed to understand her. From
the very first days she played with it in a clumsy
way, at first in the water, then also on land.
Importance To the northern nations the Seals
of the Seals are the most important of all ani-
to Man. mals. The Greenlanders' life is ren-
dered possible by the Seals, and they extract profit
THE ORDINARY SEALS.
277
from every portion of the animal's body. But we
also value highly the sleek, beautiful, waterproof
fur, and esteem the fat and even the flesh. It is not
surprising, therefore, that the Seals are most eagerly
hunted in all oceans. Hunt and captuie are nearly
synonymous in this case, for fire-arms are used but
rarely and never on the high sea, for a Seal when
killed goes to the bottom like a piece of lead. It is
different in particularly favored haunts of the ani-
mals on the beach. On the eastern coast of the
island of Rugen there is, as Schilling says, a heap
of rocks, several hundred paces distant from the
extreme point of the high promontory, and at the
ordinary height of the water these rocks project
over three feet above sea-level. Frequently from
forty to fifty Seals lie on them, but they are too
prudent to let a boat approach them.
On the Swedish coast of the Baltic the hunt is
followed more regularly and frequently, usually with
harpoons only, or more rarely with guns. Some
Swedish hunters train Dogs to track the Seals on
the ice and keep them busy until their owners arrive.
On the Faroe Isles the Seals are mainly hunted dur-
ing the time they spend on shore with their young.
Among all peoples the Greenlanders seem to be
those who not only know how to hunt Seals most
successfully, but also how to put the animals to the
most manifold uses. "The Greenlanders," says
Fabricius, "are great masters of the art of plying
their oars easily and neatly, so that one hardly hears
a sound. If a Seal rises up in sight the Greenlander
watches its actions, in order to proceed with his
attack according to its movements. As soon as he
has satisfied himself in regard to the whereabouts of
THE SEA LEOPARD. This animal forms a distinct group of tin- Ordinary Seals, and is widely distributed in the antarctic and south-
ern temperate seas, and frequents the coasts of Australia, New Zealand and the islands of the southern Pacific. The large males attain a length
of twelve feet. The ground color is a silver gray, and yellowish or brown spots are distributed over the body. (Stenorhynckus Uptonyx.)
Methods of Schilling says that one may some-
Hunting the times succeed in shooting Seals
Seals. which are seen from a ship, if one
with a little sail boat noiselessly sails up to the
sleeping animals, keeping half to leeward. During
a prolonged frost a hunt on the ice may also yield
good results, but it is never sure to do so, and is
always fraught with danger. When the Baltic is
frozen over, the Seals keep artificial holes in the ice
open, in order to reach the outer air, and to creep
through on to the ice, where they sleep. Every Seal
usually forms such an aperture for itself, and some-
times has several for its own personal use. To
these holes a Man creeps up at night, in felt shoes
so as to deaden the noise of his steps, but he must
pay careful attention to the weather and wind and
be constantly on his guard.
the Seal, he strives with all means at command to
approach it as near as possible, in order not to miss
it. The point he must pay most attention to is that
neither the movement of the oars nor the darting
forward of the boat shall cause any great noise; for
this would disturb the repose of the Seal. Not a
little dexterity and practice are required for this
softened movement, which is accomplished partly
by long, deep strokes of the oars, partly by propell-
ing the boat with movements of the hand and body,
and some are such experts that they can get the
boat alongside the Seal without attracting its atten-
tion. But if it should happen to be one of the cau-
tious kind which is always alert, the obstacles in the
way are greater; yet the hunter does not give up all
hope, but watches it dive and then hurries along.
But if its head is above water, he keeps quiet, stoops
278
THE FIX-FOOTED ANIMALS.
or lies down, to give the boat the appearance of a
lifeless object, drifting in the water. If the Seal
dabbles in the water and is bewildered in its play,
sometimes looking at the hunter, the latter whistles
to make it feel more secure. If it still happens
to dive before it is within a harpoon's throw, the
hunter watches the direction of its course, changes
his position slightly, and when it comes to the sur-
face keeps it constantly in view. When he at last
approaches sufficiently near to it, he throws the
harpoon at it, the line following the spear. As the
harpoon has barbed hooks, he sees immediately
whether the Seal has been hit or not; for if the animal
is struck it cannot easily get off, but drags more and
more on the line. No time must then be lost; as
soon as the hunter sees that the Seal is hit, he must
throw the bladder out of the boat, for otherwise the
boat itself would be dragged by the Seal when the
line had all been unwound and might easily turn
over. These are the causes why Greenland Sealers
so often lose their lives; for if a Seal once drags a
hunter away and no companion who could come to
the rescue is nigh, he can seldom be saved. But if
he manages to throw the bladder out in proper time
the greatest danger is past. Occasionally so coura-
geous a Seal is met that it charges at the thin boat
made of skins, and bites a hole in it, the hunter run-
ning the risk offsinking. Therefore this hunt is a
perilous one in many respects, and many Green-
landers do not hazard it without reflection.
" But if the Seal drags the bladder, which he can
rarely pull beneath the surface, along the course of
its flight, the hunter keeps the bladder in sight, fol-
lows it and tries to kill the Seal with spears. These
spears have no barbed hooks, but slip out of the
wound and float on the water, as soon as they are
thrown at the Seal. These many wounds, and the
dragging of the large, air-filled bladder, tire the Seal
out. When the hunter at last approaches close to it,
he deals the Seal a mortal blow on its nose with the
fist, which stuns it, or, if it be necessary, he stabs
it with a knife. Then the animal is prepared before
its captor takes it home. All wounds are stopped
with little pieces of wood, lest the blood should flow
out, then air is blown between the skin and flesh, so
that the carcass will float better. If several others
are caught, they are fastened to the first one, and
a lucky sportsman may bring home four or five at
once."
All Seals are remarkably tenacious of life and
are killed instantly only when a bullet pierces the
brain or the heart. Besides Man, the Seals have an
enemy in the quick Killer-Whale, before which all
the smaller Seals fly in abject terror. Pursued by
this voracious monster, they jump in rapidly suc-
ceeding leaps high above the water, resort to all
tricks in swimming and diving, try to gain small
straits and shallows, hurry to the shore, and in their
deadly terror forget even their dread of Man. The
Polar Bear also pursues them relentlessly and, as
we have seen, he knows how to seize upon them
with tolerable skill. Young Seals probably also
suffer from the attacks of large fishes.
Manifold The northern nations use the entire
Uses of the Seal, not only oil and skin, as we
Seals. jo, and the flesh besides, as do the
Swedes and Norwegians. The intestines are eaten,
or, after they have been thoroughly cleaned and
smoothed out, they are manufactured into windows,
clothes and curtains. A garment, the capisad of the
Grcenlanders, is made up out of them and highly
valued on account of its excellent waterproof qual-
ities. The blood, mixed with sea water, is boiled
and eaten as soup, or after it is frozen, as a dainty,
or it is shaped into balls after cooking, dried in the
sun and stored away for future use in hard times.
The ribs are used to stretch the skins or are manu-
factured into nails; the shoulder-blades are formed
into spades; the tendons are made into thread, etc.
Yet the chief profit to the Greenlanders accrues
from the skin, oil and meat.
The Qommon The species whose life has served us
Seal, the Typical as the type in the preceding re-
Species. marks, is the Common Seal {Phoca
vitulina), an animal widely spread over northern
seas and also common in the German waters. The
length of an adult specimen, measured from the
snout to the tip of the tail, varies between sixty-
four and seventy-six inches and, strange to say, the
females are larger than the males. The head is egg-
shaped, the snout short, the eye is large, dark and
has an intelligent expression; the ear is indicated
only by a small, triangular elevation; the upper lip
is thick, but very mobile and grown with stiff
whisker-hairs; the neck is short and thick, the body
tapers almost uniformly from the shoulders to the
tail. The fur consists of stiff, lustrous hairs, the
general coloring of which is a yellowish gray, re-
lieved by a number of irregular brownish or black
spots, distributed all over the upper surface.
Extensive Range The Common Seal ranges through-
of the Com- out all northern parts of the Atlantic
mon Seal. Ocean, including all parts of the Arc-
tic Ocean. Beginning at the Mediterranean, into
which it occasionally penetrates through the Straits
of Gibraltar, it inhabits the entire Atlantic coast of
Europe and the Baltic Sea, where it is almost as
plentiful in the Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland as in
the Sound and the Little and Great Belt; it also
occurs in the White Sea and, according to some ac-
counts, also along the coast of northern Siberia and
from Behring Strait to California; it certainly has
been observed in Spitzbergen, on both coasts of
Greenland, Davis Strait, Baffin's Bay and Hudson
Bay and it goes rather far to the south along the
eastern coast of North America, being by no means
a rare visitor in the Gulf of Mexico, and in a few
cases also of the northern coasts of South America.
Not infrequently it goes from the sea for a long dis-
tance up some river and is therefore often found far
from the seashore.
Different Species The Common Seal is not the only
of the Ordi- one frequenting the German coast,
nary Seals. for there also are quite regularly
found the Gray Seal {Halichoerus grypus) and the
Ringed Seal {Phoca fcetida). The Monk Seal {Ste/tor-
hynchus albiventer) is more rarely met with there,
being indigenous to the Mediterranean, and the
Crested Seal or Hooded Seal (Cystophora cristata),
which is a native of high latitudes, is also seldom
seen so far south as the German shores.
The Caspian Seal (PJioca caspica) is a species
closely allied to the Common Seal, and, as its name
implies, it lives in the Caspian Sea, cut off from any
communication with the ocean.
Characteristics The Saddle-Back Seal [also called
of the Saddle- the Greenland Seal and Harp Seal]
Bach Seal. (PJwca gra??ilandica) differs from the
Common Seal in its longer and narrower head, a
flatter forehead and longer muzzle, as well as in the
structure of the hand. The prevailing color of an
old male is a light or dark tawny gray on the upper
THE ORDINARY SEALS— SADDLE-BACK.
279
parts, the under portion being of a dull, russet, sil-
ver-gray tint; and the chocolate colored, or blackish-
brown face, including forehead, cheeks and muzzle,
and the markings of the back, stand out in bold
relief against this hue. These markings are more
or less sharply defined and of oblong, horseshoe or
lyre shape. Some individuals of the species show
the saddle narrow like a ribbon, others have it per-
ceptibly wider. The female is smaller and its color-
ing differs from that of the male to such an extent
that it has been considered and described as a distinct
species by some writers. The snow white fur of the
cubs gradually merges into the tint of their parents
during the lapse of several years.
The Saddle-Back is confined to the highest lati-
tudes of the north, though its range perhaps extends
through the Straits of Behring into the northern
Adult males attain a length of from ninety-two to
one hundred inches; the females lack the hood and
are of perceptibly smaller dimensions.
Of the Seals of the northern Arctic Ocean the
Crested Seal seems to have a very limited range and
occurs in small numbers. According to Fabricius,
it is most frequent off the coasts of Greenland and
Newfoundland, less so on the western coast of Ice-
land and a rare visitor, probably only when it has
lost its way, farther south.
According to the accounts of many writers this
species is one of the most courageous and pugna-
cious of Seals, and hunting it is not devoid of danger.
When it lies on the ice in comfortable repose, it
produces the impression of utter indifference to all
surroundings, and the far-off look of its large, black
eye seems rather dull; neither does it attack any
THE SADDLE BACK SEAL. This member of the Seal family is found in the Arctic latitudes extending as far uuith in the circuni-
polar regions as explorers have yet penetrated. It gels its name " Saddle-Back " from the large patch of white fur on its upper surface, which is
in bold contrast to the brownish-black fur surrounding it. The somewhat narrow head is also a distinguishing feature. The animals in the
picture are comfortably resting on a great ice-floe. This species is also known by the names of "Harp Seal " and " Greenland Seal." (Phoca
grxnlandica.)
Pacific. Single specimens have repeatedly been ob-
served on the coasts of Lapland and Norway, and
even of Great Britain and Germany.
The Crested or As a representative of the Hooded
Bladder-Nose Seals we will consider the Crested
Seal. or Bladder- Nose Seal (Cystopkora
crisfata,) one of the largest Seals of the Arctic Ocean,
distinguished above all other things by a bladder
which extends over the nose, the whole upper par*
of the muzzle and nearly the entire upper surface of
the head, and which may be distended with air or
emptied at will. When filled with air it forms a bag
ten inches long and eight inches high and looks like
a cap drawn over the front part of the head; when
closed it may be compared to a keel dividing the
nose into two parts. The head is large, the muzzle
is thick and blunt, the body resembles that of all
other Seals. Old and young are of different color,
but the hue is not affected by sex. The fur consists
of a long outer coat and a close woolly inner fur, the
upper part as a rule being of a dark nut-brown or
black tint, diversified with large or small circular
spots of still deeper color; the under surface is of
a dark gray or rusty silver-gray, devoid of spots.
living being unprovoked, but it is easily excited and
then prone to offer resistance.
Characteristics The Elephant Seal (MacrorhifiM
of the leoninus) resembles the other Seals
Elephant Seal. jn respect to its general shape but
is superior to all in size; the length at least of those
of the Californian coast has been found to be a little
more than twenty-two feet, though the average
length is about fifteen feet. The female attains
about half this length, but not even a third of the
weight, old males being estimated to weigh more
than six thousand pounds. The head is large, wide
and elongated, the muzzle of moderate length, toler-
ably broad, slightly tapering in front and truncated
in a nearly vertical direction; the upper lip is grown
with stout, dark brown whisker hairs, sometimes six
inches long; the eye is relatively large, round like a
ball, and protuberant; the exceedingly small ear is,
properly speaking, only a roundish hole, which is
not even surrounded by a ridge of the skin. The
nose differs materially according to the sex. While
this significant organ shows no unusual development
in the female, it is in the male prolonged into a pro-
boscis, beginning at the corner of the mouth and
280
THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS.
extending forward for about sixteen inches, and
sometimes measuring double this length when the
animal is excited. The hue of the fur undergoes
modifications not only under the influence of age
and sex, but also according to the season of the
year. Immediately after a change of coat the pre-
vailing color is a bluish gray, which later merges
into light brown.
Range and Habits The Elephant Seal inhabits the south-
of Elephant ern regions of the oceans, from about
Seals. fifty degrees south latitude, perhaps
all over the southern Arctic circle. Formerly it was
found on the southern extremity of America and the
adjacent islands, off the island' of Juan Fernandez,
and on the southern coasts of Chile; also on New
Zealand, Tasmania and many other islands situated
in these latitudes, but in most of these localities it is
either entirely absent or nearly exterminated.
THE CRESTED OR BLADDER-NOSE SEAL. A glance at this picture will explain the reason for
the name given to this Seal. When filled with air. the bladder at the end of this animal's muzzle gives it a
very peculiar appearance. The body does not differ much in shape from that of ordinary Seals, but the numer-
ous dark spots distributed all over the fur, as shown in the illustration, give it a distinctive individuality.
(Crystophora cristata.)
The habits of the Elephant Seal remind us of
those of the Fur Seal and the Sea Lion. Like them
it undertakes annual migrations in its southern
range, only diseased and enervated animals stay-
ing behind, while the others all make the journey
together. They arrive in great numbers in Patagonia
in September and October, and sometimes as early
as June, and leave again at the end of December to
travel in a southerly direction. On the ground they
prefer sandy and pebbly spots, but also prowl around
In fresh water. Families numbering from two to five
members forma separate company in the great herd;
and an: always found closely huddled together,
usually sleeping in the mud or reeds. During a
period of intense heat they cool themselves with
damp sand, into which they dig a hole for them-
selves, or which they throw on the upper surface
of their body with their fore-feet; sometimes they
look more like heaps of earth than living animals,
and in this respect resemble Thick-skinned animals.
Their movements on dry land are exceedinglj
clumsy and weary them greatly. If they are very
fat the body shakes at each jerking movement like a
huge bladder filled with jelly. They work to propel
themselves forward a little way, and then they are
tired and have to rest; still in California they climr.
up inclines from five to ten yards high and reach
spots situated upwards of sixty feet above sea-level
even on very uneven ground. In the water they
are totally different creatures. They are excellent
swimmers and divers, execute rapid turnings, calmly
lie down to sleep on the waves and let themselves
drift, and display great zeal and agility in hunting
their food, which consists principally of fish. They
also swallow stones. Forster found in the stomach
of an Elephant Seal twelve round stones, each of
the size of two fists, and so heavy that he could
hardly understand how the walls of the stomach
could bear the burden.
Elephant Seals Their senses
of a Peaceable are said to be
Disposition. little devel-
oped. They are lazy, dull-
witted creatures, that rarely
suffer themselves to be dis-
turbed in their easy repose.
They enjoy the reputation of
being of a gentle and peace-
able disposition, as they have
never been seen to make un-
provoked attacks on other
mammals or human beings.
Small Seals of other species
and Men quietly bathing
may swim among them with
security. Pernetty affirms
that his sailors rode astride
them, and when their gait
was too slow, urged them to
more rapid motion by knife
thrusts. K. von den Steinen
describes their manners as
follows: "Usually the males
stared at us with their mouths
open, but did not stir. The
expression of their faces was
wonderfully ludicrous, as
they gazed at us in their
stupid astonishment, wrink-
ling their thick noses up and
down in their discontent. A
hypochondriac of the most somber disposition could
not have refrained from a woe-begone smile at the
sight of the funny physiognomy of one old hook-
nosed fellow in particular."
Youthful Life of Ten months after the breeding sea-
the Elephant son, usually in July or August, but in
Seals. Patagonia the beginning of Novem-
ber, and about a month after the arrival of the herd
on the islands, the young Seals make their appear-
ance. They are large creatures, about fifty-two or
sixty inches long, and weigh about eighty pounds.
The mother suckles them for about eight weeks and
guards them carefully. In the seventh or eighth
week of their lives they enter the sea. The whole
herd slowly leaves the shore, and swims farther out
each day. The cubs follow the main body of the
herd on all these wanderings, but are deserted by
their mothers in a very few months after their birth.
The proboscis develops in the male in the third
year of life.
THE ORDINARY SEALS— ELEPH AST.
281
The Hunting of The Elephant Seal is pursued by
the Elephant Man wherever it is found. For-
Seals. merly these Seals were secure from
all enemies on their deserted islands; but since the
European sealers have gone out to seek them, or
from about the beginning of this century, their num-
bers have rapidly decreased. The sealers cause
merciless havoc among the defenseless creatures.
Scammon says, that the coast of California scarcely
furnished any Elephant Seals to the hunters even
twenty years ago, and this region therefore is no
longer regarded as a hunting ground. In order to
count on sure results it is necessary to go to the
desert islands on the southern boundary of the Seals'
range and remain there for months or years. These
islands are uninhabited by human beings, and Ker-
with these, and also with good guns, the hunters try
to get between the herd on the land and the water.
Then they make the greatest possible noise, by
shouting, shooting, or in any other way, and slowly
advance on the herd, swinging the guns, clubs and
spears; and frightened by the unusual din, the herd,
as a rule, retreats. If, as not infrequently happens,
a male tries to resist and break through the line,
a bullet through the brain ends his life, or a spear
thrust into his mouth arrests him and forces him
down on his hinder quarters. Two men armed with
heavy oaken clubs hurry to the spot and stun or kill
him by repeated blows on the head. The slaughter
of their companions causes such a terror among the
animals that they lose all self-possession and climb,
roll and fall over each other, if they do not see any
THE ELEPHANT SEAL. This animal, because of it? great size and its truncated nose, has been aptly named after the Elephant. The
picture well brings out the characteristics of this clumsy animal and the trunk like nose of the male. The female, in the background, has no unusual
development of the nose, for the probocis-like appearance is a purely masculine adornment in the species. {Macrvrhinus leoninus.)
guelen is held to be the most important of all for
Seal killing, but the shores are full of broken rocks,
partly concealed under the water, which render land-
ing difficult and for long distances do not allow even
the smallest vessel to cast anchor among them with
security. The sealers landing in a boat, even during
the calmest weather, are compelled to jump into the
water and hold the boat lest it be dashed against the
rocks. An angry surf roars around those icy, rocky
coasts and inundates them to a considerable depth
at every breeze. It was not without reason that
Cook called it Kerguelen Land, or Desolation Island.
The hunt of the Elephant Seals is pursued with
the help of heavy cudgels and spears about fifteen
feet long, provided with strong, sharp tips. Armed
other means of escape. Immediately after the kill-
ing, the process of cutting off the blubber begins.
The various pieces of blubber are tied together,
fastened to ropes and dragged to the ship, where
they are further divided and rendered in special
kettles, the oil which is extracted from them being
valued more highly than that of Whales for lubricat-
ing purposes. The flesh of the animal is black, oily
and nearly uneatable, and is therefore of little value,
but the heart is a favorite dish with the sailors, and
the liver is considered a dainty by these not very
fastidious people, though it is said that it causes a
drowsiness that lasts several hours and can not be
overcome. The tongue, salted, is said to be really
very savory. The short-haired, stiff skin is manu-
282
THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS.
Eactured into excellent coverings for large trunks,
and made into harness, and would be turned to
much greater account if the largest skins were not
also the poorest, owing to their many scars. The
Elephant Seals will not inhabit the earth long.
They can not even, like the Whales, retreat into th<
inaccessible parts of the ocean before their crue.
enemy: they must endure persecution until the last
of them shall have succumbed to the destructivenes
of the insatiable beast of prey called Man.
Zbe Malrus tfamll^.
SECOND FAMILY: Trichechid^e.
The second family of the Fin-Footed animals con-
sists only of one species (Trichcchus), the Walrus or
Morse, called Seahorse by English and Rosmar by
Norwegian sealers, and Morsk by the Laplanders,
and probably contains the most gigantic members
of the Seal family.
Physical Struc- When this huge animal reaches com-
ture of the plete maturity it attains a length of
Walrus. about fourteen feet, in a few rare
cases even fifteen or sixteen feet, and a girth of
from nine to ten and sometimes even twelve feet.
Its weight is estimated to reach 2,000 pounds. As
with the Seals, the elongated body is thickest in the
middle, but it does not narrow backward to the
same extent as that of the other Seals. From this
huge body the limbs project downward and outward
ending in large, ragged flaps, both elbow and knee
joints being distinguishable. The feet are furnished
with five toes, which have short, blunt claws placed
above the extremity of each toe. The tail appears
like an insignificant flap of skin. But it is not the
body which characterizes the Walrus, it is the head,
which is proportionately small, round and thickened
to deformity by two swollen, ball-like tooth sockets
in the upper jaw. The muzzle is very short, broad
and blunt, the upper lip is fleshy and arched on
the sides, while the lower .lip is puffy. On both
sides of the muzzle stand rows of round, flattened,
horny whisker hairs, longer behind than in front; the
stoutest hairs may be as thick as a raven's quill, and
four inches long; their number may be several hun-
dred. The nostrils are crescent-shaped, the very
deep set eyes are small, brilliant and protected by
projecting lids. The ears lack any trace of external
conch and lie far back on the head.
The teeth constitute the most remarkable feature.
In the front part of the muzzle two powerful tusks,
protruding far out of the mouth, crowd out the six
incisors and two canines which exist in the very
young animals. These tusks attain a length of
twenty-four and in very rare instances as much as
thirty-two inches, and weigh on an average from
five to six pounds each, or even seven pounds; but
there are said to have been specimens weighing
fourteen and sixteen pounds. The skin is nearly
destitute of hair and very thick, and is not merely
wrinkled but positively gnarled. The prevailing
color of old and young is a more or less vivid tan-
brown or skin-brown. Generally, the tusks of the
female are thinner, but frequently longer, and taper
mon than those oi the male, which are usually blunt.
Early Accounts For centuries the Walrus has been
of the Wal- known by pictures and descriptions,
rua. Dut not in its true shape or habits.
Albertus Magnus in the thirteenth century gave a
description of the animal plentifully seasoned with
fables and tales, and Olaus Magnus had scarcely
anything to add to it three hundred years later. A
bishop of Drontheim had a Walrus head salted and
sent it to Rome, to Pope Leo X., in 1520. This head
was modeled in Strasburg and old Gessner gives
a fairly accurate description from it. Martens of
Hamburg lastly, who saw the Walrus personally at
the end of the seventeenth century in the Arctic
Ocean, gives a good and detailed account, and from
that time the number of descriptions increases, and
so does our knowledge of the animal through the
accurate accounts of its habits and the modes of
hunting it.
The Walruses Like so many other animals the Wal-
Diminishing in rus also has been by degrees gradu-
Numbers. a}jy displaced in regions nearer and
nearer to the North Pole by the attacks of Man and
now holds its own only in those places where there
are difficulties in the way of sealers, which may be
overcome only in certain years. We may say, in a
general way, that the Walrus occurs in all waters
surrounding the North Pole to the present day, but
is not found everywhere. It is met all the year
round in the northern parts of eastern and western
Greenland, in Baffin's Bay and all connecting straits,
sounds and gulfs, to Behring Straits, which connect
its eastern and western range. It also is found off
Nova Zembla and Spitzbergen and along the whole
northern cost of Siberia.
A few decades ago Walruses were met with within
the described area, at least occasionally, in very con-
siderable numbers, sometimes in herds of many thou-
sands, and their combined weight, according to the
assurances of sealers and hunters, pressed large floes
of ice, which ordinarily rose high over the surface of
the water, down to its level. At present only a few
hundreds are seen congregated in a herd and this
only under favorable circumstances.
The first impression a Walrus produces on Man is
not a favorable one. The oldest seafarers found it
as repulsive and ugly looking as do the sailors and
travelers of to-day. German Arctic explorers say
that if there is an animal which is entitled to be
termed a monster, it is the Walrus, equally because
of its appearance as on account of its demoniacal
voice and unprepossessing character. The life of
the Morses seems to be a very monotonous one,
partly, perhaps, for the reason that they procure
their food with less pains and in less time than
other Seals. In brief, we may say the following of
their life and doings in the course of days and years:
Haunts and Hab- According to the conformation of
its of the the coast, the animals congregate in
Walrus. more or less numerous troops. The
adults are said to live in separate herds, the males
keeping together, and the females keeping apart
THE WALRUS. This extremely ugly animal lives in the region of perpetual ice in the extreme north, and the group in the picture is appropriately
shown in such a locality. The two animals in the foreground are shown in fierce combat, and the picture brings out ery plainly the large tusks, and the thick
growth of horny whiskers on the upper lip and cheelcs. Some writers divide the family into two species, the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Walruses,
but others, while recognizing slight differences, regard the two kinds as being only local varieties of the same species. (Trichechus rosmarus.)
(283)
284
THE FIX-FOOTED ANIMALS
with their suckling cubs. Arctic explorers say that
a single ice floe often carries twenty or more Wal-
ruses. Their dark bodies are closely huddled to-
gether, the head being inclined to the side on
account of the long tusks, or resting on the body of
a neighbor; "in this way, bored by the sight of the
sun shining for months or by the monotonous noise
of the surf, they sleep through the greater part of
their existence." At least one Walrus mounts guard
as a sentinel among the sleeping ones, and at the
sight of danger it wakes the rest with its loud voice,
or, if necessary, with a slight push of its tusks, and
the whole herd then prepares either for flight or for
defense. Where the Morse has not yet made the
acquaintance of Man, a strange ship scarcely rouses
the attention of the sentinel or the herd in general,
and not even the report of a cannon disturbs them.
as everybody in the Arctic Ocean is used to such
detonations, the ice sometimes bursting on large
tracts with a noise as of thunder.
Movements of In regard to the character of their
Walruses on Land movements they seem to approach
and in Water, nearest to the Eared Seals. On land
the gait of the Walrus is heavy and unwieldy ; still
it does not creep, but walks, moving the feet simul-
taneously crosswise, and differing from other ani-
mals of similar gait only in putting the toes of the
fore-feet and the heels of the hind-feet to the front.
In climbing steep blocks of ice the Walrus is said to
have recourse to both of its long tusks, hooking
them into clefts and crevices and pulling the heavy
body up by them ; then it again stretches its neck
and repeats the performance until it has reached the
desired halting place. Still these tusks can hardly
be considered to be a necessary implement to aid
the Walrus in walking, as the Eared Seals, which are
not less heavy, make progress in similar localities
without them. I believe it to be more probable
that the Walrus makes for itself a way through drift-
ice with the help of the tusks. It is not unlikely
that by similar efforts it forms the openings in the
ice for breathing, which it uses and keeps open as
well as do the other Seals. It also surely employs its
tusks in rooting up the ground searching for food,
and also uses them as a means of defense, sometimes
even breaking the planks of a boat with them. The
Morse enters the water either by gliding over steep
places or by throwing itself into the waves with one
leap, like other Seals. After the manner of its kin
it is as swift and easy in swimming as it is slow on
the ground or on the ice; it dives to a considerable
depth and is certainly able to stay under water for
several minutes: In swimming, the creature's speed
is superior to that of any boat propelled by oars, and
it gives evidence of a nearly untiring endurance.
The voice of the Walrus resembles the lowing of a
Cow, or the deep, hoarse bark of a Dog, changing to
a positive bellowing when in anger. During the
breeding season the voice is heard so far, that Cap-
tain Cook- and his sailors always knew, from the noise
they made, the distance from a coast in fog or at
night, and were thus enabled to avoid a collision of
the ship wit 1 1 the ice.
Mode of Life If is ;i very difficult matter to pass
of the Wul- judgment on the mental qualities of
rus- this animal from the: observations
thai have so far been made, though we may suppose
that the Walruses are not less sagacious than the
other Seals. In regard to the acuteness of their
senses, Pechuel-Loesche says : "Their sight is poor ;
tin u hearing is far better, and their sense of smell is
extremely keen, as, under favorable conditions,
scent Man at least at a distance of several hundred
paces, and one who wishes to approach them must
therefore pay careful attention to the wind." In
spite of the extreme indifference it assumes towards
Man at its first encounter, the Walrus alters its de-
meanor as it gathers experience, and opposes the
Lord of Creation with energy and intelligence.
Among its noteworthy qualities we must notice not
only the curiosity peculiar to all Seals but also an
amount of courage unusual in a Pinniped. Walruses
enter into violent combats with each other, as well
as with their enemies, but only during the breeding
season, which usually occurs during the latter part
of spring. At this time the males not only roar and
bellow at all hours of the day, but also attack each
other, and tear such deep wounds in the hides of
their antagonists that they at times afford a scarcely
less horrid spectacle than do other Seals, which may
be said to have been torn in shreds during their duels.
The Female Wal- The female gives birth to a single
rus and Her cub in a season, and she devotes
Cub. herself to it with most faithful ma-
ternal affection ; she looks to its sustenance and
education in a self-sacrificing way, and defends it in
peril with all the courage and fury of her race. The
cub returns her affection tenderly and does not de-
sert its mother even in death. If one kills the cub,
he may count on the most obdurate resistance and
unquenchable revengefulness of the mother.
Food of the Wal- The researches of Malmgren and
rus— How Pro- Brown point to the fact that the
cured. Walrus feeds exclusively on animal
matter. Both found a shell (Mya truncata), which
in the northern parts of the Arctic Ocean covers all
bank's and cliffs, and another one {Saxicava rugosa)
to be the principal contents in the stomachs of the
individuals which they examined, and chey con-
cluded that the Walrus employs its powerful tusks
principally to loosen the shells from the rocks and
dig them out of the mud. In doing this it swallows
not only other low marine animals, but also the algs
which are fastened to the shells and other sea-plants,
and also, as do so many other Seals, swallows sand
and pebbles. Besides the lower marine animals the
creature also eats fish and occasionally even the
meat of the larger marine mammals.
Walruses are Walruses lying on the beach or on
Formidable in the an ice field are little to be dreaded,
Water. as their unwicldiness hinders them
from successful attacks, but in the water they com-
mand all their agility and strength. Occasionally
these courageous and intrepid representatives of the
Seal family attack even without provocation, and
force sailors into unintended combats. The Arctic
explorers, Paver and Copeland, give us an animated
and graphic description of such an encounter : "If
such a monster catches sight of a boat, it lifts itself
above the surface of the water in sheer amazement,
utters its cry of alarm, which consists of oft-repeated
short barks, and swims towards the boat with all
possible speed. Its cries attract others, wake the
sleeping animals which the boat has carefully
avoided touching, and in a short time there follows
in the wake of the frail little vessel a number of
these monsters, raging in simulated or real fury. It
may be that the animals are inspired by curiosity
only; but the way in which this curiosity finds ex-
pression is by no means happily selected, and the
suspicion that they wish to turn the boat over, in
order to examine it more fully, lies very near the
SEA LIONS. The typical animal of the family of the Enre.l Seals is the Sea Lion, a group of which are seen in the picture. They are found in all
climates in the Pacific Ocean, although they are especially numerous in the remote Arctic regions. They like to rest on rocks near the water's edge, or to
swim and play together in water near the land or an ice-floe. The picture shows the characteristic features of the animal: the small but well defined ear,
the limbs protruding from the body and peculiar shape of the toes and dippers. (Otaria stellcri.)
(285)
286
THE FIN-FOGTED ANIMALS.
truth. It is therefore necessary to prepare for the
fray, especially as the actions of the animals soon
convince the observer that it will be impossible to
escape them unmolested even with the quickest row-
ing by five men. The roaring, spurting and diving
herd of Morses is soon but a few paces distant. The
first shots are fired, and this volley rouses their
wrath. The fight waxes hot, some of the Men wield
their axes against the fore-flippers of the terrible
Sphinxes as they threaten to overturn the boat
and dash it to pieces; others of the crew defend
themselves with spears or deal blows with their
oars upon the gigantic, thick heads, or else send in-
digestible leaden pills down the wide open abysses
of the incessantly roaring mouths. A wild din fills
the air; the boat's defenders fight hard to keep
their balance; the water foams and surges violently ;
new monsters suddenly raise their heads out of the
the water or swim up to the boat; others, mortally
wounded, go to the bottom, their blood imparting its
color to the surrounding sea. The impending
ger that the boat may be overturned or severe!
damaged by the tusks of a Walrus, may often be
averted only by mortally injuring the leader of thes
brave and hardy creatures."
Uses to Which Europeans [and Americans] use the
the Walrus hide, blubber and tusks of the Wal-
IsPut. rus The hide is tanned, the blubber
rendered, the tusks are used as ivory. The flesh is
coarse-grained and oily, and is eaten by Europeans
only when necessity impels, though the tongue is
said to be very palatable. With the nations of the
high northern latitudes matters are different; they
use every part of the Morse. The hide is manufact-
ured into thongs, ropes and fishing nets, or even
summer habitations may be covered with it; a variety
of tools are made out of the bones; the sinews are
twisted into sewing thread; the flesh is a favorite
dish, and the blubber is used as shortening in their
food or is burned to furnish light.
Zhe Eareb Seals.
THIRD FAMILY: Otariid/E.
The members of the third family of the Fin-
Footed Animals, the Eared Seals ( Otariidce), differ
from their other relatives in the following features:
The external ear has a well-developed, though small,
conch. The limbs protrude from the body and are
clearly distinguishable; the flippers are large, elon-
gated beyond the toes in a ragged manner, and the
soles are bare; the hind toes are of fairly uniform
length, while the fore toes decrease in length toward
the outer side. The sexes differ strikingly in size,
the males attaining, as a rule, at least double the
length and three or four times the weight of the
females.
General Traits of All known varieties of this family
the Eared resemble each other to such an ex-
Seals. tent that they must necessarily be
classed in one species; all lead the same mode of
life as regards essentials. Mainly inhabiting the
Pacific Ocean, they exist as well off the ice-bound
coasts of Behring Straits as on the continent sur-
rounding the Antarctic Pole and its islands, in
the temperate zones as well as beneath the ver-
tical rays of the sun in the equatorial regions.
They either undertake journeys of varying extent,
or they may remain in the same locality for years.
They are incessantly and ruthlessly pursued in most
of the regions they inhabit, and in some sections
have already been exterminated by the greed of
Man, who for centuries has waged war on them and
slaughtered and destroyed them by the thousand on
account of their skin, flesh and fat.
Structure and The species of Eared Seal, which
Characteristics of nearly every visitor to San Francisco
SeaLions. incut ions, is the Sea Lion of the sail-
ors ( Otariastelleri), a variety well known to us since
Steller's times. A male Sea Lion may attain a
length of more than twelve feet and a girth of about
nine feet. The females are much slighter, their
length not exceeding nine feet, and their average
weight not being more than four hundred pounds.
In its structure this animal differs less from the
Ordinary Seals than other groups of this family, but
can as little be mistaken for one of the earless Seals
as the others; not only because its legs and teet
show a different construction, but it may be distin-
guished at a glance by its elongated head and neck
and its proud and defiant attitude when excited.
The coloring of an old male is subject to many varia-
tions, as one may find, lying on the same rock, black,
mottled, or reddish-brown, sombre or light gray
specimens. A mature female is usually of a light
brown hue; the fur of the cubs is of a slate-gray or
grayish-black tint.
The Sea Lion exists in the northern part of the
Pacific Ocean, ranging south about as far as the
Galapagos Islands.
The Herd of Finsch writes about the well known
Sea Lions at San herd of Sea Lions at San Francisco
Francisco. as follows: An extremely wide and
no less dusty road leads through deserted downs,
grown with scant vegetation, where the sand is in
constant motion and from time to time fills the air
with a kind of fog; after a walk of three-quarters
of an hour one reaches the Cliff House, a hotel situ-
ated close to the rocky beach of the Pacific, and
affording a favorite picnic site for the inhabitants
of San Francisco. Even at a distance the noise of
the powerful surf greets the ear of the visitor ap-
proaching the Cliff House, but simultaneously he
hears a peculiar bark, which gains in volume and
variety as he comes nearer. Guided by this bark
one perceives a lively activity going on upon three
high conical cliffs, situated about one hundred and
fifty paces from the coast, the lower part of which
projects perpendicularly from the ocean in places,
against which the waves dash with deafening noise.
About sixty huge Sea Lions lie on the larger steep
rocks of the cliff, in groups of as many as fifteen or
singly, comfortably stretched out in crevices or on
the narrow ledges, ruled over as it were by a power-
VTtt* <5P AT OR S-FA BEAR The most valuable of the Seals is that which is. on account of its beautiful coat, called the Fur Sea!, and is also known
as the i Be^ Tin, .T^eot of Sell vh"ch has been the subject of so much international controversy. Its principal home is now on the Pnbyloff Islands
of the nlrther^ Pacific, where't seeks the most inaccessible rocks for its lair. These Seals live in large herds. The picture illustrates a group of them making
slow progress over the rocks, while a mother Seal aids her young one to advance by carrying it in her mouth. (Otana ursma.)
(287)
288
THE FIX-FOOTED ANIMALS.
ful male Sea Lion, enthroned on the highest part and
well known to all inhabitants of San Francisco under
the name of "Ben Butler." From time to time he
lifts his head, inflates his thick neck to a wonderful
extent and utters a deep bark, which is joined not
only by the weaker, finer, and higher voices of all his
mates, but also by the hoarse shriek of the numerous
Sea-gulls and the croaking of other aquatic birds
which sit in long rows on the rocky ledges and single
tops and points of the cliffs, as well as by the dull
bass voice of the brown Pelicans. Fascinated by the
striking spectacle, even the most indifferent visitor
observes the different animals for some time and soon
sees to his astonishment how these giants, which
are apparently so clumsy and unwieldy, climb to the
highest tops of the cliff. Frequently one sees them
throwing themselves into the ocean, simply by slid-
ing down the gentle incline of the rock or leaping
from some higher point. Dolphin-like they then
play about in the water, sometimes literally jumping
out of it, pursuing each other and making pretense
of being engaged in a furious fight, though in reality
these encounters are nothing but mere sham and
play. In a seemingly great rage two of them may
open their huge mouths and roar at each other as if
preliminary to the most earnest combat, but soon
they peacefully lie down side by side and perhaps
even begin to lick each other. For hours one may
watch the ever varying spectacle, and still continue
to observe and find something new."
Sea Lions are easily kept in captivity, are capable
of becoming very tame and if taken young they ex-
hibit an extraordinary degree of affection for their
keepers.
The Northern Fur The Northern Fur Seal, Sea Bear or
Seal or Sea Ursine Seal (Otaria ursina), is of
Bear. smaller dimensions than the Sea
Lion, the largest males measuring not over six feet
or six feet six inches, and the females seldom ex-
ceeding the half of this. The hair is perceptibly
longer on the neck and the fore part of the body
and somewhat longer along the spine; it consists of
an outer fur which is not very stiff and a close inner
woolly fur of exceeding softness and delicate, silky
texture. The ground color is dark brown, merging
into brownish black in some individuals, having a
mottled appearance on the head, neck and fore part,
but assuming a lighter tint on the under and inner
sides of the limbs. The older females are of a sil-
very gray tinge and young animals of both sexes
have a fur of silvery hue.
Range, Haunts Few Seals have so wide a distribu-
te/Wab/fs 0/ tion as the Fur Seals, as they are
Fur Seals. found on the coasts of Patagonia and
southwestern Africa, on the Falkland Islands, off
southern Nova Scotia, on the St. Paul Islands in the
Indian Ocean, and the Pribyloff Islands in the Beh-
ring Sea. In their natural history the attractive
picture Steller drew of them has been greatly added
to in recent times.
The observations of all sailors, who know the Fur
. tend to show that they visit the islands and
rocks on which they appear at regular intervals, for
the sole purpose of breeding, and during the other
months they live exclusively in the ocean, undertak-
ing very extensive wanderings. Still, as the obser-
vations <>l several consecutive years show, they
always return to the same known breeding grounds
hi "rookeries." When the season oi their landing
draws nigh, one first SCes a few old males arrive,
which seem to do service as explorers. The others
follow them, a few at a time. They exhibit great
circumspection in selecting their sites, perhaps only
because experience has taught them the necessity
of guarding as much as possible against their worst
enemy, Man. In general they select islands, or
stretches of coast on larger islands, against which
the surf dashes with special violence, and then they
choose the least accessible rocks lying immediately
above high-water level, as temporary habitations.
Two or three days after landing each female gives
birth to one, some of them, perhaps, in very rare
cases, to two, young ones. The little Sea Bear,
like all Seals, very fully developed and with his
eyes open, is about fourteen inches long at birth.
During the first weeks after birth, the cubs are left
by their mothers only for a few minutes at a time
at the most, but after awhile they go into the water
for a longer time in search of food. Up to that time
the cubs follow every movement their mothers make
on land, but are entirely incapable of swimming dur-
ing the first four or six weeks, and are sure to drown
if by any accident they fall into the water. After
these early weeks of their lives they gradually and
awkwardly learn how to swim, trying to imitate the
old ones, but always scrambling back to the shore
in a hurry during the first attempts. In time they
gain confidence and go farther out, and become
quite skillful swimmers by the middle of September.
Great Value of The Sea Bear is a still more valuable
the Furs of animal than any of the other mem-
Sea Bears. Ders 0f hjs tribe, on account of his
excellent fur. The natives of the islands which he
frequents also kill him for his flesh, which forms an
important part of their sustenance and is held to be
savory even by Furopeans. The main profit of the
chase has always accrued from the fur of the young
animals; but people have acted in as improvident
and senseless a manner in the chase of the Fur Seals
as they have in the hunting of other marine animals
in general, and within a few decades such extraordi-
nary numbers of them have been exterminated, that
some islands which were formerly populated by
them have gradually become deserted. The furs of
this species form the most valuable commodity of
the entire fur trade.
The Southern Sea The Southern Sea Lion {Otaria jubata)
Lion an Antarc- has a very noticeable distinguishing
tic Variety. mark in the smallness of its ears.
Full grown males attain a length of seventy-eight
inches from the tip of the nose to the end of the
short tail. The females are distinguished from the
males by their darker coloring and considerably
smaller size, which in the majority of cases is not
more than half that of the males, the weight being
in proportion. These animals are found on the
coasts of the southern portion of South America
and islands in the same latitudes and south to
Graham Land. They are most numerous on the
coast of Terra del Fuego and on the Falkland
Islands. Their habits and modes of life are similar
to those of the northern Sea Lion. Like the latter
they undertake extended migrations, and have regu-
larly selected haunts where they make their home
until the young have been born and trained to swim
and to provide for themselves. During such a so-
journ, strange to say, these animals enter the water
very reluctantly, for Abbott says that although he
threw stones at a family of these Sea Lions, he could
not drive them into the sea.
£be irn8Cct*£atinG Bntmals.
SIXTH ORDER: Insectivora.
HE Insect - Eating animals
are small creatures, mostly
of a striking appearance,
whose mode of progres-
sion is plantigrade; they
are distinguished by an
elongated head and a nose
prolonged so as to par-
take of the character of
a proboscis. The body, as
a rule, is of stout build; the
fore limbs are regular, the
tail in some species is
short, the hind limbs long,
the organs of sense may be highly developed or
stunted; the texture of the fur includes every variety
between velvety softness and a coat bristling with
spines. The teeth are of all three kinds; but the
incisors differ materially in number and shape in the
different groups and varieties; the canines attain an
astonishing length in some species, while in others
they are smaller than the incisors; only the molars
show uniformity to the extent of being single pointed
in front and furnished with several cusps behind.
The feet are usually provided with five toes, the
development of which, as well as that of the wrist
and ankle joints, varies materially. Of the muscles,
that which serves to rotate the skin (especially devel-
oped in some species), is deserving of mention.
General Traits The Insectivora are dull, sulky, dis-
of Insecti- trustful and timid creatures of soli-
uores. tary tendencies and possessed of a
violent temper. By far the larger number live under
ground, digging and rooting, or at least keeping
from view in secluded hiding places; some, however,
inhabit the water and some live on trees. Their
astonishing activity puts a successful check on the
increase of harmful insects and worms, Snails and
other animals of low development, and even some
small rodents. Therefore, they are all, nearly with-
out exception, useful laborers in the vineyard, but
are known and esteemed only by persons well
versed in natural history; the mass of people hold
them in abomination. These small diggers are pur-
sued, on account of their ugly looks and their habits,
wherever they are found, by people who utterly ig-
nore the services these animals render. He who
studies their life is certain to act differently. He
finds so main- attractive and fascinating traits that
he soon forgets their lack of good looks and gives
them his hearty interest and approval.
Hibernation of Many species of Insectivora hiber-
the Insecti- nate and would perish if nature had
vores. not provided for their conservation in
this way. At the approach of cold weather, nature,
to a certain degree, puts a stop on the lower forms
of animal life, and thousands upon thousands of the
creatures, which are destined to be the food of the
animals now under consideration, doze off either
into eternal or temporary sleep. In this way earth
is rendered desolate for the foes of insect life, and
as they cannot migrate like the birds, they are in a
certain way compelled to follow the example set by
the insects. So they retire into the best concealed
hiding places they can find, or prepare such them-
selves, and fall into that deep lethargy, which tem-
porarily stops all activity, but preserves life in
their bodies until they wake again. But only those
species hibernate which feed on vegetable matter as
well as insects, while the most zealous insect hunters
ply their craft in winter as well as in summer.
Under the snow and earth and in the depth of the
water, life, pillage and carnage still go on in win-
ter; and these processes continue, of course, in those
countries where there is perennial summer, or where
there is no winter that brings freezing cold with it.
The Insect-Eating animals are chiefly found in the
temperate countries of the north and are not found
in South America or Australia. They delight in
water)', or at least damp, forests, groves, plantations
and gardens, scarcely ever leaving such situations.
Quietly and noiselessly they follow their hunt, by
far the larger number beingactive by night, although
some pursue their prey in the bright daylight.
The opinions of scientists as to the division of the
Insectivora show some discrepancy. We will admit
seven families, including a remarkable animal of the
Malayan Islands, the Galcopitliccus.
Gbc 1b<#ocboQS.
FIRST FAMILY: Erinaceid.e.
The Hedgehogs, which we put at the head of this
order, are such remarkable animals, that the shortest
description suffices to characterize them. A set of
teeth, thirty-six in number, and a coat of spines are
the most important features of the few varieties
which we consider as really belonging to this family.
All Hedgehogs are of a stout build, and though
their heads are not particularly long, the muzzle
part is drawn out into the form of a proboscis; the
eyes are moderately large, the ears fairly so, the
short thick legs end in clumsy feet, the front pair
always having five toes, the hind ones usually hav-
ing five, and exceptionally four. The tail is short
and the wiry fur consists of short spines above and
hair below.
Habitat The family is disseminated over Eu-
and Traits of rope, Africa and Asia. Forests and
Hedgehogs. meadows, fields, gardens and exten-
sive plains are the principal haunts of its mem-
bers. Here the Hedgehogs take up their abode in
the densest of thickets, under hedges, hollow trees,
and roots, in rocky crevices, burrows deserted by
other animals, or similar places, or they dig short
shafts for themselves. The greater part of the year
'(289)
290
THE IXSECT-EATIXG AXLUALS.
they live singly or in couples and lead a perfectly
nocturnal life. It is not until after sunset that they
wake from their daily slumber and go out in search
of food, which, with most of them, consists of plants
and animals, and with some only of the latter.
Fruit and juicy roots, seeds, small mammals, birds,
insects and their grubs, Snails, Rain-Worms, etc.,
form the ingredients which lavish nature has pro-
vided for their meals. In exceptional cases some
of them also dare attack larger animals, such as
poultry or young Hares. They are slow, heavy and
rather lazy creatures, confined to the ground; and
they step on the entire sole in walking. Among
their senses smell ranks first; but their hearing is
also acute, while sight and taste are very deficient
and their dullness of sensibility of touch is really
unrivalled. The mental qualities of the Hedgehogs
are on a rather low plane. They are timid, shy and
stupid, but fairly good-natured, or rather indifferent
with regard to the surrounding circumstances, and
therefore easily tamed. The young are from three
to eight in number and blind at birth; the mother
tends them carefully and even exhibits a certain
amount of courage in their defense, which she lacks
entirely under different circumstances. The major-
ity have the peculiar habit of rolling themselves
into a ball at the slightest danger, in order to pro-
tect their soft parts against any possible attack. In
this attitude, also, they sleep. Those which inhabit
northern climes spend the cold season in uninter-
rupted hibernation, and those which exist in the
equatorial regions sleep during the dry season.
The direct usefulness of the Hedgehogs is slight.
Nowadays at least one hardly knows what to do
with a Hedgehog which has been killed. Their in-
direct use, however, is greater, as they destroy a mul-
titude of noxious animals. For this reason they
deserve our fullest sympathy and the most generous
protection, instead of the contempt they usually are
subjected to.
The Common Of the Common Hedgehog (Erina-
Hedgehog De- ceus cnropmis), the whole body with
scribed. aq jts parts is very stout, thick and
short, the muzzle is pointed and indented in front,
the mouth is cleft far back; the ears are wide, the
eyes black and small. A few black whisker hairs
stand among the whitish or reddish-yellow hair
of the face, the fur on the sides of the nose and
upper lip being dark brown ; a white patch lies
behind the eyes. The hair on the neck and under
portion is light red with an admixture of yellowish
or whitish gray. The spines are yellowish, with
dark brown rings in the middle and at the tip; their
upper surface shows twenty-four to twenty-five fine
longitudinal grooves, which are separated by arched
ridges; the center shows a marrow tube filled with
large cells. The bodily length of the animal is from
ten to twelve inches; the tail measures one inch, the
height at the shoulder is about five or seven inches.
The female differs from the male by its slightly
larger size, a more pointed muzzle, stouter body and
lighter, more grayish hue; her forehead is also usu-
ally not so deeply set with spines, the head appear-
ing longer because of this arrangement.
The- Common Hedgehog is distributed not only
all Europe, with the exception of the coldest
parts, but also over the greater part of northern
Asia; it is found in Syria as well as in western and
southeastern Siberia. It is a quite common animal
in Great Britain, especially in the south of England.
It is rare, but not entirel)- absent, in Ireland.
Peculiarities of The Hedgehog is a queer fellow, but
the Hedge- a good-natured, timid one withal,
n09- and gains its livelihood as best it
can, by means of hard toil and trouble. Having
little aptitude for society, it is always found sing
or at the most in the society of its mate. Under the
densest of thickets, heaps of dry wood or in hedges,
each Hedgehog settles down singly and as com-
fortably as it can. If no ready-made burrow can be
found, it digs one out for itself with great labor, and
lines it with some appropriate material. The bur-
row reaches about twelve inches below the surface
and is provided with two exits, of which one, as a
rule, faces south, the other north. But these doors
are subject to change, like those of the Squirrel,
especially during a violent northern or southern
wind. In high corn the creature usually only makes
a large nest.
If our bristled hero, while walking, hears anything
suspicious, he stops, listens and sniffs, and one clearly
sees that the sense of smell is by far the most acute,
especially in comparison with that of sight. It not
infrequently happens that a Hedgehog runs right
under the feet of a hunter, then suddenly stops,
sniffs around and runs away in a hurry, unless it
should prefer to resort to its method of defence,
that is, to roll itself up into a ball. The former
shape of the animal then shows in nothing; it forms
an egg-shaped lump, showing an indentation at one
place; but the rest is of fairly regular roundness.
The indentation leads to the abdomen, and in it lie,
closely pressed together, the snout, the fore legs and
the little stub-like tad. When the creature moves
quietly along, the coat has a rather smooth appear-
ance and the thousand spines lie quite smoothly,
arranged like shingles on a roof; they bristle on all
sides as soon as the Hedgehog assumes the ball-
shape and give it the appearance of a terrible ball
of spines. A somewhat experienced person, how-
ever, even then finds no difficulty in carrying a
Hedgehog away in his hands. To do this it is only
necessary to place the ball in the position the ani-
mal would assume for walking, gently stroking the
spines in a backward direction, and then they do
not hinder one in the least.
If one of its principal foes, a Dog or a Fox, finds
it, the Hedgehog rolls itself together in a hurry, and
stays in that attitude under all circumstances. It
notices by the furious barking and growling of its
pursuers, that their intentions are earnest, and it
carefully guards against giving up its inherited
privileges. There are, however, many expedients
to induce a Hedgehog to give up its ball shape.
If water is poured on it, or it is thrown into the
water, it unrolls itself immediately; not only Rey-
nard, the rascal, but also many a Dog knows how to
profit by this use of water, to the detriment of the
little: creature. Tobacco smoke blown into its nose
through the spines, has the same effect.
The Hedgehog The Hedgehog is by no means an
Seeking for unskilled or clumsy hunter; it knows
Food. junv to perform certain tricks for
which one would never give it credit. The princi-
pal part of its food consists of insects, though, and
this is how it becomes so useful. But it does not
content itself with this unsubstantial food, and wages
war on other animals also. None of the small mam-
mals or birds is secure from it, and among the
animals of the lower orders it plays sad havoc. Be-
side the multitude of Crasshoppers, Crickets, Cock-
roaches, May-bugs, Beetles of all kinds and their
THE HEDGEHOG. An animal very familiar to Europeans, and possessed of peculiar characteristics, is the Hedgehog. Its method of defending
itself against attacks, by rolling itself into a round ball which presents only sharp spines to the enemies' onslaught, is well known. Another famous and use-
ful trait of the Hedgehog is its boldness in attacking venomous reptiles. The picture shows a Hedgehog busily employed in a fight with an Adder, which it is
about to despatch with a bite on the venomous head. The Snail, crawling slowly up the bank, is in no danger, for its enemy is intent on larger and more
important game. (Erinaceus europaus.)
(291)
292
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
larvae, it devours Rain-worms, Snails, Mice, small
birds and even the young of larger ones. One really
would not think it capable of catching the small,
nimble Mice; but it knows its business, and accom-
plishes this seemingly impossible feat.
Snake Killing Much more important are its com-
Propensities of bats with Snakes, in which it exhibits
Hedgehogs. a courage which it would scarcely be
suspected of possessing. Lenz has made excellent
observations upon this trait of the animal: "On the
24th of August," he says, "I put a Hedgehog into a
large box, in which, two days later, it gave birth to
six little ones, covered with embryo spines. The
mother took care of her children with faithful love.
To test her appetite I proffered her various kinds of
food, and found that she ate Beetles, Rain-worms,
Frogs, and Blindworms with great gusto, and also
ate even Toads, but these not so willingly. Mice
were her favorite dainty; fruit she ate only when
there was no animal food to be had, and when I once
gave her nothing but fruit for two days, she ate so
scantily that two of her young starved for want of
milk. She exhibited great courage also in contend-
ing against dangerous animals.
" But let us come to the main point, the fight of
our heroine with an Adder. Although it gave us
great admiration for the Hedgehog's exploits, we
must confess that we would lack the courage to imi-
tate them. On the 30th of August I put an Adder
in the Hedgehog's box, as she was quietly suckling
her young. I had previously demonstrated by ex-
periment that this Snake did not lack poison, as it
had killed a Mouse very quickly two days before.
The Hedgehog soon scented it (the creature was
always guided by scent, never by sight,) rose from
her bed, carefully groped around the Snake, as it lay
stretched out, sniffed at it from the tail to the head,
and paid special attention to the mouth. The Snake
hissed and bit repeatedly into the snout arid lips of
the Hedgehog. Scorning the Snake's impotent rage
the Hedgehog comfortably licked her wounds, with-
out flinching, and while so engaged received a sound
bite in her tongue. Without being the least con-
fused, she went on sniffing, at the enraged, biting
Snake, repeatedly touching it with her tongue, with-
out biting, however. Finally she quickly seized the
head of the Snake, and, in spite of its resistance,
crushed it, poisonous teeth, glands and all, between
her teeth, and ate it to the middle of the body.
Then she stopped and went back to suckle her
young. In the evening she ate the rest of this Snake
and also a young new-born Adder. On the follow-
ing day she devoured three more new-born Snakes,
neither the Hedgehog nor her young ones feeling
any the worse for these repasts; nor was there any
swelling or anything else of the kind to be seen on
the wounds. This Hedgehog has since frequently
fought with equal success, and she always crushed
the head first, while she never paid any attention to
this careful selection of the head in killing non-
venomous Snakes. The remains of her repast she
was wont to carry into her nest and devour them at
leisure."
These observations arc undoubtedly remarkable
in every respect. In the light of physiology, one
cannot understand how a warm-blooded animal can
stand bites which would mean death to others of its
class. We must bear in mind that the bite of an
Adder kills mammals which are of at least thirty
times the size and weight of the Hedgehog, and
apparently ought to be much stronger than it is.
But ourbristly hero really seems to be proof against
venom; and devours not only poisonous snakes, the
venom of which, as everybody knows, is effective only
when it enters the blood directly, but also animals the
poison of which acts when taken into the stomach, as,
for instance, the well-known Cantharidcs, or Spanish
Flies, the bodies of which cause violent inflamma-
tion if applied to the external skin, and which taken
internally would unfailingly cause the death of other
animals.
Birth and Train- Young Hedgehogs are born in litters
ing of Hedge- of from three to six, and in rare cases
hogs. eight, in a nest which the mother has
specially prepared for the occasion, and which is of
large, roomy dimensions, warmly lined and situated
under thick hedges, heaps of leaves or moss, or in a
corn field. The little Hedgehogs, which are blind
at birth, are about two and one-half inches long, of
a white color in the beginning and have a nearly
naked appearance, as the spines do not develop
until later.
Hedgehogs Towards autumn the young Hedge-
in their Winter hogs are so far grown-up that each
Retreat. one 0f them can cater for itself, and
before the cold weather comes, each has stored a
goodly supply of fat on its little body and thinks
of preparing its winter quarters, like the parents.
The winter abode is a heap of straw, hay, leaves and
moss, carefully lined in the interior. The building
materials are brought there by the Hedgehog itself
in a very queer manner. It rolls around in the
leaves where they lie thickest, in this way pinning a
load of them to its spines, and giving itself a quite
magnificent appearance. In the same manner it
carries fruit home. With the first intense cold the
Hedgehog buries itself deeply in its habitation and
there spends the cold season in uninterrupted hiber-
nation, which usually lasts till March. Under favor-
able circumstances a Hedgehog in the free state
probably reaches an age of from eight to ten years.
The Hedgehog To tame a Hedgehog it is only nec-
in Captiu- essary to confine it in a convenient
ltLJ- place. It soon becomes accustomed
to its captivity and loses its fear of Man. It eats
what is offered it without hesitation and even looks
for additional food for itself in house and yard,
and still more freely in barns and sheds. In some
localities it is highly esteemed as a mouser and is
extensively employed as such in warehouses where
Cats are not desirable. The Hedgehog is admirably
adapted for the extermination of obnoxious insects,
especially for the devouring of the repulsive Cock-
roaches, and it does its work with great zeal. If it
is only treated kindly and a secluded corner is pro-
vided for it, captivity causes it no grief whatever.
Enemies of the The Hedgehog has many enemies
Hedge- beside ill-natured, ignorant human
h°9- beings. Dogs hate it with great in-
tensity and signify their enmity by a prolonged,
fierce bark, whenever they discover a Hedgehog,
and take every means to demonstrate their dislike
of the bristle-wearing creature. But the latter re-
mains in a ball-like position, so long as a Dog busies
himself with it, and the aggressor gets nothing but
a bloody nose as the reward for his violence, for the
Dog can do nothing to the animal in its coat of
mail, but only harms himself. The Fox is said to
pursue Hedgehogs with great zeal and to cause them
to unroll, in a mean way, by slowly rolling the ball
of spines to the water with his fore-paws and throw-
ing it in. In this way many Hedgehogs perish,
THE COMMON MOLE. No family of animals is more adapted to a life of digging than the Moles, which have effective spades or scoops in the strong, large
claws of their forepaws. The Common Mole, the European animal which is regarded as typical of the entire family, is depicted in the picture. It is a morose, surly
and unsocial animal, and when two Moles meet, a combat usually ensues, and therefore the scene depicted in the illustration indicates trouble for the weaker of the
two animals. I Talpa curopaa.)
294
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
especially in youth; and they have a still more
dangerous enemy in the Screech-Owls which con-
stantly prey upon these animals wherever they can
find them.
Uses of the The flesh of the Hedgehog is proba-
Hedgehog in the bly eaten only by Gypsies and simi-
Past. iar wandering tribes, who have in-
vented a special mode of cooking it. The "chef"
covers the Hedgehog with a thick layer of well
kneaded, sticky clay, and puts it into the fire, turn-
ing it carefully at regular intervals. As soon as the
clay has become hard and dry, the roast is taken
out of the fire, set to cool, and then the outer layer
is broken off, removing with it all the spines, which
are embedded in the earth. The Romans used the
bristly skin to card their woollen shawls, and Hedge-
hog skins were therefore largely employed as an
article of commerce, the gains being so considerable
that the trade had fr , /
to be regulated by "
laws passed by the
Roman senate. The
skin with its spines
was also used as a
flax-comb. Even
to the present day
some farmers are
said to make use
of a Hedgehog
skin when they
wish to wean a Calf.
They tie a piece of
the skin to the
Calf's nose and
leave it to the
mother to drive
away the young
animal, which nat-
urally annoys her extremely when it wears such
a nose piece. Occasionally a Hedgehog skin in its
natural shape is manufactured into a queer, bristly
cap by hatters.
fffpfc
COMMON AMEB.ICAN MOLE. — The Mole most common in the eastern portion of
the United States. Its habits are in everyway similar to those of the Common Mole of Europe,
although its burrows are not, perhaps, so elaborately constructed as those of its European
cousin. (Scalops aquaticus.)
Zbe flDolee.
SECOND FAMILY: Talpid^.
The Insect-Eating animals which follow the
Hedgehogs, and which we consider as animals of
fairly high order, on account of their forelegs being
developed into perfect scoops for digging, live
almost completely in underground retreats where
they lead a life peculiar in every respect.
General Descrip- The Moles are disseminated over
tion of the nearly all Europe, a great part of Asia,
Moles. southern Africa and North America.
Their varieties are not numerous, but it is possible,
however, that there are still a great many species of
Moles as yet unknown to naturalists. The Moles
are all shaped and endowed in so striking a manner
as to be instantly recognizable. The body is stout
and of cylindrical shape, and merges into a small
head without the intervention of a distinct neck.
The head is elongated and tapers into a kind of pro-
boscis, while the eyes and ears are little developed
and from the external view are barely seen, or else
entirely invisible. The body is supported on short
legs; the forward pair appear to be relatively gigan-
tic digging tools, while the hind limbs are longer
and slender and resemble those of the Rat; the tail
is short or altogether absent. The teeth are from
thirty-six to forty-four in number. The structure
and position of the fore legs imply a degree of com-
parative strength in the upper part of the chest, such
as no other animal possesses. The shoulder-blade
is the narrowest and longest, the clavicle the thick-
est and longest found among the Insectivora; the
upper arm is exceedingly broad, the lower one
strong and stout. The wrist is composed of ten
bones. It is evident that these gigantic fore limbs
can serve only for digging; they are such effective
scoops that it would seem impossible to improve
upon them. Particularly strong muscles are attached
to these bones, and from this muscular development
the remarkable relative strength of the animal's fore
part is derived.
Moles all delight in fertile plains, though they
are not absent in mountains. Being children of
darkness, the effect
of light is painful
to them. Therefore
they seldom, of
their own free will,
come to the surface
and even in the
depth of the earth
they are more act-
ive by night than
by day. Their bod-
ily structure is not
adapted to a life on
the upper surface.
They can neither
leap nor climb, and
can scarcely walk
properly, though
some of them pro-
ceed at a rapid
pace, touching the ground only with the soles of
their hind feet and the inner edge of the forepaws.
Their movements in their underground passages are
much more rapid, and the dexterity with which they
dig is marvelous. They are also good swimmers,
although they resort to this mode of locomotion
only when compelled by necessity. Their broad fore-
paws are effectual oars and the strong arms are less
readily wearied in the water than they are by digging.
Physical and Of the senses of the Moles those
Mental Traits of of smell, hearing and touch are es-
Moles. pecially well developed, while that
of sight is very deficient. The voice finds utter-
ance in hissing and squeaking sounds. The mental
capacity is slight, though not to such an extent as
is generally believed. The so-called bad qualities
however seem to be much more strongly developed
than the good ones, for all Moles are highly quar-
relsome, sanguinary creatures, addicted to vicious
biting and surpassing even the Tiger in cruelty,
devouring their own kind with pleasure whenever
they encounter them. Their food is exclusively of
an animal nature, for they never eat anything of a
vegetable character. All kinds of insects living
underground, worms and the like, form the main
portion of their food; but they also feed on small
mammals and birds, Frogs and Snails, whenever
they can. Their voracity equals their activity, and
as they can endure hunger only for a very short
time without injury to themselves, they do not hi-
bernate. For this very reason they become useful
as exterminators of insects; but their digging pro-
pensities cause them to be considered a nuisance.
THE MOLES— COMMON MOLE.
295
Birth Once or twice a year the young
and Training of Moles make their appearance, three
Moles. to five at a birth, and the mother
takes care of them with great solicitude. The little
ones grow rather rapidly and stay with their mother
for one or two months. Then they become inde-
pendent and begin digging on their own account.
They can only be kept in captivity by bestowing
the utmost care upon them, as it is very difficult
to satisfy their great voracity.
The Common The Common Mole (Talpa eitropcza),
Mole of which is the type of the whole fam-
Europe. ily, is a species confined to Europe
and Asia. Inclusive of the tail, which measures one
inch, the length is six, at the utmost seven inches,
and the height at the shoul-
ders is about two inches.
The body is of cylindrical
shape and the very short
legs end in short toes of
which the middle one is
longest. The toes are unit-
ed by a membrane for nearly
their entire length. The
eyes are about the size of a
poppy seed; they lie mid-
way between the tip of the
snout and the ears and are
completely covered with the
hair of the head; still they
are protected by lids and
may be projected or re-
tracted at will; therefore
they may be used. The ears
are small, and have no ex-
ternal conch. The uniform,
black fur is very close, short,
soft and velvety all over.
The animal is covered all
over with it with the excep-
tion of the paws, soles, tip
of the snout and end of the
tail. It has a somewhat
vivid lustre and sometimes
varies from the typical black
into a brownish, bluish or
even whitish tint. Yellow or
white Moles arc found very
rarely.
This Mole ranges all
over Europe and northern
Africa and extends through Asia to the Altai, or
even into Japan. It goes as far as the Amoor and
southward down to the Caucasus; in the Alps it is
found at an elevation of 6,000 feet. It is common
everywhere within this range and increases in a sur-
prising way in all sections where it is not pursued.
How the It betrays its domicile by its own
Mole Digs and handiwork in the surest way, as it is
Makes Hills. obliged to constantly construct new
hillocks in order to earn its living. These hillocks
always indicate the direction and extent of its exist-
ing hunting grounds. Owing to its extreme vorac-
ity, it is compelled constantly to enlarge these little
hills and therefore it is forever working at the exten-
sion of its underground domain. Incessantly it digs
horizontal shafts at a slight depth from the surface
and in order to remove the earth it has dug up, it
throws up the well known hillocks.
Digging is very easy work for a Mole. With the
aid of the strong muscles of its neck and the im-
THE STAR-NOSED MOLE. One of the most peculiar of
the Insect-Eating Animals is the American species of Mule shown in
this picture. Its tail is longer than that of any other Mole, but the
strangest feature is the cartilaginous rays which are placed in star-
like form around the nostrils. (Condylura cristata.)
mense spade-like hands, with which it holds itself
steady, it bores its snout into the loose ground,
loosens the surrounding earth with its fore-paws and
throws it backward with extraordinary rapidity. Its
ears are perfectly protected from the entrance of
sand and earth by their ability to close themselves.
The loosened earth is left to lie behind in the pas-
sage that is being constructed until the quantity
becomes inconvenient. Then the Mole makes its
way to the surface and throws the earth out little by
little with its snout. During these operations it is
nearly always covered with a layer of loose earth
from five to six inches deep. In loose ground the
animal works with really admirable rapidity. Oken
kept a Mole in a box of sand for three months, and
observed the animal work
its way in it nearly as rap-
idly as a fish glides through
the water, snout foremost,
using the fore-paws to throw
the sand to the side and the
hind limbs to push it back-
ward. In its underground
passages the Mole proceeds
with still greater speed, as
has been demonstrated by
very pretty experiments.
Lecourt wished to investi-
gate the speed of a Mole in
its conduits, and for this
purpose he employed a
means as ingenious as it was
amusing. He set up in a row
a number of heavy straws in
the main conduit, arranged
so that the Mole could not
run along the passage with-
ou touching them. To the
tops of these straws he fast-
ened small paper flags, and
when the Mole was occupied
in its hunting ground, he
frightened it with the sound
of a bugle, and thus caused
it to run into the main con-
duit. Then the little flags
fell down one after another,
the instant the Mole touched
them, and the observer and
his assistants had an oppor-
tunity to correctly record
the speed of its course for a short distance.
Principal The Mole has many foes besides
Foes of the Man. Polecats, Stoats, Owls and
Mole. Falcons, Ravens and Storks watch it
as it throws up its hillocks; the little Weasels even
pursue it in its conduits, where, as already men-
tioned, it also frequently falls a prey to the Adder.
Terriers find great pleasure in watching a digging
Mole, then throwing it up with a sudden jerk, and
killing it with a few bites. Only Foxes, Weasels,
Hedgehogs and the before mentioned birds eat it;
the other adversaries only kill it and let it lie.
Closelu Related ^'ie American species of Moles are re-
A p on garded as distinct from those of Europe
° pp'p* because of differences in dentition and other
variations. The Common American Mole
(Sea/ops aquaticus) inhabits the eastern portion of the United
States, and in its size, appearance and mode of life so much
resembles the European species that to the ordinary observer
the differences are scarcely apparent. A Mole known as the
Silver or Prairie Mole (Sea/ops argentatus) is found in Texas
and Mexico, but shows little to distinguish it from the Common
296
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
American Mole beyond the fact that it is usually somewhat
larger in size. . .
Two other species, showing another difference in dentition,
are the Hairy-tailed Mole (Scapanus breweri), and a blackish
purple variety popularly known as the Oregon Mole {Scapa-
nus townsendi), both of these animals being found principally
in the western part of the United States.
., „. .. .A very peculiar appearance is presented by
The Star-Nosed the Star_Nosed Mole (Contfylura aistata) a
■■ \f" very common species found in all the north-
scribed. ern part of the Tjnited States and through-
out Canada, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It receives
its generic name " Condylura " or " Knotted Tail," from the fact
that when a specimen is dried the skin of the tail shrinks to
such an extent that the bones show through and all the joints
are seen through the skin, like a succession of knots. The
head and body are together about four and a half inches in
length, while the tail is two inches long, which is much longer
than that of any other Mole. The specially distinguishing
feature of this animal, however, is the long snout and the
peculiar adornment of its tip, from which about twenty rose-
colored rays of fleshy cartilage radiate around the nostrils, like
the tentacles of the sea anemone or the petals of a daisy. The
Star-Nosed Mole has a coat of very soft blackish gray fur. Its
habits correspond with those of the other species of Moles.
The Tana Typ- One of the largest species of the
ical of the family is the Tana (Tupaia tana).
Family. jt js distinguished from the others
not only by its size, but also by its long tail, and it is
clothed in a dark brown fur, the tint deepening into
black, with a surface tinge of red on the under por-
tion, and showing an admixture of gray on the head
and muzzle. In size the Tana comes nearest to our
Squirrel; the body is not quite eight inches long,
and the tail is of equal length.
The Tana is a nimble and lively creature, though
not quite so speedy as our Squirrel; it makes the
most of its long, curved nails and climbs nearly as
well as a Monkey. Its food consists of insects and
fruit.
Zbc Gupaias.
THIRD FAMILY: Tupaiid^.
A third family is formed by the Tupaiidae. They
remind one of Squirrels, though the resemblance can
only be regarded as superficial. The head tapers
'&/£&•■■
THE TANA. A lively species of the Insect-Eaters is the Tana of India, slender and having a long, bushy
tail, and a tapering muzzle. The picture appropriately represents the Tanas in the trees, for they live on fruit as
well as insects and seek for food in the trees as well as on the ground. ( Tupaia tana.)
into a muzzle, the blunt extremity of which is usu-
ally bare of fur. The body is elongated, the tail,
which is long in all species of this family and espe-
cially so in some varieties, is bushy, and covered with
long hair which is divided by a distinct parting and
hangs equally on each side; the fur is dense and soft.
The eyes are large, the ears oblong and rounded,
the limbs five-toed, the feet have naked soles; the
toes have no connecting membrane and are armed
with short, scythe-shaped claws. The female has
lour mammae on the abdomen.
The Tupaiidae inhabit parts of India and the In-
dian Archipelago. Their habits are truly diurnal
and they perform their robberies in the light of day.
Their fur and movements resemble those of Squir-
rels and the natives of the countries they inhabit
have but one name for the two kinds of animals.
ftbe %or\Q*%eQQeb Sbrewa.
FOURTH FAMILY: Macroscelidid^;.
The Long-Legged Shrews are better known to us
than the Tupaias, though by no means adequately,
for they form one of the most remarkable families
of the order. While the Tupaias show an approxi-
mation in the structure of their tails to the Jerboas,
the Macroscelididae also resemble the latter, as they
have long, slender hind legs, nearly devoid of hair, like
those of the Jerboa. In addition to this character-
istic, which gives them
their Latin name, signify-
ing " Long-Legged," they
also have a nose longer
than that of any other spe-
cies of Insectivora, and
which is elongated into a
veritable proboscis. This
long snout shows a slight
vestige of hair only in the
middle, and a rather thick
crest of fur at its base, its
extremity being quite des-
titute of hair. Other dis-
tinguishing features of the
head are the large eyes,
the prominent, protruding
ears, furnished with inner
lobes, and the long whisk-
ers. The rather short, thick
body is supported by legs,
showing a great difference
in length between the fore
and hind pairs. The two
fore legs are not short, but
the hind legs are of re-
markable length and formed much like those of the
Jerboas. The fur is rich, very dense and soft. The
teeth are forty in number.
The Elephant The Elephant Shrew (Macroscelidcs
Shrew De- typicus) is ten inches long, about four
scribed. inches being taken by the tail and
not quite one inch by the proboscis. Its fur is of a
reddish-brown or mouse-gray tint on the back, sides
and head, and of a more or less clear white under the
body and on the paws.
The Elephant Shrew has the same habits as the
other Macroscelididae, of which hitherto about ten
species have been differentiated. All of these spe-
cies are at home in Africa, especially in the southern
and eastern parts, and they enliven the barren, sun-
burnt stretches of country. These animals delight
in rocky mountains, where they seek safety in deep,
THE SPINY HEDGEHOGS— TAXREC.
297
inaccessible holes under stones and in rocky crevices
and the burrows of Other animals. They arc very
timid and look upon the most trifling disturbance as
foreboding danger. They are true diurnal animals,
and might even be termed creatures of the sun which
feel most comfortable in the most torrid noonday
heat when they follow the chase with the greatest
ardor. Their food consists mainly of insects, which
they capture very dexterously, and pull out of crev-
ices and holes in the hillside. Nothing is so far
known about their mode of reproduction and no
observations seem to have been made with captive
specimens of the species.
makes its appearance only after sunset. It shows
itself only during the spring and summer of those
countries: that is, after the first rain and until the
commencement of the dry season. During the great-
est drought it retreats into the deepest chamber of its
burrow, hibernating from April to November in the
same way that the Common Hedgehog lies torpid in
winter. Its food consists principally of insects, but
also of worms, Snails, Lizards and various fruits. It
seems to have a special predilection for water.
In captivity the Tanrec eats raw meat, boiled rice
and bananas. It sleeps through the day and be-
comes very lively at night.
£bc 5pin\> Ibc^cboos.
FIFTH FAMILY: Chntetid.e.
Gbe Sbrcws.
SIXTH FAMILY: Soricid^;.
The members of the fifth family of the order The Shrews among the Insectivora remind us of
under consideration are the Centetid.ne, or Spiny the Weasels among the beasts of prey. Like them,
Hedgehogs, taking their appellation from an insect- they are possessed of all faculties implied by a true
ivorous, Hedgehog-like in
habitant of Madagascar.
They are of elongated build,
long-headed and distin-
guished by a fairly long
snout; the eyes are small,
the ears of moderate size,
the tail either altogether
lacking or long and desti-
tute of hair; the legs are
short and terminate in five-
toed feet, armed with strong
claws. They are clothed
partly with quills, partly
with stiff hair.
Principal The Tanrec
Traits of the ( Cc /itch's cc-
Tanrec. audatus) is
mainly remarkable because
of its pointed snout. The
entire body is clothed rather
thickly with spines, bristles
and hairs, which to a certain
extent merge into one an-
other or at least distinctly
serve to show that the
spines are nothing but mod-
ified hairs. True and some-
what flexible spines, about
half an inch long, are found
only on the back of the head
and on the nape and sides
of the neck. The tip of the
snout and the ears are en-
tirely bare, but the feet are
covered with short hair.
Quills and hair are of a light yellow color, ringed
with brownish black in the middle, this marking
being more pronounced on the back than on the
sides. The length of an adult animal is about ten
or eleven inches.
The Tanrec was originally indigenous only to
Madagascar, but has been naturalized also on the
islands of Mauritius, Mayotte and Reunion. It de-
lights in mountainous regions abounding in bushes,
ferns and moss, and there it excavates the burrows
and passages in the ground, which form its hiding
place. It is a shy, timid creature, which spends the
greater part of the day in the utmost retirement and
THE ELEPHANT SHREW. The picture shows a very
odd looking animal, with its remarkably long hind-legs and its pro-
boscis-like muzzle, adorned with straggling whisker hairs. They
roam in the glare oi the African sunlight and seek, in the holes and
crevices of stony hillsides the insects which form their food. (.!/<;-
•' a typicus. i
predatory life, inhabit the
most diverse regions, and
exhibit an amount of cour-
age, bloodthirstiness and
cruelty utterly at variance
with their small size.
General The Shrews
Account of the b e long to
Shrews. tne smallest
of mammals, like the Hats;
they are of well propor-
tioned build, their external
appearance recalling Rats
and Mice. The body is slen-
der, the muzzle elongated,
the teeth are complete in
number and exceedingly
sharp; usually there are two
Or three cutting teeth, which
are .sometimes indented,
from three to five premo-
lars and from three to four
true molars, furnished with
four or five sharp cusps in
every row. Canine teeth
proper are absent. There
are peculiar glands at the
base of the tail. The body
is clothed in soft, velvety
fur; lips, feet and tail are
grown with small, stiff hairs;
the whisker hairs on the
cheeks are long, the sides
of the feet are covered with
bristly hair, in sharp con-
trast with the naked soles.
Distribution and At present the Shrews are distrib-
Traitsof uted over the Old World and North
Shrews. America; in Australia and South
America they do not occur. They frequent plains
as well as mountainous regions and even the Alps,
delighting in dense forests and bushes, meadows
and pasture-grounds, gardens and houses. The ma-
jority give the preference to damp localities; some
are remarkable for their water-loving propensities.
Many lead a subterranean life, either scooping out
burrows and passages for themselves or profiting by
already existing retreats, after driving away the
rightful owners, in accomplishing which they resort
298
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
to force, when milder means do not avail. Nearly all
seek darkness and shadows and shun drought, heat
and light, being so sensitive that sunlight frequently
kills them. Their movements are exceedingly rapid
and nimble, of whatever character they may be.
Shrews which only run, skim along the ground with
less against strong animals. From our point of
view we must consider most of them not only as
harmless, inoffensive animals, but acknowledge them
to be highly useful creatures, which render us con-
siderable service by exterminating harmful insects.
For they seek their food almost exclusively in the
* -ii T?Ej TA-NREC. This animal has its principal home in Madagascar, so famous as the home of strange forms of animal life Its lone
tailless body and elongated snout are distinguishing features, while its coat which, besides hair, includes bristles like a Hog's and spines like a
Hedgehog's, is a noteworthy peculiarity. {Centetes ecaudatus.) -"^"bub.
the swiftness of an arrow, while the swimmers among
them are inferior to none of the other mammals.
Among the senses of the Shrews that of smell
seems to rank first and hearing comes next in effi-
ciency, while sight is more or less deficient. Their
intellectual capacity is of a low grade; still it can not
be denied that they possess a certain amount of rea-
animal world; insects and their larvae, worms, small
birds and mammals, occasionally also fishes and their
eggs, Shrimps, etc., constitute their prey. Their vo-
racity is remarkable, and what they devour daily
is equal to their own entire weight. No one species
can bear hunger except for a short time; therefore
they do not hibernate, but prowl over the snow cov-
THE ALMIQUI. An Insectivorous animal living on the Man
Inches, Including the naked tail, whii h is eight inches long It has a rem
and the body is clothed with long coarse hair. [SoUnodon eubantu.)
soning power. They are of a highly predaceous and
sanguinary disposition and are really formidable
to smaller animals, although they 'usually avoid
larger ones. At the slightest noise most species of
Shrews will retire into their holes, and they have good
reasons for doing so, as they are almost defense-
1 of Cuba, principally in the high lands. It measures about nineteen
irkably long, cylindrical snout, feet well formed for running or digging,
ered ground when the weather is in the least propi-
tious, or seek their nourishment in protected places,
as for instance, in human dwellings. The voice of all
species consists of high pitched, chirping, squeaking
or piping sounds; terror is signified by plaintive tones,
and when in danger they all give forth a more or less
THE SHREWS—SHREWS PROPER.
299
strong odor of musk, which, though it does not pro-
tect their life from enemies, renders their flesh
unpalatable to all but a few animals, for Dogs, Cats
and Weasels usually let killed Shrews lie without
eating them while most birds, whose senses of smell
and taste are less developed, do not disdain to
devour them.
Most Shrews are prolific animals, for the number
of their young ranges between four and ten at a
birth. They are usually born with closed eyes and
the Common
Shrew.
THE COMMON SHEEW. The most numerous family ol the Insect-Eating animals is that of the
Shrews, and the typical species of this family is the Common Shrew of Europe, which is no larger than a common
Mouse, but is a fierce, sanguinary and voracious little creature. The characteristics of the animal are well shown
in the picture, and the little insect which is being pursued is evidently doomed. (Sore x vulgaris.)
destitute of any hairy covering, but they grow apace,
and in a month they are able to ply their craft.
THE SHREWS PROPER.
In the first sub-order we include the Shrews
proper (Sorici/ice). They constitute the center of
the family; their teeth are from twenty-eight to
thirty-two in number, the skull is long and narrow
and there are no webs between the toes.
Description of The Shrews in the narrowest sense
(Sorcx) are distinguished by having
thirty-two teeth, tipped with dark
brown, feet and toes surrounded on all sides with
short, soft hair, and a tail clothed in fur of uniform
length. Their typical representative is the Common
Shrew {Sorcx vulgaris). It is somewhat inferior in
size to the domestic Mouse; its length is four and
one-half inches, one and three-fourths inches of
which is taken by the tail. The coloring of the
fine, velvety fur ranges between a vivid reddish
brown and the most lustrous black; the sides always
exhibit a lighter tinge than the back, the lower parts
are grayish white with a surface tinge of brown; the
lips are whitish, the long whisker hairs black, the
paws brownish, the tail dark brown on its upper and
brownish yellow on its under surface. The various
tints have given rise to different classifications, some
authorities recognizing several species, others con-
sidering them only varieties.
Range of the The Common Shrew is found in
Common Germany, Sweden, England, France,
Shrew. Italy, Hungary and Galicia, and
probably also in the adjacent parts of Russia, on
heights as well as in low lands, on mountains and in
valleys, in fields and gardens, in the neighborhood
of villages or in the villages themselves, and usually
near water. In winter it seeks refuge in houses,
stables and barns. In Germany it is the commonest
species of the whole family. It likes best to live in
underground holes, and therefore is prone to take
up its abode in the burrows of Moles or in deserted
Mouse holes, if it does not find natural crevices in
rocks. In soft ground it scoops out runs for itself
with its muzzle and weak fore-paws: the runs always
being very near the surface. As with most other
species of the family, its
habits are wholly nocturnal,
and it is averse to leaving
its underground abode in
the daytime. It never does
so in the midday sunshine,
and there is good reason to
believe that the rays of the
sun cause it serious dis-
comfort; at least it is sup-
posed that the many dead
Shrews which are found on
roads and in ditches in the
latter part of summer, have
been unable to find the en-
trance of their underground
retreats, being dazzled by
the glare of the sun, and
therefore have perished.
Habits and Move- The Shrew
ments of Com- is occupied
mon Shrews. incessantly
in sniffing in all directions
seeking for food, accom-
panying its explorations
with rapid twitchings of its
mobile muzzle; and whatever it is able to despatch
is devoured, not sparing its own young or the
slain of its own species. Lenzsays: "I have often
kept Shrews in boxes. One can hardly satisfy their
appetites with Flies. Mealworms, Earthworms and
such food. I had to give to each of them daily a
dead Mouse, Shrew or bird equal in size to itself.
Small as they were, they invariably ate the entire
animal, leaving nothing but the skin and bones. In
this way I sometimes succeeded in fattening them;
but if Shrews have to endure the slightest fast, they
die. I have also tried to keep them alive by feed-
ing them on bread, turnips, pears, hemp seed, poppy
BEOAD-NOSED SHEEW. The most common species of the
true Shrews which is found in the eastern portion of the United States,
. and resembles the Common Shrew of Europe more than any other Amer-
ican species. {Sorcx platyrhinus?)
seed, rape seed, canary seed, etc.; but they preferred
starvation to this food. If I gave them rich cake,
they tried to eat it on account of the fat; if they
found a Shrew or Mouse caught in a trap, they
immediately set to work and devoured it. With
good care, a Shrew may be kept for months."
Welcker tied a string to the hind leg of a living
Shrew and let it creep into holes in a field infested
300
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
with Mice. In a short time, from a hole entered by
the Shrew, a Field-Mouse came creeping in great
terror, with the Shrew on its back. The greedy
■ of prey had fastened its teeth to the neck of
its victim, and it speedily killed and ate it. The
movements of the Shrew are exceedingly rapid and
nimble. It whisks along the ground with great
speed, takes fairly long leaps, can climb inclined
trees, and swims tolerably well when compelled to
do so. Its voice consists of a soft chirping or whist-
MOLE SHREW. One of the most common species of Insect-Eating
animals of the United States. Its short tail and its very small ears, hidden
in the fur, are characteristic features. (Blariua brevicauda.)
ling sound of high pitch, similar to that heard from
the other members of the family. The most acute
of its senses is undoubtedly that of smell. It often
happens that Shrews caught alive, when let loose,
run back into the trap, for the reason that the odor
of the Shrew clings to it. It does not seem as if
Shrews were guided by sight. Their hearing must
also be rather deficient; but their fine scent fur-
nishes almost complete compensation for the defi-
ciency of the other two senses.
The Character of There are few other animals that are
the Common possessed of so unsociable a dispo-
Shrew. sition, or act so atrociously toward
their own kind, as the Shrews; the Moles alone can
be considered as a match for them in iniquity. Not
even the opposite sexes of the Shrews can live to-
gether in peace, except during the breeding season.
One Shrew will devour the other whenever oppor-
tunity offers. Frequently these animals become en-
gaged in combats so fierce that one can easily capture
them. In fighting they interlock in close embrace
and roll over the ground, their teeth fastened into
each other with a fury worthy of the most ferocious
Bulldog. It is fortunate that the Shrews are not so
large as Lions: they would depopulate the earth and
ultimately be reduced to starvation. Very rarely do
Shrews live together in real peace. Cartrey once
heard a continuous rustle and noise in some dry
leaves, and discovered a multitude of these little
creatures, which he estimated to number about one
hundred; they seemed to play among themselves,
running back and forth keeping up a constant chirp-
ing and squeaking, without any apparent reason:
perhaps it was nothing but a grand wedding. A
female Shrew builds for her little ones a nest of
moss, grass, leaves and stems of plants, if possible
in a wall or under a hollow tree; she provides the
nest with several side entrances, lines it softly, and
between May and July from five to ten little Shrews
make their appearance, entirely devoid of hair, and
with theii eyes and ears closed. At first the mother
suckles them with great tenderness, but her solici-
tude soon flags, and the young ones set out to pro-
Vide for themselves. After this, as has already been
stated, all fraternal considerations cease; for even
in youth, every Shrew understands food to mean all
flesh it can lay its claws on, even if it be the carcass
of its own brother or sister.
Enemies of the ft is surprising that few animals eat
Common Shrews. Cats catch them, probably
bhrew. because they at first mistake them
for common Mice, but only kill them without eating
them. The Weasels also seem to disdain them; but
the Adder and several birds of prey, like the Stork
devour them unceremoniously and with great gusto'
Undoubtedly the aversion to these animals shown
by such mammals as are endowed with fine powers
of scent, is to be explained by the great disgust
which the odor given forth by the Shrews excites
in them. This powerful musk-like odor is produced
by two secretory glands, found on the sides of the
body, nearer to the fore legs than to the hind ones,
and it is imparted to all objects with which a Shrew
comes in contact.
It is possible that the superstitious abhorrence with
which Shrews are regarded in many parts of Europe
derives its origin in part from this odor. In some
countries, as for instance England, the inoffensive
creature is held by many people in nearly as great
dread as a venomous Snake. Everybody is aware of
the fact that a Shrew with its fine, thin teeth cannot
do the slightest harm to a human being, but still the
direst consequences are ascribed to its bite. The
mere touch of a Shrew is considered as a certain
herald of evil, and animals and Men, who have been
DOMESTIC SHREW. The small animal known as the Do-
mestic or House Shrew derives its name from the fact that it is
fond of entering buildings in order to procure food, besides foraging
in fields and gardens. It has a wide range through Europe and Asia.
(Crocii/uni aranea.)
"Shrew-struck," are expected to fall ill in the near
future, unless they have recourse to a particular
remedy.
The Common Snrew has several American
relatives, the species which resembles it
most being the Hroad-Nosed Shrew (Sorex
platyrhinus) which is found all over the
eastern portion of the United States. It has conspicuous ears
American Rela-
tives of the Com-
mon Shrew.
hese animals, which make their burrows in river banks and >£»££** S^S^T*" SST2
L found in abundance in all congenial places. iCrossofius foduns.)
(3oi)
302
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
and a rather long tail, and its habits are very similar to those
of the common species of Europe and Asia.
The Marsh Shrew [Sorex palustris) takes the place of the
Water Shrew in the United States, from the Rocky Mountains
east to the Atlantic. Its toes have a fringe of stiff hairs; the
ears are moderately well developed; the thirty-two teeth are of
a brownish red tint; the tail is equal in length to the head and
body together. It is as aquatic in its habits as the Water Shrew
of Europe, and Professor Cope observed it swimming in a lake
in New Hampshire forty feet from the bank. Besides these
there are other species of Long-tailed Shrews, among which
Sorex bendiri is the largest known species of the Shrew fam-
ily, while another, Sorex personata, is nearly as small as the
Etruscan Shrew.
T, „ . o. An eastern American species is the Mole-
ihe moie-bnrew Shrew tBiarina brevicauda) which derives
art i tastern jtg Latjn name from jts extremely short tail.
Pec This animal has very small ears, which are
concealed in the fur. Dr. Merriam, who observed the Mole-
Shrew in the Adirondack region says: "The rigors of our
northern winters seem to have no effect in diminishing its
activity, for it scampers about on the snow during the severest
weather, and I have known it to be out when the thermometer
indicated a temperature of twenty degrees Fahrenheit. It
makes long journeys over the snow, burrowing down whenever
it comes to an elevation that denotes the presence of a log or
stump, and I am inclined to believe that at this season it must
feed largely upon the chrysalides and larvae of insects that are
always found in such places." Besides their insectivorous
food these animals are also said to eat beech nuts.
THE ETRDSCAN SHREW. Except one species of Bat, this Shrew is the smallest of known mammals.
How small it is may he seen from this picture, which shows the animal in its full natural size. It is found princi-
pally in southern Europe, and has all the sanguinary instincts of Its race, (Crocidura suaveolens.)
Characteristics The Field Shrews {Crocidura) have
of the Field frorn twenty-eight to thirty white
Shrews. teeth. In other respects they cor-
respond with the Common Shrew to a great extent.
The Domestic Shrew ( Crocidura aranea) is a small
creature whose total length is about four and one-
half inches. It is of brownish gray color above,
merging into a lighter tint beneath, without a sharp
line of demarcation; and the lips and feet are brown-
ish white.
From northeastern Africa the Domestic Shrew
spreads over southern, western and central Europe
as far as northern Russia; it is also found in central
Asia and northeastern Siberia, but seems to be
absent in England, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and
Holland. According to Blasius, it is to a certain
extent confined to fields and gardens, preferring
them to forests. On the outskirts of forests it is
occasionally encountered. None of its kin become
so easily accustomed to human beings, and none
enter buildings, especially stables and barns, so fre-
quently as this species. Outdoors in the morning
and evening hours it preys on small animals of all
kinds, ranging from the smaller mammals down to
worms; in the house it forages on animal matter, and
oily substances. Its habits are nearly identical with
those of the Common Shrew.
The Etruscan Another species, possessing thirty
Shrew, a Tiny teeth, the Etruscan Shrew (Croci-
Creature. dura suaveolens, Crocidura etrusca),
deserves mention for the fact that, with the exception
of one species of Bat, it is the smallest of all known
mammals. Its total length is two and one-half
inches, one inch of this being included in the tail.
The coloring of the velvety fur is a light brownish
or reddish gray tint, the tail is brownish above,
lighter beneath; the muzzle and paws are flesh-col-
ored, the feet show whitish hair; older individuals
look lighter and have a russet hue, while the younger
ones are darker and more of a grayish tint. The
relatively very large ear-conch is worth notice.
The Etruscan Shrew occurs in nearly all countries
surrounding the Mediterranean and Black Sea. It
has been found in northern Africa, southern France,
Italy and the Crimea. Its habits are similar to those
of its kind already men-
tioned.
The Water Of the other
Shrew and its Shrews we
Habits. -will mention
only one more species, the
Water Shrew (Crossopus
fodieus). It differs from its
relatives principally in hav-
ing the under surface of its
toes edged with stiff, stout
and rather long hairs, tak-
ing the place of webs.
It seems that the Water
Shrew is distributed over
nearly all Europe and part
of Asia, and is found in
abundance in all congenial
places. To the north its
range is bounded by Eng-
land and the country sur-
rounding the Baltic Sea;
its southern boundaries are
Spain and Italy. It is found
at considerable altitudes, in
the Alps at about 6,000 feet
above sea-level. It delights in the waters of moun-
tainous countries, especially those which remain un-
frozen in the most intensely cold weather, as such
streams are indispensable for its unobstructed travel
in winter. Small rivers of mountainous, wooded
regions, having sandy or pebbly beds, fringed by
trees and bordered by gardens and meadows, seem
to be its favorite haunts. It finds equal pleasure,
however, in ponds the water of which is clear and
covered with duck-weed, and sometimes astonish-
ingly large numbers of the species congregate in
such situations. Frequently it is found in villages,
being attracted by the food to be obtained in prox-
imity to mills, granaries, etc. Its range is not en-
tirely confined to water, however, but it runs over
the meadows lying on the banks of streams, creeping
under hay-stacks, entering sheds and stables, and
even houses, and sometimes frequents fields situated
far away from the water. In porous soil near the
water it digs conduits for itself, but it prefers to
make use of the runs of Mice and Moles, which it
THE SHREWS-DESMAN.
303
finds near its haunts. The essentials of its dwelling
are that the main conduit shall have several exits,
one of which ends in the water, another being higher
than the surface of the water and still others termi-
nating inland. Such a burrow serves as a sleeping
place and asylum to afford the little creature secure
shelter from danger.
In this habitation the Water Shrew usually spends
all day in populous localities; but where it need fear
no persecution, it is much abroad in the daytime,
especially in spring during the breeding season. It
rarely swims along the shore, being fond of cross-
ing from one bank to the other. If it wishes to go
along the stream, it either runs under the bank or
on the bottom of the stream beneath the surface of
the water. It is an extremely lively, sagacious and
nimble creature, and its movements delight the
observer in every respect.
Prey and Foes I'1 proportion to its size, the Water
of the Water Shrew is a really formidable beast
Shrew. 0f prey. It not only eats insects of
all kinds, especially those which live in the water,
worms, small Crustacea, Shrimps and similar crea-
tures, but also reptiles, fish, birds and small mam-
mals. The Mouse which
encounters it underground
is lost; the newly-fledged
Wagtail, which imprudent-
ly approaches too close to
the water, is pounced upon
with the same avidity with
which a Lynx charges at a
Roe, and is killed in a few
moments; the Frog which
heedlessly hops past a con-
duit, feels itself seized by
the hind legs and drawn
into the depths in spite of
its plaintive cries, and soon
has to succumb. Minnows
are driven into small creeks
and there caught in a pe-
culiar manner; the Water
Shrew roils the water and
watches the entrance of
the creek; and whenever
one of the small fishes is
about to swim past it, the
Shrew pounces on and
usually catches it. Thus
it fulfills the proverb, and
"fishes in troubled waters,
attacks not only small creatures, but also animals
the weight of which is over sixty times its own; and
it may be said that there is no beast of prey which
attacks such large quarry, proportionately, as does
the Water Shrew.
The foes of the Water Shrews are nearly the same
as those of the Common Shrew. During the day
they are usually comparatively safe; but when they
venture forth on the bank at night, they frequently
fall victims to Owls and Cats; the latter, however,
only kill them and then discard the carcasses be-
cause of the musk}- odor which pervades them.
THE DESMANS.
The few species of the second sub-family, the
Beaver Shrews or Desmans {Myogalince), seem to be
intermediate forms between the Shrews and Moles.
Their bodies are stouter than those of the other
Shrews, the neck is exceedingly short, and as thick
as the body; the legs are short and the feet have
five toes, which are connected with one another by
long webs; the tail is of oblong, roundish shape,
with its extremity compressed like the blade of an
oar, and is ringed and scaly and scantily covered
with hair. There are no external ears and the eyes
are very small. The most remarkable feature of the
animal is its nose, which more nearly resembles a
proboscis than that of the Elephant Shrew. It con-
sists of two long, thin, confluent, cartilaginous tubes,
which may be moved in any direction by two large
and three small muscles on each side, and it may
subserve the most varied purposes, but more espe-
cially that of touching objects. At the base of the
tail there is a musk gland, the secretion of which
has an extremely powerful odor.
So far only one species of this sub-family is known,
but this species has two south European varieties.
One inhabits the Pyrenees and their spurs, the other
southern Russia. The first is the species called
Almizilero in Spain {Myogale pyrenaica) . It is ten
inches long, half of which is included in the tail.
The Desman or Wychochol {Myogale moschata) is,
at the first glance, distinguished by its size; for its
THE DESMAN. This is an aquatic species of the Insect-Eating animaJs. It has an elongated snout, a
long tail and webbed (eet and spends a great part of its time in the water. The group in the picture is shown
amid appropriate surroundings: one animal disporting itself in the water, and the others on the bank regaling
themselves with shell hsh. (Etjogalt moschata.]
But the Water Shrew
total length in some instances amounts to nearly
seventeen inches.
The Desman inhabits southeastern Europe, prin-
cipally the banks of the Volga and Don, but is also
found in Asia, in Buchara. Its habits confine it to
the neighborhood of water and if it undertakes short
journeys from one river to another, it does so most
unwillingly. Wherever it occurs, it is found in large
enough numbers to render it quite common. Its
life is a peculiar one, resembling that of the Otter.
It spends half of its time underground, half in the
water. It shows a predilection for stagnant or
slowly flowing waters with high banks, in which it
can easily dig conduits. Its food consists of worms,
Leeches, Water-Snails, Water-Snakes, Water- Moths
and the larvae of insects.
Pallas is the only naturalist who gives us infor-
mation about the Desman in the free state and in
captivity. It endures confinement but a very short
time, rarely surviving more than three days. It
304
THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS.
amuses by reason of its active and lively disposition,
but a captive Desman becomes very disagreeable
because of its musky odor, which is so strong that
it not only pervades the atmosphere of a room, but
any animal eating of the Desman becomes sensibly
impregnated with the odor.
There is an American animal which is a
American dose relation of the Desmans of the Old
Kelatwe of the Wor)d> or ratner, wnich may be regarded as
Uesmans. an jntermediate form between the Desmans
and the Moles, but also resembling the Shrews in having only
two incisors in the lower jaw. This is the Neurotrichus (Neu-
rotrichus giibsii) only found in western North America, and
first discovered in Washington Territory. Its total length is
slightly more than four inches, of which one and one-half
inches belongs to the hairy tail. The nose is elongated into a
snout, with nostrils at the tip. The animal makes burrows in
the ground, lined with leaves or dry grass.
£be Coluoo, or Ikaouano.
SEVENTH FAMILY: Galeopithecid/E.
The representatives of a distinct family, Galeo
pithecidae, containing but a single species, Galeo
pithecus, are neither
Half-Monkeys, Bats nor
Insect- Eaters, but pos-
sess distinctive charac-
teristics of all three, and
have ever been to nat-
uralists subjects of great
perplexity. In accord-
ance with this uncer-
tainty prevailing among
naturalists, the best
known variety of this
species is termed Flying
Monkey, Flying Lemur,
Flying Cat, Marvelous
Bat, etc.
The Galeopithecus is
a slender animal, of the
size of a Cat; its limbs
are of moderate length
and are united by wide,
thick skin, covered with
hair on both sides. The
toes are five in number
and have retractile,
claw-like nails, and no
opposable thumb. The
snort tail is involved in
the membrane The
head is relatively small,
the muzzle much elon-
gated, the eyes are mod-
erately large, the fur-
covered ears small. The
membrane is not adapt
ed for flying, but is only
a parachute, intended to
favor longer leaps and slower descent, and does not
correspond to the wing membrane of Bats. It is a
continuation of the skin of the body; it begins on
- side at the neck, envelops the fore-legs to the
paws, extends laterally, in unvarying width, to the
hind-legs, which it also envelops to the paws and
then continues to an apex at the tip of the tail. In
this way the limbs and tail are, to a certain degree,
encased in a common membrane.
The Colugo, or Kaguang, called Cubin by the Ma-
laya I Galeopithecm volam), attains a total length of
-This anim
THE COLUGO.
a puzzle to zoologists. It was formerly placed among the Bats, then with the
Half-Monkeys, and is now ranked as a species of the Insect-Eating animals.
Its notable feature is the membranous formation which it uses as a parachute
in jumping long distances from the tops of trees, (Galeopithecus volans.)
twenty-four inches, about four and one-half inches
of which go to the tail; the fur is close on the
back and scanty on the fore-arms, while the shoul-
der region and sides of the body are naked. Its
upper surface is brownish red, the under one assum-
ing a duskier hue; in youth the upper parts are
brownish gray and the sides dark gray, but the limbs
and flying membrane are marked with light spots at
all periods of life. If we assume the different varie-
ties to -form but one species, we may say that the
Kaguang is distributed over the Sunda Islands, the
Moluccas, the Philippine Islands, and the Malayan
Peninsula as far as Tenasserim.
Life of the In the daytime the Galeopithecus,
Colugo De- which leads a solitary life on the
scribed. mountainous forests of Java, sits so
still amidst the branches of trees between forking
limbs that it is nearly impossible to detect it. Its
sharp claws enable it to climb with agility and
immunity from falling, while its progress on the
ground is limited to a painful, lumbering crawl.
Plucking fruit, and searching for insects, it climbs
upward until it has reached the top of a tree, and
then launches itself
obliquely downward to
another tree-top, "re-
minding the observer of
a paper -kite," as Von
Rosenberg has it. When
engaged in walking or
climbing its flying mem-
brane is lightly folded
against the body in such
a manner as not to hin-
der its movements.
When it wishes to make
use of the membrane, it
runs out to the extrem-
ity of a bough, leaps off
with a vigorous bound,
spreading all its limbs
in the air and then floats
slowly and obliquel;
down, traversing dis-
tances which are said
to frequently measure
horizontally as much as
one hundred and eighty
feet. It never ascends
to a higher plane than
the one from which it
started on its flight, but
always sinks downward
at an angle of consider-
able inclination. During
the day it suspends itself
from trees, according to
Wallace, mainly pro-
tected from discovery
by its fur, which, with
its irregular whitish spots disseminated on a ground-
work of olive or brown, closely resembles the color
of the mottled bark. Its tail is prehensile anc
it probably makes use of it in its search for food,
which consists principally of leaves. "It is said,"
Wallace further observes, "that the Galeopithecus
produces only a single young one at a birth, and my
observations confirm this statement; for once I shot
a female, which had a very small, tender, naked,
wrinkled and blind creature clinging to her breast
reminding one of the young pouched animals."
known as the Kaguang, has proven
ftbe IRooents or (3navvinQ Bnimals.
SEVENTH ORDER: Rodentia.
H E order of the Rodents or
Gnawing Animals presents
a class of animals with
clearly defined limits. The
creatures belonging to it
are perhaps still more en-
titled to their name than
the beasts of prey are to
theirs. The distinctive
feature, common to all, is
found in the fact that two
incisors in each jaw are de-
veloped into large gnaw-
ing teeth, while the canine
teeth are lacking. Little can be said about the gen-
eral appearance of Rodents, as the order is rich in
families and species and comprises the most varied
forms. The following general characteristics may
be said to be found in them. The body, in the major-
ity of cases, is cylindrical and is supported by short
legs, usually of unequal length, the hind-legs gen-
erally being somewhat the longer, and frequently
very much longer, than the fore-legs. The head is
set on a short, thick neck; the eyes are large and
usually very prominent, and the upper lip, which is
adorned with whiskers, is fleshy, very mobile and
cleft in front. The front feet, as a rule, have four
toes, the hind feet five, the toes being armed with
more or less strong claws and occasionally webbed.
The fur is nearly always of uniform length, except
that it sometimes shows tuft-like elongations at the
tips of the ears or becomes bushy at the tail.
Distinctive The gnawing teeth (incisors) are
Gnawing Teeth considerably larger than any of the
others, the upper ones being always
the lower ones. Both upper and
are curved, the cutting edge being
broad or chisel-shaped; the base is either three or
•four sided, and they may be flat or arched, smooth
or furrowed, of white, yellowish or red color. The
external or front surface of these teeth is covered
with enamel, which has the hardness of steel, and
forms the sharp point or the broad, chisel-shaped
cutting edge. The rest of the tooth consists of the
usual tooth pulp. Being subjected to continuous
use, these principal teeth would become blunt and
worn out in a short time, if they were not possessed
of a great advantage over the teeth of all other
mammals: their growth is unlimited. The root of a
tooth lies in a socket, which pierces deeply into the
jaw, and at the open extremity, in a funnel-shaped
cavity, the tooth contains a permanent germ, which
constantly supplies the tooth with a new growth as
it wears off in front. The trenchant sharpness of
the edge is preserved by the reciprocal friction of
the upper and lower teeth and the grinding effected
by it; the jaws have no lateral motion, and the lower
jaw can work only vertically or with a slightly pro-
jectile or retractile motion from front to rear. In
of Rodents.
stronger than
lower incisors
this way these teeth meet all the requirements of the
enormous expenditure of material the gnawing proc-
ess entails. It is easy to demonstrate the constant
growth of the gnawing teeth by forcibly breaking
one of them in some Rodent, for instance a Rabbit.
Then the tooth opposite the broken one, as it is no
longer worn off by friction, grows rapidly until it
stands out of the mouth in a narrow arch, and curves
inward like a horn, thereby mutilating all the other
teeth and rendering the sustenance of the animal
extremely difficult. With many of the Rodents
cheek-pouches open on the inner side of the jaws;
they may extend to the shoulders and serve to store
away the food as it is gathered. A special muscle
pulls these pouches back when they are about to be
filled.
Rodents Spread The Rodents are distributed over all
all over the continents and are found in all cli-
Earth. mates of any latitude and altitude,
as far as there is any vegetation. "In the midst of
perennial ice and snow," says Blasius, "where a
warm ray of the sun shining but for a few weeks
calls forth a short-lived, scanty vegetation in places,
on the quiet, lonely, snowy heights of the Alps, in
the wide, desolate plains of the north, one still
finds Rodents, which do not yearn for a more beau-
tiful sun. The richer and more abundant the vege-
tation is, however, the more varied and manifold
grows the life of this order of animals, which scarcely
leaves a spot on earth uninhabited."
Life and These widely distributed animals ex-
Habits of the hibit a great diversity in their ways
Rodents. anci habits. Not a few of them lead
an arboreal life, many live on the ground; some live
in the water, others in underground burrows which
they dig for themselves; some in bushes, some in
the open field. All are more or less active creatures,
and according to the character of their different
habitations and modes of life are either excellent
runners or climbers, diggers or swimmers. Most of
them are inquisitive and lively, but still they do not
impress one as sagacious or specially intelligent.
The great mass of them form a dull-witted mob,
which while timid, are neither cautious nor cunning,
and are never distinguished by any prominent intel-
lectual capacity. Some live in couples, some in
colonies, and not a few congregate in large com-
munities; they are on good terms with other ani-
mals, but do not associate much with them. Very
few exhibit a wicked, malicious, fierce or impudent
disposition, unless excited thereto by some extrane-
ous cause. At the approach of danger they retreat
to their places of concealment with all possible
speed; but only a very few species are intelligent
enough to baffle pursuit by craft. All Rodents feed
mainly on vegetable substances: roots, barks, leaves,
buds, fruit of all kinds, plants, grass, farinaceous
tubers and even wood fibres are consumed by them;
the majority, however, eat animal food also, and are
(305)
300
THE SQUIRRELS— SQUIRRELS PROPER.
truly omnivorous. A peculiarity of some, which are
too weak to undertake extended wanderings or resist
the cold of winter, is that they gather provisions and
store them in concealed chambers. The Rodents
are the architects among mammals; for some of
them construct really ingenious dwellings, which
have been admired by men since the earliest times.
Not a few Rodents become torpid for the winter,
spending the season in a lethargic sleep during
which life is maintained by the absorption of the fat
abundantly accumulated in their bodies during sum-
mer, which is gradually consumed. All voluntary
activity pertaining to lite is entirely suspended, and
even the involuntary functions are, in every respect,
at a low ebb during this period of torpor.
Much Harm In proportion to their small size, the
Caused by the importance of the Rodents is very
Rodents. considerable; for they are our most
harmful and dangerous enemies. Were it not for
the fact that they too have to contend with an
innumerable army of foes, and are subject to epi-
demics and diseases to a great degree, they would
reign over the earth and devastate it. The inces-
sant war which is being waged against them does
not always counterbalance their amazing fecundity.
The assertion seems surprising, but is nevertheless
true, that a pair of Rodents can have a progeny of
one thousand descendants within one year. It is
possible to feel really friendly to only very few
members of this numerous order, and of these few
still fewer are worthy of domestication. The skin
and flesh of the Rodents render them of greater
economic importance than any good qualities of
character they may possess.
£be Squirrels.
FIRST FAMILY: Sciurid^e.
In the first family we place the Squirrels, compris-
ing two sub-orders, the True Squirrels and the Mar-
mots. The body of the True Squirrel {Sciurince) is
elongated, the tail is also long with its fur evenly
parted lengthwise along the upper surface. The
eyes are large and prominent, the ears may be either
small or large, scantily covered with hair or fur-
nished with tufts. The fore-legs are perceptibly
shorter than the rear pair. The fore-paws have four
toes and one rudimentary thumb, the hind paws have
five toes.
Squirrels The Squirrels are found in all parts
are Almost of the globe, with the exception of
Uniuersal. Australia; they extend tolerably far
north and are found in the hottest parts of the
south. They live in lowlands and on heights, sev-
eral species frequenting plains as well as mountains.
Natural woods or plantations of trees form their
favorite haunts and by far the majority of these ani-
mals lead a truly arboreal life, while some take up
their abode in subterranean burrows of their own
digging.
Movements All Squirrels arc lively, quick and
and Habits of nimble in their movements both in
Squirrels. t\]c trees aruj on the ground. Only
the Flying Squirrels are not at ease upon the surface
of the earth, but, on the other hand, they are pos-
sessed of the faculty of making exceedingly long
leaps, which are, however, only taken in an obliquely
descending direction. The mode of locomotion of
the majority of the Squirrels is a series of jumps,
the animals stepping on the entire sole of the
foot. Nearly all of the species are excellent climb-
ers, and leap from one tree to another, covering
long distances. In sleeping they assume curled up
positions, preferably selecting comfortable resting
places; they therefore find retreat in subterranean
burrows or in hollows of trees, or in nests, which
they have partially reconstructed or entirely built
themselves. Those which live in cold countries
migrate at the approach of winter or hibernate unin-
terruptedly; they therefore gather large or small
supplies of provisions, to which they have recourse
in case of need. Their vocal expression consists of
a whistle and an indescribable growl and hiss.
The Young Most species seem to produce young
Squirrels and more than once a year. During the
Parents. breeding season a male frequently
lives for some time with the female and occasionally
helps her to build the more or less complicated
dwelling, which is expected to harbor the offspring.
The number of the young of one litter ranges be-
tween two and seven. The little ones make their
appearance blind and nearly naked, and stand in
need of a warm bed and careful tending. Squirrels
taken out of the nest young may be tamed without
especial difficulty, but in old age the intractable,
sulky temper, which seems peculiar to many Ro-
dents, almost always shows itself, and they become
vicious and addicted to biting.
Though all Squirrels have a predilection for vege-
table food and at times live exclusively on it, yet,
like many other Rodents, they do not disdain flesh,
but attack small mammals, zealously hunt for birds
and ruthlessly plunder their nests. Though the
skins of several species of Squirrels are used as fur,
and the flesh is frequently eaten, this slight useful-
ness cannot compensate for the destruction wrought
by these animals to our plants and among useful
birds.
THE SQUIRRELS PROPER.
By far the majority of the members of the sub-
order belong to the species of the Tree Squirrels
(Scinrus), absent only in Australia. All its varieties
correspond so closely in form, structure, habits and
character that it is entirely sufficient to describe the
Common Squirrel and its habits, in order to gain an
insight into the life of the whole tribe.
The Common The Common Squirrel (Sciiinis vul-
Squirrel and its garis) is one of the few species of
Traits. Rodents with which Man has entered
into friendly relations. In spite of many disagree-
able qualities, it is a welcome visitor in our houses
and impresses even poets as a sympathetic creature.
The ancient Greeks were fully cognizant of its
attractive qualities, and to them we are indebted for
the name by which the Squirrel now goes in science.
That Greek name signifies: "he who is under the
shadow of his tail," and every one who knows the
meaning of the word Sciurus, must involuntarily
think of the lively little creature, as it sits on the
loftiest branches of the trees. The German poet,
Ruckert, has sung about the cheerful little animal
in a way that naturalists can not hope to surpass.
Physical Features The body of the Squirrel is about
of Common ten inches long, the tail eight inches;
Squirrels. thc height at the shoulders is four
inches and the weight of an adult animal is a little
over one-half a pound. The fur is subject to mani-
fold diversification, according to the season — whether
summer or winter — and the latitude and consequent
:'i.rw
fefe
'- -' ","-• ' ' Gr ~ /^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^EE^^s=^=:^i^,iJXjrc:*=*' Rise to the Tardin d' Acclimation in Paris. The
uses in climbing. After the first specimen was taken to Pans
(Lophiomys imhausii.) (jw-
80S
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
variations of climate. In summer the color of the
upper parts is brownish red, with an admixture of
gray on the sides of the head; the under parts, be-
ginning with the chin, are white. In winter the
upper surface is brownish red, mingled with grayish
white hair; the lower surface is white, or, in Siberia
and northern Europe, frequently whitish gray, while
the summer fur in those regions resembles that of
the German Squirrel. Black individuals are fre-
quently found in the German forests also; but they
by no means belong to a distinct species, for red
and black specimens are frequently found together
in one litter of young. On very rare occasions one
meets white or spotted Squirrels, or such as are pos-
sessed of a white or half white tail, and so on. The
tail is very bushy and the hair on it is arranged in
two lateral rows. The ear is adorned by a tuft of
long hair, the soles of the feet are bare.
Home and The Common Squirrel is widely dis-
Hauntsofthe tributed throughout all of Europe
Squirrel. ancj across the Caucasus and Ural
through southern Siberia to the Altai and eastern
Asia. But it is not equally common everywhere, or
'i,-lLLfce:X:\—*
COMMON SQUIRREL. This European animal is regarded as the typical species among the Tree
Squirrels, and its character and that of the common species of American Squirrels are very similar. The attitudes
of the animals in the picture are familiar to ail who have watched the antics of Squirrels in their arboreal homes.
iSaurus vidgaris.)
every year. Its favorite haunts are dry, shady for-
esta with high trees; and it is as much averse to
dampness as to sunshine. When fruit and nuts are
ripe it visits the gardens of villages, but only when
they are connected with the forest by small tracts
of trees or at least bushes. Where there are many
pine cones, it makes its permanent home, and builds
one or several habitations, usually in old Crows'
nests, which it improves quite ingeniously. If it
intends to make a shorter stay, it uses the forsaken
nests of Magpies, Crows, or of birds of prey, just
as it finds them, but the nests which it intends to
serve as a permanent sleeping place, a shelter against
bad weather, or a nursery, are built new, though the
materials collected by birds are often utilized. It is
said that every Squirrel has at least four nests; but
nothing has been definitely proven on this score.
Hollows in trees, especially hollow trunks, are also
frequented by them and occasionally built in. The
op< n-air nests usually lie in a fork, close to the main
trunk of the tree; the bottom is built like one of the
larger birds' nests, while above there is a flat con-
ical roof, after the manner of Magpies' nests, close
enough to be impermeable to the rain. The main
entrance is placed sideways, usually facing east;
a slightly smaller loop-hole for escape is found
close to the trunk. Tender moss forms a soft lining
inside. The outer part consists of twigs of various
thicknesses, intertwined. The Squirrel especially
likes to use the firm bottom of a forsaken Crow's
nest, filled with earth and clay, as a base upon which
to construct a nest of its own.
The Lively This lively little creature is undoubt-
Waysofthe edly one of the principal ornaments
Squirrels. 0f a forest. In quiet, fine weather it
is incessantly active, keeping as much as possible to
the trees, which at all times afford it food and cover.
Occasionally it will deliberately descend a tree, run
to another tree and climb that; doing this often in
pure playfulness; for it need not touch the ground
at all, unless it wishes to do so. The Squirrel is the
Monkey of the woods of temperate climes, and is
possessed of many attributes which remind one of
those capricious inhabitants of the warmer zone.
There are probably few
mammals which are pos-
sessed of such constant
briskness and remain for
so short a time in the same
place as the Squirrel does
in tolerably fair weather.
It is ever going from tree
to tree, from top to top,
from branch to branch;
and even on the ground it
is anything but clumsy or
out of place. It never
walks or trots, but always
proceeds in longer or
shorter bounds, and so
quickly that a Dog can
hardly overtake it, and a
human being has to give
up the pursuit after a short
time. It glides up even
the smoothest trees with
wonderful ease and speed.
The long, sharp claws on
the toes stand it in good
stead, for it hooks them
into the bark, all four
feet at once. Then it takes a running start for
another leap and darts further upward; but one
bound succeeds another with such rapidity that the
ascent proceeds uninterruptedly, and looks as if the
creature glided up the tree. Usually it ascends to
the top of the tree without pausing, not infrequently
reaching the highest point; then it goes out on some
one of the horizontal branches and generally jumps
to the tip of a branch of another tree, covering ir.
these jumps distances of four or five yards, always
in a downward direction. How necessary the bushy
tail is for leaping has been demonstrated by cruel
experiments, which consisted in cutting off the tail
of some captive Squirrel. It was then seen that the
mutilated creature could not leap half so far as one
having a tail. The Squirrel is an excellent swimmer
though it does not go into the water willingly.
Principal When a Squirrel believes itself to be
Food of the unobserved, it is on a constant look-
Squirrel. Gut for food on its roamings. Ac-
cording to the season it eats fruit or seeds, buds,
THE SQUIRRELS— SQUIRRELS PROPER.
309
twigs, shells, berries, grain and mushrooms. The
seeds, buds and young shoots of fir and pine trees
probably form its principal food. It bites pine
cones off at the stem, comfortably sits down on its
haunches, lifts the cone to its mouth with its fore-
paws, and turning it constantly around, it bites off
one little scale after another with its exceedingly
sharp teeth, until the kernel is reached; this it takes
out with its tongue and puts into its mouth. It pre-
sents a very pretty sight when it has plenty of hazel
nuts, which are its favorite dainty. Bitter kernels,
like almonds, for instance, are poison to it; two bitter
almonds are sufficient to kill it.
As soon as the animal is provided with food in
abundance, it lays by stores for later and less plente-
ous times. In the crevices .
and holes of hollow trees and
their roots, in holes which it
has excavated under bushes
and stones, in one of its nests
and other similar places it
establishes its store rooms,
and carries the respective
nuts, grains and kernels to
them sometimes from a great
distance. In the forests of
southeastern Siberia, the
Squirrels also store away
mushrooms, and that in a
highly peculiar manner.
"They are so unselfish," says
Radde, "that they do not
think of hiding their supply
of mushrooms, but pin them
on the pine needles or in
larch woods on the small
twigs. There they leave the
mushrooms to dry, and in
times of scarcity of food
these stores are of good ser-
vice to some roaming indi-
vidual of their kind." By
thus guarding against winter
the Squirrels show how ex-
ceedingly sensitive they are
to all influences of
temperature. If the
sun shines a little
warmer than usual,
they sleep in their
nest during the heat
of the day and roam
about in the forest
only early in the
mornings and even-
ings; but they hold
rain showers, violent
wind storms, thun-
der storms and especially snow storms in still greater
dread. Their presentiment of temperature to come
cannot be denied. As early as half a day before a
storm they signify their restlessness by an incessant
hopping about on the trees and by quite peculiar
whistling and clacking noises, which one usually
hears from them only when they are greatly excited.
As soon as the first presentiments of the storm are
felt, they retreat into their nests, a single nest some-
times harboring several Squirrels, and the exit on
the side of the wind being carefully stuffed, they
comfortably curl up and wait till the tempest has
spent itself. A severe autumn is usually very de-
GRAY SQUIRRELS. This is a group of familiar American animals, which in
several varieties are found in all parts of tne United States, and are among the handsomest
and liveliest ot the family. {Sciunts caroiinensis or wigratorius.)
structive to them, as they consume their winter
stores, and if it is followed by a winter that is in any
way severe, a multitude of the animals perish.
The Squirrel's With the advent of night the Squir-
Well Developed rel, which steadily lives in the same
Senses. locality, retires into its nest and
sleeps there as long as the darkness lasts, but it is
by no means helpless, for a suspicious sound wakes
it instantly. A frightened Squirrel utters a loud
" duck, duck"; a sense of comfort or slight anger is
testified by a strange murmuring sound which can
not very well be rendered by syllables. Special
joy or excitement are expressed by a whistle. All
senses, and in particular sight, hearing and smell
are acute in the Squirrels, and feeling must also be
much developed, as their presentiments
of changes in the temperature admit of
no other explanation; and from observa-
tions of captive Squirrels we may con-
clude that their sense of taste is also de-
cidedly keen. Good mental qualifications
may be inferred from the retentive mem-
ory the animal possesses and from the
slyness and cunning with which it escapes
its enemies. Like a flash of lightning it
darts to the highest among the surround-
ing trees, goes up the trunk to the first
fork nearly always on the opposite side
from its enemy, the most of its body that
it shows being the little head, as it con-
ceals itself as much as possible and
tries to make good its escape as nearly
unperceived as it can.
Four weeks after the breeding
season the female gives birth to
from three to seven
young, in the softest,
best located nest;
the little ones re-
main blind for nine
days and are ten-
derly nurtured by
their mother. After
they have been
weaned, the mother,
and perhaps also the
father, brings them
food for several
days; then the par-
ents leave the young
family to their fate.
The young ones re-
main together for a
while, play with
each other and soon
acquire the habits of
their parents. By
June the female has
another family, and when they also are so far grown
up that they can roam around with her, she fre-
quently joins her first litter, and one may see the
entire band, sometimes consisting of from twelve to
sixteen members, gamboling about in the same part
of a wood; and it would be difficult to find a more
lively, playful group.
The cleanliness of the Squirrel is remarkable: for
it licks and dresses its fur unceasingly. For this
reason it is specially adapted to be kept in a room.
Half-grown young Squirrels are taken out of the
nest for this purpose, and kept on milk and bread,
until one can give them grain.
310
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
In youth all Squirrels are lively, playful and very
inoffensive creatures, and delight in being petted.
They know and love their keeper and show a certain
amount of docility in that they respond to their
name. Unfortunately nearly all, even the tamest,
become deceitful, or at least addicted to biting, in
advanced age.
The Squirrel's The Marten is the most formidable
Foes are foe of the Squirrel. The Fox seldom
Many. succeeds in capturing a Squirrel, and
Kestrels, Hawks and large Owls it escapes by climb-
ing rapidly around a tree in a spiral course, when
the birds are after it. As the birds have to describe
much greater curves in their flight than the Squirrel
does in its climbing, it finally succeeds in reaching
a hole or dense foliage on the tree-top, where it
is safe from further molestation. It is a different
matter to escape the Marten. This bloodthirsty
beast climbs as well as its victim and pursues it step
by step, in the tree-tops as well as on the ground.
Young Squirrels are exposed to many more dangers
than old ones; and-quite young animals can even be
overtaken by a human being who is a good climber.
When we were boys we pursued such young Squir-
rels, climbed after them,
and the indifference with
which they regarded our
approach frequently led to
their capture. As soon
as we could reach the
branch on which the
young animal sat, it was
doomed. We would shake
the branch violently up
and down, and the thor-
oughly frightened Squirrel
generally thought only of
holding fast, lest it should
fall. We would then go
farther and farther out,
still shaking the branch,
until we could seize the
little animal with a quick
grasp.
The Fur of On the banks of the Lena the peas-
the Common ants are entirely engrossed by the
Squirrel. Squirrel-chase from the beginning of
March to the middle of April, and some put out as
many as a thousand traps. The Tungus shoot it
with blunt arrows, lest they should spoil the fur, or
else they use guns of a small calibre, with bullets
the size of a pea, and kill it by shooting it in the
head. According to Radde's verbal accounts Squir-
rel hunting in southeastern Siberia is both entertain-
ing and exciting. The great quantity of the game
is a source of satisfaction and revenue to the hunter,
for the pelts are much esteemed as fur and a great
number of people are engaged in the trade in them.
The finest skins come from Siberia, and the farther
cast they are procured the darker and more valuable
they are; west of the Ural they are lighter. The
back and under-part of the furs are used separately.
Russia and Siberia annually furnish from six to
seven million skins, valued at a little short of a mil-
lion dollars; only two or three million skins are
shipped to western Europe; the rest are manufact-
ured in Russia or exported to China. Besides the
skins, the tails are employed as boas, and the hair
of the tail makes good painters' brushes. The flesh
is white, tender and savory, and is much esteemed
by epicures.
Very nearly allied to the Common Squirrel
of Europe is the Red Squirrel, or Chickaree,
(Sciurus hudsonius) a small but quite nu-
CHICKAREE OR RED SQUIRREL. A species of Squirrel found
in British America and also through the northern portion of the United
States. It is especially noteworthy as resembling, more than any other
American species, the Common Squirrel of Europe. (Sciurus hudsonii.)
The Chicka-
ree or Red
quine . merous ana very nanusome American spe-
cies, found throughout British North America as far as the for-
ests extend, and also in the most northern states in this country;
and a local variety of this Squirrel is found as far south as Col-
orado. The reddish hue of the back may be dark or light, the
animal showing great variety in this respect. The under parts
are almost always white, but there is a black streak along the
Hank and the russet tail is fringed with black. The chirping
noise made by this animal as it busies itself in the woods gives
rise to its name of " Chickaree," which resembles the sound it
makes. The length of this animal is about eieht inches, exclu-
sive of the tail, which is a little less than that. Its habits are
the same as those of the Common Squirrel; in fact, the habits
of all species of the true Squirrels are so very similar that what
has been said of the Common Squirrel may apply to them all.
Grau Sauirrels The best known of American Squirrels is
i ?v , the Gray Squirrel, a name given to several
K' dnn> 1 .
The Jerboas vividly remind us of the Kangaroos
in shape and show a disproportionateness of struc-
ture similar to that of the latter animals. The hind
part of the body is exceptionally strong, and the
JUMPING MOUSE. This North American Rodent is famous for its
ability to make riving leaps of from eight to ten feet at a bound, although
its size is only about that of the Common Mouse. The picture rim
idea of its jumping ability, fjaculus hudsonius.)
hind legs are about three times the size of the fore-
legs; the tail is of proportionate length, but its
extremity usually shows a tuft, the hair of which is
arranged in a double row. On the other hand, the
head of the Dipodid;e differs materially from that of
the Kangaroos. It is very thick ami adorned with
mustaches, which, pro- v
portionately to the size
of the animal, are the
longest among all mam-
mals, for they are often
as long as the body.
The eyes are large but
have an expression that
is vivid and prepo-
ing to an extent equaled
by few other nocturnal
animals. The ears are
erect and spoon-shaped,
and of varying length
in different species. In
some the ears equal the
head in length, in others
they are only a third as
long, but they are all suf-
ficiently large to show
that hearing is a well-
developed sense with
these animals. The neck
is thick and immobile,
the trunk slender, and
the fur is close, soft and
of a sandy hue.
General The Jerboas principally inhabit
Traits of the Africa and Asia; some species, how-
Jerboas. ever, reach over into southern Eu-
rope, and one species or sub-family is indigenous fo
North America. They all inhabit dry, open fields,
grassy plains or arid deserts of sand. On clayey
or sandy soil, in low-lying situations; sometimes,
but rarely, on hills, or amid dense bushes border-
ing on meadows or near fields, they take up their
abode, excavating subterranean burrows which they
furnish with plenty of tunnels and with man)- rami-
fications, but which are usually very shallow and
have numerous exits. By day they stay hidden in
their burrows, and after sunset they sally forth and
spend the night in a lively manner. Their food con-
sists of roots, bulbs, various kinds of grains and seeds,
fruit, leaves, grass and herbs. Some also feed on in-
sects or even on small birds and the decaying flesh
of carcasses, and occasionally they kill and devour
each other. They take their food in a semi-erect
position, supported by their hind quarters and tail,
lifting the food to their mouths with their fore-paws.
Peculiar Move- Their movements arc of a peculiar
mentsofthe character. Their usual gait differs
Jerboas. from that of the Kangaroo in that
they put one foot in front of the other in quick suc-
cession, but in a hurried course they proceed by
leaps, their vigorous hind feet propelling them high
into the air, and the distichous tail regulating the
direction and preserving the balance of the body.
The fore- legs are either held against the chin or
ciosscd in front of the chest, as a human being
when running might place his hands, and at such
times these animals produce the impression of pos-
sessing only two legs. The larger species may exe-
cute immense leaps, and it may be said of all of
them that they clear a space amounting to twenty
times the length of their bodies at a bound. One
leap rapidly succeeds another, and when one of
these animals is in full flight all that can be seen
of it is a yellow object shooting through the air in
short curves, like an arrow. The dexterity with
which they dig in the ground is equally noteworthy,
in spite of the weakness of then tore-paws, with
EGYPTIAN JERBOA. — Onet
tufted tail ami its large ears. The Egy
has pictured these animals amid such
(Difus tegypticus. i
■ f the strangest of Rodents is the Jerboa, with its elongated hind legs, its long.
ptian species inhabits the deserts of northern Africa and Arabia. The artist
desert surroundings, with no living neighbors save a bevy of Desert Larks.
which they do this work. While grazing, they
walk on all fours, and in this respect also resemble
the Kangaroos, but they then move very slowly and
maintain this position but a short time. In sitting
they rest on the soles of their hind feet and present
a somewhat grotesque appearance.
328
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
Senses of the All species of this family are en-
Jerboas are dowed with acute senses, their hear-
Acute. jng anci sight in particular being very
good, so that they can easily escape menacing dan-
gers. Being exceedingly shy, timid and fleet, they
try to gain their burrows with all possible speed at
the slightest alarm, or, if they cannot do this, they
seek safety in flight, proceeding with astonishing
speed. The largest species, if driven to bay, defends
itself with its hind legs. Kangaroo-fashion, while the
smaller ones never resort to their natural arms when
seized upon. Their voice consists of a kind of
whine, resembling the cries of young kittens, though
some utter a hollow grunting noise; but they seldom
make any sound. When the temperature is low.
they enter into the hibernating state, or at least
become torpid for a little while, but they do not lay
up a store of provisions, like other Rodents.
Captive Jerboas make exceedingly agreeable and
pretty companions; their good-nature and gentle
and cheerful disposition render them general favor-
ites.
Nearly all kinds are entirely harmless. The open
desert offers them so much provender that they do
not make inroads on the property of Man.
THE JUMPING MOUSE.
The Jumping Mouse of North America (Jaculus
hudsonins) represents a distinct species and sub-fam-
ily. Its structure shows an affinity to its Old World
relatives, but its shape and the fur of the tail also
remind one of a Mouse. Its dimensions are about
the same as those of the Wood Mouse; its body is
about three inches long, its tail about five inches.
The fur is smooth and close, and the color of the
upper surface is a dark leather-brown, with an ad-
mixture of brownish yellow.
The Jumping Mouse is indigenous to the higher
latitudes of America. It is found throughout the
fur-producing region from Missouri to Labrador,
and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It lives on the
borders of meadows thickly grown with bushes and
in the proximity of forests, and remains hidden by
day but roams about with a large band of others of
its kind by night. Its burrows are about twenty
inches deep, and still deeper in the cold season.
Before the advent of winter it constructs a hollow
ball of clay, rolls itself up in it, curls its tail around
its body and lies in perfect lethargy till the begin-
ning of spring. A gardener, working out doors in
March, is said to have found a lump the size of a
child's bouncing ball which astonished him because
of its regular shape. When he had split it in two
pieces with his spade, he found a small animal
curled up in it, nearly like a Chick in an egg. It
was a Jumping Mouse which had taken winter quar-
ters in this well enclosed retreat. In summer it is
exceedingly nimble and jumps about on its hind
legs with extraordinary quickness and agility. It
is said to be quite impossible to catch a Jumping
Mouse in a forest. It easily clears bushes which a
Man cannot readily jump over, and is never at a loss
to find a secure hiding place. Audubon doubts
whether there is another mammal which can match
it in agility. According to many accounts this
pretty little animal can be kept in captivity without
any difficulty.
THE TRUE JERBOAS.
The True Jerboas ( Dipodiita) we regard as types
of the whole family, showing all the peculiarities in
the most perfect development. Hasselquist aptly
remarks that they look as if they were made up
from several different animals. "One might say
that the little animal had the head of a Hare, the
whiskers of a Squirrel, the snout of a Pig, the body
and the fore-paws of a Mouse, the hind feet of a
bird, and the tail of a Lion." The head is the most
prominent feature: one glance at it shows the Jer-
boa to be a true inhabitant of the desert. There is
ample room for all organs of sense. The ears are
large" and membranous, and are but scantily covered
with hair. The eyes are large and their expression
is mild and full of life, like those of some other noc-
turnal animals of the desert; the nostrils are wide,
and whiskers of prodigious length surround the head
on both sides, duly representing the sense of touch.
The neck is exceedingly short and but slightly
mobile. The tail is very long, being either a little
or much longer than the body. The portion near
the base is round, but the extremity, in most spe-
cies, is adorned with a tuft, which is parted in such
a way as to resemble an arrow. The fore feet are of
small size, and in leaping they are folded against the
body and partly hidden in the fur, in a way which
justifies the animal's old appellation of "two-
footed." The fore-paws have only four toes, armed
with moderately long, curved and sharp claws and a
rudimentary thumb, which in some species has a
nail, and in others none. The hind legs are in some
species six times longer than the fore-legs, gaining
these proportions not only because of the elongation
of the leg bones, but also from that of the instep or
metatarsus. The fur is soft and of silky texture,
and on the back the hairs are bluish gray at the
base, then sand-colored, and have tips of black or
dark brown; the under surface is always white, diver-
sified with longitudinal side streaks. It is a remark-
able fact that in many swift running animals, and
among them the Jerboas, the structure of the feet is
of the plainest type and they are but slightly mobile.
The jumping feet have three, four or five exceed-
ingly short toes, composed, as a rule, of only two
joints. The toes are incapable of lateral motion and
can only slightly bend downward, simultaneously.
In running only the extreme tip of the nail-joint
touches the ground, and that is specially protected
by a feathered mass of cartilage.
The Egyptian I select the Egyptian Jerboa {Dipus
Jerboa, the Typ- (Egypticiis) as the representative of
ical Species. this species. It is an exceedingly
pretty little animal, with a body measuring nearly six
inches, while its tail, without the tuft, is nearly eight
and one-half inches long. The Jerboas, and prob-
ably this very Egyptian species, were well known to
the ancients. We frequently find them mentioned
by Greek and Roman authors, always under the
appellation of "Two- Footed Mice," this being the
origin of the present scientific designation of the
species.
The Jerboa is distributed over the greater part of
northeastern Africa, as well as the adjoining part of
western Asia. Open, dry plains, steppes and sandy
deserts are its habitation. It populates the most
arid, deserted regions and lives in localities which
barely seem to afford the possibility of an existence.
On those dreary plains, covered with hard grass,
one occasionally finds it in large communities. It
shares those spots with the Desert Hen and the
little Desert Lark, and other birds, and it is difficult
to understand how it can find sustenance in compe-
tition with the others, which make but a scanty liv-
THE JERBOAS— ALACT* I GAS.
329
ing, although they feed on insects as well as seeds.
In the hard, pebbly ground the Jerboa digs tunnels
with many branches, but tolerably shallow, and re-
tires to them on the slightest alarm.
Habits of the In spite of their large numbers these
Egyptian pretty animals are rarely seen, for
Jerboa. they are restless and timid and at
the slightest noise or at the appearance of a strange
object they repair to their holes in a great hurry.
The movements of these Jerboas succeed each other
with a speed bordering on the miraculous; they
apparently become birds. Xo Man can overtake a
Jerboa engaged in full flight. Though the Jerboa is
a truly nocturnal animal, and begins its wanderings
only after sunset, it may sometimes be seen in broad
sunlight, sitting at or playing about the entrance of
its burrow during the noonday heat. It exhibits an
indifference towards the glowing heat of the Afri-
can sun, which is really admirable; for hardly an-
other animal stirs in the desert at this time, as the
burning heat becomes simply unbearable even to
the native children of that elevated region. On the
other hand the Jerboa is
highly sensitive to cold
and moisture, and there-
fore always keeps in hill-
ing in its hole when the
weather is bad, and it may
temporarily enter into a
state of torpidity, which
resembles the hibernation
of northern animals.
There is nothing definite
known about the jrr>paga-
tion of the Jerboa. The
Arabs hunt it diligently.
for its flesh is much es-
teemed by the m ; they
catch it alive without any
special trouble, or kill it as
it comes out of its burrow.
These animals have few
enemies besides Man. The
Fennec and the Caracal,
and perhaps some few
species of Owls are the
worst among the foes that
lurk for the Jerboas, but the Egyptian Cobra di
Capello is probably more dangerous to them. This
reptile lives in the same localities inhabited by the
Jerboas, easily penetrates into the tunnels which the
latter construct, and kills a great number of them.
How Jerboas Europeans versed in zoological mat-
ter in Cap- ters and living in Egypt and Algeria,
tiuity. often keep Jerboas. I can assert
from my own experience that the animal affords
great pleasure when kept in a cage or room. Dur-
ing my sojourn in Africa I was often given from ten
to twelve Jerboas at a time. I was wont to give a
whole chamber up to these animals, so as to be able
to observe their actions. The captive animals would
show themselves to be harmless and friendly from
the very first. They suffered themselves to be
touched, and did not try to evade any person who
came near them. When walking in their room
care was necessary to avoid stepping on them, for
they calmly remained sitting when one approached
them. Toward each other the Jerboas preserve an
admirably peaceful and sociable temper in captivity.
They are accustomed to scanty and dry food, and if
entirely denied dry food they lose their spirits, suf-
fer visibly, and ultimately die. If one gives them
wheat, rice, a little milk, and occasionally a grape, a
piece of an apple, a carrot or some other fruit, they
feel and keep well a long time, and their interesting
doings amply repay the slight attentions they need.
THE ALACTAGAS.
The sub- family of the Alactagas (Scirtetes) differ
from the true Jerboas in the structure of the skull,
the teeth and especially the hind-legs. A long and
strong metatarsal bone is there, but on both its sides
are smaller ones, which support rudimentary toes.
This arrangement renders the hind foot five-toed in
reality, for the large bone is connected to three toes
and each of the lateral bones to one toe.
By the excellent descriptions of Pallas, Brandt
and others, the Alactaga of the Mongolians ( Scirte-
tes jaculus I is the species that is best known to us.
This animal is of about the same dimensions as a
Squirrel; its body is about seven inches long, its tail
ten and one-half inches, and its ears are as long as
its head. The prominent eyes have circular pupils.
Range and
Habits of the
Alactaga.
Crimea, Asia
THE ALACTAGA. — This inhabitant of the steppes of Asia and southeastern Europe resembles thejci-
boas in many respects, hut the stronger thigh bones enable it to run on its two hind h-ys at apace even more
rapid than that ot the Jerboas. (Scirttttsjai
The hind legs are nearly four times as long as the
fore-legs.
Though the Alactaga is found also
in southeastern Europe, especially
in the steppes of the Don and in the
is its real home. It does not range
farther north than fifty-second parallel of north lati-
tude, and in the other direction it is found as far to
the southeast as eastern Mongolia.
As the Jerboa inhabits the African deserts, so does
the Alactaga exist in the steppes of southern Eu-
rope and Asia. It lives gregariously like its kind,
but not in great communities. By day it rests hid-
den in its artfully constructed burrow, at nightfall it
sallies forth, but repeatedly returns to its hole dur-
ing the hours of darkness. Its movements resemble
those of the other members of its family which we
have already described. When it is unmolested and
engaged in its quest for food, it runs on all fours
after the manner of a feeding Kangaroo; but when
alarmed or pursued it makes its escape by long
bounds, using the hind-legs alone. Its leaps are said
to exceed those of the Jerboas; and the animal in
full flight proceeds with such speed that the swiftest
330
THE RODENTS OK GNAWING ANIMALS.
Morse, it is claimed, is unable to overtake it. Shy
and timid as it is, it retreats at the slightest alarm;
and even when quietly feeding, it frequently rises
upon its hinder limbs to look around. When pur-
sued, it does not flee in a straight line, but bounds
away, making many doubles and turns until it tires
out its pursuers or has found some convenient hole
in which to hide.
The Alactaga feeds on all kinds of plants and
vegetable substances. Bulbs and roots form its
principal sustenance, but it does not disdain insects
and it may also devour an occasional Desert Lark,
or at least its eggs or young. It gnaws the bark
from shrubs, but of the juicy steppe plants it eats
only the tenderest shoots. At the approach of
severe frost the Alactaga goes into winter quarters.
Later in the season it closes the entrances of its tun-
nels more carefully than before, and together with
others of its kind it curls up into a ball, in the softly
lined chamber, and begins its winter sleep.
Account The Alactaga is an object of a great
of a Captive deal of pursuit, as the inhabitants of
Alactaga. the steppes are very fond of its flesh
The nomads of those regions very rarely keep an
Alactaga in captivity, though it endures confine-
ment quite well. It has several times been kept in
Europe, not for pleasure only, but for use as well.
Strangely enough, we are indebted for the best
description of the animal not to a naturalist, but to
the antiquary Haym. In order to interpret a gold
coin of Cyrene, which on one side presented a Man
on horseback and on the other the well-known
plant Silphium and under it an Alactaga, Haym pro-
cured one of the little animals, kept it over a year,
during which time he carefully observed it and then
made public the result of his observations.
For the first three or four months it ate nothing
but almonds, pistachios and rough ground corn,
abstaining entirely from water; later it fed on apples,
carrots and plants, selecting only those having but
little odor, such as spinach, lettuce, nettles, etc.,
and it acquired a taste for an occasional drink of
water. It was partial to bread, sugar and similar
food, but obstinately refused cheese and all other
diet made from or containing milk. Ultimately it
preferred hemp seed to anything else. It was free
from the disagreeable odor which so often ema-
nates from similar animals, such as Mice, Squirrels
and Rabbits. It had so gentle a disposition that
one could safely handle it; it never attacked any
one. Timorous as a Hare, it was afraid of even
smaller, harmless animals. It suffered much from
ccld during the winter and it was necessary to keep
it near the fire during that season.
THE JUMPING HARE.
The Jumping Hare {Pedetes caffer), which is re-
garded as representing a distinct sub-family, materi-
ally differs from the other Dipodidae in its dentition,
and also to a less degree in other characteristics.
The body is elongated, gradually growing stouter
towards its hinder quarters. The neck is fairly
thick, but distinct from the body and much more
mobile than the necks of its relatives. The fore-
legs are very short, but much stronger than those of
the true Jerboas, and the toes of the fore-feet, five
in number, are armed with strong, long and sharply
in \ id claws. The hinder limbs are long, vigorous
and formed for jumping. The hind feet have four
iocs attached to distinct metatarsal bones, and pro-
vided with strong, broad nails, which are rather
short and nearly hoof-like. The middle toe sui-
passes the others in length; the short outer toe is
situated so high upon the foot that it hardly reaches
the ground. The tail is very long, strong and bushy;
it is slender at its base, but appears larger towards
the end by reason of the thickness of the encom-
passing fur, and it terminates in a blunt-pointed
tuft of hair. The fur is long, thickset, copious and
soft, its coloring resembling that of the Common
Hare, the upper surface being of a dull, rusty,
brownish-yellow hue, with an admixture of black,
many of the hairs having black tips. The under
surface is white. The proportions of the body of
the animal are about the same as those of the Hare,
it measuring about twenty-four inches from the tip
of the nose to the root of the tail; the tail is slightly
longer than the body.
Range and Habits The Jumping Hare inhabits sterile
of Jumping regions and even desert-like plains.
Hares. j^ js distributed over a great part of
southern Africa, being found in the western portions
of that district as far north as Angola, and in the
eastern portions its range extends as far as the
German possessions of eastern Africa. In Cape
Colony it is quite frequently encountered, occurring
in mountainous localities as well as open plains, and
sometimes congregating in such numbers as to form
considerable settlements. After the manner of the
other species of the family it digs long, subterranean
tunnels near the surface of the earth leading, after
frequent ramifications, to a deeper chamber. Usu-
ally several couples or entire families inhabit one
burrow.
The Jumping Hare carries its food to its mouth
with the fore-paws, after the manner of the true Jer-
boas. In proportion to the sloth of its movements
when it proceeds on all fours, is the rapidity of its
course when its mode of progression is a series of long
and powerful jumps. It springs into the air by means
of its long hind legs and alights without falling for-
ward. During flight the fore-legs are folded against
the chest. The usual length of its leaps is from two
to three yards, but when it is pursued it increases its
exertions to such an extent that the average dis-
tance covered is from six to ten yards.
In the rainy season it retreats to its burrow and
the entire colony remains there curled up and closely
huddled together. The Jumping Hare endures cap-
tivity well and will live for a longtime if it receives
proper treatment. It soon becomes tame and famil-
iar with its keeper. Its cleanly habits make it a fa-
vorite and the procuring of its proper diet is a matter
of no difficulty: wheat, bread, lettuce and cabbage
are entirely sufficient for its sustenance.
The Dutch settlers of south Africa are very fond
of hunting this animal; for its flesh is esteemed for
the table and its fur is used in the manufacture of
various articles of wearing apparel.
£bc fllMce.
FIFTH FAniLY: MrniD.c.
No other family of the order affords us so advan-
tageous and complete an opportunity to become
thoroughly acquainted with the Rodents as does
that which comprises the Mice. This family is not
only the richest in species and varieties but also by
far the most widely distributed, and, owing to its
association with Man, it is constantly gaining a more
THE MKE.
331
extensive range, at least so far as concerns some of
its species. The individuals of the family are
commonly small, but what they lack in size they
more than compensate in numbers. To outline a
general description of the whole family it may be
said that their distinguishing characteristics are: a
pointed muzzle; large black eyes; wide, deeply con-
cave ears with a scanty covering of hair; a long tail
sometimes covered with hair or quite as often bare
and showing scales; slender legs, terminating in
graceful, narrow, five- toed paws; and a short soft
fur. Many Mice, however, in the exhibition of some
characteristic, show an affinity to other families of
the order: thus a bristly, outer fur may recall the
Porcupine; genuine swimming feet, short ears and
feet may remind us of the Beavers; a bushy tail of
the Squirrels, etc. The structure of the teeth in
these aberrant species corresponds more or less with
the variations of the typical shape.
with but scanty supply of grass and shrubs, furnish
them subsistence. Some shun the proximity ui
human settlements, others intrude upon and follow
Man wherever he goes to make his home, even
though it be across the ocean. They infest house
and yard, barn and stable, garden and field, meadow
and forest, carrying devastation everywhere with
their destructive teeth. But a small portion of the
family live singly or in couples, the majority being
of gregarious habits, and some species occasionally
increase to immense numbers. Nearly all are ex-
ceedingly fecund, the number of young in a single
litter ranging between six and twenty-one; the ma-
jority have several litters a year, breeding even in
winter.
Principal Mice are an especial annoyance to
Traits of the Man, their characteristics appearing
Mice. t0 n^ them in an unusual degree for
the infliction of damage upon his possessions. Quick
THE JUMPING HARE. While resembling the Jerboa in the remarkable elongation of its hind legs as compared with its fore limbs, the
Jumping Hare is a much larger and stronger animal. It creeps on all fours when searching for food, but when it wishes to travel rapidly it uses th_
hind legs alone, making enormous leaps after the manner of the animals pictured here. (Pedetes coffer,)
Mice now Distrib- Mice are cosmopolitan, but unfortu-
uted in all Coun- nately not in a good sense. All con-
tries. tinents are inhabited by members of
the family and those happy islands ( if such there
be) which so far have been spared their visitation,
will in course of time be populated by one or other
of the numerous species. Mice, by reason of their
migratory propensities, have secured foothold in all
countries and climes, and though they prefer the
balmy breezes of the plains of temperate or warm
countries to the rigorous climate of high mountains
or the cold of the far north, still they may be found
in altitudes marking the boundary line between
vegetation and the perpetual snow of the mountains.
Well cultivated localities, fruit fields and gardens
undoubtedly are their favorite haunts, but swampy
regions, banks of rivers and small streams also afford
them food and shelter, and even arid, dry plains,
ol movement, they are excellent runners, jumpers,
climbers and swimmers; they know how to insinu-
ate themselves into the smallest apertures cr, it
they find no ready made avenue of admission, they
open a way by means of their sharp teeth. They
are usually moderately sagacious and prudent, but
sometimes bold, impudent and cunning; all their
senses are well developed, though those of smell
and hearing are far superior to the others. Their
food consists of all eatable substances of the vege-
table and animal world. Seeds, fruits, roots, barks,
herbs, grasses and buds, all contribute fo their sus-
tenance, and are devoured by them with no less
avidity than are insects, meat, tallow, blood and
milk, butter and cheese, skin and bones; and what-
ever substances they cannot eat, they at least gnaw
and perforate with their teeth, such as paper and
wood. Water they seldom drink ; on the other
332
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
hand, they are extremely fond of liquids of a more
substantial character and often exercise great in-
genuity in obtaining access to them. They destroy
much more than they eat, and hence are among the
most detested plagues of mankind. A few of them
arc harmless, innocent animals, and have found favor
in our sight by reason of their graceful movements,
symmetrical shape and prepossessing habits. These
exceptions are principally found among the archi-
tects of the family. The}' construct the most ingen-
ious nests of any of the inferior mammals and' do not
annoy Alan much, as their numbers are few and they
commit little depredation when seeking food. Some
species that inhabit cold and temperate countries,
hibernate and store away winter provisions; others
temporarily migrate in immense numbers, their wan-
derings usually leading them to their death.
Few species are capable of domestication. Only
a very small number are tractable, or responsive to
kindness. The others, even after long captivity and
continued efforts for their reclamation, remain but
treacherous creatures, addicted to biting and badly
repaying the friendship and care bestowed upon
them. Alice are never really useful; for even though
the skin of a few species may be employed for vari-
ous purposes or the flesh of other species eaten,
the benefit derived from both of these uses is not
worthy of consideration in comparison with the
extreme harmfulness of the entire family.
RUNNING. MICE.
The Running Mice (Mcrionidina) are separated
from the rest as a distinct sub-family.
They are confined in habitat to Africa, southern
Asia and southeastern Europe. They preferably in-
habit cultivated districts, but are also found in the
most arid plains and steppes, often in extraordinary
numbers. The majority dig rather shallow, under-
ground burrows in which they spend the day. Their
movements are exceedingly quick and some are said
to be able to make jumps of considerable length.
On account of the devastations which the Meri-
onidime cause in the fields, they are detested and
pursued to extermination by the inhabitants of those
countries which they infest, as are Rats with us.
The Sand Rat, The Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus)
Common in attains about the same size as the
Egypt- Common Brown Rat, but its tail is
much shorter, measuring only five inches, the total
length of the animal being nearly thirteen inches.
The upper parts are of a ruddy sand color, sprinkled
with black; the flanks and under surface are light
yellow.
In Egypt this Mouse is seen in the sandy parts
of the desert, being particularly frequent on the
mounds of rubbish which surround all the cities of
the land of the Pharaohs. It burrows out rather
deep, branching tunnels and passages, preferably
under and between the low shrubs and the few
creeping plants, which afford its habitation a scanty
covering and at the same time give it its daily food.
As it is not nocturnal in its habits and often emerges
from its burrow during the daytime, one can easily
observe it. Frequently ten to fifteen are seen frisk-
ing about, playing with one another or nibbling at a
plant. The Sand Ral is one of the prettiest of the
Rodents. It can easily be domesticated and be-
( onus very tame, leaves its cage, runs fearlessly
about in the presence of Man, and suffers itself to
be handled without exhibiting any vicious propensi-
ties. Its large and not very prominent eyes and its
beautiful fur. contribute much to the agreeable im-
pression it produces on the spectator; even its tail,
with its close fur and black tuft at the tip, is quite
ornamental.
THE MICE PROPER.
The real types of the family, the Mice proper
(Mitri/icz), are only too well and too widely known
in respect to their habits and their activity. To
them belong those species which have spread all
over the globe in the wake of Man and are at pres-
ent established on even the most remote islands.
This migration of the animals over the world took
place not so very long ago; in many localities the
year in which they first made their appearance is
yet within memory of living Men; but nowadays
they have completed their tour around the world.
Nowhere is Man grateful to them for the unalter-
able attachment they exhibit towards his person
and his home ; everywhere he detests and pur-
sues them without mercy and resorts to all kinds
of devices to rid himself of them: and still their
predilection remains unchanged, and they cling to
him more persistently than a Dog or any other
animal. Unfortunately these tenacious domestic
friends are detestable thieves which know how to
insinuate themselves anywhere with the help of
their rascally tools, and cause their host nothing but
damage and loss. This is the reason why all true
Mice are stigmatized as ugly, nasty animals, though
in reality they are by no means such, but it must, on
the contrary, be confessed that they are good-look-
ing, graceful and pretty creatures.
The Distinctive Even in common parlance we distin-
Features of Rats guish two main groups, the Rats and
and Mice. tne Mice, and science adopts this
distinction. The Rats are the clumsier and uglier
forms, the Mice the lighter and daintier ones. The
tail of the former shows between two hundred and
two hundred and sixty scaly rings, the tail of the
latter only between one hundred and twenty and
one hundred and eighty, the feet of the first are
thick and stout, those of the second slender and deli-
cate, and the full-grown Rats are considerably larger
than their more prepossessing relatives.
Original We may assume with tolerable safety
Home of the that the Rats which at present are
Rats. settled in Europe, were not origi-
nally indigenous to the continent, but immigrated.
In the works of the ancients there is only one place
in which it is probable that the animals mentioned
were identical with our Rats; and in this one in-
stance it is not clear which species were meant by
Amyntas, whose accounts are quoted by yElian. It
has been proven that the Black Rat appeared first
in Germany and other parts of Europe; it was fol-
lowed by the Brown Rat and then quite recently by
the Egyptian Rat (Mus alcxnudrimis). The Brown
Rat, however, being the strongest of all, drove out
and almost exterminated the other species and has
obtained supremacy nearly everywhere. Let us
hope that we may not have to deal with other mem-
bers of the family, which are given to migration,
and in particular that we will be spared the immi-
gration of the Hamster Rat (Mus or Cricetomys gam-
biatius), which by far surpasses our Rats not only in
size but also in respect to its activity, and at pres-
ent worries the merchants of Zanzibar more than all
Kuropcan Rats together. If that animal should elect
to visit us, then truly would we know what mischief
a Rat can accomplish!
THE MICE-MICE PROPER.
333
It is sufficient for the present to describe the two
best known species, the Black and the Brown Rat.
The Black Rat— The Black Rat (Mus rattus) attains a
its Origin and length of body of six and one-half
Peculiarities. inches, and a length of tail of seven
and one-half inches, or a total length of fourteen
THE BLACK RAT. This was formerly the most common of the Rats in Europe and until the invasion of
the Brown Rat the most formidable. It is still found, not only in Europe, but also in Asia, America and nearly all
parts of the world. Its vicious head, coarse fur and scaly, hairless tail aie well depicted here. (Mui rat/us.)
inches. Its upper surface is dark brownish black,
the lower parts being of a somewhat lighter grayish
black hue. The feet are of a grayish brown tint,
slightly lighter on the sides. The relatively slen-
der tail shows from two hundred and sixty to two
hundred and seventy
scaly rings. White in-
dividuals are not un-
common.
The time when this
species first appeared
in Europe cannot be
definitely determined.
Albertus Magnus is
the first naturalist to
mention it as a Ger-
man animal ; conse-
quently it was a com-
mon animal as early
as the thirteenth cen-
tury. Gesner speaks
of it as being "an
animal that is better
known to many than
is agreeable to them;"
the bishop of Autun
excommunicated
it from the church in
the beginning of the
fifteenth century.
Possibly it originally
came from Persia
where it still exists in
prodigious numbers.
Up to the first half of the last century it reigned
alone in Europe; since that time the 'Brown Rat
has contested the field and has been so success-
ful that the Black Rat has been obliged to recede.
It is still distributed sparsely over nearly all parts of
the globe, however. It rarely occurs in P'urope in
compact bodies, existing nearly everywhere it is
found at all in small, straggling and widely dis-
persed colonies. In Germany it seems to be ncarly
extinct; but there are yet a few places infested by
it, such as Bremen and
Luneburg in northwest-
ern German)-, and Rud-
olstadt in Thuringia. It
has followed Man into
all climes of the globe,
wandering through the
world over land and sea.
Undoubtedly it was not
indigenous to America,
Australia and Africa;
but ships conveyed it to
all coasts and from the
coasts it penetrated far-
ther and farther inland.
At present it is found in
the southern parts of
Asia, especially India;
in Africa, especially in
Egypt, Barbary and the
Cape of Good Hope; in
parts of America, in Aus-
tralia and the islands of
the Pacific.
The Brown The Brown
Rat- itsorigin, Rat {Mas
etc. decumanus )
is considerably larger, measuring nearly seventeen
inches, inclusive of the tail, which is seven inches
long. Its color is different on the upper surface
from that of the lower parts of the bod)-, the upper
parts being ;i brownish gray; the tinder parts grayish
THE BROWN RAT. —The animal shown in the picture is only too familiar. Originally a native of India, he has,
dining the past two centuries overrun all lands, driving out the weaker Black Rat. The animal in the picture has evi-
dently been despoiling the poultry yard. Rats of this species are the most destructive of all Rodents. (Mas decumanus.}
white, the line of demarcation being quite sharply
defined. The tail has, approximately, two hundred
and ten seal)- rings. The upper surface of the fore-
feet sometimes shows short, fine brownish hairs ;
334
THE RODEXTS OR GXAWIXG AXIMALS.
black specimens, white ones with red eyes ( true albi-
nos i, dull or pied individuals, also occur. The lat-
ti r are either black and white, or gray and white,
and nearly always the head, neck, shoulders and
fore-feet, together with a wider or narrower stripe on
the back, are black or gray, the rest being white.
The Drown Rat a It is very probable that the Brown
Formidable Rat came to us from some portion
Pest. 0f Asia, namely, India or Persia.
Pallas is the first to describe the Brown Rat as an
European animal and says that it invaded Europe
in immense hordes in the autumn of 1727 after an
earthquake, coming from the Caspian country. At
that time it crossed the Volga at Astrakhan in enor-
mous numbers and rapidly spread westward. Nearly
at the same time, namely in 1732, it was conveyed
to Pmgland from East India in ships, and thence it
began its tour over the world. In eastern Prussia
it appeared in 1750, in Paris in 1753, in Germany it
was common in 1780; in Switzerland it has been
known since 1809, and in Denmark it gained a foot-
hold at about the same time. In 1755 it was carried
to North America and there also it multiplied at a
wonderfully rapid rate; still it had not spread much
farther than Kingston in Upper Canada in 1825, and
more recently still it had not reached the regions
ibout the upper Missouri. It is distributed, how-
ever, over all the islands of the Pacific, even the very
remotest and most solitary of them. Being larger
And stronger than the Black Rat, it invades the
localities where the latter formerly lived in peace,
and its numbers are on the increase, as those of the
latter diminish.
Similar Habits of The two species agree so closely as
the Brown and to their mode of life and habits that
Black Rats. tne description of one almost ex-
actly fits the other. If it be noted that the Brown
Rat settles more in the lower parts of buildings,
especially in damp cellars and vaults, in sewers,
sluices, cess-pools, drains, and along the banks of
rivers, while the Black Rat prefers the upper part
of the house, corn-lofts, garrets, etc., little will be
left that is not a common attribute of both. Both
species of this vermin inhabit all available apart-
ments of a human habitation and all imaginable
places holding out a promise of food. They can be
found from the cellar to the garret, from the draw-
ing-room to the closet, and in both palace and hovel.
Neither fence nor wall, neither door nor lock insures
protection from them; where there is no ready-made
way they open one; they gnaw and dig passages
through the strongest oaken timber or the thickest
wall. Only when one sinks foundation walls deep
into the ground, closes all crevices between the
stones with hard cement and takes the precaution of
putting a layer of broken glass between the stones
is a building tolerably safe from their intrusion.
Vicious Pro- And yet the destruction of dwell-
pensities of the ings, the abominable undermining
Brown Rat. 0f an(j digging through walls, is the
smallest of the misdeeds of which the Rats are
guilty. The damage they cause by their feeding is
much more considerable; anything eatable is accept-
able to them. Man eats nothing that Rats will not
partake of, and they do not stop short at eating,
but go further and share many of his beverages.
Wmi tiny to become drunk on alcoholic liquors
they could be charged with helping to consume all
article ol lood and drink of which mankind makes
use. Not contented with so multifarious a bill of
fare, the Rats greedily attack other substances, not
sparing living creatures. The foulest offal of the
domestic economy is occasionally eaten by Rats,
and decomposing carcasses are acceptable to some
of them. They eat leather and horn, grain and the
bark of trees; no imaginable vegetable substance
comes amiss and what they cannot eat they gnaw
and destroy. Sometimes they commit serious dep-
redations in plantations of sugar-cane and coffee.
There are also authenticated cases on record where
they have attacked and attempted to devour small
children, and every farmer knows how they prey
upon domestic animals. They eat holes into the
bodies of very fat Pigs; they eat the webs between
the toes of closely penned-in Geese; they drag
young Ducklings into the water and drown them.
Hagenbeck, the dealer in animals, had three young
African I^lephants killed by them, the Rats gnaw-
ing through the soles of those powerful animals.
Great Audacity When they abnormally multiply in a
of the Rat locality they become very formid-
Family. able, and there are places where they
appear in numbers which almost exceed belief. In
Paris sixteen thousand Rats were killed in four
weeks in a single slaughter-house, and in a place for
flaying dead animals near the same city they de-
voured thirty-five Horses' carcasses to the bones in
a single night. As soon as they perceive that Man
is helpless against them their audacity increases
amazingly. Las Casas tells us that on the 27th of
June, 1816, Napoleon and his companions on St.
Helena were left without breakfast, as the Rats had
invaded the kitchen on the preceding night and de-
voured everything. They existed there in great num-
bers and were vicious and exceedingly impudent.
It usually took them but a few days to gnaw through
the walls and planks of the slightly-built houses of
the Emperor. During meals they entered the din-
ing-room and at the conclusion of dinner a regular
war was waged against them. The Emperor's at-
tendants had to abandon the keeping of poultry, as
the Rats would eat the fowls. They even succeeded
in stealing the poultry from the trees on which the)'
perched during the night. In the large depots or
repositories of merchandise on the coasts of remote
countries they usually make a lodgment coinci-
dently with the removal of goods from the trading-
ships, and are a grievous nuisance, frequently caus-
ing serious damage. All travelers, and especially
collectors, complain that many objects, some of
them very rare and obtained with great pains, are
destroyed by these pests. How effectually they
disturb one's sleep at night by their savage conflicts
and noisy scamperings over the ground, the walls
and the roofs, is well known by even- one.
Rats a Source of Sailors, particularly, are badly off in
Annoyance on this respect, for there is no ship
Shipboard. without Rats. On old vessels they
cannot be exterminated, and of new ones they take
possession when the first cargo is brought on board.
On long voyages, especially when they have enough
to eat, they increase considerably, and then one can
scarcely endure life on board. When Kane's ship
was frozen near the 80th parallel of north latitude
on his arctic voyage, the Rats increased so prodig-
iously that they caused grievous damage.
The Rats are experts in all physical exercises.
They run quickly, climb excellently, even up toler-
ably smooth walls, swim in masterly fashion, jump
far and with precision, and dig fairly well, though
they do not exhibit much endurance in the last
accomplishment. The stronger Brown Rat in all
THE MICE— MICE PROPER.
335
these regards seems to surpass the Black Rat; at
least it is a much better swimmer. It can dive
nearly as well as a truly aquatic animal.
Development Among the senses of the Rats, hear-
of the Physical ing and sight stand foremost; the
Senses of Rats, former is especially excellent, and
sight also is highly developed. Their acuteness of
taste is but too often exhibited in pantries, where the
Rats always select the choicest morsels. As to their
intellectual capacities there is little to say. One
certainly cannot deny that they are possessed of
reasoning power, and, still more, of calculating sly-
THE COTTON RAT. Anions the native species of Rats found in this country is the Cotton
Rat, found in the southern states. Like the Black Rat, its numbers are diminishing as those of the
Brown Rat increase. (Sigmodon hispidus.)
ness and a certain craftiness with the help of which
they escape from dangers of the most varied kinds.
There have been several accounts of the way in
which they remove eggs unbroken. Doubts as to
their manner of proceedings are no longer justified,
since a Man like K. von Dalla Torre related the fol-
lowing incident ' mimX sPe< j"
of the Field family ol Rodents related to the
Voles Field Voles, and the Meadow Mice of North
America are as destructive on the farms of
this country as are the Yo'es in Europe. All of the American
Arvicolidae, except the Muskrat, are diminutive creatures, in
size comparing most aptly with the Mice proper, but showing
marked differences from the latter by their short limbs, short
tail, stout form and blunt muzzle.
The American Meadow Mouse {Arvicola riparius) is the
most common species in this country, and has many local vari-
eties, covering nearly all parts of North America, and is espe-
cially plentiful in all of the region from Virginia north to the
Hudson Bay country. It is found in many modifications of
color and markings, about twenty-five varieties having been
distinguished and described by naturalists. The Pine Mouse
ol the southern states is a near relative of the northern Meadow
Mouse, but has a smoother coat and is more highly colored.
THE FIELD MICE PROPER.
The Field Mice proper, which occur in Europe
and northern Asia in several varieties, differ from
the preceding species mainly in their dentition. In
central Europe there are two kinds of true Field
Mice and two kinds of Meadow Mice, one of each
variety, not heretofore mentioned, deserving to be
described at greater length.
Characteristics The most important member of the
of the Cam- sub-species is the Field Mouse, usu-
pagnol. ally distinguished from the other
variety by the name Campagnol (Arvicola arvalis),
the total length of which is nearly six inches. The
body is four and one-half inches long, the tail a
little over one inch. The fur is indistinctly parti-
colored, the upper parts beingyellowish gray, lighter
on the flanks, and rusty white on the under parts;
the feet are more purely white.
All of central and part of northern Europe, as well
as the western part of central and northern Asia, are
included in the native country of this small creature,
which is of so great importance in the domestic
economy of Man. It frequents alike the plain and
the mountain, though it is more common in the low-
lands. In the Alps it is found at elevations 6,000
feet above the sea. It delights in treeless regions,
fields and meadows. It is more rarely met with on
the outskirts of forests or in lonely glades; and not
only in dry, cultivated land but also in damp, marshy
regions. In wet localities it makes its nests with
a network of tunnels and runways on the dry tus-
socks and clods of peat, but in dry situations it
builds shallow tunnels with from four to six en-
trances, connected on the outside by downtrodden,
deepened paths. In autumn it retreats under corn
ricks or into houses, barns, stables and cellars. In
houses it prefers cellars to attics, thereby differing
from the true Mice. In winter it digs long tun-
nels under the snow. Wherever it can, it lays by
provisions, consisting principally of corn and seeds;
in times of scarcity it emigrates in large bodies, usu-
ally going only to a neighboring field, but some-
times it wanders from one locality to another in
great numbers,
crossing moun-
tain ridges and
wide rivers. It is
a g o o d r u inter
and an excellent
swimmer, but
climbs little and
awkwardly. In
digging it is an
expert. It bur-
rows more quick-
ly than any other
Mouse and seems *^ -VSSg
to be tireless in
1 • t, American Meadow Mouse. (Arvicola rijarius.)
making nests. Its
habits partake equally of daily and nightly activity.
One may see it abroad in the hottest sunshine,
though it seems to prefer morning and evening to
the hot noontide. A warm and dry temperature are
essential conditions for its well-being; continued re-
striction to damp localities is fatal to it.
The Diet of It feeds on all kinds of vegetable
the Cam- substances. If it has seeds at its
pagnol. disposal it confines its selection to
them; otherwise it contents itself with fresh grass
and herbs, roots, clover, fruit and berries. It com-
348
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING AN1MAES.
mits great depredations on beech seeds and nuts,
grains, turnips and potatoes. During the severest
cold of winter seasons it hibernates intermittently;
in mild weather it awakes and feeds on its provis-
ions. It is remarkably voracious and requires a
great deal of food before it is satisfied. It cannot
abstain from water.
The Social The Campagnol has the social in-
Instinct of the stinct highly developed and lives
Campagnol. quite peacefully with others of its
own kind, the mated couples congregating in large
numbers and digging their burrows side by side.
Its fruitfulness in the propagation of its species is
extremely great, and it may thus become the cause
of great damage.
"In favorable circumstances," says Blasius, "the
Campagnols increase in a marvelous manner. There
are many cases on record where their excessive mul-
tiplication has resulted in the destruction of a great
part of the harvest over a large extent of country,
and where young beech plantations have been ruined
on more than a thousand acres by the animals gnaw-
ing off the bark. In the second decade of the pres-
ent century this plague occurred repeatedly on the
lower Rhine."
Inadequacy Unfortunately Man is utterly power-
of Attempts to less to resist these Mice. All means
Exterminate. 0f extermination, which have so far
been devised, appear insufficient in the face of the
enormous multiplication of those voracious hordes;
only epizootics, breaking out among them and to a
certain extent also among the beasts of prey, which
in common with the Mice are objects of relentless
persecution at the hands of Man, can remedy the
evil. The devices for their destruction are numerous.
Among others is a kind of earth auger or post hole
digger with which one bores holes in the ground,
from five to seven inches in diameter and twenty-
four inches deep, the result being that the Mice
which fall into them devour each other, never at-
tempting to dig tunnels and in this way escape.
The annoyed agriculturist throws poisoned grains
into their burrows, drives smoke into them, or
sprinkles whole fields with a decoction of nux
vomica or euphorbia; in short, he resorts to every
expedient to get rid of the abominable plague; but
usually all efforts are in vain and some of the
methods employed (especially that of using poison)
are highly dangerous even to human life. The most
effective poison fails to destroy all the Campagnols
of a field, but may cause the unintended death
of their relentless enemies — and consequently our
friends — Foxes, Stoats, Weasels, Buzzards, Pole-
cats, Owls, Crows, to say nothing of the Partridges,
1 lares and domestic animals, from the Pigeon up-
wards to the Cow or Horse which may fall victims.
This fact alone should be sufficient to induce the
utter cessation of the practice of laying out poisons
in places accessible to any other animals than those
aimed at.
The Root l'1 Siberia, from the Ob to the Onon,
Vole of Si- there exists an Arvicole, which is
beria. a]so WOrthy of notice, though for
reasons different from those entitling the Campagnol
to notice; it is the Root Vole ( Arvicola ce'eonomus).
It is somewhat larger than the Field Mouse, being
seven inches long, the tail occupying two inches of
this length. It is of a light yellowish gray tint
above and gray below. It is distinguished from the
Field Mouse by its shorter head, smaller eyes and
short ears, nearly buried in the fur.
Habits The Root Vole is sometimes found
of the Root in oreat numbers in plains and is
Vole. deemed a benefactor by the inhabit-
ants of those desolate, solitary regions; for it works
for the benefit of mankind instead of for its damage.
It digs long tunnels under the sod, which lead to a
large, round nest, twelve inches in diameter. The
nest does not lie very deep underground and is con-
nected with several very spacious score-rooms; it is
softly lined with various kinds of vegetable sub-
stances and serves as both couch and nursery; the
store-rooms are filled with various roots.
The uncivilized, nomad tribes, who are not given
to agricultural pursuits, dig up the treasured stores
of the Vole in autumn, when the store-rooms are
filled, reject the white roots (which have benumbing
properties ) and keep the black roots of the meadow-
button, which they use not only as an article of diet
but also as a tea. These provisions, taken from the
Mice, often last the poor country-folk all through
the winter; what is left is given to the wild Pigs,
and if a Mouse happens to be taken along with a
bundle of the roots it too is eaten as well as the food.
The Vole's Fond- A remarkable trait of this and allied
nessfor species of Arvicolida; is their fond-
Trauel. ness for change of habitation. To
the grief of the natives they set out on their migra-
tions in the spring of some years and go westward
in hordes, always pushing straight ahead, over rivers
and mountains. Thousands of them are drowned
and devoured by fish and Ducks, and other thou-
sands are eaten by the Foxes ana Sables which
always accompany these armies.
THE LEMMINGS.
The Lemmings (Myodcs) are, among the Arvicoles,
what the Hamsters are among the true Mice, in
shape and character: they are the members of
the family having specially vigorous organization.
Short, stumpy tails are their most notable physical
characteristic. The head is large in relation to the
body and thickly grown with hair; the upper lip is
deeply cleft, the roundish ear is small and com-
pletely hidden by the fur; the eyes are small. The
feet are provided with five toes and even the soles
are fur-clad, and the fore feet in particular are armed
with large, strong claws well adapted for digging.
Appearance of The typical form of the variety, the
the Lem- Lemming (Myodcs lemmus, Letnmus
mmg. ?ionvegiais), attains a total length of
six inches, some three-fourths of an inch being in-
cluded in the little stubby tail. The rich, long fur is
marked in a manner very agreeable to the eye of the
beholder. The ground color is a brownish yellow,
having wavy, shimmering lights on the nape of the
neck, and relieved with darker spots; two yellow
bands run from the eyes to the back of the head.
Tail and paws are yellow, and the under parts are
also of a plain yellow, nearly sandy color.
An Object of The Lemming is in many respects
Scientific Per- without doubt the most perplexing
plexity. anc] mysterious of all Scandinavian
animals. The peasants of the mountains believe, de-
spite the civilization of the present day, that it rains
down from heaven, thereby explaining its appear-
ance at times in such extraordinary numbers. As an
offset to this, and accounting for the great deple-
tion which often takes place among them, the ani-
mals are said to fatally impair their digestion by their
voracity, and thus perish. Olaus Magnus says that
he saw a great many Stoats in the forest in 151S, the
THE J 'OLES—LEMMIXG.
;;4!»
animals filling the whole wood with their stench.
The cause of this assemblage were four-footed little
creatures, called Lemars, which occasionally dropped
from heaven during a sudden thunderstorm and
rain; whether they had been wafted from distant
parts to the place of their discharge to the earth or
FIELD MOUSE OR CAMPAGNOL. The little Rodents so amusingly depicted in this illustration are
so numerous in many parts of Europe and Asia that they work sad havoc in the fields, and frequently destroy a
large part of the crops. {.-!>- icola tin o
produced in the clouds, was not known. Other
authors simply copy the account of the bishop, and
Linnaeus was the first who truly described the Lem-
ming (in his Swedish treatise of 1740) according to
nature and with so many details that there is very
little to add to his description. I had the pleasure
myself of encountering a
great many Lemmings in ^HKiJmb^wB • \
1 860 especially on the S^^^l
Dovenfjeld, and so have-
been able to become fa-
miliar with them by my
own experience.
The Lemming a 1 >ie a 111-
Charming mals are
Animal. charming
little creatures. They
look like small Marmots
or Hamsters, resembling
the latter particularly in
their habits. They take-
up their abode in the less
moist portions of the
marshes which cover so
large a part of Norway.
There they domesticate
in small hollows under
stones or in the moss;
and they may often be
seen roaming between
the little hillocks which
rise out of the swamp.
One seldom sees beaten
paths extending from
one of their holes to an-
other; permanent passages are used by them only to
avoid wandering through unbroken snow during the
winter. They are lively and active during both day
and night. Their usual method of locomotion is a
rapid tripping walk, though .Man can easily outrun
and capture them. Water they shun with a certain
degree of fear, and if one throws them into a large
vessel of water or into a small stream they squeak
and growl very angrily and try to regain the dry
land as soon as possible. They often betray them-
selves, for frequently, as they sit in their holes
so well hidden that they certainly would not be
noticed by a passer-by, the
appearance of a human
being excites them to such
a degree that they can not
remain silent. A loud
grunting and squeaking,
after the fashion of Guinea
Pigs, greets the intruder
into their domain, as if
they wished to forbid his
treading on their ground.
It is only when they are
abroad that they flee from
human approach, hurrying
to one of their innumer-
able holes, and secreting
themselves in it. Once in,
there they stay, not stir-
ring or trying to escape,
but leaving it to fate, as to
whether or not they will
be killed or taken away.
The courageous little
fellows furnished me con-
siderable amusement. I never could help provok-
ing them. Once they are driven to bay, they never
think of surrender. If a boot be held out to one of
them, the animal will bite into it, as it would into a
stick or a gun, even though it sees that the latter pro-
ceeding avails it nothing. Some Lemminsjs on one
THE LEMMINGS.
omeunies undertaking gre.t migrations in large
companies, the Lemminrs are among the most interesting of Rodents. They are shown in the picture engaged on
one of their journeys, d though those in the foreground are picking up a me;.! on their way. (Myodes lemmus. I
occasion fastened upon my trousers, so that I could
hardly shake them off. Fighting throws them into
a great fury, and then they resemble fierce Ham-
sters. Sometimes they spring up to their antagonist
with short leaps, and in general they seem to be
afraid of no animal whatever, but offer battle to any
350
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
and every creature in a foolhardy way. Many are
run over in the streets by carriages, as they defiantly
put themselves in the roadway and do not move.
The Dogs on farms kill a great number of them and
the Cats probably eat so many that they are never
hungry.
Propagation of According to the assurances of my
the Lem- old hunting companion, the young
ming- are born in the holes in which they
in maturer years continue to live. Linnaeus says
that the animals mostly bear from five to six young
at a birth, and Schaffer adds that they have several
litters a year. No further particulars as to their
propagation are known to me.
The Food of The principal foods of the Lemmings
the Lem- are the few mountain plants which
ming, thrive in their sterile native country,
especially grasses, Reindeer lichen, the buds of
the smooth dwarf-birch, and probably also various
roots. Lemmings are found as high as lichens grow,
and are absent where these are lacking. As far as I
have been able to discover they do not lay by stores
of food for winter, but even then subsist on what
they find under the snow. They do not cause any
damage, worth mentioning, to Man, for there are no
cultivated fields where they live, and they do not
enter human habitations. Their native country, ster-
ile and barren as it may appear, is fertile and pro-
ductive enough to meet their wants,- however, and
generally supplies them with all they need. In
some years, however, this does not seem to be the
case; then the Lemmings are obliged to migrate.
Reasons for My opinion is that the cause of such
Migration of Lem- migrations must be a temporary lack
mmgs. 0f f00j) brought about by a peculiar
combination of circumstances, as happens some-
times with other Arvicolidse. When a mild winter
is followed by a good spring and a dry summer, all
conditions are fulfilled for a propagation of the
species which, like that of some other Arvicolidas,
may in point of numbers be termed an unlimited
one. At the same time the dry weather favors a
drying up or at least a stunting of the growth of the
principal nourishing plants; when this occurs the
diminished pasturage can not satisfy the needs of
the hosts of these creatures, voracious like all Ro-
dents, and they are compelled to look for food else-
where. It is a known fact, that in similar conditions
not only Rodents make common cause and troop
together, but also other vegetable feeding animals,
as for instance Antelopes; they migrate, are joined
by others of their kind on the way, and ultimately
wander along in an apparently aimless manner, as
they neither follow a given direction nor bend their
course toward such localities as will really afford
them something to eat. Only alter hundreds of
thousands have perished from hunger, disease and
the fatigue and casualties of traveling, the survivors
again try to gain those heights which arc their real
abode, and then it may happen that instinct resumes
its deserted throne and they push on in a straight
line. Taking all this in consideration, the migra-
tions of the Lemmings do not strike me as at all
more wonderful or less explicable than those of
other wandering Mammalia, especially of other
Arvicolidae,
The Migration It certainly is fortunate that the
Fortunuti; creatures have so many natural foes
for Man. ancj perish in such immense num-
bers on their journeys; else they would overrun the
whole country, and devour everything eatable. The
climate doubtless is the most effective extermina
tor of these animals. A wet summer, or a cold,
early, snowless autumn kills millions of them, and it
is evident that several years are then required to
repair the havoc made in their ranks, which in its
effects resembles the ravages of an irresistible epi-
demic. Besides this, an almost countless number of
living foes pursue the Lemmings. One may really
say- that in Scandinavia all species of beasts of
prey grow fat on them. Wolves and Foxes follow
them for miles and eat nothing else, when Lemmings
are to be had; the Wolverine, Polecat, Marten and
Ermine hunt no other prey during the Lemming sea-
son; the Dogs of the Laplanders, ever hungry beasts
that they are, consider a Lemming year a festal sea-
son such as is seldom provided for them; the Owls
follow the migrating hosts; the Buzzards are tireless
in their efforts to exterminate these hapless crea-
tures; Ravens feed their young on them and Crows
and Magpies also do their best to kill the biting
little beasts; even the Reindeer are said occasionally
to eat Lemmings, or at least to kill them by stamp-
ing upon them with their fore-hoofs.
The Lemming Man attacks the Lemmings only
Economically when compelled by the utmost neces-
Useless. sity. The skin is not worth much
and, as is easily conceived, the idea of eating their
flesh inspires the natives of the countries they infest
with much the same feelings that the thought of a
diet of Rat's flesh does us. The Laplanders are fre-
quently driven by hunger to eat the Lemmings,
however.
T, , A little animal of the United States and
I he Lemming ,- , a- t »u rw.- w n
VI f N 4h Canada, extending from the Ohio Valley to
. I ■ Alaska, is the Lemming Vole or Cooper's
A 1716 PICO. r
Mouse (Synaptomys cooperi), which in form
much resembles the ordinary Field Mouse, but which in its
dentition resembles the Lemming so closely as to cause it to
be classified with the latter animal. It makes its home in
fields or grassy plains and woods.
Zbc flDole IRats.
SEVENTH FAHILY: Spalacid^:.
The family of the Mole Rats {Spalacidce) consists
of ill-shaped, ugly Rodents, which lead subterrane-
ous lives. Reminding one of the Moles, they pos-
sess all the disagreeable qualities of the latter but
not their useful ones. The body is clumsy and of
cylindrical shape, the head is thick and the muzzle
blunt; the eyes are exceedingly minute or are en-
tirely hidden under folds of the external skin; the
diminutive ears are deprived of an external conch;
the tail is either wanting or hidden in the fur. The
more prominent anatomical features are the nearly
uniformly developed, five-toed feet; as is the case
with the Moles, the fore pair are the stronger, and
all four paws are armed with very strong claws, well
adapted for digging.
The Mole Rats All Mole Rats belong to the Old
Peculiar to the World. They generally inhabit dry,
Old World. sandy plains and dig long, shallow
tunnels across extensive tracts of ground, after the
manner of Moles. None of the various species are
gregarious; each individual lives alone in its burrow
and exhibits the sullen, solitary disposition of the
Mole. They dig with extraordinary rapidity, some
of them being able to descend in even a perpendicu-
lar direction. Above the ground they are unwieldy
and helpless, but in their subterranean tunnels they
THE MOLE RATS.
351
move forward and backward with nearly equal facil-
ity. Their diet is exclusively vegetable, for the
most part consisting of roots, tubers and bulbs,
which they dig out of the earth; a few of them may
in exceptional cases also feed on grass, bark, seeds
and nuts. Those that live in cold regions store up
winter provisions, but do not hibernate.
THE MOLE RAT. The clumsy, almost blind creature, shown in the picture, is the repre-
sentative of a peculiar deep burrowing family of Rodents. Like the Mole, from which it derives its
name, it makes mounds at the mouth of its burrow. Its strong claws for digging and its powerful
protruding gnawing teeth arc shown here. (Spa/ax typhlus.)
The Common The best known species of the fam-
Mole Rat or jiy {s the Common Mole Rat or
Slepez. Slepez (Spalax typlilus). The head
terminates in a blunt snout and is stouter than the
body, while the short, immobile neck is as thick as
the tailless body. The short legs terminate in wide
paws with strong toes armed with sharp, vigorous
claws. The rudimentary
eyes are very small, at-
taining, usually, barely the
size of a poppy seed, and
lie hidden under folds of
the skin so that they are
practically useless for
purposes of sight. The
length of the body is
eight inches. Large and
powerful gnawing teeth
project far beyond the
mouth. All the toes of
the feet are strong and
provided with vigorous
claws for digging. The
tail is rudimentary, its
position being indicated
by a slightly protruding
wart. The body is clothed
in a copious, close, soft
fur; rigid, bristly hairs
cover the sides of the
head from the nostrils to
the eyes, and form a
brush-like crest. The
general color is a yellowish brown, tinged with ashy
gray; the under parts are of dark ashy gray hue, re-
lieved with white longitudinal stripes on the lower
portions of the abdomen, and small, white spots be-
tween the hind legs.
The Mole Rat is a native of southeastern Europe
and western Asia, principally of southern Russia near
the Volga and Don, Moldavia, part of Hungary and
Galicia. and it also occurs in Turkey and Greece;
towards Asia its range is bounded by the Ural and
Caucasus, being especially frequent in the Oukraine.
Like nearly all of the family, the Common Mole
Rat inhabits fertile countries and lives in subterra-
nean, complicated burrows, the existence of which
is recognized by innumerable mounds.
It is said to use its strong incisors in
I digging, gnawing through roots and
3-jjBfife pulverizing the earth between them.
Physical Char- The movements of
acteristics of the the Mole Rat are not
Mole Rat. so awkward as is gen-
erally believed. Among its percep-
tive senses (which probably are all
only slightly developed), hearing
seems to be most important. It has
been observed that the Mole Rat is
very sensitive to noise and is mainly
guided in its movements by its sense
of hearing. It is said to be a cou-
rageous, vicious creature, which in
case of emergency knows how to use
its vigorous teeth in the most effect-
ive manner. It evinces its anger very
plainly, growls and snorts, grinds its
teeth and snaps furiously when
handled by Man.
The Mole Rat feeds principally, if
not exclusively, on vegetable food,
and when pressed by hunger lives on the bark of
trees. If the plants upon which it feeds put forth
deep-reaching tap roots, it sinks tunnels to con-
siderable depth under the hard frozen crust of the
ground in winter; but if it finds its food nearer the
surface, it digs its shallow passages just below the
snow. Provisions for winter have not yet been
Higpl
ORD'S POCKET MOUSE. This is the typical animal of the exclusively American family of the Pocket
Mice. Its long hind le^rs . short fore-feet and long-tufted tail remind us of the Jerboas, but its fur lined cheek pouch
and many other peculiarities place it in a distinct family. It is appropriately depicted in a desert spot where cacti
form almost the sole vegetation. {Dipodomys philippii.)
found stored in its tunnels, but in many instances
nests have been discovered built from the finest of
roots. In such a nest from two to four young Mole
Rats make their appearance in summer. On the
whole the creature does little damage to the pos-
sessions of Man; but, on the other hand, its exist-
ence does not afford the human species any benefit.
.>.>:
THE ROD EXT S OR GX AWING ANIMALS.
Zhc pocket fflMcc.
EIGHTH FAMILY: Saccomyid.e.
Leaving the Mole Rats we may pass to the con-
sideration of a family, indigenous to North and Cen-
tral America, the Pocket Mice (Saccomyidce). This
division contains Rodents, possessing great diversi-
ties in shape, some being graceful and good-looking,
others again having an ungainly appearance, and all
being little known in respect to character and habits.
They differ from all others by the possession of
check pouches of variable length or depth, opening
externally and lined with fur on the inside. The
presence of this inner coat of fur in the cheek
pouches suffices to distinguish these species of the
order from all their relatives. The external fur of
the animal consists of only one wiry or stiff-haired
coat.
THE POCKET MICE PROPER.
The first and typical sub-family commonly bears
the name of Pocket Mice (Saccomyiiice ;) their bodies
are slender and graceful, the hind legs are elongated,
the tail long and the muzzle pointed. Of this sub-
family the Dipodomys constitute the most promi-
nent variety. They bear a resemblance to the Jer-
boas in their outward form; the head is large, wide
and flat, the ears rounded, the innermost toe of each
foot is rudimentary but armed with a claw; the
tail is as long as, or longer than, the body, is fur-clad
and terminates in a tuft, the hind legs are distin-
guished by their length; the teeth contain among
their number rootless molars.
Ord's Among the few varieties that have
Pocket Mouse so far been differentiated in this spe-
Described. c[es, Ord's Pocket Mouse {Dipodo-
mys plulippii) is known best. Its total length is
about twelve inches, nearly seven of which are in-
cluded in the tail; the female is in length nearly an
inch shorter than the male. The color is similar to
that of the True Jerboas, head and ears, back and
thighs are light brown; along the under surface and
the flanks and crossing the thighs a stripe of white
extends to the root of the tail, as does another from
the ears to the shoulders. The tip of the tail is also
white; on the sides of the body the white merges
into a yellowish tint.
This prettily colored and lively little creature is
found in California and from thence east to the
Rocky Mountains and south to Mexico, where it
lives in the most solitary and desolate regions, in
localities of a desert-like character, sparsely grown
with gigantic, wonderfully-shaped cacti. The short
description of its habits, which Audubon gives,
shows that its traits and character correspond with
those of the Jerboas in many respects. It emerges
lioin its hole at dusk only, and trips about amidst
the stones, neither knowing nor fearing Man. In
the arid regions which compose its domain, scarcely
a Living creature is to be found, except a great many
Lizards and Snakes, and hence the question often
arises in one's mind, how it is possible for a mam-
mal to exist there. Most probably Ord's Pocket
.Mouse subsists also on seeds, roots and grasses, and
can go without drinking water for a considerable
length of time, like the Jerboas of the desert, or it
may be that it contents itself with the tiny dew-
drops uhi< h are condensed on some of the plants
during the night. Authoritative information as to
its manner of propagation and habits of life when
in confinement are still wanting.
Other Species This family of Mice with cheek pouches
of Pocket or pockets situated entirely outside their
„. mouths includes several other genera, but
none which have such elongated hind limbs
as those which characterize Ord's Pocket Mouse. These R<
dents are called Pocket Mice, Kangaroo Rats and variou
other local names, without much distinction of species by ordi-
nary observers, although science divides them into two genera,
each with several species. Of these Perognathus, with three
species, show little if any elongation of the hind limbs, the soles
of the paws have little hair or are bare and the fur is harsh
and coarse. One species ( Perognathus penicillatus ), which
is found in Xew Mexico, Arizona and adjoining states, is about
the size of the Common Mouse, but has a long, tufted tail. A
much larger species (Perognathus fasciatus) is about the size
of a Chipmunk, is of more ponderous build and has a shorter,
tuftless tail. The third species (Perognathus hispidus) is in
size intermediate between the other two species and has
coarser hair than either of them.
L t Pocket ^ ne tn'ru- genera of this sub-family com-
Mic^Mmimitive '3rises what have been appropriately called
mice, uimmuxiue the Least Pocket Mice (Cricetodipus).
P le ' These little animals are not quite two inches
iiing, exclusive of the tail, which is of the same length as the
body and head together. The hind limbs are longer than the
fore legs, though the disparity is not so great as in Ord's
Pocket Mouse, but the character of their movements is such
that they are known in some localities as Hopping Mice. The
typical animal of this species is Cricetodipus flavus, which has
a soft, silky fur of yellowish red on the upper portion, fading
to a fawn colored band along the sides as a dividing line be-
tween the ruddy fur of the back and the white of the under
portion and legs. There are other species of this group, one
of which is scientifically known as Cricetodipus parvus. They
all live in the West, from Mexico to Canada, and from the Mis-
sissippi river to the Pacific coast.
An allied but little known genera of this sub-family is found
in the Prickly Pocket Mice (Heteroniys) which are found in
Mexico, Central America and the West Indies, of which there
are several species. These are of stouter build and have spines
mingled with their harsh fur.
THE GOPHERS.
The Gophers ( Gcoiuys) show a furrow in the mid-
dle of their upper incisors and their ears are rudi-
mentary. Of the many varieties which recently
have been differentiated and classified, the best
known may serve us as a typical example.
The Pouched The Pouched Gopher ( Gcomys bursa-
Gopher a ruts), is somewhat smaller than a
Type. European Hamster, being fourteen
inches long, inclusive of the tail, which measures two
and one-half inches. The fur is exceedingly thick-
set and of a fine, soft texture, reddish on the upper
surface and yellowish gray below; the tail and the
feet, which show but a scanty covering of hair, have
a whitish hue. The name of Gopher is applied in
some American localities to various other widely
variant Rodents.
Faulty Represen- The zoologists, who first described
tations of the the Gopher, obtained their speci-
Gopher. mens from Indians, who had amused
themselves by cramming both cheek pouches of the
animal full of earth, distending them to such a
degree that if the animal had walked the pouches
would have trailed on the earth. These artificially
distended pouches obtained for the Gopher its name;
the taxidermists who prepared the dead specimens
endeavored to give them what was supposed to be
a life-like appearance by following the practice of
the Indians in distending the cheek pouches, and
the artists who delineated the animal followed the
models which were accessible to them but too truly
in their drawings. Owing to these circumstances,
the pictures of Gophers of even recent date repre-
sent really monstrous animals, when they honestly
intend to familiarize us with the Gopher.
The Gopher is distributed over the country to
the east of the Rocky Mountains and to the west of
THE POCKET MICE— GOPHER.
353
r,
THE RODEXTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
The shorter quills are blackish brown and ringed,
but the base and tip are generally white. The tip
of the tail is implanted with quills of a different
kind, which are about two inches long and one-
fourth of an inch thick, and which consist of trun-
cated, thin-walled tubes, with an open extremity
resembling the quills of a fowl with their ends cut
off, their roots being long, thin and flexible. All
the quills of the body may be erected and depressed
at pleasure by a large, strong flexor muscle, ramify-
ing beneath the skin of the animal and capable of
strong contraction. The under parts of the body
are covered with dark brown hair, overshot with a
reddish tinge; the throat is encircled by a white
band. The claws are darkish, but translucent. The
eyes are black.
The European The Porcupines inhabiting Europe
Porcupine an Im- are said to be natives of northern
migrant. Africa, and to have been imported
by the Romans. At present the animal is found in
northern Africa along the coasts of the Mediterra-
nean, especially in Algiers, Tripoli, Tunis and as far
as Senegambia and the Soudan. In Europe it is
frequently found in the Campagna of Rome, in
Sicily, Calabria and Greece. In lower Egypt, where
it is said to be found, I never saw a trace of it.
Habits of The Porcupine leads a solitary life.
the Common Por- During the day it rests in the long,
cupme. iow tunnels which it excavates in the
ground; at night it emerges from them and prowls
around after food. Its diet consists of plants of all
kinds, such as thistles and other herbs, roots and
fruit, the bark of many trees and various leaves.
Its manner of feeding resembles that of others of
its kind. It bites a piece off, seizes it with its front
teeth and holds it with its fore-paws while eating.
All its movements are awkward and slow; it walks
in a lazy, deliberate way and its running capacities
are also limited in point of speed. Only in burrow-
ing is the clumsy animal possessed of a certain
amount of celerity, which is far from sufficient, how-
ever, to enable it to escape a skillful, nimble antago-
nist. In winter it is said to occupy its burrow more
than at other seasons, and sometimes remain? in it
sleeping for several days at a time. It does not
really hibernate.
The Porcupine's If a Porcupine betaken by surprise
Methods of Intim- outside of its burrow, it threaten-
idation. ingly rears its head and neck, erects
all the spines on its body and rattles them together
in a peculiar way, especially those of the tail with
which it produces a peculiar rattling sound, quite
adapted to frighten an ignorant or timid person.
When highly excited it stamps on the ground with
its hind feet, and if it be seized it utters a hollow
grunt, similar to that of a Pig. Notwithstanding its
belligerent demonstrations the animal is perfectly
inoffensive, easily frightened, retreating upon the
approach of a person and hardly ever making de-
fensive use of its sharp teeth. The quills also are
intended more for the defensive than an offensive
purpose. Whoever approaches it carelessly may
hurt himself, but a dexterous sportsman seizes the
creature by the mane and carries it off with ease.
Propagation of A litter of young Porcupines num-
the Porcu- bering from two to four is born in
pine. the burrow in a soft nest lined with
leaves, roots and herbage. The little creatures
make their appearance with open eyes, and have
short, soft spines lying close to the body. The
pines grow rapidly and soon harden, though they
attain their full length only at a more advanced age.
As soon as the young are capable of shifting for
themselves, they leave their mother.
Method of Hunt- It can scarcely be truly asserted that
ing Poicu- the Porcupine causes any damage.
pines. Nevertheless it is an object of dili-
gent pursuit. The quills are used in many ways and
the flesh is also occasionally eaten. In the Roman
Campagna the hunting of the animal is considered
a particularly enjoyable sport; there certainly is no
denying the fact that the way in which the animal is
hunted is somewhat peculiar and attractive. The
huntsman sets out in the dark of night, accompa-
nied by a few well trained Dogs, which are set on
the trail and left to track the quarry. A loud, furi-
ous bark signifies their meeting with the hero of the
quills and also serves to guide the huntsman to the
spot in which the combat takes place — if the en-
counter may be called a combat at all. All the
sportsmen light the torches which they have kept in
readiness and hurry to the scene of action. As soon
as the Dogs become aware of their masters' ap-
proach, they howl with joy and proceed to furiously
attack their antagonist. The Porcupine tries to re-
pel them, rattling its quills, grunting and growling
in all tones and protecting itself as much as possible
with its quills, which stand out in all directions.
Finally the sportsmen form a circle around the game
and its pursuers, and the glaring light of the torches
enables the sportsmen to view the conflict and ren-
ders it possible for the Dogs to subdue the quarry
by means of their trained methods of attack. In
this way the hunter may either kill the Porcupine or
take it home alive.
TREE OR CLIMBING PORCUPINES.
The Tree or Climbing Porcupines {Ccrcolabiiice) are
distinguished from other members of the family
principally by their slender bodies and tails of
greater or less length, prehensile in most of the
genera. All varieties comprised in this group are
natives of America.
The Urson In the northern half of America the
or Canadian Por- Tree Porcupines are represented by
cupme. the Urson or Canadian Porcupine
(Erithizo/i dorsatimi) . It, as well as its only known
kinsman, differs from the South American Cercola-
binae in having a stout body, and short, flattened or
broadly compressed tail, thickly set with quills on
its upper surface and with bristles on the under side.
The Urson attains a length of thirty-two inches;
seven and one-half of which are included in the tail.
The head is short, thick and blunt, the muzzle is
truncated, the apertures of the small nostrils may be
more or less entirely closed by a semi-lunar flap or
valve. The fore feet have four toes and no digit
analogous to a thumb; the hind feet are five-toed,
the claws are long and strong, the soles destitute of
hair, covered with a skin showing a network of fur-
rows. A thickset fur, which attains a length of
four and one-half inches on the nape of the neck
and changes into sharp spines on the under parts of
the body, and the tip of the tail, clothes the animal.
Dispersed among the hair and spines, quills rather
more than three inches long and for the greater part
concealed in the fur, are distributed over the upper
surface. The color of the animal is a blending of
brown, black and white.
The Canadian Porcupine is a native of the forests
of North America, ranging from the sixty-seventh
parallel of north latitude south to Virginia and Ken-
THE PORCCP/XES—TREE OR CLIMBIXG.
357
tuck\-, its eastern and western boundaries being Lab-
rador and the Rocky Mountains. It is not uncom-
mon in the forest regions to the west of the Mis-
souri, but it is nearly extinct in the east. " The Up-
son."' says Cartwright, "is an accomplished climber
and probably never descends a tree in winter, before
^2
• i.
ORSON OR CANADIAN PORCUPINE.— Formerly plentiful in wie northern Unite 1 States but now quite
rare in this country, although not so scarce in Canada is the Urson, otherwise called the Canadian Porcupine, of
which an admirable illustration is here given. The strange, blunt head, the l< Qg, erectile hair interspersed with
spines, the four strong claws of the lore feet are shown in the animals here portrayed. (Eriihizon dorsatum.)
it has entirely denuded the upper branches of bark.
It is most partial to the tenderest shoots or seedling
trees. A single Urson may ruin hundreds of them
during one winter.' Audubon affirms that he has
passed through woods, in which all the trees had
been stripped by the Urson, producing an appear-
ance similar to that in-
duced when a forest has
been devastated by fire.
Elms, poplars and firs fur-
nish its favorite food, and
therefore usually suffer
more than other trees from
its destructiveness.
The nest of the Urson is
generally found in holes in
trees or in rocky hollows,
and in it the young, usually
two, more rarely three or
four in number, are born in
April or May. Those that
are taken out of the nest
and kept in confinement,
unlike the common Euro-
pean Porcupine, soon be-
come accustomed to their
master and to their sur-
roundings. They may be
fed on all kinds of vegeta-
bles and are very fond of
bread. If given the free-
dom of the garden, they
mount trees and eat the bark and leaves. Audubon
says that an Urson he had in his possession never
exhibited anger, except when some one tried to
remove it from a tree which it was in the habit of
mounting. " Our Urson had gradually become very
tame, and seldom made any use of its nails, so that
we could occasionally open its cage and afford it the
pleasure of a free walk in the garden. It knew us:
when we called it, tempting it with a sweet potato
or an apple, it slowly turned its head toward us,
gave us a gentle, friendly look and then slowly
hobbled up to us, took the fruit out of our hands,
sat down on its hind legs
and raised the food to its
mouth with its fore-paws.
Frequently, when it would
find the door of our room
open, it would come in,
approach and rub itself
against us, looking at us
pleadingly, as if asking for
some dainty. We tried in
vain to arouse it to an
exhibition of anger; it
never used its spines with
us. When a Dog came
in view, matters were dif-
ferent. Then it instantly
assumed the defensive.
With its nose lowered, all
its quills erect, and its tail
moving back and forth, it
was ready for the fray.
"A large, ferocious and
exceedingly troublesome
Mastiff, belonging to the
neighborhood, one day
sprang upon the Urson
with open mouth. The
Porcupine seemed to swell up in an instant to nearly
double its usual size, sharply watched the Uog and
at the right moment dealt it such a well-aimed blow
with its tail as to cause the Mastiff to lose courage
in an instant and set up a loud howl in an agony of
pain. His mouth, tongue and nose were full ot l'or-
THE MEXICAN PORCUPINE. Among the Tree Porcupines the Mexican species is one of strongly
marked physical peculiarities. The long curly hair, concealing to great extent the quills with which the animal
bn-t'es. the prehensile tail, the strong claws and queer bewhiskered muzzle are all shown in the picture. (Cir-
culates nova hispanix.)
cupine quills. He could not close his jaws, but
hurried, open-mouthed, off the premises. Although
the servants immediately extracted the spines from
the mouth of the Dog, we observed that his head
was terribly swelled for several weeks afterwards,
and it was months before he finally recovered."
:',.-) s
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
The Urson Indians alone know how to utilize
Eaten by In- the Urson. The flesh is much es-
dians. teemed by them and is said when
properly prepared to be quite acceptable to white-
people also. The skin is of agreeable softness after
the spines have been extracted and therefore can be
used in the manufacture of moccasins, shoes, etc;
the spines are used by the Indians in the decoration
of hunting pouches, head-dresses, etc.
Distinctive Char- The Cercolabes proper comprise the
acteristics of the species furnished v\ ith a prehensile
Cercolabes. tail and four-toed feet. When the
fur is so much more copious than the spines that
these latter project in places only and are entirely
BRDSH-TAILED PORCUPINE. A separate group of the Porcupine family is formed by two species, one
found in west Africa and one in the Malay region of Asia. The spines of the back are sharp pointed, and each has a
deep groove which extent's along its entire length. The tail is the most characteristic feature, the tuft consisting of a
bunch of spines so flattened that Button compares their appearance to narrow, irregular stiips of parchment. The
African species is well portrayed in this picture. (Atherura africana.)
absent on the throat, breast and abdomen, the vari-
eties are placed in the sub-species Sphingurus; those
in which the spines prevail are classified as belong-
ing to the sub-species Synetheres.
The Mexican The eastern coast of Mexico is in-
Porcu- habited by the Mexican Porcupine
pine. {Cercolabes novce hispani4
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
Native Country The Paca is distributed over the
of the greater part of South America, from
Paca. Surinam in Dutch Guiana through-
out Brazil to Paraguay, and is also found among the
West Indies on the southern Antilles. The lonelier
and wilder the locality the more abundantly is it
found; in all cultivated regions its numbers have
been greatly reduced. It delights in the edges of
forests, wooded banks of rivers or swampy places.
There it scoops out a burrow from three to six feet
deep and spends the day in it sleeping. At dusk it
goes out in quest of food, paying an occasional visit
to sugar cane and melon plantations, in which it
does considerable damage. At other times it feeds
on leaves, flowers and the fruits of various plants.
It lives either in couples or singly. The female
gives birth to one or at the most two young in the
S^*i^
W*Csr
THE PACA. This is the representative of a distinct sub-family among the Cavies. It is a forest animal,
preferring damp localities, and a male and female usually live together.so that the picture appropriately shows two of
the species. The tail is lacking, the head thick and the coarse hair is marked by five rows of spots as shown in the
picture. (Caelogciiys paca.)
middle of the summer; while they suckle she keeps
them hidden in the burrow and even after they are
weaned she keeps them near her for a few months
longer.
In Brazil the Paca is the commonest forest game
except Agoutis and various species of Armadillos.
Prince von Wied often caught it in traps in the for-
ests. It is also hunted with hounds and brought to
market as " royal game." There is no possibility of
taking it in its burrow, but if the huntsman atten-
tively examines the edge of plantations, he will
soon notice the tracks of the animal under the close
hedges of reed grass. There the sportsman puts
out his noose, baited with an ear of corn, and the
next morning he will usually find his trouble well
repaid. The Paca is the best game animal of
Brazil, probably being surpassed by no other in
point of flavor and tenderness. The skin is so thin
and tender that it is not pulled off, the entire ani-
mal being scalded like a Pig. A Paca prepared in
this way and having its head and feet cut off, looks
strikingly like a young Pig. According to Kappler
a hunted Paca which can not reach its hole some-
times jumps into water, where it dives and remains
submerged until its pursuer has withdrawn; he sup-
poses that it swims off under the surface.
The Paca Of late years the animal has been
Well Known to carried to Europe quite frequentlv.
Naturalists. Buffon had a female Paca, which was
quite tame; it took up its abode behind the stove,
slept during the day and ran about at night, and
when it was shut up in a box, it at once began to
gnaw. It licked the hands of friends and allowed
them to pet it, stretching itself and signifying its
pleasure by a low-voiced, faint sound. Strangers,
children and Dogs it
,—./' , ^ x " -;t tried to bite. When
angry, it grunted and
gnashed its teeth in a
quite ferocious manner.
It was so little sensitive
to cold, that Buffon be-
lieved it could be intro-
duced into and bred in
Europe. It is contented
with very few comforts,
and requires neither spe-
cially good food nor a
well-equipped stable. I
must agree with Buffon
in regard to its hardi-
hood in enduring cold;
but I do not think that
it would be profitable to
transplant it to Europe.
THE WATER PIG
OR CAPYBARA.
The Water Pig or
Capybara ( HydrocJiccrus
capybara) may be consid-
ered the most remark-
able of Rodents in one
respect; it is the largest
and clumsiest member
of the whole order. It
justifies its name, for its
shape and bristle -like
pelt remind one quite
forcibly of a Pig. Its dis-
tinguishing features are:
small ears, cleft upper lip, absence of a tail, short
webs between the toes and strong hoof-like nails,
as well as a very peculiar dentition. The incisors or
gnawing teeth are of gigantic proportions, and are at
least four-fifths of an inch wide, not very thick and
characterized by several shallow grooves on their
front faces; among the molars, the rearmost one is as
large as the three preceding. The body is strikingly
clumsy and thick, the neck is short, the head oblong,
deep through from the upper to the lower sur-
face, broad, blunt-muzzled and exhibits a peculiar
appearance. The tolerably large, roundish eyes are
quite prominent; the ears arc rounded at their upper
ends, the front edges being turned over and the
backs abrupt. The hind legs are much longer than
the fore pair, the fore-feet are four-toed, the hind-feet
three-toed. No particular coloring can be ascribed
to the thin, coarse fur; an undecided brown with a
THE GUINEA PIG FAMILY— WATER PIG.
365
dash of red or brownish yellow is distributed over
the body, being nowhere sharply defined. Only the
bristles around the mouth are decidedly black. An
adult Capybara attains about the size of a year-old
Pig and weighs about one hundred pounds. The
length is over three feet, the height fiom the ground
to the top of the shoulders about twenty inches.
Distribution of The Capybara is distributed all over
the Capy- South America and is found from the
bara. Orinoco river to the La Plata and
from the Atlantic Ocean to the foot of the Andes
Mountains. Low, swampy woodland, especially
water-courses and the edges of lakes and swamps,
are its favorite haunts. It delights in large streams,
and never leaves their vicinity unless it should some-
times follow the course of small rivers or ditches
emptying into much larger water-courses. In some
regions it is quite numerous, and often to be en-
plants and the bark of young trees and only where
it exists near plantations does it sometimes make
inroads on water-melons, maize, rice or sugar cares,
and may then inflict considerable damage. The
Capybara is a quiet animal. The first glance shows
the observer that he has to deal with an extremely
dull-witted and stupid creature. One never sees it
playing with others of its kind. The members of a
herd either graze slowly or they rest in a sitting
posture. Prom time to time they turn their heads
in all directions to see whether an enemy is ap-
proaching. If a foe be descried they do not hurry,
but run slowly toward the water When terrified
they frantically rush and dive into the water with
a cry. If they are not accustomed to the sight of
human beings they sometimes gaze curiously at
them for a long time before they scamper away.
One never hears them utter any other sound than
tf. ■-'■>^NVk\^»7
THE CAPYBARA OR WATER PIG. This is tlie largest o( all the Rodents. It isa heavy clumsy animal which inhabits low-lying
woods in the vicinity of streams or lakes, and although a favorite prey to the Jaguar on land and the Alligator in the water, the Capybaras are
sometimes seen in large packs at places remote from settlements. The extremely coarse hair, heavy body and hool-like toes of these animals are
well illustrated in the picture. [Hydrockaerus capybara.}
countered. As is easily understood, it is less fre-
quently met with in populous localities than in the
wilderness. In the former it is seen only at evening
or in the early morning, but one may see large num-
bers of them, by day also, on the lonely little-fre-
quented banks of rivers, foraging for food or sitting
on their haunches like Logs.
Peculiarities of Its ordinary pace in walking is slow;
the Capy- its running powers of short duration;
bara. when hard pressed it sometimes re-
sorts to flight by means of a series of jumps. It is
an excellent swimmer, however, and easily crosses
streams, though it does so only when pursued or
when food has become scarce on the side it occu-
pies. However attached it is to a certain locality, it
is sure to leave it when subject to pursuit. It has no
real den, though it regularly haunts certain selected
spots on the bank. Its food consists of aquatic
that cry of alarm, which Azara expresses by the syl-
lable "ap." This cry is so piercing, however, that
one can hear it at the distance of more than a mile.
The female has but one litter a year, which num-
bers five or six young. The little Pigs follow their
mother immediately, but do not exhibit feelings of
natural affection or even much attachment for her.
The Capybara The animal has of late years been
in Captiv- repeatedly brought to Europe. I
itu- took care of one of them for some
time. It was very much attached to me, knew un-
voice, came to me when I called it, was much
pleased when I petted it, and followed me about
like a Dog. It did not exhibit the same gentle
temper to everybody : when its keeper once was
opposing its disposition to wander and endeavoring
to drive it home, it jumped on his chest and bit him,
fortunately, however, getting more of his coat than
366
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
of his body between its teeth. It could not be
called obedient, anyway , it obeyed only when it
elected so to do.
Characteristic I can not characterize the move-
Mouements of the ments of the Capybara as clumsy or
Capybara. lumbering. It seldom runs rapidly,
its usual gait consisting of long, deliberately taken
steps, but it can easily clear fences three feet high at
a bound. It is perfectly at home in the water. It
swims across wide streams in a very straight direc-
tion, and at the same rate of speed at which a Man
walks; it dives like a waterfowl, with one plunge,
staying under water for several minutes, and can
swim under the surface without mistaking its direc-
tion. Its maintenance in captivity causes no trouble
at all. It feeds on all kinds of vegetable substances
like a Pig and while it requires nourishment in great
quantity it is by no means choice as to quality.
It is most partial to fresh, succulent grass; but car-
rots, turnips and bean pods are also much appre-
ciated by it. It crops grass like a Horse, with its
ilways
dv
the Octo-
THE OCTODON. A true Rodent with sharp gnawing teeth whici
don, shown in this picture. The form of the animal is suggestive ot both the Rat and the Squirrel, the tufted tail
especially, being Rat-like. These animals live in South America where their gnawing propensities cause great dam-
age to vegetation. (Octodon cummingii.)
broad incisors, and also drinks like one, absorbing
long draughts at each effort of suction. While it is
fond of warmth, it is not very sensitive to cold. It
plunges into icy water of streams in winter without
any hesitation.
The Flesh According to the accounts of travel-
of the Capybara ers only Indians partake of its flesh;
Unpalatable. j^ is unpalatable to Europeans owing
to its peculiar, insipid, oily taste. The thick hide,
nearly devoid of hairy covering, is exceedingly loose
and soft and yields a kind of leather readily per-
meated by water, and, in consequence, used only for
the manufacture of straps, an inferior sort of moc-
casin and pack-saddles. The Botocudo Indian girls
string the incisor teeth of the animal together and
use them as bracelets and necklaces. There is no
other economic use to which the animal is put.
The South Americans, particularly the Indians,
hunt the Capybara for amusement's sake, taking it
by surprise, cutting off its retreat and throwing it
down with their lassos. Excepting Man, the Jaguar
is probably the worst foe of the < 'apybara,
£be ©ctofcons.
ELEVENTH FAMILY: Octodontid,e.
This family, not very numerous, but exhibiting
great diversity and peculiarity in shape, comprises a
group of Rat-like Rodents, inhabiting South America
and Africa. The Octodontidae to some extent re-
mind us of Rats in their anatomical peculiarities and
coloring. The ears are short, broad and scantily
covered with hair; the feet have four or five toes, the
tail is variable in length and often shows scaly der-
mal rings, like those of the true Rats; but the resem-
blance of these animals to Rats ceases with these
peculiarities. The fur of some species is soft and
of a fine texture; that of others is wiry, bristly
or even intermingled with a few flat, longitudinally
ringed spines, and the tail is not only hairy, but
bushy. The teeth number four or, in exceptional
cases, three rooted or rootless molars in each row.
The Octodontidse live in forests or in the open
country; some prefer
hedges and shrubbery;
others make their homes
in plantations, along
roads, between rocks,
along the banks of rivers
and streams or even on
the sea -shore. Gener-
ally they live gregari-
ously in subterranean
burrows which they dig
and provide with numer-
ous outlets. Some are
genuine burrowers,
throwing up mounds
like those of the Moles
and spending nearly all
their life underground ;
others dwell in thickets
and nimbly climb about
on trees. Most of them
are nocturnal in their
habits, but a few are
quite active in the day-
time. Some species are
truly aquatic in their
habits and are excellent
swimmers and divers.
Confinement is easily borne by them; they are in-
quisitive, active, know and follow their keeper, and
furnish much amusement by their extremely grace-
ful ways. Their propagation is prolific, for they
have from two to seven young at a litter, and
their numbers may sometimes increase to such an
extent as to enable them to inflict considerable
damage in plantations and fields. The slight eco-
nomic advantage and profit which accrue from the
use of their flesh and fur are not worthy of any
comparison with the loss which they entail through
the destruction caused by their ravages.
OCTODONS PROPER.
The species Octodon, which inhabit Chile, Peru
and Bolivia, arc as it were, intermediate in character
between Squirrels and Rats. Their teeth consist of
smooth, ridgeless, pointed incisors (or gnawing
teeth) and rootless molars, the upper surfaces of
which nearly simulate in shape the Arabic figure
"8" and from this they derive their name of Octo-
don or " eight-tooth."
THE GUINEA PIG FAMILY— COYPU
367
The Degu and The Degu {Octodo/i cunwungii) is
its Peculiaii- brownish gray upon its upper sur-
*'es- face, marked with irregular spots; it
is grayish brown below, the breast and nape of neck
are darker and the base of the tail is nearly white.
The total length is about ten and one-half inches.
THE TUCO TUCO. A member of the Octodon family of Rodents which forms a distinct
genus is an inhabitant of Patagonia, called by the native tribes Tuco-tuco. It lias five toes on each
foot, the innermost toe being much shorter than the other four. It measures about ten inches,
of which about two and a half inches belong to the tail. The fur is brownish gray tinged with yellow,
and lighter on the mi ler portion. It inhabits the plains of Patagonia north of the Rio Colorado, where
it lives in burrows. (Ctenomys magellanicus.)
rather more than one-third of this length being
occupied by the tail.
The Degu is one of the commonest animals of the
middle province of Chile. Hundreds of them in-
fest the hedges and bushes; even in the immedi-
ate neighborhood of populous cities they fearlessly
run about on the high
roads, boldly invading v t-sS3^'3lB^£S^11
gardens and orchard^,
where they cause as much
damage by mischievously
gnawing (apparently for
pastime ) at the plants as
they do by their voracity.
They rarely leave the
ground to climb on the
lower Dranches of trees.
In respect to their habits
these animals resemble
Squirrels much more than
do the Rats. Notwith-
standing the mildness of
the climate of the coun-
tries in which they live,
they lay by provisions but
do not hibernate.
THE COYPU OR
NUTRIA.
The Coypu or Nutria of
Spanish Americans \Myo-
pota/iiiis coy pit) also be-
longs to this family. Its
body is stout and plump,
the neck short and thick,
the head thick, long and
broad, blunt-muzzled and flat at the top; the eyes are
round and prominent, the ears small and somewhat
longer than they are broad; the limbs are short but
stoutly fashioned, the hinder pair being slightly the
longer; the feet are five-toed, the digits being joined
by a wide web and furnished with long, strongly
curved, pointed claws, the inner toes of the fore-feet
showing a flat nail. The long tail is cylindrical, scaly
and rather plentifully overgrown with strong, close
bristly hair. The rest of the fur is thick, rather long
and soft and consists of a short, soft, downy, woolly
coat, nearly impermeable to water and a longer,
soft, slightly lustrous outer fur,
which determines the color, as it
completely covers the inner fur.
In regard to its dentition, the enor-
mous, broad, gnawing teeth remind
the observer of those of the Beaver.
The Coypu attains to nearly the
proportions of a European Otter.
Its body is on the average from six-
teen to eighteen inches long, and
its tail nearly the same in length;
one sometimes finds old males,
however, which are fully three feet
long. The usual color is maroon
red on the back, deepening into
nearly blackish brown on the un-
der parts, and brightening into a
fiery red on the flanks.
Range and This important fur-
Habits of the producing animal
Coypu. [s indigenous to a
large portion of temperate south-
ern America. The Coypu is known
in nearly all the countries south of the tropic of
Capricorn. It is exceptionally plentiful all over
the country drained by the River La Plata, and in
Buenos Ayres, Patagonia and central Chile. Its
range extends from Atlantic to Pacific, crossing the
mountains, and from the twenty-third to the forly-
HUTIA TONGA. This Rodent of the Octodon family is the largest indigenous animal of Cuba and Hayti,
attaining a length of from fourteen to sixteen inches exclusive of the tail. Its fur is of a dull black color. It is arbo-
real in its habits, makes its home in the hollows and clefts of trees and feeds on leaves and fruits. It is sometimes
eaten, but its flesh is insipid to the taste. (Capromys pilot ntes.)
third parallel of south latitude. It lives in couples
on the banks of lakes and rivers, especial ly near mo-
rasses and stagnant waters in which there is a rank
enough growth of aquatic plants to form a suffi-
ciently firm surface to the water to hold it up or en-
able it to pass over on the distended vegetation.
368
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
Every couple excavates a burrow about three feet
deep and from sixteen to twenty-four inches wide, in
which they spend the night and sometimes also part
of the day. In this habitation the female gives birth
to from four to six young, which begin to follow her
about at a very early age. The Coypu is an excel-
lent swimmer, but an indifferent diver. On dry land
its gait is very slow, for its legs are so short as to
allow the abdomen to nearly drag on the ground; the
animal therefore proceeds by land only when it is
crossing the intervening country from one body of
water to another. When alarmed it instantly rushes
S^8^
THE COYPU OR NUTRIA. This Rodent, inhabiting the temperate regions of South America, is aquatic in
its habits, frequenting interior streams and bodies of water. As shown by the picture, it has a bare, Rat-like tail and
such short legs that its body nearly touches the ground. It is awkward on land but at home in the water. (Myopota-
mus coypu.)
and dives into the water; if it be pursued closely it
finally retreats into its hole, which it inhabits only
at night at times when it is left undisturbed.
Intellectual Char- Its intelligence is slight. It is shy
acteristics of and timid and evinces these qualities
the Coypu. even when in captivity. It can not
be called a teachable animal, though it gradually
comes to know its keeper. In the London zoolog-
ical garden it is a permanent feature and recently it
has also been kept in other zoological gardens.
"The Coypu," says Wood, "is a quick and lively
animal and very amusing in its habits. I have often
watched its funny antics and have been much amused
by the manner in which it traverses its domain, and
examines everything that seems to be novel. If a
tuft of grass is thrown to it, the Coypu picks it up
in its fore-paws, shakes it violently to get rid of the
earth that clings to the roots, and then, carrying it
to the water-side, washes it with a rapid dexterity
that might be envied by a professional laundress."
Habits Captive Coypus that I had in my
of the care spent the entire day, with few
Coypu. intervals, in the water and on the
banks, at the most taking a rest at noon; in the even-
ing they were specially active. They sometimes
give evidence of the possession of accomplishments
which one hardly expects of them. It is true that
their movements are neither rapid nor constant, but
they are vigorous and agile enough. In their habits
and disposition and in their manner of swimming
they resemble Water Voles more than they do Bea-
vers. So long as they are unmolested they are wont
to swim straight ahead, the hinder quarters deeply
submerged, the head lifted about two-thirds above
the water, the tail stretched out. The whole labor
of propulsion rests with the hind feet, the fore feet
being used as little as are tho^e of the Beavers.
The voice is a plaintive sound which is not entirely
discordant and serves as a call, being responded to
by others of the species, which may hear it; it is,
therefore, uttered frequently. If the animal is angry
or annoyed it utters a petulant growl. Grass is the
favorite food of the Coypu, but it also feeds on
roots, bulbous plants, leaves, grains, and in captivity
on bread; it is quite fond of some kinds of animal
food, as for instance, fish; in this respect also show-
ing an affinity with the
Rats and not with the
Beaver. It does not
seem to be partial to the
bark of trees. The grass
is skillfully eaten by it,
not being torn to pieces
or cut; food thrown to it
is seized and carried to
the mouth with the fore-
paws. Towards winter
captive Coypus make
preparations for more
secure shelter, continu-
ally digging wherever
they can with the inten-
tion of building larger
burrows. If they are not
interfered with they dig
deep tunnels in a short
time and display great
activity in providing a
soft bed ; for this pur-
pose they carry some of
the food given them, es-
pecially grasses, into their sleeping chamber.
The care of the Coypus is simple, their feeding
easy and cheap, and their breeding presents no dif-
ficulties, so that their keeping may be recommended
to any person fond cT animals and possessing a suit-
able place for them; I would say more — it would be
well worth one's while to try to establish a little
colony of some four or five in a sheltered forest,
containing a pond or some slowly flowing stream
and sufficient herbage. In the light of my experi-
ences I believe that the animals would find sufficient
nourishment and would be able to stand the winter
of northern climates without inflicting any percep-
tible damage either on the trees of the forest or
upon the growing crops.
The Fur The animal is an object of eager
of the Coypu pursuit owing to the economic value
Valuable. 0f jts fur_ jn ,g27 t±e province of
Entre-Rios exported 300,000 skins, according to the
official reports of the custom house in Buenos Ayres,
and the export was still on the increase; for in the
beginning of the '30's the swamps of Buenos Ayres
and Montevideo alone shipped 50,000 skins to Eng-
land. At present about a million and a half of
skins are sold annually, about two-thirds of which
are of an inferior quality and are used in the manu-
facture of felt. Those having long, close hair are
used for trimming garments, after the long hair of
the outer coat has been pulled out; they are utilized
in both their natural color and when dyed. The
flesh is white and savory and is eaten by the na-
tives of many localities, but disdained by others.
The Coypu is hunted in Buenos Ayres chiefly
with hounds trained for the purpose, which find the
THE CHINCHILLAS.
3(39
Coypu in the water and drive it towards the hunter,
or else they enter into combat with it, though the
large Rodent defends itself courageously and effect-
ually. Traps are set out on the shallow places of its
favorite haunts and in front of the holes.
THE AFRICAN GROUND PIG.
An African form, called Ground-Pig by the na-
tives {Aulacodus swinderianus), is a stout animal
with a small head, a short, broad muzzle, small,
naked half-round ears, and short four-toed feet with
rudimentary thumbs. The fur consists of smooth,
spine-like bristles with a
flexible extremity. The
bristles are ashy gray at
the base, darker in the
middle and black at the
tip, which is usually sur-
rounded a short distance
from its end by a brownish
yellow ring. The Ground-
Pig is, as far as our pres-
ent information extends,
distributed throughout
eastern Africa as far to the
south as Cape Colony, and
in western Africa its range
comprises both Upper and
Lower Guinea. The ani-
mals live near the water
and chiefly inhabit banks
of rivers, thickly grown
with grass, reeds and
sedge, or bushes. Their
food consists of grass,
roots and bulbs. Drum-
mond describes them as
very harmful animals that can work great devasta-
tions especially on sugar-cane and maize plantations
and therefore are diligently pursued in cultivated
portions of the country.
The Ground Pig a Another reason for the pursuit of
Choice Food the Ground-Pig at the hands of both
Animal. Europeans and natives is, that its
flesh yields a more palatable roast than any other
African mammal.
of perpetual snow; only one species is found living
in the plains. They take up their abode in natural
holes or tunnels excavated by themselves. They
are all gregarious, and sometimes a considerable
colony inhabits one common hole. Averse to day-
light, like the Hares, they are most active by dusk
or at night. They are quick, lively, nimble and
timid, and their movements also partake in charac-
ter half of those of Rabbits, half of Mice. Hearing
seems to be their best developed sense. Their in-
tellectual capacities are slight. Roots and moss,
bulbs and bark, and probably fruit also are their
Zhc Cbincbillas.
TWELFTH FAMILY: Lagostomid,e.
It is only in recent times that we have obtained
accurate knowledge of the members of a small
family of American animals, the pelts of which have
been used by the aborigines of South America from
time immemorial, and have also been shipped to
Europe since the end of the last century. The
Chinchillas {Lagostoniidcc) might be classified as an
intermediate variety between the Mice and Hares,
in respect to their external appearance. The most
succinct description that can be given would consist
in calling them Rabbits with a long, bushy tail.
Their dentition, however, separates them distinctly
from the Hares. The fur of the Chinchilla is the
finest of any known mammal. The coloring is a
light gray and white, and brownish black or yellow.
Habitat The Chinchillas inhabit South Amer-
ofthe Chin- ica exclusively, for the greater part
chillas. dwelling on mountains at a consider-
able altitude, amontr the barren rocks below the line
THE AFRICAN GROUND PIG. The Rodent shown in this picture is a short, chubby animal with a
bristly but smooth coat, small ears and a Rat-like tail. In the cornfields and sugar plantations of Africa it is an
unwelcome guest on account of the damage it does, but its flesh is palatable and its usefulness when dead some-
what compensates for its ravages when living. (Aulacodus Fwinderianus.)
chief food. Their fecundity about equals that of
the Hares. They easily bear confinement and grat-
ify their owners by their tameness and cleanly
habits. Some of the species cause considerable
annoyance by digging under the ground and de-
stroying roots of plants, but all are useful on account
of flesh and fur.
THE CHINCHILLAS PROPER.
The True Chinchillas (Erioinys) which compose
the first mentioned species are distinguished from
the kindred species by a thick head, broad, rounded
ears, five-toed fore-feet, four-toed hind feet and a
long, exquisitely soft and silky fur. The molars are
formed of three lamime. Only two varieties of this
animal are known: The Common Chinchilla (Eriomys
chinchilla) and the Smaller Chinchilla {Eriomys lani-
gera). The former attains a size of twelve inches,
its tail being \\\c inches long, or eight inches, if the
hair on it be measured. The fur is of uniform, fine
and exceedingly soft texture; on the back and sides
the hair is nearly an inch long, being of a bluish
gray color at the roots, then ringed with white and
dark gray at the outer ends. The resulting general
tint is a silver color with a surface tinge of darker
hue. The under parts and the feet are pure white;
the tail shows two dark bands on its upper part.
The large eyes are black.
The Chinchilla of At the time of the Incas, as far back
Ancient Use- as our knowledge of the country ex-
fulness. tends, the Peruvians had already be-
come skilled in manufacturing the fine, silky fleece
of the Chinchillas into cloth and similar stuffs, which
were in great demand. In the last century the first
370
THE RODENTS OR GXAUTXG AXIMALS.
pelts were shipped to Europe by way of Spain and
were esteemed extremely valuable and treasured as
great rarities; they have now become common.
Chinchillas The traveler who climbs the Cordil-
Numerous in the leras from the western coast of South
Cordilleras. America perceives, when he has
reached an altitude of from six to nine thousand
feet that the rocks for miles around are frequented
bv great numbers of this Chinchilla and two varie-
ties of another species of the same family. In Peru,
Bolivia and Chile these animals must be very plenti-
ful, for travelers tell us that they have encountered
thousands of them in one day. The Chinchillas are
to be seen sitting in front of their holes on bright
days, but never on the sunny side of the rocks;
they invariably select the densest shade. In the
morning and evening hours they are still more fre-
quently to be seen. Then the mountains, and espe-
cially the tops of ridges of sterile, stony and rocky
regions, where vegetation is scantiest, is fairly alive
with them. On the apparently quite barren rocky
walls they skip about with the greatest speed and
activity. With surprising ease they climb to and fro
on walls which appear to offer no hold whatever.
They ascend perpendicular heights of from twenty
to thirty feet with an agility and rapidity so great
that the eye can hardly follow them. Though not
exactly shy, they do not suffer people to approach
them closely, and they disappear immediately at the
first signs of pursuit.
Propagation of No exact knowledge has as yet been
the Chin- obtained as to the details of repro-
chilla. duction of the Chinchilla, though
specimens in the London zoological garden have
given birth to young. In its untamed state the
breeding season seems not to be restricted to any
particular time of the year, and the natives say that
the number of young varies between four and six.
In its native country the Chinchilla is often kept in
captivity, but it is still rarely shipped to Europe.
The grace of its movements, its cleanly habits and
the resignation with which it accepts its fate, soon
make it a favorite pet with people fond of animals.
It is so innocent and tame that one can permit it to
range the house at will. The only annoying trait
it possesses is its inquisitiveness; for it investigates
everything it finds, even dishes of food which are put
away rather high, for climbing tables and cupboards
is but child's play to it. Not infrequently it jumps
on somebody's head and shoulders. Its intelligence
is of about the same grade as that of the Rabbit or
the Guinea Pig.
The Chinchilla In former times the Chinchilla is
Decreasing in said to have been as often found on
Numbers. the lower portions of mountains
down to the sea-coast as on the heights. The inces-
sant persecution to which it is subject on account of
the value of its fur has driven it upwards into moun-
tain fastnesses. Europeans occasionally kill it with
a gun or a cross-bow; but this kind of hunt is always
an affair of uncertain result, for if a Chinchilla is
not hit in a way which causes immediate death it
invariably slips into a crevice between the rocks
and is lost to the hunter. The Indians spread well-
made nooses in front of all crevices and take the
Chinchillas which have been caught in them dur-
ing the night out the next morning. Besides this
they know perfectly well how to tame the Peruvian
Weasel and train it for a Chinchilla hunt; then they
pro< eed in the same manner as the European does
when hunting with Ferrets.
The Smaller \n northern and central Chile the
Chinchilla Smaller Chinchilla (Eriomys laiii-
Descnbed. gcra) takes the place of the Common
Chinchilla. Its habits are much the same as those
of the common species, and its form and coloring
are also similar to those of the other. It is much
smaller, however, for its total length amounts at the
most to fourteen or sixteen inches, one-third of
which is included in the tail. The fur is close and
of silky softness, the hair being less than an inch
long on the back and rather more than an inch on
the sides. The coloring is a light ashy gray, mottled
with a dark hue.
Of this species it was only after repeated efforts
on the part of naturalists that a few skulls, and later
some living specimens, were brought to Europe,
though it had been mentioned in accounts given by
travelers of a very early date.
In 1S29 a living Chinchilla of this variety arrived
in London and was described by Bennett. It was a
very gentle creature, though it occasionally tried to
bite when annoyed or teased. It was rarely in a
playful mood and seldom performed its strange
antics. It usually sat on its haunches but could also
raise itself on its hind legs and retain this erect posi-
tion; it carried its food to the mouth with its fore-
paws. In winter it showed great susceptibility to
cold.
The observations which I made as to the habits of
a captive Smaller Chinchilla tally with Bennett's
accounts in all material points. My pet was more of
a nocturnal animal, however. It was awake in the
daytime only when disturbed. This animal shuns
the light and always keeps in the darkest spots.
There it settles down with contracted body. Any
cranny offers it a place of refuge. Its voice is heard
only when some one touches it; then the animal
utters a sharp squeak like a Rabbit. It dislikes to
be handled and tries to effect its release by sudden
spasmodic jerks when taken up, but never resorts to
biting. It prefers hay and grass to all other food,
disdaining grains and scarcely touching juicy roots.
The question, whether it drinks water at all, has not
been settled; it, however, seems as if it could en-
tirely abstain from drinking.
Chinchilla's Flesh South Americans are fond of the
an Article of flesh of both varieties of Chinchillas,
Food. ancj European travelers also seem to
have found it to their taste, though they say it can
not be compared in excellence to that of the Hare.
The flesh is only of secondary consideration from an
economic standpoint, however, the principal profit
of the chase arising from the value of the fur.
Two Varieties of Two kinds of fur are distinguished
Chinchilla in commerce: that of the larger,
Fur- true Chinchillas, the hair of which is
long and fine, and that of the smaller, short-haired
Chinchillas; the former brings from three and one-
half to six dollars apiece, the latter from twenty-five
cents up to one dollar and a quarter. About twenty
thousand of the former and two hundred thousand
of the latter are sold annually.
THE LAGOTIS.
Considerably longer ears, a tail equaling the body
in length and bushy along its upper surface, four-
toed feet and very long whiskers distinguish the
Lagotis (higidiit/ii) from the Chinchillas proper.
The dentition is very similar in both species and
their mode of life is nearly identical. So far only
two varieties arc definitely known, both living on
THE CHIXCHILLA S— VISCA CHA .
371
the table-lands of the Cordilleras, just below the
line of perpetual snow among the barren rocks, at
an elevation of from nine to fifteen thousand feet
above sea-level. They are as gregarious, playful
and agile as the preceding species, exhibit the same
physical and mental peculiarities and feed more or
less on the same, or, at least, similar plants. One
of two varieties inhabits the table-lands of southern
Peru and Bolivia, the other the northern part of
Peru and Ecuador.
•
THE COMMON CHINCHILLA.— Pitting in the shadow of a. rock in
the sterile slopes of the Cordilleras, the little Rodent in the picture is enjoy-
ing itself amidst barren surroundings. It is a very lively, agile animal,
and assumes many attitudes, of which that shown in the picture is a com-
mon one. (Eriomys chinchilla.)
The former is the Cuvier's Lagoti {LiJgiditoii cuiri-
eri) an animal about the size and shape of a Rabbit.
The fur is soft and long and of an ashy gray hue,
softening into a yellowish tint on the flanks.
THE VISCACHA.
The representative of the third species, the Vis-
cacha (Lagostonms tnchodactylus) assimilates more
nearly to the Chinchilla than to the preceding spe-
cies. Its body is covered by a tolerably thick fur.
The upper surface of the pelt consists of uniformly
distributed gray and black hairs, the back in conse-
quence appearing rather dark; the whole under sur-
face and the inner portions of the limbs are white.
The body measures twenty inches in length, while
the tail rather exceeds seven inches.
The Viscacha is the sole representative of its
family east of the Andes; it is at present a native of
the pampas or vast grassy plains, ranging from
Buenos Ayres to Patagonia. Before the general
cultivation of the ground in that country it was also
found in Paraguay. Wherever it is found at all, it
exists in large numbers. In some regions it is so
common that one frequently, especially in the dusk
of evening, sees groups of them sitting on either
side of the road. The very loneliest and most
deserted spots are its abode; it comes close to the
boundaries of cultivated regions, however, and trav-
elers may generally, with good reason, feel sure that
Spanish settlements are near when they find a great
number of ' Viscacharias," as the burrows of these
animals are termed.
The Abode of The Viscacha takes up its abode in
the Vis- arid plains covered with a scant
cacha. vegetation, or even occasionally bar-
ren; there it digs extensive underground burrows,
preferably near bushes and at a small distance from
fields. The burrows are both excavated and inhab-
ited by colonies in common. They are provided
with numerous tunnels and holes for escape, often as
many as forty or fifty, and are divided into several
chambers internally, according to the number of
individuals in the family inhabiting it. The number
of members of the family may sometimes increase
to eight or ten; then some of the inmates forsake
the old burrow and dig another, if possible close to
the former. Now it sometimes happens that the
Burrowing Owls, which we know as the companions
of the Prairie Dogs, put in an appearance here also,
and without further ado take possession of one or
the other burrow. The cleanly Viscachas never
tolerate a companion which has not the same strict
ideas of orderliness as they and consequently leave
the burrow and proceed to dig another for them-
w
WBmki'(>fn;, 11 ■ :^l|i|ll
THE SMALLER CHINCHILLA. This species of Chinchilla is
smaller than the Common Chinchilla hut it differs little from that ani-
mal in other respects, being as lively and agile as its southern neighbor,
which it also resembles in habits. {Eriomys tanigira.)
selves as soon as the intruders annoy them by their
uncleanliness. In this way it may happen that the
soil is completely undermined for a space a quar-
ter of a mile square. During the day the family lie
hidden in their burrow; towards sunset they emerge,
one by one and at the advent of night a more or
less numerous company gather in front of the
holes. They investigate very carefully to ascertain
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
whether or not everything is quiet and safe, and for
some time stay near their holes, before they set out
in search of food.
Physical Pecul- The movements of the Viscachas re-
iarities of the semble those of Rabbits; but they
Viscacha. are much their inferiors in speed,
though they are of a more vivacious and playful dis-
position. While grazing they play with one another
nearly all the time, running, jumping over each
other, grunting, showing their teeth, etc. Like
Jackals, they carry home the most heterogeneous
collection of objects they may find and pile them up
in front of their holes in a confused heap, like toys,
as it were. One finds bones and nests, and lost
articles, which certainly are not of the slightest use
to them, piled up before their holes, and when the
Gauchos mysteriously lose anything they go to the
nearest Viscacherias to look for the missing article.
The Viscacha an The Viscacha is pursued less on
Annoyance to account of the value of its flesh and
Man- skin than it is for the purpose of ex-
termination because of its annoying habits of bur-
rowing. In those places where it is common, riding
on horseback becomes extremeiy dangerous, be-
cause the Horses often plunge through the roofs
of its shallow tunnels, and if they do not fall and
throw their riders or break their own legs they
usually become very restive and greatly excited
over it. The natives know the haunts of the Vis-
cachas from afar by the presence of a small, wild,
bitter musk-melon, of which the animals are said to
be very fond. This plant is always found where
there are many Viscacherias or vice versa — the lat-
ter are always established where the plants spread
their green tendrils. In this way it serves as a guide
and warning for the horseman to avoid the danger-
ous places.
All expedients for driv-
ing the Viscachas from
jjl||ftpiijpi the neighborhood of set-
tlements are resorted to,
and even fire and water,
literally, are employed
for this purpose. The
grass around their holes
is burned and they are
thereby deprived of
nourishment; their holes
are inundated and they
are forced to go out,
straight into the jaws of
the waiting Dogs.
The South American
Indians eat the flesh of
the animal, and may also
put the skins to account,
though the latter are of
much less value than
those of the before men-
tioned kindred species.
Zbe Ibarea.
THIRTEENTH FAniLY:
LePORIDjE.
As the last family of
this order we consider
CUVIER'S LAGOTI. This member of the Chinchilla family is about the size of a Rabbit, but has a long
bushy tail, long whiskers that Puss might envy, and very long ears. It is a native of the mountains and is there-
fore here correctly depicted among the boulders of its native Cordilleras. (.Lagidium cuvieri.)
the Hares (Lcporidcz), a
family with characteristics so distinctive that one
From the interior of the burrows, however, the ani-
mals remove anything not belonging there, as they
also do the dead bodies of their own kind. Whether
they gather and store up provisions for winter has
not yet been decided. Their method of vocal ex-
pression consists of a queer, loud and disagreeable
snort or grunt, which can not be described.
Propagation of Nothing definite is as yet known
the Vis- about the method of their rcproduc-
cacha. tion. The number of young is said
to be from two to four in each litter, and they are
believed to be fully grown at the age of from two to
four months. Goering never saw more than a single
young one with one of the old females. It always
kept in the closest proximity to its mother, which
seemed to be very fond of it and defended it in
danger. If the young are captured and carefully
tended, they become tame and may be kept as
easily as Rabbits
might regard it as a sub-order.
They are the only Rodents which have more than
two front teeth; for the sharp, broad gnawing teeth
have on each side a true incisor, shaped like a small,
blunt, nearly quadrilateral peg. This gives the denti-
tion so peculiar a stamp as to isolate the Hares com-
pletely. Each side of both jaws also contains five
or six molars, composed of two laminae. The gen-
eral distinctive anatomical characteristics of the
Hares are: an elongated body with long hinder legs,
a long skull with large eyes and long ears, five-toed
fore-feet and four-toed hind-feet, thick, deeply cleft
and highly mobile lips, furnished with stout whisk-
ers on both sides, and a close, nearly woolly fur.
Extensive The family embraces few species,
Distribution of but is distributed over a great ex-
Hares, tent of country. In the Australian
belt alone the Hares would be absent were it not for
THE HARES.
373
the interference of Man. Two imported species are
at present widely spread in Australia and New Zea-
land also. The Hares are found in all climates, in
plains and on mountains, in the open country and in
clefts of rock, above and below the surface of the
earth: in short, everywhere, and where one species
ceases another commences; the locality which is
not adapted for occupancy by the one possesses
a contented inhabitant in another. All prefer to
feed on tender, juicy plants, but one might say that
they really refuse nothing within their reach. They
eat all portions of plants from the roots to the fruit,
though they are most partial to the leaves of low
growing herbs. Most of them live gregariously to
a certain extent and rarely forsake their domicile
when they have once selected it, or it has been given
them. There they lie hidden during the day in a de-
pression or hole, and prowl about at night, looking
sion consists of a dull growl, or when frightened a
loud, pitiful squeal. The "Crying Hares," belonging
to this family justify their name. The voice is sel-
dom heard though, and is accompanied and sup-
plemented by a peculiar flopping of the hind legs,
which signifies either fear or anger and is intended
to convey a warning. The various species exhibit
somewhat wide differences in intellectual capacity.
In general the Hares do not justify our precon-
ceived ideas of them. They are said to be good-
natured, peaceable, inoffensive and cowardly; they
prove, however, that they can be the very reverse of
all this. Close observers flatly deny the good-na-
ture and pronounce the Hares malicious and quar-
relsome to the utmost. Their timorous disposition,
watchfulness and shyness are universally known,
while the cunning which they acquire and which
reaches really wonderful development in advanced
THE VISCA.CHA. In the pampas of the Argentine Republic the Viscacha, an animal related to the Chinchillas, is one of the most com-
mon of Rodents. The picture appropriately depicts this species in the high, coarse grass of its native plains, and slums them in company tor they
are gregarious animals. It- actions resemble a Rabbit's but it is not so timid nor so fleet of foot as the latter. 'Lagostomus trichodactyius.)
for food. Strictly- speaking, when in thinly popu-
lated districts they rest only during tin- noon hours
and run about in broad daylight of evenings and
mornings if they deem themselves secure- from dan-
ger. Their movements are very peculiar. The well
known speed of the Hares is exhibited only in full
course; when their gait is a slow walk they are very
clumsy and awkward, owing to the disproportionate
length of their hind legs, which renders an even gait
difficult. They are able, however, to turn about
sharply when in full flight, and give evidence of an
agility for which one would not give them credit.
They shun water, though they swim across rivers
when hard pressed.
Physical and Among their perceptive senses that
Mental Character- of hearing certainly ranks first: this
istics of Hares, faculty undoubtedly attains among
Rodents a development found in few other animals.
Their sense of smell is weaker, though not deficient,
and their sight is fairly keen. Their vocal expres-
age, is much less well known. Neither are they
such cowards as is usually believed. One certainly
wrongs them in emphasizing this quality in the way
Linnams has done, who denounced the Alpine Hare
as a coward beyond redemption.
Propagation Though the rate of reproduction of
of the the Hare is not as excessive as that
Hares. 0f some other Rodents, it is still
great enough, and the old saying of sportsmen that
the Hare goes out alone in spring and comes back
in autumn in a company sixteen strong, has its full
value in localities where life uses our subject kindly
and pursuit does not wax hot. Most species have
several litters a year, each numbering from three to
six, nay, even eleven young; but nearly all are defi-
cient in the parental instinct and treat their off-
spring in an exceedingly careless way; hence many
of their progeny perish. In addition to this, a vast
army of enemies lie in wait for the savory game,
foes of widely variant species in every continent,
374
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
but at no point less in number than elsewhere. No
wonder that, beset by so vast a host of enemies, the
Hares do not multiply as fast as they otherwise
would. It is fortunate for us that such is the case,
for else they would lay all our fields completely
in waste. As it is, they become a sore pest in all
localities where their numbers increase to any con-
siderable extent.
THE HARES PROPER.
The distinctive features of the Hares proper
{Lepus) are the ears, equaling the head in length,
the shortened thumbs of the fore-paws, the very long
hind legs, the erect stumpy tail and six molars in
the upper jaw.
The Com- The Common Hare (Lepus vulgaris,
mon Hare, and its erroneously called Lepus timidus)
Peculiarities. [s a stoutly built Rodent of a total
length of thirty inches, only three of which are in-
cluded in the tail; it is twelve inches high and is
one of the two species indigenous to Germany. It
attains a weight of about ten or twelve pounds, but
in a few rare instances there are old males weighing
fourteen, sixteen or even eighteen pounds. The
coloring of the fur is difficult to describe in few
words. There is a short woolly inner fur and a long
outer one of a genuine earthy color. The upper
surface is brownish yellow dashed with black; the
neck is a yellowish brown mottled with white; the
hind parts are whitish gray and the under surface
white. The color is subject to regularly recurrent
variations in winter and summer, and the female has
a more ruddy hue than the male; there are different
variations, however, and one meets with dark, pie-
bald and white individuals. In the majority of cases
the coloring is excellently adapted to conceal the
animal from discovery oy its enemies when it lies
on the ground.
The Home of the The Common Hare is indigenous to
Common all of central Europe and a small
Hare. part 0f western Asia. In the south
it is replaced by the Hare of the Mediterranean,
which is a variety of smaller size and ruddy hue; on
the high mountains by the Alpine Hare, and in the
north by the Varying Hare, which is perhaps dis-
tinct from the Alpine variety, but certainly assimi-
lates very close to it. The northern boundary of
the Common Hare is Scotland, southern Sweden and
northern Russia, to the south it is confined by south-
ern France and the north of Italy. Fertile plains,
with or without forests, and the wooded, low-lying
spurs or foothills of mountains are its favorite
haunts; in the Alps, however, it is found 4,500 feet
above the sea and in the Caucasus above 6,000 feet.
Habits and Food In general the Hare's habits are more
of the Common nocturnal than diurnal, though it is
Hare. often seen roaming about in the
fields before sunset and in the morning on a clear
day. It is very averse to leaving the locality in
which it has grown up. All kinds of vegetables
similar in nature to cabbage and turnips are favorite
dainties with it. It seems to be especially fond of
parsley.
The Hare The Hare spends the main portion
a Nocturnal of the day sleeping or dozing in its
Animal. "form." It never goes straight to
the locality where it once occupied an old form or
intends making a new one, but runs a little past the
place, then turns round, makes a few bounds for-
ward, one to the side and so on, and thus reaches,
by an indirect course, the spot where it wishes to
remain. In preparing its "form," it digs a depres-
sion in the open field from two to three inches deep
and slightly curved at the rear end. The size of
this depression is such that when the Hare, lying in
this "form," stretches out its fore-legs, puts its head
with the folded ears on them and presses the hind
legs close to the body, the hind part of the back is
all of the animal that is exposed to view. Such a
hole is a passably good shelter against storm and
rain during the mild season. In winter it hollows
out this "form" until only so much of its body as
appears to be a small, grayish black dot is seen.
Speed of The great speed of the Hare in run-
a Hare in Run- ning is chiefly due to the fact that
ning. ^s hind legs are longer than the
fore pair. This is also the reason why it can run
better up hill than down. Generally it utters a
sound only when it sees itself in danger. This cry
resembles that of little children, being a shrill
scream or squeak.
Among the perceptive senses of the Hare, hearing
is developed best, as is indicated by the large size of
the external ear; the smell is fairly keen, but sight
is rather deficient. Among its intellectual qualities
an exceeding prudence and vigilance stand out most
prominently. The slightest noise, the wind rustling
in the leaves, a falling leaf suffice to excite its atten-
tion and wake it when it sleeps. The supposed
inoffensiveness of the Hares is based more on fic-
tion than on truth. Dietrich aus dem Winckell
says outright that the greatest vice of the Hare is
its malice, not because it expresses it in biting and
scratching, but because it often proves its disposi-
tion in the most revolting manner, the female deny-
ing her maternal love, the male by his cruelty to the
little Leverets.
Propagation of The first litter in a family of Hares
the Hare Spe- is generally born between the middle
cies. anci tne en(j 0f March, the fourth and
last litter in August. The first litter consists of one
or two, the second of three or four, the third of three
and the fourth again of one or two Leverets; in very
rare cases there may be five or more young. There
are five litters in the twelve months in only very
rare, favorable years. The young are born with their
eyes open and certainly in a well developed con-
dition. It is an established fact that the mother
spends only five or six days with her progeny and
then leaves them to their fate. From time to time
she comes back to the spot where she gave birth to
the little family, calls them by a peculiar flopping of
the ears and suckles them. At the approach of an
enemy she leaves her young, though there are cases
on record where old female Hares have defended
their offspring against birds of prey and Ravens.
The majority of first litters perish.
Many Monstrosi- Among no other animals living in a
ties Among state of nature have been observed
the Hares. so many deformities as among the
Hares. Two-headed individuals, or such as have
double tongues or projecting teeth, are no rarities.
The True Way Whole books have been written
of Hunting about the right and wrong methods
Hares. 0f hunting Hares, and it therefore is
not my intention to discuss the different modes of
hunting at length. In my opinion, the greatest
pleasure is derived in looking for the Hare and
shooting it. The coursing of the Hare with Grey-
hounds is highly exciting, but degrades the hunt;
the sport where the game is driven into an enclosure
may be very gratifying in regions where the animals
THE HARES— HARES PROPER.
375
are few, but where there are a great many Hares,
coursing in this manner becomes a mere butchery.
Shooting a Hare after having successfully stalked
the game is the reward of skill and most worthy of a
sportsman.
Adaptability of Captive Hares are easily tamed, be-
Hares to Con- come readily used to all kinds of
finement. nourishment with which one feeds
Rabbits, but are very delicate and apt to die. If
thcv are fed only on hay, bread, oats and water, and
never anything green, they live longer. If young
Leverets are put with old Hares they are always
bitten and killed by the latter. Other weak animals
rarelv fare any better. I once found a killed and
half-eaten Rat in the warren of Hares committed to
my care. With Guinea Pigs Hares agree perfectly.
According to an account of the "Jagdzeitung,"
Mr. Fuchs in Wildenberg had a tame Hare in his
itself to the soil and climate according to circum-
stances; peculiar variations occur, however. The
Alpine Hares are of a pure white in winter, only the
tips of the ears being black; in summer they are
uniformly grayish brown, lacking the mottled ap-
pearance of the Common Hare. The Irish Hares,
which are very similar, are said never to become
white and are therefore considered a distinct species
(Lcpus hibernictis) by some authorities. On the other
hand, the Polar Hares living in the highest latitudes
undergo no modification of color in summer, and are
therefore also held to be an independent species
I Lcpus glacialis). The Scandinavian Hares, all of
which belong to this species, are also different:
some of them turn white, excepting their black ear
tips, while others do not change. The roots of their
fur are slate gray, the middle dingy reddish brown
and the tips white. This coloring seems to be
THE COMMON HARE. The typical animal of its family, inha
Its long ear? are a prominent feature and its shape and general structure
animals are admirably drawn in this picture, which represents one of the s
possession which slept and ate with his Dogs and
won the special affection of a young Setter. This
Hare ate vegetable food only in default of meat;
veal, pork, liver and sausage caused it to go into
such raptures that it used to execute a regular dance
to get at these dainties.
Besides the flesh, which as food is justly es-
teemed, the fur is also put to account The skin is
deprived of its hair, tanned and used in the manu-
facture of shoes, of one kind of parchment, and of
glue; the hair is used in the manufacture of felt.
The Alpine and It >s stiU an undecided question
the Polar whether the Varying or Alpine Hare
Hares. anci the Arctic or Polar Hare of
high latitudes are properly of the same variety. In
general both prove themselves to be true children
of their native countrv. Their fur accommodates
biting the central portion of the European Continent and Great Britain,
fit it for running, and it is known as one of the fleetest of mammals. The
pecies moving rapidly over the snowy ground. (Lcpus vulgans.)
purely fortuitous, however; at least it is maintained
that different Hares of one litter often exhibit the
two colors indiscriminately.
The Alpine Hare The Alpine or Varying Hare (Lepus
—its Pecul- ti))iidiis or Lcpus variabilis) differs
iarities. distinctly from the Common Hare in
anatomical structure and in disposition. Tschudi
says: "It is more cheerful, livelier, bolder; its head
is shorter, stouter, more curved in its outlines; it has
a shorter nose, smaller ears, broader cheeks; the hind
legs are longer, the soles of the feet more heavily
covered with fur; the paws provided with deeply
cleft toes capable of much extension, and armed
with long-pointed, curved, retractile claws. The
eyes are not pink, like those of white Rabbits, white
Squirrels and white Mice, but of a darker brown
than those of the Common Hare.
376
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
Change of the "When the Alps are buried in snow
Fur of the Aipine jn December this Hare is as purely
Hare. white as the snow itself, only the
tips of the ears remaining black. The spring sun-
shine induces a very remarkable change of color,
this change beginning in March. The animal first
becomes dark on the back, and gray hairs appear
more and more numerously amid the white of the
flanks. In April it has a queer, pie-bald appearance.
The dark brown hue gains more ground every day,
and finally in May the change is complete, the color
being uniform and not mottled like that of the Com-
THE ALPINE HARE. This animal with its white winter coat is a very appropriate inhabitant of the snowy
regions of the Alps. In the summer the coat is dark brown, but in winter it is all white except the margins of the ears.
These are very pretty creatures, agile, easily frightened, and always active. {Lepus timidus.)
mon Hare, the fur of which is of a coarser texture
than that of the Alpine Hare. In autumn the first
white hairs appear with the first snow; but as winter
reaches its climax in less time than does spring in
the Alps, the change is wrought more rapidly, and
is completed sometime during the period extending
from the beginning of October to the middle of
November. When the Chamois becomes black,
its neighbor, the Hare, turns white. The Alpine
Hare is commonly found in all the higher Alpine
regions, where it is at least as numerous as is the
brown Hare in the lower belt. Its favorite country
lies between the point at which the fir-trees cease to
grow and the line of perpetual snow, at about the
same altitude as is favored by the Snow-Hen or
Ptarmigan and the Marmot, from 4,800 to 7,800 feet
above the sea; it may sometimes range much higher,
however.
"The female gives birth to from two
to five young, which are no larger
than Mice and have a white spot on
Tlie first litter usually appears in
April or May, the second in July or August; there
arc doubts as to whether there is a third. It is
nearly impossible to observe their family life, as the
power of scent of these animals is so delicate and
the young know so well how to hide in all crevices
The Propagation
of Alpine
Hares.
the forehead.
and crannies that the spectator can not long remain
concealed from the alert animals, or have an oppor-
tunity to observe for any length of time their domes-
tic routine.
The Aipine Hare "A surprising fact is that the Alpine
Easily Domes- Hare is more tamable than the Com-
ticated. mon Hare; it behaves more quietly
and shows greater confidence, but seldom endures
long and fails to get fat even with the most abun-
dant nourishment. It misses in the valley below the
rarefied air of the upper Alps. It turns white in
winter in confinement also. Its fur is not valuable,
but its flesh is very
toothsome."
The Rabbit {Lepus cuni-
cuius) differs from the
Hares proper in its much
smaller physical propor-
tions — a more slender
frame, shorter head,
shorter ears and shorter
hind legs. The length
of the body of the ani-
mal is sixteen inches,
nearly three inches of
which are occupied by
the tail. The ear is
shorter than the head
and if pressed forward
and downward along the
cheek it does not reach
to the point of the muz-
zle. The tail is black
above, white beneath,
and the remainder of
the body is covered by
a gray fur, dashed with
yellow-brown above,
reddish yellow in front,
light rusty on the flanks
and thighs and merging
into white on the under
surface, the throat and
the inner sides of the
limbs. The upper part of the throat is of a rusty
yellow grayish hue, the nape of the neck is palpably
of a rusty red color. Variations in coloration seem
to occur more rarely than with the Common Hare.
Original Nearly all naturalists suppose the
Home of the original home of the Rabbit to be
Rabbit. southern Europe and that it was
introduced by transplantation into all portions of
Europe north of the Alps. Pliny mentions it under
the name of Cuniculus, Aristotle calls it Dasypus.
All old authors name Spain as its native country.
Present At present the wild Rabbit is dis-
Rangeofthe tributed throughout southern and
fiabbit. central Europe and is quite plentiful
in some places. The countries of the Mediterranean
are infested by the species in enormous numbers,
though it is pursued there all the year round and
spared in none of the seasons. In England it was
introduced into several localities for sporting pur-
poses and was held in high esteem at first, as late as
1309 a wild Rabbit cost as much as a little Pig. In
northern countries it does not thrive. Attempts to
introduce it into Russia and Sweden have been futile
Requisites for The Rabbit requires for its domicile
the Rabbit's a hilly and sandy country, broken
Domicile. Dy ravines, rocks and shrubbery, in
short, offering sheltered spots where it can hide it-
x<^v^-^v
THE HARES— HARES PROPER.
377
self. There in suitable locations it establishes rather
inconspicuous burrows, if possible, with a sunny ex-
posure. The animals congregate generally in colo-
nics which often seem to have an organized func-
tional government. Every burrow consists of a
rather deep-lying central chamber from which radi-
ate curving tunnels, each of which is provided with
several places of exit. These tunnel mouths usually
are more or less enlarged by the frequent passing of
the animals in and out; the tunnel proper, however,
is so narrow that the inhabitants can just creep
through. Every couple has its own domicile, and
allows no other animal in it; the tunnels of several
burrows often communicate, however. In its bur-
row the Rabbit lies hidden all day, unless the bushes
around are so thick that it can, entirely screened
from observation, obtain its food. As soon as even-
ing draws on it emerges, using a great deal of pre-
caution and carefully reconnoitering before it leaves
its hole. If it suspects danger it warns its compan-
ions by a vigorous drumming on the earth with its
hind legs, and all scramble back into their holes.
The movements of the
Rabbit differ materially
from those of the Hare.
In the first place the
Rabbit usually surpasses
the Hare in speed and
always in agility. It is
thoroughly conversant
with the art of baffling
its pursuers by a series
of short doubles, and
executes its turns and
crooks in a masterly
way, requiring an excel-
lently trained Dog or a
good marksman to bring
it down. Much craftier
than the Hare, it very
rarely suffers itself to
be surprised when feed-
ing and always finds a
hole in which to hide.
If it were to pursue a
line of flight straight
ahead.it could be caught
in a short time by any
moderately swift Dog ;
but it takes refuge in
bushes, crannies, and
holes, and usually suc-
ceeds in baffling the pur-
suit of its enemies. The
senses of sight, hearing
and scent are as acute
and perhaps even keener
than the same senses in
the Hare. The char-
acter of the Rabbit presents many prepossessing
phases. It is sociable and gentle, the mothers nur-
ture their young with warm affection and the young
hold their parents in great veneration, the patriarch
of a whole society being accorded particularly great
honor. From early spring until October the female
Rabbit gives birth to a litter of from four to twelve
young every five weeks, these broods being born
in a special chamber, which the mother carefully
lines with fur from her own fleece. The little ones
remain blind for several days and stay in the warm
nest with the mother, who suckles them until the
next litter arrives. The mother is tenderly attached
to them and leaves her family alone only when she
is forced by hunger to seek food.
Early Fecund- 1° warm countries the young are
ity of Rab- capable of reproduction in their
bits. fif^ month, in cold climates in the
eighth, but they do not attain their full growth until
a full year old. If we suppose that there are seven
litters a year, averaging eight individuals, the prog-
eny of one pair of Rabbits would attain the prodig-
ious number of 1,274,840 in four years.
The Food of The food of the Rabbit is exactly
the Rab- the same as that of the Hare. But
0lt- it inflicts a great deal more palpable
damage, not only because it confines itself in its for-
aging to a smaller space, but also owing to its fancy
for gnawing the bark of trees, through which means
it sometimes destroys entire orchards or groves. It
is difficult to realize what ravages may be perpe-
trated by a colony of Rabbits, especially consider-
ing the enormous fecundity of the species, if their
multiplication be not checked.
t^„
/-■c/.
THE EUROPEAN RABBIT. — One of the most common of mammals found in a wild state. It differs from the
Hares in its more slender build, smaller head and shorter ears, and other particulars. The picture shows a happy
family of these animals enjoying themselves in fancied security. yLefus cuniculus.)
The Rabbit an Rabbits also drive away other game
Undesirable by their restless activity, and Hares
Tenant. are seldom found where the Rabbits
have gained supremacy. Where they believe them-
selves secure their impudence assumes incredible
proportions. In the Prater at Vienna there formerly
were thousands of them that fearlessly ran about by
day and did not suffer themselves to be disturbed in
their foraging for food either by calls or by missiles
thrown at them. They are nowhere protected and
are killed even during the close season — the time
when no other game is to be molested. Neverthe-
378
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
less they cannot be exterminated without the help
of some natural antagonists such as Ferrets. Unless
Polecats. Weasels or Martens have multiplied con-
siderably in a particular locality, or there are Screech
Owls or other kindred birds of prey to destroy them,
a diminution of their numbers is of rare occurrence.
Rabbits Often a
In localities favorable to their mul-
Menaceto Agri- tiplication, Rabbits may become a
culture. reai pest and exceedingly prejudi-
cial to agriculture. In New Zealand and in Aus-
tralia, where they have prodigiously multiplied in
some localities to such an extent as to entirely
AMERICAN VARYING HARE. This is the typical American spe-
cies of the Hare family, of which there are many varieties, the one shown in
the picture being scientifically known as Baird's variety, inhabiting the
Rocky mountain region. (Lepus amcricanus bairdii.)
consume the pasturage of domestic Cattle, the at-
tempt to exterminate them has so far been in vain.
How seriously damage caused by them is estimated
may be seen from the fact that the government of
New South Wales has expended over one million
pounds sterling in bounties for the killing of the
animals during the last decade and finally promised
a reward of fifty thousand pounds to the inventor
of an effective method of exterminating the pests.
Poison, nooses, Ferrets, wire fences, etc., have proved
insufficient to check the damage done by these
Rodents. An experiment, said to be successful in
France at least, has been made in that country by
Pasteur. His plan to exterminate Rabbits quickly
and thoroughly is to infect them with Chicken chol-
era by mixing with their food the germs producing
the disease; the experiment has been repeated in
Australia on a large scale, but is said to have been
unsuccessful.
Origin
of the Tame
Rabbit.
The tame Rabbit undoubtedly owes
its parentage to the wild one; for
while the latter may be tamed in a
short time, the former returns to the wild state com-
pletely in a few months, if left alone by Man, and in
such cases its offspring have the coloring of the wild
Tame Rabbits are usually kept in a hutch
hiving a stone or wooden floor, and provided with
artificial places for concealment, consisting either of
long boxes with several branches or apartments or
artificial burrows in the walls; they are given a good
supply of straw and dry moss, protected against
cold in winter and fed with hay, grass, leaves, etc.
Some Varieticsof The Silver-colored, the Russian and
the Domestic the Angora or Silky Rabbit are vari-
Rubbit. eties of the domestic Rabbit. The
first is larger than the Common species and usually
of a bluish gray hue with a silvery or dark tint
The Russian Rabbit is gray, with brown head anc
ears, and it is distinguished by a dewlap under the
throat. The Angora Rabbit has shorter ears anc
thickset, soft fur; its long, wavy hair often reache
to the ground and is of a silky lustre. Unforti
nately it is of very delicate constitution and require
great care. Attempts to introduce it into other por-
tions of Furope have failed.
North America The Hare family has its greatest devel,
Abounds in rnent in North America, which contain
Hares more than twenty species and varieties.
Among these are animals that illustrate all
the differences in structure and habits known to this family,
from the largest slender Hare to the smallest and fattest Rab-
bit; species that burrow like the Rabbit of Europe, in under-
ground retreats, while others like the Common Hare crouch in
shallow "forms" which scarce conceal them from view.
The pni„r Ur,,o Because of its close resemblance to the
u'L"' Mountain or Alpine Hare the Polar Hare
a Northern , T , ,...-.*. . , , ,
Varietu (Lcpus glacialis) is considered as the near-
V' est connecting link between the Hares of
the Old and New Worlds. The northern varieties of the
Mountain Hare change their coat with the seasons and except
for a brownish tinge on the ears and limbs, turn white in the
winter, and these arctic varieties are, by some authorities,
separated into a distinct species under the name of the Vary-
ing Hare {Lcpus variabilis) because of this change of coat.
The Polar Hare, however, is white all the year round except
the tips of the ears, which are black. It attains a weight of
from eight to ten pounds. This Hare occupies a burrow which
consists of a hole about four feet in length, extending horizon-
tally into a snowdrift. The number of young composing a
litter of these Hares is seven or eight. This species has been
found inhabiting the highest latitudes yet visited by Man. Sir
George Nares found it on the shores of Grinned Land, and by
observing its footprints in the snow obtained evidence of its
NORTHERN PRAIRIE HARE. This is the most northern species
of the group of Hares, familiarly known in the United States as Jack Rabbits
because of their large size and enormous ears. They are lively animals of
astounding jumping powers. (Lcpus camfestris.)
existence in latitude 830 io', about twenty miles north of the
nearest land. In these high northern latitudes this animal
"subsists on the stoneworts and other hardy plants which form
the scanty vegetation of the circumpolar valleys."
-, . . A species which has an especially' wide dis-
The American trih'uti()n js the American Varying Hare
Varying Haies {/r/)l/s a/)/enauuls) which is found in all
"ange- the regions from the arctic barren grounds
to New Mexico. This species differs from the Mountain Hare
of Kurope in its relatively smaller ears and smaller size, but
like that animal changes its fur during winter. This change
is more marked in the more northern varieties, and the nearer
the approach is to the arctic regions the more closely the color
of this Hare's winter fur approximates to the snow white of the
THE HARES— CRYIXG.
879
Polar Hare. It is especially abundant on the banks of the
Mackenzie River, where it is killed in great numbers by the
Hare Indians. The typical animal of this species is that of
the hkh north, but there are other varieties of the same spe-
cies which have been named Lepus americanus virginianus,
inhabiting the eastern United States; Ltpus americanus wask-
ingtonii, found in Oregon and Washington, and Ltpus ameri-
canus bairdii, in the Rocky Mountain region south to New
Mexico. The principal difference between these varieties is
in the coloration of the fur in summer. All are of similar
habits and make their resting place in "forms" just large
enough to accommodate their bodies, and which are usually
situated in long grass. Hunters pursue the Varying Hare
for its flesh and fur. This is the species most common in
the northern markets in winter. The fur is used by furriers
WOOD RABBIT, OR COTTON-TAIL.— A familiar animal in all the
forest regions of the United States is the Wood or Cotton-Tail Rabbit, some-
times called " Molly Cotton Tail.'' It is a timid, pretty creature and al-
though it has many foes, holds its own in our woods. (Lcfus sylvalicui i
for various purposes and is also used in the manufacture of
hats, but is very plentiful, and therefore cheap. Besides Man
it has still more dangerous enemies in Wolves, Gluttons and
Lynxes, which kill large numbers of these Hares.
tl o • •„ u „„ I" American common parlance there is no
I he rrairie Hares, ■ j- * u . .\ „,, »
" J rk such distinction between the term Hare
R hh'tt " and " Rabbit" as there is in Europe where
' ' the large, long-eared, stout varieties, liv-
ing in shallow "forms," are named "Hares," and the smaller
and more slender kind, which digs a deep burrow, is the " Rab-
bit." In this country no well defined distinction exists. The
several species popularly known as Jack Rabbits have none of
the distinctive features of the Rabbit (Ltpus eunieu/us) of
Europe. Of these so-called Jack Rabbits the Northern Prairie
Hare (Lepus campestris) may be taken as the type. It is one
of the largest species of Hares, measuring about twenty inches
in length, and it has long, strong and vigorous limbs, and such
remarkably long ears that the popular name it bears is fully
justified. The general color is yellowish gray with black ear
tips. The under portion of the body is of lighter hue, and the
tail is white above and below.
This northern species is found on the western prairies from
British America to Colorado. It undergoes a winter change of
coat, becoming nearly white, but the blanching is never com-
plete and russet streaks or patches remain through the winter.
Other species of the Jack Rabbits are the Texas Hare (Lepus
callotis) inhabiting Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, and the
Californian Hare (Lepus californicus) of the Pacific Coast.
These two do not change their furwith the seasons and their tails
are black on the upper surface. The habits of these animals are
those of Hares in general, and all the species known as Jack
Rabbits are famous for their great speed and for the astound-
ing leaps they make in running. They are the most fleet and
agile of American mammals. They are not much pursued for
the reason that they are difficult to shoot, and their celerity of
movement enables them to elude four-footed foes also.
Swamp Hare Two distinct species both of which are
and Marsh Hare, atlua"c ln *e,r h^,ts' are "" the
Aauatic Forms southern states. Ihese are the swamp
' ' Hare (Lepus aquaticus) and the Marsh
Hare, often called the Marsh Rabbit (Lepus palustris). These
The Cotton-Tail a
Rabbit-Like
Species.
have similar habits, take readily to the water, and are said to
dive for some distance, their legs being less thickly clothed
with hair than are the less amphibious species. Both subfist
chiefly on aquatic plants, but, although alike in their mode of
life, they differ widely in physical characteristics, the Swamp
Hare being one of the largest and longest of limb of the Amer-
ican Hares, while the Marsh Hare has short limbs and is small
and plump, and is not found so far from the coast as is the
Swamp Hare.
Most abundant of all American species of
this family is the Wood Rabbit (Lepus syl-
vaticus) or Cotton-tail, also called the Gray
Rabbit. It ranges from Hudson's Bay to
Florida, and is a small gray species with white fur on the under
surface of its tail — from which it derives its popular name. In
general form and habits it much resembles the Rabbit of the
Old World, although it does not burrow to the extent observed
in the European species. In the warmer sections of the
country the Cotton-tail does not trouble itself about shelter —
a shallow excavation by a root or fallen tree serving its pur-
pose. Further north it digs out its refuge to greater depth.
It is more gregarious than the larger species and, in the
south especially, quite a number of these Rabbits will some-
times congregate in a friendly thicket or convenient briar-
patch. In the extreme southern states this animal, as well as
other species of the Hares, is much subject to parasitic inflic-
tions, and its flesh is therefore inedible, but farther north it is
not so infested and is well liked as food. It is shot and
trapped, not only for its fur but also on account of the damage
it does in fields and gardens, and it is subject to the attacks of
all carnivorous beasts, birds and reptiles, yet it is so prolific in
the propagation of its species that its numbers do not much
decrease, and it is common in nearly all sections.
The Sane Rabbit *n tne Pra'r'es ot l'ie west an(^ particularly
d Oth m tlie va"e>'s an(l saSe brash, plains which
o • stretch between the Rocky Mountain and
P ' ' Sierra Nevada ranges, is the Sage Rabbit
(Lepus artemesia) much like the Cotton-tail, of which it seems
to be a local variety with such changes as are appropriate to
its environment. It exists in very large numbers in spite of
the attacks of Coyotes and other predaceous beasts. In size it
is about equal to the Cotton-tail. There are other less promi-
nent forms of the Hare family in the United States, mostly in
Texas and on the Pacific coast.
THE CRYING HARES OR PIKAS.
The Crying Hares or Pikas (Lagomys) are indige-
nous to Asia [and western North America]. They
differ from the common Hares by their considerably
AMERICAN PIKA.— This animal, perched on a flat rock in its native
Rocky Mountains as shown in the picture, keeps up a squeaking noise,
which as many of them are usually together, infallibly attracts the attention
of the passer by. It is a peculiar creature and the only representative of
the Crying Hares on this continent. (Lagomys princeps.)
shorter ears, only slightly elongated hind legs, a
short or a hidden and rudimentary tail, and in their
dentition, which exhibits five molars instead of six
in each row.
r, . . A single species of this sub-family is found
d ,mM,Ca1 °r in America. It is known as the American
Rocky Mountain pika of ^ Rw±y Mountain Pika {Lagomys
princeps). The scientific name is borrowed
from that given to the animal by the Indians of the western
mountain regions, who call it the "Little Chief" Hare. Miners
and frontiersmen call it the "Coney" or "Starved Rat," so
380
THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS.
that it will be seen that it does not lack for names. It is from
six to seven inches in length. Each hair of the upper parts of
this Pika is of a yellowish hue next to the skin, then a brownish
gray, and black at the tip, the resulting color being a dark
grizzly hue. The under portions of the body are of a yellowish
or dingy white, and the entire fur is dense and soft. The head,
which is two inches long, is ornamented with black whisker
hairs and the ears have a blackish tinge with a white margin.
The legs are short. A bunch of hairs, less than an inch long,
grows out from the rudimentary tail.
o ,n ,., In the Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada
Hangeana tiaons ranges from Arizona and New Mexico north
of American imo British Columbia and the Canadian
northwest, but seldom seen below the timber
line, these Rodents are found as high up on the mountains as
vegetation extends. They are gregarious in their habits and
are usually found in colonies. Their favorite retreats are
places where stones, dropping from precipitous heights, have
found lodgment. In such localities the attention of an ob-
server may be attracted by squeaking sounds, short, sharp and
persistent. Then may be seen these creatures, which are
neither Hares, nor Rats, nor Guinea-Pigs, but which have
strong resemblances to each of those animals. Slowly the
Pika emerges from between the rocks, its body seeming to
ALPINE CRYING HARES. These are Asiatic animals which inhabit the highest altitudes. They lay
up piles of hay for food and shelter and the animals in the picture seem to be so engaged. They are burrowing
Rodents, have shorter ears than the Hares proper, and are practically tailless. (Lagomys alpinus.)
touch the ground as its short legs carry it with jerky, uneven
gait. Then it mounts a rock, squats on it and looks around,
keeping up its squeaking song, which is echoed by its com-
panions near by. The chorus may be kept up for a long time
unless the observer approaches too near, when the whole party
scampers with all possible speed to safe retreats among the
rocks and boulders. Sometimes the colony may be seen in
grassy spots looking for the food which these animals lay up,
in large supply, for the time of need, their rocky retreats be-
ing kept well stored with hay, roots and herbage of varied kinds.
The female prepares a comfortable, grassy nest among the
rocks for her litter of three or four young, which are born in
June. The Pika is not a harmful animal, for it lives in locali-
ties not susceptible of cultivation, and it is not pursued to any
great extent by Man, though it doubtless finds formidable
enemies in all the birds and beasts of prey which frequent its
mountain haunts.
Peculiarities of The Alpine Crying Hare (Lagomys
the Alpine Crying alpinus) is one of the better known
Hare. species and recalls to the mind of
the beholder a Guinea Pip;, by reason of both its
shape and physical proportions. The rough, thick,
and short fur shows a reddish yellow ground color,
sprinkled with black on the upper surface, while the
flanks and throat are of a plain russet color ; the
under parts and legs are of an ochre yellow hue.
Some individuals arc of a deep black color. Adult
Crying Hares attain a length of about ten inches.
The Home of All [Old World] Pikas are natives of
the Crying the high mountains of central Asia,
Hares. at an altitude of from three thousand
to twelve thousand feet above the sea. There they
live in the rocky, wild, mountain fastnesses upon
the grassy spots abounding near mountain torrents,
either singly or in couples, or sometimes in commu-
nities of considerable numbers. This species is found
throughout the whole of the immense mountain
range of the northern edge of central and farther
Asia, and also occurs in Kamchatka.
Small holes are excavated by themselves, or nat-
ural crevices in the earth or between rocks are
chosen as their abodes by
the Pikas. On bright days
the animals stay hidden
until sunset; on cloudy
days they are in full activ-
ity. For fear of enemies
they often expose but half
their bodies at the openings
of their holes and stretch
their heads to see whether
or not an enemy is in sight.
Inquisitiveness and fear are
about equally blended in
the composition of their
character. Radde charac-
terizes the Pikas as active,
peaceable and very diligent
Rodents, that gather great
supplies of hay, pile them
correctly according to or-
derly rules, and sometimes
cover them with broad
leaves to protect them
from the rain. The heaps
of hay collected by them
may have a height of six
or seven inches and a diameter of from six to twelve
inches. Narrow pathways, worn by repeated travel
over them, lead to their burrows, on both sides of
which the Pikas eat off the grass. During the
snowy season of winter they drive tunnels under the
snow to their haystacks; these tunnels are curved
and tortuous and each has an opening for purposes
of ventilation.
The cry of the Pika, which one may hear as late
as midnight, resembles the call of the Woodpecker,
and is repeated in rapid succession, but rarely over
three times.
Unfortunately for them, the little creatures have a
great many enemies. Though they are not pursued
by the sportsmen of eastern Siberia, they suffer
much from the voracity of Wolves, Corsacs and
various Eagles and Falcons, and in winter they at-
tract their most dangerous foe, the Snow Owl.
■■^r.c D'erJD'
XLhc ftootbless Bntmals.
EIGHTH ORDER: Edentata.
IF THE mammals comprised
in this order, the day of the
greatest development is
past. In the earlier ages
there existed in Brazil
edentate animals of phys-
ical proportions equal to or
greater than those of the
Rhinoceros; at the present
time the largest members of
the order barely equal in
size a large Wolf. Among
the extinct species there
were transitional forms —
connecting links — between the now existing families;
at present these latter seem in many instances to be
separated by wide chasms. And as was the case
with their extinct kinsmen some of the species still
living are nearing their doom, and their days are
numbered
The Edentata
a Vaiiable
Group.
exhibited bv
The Edentata show little of the har-
mony exhibited by other orders.
The striking peculiarity of dentition
all the animals comprised in this
group, constitutes the most important characteristic
whereby they can be distinguished from other mam-
mals. We find animals among the Edentata to
which their ordinal name is applicable in its most
extended sense, as they do not exhibit the merest
vestige of teeth, while the others which are really
possessed of teeth, and sometimes a great number
of them, at least lack the front incisors. The teeth,
which they exhibit and which from their position
are strictly called premolars or incisors, because
placed in the intermaxillary bone correspond so per-
fectly with true molar teeth in shape and structure
that we cannot apply to them the term incisors in its
full meaning. The canine teeth, which are found in
extremely rare cases, also differ from the molars only
by their considerable length; the molar teeth them-
selves are of a plain cylindrical or prismatic form and
are separated from each other by gaps. They consist
only of dentine and cement, being usually destitute
of enamel; they are generally produced but once, as
but few families shed their teeth. The number of
the teeth is subject to considerable variation, not
only in the different families but also in the differ-
ent species of one group; some have only twenty
teeth, others about a hundred.
The Claws I'1 contradistinction to the teeth, the
of the Edentates claws show a peculiar development
Peculiar. jn these animals. The toes are sel-
dom capable of unrestricted movement, but they
always bear claws, which engage and surmount the
entire ends of the digits, and for this reason mate-
rially differ from other claws. They are either of
considerable length, strongly curved and laterally
compressed, or else shorter, broad, and nearly spade-
shaped, in the former case being adapted for climb-
ing, in the latter for digging and throwing aside
earth.
Externa/ Cover- These two features exhaust the cata-
ings of Edentates logue of general characteristics; for
Much Varied. [n tfoe remainder of their anatomical
structure the edentate animals show the widest di-
versity. The variation of external covering of the
body ranges over the greatest latitude that the gen-
eral description of mammals allows. Some have a
thick, soft fur, others a dry, wiry hair; some are
covered with bristles, others with scales, and some
are enveloped in a large, hard coat of mail, such as
is nowhere else found among mammals.
The Home of The members of this family are now
the Eden- confined to the Oriental, Ethiopian
tates. ancj South American zones, South
America showing the greatest number of species.
Asia harbors only Manididas, and Africa has the
Aard-varks in addition to these. South America
affords a larger variety, the Sloths, Ant-eaters and
Armadillos being natives of that continent. The
Edentata now extant, as well as the extinct spe-
cies, exhibit a great diversity in habits as well as in
structure.
Zbe Slotbs.
FIRST FAMILY: Bradypodid^.
At the head of the order we place the family of
the Sloths {Bradypodidd), though we must confess
that they are but poorly developed, dull and slug-
gish creatures, which excite in us a feeling of pity or
contempt.
Anatomical Pecul- Their fore limbs are considerably
iarities of the longer than the hind ones, the feet
Sloths. are armed with huge, scythe-shaped
claws; the neck is proportionately long and supports
a short, Monkey-like head, with a small mouth, the
lips being more or less firm or slightly mobile; small
eyes, and ears entirely concealed from sight by the
fur; the tail is a barely visible rudimentary stump;
the hair is long and coarse, becoming in old age like
dry hay, and the direction in which it lies on the
skin is the reverse of that of other animals, the
" grain " running from the abdomen to the back.
Animals living in a state of nature sometimes appear
of a green color, owing to the presence of a parasitic
plant (cldorococats) which grows on their hides. The
structure of the vertebral column is quite remarkable
and unparalleled among mammals. Instead of the
seven cervical vertebras which usually form the neck
of mammals, some Sloths have but six, others have
nine and in exceptional cases even ten; and the
number of their rib-bearing vertebrae varies between
fourteen and twenty-four. The teeth consist of five
(3S1)
382
THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS.
The Two-Toed
Sloths De-
scribed.
development.
cylindrical molars in each upper row, the first of
which sometimes has a canine shape; the lower jaw
usually has but four teeth or rather rudiments of
teeth.
I regard the Two-toed Sloths ( Cho-
Icepus) as standing among all the
Sloth family on the plane of highest
They have a rather large head, sur-
mounted by a flat forehead, and ending in a blunt
snout; the neck is relatively short, the body slender,
without a visible tail; the limbs are long and thin,
the claws of the fore pair being armed with two and
those of the hind pair
with three laterally
compressed scythe-
shaped claws. Other
peculiar characteristics
are the plain, soft fur,
having no woolly inner
coat; the dentition, and
the small number of the
cervical vertebrae.
The Unau or Two-
toed Sloth ( Cholcepus
didactylus) t a native of
Guiana and Surinam,
attains a length of
about twenty-eight
inches. The long hair
on the head points back-
ward, but on the breast
and abdomen its direc-
tion is toward the back,
forming a crest on the
spine; it is of a whitish,
olive-green gray tint in
the face, on the head
and the neck; the body
is olive-gray, the back
being darker than the
under parts; the breast,
forelegs and shoulders,
as well as the lower
part of the haunches,
are olive brown.
The second species
embraces the Three-
toed Sloths {Bradypus).
They are of a sturdy
physical conformation;
have a small head with
an obliquely truncated,
hard-lipped muzzle and
a small mouth, a very
long neck, a well de-
veloped, lateral ly-com-
pressed tail, and rather
short, stout limbs, the paws of which arc furnished
both in front and behind with three flatly -com-
pressed, scythe-shaped claws. The hair shows a
parting on the head, and is directed downward; on
the rest of the body its line of direction is upward;
the soles of the feet arc almost entirely covered with
fur.
The Ai or Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus tridactylus)
is indigenous to Brazil and attains a total length of
nearly twenty-one inches, about one and one-half of
which are included in the tail. The fur consists of a
line, short, thick inner coat, which best shows the
true markings of the creature, and a long, dry, hard,
somewhat smooth hay-like outer fur. The color is
UNAU OR TWO-TOED SLOTH. This animal of British and Dutch Guiana
is a peculiar creature with its long slender limbs, its queer head, flattened at the fore-
head and its short reck, and above all its toes, two each on the fore and three each
on the hind feet, with their long strong claws. With these hooks it can hang to a
tree limb with perfect security. 'yCholapus didactylus.)
an ashy gray, dashed with a pale reddish tint, and
the abdomen is of a silver gray hue. The claws are
yellowish or brownish yellow.
Habits The Sloths are confined to South
and Life of America. Those extensive forests
the Ai. jn the damp, low country, where the
vegetation reaches its highest development, are the
abode of these remarkable beasts. The more de-
serted, sombre and shady a forest, the more impene-
trable the thicket, the better is the locality adapted
for the life of these helpless animals. They arc as
truly arboreal animals as the Monkey or the Squir-
rel; but the latter for-
tunate climbers reign
in the tree-tops, while
the Sloths must la-
boriously and with
difficulty crawl from
one branch to an-
other. A space that
is traversed in play
by the agile and mis-
chievous inhabitants
of the upper regions,
is a journey of great
magnitude for the
Sloth, and these lazy
creatures lead a mo-
notonous quiet life,
slowly creeping from
branch to branch. In
comparison with their
movements when on
the ground they cer-
tainly exhibit great
agility in climbing.
Their long forelegs
permit them to reach
considerable dis-
tances and the huge
claws enable them,
without fatigue, to
hang on to branches.
They climb quite dif-
ferently from all oth-
er arboreal animals,
however; for what is
an exception with
others is the rule with
them. With body
hanging down, they
reach up with their
long arms, hook their
claws firmly around a
small limb and com-
fortably drag them-
selves along from
branch to branch. The)' appear lazier than they
really are, however. Being of nocturnal habits they
may spend entire days without stirring; but when
dusk conies they rouse themselves, and during the
night traverse a greater or smaller space, accord-
ing to their requirements, slowly but not lazily.
They feed exclusively on buds, young shoots and
fruit and the plentiful dew which they lick off the
leaves supplies them with water, which otherwise
they would lack. An undeniable slowness of move-
ment is exhibited in their search for and appropria-
tion of food. They are frugal, easily satisfied, and
capable of enduring hunger and thirst for days,
some say for weeks, without harm resulting to them.
AI, OR THREE-TOED SLOTH. These animals are very appropriately named, for their movements are painfully slow. They have
scythe-shaped claws on each foot, and move with considerable labor from branch to branch. The positions they assume are well shown in
the picture, and the female with the young one seems to have a specially difficult task in moving about. (Bradypus tridactylus. i
(3»3/
384
THE TOOTHLESS AXLMALS.
They do not leave a tree as long as it affords them
nourishment; only when the supply of food which
it furnishes has been exhausted do they think of mi-
grating. Slowly they descend to the lower branches,
seek a point at which the branches of some neigh-
boring tree interlocks with that upon which they are
hanging, and then, clinging with their hooked claws,
pass over on this aerial bridge.
Movements and On the ground these miserable na-
Peculiarities tives of the trees are bewildered.
of Sloths. Their gait consists of such a painful
dragging along of the body as to invariably excite
the spectator's pity. In a like manner with the
slow Tortoise, the Sloth tries to propel its clumsy
bulk. With sprawling limbs, supporting itself on
its elbows, slowly describing with its legs segments
of a circle, it very gradually pushes itself onward;
the abdomen nearly touches the ground, and its
head and neck constantly and slowly move from one
side to the other, as if their function were to pre-
serve the balance of this extremely awkward ani-
mal. One would not readily believe this creature,
which reels along so miserably, capable of saving
itself if by any mischance it fell into the water. The
Sloth swims tolerably well, however, moving with
even greater speed than in climbing, holding its head
high above the surface, breasting the waves with ease
and readily regaining the shore. Bates and Wal-
lace saw a Sloth crossing a river at a place where it
was about nine hundred feet wide. This tends to
show that the appellation "Sloth," pertinent as it
may have been in its original sense of mere slowness
of action, really can justly refer only to the move-
ments of this animal when attempting to walk on
the ground; for on the trees its laziness, as before
stated, does not impress the observer as being so
great as one would be likely to believe, judging
by the exaggerated accounts of those who first
described the animal. The admirable security and
certainty with which it climbs is worthy of notice.
The Sloth is capable of hooking on to a bough by
one foot and remaining suspended from it, not only
letting the full weight of the body be borne by the
one foot, but also lifting itself up by it.
It is exceedingly difficult to loosen the hold of
a Sloth from a branch. While sleeping and resting
the animal assumes a position similar to the one or-
dinarily taken. It puts its four legs close together,
curls itself into a nearly spherical ball-shape, and
lets its head sink forward over its breast, without let-
ting it rest there, however, or supporting it. In this
position it hangs on, always in the same place, during
the day, without tiring itself.
Insusceptible as the animal seems to be to hunger
and thirst, it is very sensitive to moisture and the re-
sultant sensation of cold. During the rainy season
it often hangs in the same place for days, droop-
ing and miserable, obviously greatly annoyed by the
downpouring water.
Very rarely, usually only in the evening or at the
dawn of day, or when the Sloth is alarmed, does one
hear its cry. The cry is not loud, and consists of a
plaintive, long-drawn, short and shrill sound, which
is rendered by some as the frequent repetition of the
sound of long "a" in English. Modern observers
have never heard the Sloth utter sounds resembling
diphthongs, or consisting, as former observers have
affirmed, of ascending or descending tones of the
scale. The nearest approach to vocal utterance one
may hear from a Sloth during the day is a deep sigh
frequently repeated; on the ground it does not cry.
The Mother Only a single young Sloth appears
Sloth and ;it a birth. It comes into the world
Young. completely covered with hair and
even its claws and toes are fairly well developed;
immediately after birth it fastens itself to the long
hair cf the mother by its claws, clasping her neck
with its forelegs. The mother then carries it about
everywhere in this position. At first it would appear
as if she regarded her progeny with great tenderness;
but the maternal love apparently soon subsides, and
then the dull-witted creature barely takes the pains
to nourish her infant, cleaning it or attending to the
sundry other duties of a nurse.
The indisposition to action of the Sloths is also
seen when they are ill-treated or wounded. It has
been sufficiently demonstrated that the lowest ani-
mals can endure proportionately the greatest ill-
treatment, injuries or pain; the Sloths also seem to
prove this general rule. The remarkable tenacity of
life in these creatures cannot be denied. They bear
severe injuries with the indifference of a corpse.
Frequently they do not even alter their position after
receiving a full charge of shot into the body. Schom-
burgk says that they are the creatures which are
also able to longest withstand the terrible Woorari
poison, with which the Indians charge the barbs of
the darts from their blow-guns, used in hunting.
The Sloths Not One cannot say that these helpless
Much Persecuted animals have many enemies. Their
by Enemies. arboreal life puts them out of the
reach of the worst beasts of prey, which are always
to be found among the mammalia. Then their fur is
so similar in coloring to the branches from which
they are suspended, immovable like an excrescence
on a limb or the fruit on a tree, that the experienced
falcon eye of an Indian is needed to discover a sleep-
ing Sloth. Besides, the animals are not quite so de-
fenseless as would seem at a first glance. They are
difficult to overcome on the tree and if they are
taken by surprise and attacked on the ground, they
throw themselves on their backs with sufficient read-
iness and seize their assailant with their claws; the
strength of their limbs is certainly considerable. It
is difficult for even a strong man to free himself
from the clasp of the animal or to tear it from the
bough to which it clings; if the would-be captor does
not unhook one foot after another and hold it firmly
to prevent the animal from regaining its hold, it is
impossible to succeed in the latter undertaking.
The Sloth in Cap- Up to a comparatively recent date
tiuity, an Inter- little was known about the life of
esting Animal. Sloths in confinement. Buffon re-
lates that the Marquis of Montmirail bought a Sloth
in Amsterdam, which had been kept on tender foli-
age in summer and ship's biscuit in winter. Trav-
elers tell us that one can hardly imagine a more
inane and insipid creature than a captive Sloth.
My joy at finding a living Sloth in Amsterdam will
be easily understood, as it gave me the opportunity
of personally observing the habits of the animal.
Later on I succeeded in obtaining several Sloths
and in completing my observations. I am not bold
enough to affirm that my deductions apply also to
the life of the beast in the free state ; but I mean to
say, that Sloths are not altogether contemptible and
tiresome, but interesting and in many respects wor-
thy members of a collection of animals.
" Kees" (that was the name of the Amsterdam
Sloth) had been an inmate of his cage for nine years
and certainly exhibited as much contentment in cap-
tivity as any other animal. Whoever has kept mam-
BUI ANTOSATEE OE ANT-BEAE.-Oneo* ^S^Z^^^^^^^
r^S^^ nof ^tttin, escape ^ ,3 enenn,
^,S:S5=^ W- an^a, Us ,ong M «
r of «hich a characteristic picture ts here
,e heavy, short limbs. It lirss on Ants
>micSi (Myrmecophagajubata.)
(3»5)
SSrt
THE TOOTHLESS AXIMALS.
mals in captivity knows that he has reason to be well
satisfied if his pets survive nine years on the aver-
age, and he who has intimate knowledge of the
edentates will admit that so long a time is truly a
great age for a member of this order. The cage in
which Kees was confined had a scaffolding of wood
in the centre, on which the animal could climb; it
had a thick litter of hay on the floor, strong panes
of glass formed its sides and it was open above. I
have kept my own pets in a similarly constructed
cage. He was fed on boiled rice and carrots usually,
but did not refuse any vegetable food offered him.
Habits of If one pays the animal a visit in the
Captive daytime, the only thing to be seen in
Sloths. this glass box is a ball, strikingly re-
sembling a heap of reed-grass. This ball presents no
particular significance by its shape, as at such times
almost nothing of the limbs of the Sloth can be dis-
cerned. A closer inspection shows that the limbs
have assumed the attitude usual when the animal is
at rest or sleeping.
However, the furry ball can be brought to life, if
one knows how to proceed; for the Sloth is by no
means as dull-witted as it is popularly supposed to
be, being on the contrary a nice, honest fellow, only
requiring to be handled in the right way. If the
keeper simply comes to the cage and calls it, the
ball gradually begins to show signs of animation.
Deliberately, or as one might say, slowly and some-
what clumsily, it evolves itself and little by little it
develops into an animal, which may not be good-
looking, but still is not so hideous as it has been
depicted. Slowly and steadily the animal lifts one
of its long forelegs, and hooks the sharp claws to
one of the cross bars of the scaffolding. If one
holds some tidbit, especially a lump of sugar, to the
upper bars, it climbs up with moderate rapidity to
obtain this choice morsel, sniffs along the wall and
opens its mouth as wide as possible, pleading, as it
were, to have the sugar thrown in. Then with its
eyes closed it eats it, smacking its lips, clearly show-
ing how much it relishes the sweet morsel.
Uses of the The economic value of Sloths to Man
Sloth to is very small. In some regions In-
Man. dians and Negroes eat the flesh, the
unpleasant odor and taste of which disgust Caucas-
ians, and in some places coverings and pouches are
manufactured out of the tough, strong and durable
hide. On the other hand the animals inflict but very
little damage, as they retire in the same ratio as
man advances. They also are in the list of those
animals which are approaching utter extinction.
They can maintain their hold on life in only the
remotest forest, and no longer than the magnificent
trees which give them shelter and food are spared
by the axe of the white settlers will their existence
be possible.
Zbc Hnt^eaters.
SECOND FAHILY: Mvrmkcoi-iiagid/e.
The Ant-eaters, which are comprised in the sec-
ond family, bear but a slight external resemblance
to the Sloths. The body is elongated; the head, and
especially the snout, are very long and slender; the
tail attains nearly half the length of the body. The
fur is thick, rough and peculiar, especially on the
upper surface. The hinder limbs are slender and
weaker than the fore limbs. The bony structure of
the feet shows five toes, not all of which are armed
with claws, however. The cavity of the mouth is
very small, while the tongue is long, thin and
rounded, in appearance resembling a worm. The
ears and eyes are very small. The structure of the
skull is still more striking. In consequence of the
elongation of the facial region the snout is long and
tubular; the intermaxillary bone is small and curved
and does not properly articulate with the maxillary,
but is joined thereto by cartilage only. One looks
in vain for teeth, but no vestige of any is found.
The Great Ant- The largest species of the family is
eater or Ant- the Great Ant-eater, or Ant-bear,
Bear. called Yurumi in Paraguay and Tam-
anoa in Surinam (Myrmecophagajubata). The fur of
this very remarkable animal consists of thick, stiff
bristles, prickly to the touch. Short on the head,
they become longer on the neck and along the back-
bone, where they form a mane and may be nine
and one-half inches long. The hair of the tail is
from ten and one-half to sixteen inches, the fur of
the rest of the body and legs being only from three
to four and one-half inches long. The coloring of
the fur is somewhat variable. The prevailing color
of the head is ashy gray mixed with black. Nearly
the same hue obtains on the nape of the neck, back,
part of the sides, the forelegs and the tail. The
throat, neck, breast, abdomen, hind feet and under
part of tail are blackish brown. A black band,
tapering toward the hind quarters, runs from the
head and breast over the back obliquely to the rump
and is bounded on each side by a narrow stripe of
pale gray, running parallel with it. A black band
encircles the end of the fore arm, and the toes of the
fore-feet and naked parts of the body are also black.
The length of an adult Yurumi is fifty-two inches,
the tail without hair measuring twenty-seven inches
and with the hair at least thirty-eight inches, and
often more than this. That means that the animal
attains a total length of ninety-two inches; some-
times one finds old males, however, which are larger.
The Yurumi is not very common in Paraguay, and
inhabits the wholly or partially deserted fields in the
north of the country. It has neither a fixed retreat
nor other permanent domicile, but roves about the
plains in the day and sleeps where night finds it,
for this purpose generally selecting a spot where
the grass grows very high or where there is a growth
of bushes. It is usually solitary in its wanderings,
unless it be a female with her young one. Its gait
is a slow walk, sometimes, when it is pursued, chang-
ing into a clumsy gallop, which, at best, is so slow
that a human being, walking, can overtake it. Its
sustenance is confined to a diet of Ants, Termites,
and the larva: of both. In order to obtain access to
them it scratches and tears with the long nails of
its fore-feet at the heaps of earth which form their
domicile, protrudes its long tongue under the insects
which pour out from all sides and then draws it into
its mouth when it is covered with them. It repeats
the performance until it is satisfied or until the Ants
or Termites are all exterminated.
Propagation To the female Sloth a single young
of Ant- one is born in spring and she trans-
eaters. ports it on her back for a time. It
is a quiet, peaceable animal, which annoys neither
Man nor other mammals in any way, unless it be
much provoked.
Uses to Which The flesh and skin of the Yurumi
Ant-eaters arc utiliz.ed only by the uncivilized
are Put. Indians; still, there are country peo-
ple in Paraguay who believe the skin to be an unfail-
THE ANT-EATERS— TREE CLIMBING
38;
ing remedy for lumbago and sciatica and for this
purpose place it under their sheets. The Great
Ant-eater is rarely hunted; but if one chances to
meet it in the field, it is easy to kill it by a few blows
on the head. These animals ought to be protected
rather than persecuted, however; instead of being
. — " "■%? Sl/CfJO I
THE TAMANDUA. This repulsive looking cre^'ure, which is also known as the Caguare, is an inhab-
itant of South American forests and is a species of the Tree-climbing Ant-eaters. The powerful claws, elongated
snout and long, prehensile tail are notable features of the animal here depicted. (Tamandua tetradactyla^
harmful, they are exceedingly useful in diminishing
the numbers of the Termites and Ants, which have
multiplied to such an extent in some portions of
Paraguay that entire plantations are overrun and
devastated by them. The Jaguar and the Cougar
probably are the only enemies of the Yurumi, ex-
cept Man. The fabulous stories
of the natives of Paraguay con-
cerning combats between it and
the Jaguar, were long ago re-
futed by Azara."
■ Home and Habits We learn from
of the Ant- other naturalists
eater. that the Ant-eat-
er inhabits nearly the entire east
of South America as well as Par-
aguay and therefore ranges from
the La Plata to the Caribbean
Sea. It is said to walk holding
its head very low, seeking food
by scenting the ground. It car-
ries its tail stretched out straight
behind and the mane on the
back stands erect, so that it pro-
duces the impression of being S? sy
very much larger than it is.-^*' <^^/^
Modern observers have found ~"~
not only Ants and Termites in
its stomach but also considera-
ble quantities of earth and par-
ticles of wood, which the animal
swallows with the insects. There
is no doubt that the Yurumi, besides its principal
food, is fond of devouring chrysallids, millipeds and
worms, when these latter are not too large.
Adaptability of Captive Ant- Bears have repeatedly
Ant-Bears to been taken to Europe and have been,
Captivity. by ^\n\. of adequate care, kept living
for years. The captive specimens of the London
Zoological Garden are fed raw, finely shredded meat
and yolk of egg; the one that Noll observed in
Hamburg was also very fond of a mush made of
Indian meal and hot milk and sweetened with a
spoonful of molasses, and it was a sight to see the
strange-looking animal standing before its dish, eat-
ing with its queer tongue.
The blackish, cylindrical
tongue is ejected out of
the mouth to a length of
about twenty inches, with
almost incredible rapidity,
its alternations reaching a
speed of about one hun-
dred and sixty times a min-
ute; it is revolved in the
mush and withdrawn with
small particles of food ad-
hering to it.
The Ant-eater is not only
a queer-looking creature in
human eyes; it excites sur-
prise and even terror in
most animals also, as was
proven in one case at least,
when in one of the German
zoological collections the
animal was first quartered
in the Monkey house. A
panic of fright prevailed
among the inmates of the
house; the Monkeys cre-
ated such a noise that their cages had to be cov-
ered and even a Chimpanzee hid itself in the straw.
THE TREE-CLIMBING ANT-EATERS.
Among the other Ant-eaters which are of arbo-
real habits, the Tamandua or Caguare ( Tamandua
C n'E*D '
LITTLE ANT-EATER. This queer little animal, about the size of a squirrel, is about as well
equipped for holding on to a tree as a mammal can well be. Besides his two-toed fore-feet and five-toed
hind paws, both of which are curved so as to make the hold secure, the animal has a prehensile tail by
which he can take hold, as shown in the picture. (Cyclolurus didactylus.)
tetradactyla) most resembles the species already de-
scribed; nevertheless it is classified as a distinct
species, as it has four toes on its fore-feet and five
on its hinder ones, and possesses a prehensile tail.
It inhabits the same country as the species just
described, but extends over a great area of territory,
ranging westward to Peru. Its length is about three
388
THE TOOTHLESS AXIMALS
feet, the body measuring about twenty-four inches;
the height from the ground to the top of the shoul-
der is said to average from twelve to fourteen
inches.
Habits and H^unts^o far we have been able to learn
of the Taman- very little concerning the life of this
dua- remarkable creature. In Paraguay
and Brazil the Tamandua lives everywhere in the
lonely forest districts, affecting the edges of woods
and bushes, sometimes being found near human
dwellings. It not only lives on the ground, but
climbs trees with moderate agility, though its speed
does not exceed that of the Sloths; its tail also
comes into requisition to render secure its position
in sitting. Its food consists mainly of Ants, and
especially such as live on trees.
Observations Re- The Tamandua has also been taken
garding Captive to foreign lands in recent years, es-
Tamanduas. pecially" to London. Bartlett kept
the first specimen in his own room in order that he
might be able more accurately to observe its move-
ments. With the help of its powerful, hook-like
claws and prehensile tail it quickly climbed upon the
different articles of furniture, and finally, becoming
more familiar, it jumped thence to Bartlett's shoul-
der, and in search for food inserted its pointed snout
and long, vermiform tongue into all the folds of his
clothing, and explored his ears, nose and eyes in a
not exactly pleasant manner. As it became more
tame, whenever a visitor approached, the Ant-cater
quickly came to the front bars of its cage and
slipped its investigating tongue over the hand held
out to it; one had to be careful, however, not to let
it grasp his fingers with its claws.
The Peculiar The Tamandua gives forth from
Odor of the the scent-glands with which it is
Tamandua. equipped, a remarkably strong,
musk-like odor, especially when it is irritated or
excited by the approach of an enemy.
[According to some late authorities there are two
species of the Tamanduas: one called the Collared
Tamandua ( Tamandua bivittata ) and the other the
Yellow Tamandua {Tamandua longicauda) .]
LITTLE OR TWO-TOED ANT-EATER.
The Little or Two- toed Ant-eater (Cycloturus didac-
tylus) is a little animal of about the size of a Squir-
rel, being some sixteen inches long, seven inches of
which are included in the prehensile tail. There
are four toes on the fore-feet, two of which bear
stout claws; the hind feet have five toes. The fur
is of silky softness and its hue is foxy red above
and gray below, some of its hairs are grayish brown
at the base, others black, and tipped with yellow
brown.
Though the Little Ant-cater is of rather clumsy
build, it still may be called a prepossessing creature,
especially distinguished by the beauty of its fur.
Its distribution is restricted. So far it has been
seen only in northern Brazil, Guiana and Peru, em-
bracing countries between the [Oth parallel of south
and the 6th parallel of north latitude. In moun-
tainous districts it sometimes ascends as high as
l,8oo feet above the sea. It is of rare occurrence
nearly everywhere. It inhabits, through choice only,
the densest woods. Being entirely nocturnal in
its habits, it sleeps through the day in trees. Its
movements are clumsy, slow and measured; but it
climbs fairly well, though very cautiously and al-
ways with the he!]) of its tail. Ants, Termites, Bees,
Wasps and their grubs constitute its food.
Gbc HrmaMUos.
THIRD FAMILY: Dasyiodid*:.
The Armadillos [Dasypodida) are, like the Sloths,
the survivors of a once larger family. In compari-
son to some of their extinct relations thev can at
best be considered only dwarfs.
The Glyptodon attained the gigantic proportions
of a Rhinoceros; the relatives of some other spe-
cies were at least as large as an Ox, while the Arma-
dillos of the present time attain an extreme length
of sixty inches, or forty inches not including the tail.
Armadillos are clumsy creatures with elongated
head and muzzle, large, pig-like ears, a stout tail and
short legs and strong feet, armed with very stout
fossorial (digging) claws. They owe their name to
the peculiar nature of their external covering, re-
sembling a coat of mail; this coat is distinguished
by rectilinear belts or bands along the middle of
the back, and the scales differ from those of other
mammals by the arrangement of the scutae or shields.
The median zones, which serve to distinguish the
species, though they are not always of the same
number in the same species, consist of quadrangu-
lar, oblong scales or scutes, while the anterior and
posterior portions of its armor are formed of trans-
verse rows of four and six-cornered scales, inter-
spersed with others of small, irregular form. The
shield on the head is for the most part also com-
posed of five or six-cornered scutes. The animals
are protected with a buckler on the upper portions
of the body alone, however; the under surface be-
ing covered with a more or less coarse, bristly hair;
similar bristles also project between the shields.
Home and Habits All Armadillos are natives of the
of Armadil- southern American belt extending
los- as far north as Mexico. They live
in sparsely grown and sandy plains, in fields, and
are found only on the edges of woods, never enter-
ing the latter. Only in the breeding season do a
few of the same species consort; during the rest of
the year every Armadillo leads a solitary life, exhib-
iting no regard for any other living thing except
those that serve it as food.
-At dusk the mail-clad creatures appear in front of
their deep, subterranean abodes and move about for
some time, proceeding at a slow pace from one spot
to another. The level ground is their domain and
there they are at home as are but few other animals.
Slow and lazy as they appear when walking or mov-
ing, they are quick and nimble when they have to
burrow their way into the ground. When startled,
frightened or pursued, they have no better recourse
than to entrust themselves to the earth, in the truest
sense of that expression. And they are such ex-
perts at digging, that they sink very rapidly into
the ground before the gaze of the spectator. Their
extraordinary defenselessness would leave them
helpless in the face of enemies, if they were not
adepts at this method of escape. One kind of Ar-
madillo is able to roll itself into a ball, like the
Hedgehog, but does so only in the last extremity
when its retreat by burrowing is cut off, and recom-
mences its burrowing and hiding in the earth at the
first opportunity. In the water these animals, ap-
parently so unwieldy, also know how to take care of
themselves.
The Armadillos are inoffensive, peaceable crea-
tures, with dull organs of sense and devoid of any
prominent intellectual faculty. Their method of
THE ARMADILLOS—ARMADILLOS PROPER.
389
vocal expression consists in grunting sounds, neither
harmonious nor emphatic in the conveyance of any
particular meaning.
The Armadillos also, like others of this order,
are nearing their complete extinction. Their rate
of propagation is slight. It is true that some spe-
cies have as many as nine young at a birth; but the
growth of the animals is so slow, and they are so
little able to withstand the many enemies which
they have, that their increase in number is a most
unlikely contingency.
THE ARMADILLOS PROPER.
The Armadillos proper {Dasypus) are all more
or less of a similar anatomical conformation. The
body is supported by short legs, the conical tail is
of moderate length, mail-clad and stiff, and the car-
apace is bony and intimately attached to the dermal
processes of the body. There are six or more mo-
bile bands along the dorsal median region. All
four of the feet are five-toed; the claws of the fore
feet are laterally compressed and the outer claws
are slightly curved outward.
yellow, through the polishing and attrition of sur-
face received by friction against the walls of the
burrows. The color of the hair-covered skin of the
under surface is similar to that of the, outside of
the scales on the back. The hair is light, the bare
skin brown. The length of the animal is twenty
inches, the tail measures nine and one-half inches,
and its height is about the same.
The The Six-banded Armadillo (Dasy-
Six-banded pus sexcinctus ) resembles its relative
Armadillo. just described; it is from twenty-two
to twenty-four inches long, inclusive of the tail,
which measures eight inches, and it is furnished
with a shield behind and between the ears, consist-
ing of eight pieces; the anterior and posterior por-
tions of the carapace are separated by six broad
transverse zones or bands and is of a brownish yel-
low hue, the armor part being darker, the skin paler.
Armadillos of Mi- Armadillos do not live in any one
gratory and Noc- particular locality, but frequently
turnal Habits, change their place of abode. Their
retreat usually consists of a tunnel-like hole, from
three to six feet long and is excavated by them-
THE SIX-BANDED ARMADILLO. The animal with the natural coat of mail, of w huh this is a picture, is especially endowed for a bur-
rowing, insect-hunting life. Its long strong claws enable it to dig with great agility, nut only lor purposes of retreat, but also to secure the Ants,
Termites, etc., which form its food. (Dasypus sexcinctus.)
All Armadillos bear the generic name of Tatu
in the South American Guaran Indian language, a
name which also was adopted in the European lan-
guages. The name Armadillo is of Spanish origin
and literally signifies "the mail-clad," or "the ar-
mor-clad." This appellation is given to the Dasy-
pus sexcinctus (the Six-banded Armadillo ) in pref-
erence, the others of the tribe usually going by their
Guaran or other native names.
The Tatupoyu or One of the best-known Armadillos,
Yellow-banded the Tatupoyu of the Guarani, which
Armadillo. means the ' Tatu with the Yellow
Hand {Dasypus vi/losus), a native of the Pampas
of Buenos Ayres, has the ugliest and clumsiest ap-
pearance of any of its relatives. The nape of the
neck is covered with a row of nine oblong, quadran-
gular scutes or shields, the fore part of the back
has seven lateral and five median rows of irregular,
hexagonal plates. This shoulder armor is adjoined
to the rear by six separate, movable bands or girdles
of oblong, four-cornered scutes and then comes the
posterior armor, consisting of ten rows of oblong,
four-cornered plates. The color of the scales is a
brownish yellow, but sometimes they become light
selves. At the entrance the hole is circular and has
a diameter of from eight to twenty-four inches, ac-
cording to the size of the animal; towards the lower
end the tunnel widens and finally assumes the shape
of a chamber so that the animal can comfortably
turn around in it. In the wilderness they move
about by daylight, when the sky is cloudy and the
glaring sunlight does not annoy and daze them; in
populated localities they do not leave their holes
before the fall of dusk and then rove about all night.
It appears to be a matter of indifference to them,
whether they come back to their holes or not; for if
they miss their way, they forthwith dig a new bur-
row. They have a two-fold purpose in doing so.
Azara observed, and other naturalists confirmed his
observations, that the Armadillos excavate their
burrows chiefly under the hills of Ants or Termites,
as this location puts them in a position favorable
for gathering their principal food with the greatest
convenience by day as well as by night. Besides
Ants and Termites their food consists chiefly of bugs
and then' grubs. Caterpillars, Locusts and Earth-
worms. It is also established beyond doubt, that
the Armadillos feed on plants, for these latter have
390
THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS.
been found in the stomach of specimens of the ani-
mals which have been killed and dissected.
Movements and It is to be expected that their rov-
Propagation of ings are confined within narrow
Armadillos. limits. The usual gait of all Arma-
dillos is a slow walk and the greatest effort at
speed of which they are capable is a slightly accel-
erated shuffling, which, however, is sufficiently rapid
to enable them to distance a human being. Jump-
ing or turning around quickly are feats they can not
accomplish. The first is precluded by their stout-
ness, the latter by the close fit of the armor and
rigidity consequent thereon. So, when they wish to
accelerate their course to the utmost, they can only
proceed in a right line, sometimes slightly trending
to an arc of a circle in direction and they would be
delivered into the hands of their enemies utterly
defenseless, if they had no other tricks at their com-
mand. What they lack in agility, they compensate
in great muscular power. This latter is particularly
shown in the celerity with which they cut their way
BOLITA OR THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO. One of the queerest of a peculiar family. The pic-
ture presents a view of a group of these oddities traversing the cactus-grown valleys of their native South America.
The three bands which give the animal its name are shown, and the manner in which it rolls itself into a ball when
it fears an enemy is also shown. ( Tolypeutes iricinctus.)
into the earth, and that in places which a hoe
wielded by a strong man can pierce with difficulty,
as for instance the foot of Termites' hills. An adult
Tatu, which scents the approach of an enemy, needs
only three minutes to drive a tunnel, the length of
which considerably exceeds that of its body. As
soon as Tatus have dived deep enough into the earth
to conceal the entire body, the strongest man is in-
capable of pulling them out, by the tail. As their
holes are only just sufficiently large to admit of their
squeezing in, they need but to arch the back a little,
and the edges of the scales on the belts above and
the sharp claws beneath offer so effective a resist-
ance that nobody can overcome it.
The female gives birth to from four to six young
in winter or spring and hides them carefully in her
ljurrow for some time. Probably they are not
suckled long, for they are soon seen running about
in the fields. As soon as they are somewhat grown,
each goes its own way, and the mother cares
more for her offspring.
no
Method of The Tatu is usually hunted on moon-
Hunting the lit nights. The sportsman arms him-
Armadillo. sejf wjth a stout club of hard wood,
pointed or conical at the end and hunts the Tatu by
trailing with Dogs. If the Tatu perceives the Dogs
in time, it flees forthwith into its hole or digs an-
other as quickly as possible, rather than take refuge
in a strange one. If the Dogs overtake it, however,
before it gains its asylum, it is lost. As they can
not penetrate the carapace of the animal with their
teeth, they seize it and prevent its escape by holding
it with mouth and paws, until the sportsman arrives
and kills it with a blow on the head. Experienced
Dogs will overturn the running Tatu with their noses,
and attack it from beneath, and as soon as they
succeed in doing so, they literally tear it to pieces,
the armor crackling between their teeth after the
manner of crushed egg-shells. A Tatu in its hole is
always secure from Dogs, for their efforts to dis-
lodge it by digging are of no avail. When it is
seized by the Dogs, it never defends itself in any
way, though it undoubted-
ly could inflict severe in-
juries with its claws.
All Armadillos are held
in detestation by the South
Americans, because they
are the cause of many ac-
cidents. The bold riders
of the plains, who spend
the greater part of their
lives on horseback, are oc-
casionally brought to grief
by plunging into the sub-
terranean workings of the
Armadillos. A Horse hur-
rying on at a gallop, sud-
denly stepping into a hole,
is likely to injure both it-
self and its rider. There-
tore the owners of farms
and plantations persecute
the poor armor-bearers in
the most ruthless and cruel
manner. Besides having
Man for their arch enemy,
they are hunted down by
the larger Felidae, the Bra-
zilian Wolf and the Jackal
Fox.
Tatus are rarely domesticated and
reared in Paraguay. They are much
too tiresome as companions, and
also annoy their keeper too much by their digging
propensities to become favorites as domestic pets.
The Armadillos, which are frequently brought to
P2urope and in some zoological gardens are quar-
tered together with the Monkeys, are fed on worms,
insects, grubs, and raw and cooked meat, the latter
being fed to them in small pieces, as they can bite
nothing from large morsels. They take the food
with their lips or their tongue, the latter organ being
capable of much extension. If the care bestowed
on them is in any way adequate, they preserve their
health for years, serve the Monkeys as beasts of
burden or playmates, either willingly or involunta-
rily, endure everything, become used to taking walks
by day and may even bear young. Young Armadil-
los, born in the London zoological garden, were
blind at birth and their soft skin showed all the fur-
rows and divisions of the adult animal.
Armadillos Un-
fit for Domes-
tication.
THE ARM A DILLOS— THREE-BAXDED.
391
Economic Value The usefulness of the Armadillos is
of Arma- by no means inconsiderable. The
dillos. Indians are exceedingly fond of
the flesh of all the species, Europeans eating only
that of two kinds. Kappler says that their flesh
loses its unpleasant odor of musk if it is soaked over
night in a solution of salt and lemon juice. Reng-
ger says that the flesh of an Armadillo, fried and
seasoned with Spanish pepper and lemon juice, is
one of the most palatable of dishes. The Indians
of Paraguay manufacture small baskets out of the
shell; the Botocudos make speaking-tubes from the
skin of the tail which they strip off in one piece;
formerly bodies of guitars were made out of the
shields.
THE THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO.
The still less known Three -banded Armadillos,
called Apar or Mataco by the natives and Bolita
by the Spaniards ( Tolypcutcs tricinctus), is the repre-
sentative of another species, the first appellation of
which was said to refer to a shell which had been
says, in the open country, but Goering could not
learn whether or not it excavated burrows. The
natives occasionally capture it when out hunting
other Armadillos, the flesh of which, as has been
said, constitutes a favorite dish with the Gauchos.
But as the Mataco is a pretty creature, it is usually
the recipient of mercy and is kept as a pet.
The Bolita a Fa- The children play with it, roll it
uorite Pet for back and forth or let it run along a
Children. board and rejoice in the clattering
which the contact of its feet with the plank pro-
duces. Goering had many visitors who begged to
be shown the animal. Though it had not been long
in confinement, it showed great docility, and from
the first moment it would without any hesitancy
take food proffered in one's hand. It would eat all
kinds of fruit and leaves, especially peaches, gourds
and lettuce, never refusing food when it was offered
it. On account of the smallness of the aperture
of its mouth, the food had to be cut into small
pieces, which it took very daintily. It slept by day
as well as by night. When sleeping, it would stretch
'^•N^V%^ '■-
;_-=-. .-_--_— "\Tii~ 'a-S?»S?
**
THE GIANT TATU. This large member of the Armadillo family has other peculiarities besides its great size. It is thoroughly protected
by its armor, and other distinguishing features shown in the picture are its long armored tail and its especially long and strong claws. Altogether it
is admirably endowed for a digging and insect-hunting life. {Priodt ngigas.)
artificially put together. Azara, however, early gave
so clear a description that the existence of the ani-
mal could no longer be doubted. He says that the
.Mataco does not exist in Paraguay, first being found
south of the 36th parallel of south latitude. "Some
call it Bolita, because it is the only Tatu, which,
when it is frightened, or apprehends capture, con-
ceals its head, its tail and its four legs, forming a
ball out of its body, which one can roll in all direc-
tions without its relaxing itself. One can open this
ball only by the exercise of great strength."
Its length from the tip of the snout to the ex-
tremity of the tail is eighteen inches; the tail meas-
ures not quite three inches and is round or conical
at the tip and compressed horizontally at the base;
neither are the scales like those of the others of the
species, having somewhat the aspect of stout grains
and being very prominent.
Habitat of the Anton Goering obtained a living Bo-
Bolita or lita from San Luis in western Argen-
Mataco. tinia, which is its true native country
or at least the country where it occurs most fre-
quently. There the animal lives, exactly as Azara
out its fore-legs, draw in the hinder ones, lie down
on them and on its abdomen, and hide its head be-
tween its fore-legs. The back always looked much
curved: no matter what attitude it assumed, the ani-
mal could not really straighten itself. Though it ate
and ran about quietly in the presence of several
persons, it drew itself together whenever it was
touched, and when pressed, it rolled up into an
impenetrable ball. When the annoyance ceased, it
gradually unrolled itself again and resumed its wan-
derings.
THE PRIODONS.
Another species (Priodon) inhabits the woodland
of Brazil and Guiana. Prince Wied everywhere was
assured of its existence, but never could succeed
in either seeing or procuring a specimen. He be-
lieves that it is distributed over the greater part of
Brazil, and perhaps is found throughout all South
America. In the extensive virgin forest:; his hunters
often found holes or burrows, especially under the
roots of old trees, from the dimensions of which
conclusions could be drawn as to the size of the ani-
392
THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS.
mal. The native sportsmen affirmed that it equaled
a large Pig in size, and this statement seemed to be
borne out by the diameter of the entrance to these
burrows and still more by the size of the skins of
tails which the prince found among the Botocudos.
The Botocudos of the Rio Grande de Belmonte
had speaking tubes, which were plainly called "Tatu
tails," and were fourteen and one-half inches long
and three and one-fifth inches in diameter at the
larger end.
The Giant Tatu, Later investigations show that the
a Monster Giant Tatu {Priodo/i gigas) attains a
Species. body length of three feet or over,
the tail measuring about half as much; Kappler
gives its weight as ninety pounds. The entire cere-
bral dome of the skull is covered by very irregular
bony plates. The shoulder part of the armor con-
sists of ten bands, another row being interpolated on
the lower portion of the flanks; twelve or thirteen
zones consisting of mobile scutes follow; the pos-
terior buckler contains sixteen or seventeen rows.
The plates may be square, rectangular, or may have
five or six angles, and the hindmost rows of the
posterior shield are irregular in shape, the tail is
covered by square bony plates of irregular thick-
ness. Probably the most remarkable anatomical
feature of the animal, however, is its dentition. The
upper jaw on each side contains from twenty-four to
twenty-six teeth, the under jaw in each row from
twenty-two to twenty-four, of which several are
frequently lacking, however. Still there are from
ninety to one hundred fully developed teeth or rudi-
mentary organs, performing the office of teeth; but
in the anterior portion of the rows they are only
thin plates, gradually assuming stouter proportions
toward the rear. What use the Giant Tatu finds for
all these teeth is quite a mystery, as its food, so far
as is at present known, does not differ from that of
the other species.
THE BICHOCIEGO.
Harlan, an American, first discovered a very re-
markable member of the family, the Bichociego
( Chlamydophorus truncatus), in 1824, near Mendoza in
the west of the Argentine Republic; the discovery
was a surprise to the natives, who had hardly a sus-
picion of its existence. For a long time two speci-
mens only were known, kept in the collections of
Philadelphia and London, which could fortunately
be examined most closely. Later on others were
obtained and accounts of the inner anatomical struc-
ture and external appearance could be accurately
given. The Bichociego is justly regarded as a rep-
resentative of a distinct species, though it differs
from the heretofore described Armadillos more in
the peculiarities of its armor than in its inner ana-
tomical structure.
The Bichociego The Bichociego shows the most er-
an Abnormal ratic deviation of shape and belongs
Species. [0 thc most remarkable group in the
entire animal world in respect to the horny, nearly
Leathery armor covering its body. This strange
creature is a real dwarf when it is compared with
even the smallest of the known Armadillos, while
it forcibly reminds one of a mole in respect to its
shape, and still more so in regard to its habits. Its
head is short, broad in the posterior portion, taper-
ing toward the front and terminating in a rather
short, truncated muzzle. The eyes are small and
hidden under the hair which falls over them. The
ears, which lie close to the head, are devoid of any
external conch. The dentition is normal. Incisors
and canines are absent, and the molars, eight in
number on each side of the upper and lower jaw:;,
are composed of pulp encased in a layer of enamel,
devoid of roots and hollow in the lower half; they
are of cylindrical shape, and with the exception of
the first two in each jaw, which are somewhat
pointed, their grinding surface is flattened. The
legs are short; the fore limbs are very sturdy,
clumsy and nearly mole-shaped, while the hinder
ones are much weaker, ending in long, narrow feet.
All its toes bear blunt-pointed claws, those of the
fore-feet being very large and stout, forming power-
ful tools for digging. The tail which is set on at
the lower edge of the armor covering the hinder
part of the body, in a notch, makes a sudden curve
and is folded along the under surface between the
hind legs, lying close to the abdomen.
External Appear- The whole upper surface of the body
ance of the is covered by a horny shield, some-
Bichociego. what resembling leather in charac-
ter, rather thick and less flexible than sole-leather,
beginning on the head near the tip of the snout,
extending all over the back to the rump, where it
ceases abruptly, the animal being thereby endowed
with a truncated, and as it were, mutilated appear-
ance. This armor is composed mostly of regular
transverse rows or zones, consisting principally of
rectangular shaped and partly of rhombic, or even
irregular, hump-shaped shields; it is not connected
everywhere so firmly with the skin of the body as
the armor of the Armadillos proper, but for the
greater part, lies but loosely on it, being fastened
along the median line of the back by means of a
loose membrane, to the spinous processes of the
vertebras; on top of the head the points of attach-
ment are the two semi-circular prominences of the
frontal bone through the agency of an integument
connecting them with two shields. The effect of
this arrangement is that the armor gapes open on
the sides of the body and can be raised in a flap-
like manner. On the other hand it is securely con-
nected to the bone at the fore part of the head, and
likewise at the rump, where it presents an abruptly
abcised plane. Though the dermal intervals between
the zones are not very wide, they still admit of a
considerable degree of movement, which to a cer-
tain extent, accounts for the capability of the ani-
mal to assume a spheroidal shape. The buckler of
the rump is firmly fixed and immobile, connected
with the tail by a membrane only; its line of direc-
tion forms a right angle with the longer axis of the
body and it lies upon the animal perfectly flat; it
consists of five or six semi-circular rows of little
shields, some of rectangular, others of rhomboid
shape. The armor is nearly destitute of hair and is
smooth on the upper parts as well as on the de-
tached under surface; only the lower edges of the
carapace show numerous, rather long and silky hairs.
The external skin of the animal, however, is cov-
ered everywhere, and even that portion beneath the
carapace with long, fine, soft, silky hair; only the
tail, the soles of the feet, the tip of the snout and
the chin are bare. The body rather exceeds five
inches in length; the tail measures nearly one and
one-half inches and the height is two inches.
Information as In zoological works we find only the
to the Bichociego following data about, the life of the
Limited. Bichociego. The animal lives in
sandy plains, and like the Mole, it digs long tunnels
under the ground; it carefully avoids leaving this
THE PANGOLINS.
393
subterranean palace and probably appears on the
surface by chance alone. It is said to burrow with
the greatest speed and run like the Mole, but is very
slow and awkward above ground. Most probably it
hunts for insects and worms and perhaps also at
times contents itself with tender roots. Nothing is
known about the details of propagation, except
that it is not a prolific animal. The natives believe
that the female carries her young hidden under the
carapace. We see how scanty the information is
and how much of it is yet mere conjecture; hence
the greater pleasure did I derive from Goering's
communications.
Goering's "The Bichociego," says he, "lives not
Account of the only in the province of Mendoza, but
Bichociego. aiso m San Luis. The Spaniards call
it Bichociego, because they believe it to be quite
blind; some give it the name of Juan Calado (Lace-
trimmed Johnny). The little animal inhabits dry,
sandy, stony localities, especially such as are over-
grown with thorny shrubs and cacti. During the
day it keeps hidden in the earth; at night, however,
it appears above ground and runs around, and can be
seen under bushes on . . .
moonlit nights."
The animal is always
caught by chance only,
usually on such occa-
sions as the digging of
channels of irrigation
canals where land is to
be made cultivable. It
has sometimes also been
captured along with oth-
er Armadillos. Recently
a little more pains have
been taken to obtain
Bichociegos owing to
the frequent demand for
them; but it must be a
very difficult matter to
procure them, as Goer-
ing, who spent seven
months in their native
country, could not ob-
tain a specimen either
living or freshly killed,
in spite of all efforts and promises. The Bicho-
ciego is even now an object of wonder and admira-
tion to the natives. If they happen to capture one,
they let it live as long as it can, and then preserve
it as a great curiosity, in the best way possible;
South Americans in general have a peculiar habit
of keeping animals that strike them as remarkable,
the idea of caring for them not entering their heads,
however. As the people do not know how to skin
and stuff animals, the Bichociegos one finds in their
possession are nothing but mummies.
tcristic of the family and is unique among mammals;
for the shields of the Armadillos and Bichociegos
bear but a remote resemblance to these peculiar
horny formations, which in their shape partake more
of the nature of the scales of a fish or a reptile than
of any other dermal adjunct of a mammal.
Physiological The following may serve to charac-
Peculiarities of terize the Pangolins more closely:
the Pangolins. the body is elongated, the head
small, the snout is shaped like a cone, the legs are
short, the feet five-toed and armed with strong dig-
ging claws. The scales are absent on the throat,
the under surface of the body and the inner faces
of the limbs, all other portions of the body being
enveloped in armor. All scales are attached to the
skin at only one point and are of a rhombic shape;
their edges are very sharp and they are exceedingly
hard and firm. Their arrangement admits of a tol-
erable facility of movement in all directions; the
scales can be moved laterally, as well as erected
and depressed. Between the scales and on the
naked portions of the body there are thin hairs,
which, on the under portion, are often worn away
THE BICHOCIEGO. This queer animal was first discovered by Dr. Richard Harlan, of Philadelphia. It
has a coat of armor on its hack hut the sides under the shield as well as the under surface and limbs are clothed with
soft, silky hair. It is essentially a burrowing animal. {Chtamydophorus truncatus.)
by friction. The muzzle is destitute of scales, but
covered with a firm, horny skin. The jaws are en-
tirely lacking in teeth. A broad flexor muscle,
which lies just below the skin, as is the case with
the Hedgehog, provides for the rolling up of the
body. The tongue is moderately long and fairly
extensile; salivary glands of exceedingly large pro-
portions furnish the viscid liquid necessary to insure
the adherence to the tongue of the food, probably
consisting chiefly of Ants and Termites.
Native Country These strange animals are natives of
of the Pan- a large part of Africa, all southern
golins. Asia and a few adjacent islands;
they affect grassy or weedy spots or woodland in
mountains and in plains. Probably they all live
alone in burrows, in solitary places, like their rela-
tives, hidden by day, roving by night. As has been
observed in captive specimens, they sleep in a curled
up position, the head concealed under the tail. At
dusk they awake and begin the search for food.
Buttikofer's Ac- Their movements are not nearly so
count of the Giant slow and lazy as was formerly be-
Pangolm. lieved. Buttikofer says, in speaking
of a species, the Giant Pangolin (Manis giganiea),
Zbc fpanooline.
FOURTH FAMILY: Mamdid.e.
The Pangolins {Manididai) constitute a family
quite distinct from the Ant-eaters, notwithstanding
the similarity of form and habits. The body of all
animals comprised in this group is covered on its
upper surface with large, shield-like, horny scales,
overlapping each other like shingles on a roof, or
rather like the scales on a pine-cone. This cover-
ing constitutes the principal distinguishing charac-
394
THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS.
observed in Liberia: "Contrary to all accounts in
books, this animal runs very swiftly; so fast, indeed,
that a man can hardly overtake it, and during its
flight it from time to time stands erect upon its hind
legs and tail and looks around, letting its fore-legs
hang down." He also affirms that two other Afri-
can species are good runners and agile climbers. In
regard to one of the last named species, he says :
" It is easily tamed, and can be kept in a house for a
long time; it is generally permitted to range the
house at will, because it diligently pursues and de-
stroys Ants, Cockroaches and other insect nui-
sances. They are very agile animals and can climb
on the roofs of houses and in tree-tops in play."
The Pangolins With adequate care the Pangolins
Readily Adapted can endure captivity for a long time.
to Domestication. They readily become accustomed to
a diet of milk, bread and even grains, though insects
always remain their favorite food. The flesh is
eaten by the native Africans and is said to be sa-
close upon each other and are thick and firm
enough to protect the animal from the claws and
teeth of other animals which attack it. The Leop-
ards pursue it incessantly and have no trouble in
overtaking it, as it runs much more slowly than
they. As neither claws nor teeth furnish it with
effectual arms against the formidable teeth and
claws of these beasts of prey, when it is overtaken
it rolls itself up into a ball and folds the tail against
the abdomen, bristling all around with the sharp
edges of the scales. The large Cats gently roll it
back and forth with their claws, but prick them-
selves when they handle it more roughly and are
compelled to leave it alone. The Negroes kill it
with sticks, skin it, sell the hide to white men, and
eat the flesh. Its snout might be compared to the
beak of a Duck. It possesses a very long, extensile
tongue covered with a viscid secretion; this it pro-
jects into the holes of Ant-hills or exposes in the
vicinity of the usual haunts of Ants; attracted by
%,V\ ■■/ifr- M.^B: " "" -:3* ""■' £'v ""■•"^■fU~*"v-"':V,^i"-
Hlf
THE PANGOLIN. This is the typical animal giving its name to a family of queer armored creatures which are inhabitants of Asia and
Africa. The species shown here is an inhabitant of India, Ceylon and the Malay country. It is strongly armored and admirably fitted for a bur-
rowing and insect-eating life. (Manis pentadactyla.)
vory; the shields are used by several tribes as orna-
ments of various kinds.
Characteristics of The Long - tailed Pangolin {Manis
the Long-tailed longicaudata) has a total length of
Pangolin. three or four feet, nearly two-thirds
of which is occupied by the tail. The tail of
young animals is double the length of the body
and becomes shorter in proportion as the growth
of the body progresses. With the exception of the
inferior external face of the fore-legs, the scales
cover the whole upper and external surface of the
body and also the under surface of the tail; the
scale-less places are grown with stiff bristles. Face
and throat appear nearly naked. The scales are ex-
ceedingly firm and sharp-edged, and are largest on
the middle of the back of the animal. The general
color is blackish brown, with a reddish tint; the
individual scales arc dark brown at the center of the
base, edged with yellow at the margins. The bristly
hair looks black. The animal is a native of western
Africa.
Desmarchais' Dcsmarchais gives the first details
Account of this concerning its habits. " In Guinea
Pangolin. OMC fm(ls a four-footed animal in the
forest, which the Negroes call Quoggelo. From the
neck to the tip of the tail it is covered with scales,
which somewhat resemble in shape the leaves of
artichokes, only they are more pointed. They lie
the odor of the secretion with which the tongue is
covered, the Ants rush towards it and adhere to it.
When the tongue is loaded with insects it is drawn
back into the mouth and the insects are eaten."
The Pangolin The Pangolin (Mams pe?itadactyla)
Proper De- [the Malay name of which furnishes
scribed. the popular designation of the en-
tire family, and which for distinction is sometimes
named the Five-fingered Pangolin] possesses a
short tail and its shield covers the outer face of the
fore-limbs, this peculiarity differentiating it from
some of the other species. The animal inhabits
India and Ceylon, apparently preferring a hilly
country, but is nowhere plentiful. Aelian, even in
his early day, mentions that there is an Indian ani-
mal which looks like a terrestrial crocodile.
Distinguishing The Pangolin proper differs from
Characteristics of the other Manididae, excepting the
the Pangolin. Temminck's Pangolin (Mams tern-
mi/ickii), by reason of its size and by having its
scales arranged in from eleven to thirteen rows;
they are very broad on the back and tail and never
externally exhibit the course of the spinal column
by the apex or ridge shown in most mammals. An
adult male may attain a length of four feet, the
body occupying about half of this.
We know as yet very little about the habits of this
species. The animals dig burrows, which run ot>
THE AARD-VARK. Here is one o( the most clumsy, odd looking animals in the world. The name, which is Dutch, signifies "Ground-hog,"
although the animal is very widely different from that which we know by the same name. It lives in southern and central Africa. Its coarse, bristle-likt
hair, long tail, elongated head and ears, strong claws, and long tongue make a strange picture. {Orycteropus capensis.)
(3551
396
THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS.
liquely downward from the surface to the depth of
from two to four yards, and terminate in a large,
roomy chamber. In this retreat they live in couples,
and are found from January to March with one or
two young. When they are in their hole they are
wont to stop up the entrance with earth in a way
which would render it quite difficult to discover
their lair if their queer tracks outside did not be-
tray them. Burt says that the Pangolin feeds ex-
clusively on Ants and like insects and destroys a
great many of them, but that it can also endure
hunger for two months; that it roams about at night,
and is very restless in captivity; that it is quite
quick in its movements, and when attacked, quietly
suffers itself to be taken up by the tail without the
least attempt at defending itself against an enemy,
etc. The Chinese manufacture a defensive armor
out of its skin.
in its habits like that animal, it emerges only after
dusk, and as it is neither agile nor fleet, it cannot
defend itself against enemies. Ants, Termites, Lo-
custs, Beetles and perhaps also worms constitute
its food.
TEMMINCK'S PANGOLIN. A very queer form of animal life is shown here in this African creature. The
strength of the armor, the strong legs and claws, and above all the remarkably long and heavy tail which are the am
inal's chief characteristics, are brought out in accurate completeness. (Manis lemmiiickii.)
Peculiarities of A proportionately short, broad tail,
the Temminck's bluntly rounded at the tip, charac-
Pangolm. terizes Temminck's Pangolin (Ma/iis
temminckii). In size and shape it 'assimilates most
closely its Indian relative. The tail which attains
nearly the length of the body does not decrease in
size for the greater portion of its length, and begins
to taper at a point near the tip, where it suddenly
becomes rounded and abruptly cut off. The body
is broad and the head is short and thick. Ovoid
scales cover the head; the rest of the scales are
very large, marked with fine, longitudinal furrows
at the base and smooth at the apex, and arranged
in from eleven to thirteen rows on the back, five on
the tail and four behind. Adult males attain a total
length of thirty-two inches or thereabouts, the tail
occupying some twelve inches of this length. This
species chiefly inhabits eastern and southern Africa,
but is also found in the west.
The Habits of the The Abu-Kliirfa or Father of Cattle,
Temminck's as the nomads of Kordofan call
Pangolin. Temminck's Pangolin, finds suffi-
cient nourishment and the desired solitude in the
steppes of Africa abounding in Termites. Holes
in the earth form its domicile; but it never buries
itself as deeply as does the Aard-vark. Nocturnal
£be aarfc>*\>ark0.
FIFTH FAHILY: Ouycteropodid^e.
The last family comprises the Aard-varks, clumsy
animals, endowed with a stout, short body, sparseiy
covered with thin bristles, a thin neck, a long, slen-
der head, a cylindrical snout, a conical tail of mod-
erate length, and short, proportionately thin legs
the fore-feet have four toes, the hinder feet five, the
toes being armed with strong, nearly straight, flat,
hoof-like nails with chisel-shaped edges. The mouth
is rather large, the eyes
deep-set in the head, the
ears are very long. The
upper jaw of a young
animal contains eight
teeth on each side, the
lower jaw six. Adult ani-
mals, however, usually
have only five, and some-
times four teeth on each
side, of a cylindrical
shape, rootless, fibrous
and composed of a great
number of fine tubes; the
grinding surface is flush
with the external edges
of the teeth, but the op-
posite or basal end is
hollow.
The Aard-vark (Oryc-
tcropus capensis) attains a
total length of nearly six
feet, the tail including
about thirty-four inches
of this total. The weight
is from one hundred to
one hundred and twenty
pounds. The skin is very thick, sparsely covered
with smooth, bristly hair, shorter on the upper parts
of the body than on the under surface, ai. the base of
the toes the hair forms tufts. The coloring of the
animal is quite uniform. Back and flanks are yel-
lowish brown, dashed with red; the under-surface
and the head are light reddish yellow; the buttocks,
root of tail and limbs are brown. Newborn Aard-
varks are of a pale pinkish or flesh-color.
The Dutch settlers at the Cape of Good Hope
gave the animal its name of Aard-vark (Ground-
hog), because its flesh resembles that of a Wild Boar
in taste; they have hunted it extensively and there-
fore know it well.
Habits and Home The Aard-vark is a native of south-
of the Aard- ern and central Africa, ranging from
uark. the eastern to the western coast, like
the Armadillos affecting the plains, desert-like spots
and grass-grown table- lands abounding in Ants and
Termites. It is a solitary animal, though one some-
times finds it in company with others; strictly speak-
ing, however, every Aard-vark lives alone, resting by
day in large burrows excavated by themselves, and
moving about by night. It is an expert burrower, a
tew moments being sufficient for it to completely
bury itself in the ground.
ZLbe JElepbants*
NINTH ORDER: Proboscidea.
STEADILY decreasing
tribe, the last survivors of
a formerly numerous group
of mammals, invite our at-
tention in the Proboscidea.
They appear to us to be liv-
ing relics of former periods
of creation, as creatures
bequeathed by bygone
ages. Of all the species
of this order, which were
formerly numerously and
widely distributed over our
globe, the representatives
of only one family, consisting of two or three spe-
cies, have come down to our age; but they are
the obvious links which connect modern times with
prehistoric eras; for to their family belonged the
giants, the well-preserved bodies of which the ice
of Siberia has retained through the lapse of thou-
sands of years. A glance at the extinct species, with
which Neumayr deals in his "History of the Earth,"
will facilitate our comprehension of this order.
Characteristics Our Elephants [EUphas), the only
of the Elephant living representatives of the family
Tribe. Elephantida?, are distinguished by
their long, movable proboscis and the peculiar den-
tition, especially the tusks, which may be desig-
nated as exaggerated incisors. The body is short
and thick, the neck very short, the head round and
protuberant in places on account of the cavities in
the upper skull-bone; the legs are tolerably long
and pillar-like and the feet are furnished with five
connected toes and flat, horny soles.
Importance of The most important organ of an
the Proboscis to Elephant's anatomy is its proboscis,
the Elephant. an elongation of the nasal process,
distinguished by its mobility, sensitiveness and es-
pecially by the finger-like appendage at its extrem-
ity. It is an organ of smell, touch and prehension.
It is composed of annular and longitudinal muscles,
the number of which Cuvier estimates at about
forty thousand, and which enable it to turn, extend
and contract in all directions. It is also a substitute
for the absent upper lip, and through its manifold
uses life is rendered possible to the animal.
Other Physical All other limbs and even the organs
Characteristics of of sense of the Elephant appear to
Elephants. ^e less worthy of notice. The eyes
are small and have a dull, but good-natured expres-
sion, while the ears are very large and comparable
in appearance and texture to leather rags. The
toes are so firmly enclosed in the general skin of
the body as to preclude their moving against each
other. They are covered at the extremities by very
small, but strong, broad and flat hoofs.
The dentition is very peculiar. The Elephant has
two excessively developed tusks in the upper jaw,
but neither incisors nor canines, and usually only
one huge molar on each side of both jaws. This
tooth consists of a large number of plates of
enamel, closely united with each other. When the
molar has so far worn away by grinding food that
it can no longer perform its office in an efficient
manner, a new tooth forms behind it, which gradu-
ally advances and assumes its functions contempo-
raneously with the shedding of the stub. This shed-
ding of teeth has been observed to occur six times,
and one may therefore speak of twenty-four molars,
which the animal possesses during its lifetime.
The tusks which are not shed have an uninter-
rupted growth and hence can attain a considerable
length and an enormous weight.
The Powerful The Asiatic Elephant ( Elepkas nsiat-
Asiatic Ele- icus or Elephas indicus), which we
phant. are wont to consider the type of its
species and family, is a powerful, clumsy, robust
animal, with a massive broad-browed head, short
neck, powerful body and pillar-like legs. Its head,
which is set on the neck at right angles to the
spinal column, and usually carried nearly perpen-
dicularly, assists materially in enhancing the oxer-
whelming impression of power the animal makes
on the spectator. Huge in all its proportions, it
strikes one as being endowed with great mobility
of limb, notwithstanding the apparent clumsiness
of its shape.
The measurements of the size of the Elephant
are mostly exaggerated and frequent!}' incorrectly
determined. The largest males attain a length of
about twenty-one feet from the tip of the trunk to
that of the tail, about six feet of which length
will be occupied by the proboscis, and the tail
may take up as much as five feet, thus leaving for
the body and head a length of eleven feet; the
height may amount to nine feet. Larger specimens
are rarely found. Sanderson, who was the English
government superintendent of the Elephant depart-
ment in British India for half a lifetime, and who
from his experience in that capacity is surely trust-
worthy authority, measured the largest among hun-
dreds of animals under his care and determined
the shoulder height as follows : The two largest
males were respectively 120 inches and 118 inches
high; the two largest females measured respectively
103 and 101 inches. The weight of the heaviest
may amount to eight thousand pounds, or perhaps
slightly more.
The Hindoo Classi- The natives of India, who are doubt-
fication of Ele- less the most expert in this line, dis-
phants. tinguish three kinds of Elephants,
according to the shape of the animal and the work-
ing capacity dependent upon that shape; they call
these three grades Kumiria, Dwasala and Mierga.
The Kumiria is the most perfect variety, of heavy,
symmetrical build, with a capacious chest, a power-
(297)
398
THE ELEPHAXTS.
ful body and head, and a straight, broad, sloping
back. Its eye is full, clear and prepossessing. Phys-
ically and mentally it is a noble animal, trustworthy
;ind fearless, moving with stately and measured
tread, as if expressly created for royal pageantry.
The Mierga is its reverse; it is of light, ill-looking
build, long-legged, small-headed, pig-eyed, with
arched, steep back, narrow chest and full abdomen,
a weak, flabby trunk and a thin skin which is easily
injured. The Dwasala is a medium between these
two widely differing breeds and is also the most
numerous of the three. It is not human interfer-
ence that has produced these three breeds so dif-
ferent from each other; they are found in the same
wild herd, and we may therefore assume that they
are but physical variations of the same species and
hence arc closely related.
Albinos or White Light-colored or light-spotted speci-
Elephants Very mens, so-called white Elephants, are
Rare. rarely seen. In Siam, where albinos
of all kinds of animals are much esteemed, as they
are believed to be the rulers of their kind, where
the white Elephant is held sacred as the most pow-
erful of all animals and one title of the king is
" Lord of the white Elephant," it appears that the
people have been able to obtain but few light-col-
ored specimens, notwithstanding all possible efforts
have been made, and a really white one does not
seem to have been found as yet.
Birth and Growth In India the Elephant is full-grown
of the Ele- at twenty-five years of age, though
phant. \i does not reach its prime until the
age of thirty-five. A male is capable of reproduc-
tion at about the twentieth year. The first offspring
is born to a female at about the age of sixteen, and
other young ones follow at an average interval of
two years and a half. The newborn Elephants are
about thirty-six inches high at the shoulder and their
average weight on the second day is one hundred
and eighty pounds. For six months they feed ex-
clusively on the mother's milk; then they gradually
begin to eat some tender grasses, but milk still
continues for a few months longer to be their main
article of diet. From the hour of birth they appear
to be less awkward than other young animals, and
strike one as pretty, though droll animals; dur-
ing the first period of life they preferably keep un-
der the body and between the legs of their mother
and do not even leave that place of security when
she assumes a quicker gait. It is stated that they
are under the mother's protection for several years,
at any rate until the birth of a brother or sister ousts
them from the first place in maternal care. The first
shedding of teeth occurs during the second year,
the second in the sixth, the third in the ninth year.
Habitat cf the This animal is a native of the greater
Asiatic Ele- part of wooded country of south-
phant. eastern Asia, existing in India, from
the foot of the Himalayas to its southern extremity,
in Assam, Burmah, Siam, and on the Malayan penin-
sula, and in smaller numbers on the adjacent islands
of Ceylon, Sumatra and Borneo. In some regions it
is already extinct or at least its numbers have been
greatly diminished, yet it still occurs in all of the
larger forests, in mountains and plains within the
designated range.
The African There can be no doubt as to the
Elephant's Char- specific difference of the African
acteristics. Elephant (EUphas africamts) from
the Asiatic species. It exceeds its Asiatic kins-
man in size, but its shape is, on the whole, less sym-
metrical, though in the institution of such a com-
parison we must consider the different breeds of
the African species also according to external ap-
pearance, and classify them in the same way as is
done in India. Its bod}- is shorter, but the legs are
longer than those of its relative; its flat head with
its thin trunk, large tusks and enormous cars, the
arched line of its back, its narrow chest and ugly legs
constitute a union of distinctive features, which defi-
nitely separate it from the Asiatic Elephant.
The Range of The range of the African Elephant
the African has been considerably restricted
Elephant. within the present century, espe-
cially from the south, and now extends from about
the latitude of Lake Chad in the north to that of
Lake Xgami in the south. There is no invariable
boundary line, as the Elephants not only wander
over immense distances, but also change their
haunts, disappearing in some regions for years or
even for decades and as unexpectedly appearing in
others.
The Elephant Both species were well known to the
Known in An- ancients, and living specimens were
cient Times. ear\y brought to Europe. The Me-
dian and Persian Emperor Darius, if we accept the
records of history, was the first to employ Ele-
phants in battle in his conflicts with Alexander
the Great. Aristotle was fortunate enough to sec
some PLlephants taken by the latter and thus was
enabled to give a fairly accurate description of
the animal. From that time Elephants are fre-
quently mentioned in history. For nearly three
hundred years they were employed in Europe in the
incessant wars waged by the various nations for
supremacy until the Romans finally emerged victo-
rious from the contest. Besides the Indian Ele-
phant, the African species was also used in warfare,
especially by the Carthagenians, who seem to have
been adepts in the training of these animals, subse-
quently declared untamable.
The Romans employed Elephants mainly in their
circuses. To what extent the African Elephants
were trained may be judged from the fact that the
Roman showmen taught them to write letters with
pencils, and to walk up and down a slack rope; four
of them would carry in a sedan chair a fifth one
which pretended to be ill; they could dance to
music, eat at a table luxuriously loaded with gold
and silver dishes, observing all rules of etiquette
and decorum, and had learned other tricks.
The Chosen Dom- In their native countries Elephants
idle of Ele- may be found in extensive forests.
phants. The more swampy and unbroken or
impenetrable the jungle of woodland, the more fre-
quent is the animal. But one would be greatly mis-
taken if he entertained the belief that it is to be
found only in such forests. It has been affirmed
that this largest of terrestrial mammals shunned the
cool air of elevated regions, but this is most em-
phatically disproved by the testimony of conscien-
tious and reliable observers. In Ceylon, the hilly
and mountainous spots are the regions most fa-
vored by the Elephants. A similar taste may be
affirmed of the African species. In the Bogos
country I found signs that Elephants had ranged at
an elevation of 6,000 feet, and have been informed
that in the neighboring regions the animals regu-
larly frequent the highest mountains, which would
give them a range certainly extending to an altitude
of about 9,000 feet above the sea. Von der Decken
found traces of them at this height on the Kilima-
-'- ' ' , • ■ TZorm of \sia but is also largely domes
^fe&^^--«-— « - _ Elephant is still found wild in various parte .<*i - The herd
a^sii
ticated and
in theillus-
distinguish
400
THE ELEPHANTS.
Njaro, and Hans Meyer saw them at an elevation of
even 12,000 feet above the sea. Tamed Elephants
also give evidence of great skill and untiring endur-
ance in th,e ascent of high mountains.
The Elephant a Numerous as Elephants may be in
Wary Beast the centre of Africa, it is sometimes
of Game. exceedingly difficult to discover their
exact haunts, as they lead an extremely restless life.
While on their journeys from one locality to another
they always follow the steps of their leader, choos-
ing either an old path or selecting a new route,
always in a direct line, exhibiting a perfect indiffer-
ence as to whether the road leads them through for-
ests, bogs, or narrow chasms or over steep heights.
It seems as if natural obstacles could offer no im-
pediment to their course: they swim across streams
and lakes, easily work their way through the very
thickest primeval forests, frequently forming regu-
lar roads with firm foundations, because in their
migrations they not only march in squads of close
formation, but sometimes in single columns, which
leave comparatively narrow tracks or paths. Their
roads deviate at regular intervals from the dry re-
gions of the heights to such places as furnish them
with water for drinking and bathing purposes.
Peculiarities of The leader of a herd calmly stalks
Elephants on through the forests, heedless of the
the March. underbrush, which it treads down
with its broad feet, unmindful of the branches of
trees. In the mountains the Elephants select and
build roadways as in the forest, display an ingenuity
which arouses the admiration of even human engi-
neers. The Elephants always choose for their route
the most favorable passes found in the locality
through which they journey. Some of these passes
are used by them so regularly and for so long a
time, that the animals' feet wear off hard stones.
The Muscular The Elephant is clumsy in appear-
Actiuity of ance only, being in reality very agile.
Elephants. its usual gait is a quiet, uniform am-
ble, similar to that of the Camel and the Giraffe,
covering from two and one-half to three and three-
fourths of a mile in an hour. This ordinary pace can
be accelerated to such an extent, however, that the
speed can be doubled for a distance of nine and
one-half to twelve and one-half miles. The huge
creature is an expert in slinking softly through the
woods so as not to be heard at all. "At first," says
Sir Emerson Tennent, speaking about the Asiatic
Elephant, "a wild herd rushes through the under-
brush with a great deal of noise, soon, however, this
noise subsides into a perfect silence so that a tyro is
led to the belief that the fleeing giants have made
but a few steps and then stopped short." When
ascending acclivities of considerable steepness, the
Elephant gives evidence of the qualities of a genu-
ine climber. On the ascent of a mountain its prog-
ress goes on tolerably well, but in the descent the
enormous weight of the animal naturally causes it to
labor under greeter disadvantage. If the Elephant
under these conditions employed its usual gait it
would certainly lose its balance, turn a somersault
and perhaps lose its life in the fall. But the wary
creature docs not do so; it kneels down at the edge
of the declivity so that its chest rests on the ground,
and then it very deliberately pushes its fore-legs on,
until they have found a point of support; then it
draws its hind legs up and reaches the bottom in
this way, gliding and sliding. Yet it sometimes
happens that an Elephant gets a bad fall in the
course of its nocturnal wanderings.
The old belief that an Elephant cannot lie down
is thoroughly refuted by every Elephant we see in a
circus. It is true that the giant does not always
sleep lying down, but often in a standing position,
yet if it wishes to be quite comfortable, it lies down,
and when it arises docs so with the ease character-
istic of all its movements. The unwieldy animal is
no less proficient in the art of swimming, and throws
itself into the water with evident delight, and dives
below the surface at will. If it so pleases it swims
across broad and swift streams and may even stay
under water for a long time, lifting only the tip of
the trunk above the surface for the purpose of
breathing.
Proficiency of the The proboscis is an organ of high
Elephant's Pro- development, capable of serving a
boscis. variety of purposes. Only in excep-
tional cases is it used to deal a blow or to seize an
enemy, for the trunk is a very sensitive organ, and is
therefore carefully guarded against all collisions and
rough or dangerous operations, by being closely
curled up under the mouth. It is mainly used to
take up food, water, etc., and convey them to the
mouth, and is also an organ of scent. With the ex-
tremely mobile muscular projections at the end of
the organ it can easily pick up the smallest objects,
such as pins, etc. With its proboscis the animal
breaks off branches and uproots small trees, using
the feet for pressing down larger ones; for pushing
objects it uses that portion of the frontal bone of the
skull which is situated just below the eyes and be-
tween that point and the base of the trunk. When,
in the service of Man, it has to lift heavy burdens, it
takes the rope which is fastened to them into its
mouth, usually looping it over one of its tusks, if it
has any. The tusks are also used in many other
ways, but always with the same great caution dis-
played in using the trunk, and certainly not as levers
for the removal of stone-blocks or pulling up of
roots of trees; they chiefly serve as weapons of de-
fence or attack, and their miscellaneous or careless
use is scrupulously avoided, as they are compara-
tively easily broken.
Development of All the higher perceptive faculties of
the Senses of the Elephant are in accord with its
Elephants. before mentioned qualities. Sight
does not seem to be highly developed; at least
hunters are of the opinion that the range of vision
of this animal is very restricted. Smell and hearing
are all the better developed, however, while taste
and touch are at least proportionately acute, as can
easily be ascertained by observation of captive ani-
mals. All sportsmen have stories to tell about the
acute sense of hearing of the animal. The slightest
noise suffices to rouse an Elephant's attention; the
breaking of a small twig is sufficient to put an end
to its tranquillity. The sense of smell is exceed-
ingly delicate and is effectual at great distances; no
sportsman can approach within reasonable range of
this animal if the wind blow from the hunter to-
ward the Elephant. The proboscis is the main organ
of the sense of touch, and the finger-shaped append-
age at the lower extremity can vie with the trained
finger of a blind man in its power of transmission of
delicate sensation.
The vocal expression of the Elephant has a wide
range and the sounds by which it makes manifest its
emotions are manifold. A feeling of comfort is sig-
nified by a very low murmur; fright is expressed by
powerful, noisy chest sounds rising, when absolute
terror is expressed, to short, shrill trumpet-notes,
THE ELEPHANTS.
401
coming through the trunk; when enraged it utters
an uninterrupted, deep, rumbling, guttural sound;
an attack is accompanied by harsh trumpet-tones,
the "trumpet" sounds in reality amounting only to
a loud squeal of rage.
Elephants of a Ever}- herd of Elephants is a large
Clannish Dis- family, and vice versa, every family
position. forms a separate herd. The num-
ber of members constituting it may vary a great
deal; for a herd may grow from ten, fifteen or
twenty members to a band containing hundreds.
Some travelers have told of four, five or even eight
hundred Elephants, congregated together. Yon
Heuglin affirms that he met a troup, which he esti-
mates to have numbered at least five hundred, and
Sir John Kirk states that he once found eight hun-
dred Elephants together on the Zambesi. They cer-
tainly band together to such an extent very rarely,
and one may suppose that under such circum-
stances several herds have come together, meeting
by chance while on an extended migration and keep-
ing together for a short time only.
Though each distinct herd forms one family,
strange Elephants, such as young bulls or females
that have escaped from captivity, seem to be ad-
mitted into it generally without difficulty, though
there may be exceptions. At any rate it would be
assuming too much to suppose that the so-called
"solitary' Elephants are expelled members which
can nowhere find admittance to tribal relations.
Sanderson flatly contradicts such a statement. In
his opinion the majority of such animals, which
oftener happen to be young bulls than old ones,
are solitary only in appearance, temporarily keeping
aloof from the herd of their own accord, and follow-
ing the movements of the whole troup. A really
solitary Elephant, one that no longer consorts with
its own kind, is seldom met with and even then is
not necessarily a ferocious fellow or "rogue," as it is
technically called. On the other hand it frequently
develops into an incorrigible plunderer of planta-
tions, not to be easily scared away by the employ-
ment of usual means. It is true, that some of these
solitary individuals become dangerous to human be-
ings who chance to disturb or surprise them, sud-
denly and unexpectedly charging at a man, in their
first movement of terror, so to speak, like so many
other strong animals.
The Intellect The intellectual capacities of the Ele-
oftheEle- phant have been greatly overrated,
phant. especially by those who have based
their conclusions on observations made of it when a
pupil of Man and not in its natural condition. Most
of the stories of the sagacity and reasoning power of
tame Elephants, that one hears so often, are pretty
inventions, and are not founded on incidents ob-
served in life. Such is the story of the tailor who
administered a prick with his needle to an Elephant
instead of the accustomed sweetmeat; the animal
went to the river, and on its return, in revenge
squirted a quantity of muddy water on the tailor and
his work; or the story of the animal which lifted the
wheel of a cannon over a fallen soldier, to save him
from being crushed, and so on. An Elephant in the
wild state undoubtedly exhibits far more of simplic-
ity than sagacity, and the trained animal, which
apparently sometimes acts on its own ideas, does in
reality only what its trainer suggests. Sanderson
says: "Let us see whether the wild Elephant exhibits
more intelligence than any other animal. Though
its trunk is furnished with an appendage which
could protect it very efficiently from a clumsily made
pit fall, covered with a few poles and branches, it
usually falls easily into the trap. Its companions
run away in terror, though they could readily extri-
cate it by treading down the earth at the edges of the
pit. If the animal that has fallen in is young, the
mother stays near untii the hunters arrive, but she
has no thought of helping her offspring; she does
not even bethink herself of breaking off branches
and throwing them to it, to appease its hunger; but
stories which ascribe such natural stupidity to the
Elephant find far less of credence than those which
falsely affirm that the mother assists her young in
every way, throws it grass to feed on, fetches water
in her trunk for it to drink, or fills the pit with
sticks and branches to aid her infant to escape.
Further evidence of stupidity is furnished in the fact
that entire herds of Elephants are driven into en-
closures surrounded by indifferent fences, into which
no other wild animal could be driven, and some are
caught by having their legs tied by small parties of
Men who creep up together with a few tame Ele-
phants. Escaped Elephants are recaptured in this
way with little trouble; even experience does not
teach them wisdom. Such facts surely do not har-
monize with the assertion that Elephants are uncom-
monly intelligent animals, and still less, that they
are capable of judicious deliberation. I do not be-
lieve that I wrong the Elephant by saying that in
many respects it is a stupid creature; and I can,
without hesitation, affirm that many of the remark-
able stories told of its exhibitions of wisdom are
only fables, in the main crediting the animal with
too high a grade of intelligence, unless, indeed, they
refer to tricks of strength or docility, which it ac-
complishes under the guidance of its trainer.
Elephants are of " Let what has already been said suf-
Amiable Dis- fice as to the intelligence of the Ele-
position. phant. Let us pass to the considera-
tion of its display of emotion in captivity. I think
that everybody who has had to deal with Elephants,
will agree with me, when I say that hardly enough
commendation can be given to their good qualities,
while bad traits are to be observed in only excep-
tional cases. The best qualities of the Elephant are
obedience, gentleness and patience. In these re-
spects it is surpassed by no other domestic animal,
even under the most trying circumstances. When it
has to wait in the glare of the sun or has to endure
painful surgical operations, it seldom exhibits any
irritation. It never refuses to do anything, when
properly guided, unless it is afraid. Elephants, no
matter whether they be wild or tame, are exceed-
ingly timorous, and their fear is easily aroused by
objects with which they are unfamiliar. Neverthe-
less many of them indicate dispositions naturally
courageous, which only need skillful development
to render them invincible; this is proven by the be-
havior of many Elephants on a Tiger-hunt."
Caution and Tim- Timidity is exhibited by wild Ele-
idityof Ele- phants in all their actions and habits;
phants. whether they are in search of food;
whether they go to the natural licks to procure salt,
of which they are very fond, or to their drinking
pools or bathing places, they always proceed with
the utmost caution; but once assured of their safety
they seem to extract from life the greatest comfort.
They break branches off the trees, as if only bent on
pleasure, fan themselves with them, drive away an-
noying Flies and then leisurely proceed to eat the
twigs, after having previously prepared them by
402
THE ELEPHANTS.
breaking into small fragments. But though their
repasts are usually accompanied with all the com-
forts to be derived from leisurely deliberateness they
do not pass off noiselessly, but are on the contrary
sometimes accompanied by a frightful din, as Heug-
lin witnessed near the upper Nile. The breaking of
twigs, the crash of the boughs and trees, often broken
through the united efforts of several individuals, the
chewing and breathing, the dull, roaring or growling
sound caused by the circulation of air or friction in
their huge intestines, the thumping of the ponderous
feet as they are stamped upon the soil, usually work-
ing it into a semi-fluid condition; the squirting of
water over the body through the trunk, the flapping
of the huge ears, which are often extended as sun-
shades, the rubbing of the massive bodies against
thick tree-trunks, and the high-pitched, trumpet-like
sounds uttered from time to time, all these unite to
create a deafening concert of sound. In like pro-
portion to such noise is the indescribable devasta-
tion which a herd of Elephants is capable of inflict-
ing on a forest. "What the powerful foot does not
tread into the ground is overthrown, the strongest
trees are uprooted, their branches are broken; the
underbrush is heaped in wild confusion, as if torn
down by a raging whirlwind; trees which have de-
fied the storms of more than a hundred years, are
snapped short off like reeds." Boughs, of a cir-
cumference greater than that of a human arm, are
swallowed by an Elephant without difficulty. Very
large limbs they denude of leaves and branches en-
tirely or partially, leaving the wood. In dry, desert-
like regions they also dig up the soil, to reach the
succulent roots.
Methods of In the open country, for instance in
Hunting Ele- southern Africa, where one can circle
phants. about on a well-trained Horse at any
desired distance from the Elephant, the sportsman
generally uses a magazine gun, often choosing a
military rifle, such as the Sharp, Martini- Henry or
Spencer, or the heavier calibers of the Winchester
pattern, the rapid fire of these arms rendering them
capable of hitting the animal with a great many
bullets in quick succession until it falls. Wherever
the prevalence of the pestiferous Tsetse Fly renders
the use of Horses impossible, or where by reason
of the obstructions of forests or undergrowth the
movements of a mounted huntsman are impeded,
the Elephant hunter generally travels on foot and
uses a smooth-bore gun of heavy caliber, or else a
ponderous double rifle. As the hunter generally ap-
proaches close to the quarry in the thicket and fires
at short range, usually at a distance of some thirty
paces, aiming with unerring precision at the most
vulnerable part of the body (ordinarily, if the posi-
tion of the game allows, midway between the ear
and eye), a single bullet of heavy weight propelled
by a strong charge of powder usually suffices to fell
the most gigantic Elephant.
Perils of Ele- The perils and privations met with
phant Hunt- on such hunts are so serious that
In9- only the hardiest Men can endure
them; but the danger for the sportsman is not as
great as one would be apt to imagine. It does hap-
pen though that sometimes an enraged or wounded
Elephant rushes at his destroyer; and it is also true
that occasionally hunters have breathed their last
under the feet of one of these forest giants. When
such a monster is in a rage the sight of it produces
an indelible impression, even aside from that left by
the swilt movements of its huge bulk which make
the ground tremble. With trunk rolled up, and ears
slightly extended on each side, swinging its tail in a
circle, it fiercely charges at the enemy; its fore part
seems to grow, or at any rate strikes the observer,
especially if he be the object of attack, as higher
and more powerful than ever before; the long folds
of skin on its hinder quarters shake and protrude;
the huge mass pushes on rapidly and relentlessly;
angry snorts alternate with cries of rage, the like of
which he who has never heard such sounds, can not
realize. If the enraged beast reaches its victim
under these circumstances, that object of its wrath
is lost -given over beyond rescue, a sacrifice to the
wild fury of the maddened brute.
The extermination of the Indian Elephants is not
so near at hand. The regulations of thinking offi-
cials have modified and restricted the modes em-
ployed by the natives, of capturing these animals,
by which so many of them were crippled, and the
wild Elephants now enjoy complete immunity, not
only in the Western Ghauts, but also in the dense
jungles and forests extending along the foot of the
Himalayas to Burmah and Siam. The number of
those which are annually caught by the government
is small, and there is no doubt that the wilderness
which has been given over to the thick skinned
creatures is at present populated as densely as is
either expedient or desirable.
Methods of Trap- In Africa the natives still pursue their
ping African hunt of the gigantic quarry as cruelly
Elephants. an(\ ruthlessly as they did in the
ancient times. In the west of Africa, in the Ogowe
region, the Negroes twine creepers from tree to tree
in the form of hurdles, drive the Elephants into
those parts of the forest which they have thus en-
closed, and when the animals stop in indecision in
front of the barrier formed by the interlaced creep-
ers, they thrust hundreds of spears into the bodies
of the strongest and largest, untd they fall. It is
more usual, though, to construct such a fence in a
wide circular course, leaving a point open for the en-
trance and then, with all possible speed, to complete
the enclosure, when some of the Elephants have
inadvertently wandered in or have been driven in.
Sentinels are then posted all around, and fires arc
lighted in order to frighten back those animals which
have come too near the fence. Though the smallest
Elephant could easily break through the loose and
weak enclosure and escape from the poorly armed
natives, the captive animals do not dare to try to
escape. They are completely starved by the patient
hunters, shot at, made targets of a constant shower
of spears, and finally succumb either from wounds or
hunger, having reached a state of utmost exhaustion.
Method of Domes- The mode of procedure for the cap-
ticating Asiatic ture of living Elephants with a view
Elephants. to taming them and training the wild
beast to the service of Alan, is much more attractive
and humane than any other kind of hunt. The
Indians have perfectly mastered this art. Among
them are regular professional Elephant catchers,
called "panikis," who follow the trail of an Elephant
as a good Hound tracks a Stag; traces imperceptible
to other eyes are to them distinctly legible pages
of a book to be unerringly construed. Their only
appliance is a strong, elastic noose of Deer or Buf-
falo hide, which the hunter, if he be alone, casts
around the Klephant's foot. Sometimes a couple will
follow the animal with noiseless tread and ensnare it
at an opportune moment, or even wind the noose
themselves around two of its legs as the Elephant
THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. This species of the Elephant family differs from the other or Indian species by its larger ears, more
powerful tusks and darker skin. It roams wild over a large portion of Africa, although the eager pursuit of the ivory hunters is constantly thin-
ning the herds. This picture brings out the characteristics of this great animal with wonderful fidelity. (Elcphas africanus.)
(403)
404
THE ELEPHANTS.
stands quietly. How they manage to get up, unper-
ceived, to the wary animal is a mystery. A Euro-
pean cannot follow them on such a trip, as his pres-
ence would spoil everything; so he must content
himself with the accounts the hunters themselves
give of their exploits. That mode of capture which
delivers entire herds into the power of Man, is an
undertaking of much grander proportions and more
profitable results. For this purpose the beginning
of the dry season is usually selected. Then the head
huntsman repairs to the locality where a numerous
herd of wild Elephants has been ascertained to ex-
ist, accompanied by a few hundred trained natives,
and as many tame Elephants as possible. The wild
herd is first noiselessly surrounded by a double line
of sentinels, the circumference of the circle extend-
ing over a distance of from three to six miles, and
the sentinels are posted from sixty to one hundred
paces apart, according to the nature of the locality.
As a rule, a herd surrounded in this manner can
effect its escape only through gross carelessness of
the guards. Within a few hours the huntsmen have
silently fenced in the whole area with split bamboo,
and have created for themselves shelters made of
branches and heavy foliage. In this manner a large
portion of the forest is completely enclosed, due
care being taken to provide an abundance of food
and water from natural sources. The Elephants are
thus nominally confined, but are usually restless only
for the first few nights, when any attempt to break
through the barrier is easily defeated by means of
torches, rifle shots and shouting. This enclosure is
maintained for from four to ten days, or, until the
time that a strong pale, or pen, the " Khedda," be-
gun simultaneously with the larger outside circle, is
completed at some favorable spot within the first en-
closure. The solid pale is constructed of trunks and
posts, and is about twelve feet high; it encloses a cir-
cular space of from twenty to fifty yards in diame-
ter, leaving free an entrance about four yards wide,
which can be closed by a heavy portcullis or trap-
door of logs, two lines of palisades, forming two sides
of a triangle of which this gate is the apex, leading
from it like wings to the distance of about one hun-
dred yards. As soon as these arrangements are
completed, the circle around the herd is contracted.
The nearest sentries are posted at the ends of two
wing-palisades, while the more distant ones advance
against the Elephants, slowly and prudently at first,
then increasing in speed; finally, when the animals
have reached the wide funnel-shaped opening of the
Khedda, a general assault takes place, accompanied
by shouts and discharge of firearms, the animals
effecting their retreat between the two converging
lines of palisades and entering the inner paling by
the narrow gate. The portcullis drops down, as the
rope which holds it is cut in two, and the herd is
taken. This driving-in process is not always unat-
tended with risk and danger, for the huge animals
often take alarm, and in their wild rush at the hunts-
men, break through the lines and escape. They
must then either be encircled once more or else be
given up entirely. As a rule, however, the hunters
succeed in driving the surrounded herd into the pen
and keeping them there in spite of their restlessness
and occasional attempts to break through the pal-
ing. When the first tumult has subsided, tame Ele-
phants, together with their trainers and the hunts-
men, are sent into the Khedda. Here the operation
of individually securing the wild Elephants, one by
one, is slowly pursued. As each animal is suffi-
ciently subjugated, it is chained and led into the ad-
jacent forest to be firmly secured to a tree, and held
for further disposition. This ends the work of the
huntsmen, and that of the trainer begins. The wild
Elephants at first exhibit a more or less refractory
temper," but as soon as they have become used to
Man and to their tame associates they are taken to
the government training parks or to the place of
residence of their captors, where their training is
completed.
African Elephants In our zoological gardens the Af-
Bear Captiu- rican Elephant thrives as well as
ity Well. its Asiatic brother, and is fer-
tile in devices for meeting its wants under circum-
stances which correspond little to its natural environ-
ments; for instance, where it lacks sufficient space
for free exercise or a large enough bath tub, it com-
pensates for the want of the former by walking up
and down or by lifting and setting down its feet,
and for the absence of the latter by squirting water
over its body with its trunk. Its excellently devel-
oped organs of the perceptive senses, its docility
and its gentle temper are patent to every observer.
It learns to play and "works" willingly and with
pleasure, and therefore constitutes one of the most
prominent features of every menagerie, as it also be-
comes the favorite pet of the visitors to a zoological
garden. The amount of food it consumes is very
large. Haackc says that an Asiatic Elephant in
the Frankfort Zoological Garden, about forty-three
years old, received daily sixteen pounds of wheat
bran, sixteen pounds of rye bread, four pounds of
rice and fifty pounds of hay, not counting the straw
of his bedding which he occasionally ate and the tid-
bits of the visitors, which usually assumed the shape
of wheat and rye bread, sugar, fruit and similar
things. The same animal drank about sixteen pails
of water daily.
Flesh of African The flesh of the African elephant
Elephants as an has the taste of beef, but is much
Article of Food, tougher and of coarser grain. The
Negroes cut the muscles into long strips, dry them
in the sun or over the fire and grind them to a coarse
powder before using, which they mix with their other
plain dishes. During the hunts of the Niam-Niam a
sufficient number of Elephants are sometimes killed
to supply several villages with meat for months.
"Often did I see people," says Schweinfurth, "walk-
ing towards their huts, carrying what I believed to
be large bundles of fire-wood, these being their
portion of Elephant flesh, which, cut in long strips
and dried over the fire, had assumed an appearance
closely resembling that of wood and dry branches."
Economic Value For the world's commerce the only
of the Elephant part of importance in the make-up
Product. 0f the Elephant is the ivory, but that
is of very considerable value. The total movement
of the ivory of now existing species of Elephants
which was handled in commerce during a period of
five years recently noted, gave an annual average of
about 1,736,000 pounds. Ceylon and Sumatra fur-
nished 4,000 pounds, the Indies 36,000 pounds, and
Africa 1,096,000 pounds.
Zhc ®bb*Zoeb Hnimale.
TENTH ORDER: Perissodactyla.
}IKE that of the Elephants,
the order of the Odd-Toed
Animals contains only the
few survivors of a tribe of
a formerly extensive devel-
opment: they are large ani-
mals, moving on hoofed
toes, the toe equivalent to
the third in five-toed ani-
mals being of greater de-
velopment than all the
others. With the Horses
it is the only one that is
developed at all. The
dentition of the Perissodactvla is distinguished by
the small size or absence of canines and the tuber-
cles of the molars connected by ridges. Both jaws
contain incisors.
There are about twenty-five species of Odd-Toed
Animals, and they are indigenous to well-nigh the
entire globe, with the exception of Australia; they
may be divided into four sharply-defined families:
the one-toed Morses, the Tapirs with four toes in
front and three behind, the three-toed Rhinoceroses
and the Hyracidae or Coney family, possessing four
toes on their fore-feet anil three on the hinder pair.
A general description of the order can not be given,
as the four families have very little in common with
each other, even in their modes of life.
£bc Iborscs.
FIRST FAMILY: EquidjB.
All the now existing Horses form so clearly dis-
tinguishable a group and are so similar to each other
in anatomical development and general peculiarities
that one can not help uniting them all in one spe-
cies.
THE HORSES PROPER.
The Horses proper {Equus) are of moderate size,
have a beautiful form, relatively vigorous limbs and
a lean, elongated head with large, lustrous eyes,
moderately large, pointed, mobile ears and wide-
open nostrils. The neck is strong, the hotly is
rounded and fleshy, the hair soft and short, not
erect, but lying close to the body, growing into
long waving strands in the mane and tail. The
one daintily hoofed toe on each foot suffices to
distinguish the Horses from all other odd-toed ani-
mals. Each side of the jaws above and below con-
tains three incisors, six long, quadrilateral molars
exhibiting intricate and tortuous convolutions of
enamel on the grinding surface and one small,
hooked canine tooth of a blunt, conical shape, which
may in individual cases be absent. Among the
digestive organs the narrow gullet, the communica-
tion of which with the stomach is closed by a valve,
is deserving of notice. The stomach itself is a sim-
ple, undivided, oblong and proportionately rather
small sac.
Natiue We must regard the greater part of
Country of the northern hemisphere as the orig-
the Horse. jna[ native country of the Horses,
the fossil remains of which are first met with in the
strata of the tertiary period. In Europe the wild
Horses seem to have become extinct not very long
ago; in Asia and Africa they still roam in herds
over high table-lands and mountains. In America,
where they were extinct, descendants of imported
stock have reverted to the wild state; Australia, also,
has become inhabited by Horses that have returned
to savagery. Herbage and other vegetable sub-
stances form their food; in confinement they have
learned to consume even animal food, such as flesh,
fish and Eocust>.
General Attn- All Horses are lively, active, intelli-
butes of the gent animals; their gait is graceful
Horse. an(j stately. The usual pace of the
untamed varieties is a tolerably brisk trot, their
faster gait being a relatively light gallop. They are
peaceful and good-natured to other animals which
do not harm them, but anxiously shun Man and the
larger beasts of prey; when hard pressed, they
courageously defend themselves, however, by strik-
ing with their feet and biting. Their rate of prop-
agation is small, the mare giving birth to only a
single infant, called a "colt," in any one year.
The Domestic At least two and probably three va-
Horse an Animal rieties have been subjugated by Man.
of Antiquity. \ \ [story does not record, nor does tra-
dition tell us of the time when they were first won
to our service; no one can with certainty affirm upon
which continent the Horses were first tamed. The
tribes of central Asia have been generally believed
to be the ones to whom we are indebted for the first
subjugation of the Horse; the half-savage former in-
habitants of central Europe also reduced the Horse
to a state of domestication. But we lack any defi-
nite knowledge about the times in which the subju-
gation was accomplished and in regard to the na-
tions to whom we should turn in gratitude for it.
Various Breeds of Even at the present time the steppes
Wild Horses of southeastern Europe contain herds
Known. 0f Horses which roam over them
and are regarded by some as the progenitors of our
domestic animal and by others as springing from the
latter and having reverted to the savage state. These
Horses, called Tarpans, have all the characteristics
of unregeneratcd wild animals, and are considered
such by the Tartars and Cossacks. The Tarpan is a
small Horse, with thin but strong, enduring legs, a
rather long, thin neck, a relatively thick, blunt-muz-
zled head, pointed ears inclined in a forward direc-
(405)
406
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
tion, and small, lustrous, fiery, wicked eyes; in sum-
mer its hair is thick, short and wavy, especially on
the hinder quarters, where it becomes almost curly;
in winter it is thick, coarse and long, especially on
the chin, where it nearly reaches the proportions of
a beard; the mane is short, thick, bushy and curly;
the tail is of moderate length. The prevailing color
in summer is a uniform pale brown, yellowish brown
or sorrel tint; in winter the hair becomes lighter,
sometimes even white, and the mane and tail look
uniformly dark. Piebald specimens are never seen,
and black ones very rarely.
Habits of the The Tarpan is always found in herds,
Wild Horse of which may number several hundred.
Tartary. Usually the herd is subdivided into
smaller, family-like groups, each led by a stallion.
These herds inhabit wide, open and high table-lands
or plains and wander from one spot to another, usu-
their fore-hoofs. The story which represents them
as forming a circle and kicking with their hind legs
has been disproven long ago.
The Tarpan Diffi- The Tarpan is difficult to tame ; it
cult to Domes- seems that the animal cannot endure
ticate. captivity. His lively temper, his
strength and savage disposition, defy even the Mon-
gols, well acquainted as they are with the break-
ing of Horses. The Tarpan is hunted to its death
with .zeal and passion on account of the considera-
ble damage it causes among herds of domesticated
Horses by enticing them away whenever they are
left to run at liberty.
These accounts leave the question as to the origin
of the Horse unsolved; opinions oppose each other.
The characteristics of the Tarpan offer no decisive
evidence as to its original character, for Horses re-
vert to the wild state easily and rapidly. The herds
THE TARPAN.— In the steppes north of the Sea of Azof, are large herds of these wild Horses which are made up of numerous families
led by a stallion. These Horses are small, of dun color, have short manes, rather short tails, and are very fleet and timid. (Equus tarpan.)
ally pursuing their course against the wind. They
are exceedingly wary and shy, look around with
high, uplifted heads, snort, whinny, prick their ears,
expand their nostrils, and as a rule perceive any
menacing danger in good time. The stallion is the
sole ruler of the society. He cares for their security
but tolerates no irregularity among his subjects. As
soon as something arouses his attention, this patri-
arch begins to snort and quickly erects his ears; with
head held high he trots in one particular direction,
neighing violently if he perceives any danger and
the whole herd scampers off at a frenzied gallop.
Sometimes the animals disappear from sight as if by
magic. This occurs when they conceal themselves
in some deep depression to await further develop-
ments. Beasts of prey do not intimidate the cou-
rageous and pugnacious stallions. Against Wolves
they sally forth, neighing, and beat them down with
inhabiting the pampas of South America are an
effective example of this. Let us cast a glance at
them.
Origin of the "The town of Buenos Ayres," says
Wild Horse of the Azara, "founded in 1535, was subse-
Pampas. quently abandoned. The emigrating
inhabitants did not even go to the trouble of collect-
ing all their Horses and about five to seven of them
were left behind, free to follow their own devices.
When the same city was again taken possession of
and populated in 1580, a number of wild Horses
were found, the progeny of those which had been left
behind. As early as 1596 everybody was allowed to
capture those Horses and use them. This is the orig-
inal stock from which sprung the innumerable herds
of Horses which now rove south of the Rio de la
Plata." The Cimarrones, as these Horses are called,
now live in all parts of the pampas in enormous
THE HORSES— HORSES PROPER.
407
herds, some of which are occasionally composed of
thousands of individuals. They are a nuisance be-
cause they not only consume good pasturage, but
also lead away domestic Horses. Fortunately they
do not come by night. The natives of the pampas
eat the flesh of the Cimarrones, especially that of
colts and mares. They also capture some with a
view to taming them; the Spaniards, on the other
hand, make no attempt to use them. Very rarely
does a European capture a wild specimen and tame it.
In Paraguay no wild Horses are found, but the con-
dition of the domestic Horses of this country does
not differ materially from that of the wild ones. The
animals called Mustangs are so neglected that they
really degenerate. They are of medium height, have
with their mothers until they are three or four
years old, and as long as they are not weaned the
mothers are greatly attached to them and some-
times defend them even against the Jaguar. When
the animals are a little over two or three years old,
one of the young male colts is selected and given
some fillies, with which he has been accustomed to
graze in one particular spot. The Horses belonging
to one herd never associate with those belonging to
others, and they keep so faithfully together that it
is difficult to separate a grazing Horse from the
main body of his clan or group. If two or more
herds are put together, as for instance when collect-
ing all the Horses belonging to one farm, they
immediately seek their customary companions and
THE ARABIAN STEED.— The Horse has been the most prized of animals with the Aral's from an early period. The Arabian Horse, though not
very tall in stature, is of beautiful form. It is fleet, docile and of great endurance and is treated with great consideration by the Arabs.
a large head, long ears and large heavy joints; only
the neck and body are of tolerably regular build.
The hair is short in summer, long in winter, and the
mane and tail are always thin and short.
The Domestic The Horses of South America live
Horse in South out of doors all the year round.
America. Every week they are collected, to
prevent their going altogether astray; their wounds
are looked after and cleansed, and the manes and
tails of stallions are cut about every three years.
Nobody thinks of improving the breed. "Usually,"
says Rengger, " the Horses live in small herds or
groups in some locality, to which they have been
accustomed from birth. Each stallion is given from
twelve to eighteen mares, which he keeps together
ind defends against strange Horses. The colts live
divide themselves into their original groups. The
animals not only show great attachment to each
other, however, but also to their pasturage. I have
seen some that returned to their old haunts from
a distance of eighty hours' travel. Yet more strange
is the fact, that sometimes the Horses of a whole
region set out upon a migration, either singly or
in troops. This happens most frequently when a
violent rain falls after a season of dry weather, and
they are probably actuated by the fear of hail, which
often accompanies the first thunderstorm."
Senses of Wild The senses, of these nearly wild
Horses Highly animals seem to be more acute than
Developed. those of European Horses. Their
hearing is extremely delicate. At night the move-
ments of their ears show that they hear the slight-
408
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
est noise, even when it is unperceived by their rid-
ers. Their sight is rather deficient, like that of all
Horses; but their free life gives them wide expe-
rience in distinguishing objects at a great distance.
Their sense of smell helps them to a closer and
more thorough knowledge of their surroundings, for
they carefully sniff everything that is strange to
them. Through this organ of scent they learn to
know their riders, their harness, the barn in which
they are saddled, etc.; by it they recognize bottom-
less quagmires in marshy regions, and readily find
their way in the darkness of night, or in a dense fog,
to their domicile or their pasturage. Good Horses
sniff at their riders at the moment of mounting, and
I have seen some that would not let a person mount
at all, or resisted his guidance, if he did not carry a
poncho or cloak, such as the natives wear who break
in the Horses. Their power of smell does not ex-
tend to a great distance, however. I rarely saw a
Horse which could scent a Jaguar at the distance of
THE TRAKEHNEN HORSE.— A famous German breed of fine Horses, receiving this name
from the noted stables in which its excellent faculties and fine running qualities were developed. Next
to the English Thoroughbred it is the best runner among European varieties of the domestic Horse.
fifty paces. Therefore they are the most frequent
victims of this beast of prey in the populated dis-
tricts of Paraguay.
Wild Horses A. von Humboldt has given us in a
Described by Von few words a masterly description of
Humboldt the manner of life of the wild
Horses in the llanos lying more to the north:
"When the grass of those immense plains becomes
charred and resolves into dust in summer, under the
perpendicular rays of the never-clouded sun, the
soil gradually cracks, as if it were torn by powerful
earthquakes. Enveloped in dense clouds of dust
and pressed by hunger and a burning thirst, the
Horses and Cattle roam about, the former with their
heads lifted high up, against the wind, snorting and
inflating their nostrils, trying to discover by the
dampness of the air-current the location of some
pool that has not yet all evaporated. The Mules
try to quench their thirst in another way more delib-
erate and showing a higher order of intelligence. A
spherical and spinous-coated plant, the melon cac-
tus, encloses a watery pulp in its prickly exterior.
The Mule beats these thorns aside with its fore-feet
in order to drink the cool juice. But the drawing
of water from this living, vegetable source is not
devoid of danger; for one often sees animals whic
are severely wounded in the hoofs and lamed by
these cactus-thorns. When the coolness of night at
last succeeds the glaring heat of day, the Horses and
Cattle are still deprived of their rest. The Vampires
disturb them in their sleep and fasten on their backs
to suck their blood."
Many Wild Horses When finally the protracted drought
Perish Duiing the is followed by the beneficent rainy
Rainy Season. season, the scene changes. Now
the surface of the soil is barely permeated by water
and the prairie becomes covered with the most mag-
nificent verdure. Horses and Cattle graze in the full
enjoyment of life. The Jaguar hides in the high
grass and destroys many a Horse and colt. Soon
the rivers swell, and those same animals which lan-
guished with thirst during part of the year, now have
to live like amphibious creatures. The mares, to-
gether with their colts, retreat to the knolls and ele-
vations of the plains, which emerge above the watery
surface like islands. But the dry
space becomes more contracted
every day. For lack of food the
half famished animals swim about
for hours and miserably subsist
on the leaves of the water-rushes
which float and wave on the sur-
face of the brown, muddy, seeth-
ing water. Many of the colts
are drowned, while others are
caught by Crocodiles, crushed by
blows from the tails of these Sau-
rians, and then devoured. Not
infrequently one sees Horses
which bear marked traces of en-
counters with Crocodiles. Among
the fish they also have a danger-
ous enemy. The sloughs or pools
left by the receding waters are
filled with innumerable Electric
Eels. These remarkable fish can
kill the largest animals by means
of their powerful discharges if
their efforts are concentrated
upon certain portions of the body.
The road near the Uri Tucu had
to be abandoned, because these Eels increased and
congregated to such an extent in a little river cross-
ing the route that every year many Horses were
drowned while stunned from shocks administered to
them as they attempted to ford the stream.
Panic-Stricken Another element, yet more dangerous
Herds Destroy to the herds, is found in the frantic
Themselves, terror which sometimes takes posses-
sion of them. When struck by a panic, hundreds
and thousands of them rush on in a frenzy of fright;
stopped by no obstacle, running against rocks and
dashing themselves to pieces by falling over preci-
pices. They suddenly appear in the camps of travel-
ers spending the night in the open country; rush on
between the fires, over tents and vehicles, inspire
with their own fears the beasts of burden, which
tear themselves loose and are borne along in the
irresistible current to certain destruction or irre-
trievable loss. Farther north the Indians swell the
number of foes which embitter the life of the wild
creatures. They catch them to use in hunting, and
in breaking them torment them so badly that the
boldest and most refractory Horse must succumb in
a short time. As with the Bedouins of the Sahara,
the Horse is often the cause of the bloodiest com-
THE HORSES— HORSES PROPER.
409
bats among the Indians. He who owns no Horses
tries to steal a few. Horse-stealing is considered
an honorable occupation by the Red-skins. Gangs
of thieves follow wandering tribes or caravans for
weeks, until they find an opportunity of stealing all
the saddle Horses. The Horses of America are also
zealously pursued on account of the value of their
skins and flesh.
u it wia ««-coc The Horses in the United States and Can-
Half-Wild Horses ada are a„ ^ descemlants o{ imported
varieties, there being DO species of Horse
indigenous to this continent. In Texas,
Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and California, the descendants
it various Spanish breeds, as well as the Mustang proper, are
kept in large numbers; and being allowed to range at large
over sparsely populated regions, have reverted to practically a
wild state. It is true that these Horses are the property of
various owners, but many of the Horses in the larger herds are
only seen by their masters at
the time of the annual or semi- _ _- — -
annual "round-up," when the ~ ~
Horse owners combine their
forces to drive to a "corral" or
enclosure, all the Horses within
their range, in order that the
colts may be branded. It is
necessary, in order to settle the
question of ownership, that the
colt be brought to the branding
pen while it is still following its
mother, otherwise it is regarded
as a "gread" or orphan, and
any Horse owner may brand it.
The breaking of these Horses
to harness is usually a very dif-
ficult feat. Most of them are
given to what is popularly
known as "bucking." The
Horse pulls vigorously at the
bridle, plants its four feet nearly
together, and with its back
arched keeps up a vigorous and
jerky jumping up and down
which only experts can over-
come. Even the most accom-
plished riders will often be
thrown by these wild creatures.
There are great differences in
the animals, however, and not
infrequently a Horse of this
kind will prove as easy to break
to saddle or harness as the most
docile of ordinary colts.
The description, or even
a mere catalogue, of the
various, almost innumer-
able, breeds of the Horse
[Equus caballus) is not with-
in the scope of this book;
besides many excellent,
comprehensive works have
been devoted to the Horse.
It will suffice if we mention the most important
breeds, which have become distinguished for their
high development under carefid training.
The Arabian Horse The Arab steed ranks first among
the Type of the Horses. "The thoroughbred
Excellence. Horse," says Count YVrangel, " has
no nobler representative than the Arabian Horse of
pure descent, which stands on the boundary line
between the natural breeds and those of civilization,
and is praised as the noblest animal of creation by
the naturalist, the expert and the poet." According
to the standard of requirements set for the Horse
by the code of the Arabs, a pure-bred Horse must
combine a symmetrical frame, short and nervously
mobile ears, heavy but at the same time symmetrical
bones, a fleshless face, nostrils "as wide as the mouth
of a Lion," beautiful, dark, prominent eyes, "with
an expression like that of a loving woman," a
long, arched neck, a broad chest and broad crupper,
a narrow back, round thighs, very long true ribs and
very short false ones, a compact cylindrical body,
long thighs and hams, the latter, with the hocks,
forming a slight angle "like those of the. Ostrich,"
with muscles "like those of the Camel"; a black,
unspotted hoof, a fine, scanty mane and an abun-
dant tail, thick at the root and thin at the extremity.
Four parts must be broad: the forehead, the chest,
the hips and the limbs; four must be long: the neck,
the upper part of the limbs, the abdomen and the
flanks; and four short: the crupper, the ears, the frog
of the foot and the tail. These physical character-
istics prove that the Horse comes of good stock and
is swift; for its shape then resembles "the Grey-
hound, the Pigeon and the Camel."
ENGLISH THOROUGHBRED HORSE. Largely but not solelv descended from the Arab steed, the
English Thoroughbred represents the results of two centuries of cultivation of the qualities of endurance and
speed. The American racing stock is practically of this breed, descended from Horses imported from England
within the past century.
The Training At eighteen months the training of
of an Arab the noble animal begins. At first a
Steed. boy tries to mount it. He leads the
Horse to drink and to graze, cleans it and cares for
it in every way. Both learn simultaneously: the
boy becomes a rider; the colt becomes a saddle
Horse. But the young Arab never will require of
the colt the performance of tasks which it can not
accomplish. Every movement of the animal is
watched; it is treated with consideration and ten-
derness, but a refractory or malicious disposition is
not tolerated. The saddle is first put upon it when
it has arrived at its second year; after the third year
it is gradually accustomed to make use of all its
powers. Only when it has attained its seventh year
is its education regarded as complete, and therefore
the Arabian proverb says: "Seven years for my
brother, seven for myself and seven for my foe."
410
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
The Arabs distinguish many strains of blood among
their Horses and every locality, every tribe, boasts of
its special breed. At present there are twenty-one
tribes or families distinguished in Arabia, the five
best of which are ranged under the title of "Kham-
sa," and are said to be descended from the five mares
of Solomon. [The Arab always reckons the breeding
of the colt by that of the female ancestors.] The
oldest and noblest of these families is the " Kehilan"
or " Kohlani."
Bombastic Praise The eulogies bestowed by the Arabs
Bestowed on their on blue-blooded Horses are very
Horses by Arabs, amusing. "Do not tell me that this
animal is my Horse; say that it is my son. It runs
more quickly than the wind of a storm, more swiftly
than the glance that sweeps the plain. It is pure as
gold. Its eye is clear and so keen that it sees a
PERCHERON HORSE.-An especially fine breed of draft Horses
The picture shows the strong and weli developed muscles and powerful lira
especially popular in this country during recent years.
hair in the dark. It overtakes the Gazelle in its
course. To the Eagle it says: I hurry on like you!
When it hears the shouts of girls, it neighs with joy,
and the whistling of bullets rejoices its heart. From
the hands of women it begs for alms; the enemy it
beats in the face with its hoofs. When it can run
to its heart's desire, it weeps tears. It recks not
whether the sky be clear or the blasts of the desert
obscure the light of the sun with dust; for it is a
noble steed and despises the rage of the storm.
There is no other in this world that could vie with
it. Swift as a Swallow, it courses on; so light is its
weight that it could dance on the breast of your
beloved and not annoy her. Its pace is so gentle
that you could drink a cup of coffee on its back,
when its speed is highest, and not spill a drop. It
understands all like a son of Adam, and all it lacks
is speech."
The English Thor- The noblest relative of the Arab
oughbred Europe is the English thoroughbre
Racer. racer. Many experts are of tl
opinion that the difference between these two breec
lies only in the diversifications caused by altere
environment of climate and system of breedir
and that consequently the English racer has pui
oriental blood in his veins. The genealogy of tl
racer, however, furnishes an irrefragable proof tha
there is no one thoroughbred, the pedigree of whic
caji be traced to exclusively oriental ancestor
either on the father's or mother's side. At tl
present day the English thoroughbred is nothir
but a product of the racer, its selection, breeding
feeding and training, being all rendered subservier
to the production of the two indispensable attribute
of speed and endurance. The race Horses of t
day surpass their ancestc
in every respect, in shap
as well as in capability of
performance, and comprise
among their ranks many
excellent Horses, attain-
ing a height of seventy
inches or more. Their
shape has become nobler
and more symmetrical in
its proportions. The En-
glish racer is exported to
all countries of the globe,
inhabited by Europeans, to
improve the breed. A third
representative of the no-
ble breeds is the Anglo-
Arab, produced by the
immediate interbreeding of
the English and Arab
Horses, effected in recent
times only.
The thoroughbreds are
followed by the much more
numerous hal f-b 1 o o d s.
Many crossings with ori-
ental Horses and especially
with English thorough-
breds have gradually pro-
duced the Trakehnen, a
well-shaped and very ca-
pable animal of great pow-
ers of endurance, which
one at present might terra
the German Horse, espe-
cially as the Trakehnen
Horse farm and kindred institutions have exerted
and are still exerting the most important influence
on the breeding and improvement of all Prussian
Horses, and are factors of the greatest moment in
promoting the efficiency of the German cavalry.
Various Other Other half-bloods are bred in Ger-
Haif -Breed many, in Hanover, Oldenburg,
Horses. Mecklenburg and Hoi stein. Yet
other members of this group are: in Austria, the
Lippizaner and Kladruber, which are closely allied
to the Spanish half-blood, the Andalusian Horse;
in France the Anglo-Norman and Anglo-Breton
Horse; in Russia the Orloff trotters, as well as cer-
tain breeds of Don and Circassian Horses; in Eng-
land different breeds of highly improved Horses,
known as Hunters, Hacks and Roadsters, as well as
the powerful Cleveland Bay Horse, now become
comparatively rare; in America certain breeds of
of great strength and endurance,
bs of this animal which has become
THE HORSES— HORSES PROPER.
411
fast trotters. As may be expected, the Horses de-
scending from all these mentioned half-bloods vary
widely in appearance and capacity of performance.
They may be light, medium or heavy, and serve as
excellent saddle, carriage or strong working Horses;
some are distinguished by their immense draught-
power.
Although allied by ties of close relationship
to the English thoroughbred, the American
trotting Horse has been developed upon
lines so peculiarly its own as to be entitled
to classification as a national variety. It has been shown by
several writers that fast trotting is not natural to the Horse
family. If the Horse wishes to go quickly it runs or gallops,
and only trots when inclined to leisure.
In an early day in New England there was a prejudice
against Horse racing, and Horses were encouraged to trot.
The American
Tiotting Horse
the Best.
The Shetland Horses of the largest breeds often
Pony the Smallest attain a height of seventy-two inches
of the Horses. anc{ over at tjie withers; the antitypes
of them are the ponies, which are often but half this
size. The smallest Horse, the Shetland Pony, has a
full, long, shaggy mane and a bushy tail, and is fre-
quently only thirty-six inches high, and sometimes
only thirty-four or even thirty-three inches in height,
and having no greater physical proportions than
those of a large Dog.
Distribution of Nowadays the tame Horse is distrib-
the Domestic uted nearly all over the globe. It is
Horse. absent in only the coldest regions
and on several islands, where as yet, by reason of
lack of use, it has not been introduced. It is bred in
JW V T luxdZtfcMpfac/'
THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. This is a portrait of "George Wilkes" the famous American trotter. He was foaled in iS;6 and died
in 1882 and was regarded as a typical representative of the American Trotting Horse, having himself a record of a mile in two minutes, twenty-two seconds,
and being the sire of a numerous progeny of celebrated trotters and pacers.
Later it was a matter of neighborhood pride to own the
fastest trotter in the vicinity, and trotting became the favorite
gait for Horses. Finally some imported thoroughbreds and
their progeny were trained to trot in harness, and in iSiSa
Horse named Boston Blue was matched to trot a mile in three
minutes — a feat then deemed impossible, but which he accom-
plished. This was the beginning of the contests against time,
which have since reduced the trotting record second by second
down to the last record made by the mare Alix, who trotted a
mile in 2:o334 at Galesburg, 111., September 10, 1S04.
In no other country have trotting races become so popular as
in the United States, and with the exception of Russia, no dis-
tinctively fast-trotting variety of Horses has been developed
outside of those of the United States.
Of the third group, comprising the sluggish, slow-
paced draught breeds, we will mention here only the
following heavy ones: the English Clydesdale and
Dray Horse, the Pcrcheron, the Ardenner, the Pinz-
gauer, the Jutlander and the Russian Bitjug.
wild, half-wild and tame studs. In the wild studs of
Russia the herds are left to their own devices all the
year round. The Horses born under these condi-
tions are very hard}', vigorous and frugal, but never
attain the beauty of those which are born and bred
under the supervision of Man. Half-wild studs are
those in which the herds of Horses roam over exten-
sive grazing ranges from spring to autumn under
supervision; in tame studs the breeding is conduced
under the strictest supervision of Man.
Reproduc- The mare usually gives birth to a
tion of the single colt, which has its eyes open,
Horse. js fully covered with hair, and in a few
minutes is able to stand and walk. It is allowed to
suckle, play and romp for about five months, after
which it is usually weaned. In the first year its coat
4 12
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
consists of a mixture of wool and hair; its mane is
short, erect and curly, and the hair of the tail also
partakes of a crinkly, curly character. During the
second year the hair becomes more lustrous, mane
and tail grow longer and less inclined to kink. After
this the age may be determined from the appear-
ance of the incisor teeth with tolerable correctness.
From eight to fourteen days after birth the two cen-
tral teeth, the so-called "nippers," make their ap-
pearance ; two or three weeks later another breaks
through at each side of the nippers. After five or six
months the lateral incisors pierce the gum and then
the colt has its full complement of milk-teeth. These
are in course of time replaced by the permanent teeth.
At the age of two and one-half years the "nippers"
are shed and replaced by new teeth; a year later
the next pair are supplanted, and after another year
the outermost incisors are changed. Simultaneously
with this last alteration the canines break through,
and this indicates that the development of the ani-
mal is completed. After the fifth year a person
wishing to judge of the age of a Horse, looks at the
hollows on the grinding surface of the teeth: black-
brown marks of the size of a small pea. They be-
gin to disappear in the lower jaw at the age of five
or six years; in the middle incisors they are obliter-
ated in the seventh year, in the canines in the eighth
year ; then the upper teeth are developed in like
order of succession, until all the marks have van-
ished by the eleventh or twelfth year. As age ad-
vances the teeth also gradually assume a different
shape; they become narrower as they grow older.
Another physical change noticeable in the animal is
the variation of its coat with the seasons. With the
access of the warm weather, usually beginning in the
spring of the year, the shaggy, furry coat of long
winter hair covering its body commences to fall out,
and is shed so rapidly that the bulk of it disappears
within a month or so. Gradually the hair is replaced
and it becomes perceptibly longer in the beginning
of September or October. The mane and tail remain
unchanged through all seasons.
Diseases to Unfortunately the noble Horse is
Which the Horse subject to many diseases. The most
is Subject. important and serious of these are
the spavin, a swelling on the leg (generally induced
by a violent sprain) which affects the joint of the
knee or of the hock, and usually results in stiffness of
the leg; the farcy or "button," a swelling and hard-
ening of the glands beneath the jaw; the mange, a
dry or moist eruption, which causes the hair to fall
out; the glanders, a violent inflammation of the nasal
mucous membrane which also causes a hardening of
the glands beneath the jaw, and is extremely infec-
tious, and which may be communicated to human
beings; the mad staggers, an acute inflammation of
the brain, and the blind staggers, a somewhat similar,
though less violently manifested disease, induced by
apoplexy (or congestion of blood in the brain); the
gray and black cataract and others. Besides all this
the animal is subject to the torments of internal and
external parasites.
A Horse may attain an age of forty years and
over, but frequently is so ill treated that it is old at
the age of twenty; as a general rule it may be
affirmed that it is only in very rare cases that it lives
to be thirty years old.
ScheitlinsEulogy I leave to Schcitlin the pleasant
of the Horse's task of speaking of qualities, habits
Endowments. an£] peculiarities, in short, of the
mental characteristics of Horses: "The Horse," says
he, "has the power of discrimination in matters per-
taining to food, domicile, space, time, light, color,
shape, his family, his neighbors, friends, foes, ani-
mal companions, people and objects. He has the
gift of perception, imagination, memory and mani-
fold sensations induced by a number of conditions
of body and mind. Circumstances strike him as
agreeable or disagreeable, and he is capable of either
being satisfied with given surroundings or else desir-
ing different environment, and even of love and
hatred. His great intelligence is easily changed to
skill; for the Horse is exceedingly docile. His mem-
ory and good-nature render it possible to teach him
all the tricks of the Elephant, Ass or Dog. He can
solve riddles, answer questions, say "yes" and "no"
by moving his head, designate the time on a clock
by striking his foot, etc. He correctly interprets
movements of his teacher's hands and feet, under-
stands the swinging of a whip and the meaning of
words, really having a small dictionary by heart.
He feigns death, first stands listless, with widespread
legs and hanging head, then staggers, slowly sinks
down, falls like a log and lies upon the ground as if
dead; one may sit on him, stretch his legs, pull his
tail, poke a finger into his sensitive skin without
result; but if a hint be given that the poundmaster is
to be sent for, he jumps up and is quite lively and
animated again. One can not see that he likes the
trick he has to repeat so often; he delights only in
running and jumping. How long will he have to
be taught until he learns how to jump through two
large hoops, covered with paper and placed at a
distance from each other? We are not surprised
that a human being can and will learn, but we won-
der that a Horse can learn. One really must not
say: 'What can he learn?' but: 'What can he not
learn?'
"He who wishes to teach a Horse anything
human must, in the beginning at least, teach him
humanely, that is, not by blows, threats or hunger,
but with kind words, exactly as a kind, intelligent
Man treats another kind, intelligent Man. As a rule
Horses are perfect prototypes of children in their
good and bad qualities. Besides his sense of local-
ity, the Horse also has an idea of time. He learns
to walk to music, to trot, gallop and dance. He
also knows the greater divisions of time, whether it
is morning, noon or night. He does not even lack
a perception of harmony. Like a warrior, he is fond
of the exciting clangor of the trumpet. Joyfully he
paws the ground with his fore-feet when the trumpet
resounds as a signal for a race or a battle; he also
knows and understands the signals given by the
drum and all sounds which present an association
of ideas to his courage or his fears. He knows the
thundering noise of cannon, but when he sees the
lacerated carcasses of companions killed in battle,
he evinces dread and repugnance.
"The Horse is very susceptible to fear, in this
respect resembling a human being. He starts at a
sudden sound, an unusual object, a waving flag, a
garment hanging in a window. He carefully looks
at the ground covered with stones, and treads
cautiously when entering a river. He is thoroughly
awed by lightning. During a thunderstorm he per-
spires from fear, perhaps the dread of being struck.
When two are harnessed together and one attempts
to run away, the other, if he be not also frightened,
can hold him back; usually, however, both are simul-
taneously seized by terror, and run in ever increas-
ing panic, rushing over and through every possible
THE HORSES— ASSES.
41J
thing, sometimes dashing into a wall in their insane
career.
"The one real enjoyment of a Horse is running.
He is a traveler by nature. Horses grazing in the
Russian steppes run merely for the pleasure of it.
They will drag coaches at a gallop, and thus accom-
plish a day's journey, without misgivings about find-
ing the long way home again. On the pasturage
they romp and play all kinds of antics, such as run-
ning races and biting each other. There are some
which constantly annoy the others. The animal
which measures his strength with Man must feel
himself near to humanity; must, in fact, believe him-
self nearly, if not quite, Man's equal.
" The stallion is a terrible animal in every way.
His strength is immense, his courage surpasses our
understanding, and hence is generally underesti-
mated; his eye is full of fire. The mare is much
THE ASSES.
The second sub-species of the Horses is formed
by the Asses and Zebras (Asittus). They differ from
the Horses proper by having only the extremity of
the tail covered with long hair, and by the absence
of the rudimentary nail at the top of the fetlocks on
the fore-feet.
Physical Charac- The Koulan of the Khirgiz or Dzig-
teristics of the getai of the Mongols (Equus [Asinus]
Koulan. hemionus) is possessed of certain
points of beauty which place it, in the elegance of its
appearance, far above the Ass. An exceedingly light
body, slender limbs, a wild, fleet appearance and the
beautiful color of its hair are its strong points. It is
somewhat larger than the small variety of Mules,
nearly equaling a small Horse in size. The head is
somewhat heavy, the chest large, angular in its lower
THE SHETLAND PONY.— Although all varieties of the domestic Horse are of one species, training and environment have produced widely diver-
sified types. One of the extremes is the Shetland Pony, which owes its dwarfed form to centuries of breeding in the uncongenial climate of Shetland.
Though the smallest variety it is very strong and has great endurance. The flowing mane and tail contribute much to this animal's beauty.
gentler, more good-natured, obliging, obedient, do-
cile; hence she is generally preferred to the stallion.
The Horse is susceptible of almost every mental
emotion. He loves and hates, feels the promptings
of envy, revenge, caprice, etc. No two Horses are
alike. The one is vicious, treacherous and false, the
other is docile and gentle. Either nature or train-
ing, or both, have made them what they are.
"How different arc the various periods in the life
of Horses; the fate of most is to be petted, pampered
and kept in clover when young, and to be despised
and neglected cart Horses fed on the coarsest hay,
and plentifully treated to blows when old. Many a
favorite steed has been mourned with sorrowful tears
and has justly had a marble monument erected in
his honor. Horses, like Men, have their infancy for
mischief, their youth for beauty, their maturity for
work, their old age in which they grow lazy and
weak: they bloom, mature and fade!"
part and slightly compressed. The ears are longer
than those of the Horse, but shorter than those of
common Mules. The mane is short and erect, sim-
ilar to that of the Ass, and the tail and hoofs also
resemble those of that animal. The chest and upper
parts of the fore-legs are narrow and far from being
as muscular as those of the Horse; the hinder quar-
ters are also thin, and the limbs are exceedingly light
and fine and moderately long. The prevailing color
of the Dziggetai is a light yellowish brown; the nose
and inner faces of the limbs are of a pale yellow
color; the mane and the tail are blackish, and a dainty
brown-black stripe runs along the spine, broadening
on the croup and then again becoming quite nar-
row near the tail. The total length of the animal
amounts to about one hundred inches, the head oc-
cupying twenty inches of this, and the tail sixteen,
exclusive of the tuft; the height at the top of the
shoulders varies between fifty-two and sixty inches.
414
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
The Range The Dziggetai or Koulan is a child
of the Kou- 0f the steppes. Though it prefer-
lan- ably affects the environs of lakes and
rivers, it does not shun the arid, waterless, desert-like
regions; neither does it avoid mountains, provided
that the open country continues to prevail, and the
region is not overgrown with forests. It is not the
rarefied air of the heights in the mountain, the
glaring heat of the sun in summer, nor the icy cold
of the low plains in winter; not the piercing snow-
storms of the heights, nor the hot cloud of sand
whirling in the valley below, which bounds the do-
main of this hardy animal of the steppes. It is solely
Man, who determines, or at least dominantly influ-
ences, its range of territory and manner of existence.
When the wide country has been in the least
Traits and Habits A fondness for the society of its kinc
of the Kou- or even of other species of animals,
,an- is one of the main traits of the char-
acter of this wild Horse, as well as of the solid-
hoofed animals in general. As the Zebra, Quagga
and Dauw join the herds of African Antelopes and
Ostriches, one also sees the Dziggetai in the moun-
tains in company with various kinds of wild Sheep,
the Antelope of Tibet and the Grunting Ox in the
lowlands, or grazing together with the Saiga or
others of the numerous family of Antelopes. It is
also on friendly terms with stray Horses.
A person who has seen Koulans in their native
country and at full liberty, will not hesitate to de-
clare them highly-endowed animals. The eye of the
observer, fascinated by their movements, regards the
THE KOULAN. The largest and one of the wildest and swiftest of the wild Asses of Asia is this animal, which is here appropriately
depicted in its high home in the table-lands of Tibet. It has more the aspect of a Horse than an Ass, although the shape of the body and tail are
Ass-like. It lcoks so much like the Mule that it has been given a scientific name meaning "half-Ass." (Equus kemionus.)
invaded by nomad tribes, or where the wandering
shepherd regularly goes back and forth at long in-
tervals with his herds, the Koulan is driven away.
Where, in the midst of abundant pasturages, there are
strips of country so poor, so desolate and so barren
that even that precursor of civilized Man, the shep-
herd, never enters but sedulously shuns them: there
one is sure to find this wild Horse led thither by its
unquenchable thirst for unbounded freedom, enjoy-
ing itself amid the general desolation.
It still inhabits several districts of Akmolinsk in
tolerably large numbers, a strip of steppes between
the Altai and the Saisan Lake, and is found in all
congenial places to the south and east of that region,
in southern Siberia and Turkestan, though in less
numbers than in the wide, deserted plains of Mon-
golia and northwestern China, or on the mountains
of Tibet.
incomparable agility of the swift creatures with de-
lighted amazement. "It is the most wonderful spec-
tacle," says Gay, "to see with what rapidity they
climb the mountains, with what skill they pick their
way down without stumbling. Koulans which we
pursued, scoured over the hills and dales of the
steppes, as if they were amusing themselves with the
exercise of their indefatigable strength."
An animal of this kind easily escapes the pursuit
of the larger beasts of prey. In the steppes of west-
ern Asia there is none which possesses the temerity
to attack Koulans; even Wolves in that country do
not dare attack healthy wild Horses, as these latter
make excellent use of their vigorous hoofs in ward-
ing off their enemies. Weak and diseased Koulans,
which stray away from the herd, are probably the
only ones attacked by Wolves. In the southern and
southeastern portion of its range the Tiger may oc-
THE HORSES— ASSES.
415
casionally secure one of them as a trophy of his
might. Man is a more dangerous foe to them. The
wandering native shepherds are passionately fond
of hunting the Koulan — the more so as the chase
calls all of the hunter's ability into play. In zoo-
logical gardens the Koulan is as yet a rarity, though
it has been repeatedly introduced within the last
twenty years, and has frequently bred in captivity,
Paris alone having a record of the birth of sixteen
young. It also has been successfully crossed with
the Ass, the Quagga, the Zebra and recently also
with the Horse.
The Onager an Another wild Horse of Asia, per-
Asiatic Wild haps in reality being but one and
Horse. the same animal with the Koulan, is
the Onager of the ancients, which is also repeatedly
mentioned in the Bible. According to Sclater's com-
parisons of living wild Horses, it is more than prob-
exceedingly smooth and delicate. The mane stands
erect and consists of soft, woolly hair about four
inches long; the tuft on the tail measures from
seven to twelve inches. The mode of life of the
Onager resembles that of the Koulan. A. stallion
is the leader of each herd, the other members of
which are mares and foals of both sexes. In point
of activity the Onager is not surpassed by the Dzig-
getai.
The perceptive senses of the Onager, especially
those of hearing, sight and smell, are so well devel-
oped that it is impossible to surprise it in the open
plain. Its habits being very frugal, it comes to drink,
at the most, every other day, and one who thinks to
surprise it while drinking, therefore usually lies in
wait for it in vain. Plants containing salt are its
preferred food, and those it likes next best are the
bitter, juicy kinds, such as the dandelion, the flag,
THE ONAGER. A wild Ass of central Asia, which is larger than the domestic species. It has a short, stiff mane, has great speed and
endurance, and is found throughout an extensive range in central Asia. (Equus onager.)
able that the wild Ass of the deserts of India does
not differ from the Onager. Thus it would range
from Syria, across Arabia, Persia and Beluchistan to
India.
The Onager (Eqiuts [Asinus] o/uigt'r) is perceptibly
smaller than the Dziggetai, although it is taller and
possessed of finer limbs than the common Ass.
The head is proportionately longer and larger than
the Koulan's; the fleshy lips are thickly covered with
stiff, bristly hair to their very margins; the ears are
tolerably long, though shorter than those of the Ass.
The prevailing color is a beautiful white with a sil-
very lustre, merging into a pale sorrel tint on the
upper part of the head, the sides of the neck and
body and the hips. On the side of the withers a
white stripe of a hand's breadth runs down; a sec-
ond stripe runs along the backbone and down the
back of the hind legs; in its centre is a smaller
brown stripe. The hair is softer and silkier than
that of the Horse. The winter hair may be com-
pared with Camel's wool, while the summer hair is
and kindred vegetation. It does not disdain varie-
ties of clover and lucerne or any kinds of cereals.
On the other hand it dislikes all aromatic, balsamic
plants, marsh herbs, buttercups and prickly plants,
including the thistle. It is more partial to brackish
or salt\' water than to fresh, but the liquid must be
clear; it never drinks muddy or turbid water.
Varieties and C/)a/-The progenitors of our Ass (Eqmis
acteristics of [Asinus ~\ asitius) live in Africa, repre-
the Ass. sented by two sub-species. The first
of these, the Ass of the Plains (Eqiii/ais asinus qfri-
canus) resembles its tamed offspring in Egypt in
physical proportions and appearance, while its de-
meanor and habits recall its wild Asiatic kinsman.
It is large, slender and of pleasing contour, brownish-
yellow colored, lighter on the under surface, with a
distinct stripe on the back crossed by another at the
shoulders, and several more or less well-defined
transverse stripes on the outer surface of the lower
limbs. The mane is erect and short, the tail-tuft
longr and stout.
41«
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
The Appearance The Somal Ass (Eguus asi/ius somal-
and Habits of the icus) differs from the Ass of the
Somal Ass. Plains in its greater size and longer,
pendent mane. It is gray with an indistinct stripe
on the back. The shoulder cross is absent; the legs,
however, show numerous distinct black transverse
bands. It is a native of the Somal country, while
the more widely known Ass of the Plains is found in
the deserts of Upper Nubia. It is plentiful near the
Atbara, the main tributary of the Nile, and also in
the plains of Barka. Its range extends to the coast
of the Red Sea. There it exists under circumstances
THE DOMESTIC ASS. Plodding, hardworking and very useful, the Donkey, while not
much used in the northern and eastern parts of the United States, is a principal beast of burden in
many foreign countries and also in the southwestern mountain regions of our own country. The
hind foot is the favorite weapon of the Domestic Ass, and the little Dog in the picture is in great
dinger. (Equus asinus.)
quite similar to those of the Dziggetai and Onager.
Every stallion is the leader of a herd of from ten to
fifteen mares, over which he watches and which he
defends. It is extremely shy and wary, and very
difficult of pursuit. All tame Asses employed in the
south, and probably also in Abyssinia, appear to de-
scend from this stock, for the Arabs declare that
they strikingly resemble the wild Asses. The striped
feet of southern Asses, especially those of the Somal
Ass, are a noteworthy feature: for they prove that
the Ass is a link between its Asiatic relatives and the
Zebras.
The Ass of the Plains has been domesticated from
the earliest times, and wild specimens have been
continually used to improve the breed. The ancient
Romans expended large sums of money on its im-
provement, and the Arabs still make great efforts
to constantly improve the blood of the domestic
variety. It is only in some parts of liuropc that
the tame Ass has degenerated into a mere cripple
through constant neglect.
Asses of Northern If wc compare the German Ass, con-
Europe Sadly veying the Hour to the mill or drag-
Deteriorated. gjng the milk-cart, with his southern
brothers, wc are sometimes almost tempted to regard
the two as different animals, so slight is the resem-
blance they bear to each other. The northern Ass
is everywhere known to be a lazy, self-willed and
often an especially obstinate fellow, though wrongly
believed to be the embodiment of dullness and stu-
pidity; the southern Ass, on the other hand, espe-
cially the Egyptian Ass, is a handsome, lively, ex-
ceedingly diligent animal of great endurance, with
a working capacity very little less than that of the
Horse, which latter, indeed, in some respects the
Ass surpasses. But it is subjected to very much
more careful treatment than its northern brother.
In many parts of the Orient the best
breeds are kept as pure as those of
the noblest Horses; they are well fed,
not overworked in youth, and an
adult Ass can therefore do work the
Ass of northern Europe could never
accomplish. The nations of the East
are perfectly right to bestow much
attention on the breeding of Asses,
for with them it is a domestic animal
in the full meaning of the word. It is
found attached to the establishments
of the rich and in the huts of the
poor, and is the most indispensable
domestic of every southerner. In
Greece and Spain one may see very
beautiful Donkeys, though they are
much inferior to the average Ass of
the Orient, especially of Persia, Tur-
comania and Egypt. The Greek and
Spanish Asses are of about the size
of a small Mule; their hair is sleek
and soft, the mane is tolerably long,
and the tail-tuft proportionately very
long; the ears are long, but fine; the
eyes are lustrous. The great power
-, of endurance, the easy, traveling pace
I and gentle gallop of the Ass render
it an animal unsurpassed in good
qualities for riding.
The Arabian Ass The Arabian Asses,
the Finest especially those bred
Variety. jn Jemen, are even su-
perior to the other varieties of orien-
tal Asses. There are two breeds; one is large, coura-
geous, swift, well adapted for travel under the saddle;
the other is smaller and weaker and is generally used
to carry burdens. The large Ass has probably been
improved by successive crosses with the Onager.
Quite similar breeds are found in Persia and Egypt,
where a good Donkey commands a high market
price. A saddle Donkey fulfilling all requirements
is more expensive than an indifferent Horse and it
is by no means seldom that its price amounts to
as much as three hundred and fifty dollars. Bo-
gumil Goltz speaking of the Egyptian Donkey says:
"One really can not imagine a more serviceable and
honest creature than this Donkey. Some large fel-
low throws himself on a little Donkey, the size of a
six weeks old calf, and urges it on at a gallop.
These slenderly built creatures proceed at an excel-
lent amble; but their possession of the strength
necessary to enable them to drag an adult person
around for hours, trotting and galloping even during
the great heat of midday, seems to me beyond the
possibilities of nature, and might be called a Don-
key mystery." The saddle Donkeys have their hair
very carefully clipped short over all portions of
the body, except on the thighs where the hair is
THE HORSES— ASSES.
417
'eft long and various designs and arabesques are cut
in it, giving the animal quite a peculiar aspect.
In former times half-wild Asses were found on
some islands of the Grecian archipelago and in Sar-
dinia, and even now they are to be found in South
America. Wherever individuals of the species es-
cape from the restraint and training of Man, they
soon revert to all the habits of their wild progeni-
tors.
The preceding data have already indicated the
extensive range of the Ass. The eastern part of
western and central Asia, northern and eastern
Airica, south and central Europe and South Amer-
ica are the countries in which it thrives best. The
drier the soil the better its health and development.
Damp and cold agree less with it than with the
Horse.
Importance of the Riding on Donkeys is probably no-
Donhey in where so much in vogue as in Egypt.
Egypt. The willing animals are really indis-
pensable as a complement of the conveniences and
comforts of life in all greater cities. They are hired
in the same way that our cabs are, and therefore no
dignity is forfeited by employing them. Such condi-
tions are brought about by the nar-
rowness of Egyptian streets, that
Donkeys alone are fit to render
easy and practicable the necessary
journeys one takes about town.
Therefore they are seen every-
where, as for instance in Cairo,
mingling with the continuous
stream of people filling the streets.
The Donkey drivers of Cairo con-
stitute a distinct profession, a gen-
uine caste, which forms as much
an integral part of the city as do
the minarets and palms. They are
indispensable to the natives and to
foreigners; every day a person lives
in Cairo he has occasion to be
thankful to them, although at the
same time they frequently arouse
one's ire. "It is a genuine pleasure
and a real misery," says Bogumil
Goltz, "to deal with these Donkey
boys. One is at a loss to decide
whether they are good-natured or
morose, obstinate or obliging, lazy
or active, cunning or impudent;
they are a mixture of all possi-
ble qualities.
'"Look, sir,' says one, 'see this
locomotive of a Donkey, which I
offer you, and compare it with
those of the other boys ! Why, they
must fall down under you; for they
are miserable creatures and you are
a stout man! But my Donkey! He
will run away with you like a Gazelle, in pure play.'
'This is a Donkey of Kahirin," says another. 'His
grandfather was a Gazelle, and his great-grand-
mother a wild Horse. Run, you son of Kahirin,
prove my words to the gentleman! Be a credit to
your parents: go in the Lord's name, my Gazelle, my
Swallow!' The third does still better, praising his
Donkey as a Bismarck or a Yon Moltke of his spe-
cies, and so on, until the visitor mounts a Donkey,
which is then urged into a gallop by a series of
inimitable jerks, blows, pushes, and pricks adminis-
tered with the goad, and the boy runs after, calling,
screaming, urging, chattering — abusing his own
lungs as much as he does the Donkey. Thus the
rider is hurried through the crowd of animals, street
carts, loaded Camels, carriages and walking people,
and the Donkey never loses courage for a moment,
but rushes on at a very agreeable gallop, until he
has reached his destination. Cairo is a veritable
training school at which to accustom one to the use
of Donkeys, and the only place where one learns to
fully know, appreciate, esteem and love this excel-
lent creature."
Traits and Capabil- Oken's words apply perfectly to
ities of Tame the north European Ass, however:
Asses. "The tame Donkey has degenerated
to such an extent through prolonged ill-treatment
that it has lost nearly all resemblance to the parent
stock. Not only has it become much smaller, but it
has also a duller, ashy color and longer, flabbier ears.
Courage in it has turned to obstinacy, speed to slow-
ness, vivacity to dullness, love of liberty to patience,
sturdiness to endurance of blows."
All the perceptive senses of the tame Ass are well
developed. Hearing ranks highest ; sight comes
next and then smell; it seems to possess little ner-
AFRICAN WILD
shown in the picture. It
the marked Hack stripes
iinis.)
ASS. In the northern part of Africa is found, in its wild state, the animal
is a symmetrical, active animal of a uniform reddish cream tinge except for
placed along the back and transversely across the shoulders. (Equus ast-
vous sensibility, and the sense of taste is probably
also not particularly well developed, else it certainly
would be more exacting in its diet than the Horse.
Scheitlin tells us that its mental capacities are not
so slight as is generally believed. It has an excel-
lent memory and easily finds its way again over
any road which it has once traveled; in spite of its
stupid looks, it is sometimes possessed of no small
cunning; neither is it always so good-natured as
people think. Occasionally it even displays an
abominable viciousness. It may suddenly stop on
the road, oblivious of blows, and may even throw
418
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
itself down, carrying its burden with it and biting
and kicking the while. Some people believe that its
delicate hearing is the cause of all this, as every
noise dazes and frightens it, though as a rule, it is
not timid, but only capricious.
The Ass contents itself with the most indifferent
quality and the scantiest quantity of food. Grass
and hay from which a well-bred Cow would turn
with a snort expressive of disgust, and which a
Horse would disdain, are dainties to it, and it even
accepts thistles and thorny bushes and prickly herb-
age. It is only fastidious in the selection of its
drink; for it touches no turbid water. The liquid
may be salty or brackish, but it must be clear. In
traveling through deserts an Ass sometimes gives
its master a great deal of trouble, for in spite of the
greatest thirst it will not drink the roily water in
the leather water bottles.
.-• ev t72
■Hi - h !\ .*,
THE QUAGGA. — The south African animal shown in tlie picture is a very lively, fleet-
footed species of wild Horse. The picture very appropriately depicts it in company with the
Ostrich, for these birds are frequently found in the society of a herd of Quaggas on the sultry
African plains. {Equus quagga.)
Propagation of The young of the Ass are generally
Asses and born one, very rarely two, at a time,
Hybrids. ancj are perfectly developed and able
to see, and the mother tenderly cares for them. After
five or six months the foal may be weaned, but it
continues to follow the mother on all her journeys
for a long time. It does not require any particular
care or attention from Man, even in early youth, but
contents itself with any food given it, just like its
parents. It is an exceedingly lively, active creature,
and vents the gaiety of its heart in the funniest
capers. In the second year the Ass is grown up,
but does not reach its full maturity until the third
year. It may attain quite a great age, even when
subject to hard toil; for there arc instances on
record where Asses have lived to be forty or fifty
years old.
From the earliest ages Horse and Ass have been
bred together, the result being a hybrid offspring
called a Mule, if the father belonged to the Ass tribe,
or a Hinny if the mother was of that species. Bo^h
partake more of their mother's form than of their
father's, while their traits resemble those of
male progenitor.
The Mule and The Mule {Eqiius mulus) attains
the Hin- nearly the physical proportions of
"s. down to the hoofs. The group in the picture is
shown running, rolling and romping in true Horse fashion. (Equus zt/>m.)
white. Grayish white stripes, dashed with a reddish
tint, run across the head, neck and shoulders; on fore-
head and temples they are longitudinal and lie close
together, and on the cheeks they run transversely and
at greater intervals. Between the eyes and the mouth
they form a triangle. The neck contains ten such
stripes which are continued in the mane also; the
shoulders have four and the body a few more, which
become shorter and paler as they approach nearer the
hindquarters. Along the entire spine, back to the tail,
runs a blackish-brown band, bordered along its edges
with reddish gray. The ears are covered with white
hairs on the inside, the outside being yellowish white
and marked with one dark brown band. The sexes
resemble each other very much, the female being
somewhat smaller and possessed of a shorter tail.
The adult male attains a length of eighty inches,
or one hundred and four inches including the tail;
the height at the withers is about fifty-two inches.
the Ass rather than to the Horse, reminding one
most of the Dziggetai. The body, supported on
slender, well-shaped limbs, is stout and vigorous, the
neck is arched, the head short, the muzzle large and
somewhat obtuse, the tail of moderate length, for
the greater part overgrown with short hair but hav-
ing long hair only toward its lower extremity, thus
resembling an Ass' tail;' the mane is thick, but very
short. Transverse stripes of a lustrous black or
reddish brown hue run on a white or light yellowish
ground, from the muzzle to the hoofs; only the pos-
terior part of the abdomen and the inner sides of
the upper parts of the legs are free from stripes.
The dark, brown-black, longitudinal stripe on the
back is also conspicuous.
Range and Habits The real native country of the Ze-
of the Ze- bras is southern and eastern Africa;
bras. they arc not found within the
narrower equatorial regions of the western half of
4 '20
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
Africa nor any part of the Congo district, with
the exception of the remotest southeastern portion.
The Quagga is found to the north of Cape Colony,
in the Kalahari and German possessions in south-
western Africa to the Cunene, as well as in the
Transvaal. Burchell's and Chapman's Zebras occur
nearer to the Zambesi and the Cunene. The Zebra,
on the contrary, preferring a mountainous country,
has a far wider range than its relatives: in Cape
Colony it maintains its foothold to the present day
and to the north it penetrates as far as Benguela in
the west, and to about the twelfth parallel of south
latitude in the east.
The Zebras live gregariously. Generally they are
seen in groups of ten to thirty; but there are many
accounts of herds of them numbering hundreds
which when seen were probably in the act of migrat-
ing. Every different species is always met apart
from other species of the same family. Perhaps one
species of Zebra fears the other; but it is not afraid
of other animals. Thus all observers agree that
Quagga herds nearly always contain Spring-boks,
Gnus, Ostriches and. also Buffalos. Ostriches in
particular are said to be the constant companions of
this species of wild Horse, doubtless because the
latter derive greater benefit from the wariness and
vigilance of those gigantic birds.
All Zebras are exceedingly fleet, wary and timid
animals. They scour over hill and dale with wind-
like rapidity. A well-mounted rider finds it not
so very difficult to overtake a compact body of
fleeing Zebras, though a single individual easily es-
capes the swiftest rider. It is said that when the
pursuer succeeds in scattering the herd and separat-
ing the foals from their mothers, the young Quaggas
become willing captives and follow the Horses as
they did their mothers. There seems to exist a
certain friendship between the Zebras and the one-
hoofed domestic animals, for it is said that the Quag-
gas and Burchell's and Chapman's Zebras some-
times follow the Horses of traveling parties and
quietly graze among them.
Traits and Capa- The Zebras are not very fastidious
bilities of in the choice of their food; yet they
Zebras. are mGre exacting than the Asses.
Their native country offers them sufficient nourish-
ment, and if food becomes scarce in one place, they
set out in search of more productive localities.
The vocal expression of the Zebras is as different
from the neighing of the Horse as it is from the
braying sounds of the Ass. Cuvier says, that the
Quagga reiterates the syllables "oa oa"some twenty
times in succession, while other travelers describe
its cry with the words "qua qua;" or "quaha," which
also account for the origin of the Hottentot name of
the animal. The Dauw utters short sounds, some-
thing like "yu, yu," which, in captivity at least, are
rarely uttered more than three times in succession.
All the perceptive senses of the Zebras are acute.
The slightest noise fails to escape their ear, and
their eye is exceedingly keen and very rarely de-
ceived. In their mental attributes all are about on
a common plane. An unlimited love of freedom,
a mischievous disposition, a certain wildness. even
some malice and much courage are common charac-
teristics of them all. They valiantly defend them-
selves against the attacks of beasts of prey by kick-
ing and biting. Hyenas prudently let them alone.
Perhaps the powerful Lion is the only brute foe
which succeeds in overcoming a Zebra; the impu-
dent Leopard probably attacks only weak speci-
mens. The worst enemy of the Zebras is Man
The difficult}' of the pursuit and the beautiful skin
of the animal, which serves a variety of purposes,
prompt Europeans to vigorously hunt this quite
harmless quarry. Europeans kill Zebras with bullets,
natives with javelins; more frequently, however, the
dainty creatures are taken in pitfalls and then either
killed with little trouble or consigned to captivity.
The Zebras have been wrongly held to be untam-
able The people who are properly qualified for the
undertaking have not occupied themselves suffi-
ciently with the subjugation of these magnificent
animals. A few attempts have been crowned with
success, others have failed. Quaggas have been
repeatedly trained to convey burdens and draw
carts. In England a couple of the beautiful animals
are recorded to have been tamed to such an extent
that they could be harnessed to a light carriage and
used like Horses. Other accounts, however, are to
contrary effect. Sparrmann relates the first attempt
of a rich settler in Cape Colony to break Zebras to
harness. He had reared several young Zebras and
seemed to be satisfied with their conduct and had
confidence in their docility. One day he bethought
himself of harnessing the pretty animals to his car-
riage. He took the lines himself, and set out with
his racers. The trip must have been accomplished
in a very short time; for the happy owner of the
Zebras presently found himself in their stable, to-
gether with the remnants of his carriage. This and
a few similar attempts rendered the settlers of Cape
Colony thoughtful, and convinced them that the
taming of Zebras is impossible. All intelligent ob-
servers do not doubt, however, that we will win the
Zebras to our service in the course of time. Bar-
row affirms that success would be assured if people
proceeded with more patience and circumspection
than do the peasants of the Cape.
How the Zebra All species of Zebras bear confine-
Acts in Cap- ment in other than their native coun-
tiuity. tries without harmful results. They
enjoy the best of health if they receive good food;
and if they are properly managed they propagate
their young even if kept within narrow confines. It
has been demonstrated that the Zebras may produce
cross-breeds with others of the one-hoofed tribe also.
So far the following cross-breeds have been pro-
duced: Zebra and female Ass; male Ass and Zebra;
half Ass ( Mule or Hinny) with Zebra mare; half Ass
with Quagga, and Quagga with female Ass; also off-
spring of Zebra and female Ass, and offspring of Ass
and Zebra mare both breeding with a Pony. These
cases have proved the possibility of hybrids possess-
ing the power of propagating the species.
Zhc ^Tapirs.
SECOND FAHILY: Tapirid*:.
We regard the Tapirs ( Tapiridic) as the family
most closely allied to the Horses, for though rela-
tively small animals, of a clumsy organization, their
kinship to the Horse family is instantly recognized
by eyes observant of natural affinities. They are
distinguished by a tolerably well-shaped body, with
long, slender head, a slender neck, a short, stub-like
tail and proportionately long, stout legs. The erect
ears are short and rather broad, while the slanting
eyes are small. The upper lip is elongated into a
prehensile proboscis or trunk, which hangs down far
THE DAUW OR BURCHELI/S ZEBRA. The commonest species of the Horse family found in the great plains of Africa. Its sym-
metrical form, regular stripes, novel mane and graceful bearing make it one of the handsomest of quadrupeds. It associates with Antelopes and
Ostriches on its native plains, and the picture therefore 'correctly portrays its real home and habits. (Equus burchellii.)
(4«>
42!
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
beyond the lower lip. The stout feet are equipped
with four toes on the front pair and three on the
hinder pair. The strong hide has no wrinkles and
lies smoothly on the body. The hair is short, but
thick, and in the American species it is prolonged
into a mane from the middle of the head to the with-
ers. The dentition exhibits six incisors and one ca-
nine tooth in each side of both jaws, seven molars in
each side of the upper, and six in the corresponding
portions of the lower jaw. The bony structure of the
animal is distinguished by its comparative lightness.
Of the species of this family, for the most part
American, at least one has been known to us for a
considerable length of time, the others having been
discovered, described and classified only in a recent
period. It is rather surprising that the American
Tapir was the first enrolled in the books of natural
science, while the earliest definite information con-
cerning the Malayan Tapir came to the knowledge of
the white races in the beginning of this century;
though it was known a long time before, not to us,
but to the Chinese, whose natural histories and
school books mention it. In the Tapirs the same
physical comparison may be instituted which is al-
most invariably justified when a family has repre-
sentatives in the Old and New World: the Old World
species are of nobler physical organization, and, so
to speak, more perfect animals than those living in
the New World.
Distinctive Features The Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus
of the Malay or Tapirus malayanus) is easily dis-
Tapir. tinguished from its American kins-
man by its greater size; its proportionately more
slender shape; its head, thinner in the facial parts
and more curved in the skull portion; its stronger and
longer trunk; its stouter feet; the absence of a mane,
and lastly by its color. The difference in structure
of the trunks of these animals seems to me to be of
special importance. While the trunk of the Amer-
ican Tapir is abruptly projected from the upper lip
and has a rounded, tubular shape, the upper half of
the muzzle of the Malayan Tapir almost impercept-
ibly graduates into the trunk, the cross-section of
which is similar to that of an Elephant's trunk,
rounded in its upper half, but flattened in its lower
portion.
The color of the hairy coat which envelops the
entire body is highly characteristic. A pure, deep
black may be regarded as the ground-color; a grayish
white caparison stands out on it in bold relief. The
exact bodily measurements of an adult female were:
the total length amounted to one hundred inches,
inclusive of the tail, which was nearly two and one-
half inches long; the height from ground to shoulder
was forty inches, the height at the buttocks forty-
two inches. The animal is a native of Tcnasserim and
Siam, south of about the fifteenth parallel of north
latitude, the Malayan peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo.
It is a striking fact that despite our active com-
merce with India and southern Asia nothing definite
was known of this Tapir until I S 19, when the animal
was introduced to the notice of the western world
through the publication of the researches of Cuvier.
In 1N20 the first skin, skeleton and various internal
parts of the yet very little known creature arrived in
Europe. We have received more information about
it since, but still we cannot boast of a perfect knowl-
edge concerning it. There is yet no authentic ac-
count given of the life of the animal in the free state;
neither do the observations of its life in captivity
entirely comprehend the subject. Sterndale charac-
terizes it as a shy animal, living in seclusion, which,
if taken young, can be easily tamed and is capable
of great affection.
Description of the A short mane on the neck and a
American skin of one color characterize the
Tapir. American Tapir ( Tapirus americanm
or Tapirus tcrrcstris) which is also called Anta or
Danta in Brazil. It is that species of the family
with which we first become acquainted. A few
years after the discovery of the American continent
travelers began telling talcs of a large animal, which
they believed to be a Hippopotamus, and the Euro-
pean naturalists therefore bestowed the appellation
of Hippopotamus tcrrcstris on it. The famous Mar-
grave of Licbstad first gave a detailed description
and picture of it about the middle of the eighteenth
century. Later travelers and explorers completed
the first description, and at present there are few
animals about which we are better informed than
about this species of Tapir. The body shows a
rather uniform covering of hair, which is elongated
into a stiff but short mane from the middle of the
upper part of the head along the neck to the shoul-
ders. The color is a blackish gray-brown, assuming
a lighter tint on the sides of the head, especially on
the neck and breast; the feet and tail, the spine and
nape of the neck are usually darker; the ears are
edged with whitish gray. Various modifications in
the color of the coat of hair occur. There are pale
gray, yellowish or brownish individuals. Young
animals show only on the back the ground color
prevalent all over the bodies of the old ones. The
upper surface of the head is closely besprinkled
with circular, white spots, and along each side of the
body run four continuous lines of dots of a light hue,
extending also over the limbs. As age advances,
these spots coalesce into each other, forming bands,
and disappear entirely at the end of the second
year. According to Tschudi's measurements, the
Tapir may attain a length of eighty inches and a
height of sixty-eight; Kappler, however, finds that
with this length the height of the animal at the
shoulder is barely forty inches. It is a strange fact
that these measurements apply to the female Tapir,
she as a rule being the larger of the two.
Range of the Recent investigations show the range
American of the Tapir to be restricted to the
Tapir. south and east of South America,
while in the north and in the west of the southern
half, as well as in Central America, it is replaced by
closely allied but distinct species.
The accounts of the Tapirs given in this work arc
based on the communications of Azara, Rengger,
Prince of Wied, Tschudi, Schomburgk and others,
regarding the American species; for we lack any
detailed accounts of the life of the Asiatic Tapir.
Besides, all species are so similar that it suffices to
examine closely into the life and doings of the one.
All species of Tapirs inhabit woodlands, and sed-
ulously shun gaps or open land. For this reason
they are the first to recede before the strides of
human civilization and retreat into the depth of the
forest, while, as Hensel says in speaking of South
America, the remaining animals of the tropics press
to those parts of the wood which border on the
lands which have been made arable. In the brush-
wood of the South American forests the Tapirs
make well defined, beaten roads, which are with
difficulty distinguished from the paths of the Indi-
ans and an inexperienced person is often induced to
follow them to his detriment and confusion. The
THE TAPIRS.
423
animals use these paths as long as they are not
molested; when alarmed or pursued, however, they
plunge through the most tangled thicket with ease.
Habits and Move- The Tapirs are mainly animals of
ments of the the darkness. Tschudi says: "For
Tapir. months we roamed through the
dense forests, containing hosts of Tapirs, but we
never saw one during the day, for in the daytime
thev seem to remain concealed in the dense brush-
wood, in cool, shady places, affecting the proximity
01 stagnant water, in which they like to wallow.
In quite undisturbed and very dense forests, how-
ever, they also rove about by day. It is true, that
they are averse to moving about in the sunshine,
and' in the middle of the day they always seek in
dense shades shelter from the fatiguing heat and
from Mosquitoes, which annoy them to an extent
almost unbearable." Prince W'ied says: "If one
In their movements the Tapirs remind the on-
looker of Hogs. Their walk is slow and deliberate;
one leg is leisurely put in front of the other, the
head is bent to the ground and only the sniffing
trunk, constantly moving back and forth, as well as
the restless ears, enliven the lazy aspect of the crea-
ture. The Tapir is an excellent swimmer and a still
better diver, and crosses the widest rivers with ap-
parent ease, not only when compelled to swim by
pursuit, but whenever occasion offers.
The Senses and Among the perceptive senses of the
General Traits of Tapir those of smell and hearing de-
Tapirs. cidedly rank highest, and are prob-
ably of equal keenness; sight is comparatively weak.
This deficiency is, however, partially compensated
by an exquisitely susceptible sense of touch, espe-
cially in the trunk, in which it is very delicate, and
is used in manifold ways. The vocal expression is
MALAYAN TAPIR. — Though so far from its American cousin the Malayan Tapir closely resembles it in physical characteristics and habits. It
is longer and not quite so clumsy as the American Tapir, but the special distinguishing mark of the Asiatic species is the large white patch on the real
portion of the back and sides, as indicated in this picture. ( Tapit :■
goes to a river in the early morning or in the even-
ing, softly and noiselessly, he may frequently see-
Tapirs bathing, for the purpose of cooling them-
selves or of getting rid of the torments of Mosqui-
toes. Xo animal knows better how to protect itself
from these annoying insects; every mud-pool, every
creek or pond is utilized by them with this end in
view." Towards evening the Tapirs sally forth in
quest of food, and probably they are active all night.
Their habits show a resemblance to those of the
Wild Boar, but they do not herd together in such
numbers as do Hogs, but live singly, like the Rhi-
noceros. The males especially are said to possess
solitary habits and join the females only during the
breeding season. Herds or groups are seldom met
with, and bands numbering more than three have
been observed only where a particularly good, rich
pasturage had attracted several Tapirs.
a peculiar, shrill whistle, out of all proportion to the
bulk of the animal.
All Tapirs seem to be good-natured, timid and
peaceable creatures, which have recourse to the use
of their natural weapons only in dire necessity. They
flee from every foe, even from the smallest of Dogs,
but most anxiously from Man, of whose superior
might they are well aware. This is shown by the
mere fact of their being much more wary and shy
in regions near plantations than in the untrodden
forest. This ride of extreme timidity has exceptions,
however. Occasionally they defend themselves and
when aroused are by no means despicable antago-
nists. They rush at the enemy in blind fury, try to
run over him, and sometimes they may use their teeth
after the manner of enraged Hogs. In this way the
mothers defend their young, when the latter are
menaced by a sportsman. Then they brave any dan-
424
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
ger and heed no wound. Any one who has dealt with
captive Tapirs for any sufficient length of time knows
that they are mentally much above Rhinoceroses and
Hippopotami, and about on the same level of intel-
ligence as Pigs. "A Tapir taken young," says Reng-
ger, "accustoms itself in a few days to human beings
and habitation, not leaving the latter after once be-
coming thoroughly acquainted with the surround-
ings. It becomes restless if its keeper leaves it for
any considerable time, and seeks him, if it is at lib-
erty. It allows anybody to touch and stroke it."
Kappler, who frequently reared young Tapirs, says
that he always used to make somebody a present of
them while still young, because they became so an-
noyingly familiar; an adult specimen once pulled
the cloth off a set table with everything that was on
it. Those that I have taken care of justified these
statements. Both species proved to be very good-
natured creatures. They were quite tame, possessed
of peaceable intentions toward all animals, perfectly
agreeing among themselves, and affectionate toward
their friends. Keller-Leuzinger is persuaded that
the Anta could be reduced to a domestic state. He
says that those which are taken young become as
tame as Dogs in a few days, and never think of es-
caping. "In Curitiba, the capital of the province of
Parana," he says, "a tame, ownerless Tapir used to
run about in the streets for several years; from morn-
ing to night Negro boys would ride on it. A tem-
perature of two or three degrees below zero, centi-
grade, as happens there quite frequently in June and
July, seemed to affect it very little."
Tapirs in the free state feed exclusively on vege-
table substances, such as leaves of trees. In Brazil
they are partial to young palm leaves; not infre-
quently, however, they invade plantations and prove
that they are also fond of sugar cane, mangoes, mel-
ons and other vegetables.
Tapirs Vigorously All species of Tapirs are vigorously
Hunted by hunted by the natives of the coun-
Natiues. tries they inhabit, as both their flesh
and skin are utilized. The flesh is said to be tender,
juicy and savory; the thick hide is tanned and cut
into long strips, which are rounded, made flexible
by repeated rubbing in of hot lard, and then made
into whips or bridles.
In America the Tapir is usually hunted with
Hounds. The Dogs eagerly pursue the fleeing ani-
mal, until, as is always the case, it reaches the near-
est body of water. There a hunter is hidden in a
light boat near the bank, and he helps the Dogs to
run down the swimming and diving quarry. Unless
the water surface be so small that the Tapir can
cross it quickly and obscure the trail, it is soon over-
taken and killed by a bullet or a long hunting knife.
Von den Steinen graphically describes a Tapir hunt,
which happened during his trip on the Xingu :
" Valentin discovered a Tapir swimming near the
bank; everybody came hurrying up to assist in the
chase. Irinco hit it with two bullets, one lodging in
the flanks, the other in the trunk; Valentin sent a
charge of small shot whistling by its ears — still it
scampered into the forest. The Dogs rush on in
pursuit and we row with all our might; then follow
fresh reports from the guns and the Tapir disap-
pears into the thicket. The Dogs look stupidly into
the water, completely at fault. Soon a little Pom-
eranian Dog regains the trail, traces the animal
and the others help it. Then, at a distance of a
third of a mile, the Tapir reappears in the water; an
exciting race and indescribable confusion follow. It
dives and comes up again; Pedro shoots at a dis-
tance of five paces and misses; he sends off an
arrow, which rebounds from the tough hide; Mer-
ellcs also misses it at a close distance, while some-
body else hits it. The boats nearly upset each other,
as we try to seize it; our boat careens over and is
filled with water. We stick knives into the Tapir;
the Yuruma pricks it with an arrow, the Woman
waves her arms in excitement and screams that we
ought to lasso the creature. Antonio's knife thrust is
followed by a jet of blood, the animal again plunges
under water, but, coming up between two boats, it is
seized by a leg, killed and dragged to the nearest
rock. It is a huge beast, a ' regular Mule,' and is
covered with large, brown ticks. The short, stiff
mane is rather good-looking, appearing like that
of the Greek Horses of the gods."
Zbe IRbinoceroees,
THIRD FAHILY: Rhinocerotidje.
Even purely superficial consideiation and compar-
ison reveal some of the common anatomical fea-
tures which cause Horses, Tapirs and Rhinoceroses
to be classified within the same order; but a still
closer analysis is necessary in order to recognize the
comparatively near kinship of the families repre-
sented by them.
General Character-The Rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidai)
istics of Rhi- are stout, unwieldy animals of rather
noceroses. bulky proportions, distinguished by
a strikingly elongated head, the lower or nasal por-
tion of which supports a horn, or two horns standing
one behind the other; a short neck, a thick, rotund
body, covered with a tough, armor-like skin, almost
entirely, or for the greater part, devoid of hairy over-
growth; a short tail, and short, sturdy, but by no
means clumsy legs, the feet of both the front and
hinder pair having each three hoofed toes. Every
individual member of the body appears queer and pe-
culiar, even if compared with the corresponding por-
tion of other members of the family of the Perisso-
dactyla. The head is much elongated, the facial part
in particular being disproportionately lengthened,
while the skull part is greatly compressed from front
to rear, so that the forehead recedes abruptly, giving
rise to a deeply indented saddle or ridge between
it and the perceptibly higher nasal portion. The
mouth is disproportionately small, and the upper lip
is drawn out at its center, into a gradually tapering,
trunk-like appendage. The lower lip is slightly
rounded, or else its extremity presents a flattened,
chopped-off appearance. The eyes are strikingly
small; the ears are rather large and rounded on their
outer margins. The short, wrinkled neck, which is
thicker than the head, merges into the bulky body
without any perceptible line of demarcation. The
body is characterized by a peculiar formation of the
backbone, the spines of which are sharp and grow
longer and more prominent toward the middle of the
back; the buttocks are slightly higher than the shoul-
ders; the abdomen is "paunchy" and pendulous; the
short tail is either much compressed laterally toward
its extremity, in which case its width from root to
tip is nearly uniform, or else it is long and tapering.
The legs, down to the ankle joints, crook inward like
those of a German Badger Dog, but below that point
are straight. The feet broaden out equally on all
sides, down to the soles, which are of ovoid shape.
THE RHIXOCEROSES.
425
Of the three toes on each foot the width of the mid-
dle one is nearly double that of either of the others.
The skin is very thick, and in most species of the
family is of an almost armor-like toughness. It
either envelops the body snugly, with the exception
of a few not very prominent folds, or else it is di-
vided into several distinct shields, separated by deep
furrows. The loose skin of these interstices affords
the only means of mobility, for the shields may be
made to touch or even oAap each other at these
furrows, which are compo^^Lof a thinner and much
more flexible skin than ths^^hich forms the shields.
Deep wrinkles surround the eyes and mouth, and in
the latter instance impart an unexpected degree of
flexibility to the clumsy appearing, but actually very
mobile lips. A network of shallow depressions cross
in individual instances and not as a general rule, the
superficial skin exhibits horny excrescences attain-
ing the height of an inch or thereabouts, on different
portions of the body, but usually on the head.
The bony skeleton is of a clumsy, vigorous struct-
ure. In respect to dentition it may be said that
the canines are absent; the African species also lack
the incisors in both jaws, but the Asiatic species
usually show them during their entire life. The re-
maining teeth consist of seven molars on both sides
of each jaw.
The Rhinoceroses, which at present inhabit the
Oriental and Ethiopian belts, were more widely
distributed in former times, their earlier range in-
cluding southern Germany, France, England, Rus-
sia and Siberia. Among the extinct species which
AMERICAN TAPIRS. Here is a group of these South American animals luxuriating in the native swamps which furnish them plentifully
with the leaves, shoots and fruits which form their food. The clumsy body, head and proboscis-like snout of the adults are shown, and the peculiar spots:
and stripes of the infant Tapir arc also portrayed. These markings disappear with maturity. ( Tapirus amtricanus.)
have been classified, one particularly deserves to be
mentioned — the two-horned prehistoric Rhinoceros,
with a bony nasal partition {Rhinoceros tichorhinus) —
because its remains have been found preserved not
alone in a few separate bones, but quite complete
with skin and hair. In northern Asia, from the Ob
to the Straits of Behring, there is no river in the
open country on the banks of which the fossil re-
mains of prehistoric animals, especially of Elephants,
Buffaloes and Rhinoceroses, can not be found.
Flowers Classified- Our knowledge of the existing spe-
tion of the Rhi- cies has been materially extended
noceroses. during recent times, but is even yet
far from satisfactory. Flower, in the year 1876, sub-
jected the family to a new revision and considera-
tion. This naturalist distinguishes three main groups
each other on the skin, separating it into elevations
of very uniform shape, apparently arranged into a
pattern of regular design; and which forms, on the
thick, shield-like portions of the hide, an especially
odd but attractive adornment. The hairy covering
of the Rhinoceroses is usually restricted to a moder-
ately long fringe upon the ear margins and upon the
broadly-compressed extremity of the tail, but in a
few varieties it also extends to several spots on the
skin. The horns, which have their foundations in,
and are really developments of the superficial skin,
consist of extremely fine, round or angular fibres of
horny tissue arranged in parallel lines and forming
hollow cones; and their broad, rounded bases are
attached to the thick skin which covers the nasal
portion of the face. Not infrequently, though only
426
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
of the family, arranged in accordance with their
dentition and the folds of the skin. The first group
comprises all species, the skin of which is divided
into shields; the second embraces those, the skin of
which shows less folds, and in the third group the
skins do not exhibit any permanent folds.
One horn and well developed folds on neck and
loins, which bound the coat of mail formed by the
skin and surround shield-like areas, characterize the
Shielded Rhinoceroses {Rhinoceros), represented by
two living varieties.
Description of the The Rhinoceros or Unicorn, usually
Indian Rhi- called the Indian Rhinoceros {Rhi-
noceros, noceros unicornis) attains a total length
of twelve and one-half feet, including the tail, which
is two feet long; the height at the shoulders is five
feet, eight inches, and the weight amounts to 4,000
pounds or thereabouts. Of sturdy and strong build,
it is distinguished from its relatives by its compara-
tively short, broad, thick head, and the character of
the margins of the shields, which is peculiar to this
species. The range of this Rhinoceros now extends
throughout the northern part of India.
The Javan or The other variety of this sub-species
Wara Rhi- is the Wara Rhinoceros, commonly
noceros. known as the Javan Rhinoceros (Rhi-
noceros sondaicus). As far as our knowledge goes,
this species appears to have a much more extensive
range than the Indian Rhinoceros.
The African Rhinoceros {Atelodus) is characterized
by either the absence or rudimentary character of
incisors in its dentition. Its smooth, even and hair-
less skin is marked by distinct folds only at the base
of the neck and is divided neither into shields nor
zones. Its defensive weapons consist of two slender
horns, placed one behind the other.
Black Rhinoceros The best known representative of
the Best Known this sub-species is the Two-horned
Variety. Rhinoceros (' Rhinoceros bicornis ),
called the Black Rhinoceros by the Boers and Eng-
lish hunters, Borele by the natives of south Africa,
and Keitloa, if its posterior horn is very long. Its
color varies between a uniform dark, slaty gray, and
a dingy, reddish brown. Full-grown bulls have a
total length of thirteen feet, four inches, inclusive of
the tail, which is usually about two feet long; the
height at the shoulders is five feet, four inches. The
horns are inclined in a backward angle, and are
from twenty-eight to thirty-two inches long. In
rare cases the rear horn is as long or slightly longer
than the foremost one, but in the majority of cases
it does not attain half the length of the anterior horn
and often appears as a mere stub. The range of the
animal has been considerably restricted, especially
from the south, but it is still quite extensive, as it
comprises a large part of Africa, especially its east-
ern half, south from about the fifteenth parallel of
north latitude.
The Rhinoceros The ancients were familiar with the
Well Known to Rhinoceros. Pliny records that
the Ancients. Pompey introduced the first Unicorn
at the games in Rome in the year 61 B. C, at the
same time that he imported the Lynx from Gaul and
the Baboon from Ethiopia. Agatharchides was the
first to speak of these animals; Strabo, who saw a
Rhinoceros in Alexandria, was the- second. Pausa-
nias refers to it under the name of " Ethiopian
Ox," Martial also mentions it in one of his verses.
Early Arabian authors speak about both varieties
and discriminate between the Indian and African
species, and in their folk-lore tales the animals fre-
quently play the part of magical beings. Marco
Polo, that renowned traveler and author, who plays
so important a part in respect of the ancient rec-
ords of zoology, was the first to break the silence
after the long lapse of time, during which nothing
had been heard about the Rhinoceros. He saw it
on his journey to the East Indies, namely in Suma-
tra, in the thirteenth century. In 15 13 the King ot
Portugal received a living Rhinoceros from the East
Indies. Its fame resounded throughout the Euro-
pean countries. Albrecht Durer published an en-
graving, which he had made after a poor picture he
received from Lisbon. It represents an animal
which appears as if it were clothed in a suit of
armor, the feet being also incased in scales of mail,
and the shoulder being surmounted by a small horn.
For nearly two hundred years that engraving of the
famous master was the only existing European pic-
ture of the Rhinoceros. Chardin, who saw the ani-
mal in Ispahan early in the eighteenth century, was
the first to give an approximately correct picture of
this animal. Bontius had corrected the description
of its life about the middle of the seventeeth cen-
tury.
On the whole, all Rhinoceroses have much in
common in their mode of life, their character, their
qualities, their movements and their food; yet every
variety seems to have its individual peculiarities.
The Asiatic varieties of the Rhinoceros, for instance,
are thought to be exceedingly vicious animals. The
Javan variety is described as much better natured,
and that of Sumatra (Rhinoceros sumatrensis) is said
to be quite inoffensive. The same variation in char-
acteristics holds good in regard to the African Rhi-
noceroses. The Two-horned Rhinoceros is said to
be the fiercest of all African animals, despite its
small size; while the larger "white" variety exhibits
a much milder and comparatively harmless dispo-
sition. There is probably some truth in this ac-
count, but the whole truth may be that every Rhi-
noceros shows good nature at its first acquaintance
with Man, and while it is not provoked, but becomes
vicious when taught by experience that Man is an
enemy, or when its enmity is aroused by provoca-
tion.
Favored Haunts The favorite haunts of the Rhinoc-
of the Rhi- erbs are watery localities such as
noceros. marshy districts, rivers which over-
flow the country adjacent to their banks to a great
distance; lakes with bushy, muddy banks, in the
proximity of which there is rich pasturage; wood-
lands through which flow creeks, and similar locali-
ties. The African variety is also very comfortable in
rather dry stretches of country, rich in grass and
bushes, provided there are pools within its reach.
Even the most tangled thicket, inaccessible to other
creatures, opens its innermost recesses to these bulky
animals, for against their coats of mail the most pen-
etrating thorns are powerless. Therefore nearly all
species of Rhinoceroses are most frequently en-
countered in forests, stretching inland from the sea-
coast, others of them occurring more regularly and
frequently in the hilly country than in the plains.
Every Rhinoceros probably visits the water once a
day to drink and wallow in the mud.
A mud bath is an actual necessity to all thick-
skinned animals living on dry land; for appropriate
as the adjective "thick " is in regard to their skins,
they are exceedingly sensitive to the stings of the
various species of Flics, Gnats and Mosquitoes, and
obtain some degree of relief only by incasing them-
INDIAN RHINOCEROS. Here in a deep, damp part of the jungle, where a convenient stream invites to aquatic exercise, are two
Rhinoceroses of the One-Horned or Indian species. The thick skin, divided into several shields, the strange, wrinkled neck, and the single
horn, surmounting the muzzle, combine to give this animal an especially formidable appearance. (Rhinoceros unicornis.)
<4&
428
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
selves in a thick crust of mud. Before even going
in search of food, the animals hurry to the soft
banks of lakes, pools and rivers, dig a hole in the
marshy soil and wallow and turn about in it, until
their backs, shoulders, sides and abdomen are covered
with mud. This wallowing in the mire is so grate-
ful to them that they utter loud grunts of satisfac-
tion and may even be entranced and occupied by
the comfortable bath to such an extent as to forget
their usual wariness.
The Rhinoceroses are more active by night than
by day. Great heat is distressful to them; for this
reason they sleep through the warmer part of the
day in some shady place, lying recumbent, half on
the side, half on the abdomen, the head stretched
out upon the ground between their forelegs, or rest-
ing on those members, or sometimes they lazily
stand in some quiet place in the wood, where the
thick foliage of the larger trees protects them from
the burning rays of the sun. All observers agree
that the sleep of these animals is very deep. Fre-
quently one may approach sleeping Rhinoceroses
without special caution, for they lie apparently as
lifeless as blocks of stone. Generally one hears the
resounding snore of a sleeping Rhinoceros at quite a
distance and has his attention attracted even if he fail
to see the creature. It sometimes happens, however,
that a Rhinoceros breathes quietly when asleep, and
that one suddenly confronts one of these monsters
without having had a suspicion of its proximity.
Feeding Grounds At the approach of night, and in
and Food of the many localities as early as the after-
Rhinoceros. noon, the unwieldy creature rises,
takes a mud-bath, luxuriously stretching its limbs in
it and then goes forth to forage. It feeds in dense
forests, hardly accessible to other animals, as well
as in the open country; in the water and pens and
thickets of the swamps, no less than in high dry
lands of the mountains and valleys. In the jungles
of India the traveler frequently observes long and
perfectly straight roads made by Rhinoceroses, all
vegetation along the way being crushed aside, and
the soil being trampled compactly and much worn.
In the center of Africa similar paths may be seen.
In regard to its food, the Rhinoceros occupies
about the same relation to the Elephant as the Ass
to the Horse. It browses on branches and dry, hard
shrubbery of all kinds, eats thistles, broom-grass,
underbrush, reeels, prairie-grass and so on, without,
however, being averse to more succulent food. In
Africa the main sustenance of some individuals con-
sists of branches, especially those of the widely
plentiful thorny mimosas; others confine themselves
principally to a diet of tuft-grass. Occasionally the
animals commit considerable depredations in the
cultivated fields of the districts in which agriculture
flourishes. They trample down and destroy a great
deal more in plantations than they eat. The food is
gathered with the wide mouth or seized and broken
with the prehensile extension of the upper lip, which
fulfills the functions of a hand-like appendage, when
the animal eats. The Indian Rhinoceros can extend
the trunk-like projection of the upper lip to the
extent of about six inches, and seize a thick tuft of
grass with it, pull it up and convey it to the mouth.
Whether the grass is clean or whether some earth
adheres to the roots, seems to be a matter of indif-
ference. It is true that the animal beats a pulled-up
bush against the ground once, in order to shake off
the bulk of the earthy matter adhering to the roots,
but after that one effort it conveys the plant into its
huge mouth with the utmost complacence, and swal-
lows it without evincing any discomfort or making
any obvious effort. It is also partial to roots; thes
it is able to obtain with great skill and ease. W'her
in a playful humor, it amuses itself by digging
small tree or shrub out of the ground, for pure pas-
time, sweeping its powerful horn about under the
roots, until it can finally seize the bush and lift it up;
then the roots are broken off by successive blows
and consumed.
Mental Character- The character of the Rhinoceros is
istics of Rhi- not very attractive. Its entire time
noceroses. js passed in eating and sleeping, and
it seems to be unaware of the existence of the rest
of the world. Unlike the Elephant, the Rhinoc-
eroses do not live in herds, but usually singly or at
the utmost in small bands numbering from four to
ten. There is little connection between the members
of such a herd; as a rule each lives for itself and acts
as it likes. Yet it cannot be truthfully affirmed that
one regards the other with dull indifference; for,
leaving a mother and her young out of considera-
tion, friendly, and even affectionate relations often
exist between the two sexes, which may be of a very
tender and lasting character, sometimes ending only
with death. Their mental faculties appear as slug-
gish as their bodies, but in reality neither are so. A
Rhinoceros generally strides along with a ponderous
and somewhat clumsy gait, and when it lies down
and wallows, it seemingly does so as awkwardly as
possible; but these movements appear more clumsy
than they really are. The Rhinoceros does not pace
or amble like the Elephant, but strikes out with the
opposite fore and hind legs simultaneously, after the
manner of a trotting Horse. Every Rhinoceros in-
dulges in swimming, but generally remains on the
surface of the water, and does not dive unless it is
absolutely necessary.
Senses and Mental Among the perceptive senses of the
Attributes of Rhi- Rhinoceros, that of hearing ranks
noceroses. first; smell comes next and then
touch. Sight is very weak. The sense of hearing
must be extremely acute, for the animal is cogni-
zant of very slight sounds proceeding from a great
distance. The presence of the sensation of taste
can not be denied; at least I observed that sugar
was an article considered highly desirable by tame
specimens, and consumed by them with special de-
light. The vocal utterance of the Rhinoceros con-
sists of a dull growl, changing into a ferocious snort-
ing and panting in anger. In a state of natural
freedom these snorts may be frequently heard; for
the rage of a Rhinoceros is easily excited and its
habitual indifference toward everything that does
not come under the classification of food, may very
soon turn to the direst anger. It is then absolutely
reckless of the number or strength of its enemies,
and blindly rushes straight at the object of its wrath.
The frenzied animal seems to care very little whether
a troop of armed Men oppose it, or whether the ob-
ject of its ire is perfectly inoffensive and insignifi-
cant. Red objects are said to irritate it, as they do
a Bull; at least it has been known to attack people
attired in bright colors, who had done nothing to
provoke it. Fortunately escape from a Rhinoceros
rushing on in blind rage is not difficult. An experi-
enced hunter allows it to approach to within ten or
fifteen paces distance and then suddenly jumps aside
out of its pathway; the frenzied beast rushes past
him, unable to turn until it has gone too far to scent
its foe any longer, and continues its mad chase at
TWOHORNED RHINOCEROS. This is an African species, very much at home in the dense forest, which amply supplies it with
the leaves and young shoots which form its food. Once very common throughout Africa, its numbers are decreasing yearly because of the
vigor with which it is hunted. {Rhinoceros iieornis.)
(420)
r.)0
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
haphazard, perhaps venting its rage on another and
innocent object which it may chance to meet.
Reproduction and The female Rhinoceros gives birth
Growth of the to only a single young one in any
Rhinoceros. one year. It is a small, clumsy
beast about the size of a half-grown Pig, and born
with open eyes. Its ruddy skin is devoid of folds,
but a rudiment of the horn is already to be dis-
covered. It is not known how long the young Rhi-
noceros remains under the care of its mother;
neither is the relation of the father toward his off-
spring known. The growth of the young animal
progresses rapidly during the first few months. A
Rhinoceros which measured about twenty-four
inches in height and forty-four inches in length on
the third day, grew five inches in height and six
inches in length in one month. By the time it is
thirteen months old it has usually attained a height
of forty-eight inches, a length of eighty and a girth
of eighty-four inches.
Relations Between In former times many tales were
Rhinoceroses and current relative to the friendships
Other Animals. anci animosities of the Rhinoceros,
Especially was the Elephant said to be in continu-
ous strife with it and to be always defeated. These
stories, descending to us from the days of Pliny,
are occasionally warmed over by some traveler, but
doubtless should be regarded as fables. The stories
recounting the friendly relations existing between
this animal and weaker creatures are more correct.
Anderson, Gordon dimming and other noted trav-
elers and writers, nearly always found the Two-
horned as well as the large White Rhinoceros at-
tended by a friendly bird, to which the animal has
lent its own name, and which faithfully accompanies
its giant friend throughout the day, in a certain way
performs the services of a sentinel and feeds on the
vermin with which the animals swarm. It therefore
keeps in the immediate neighborhood of the ani-
mals or perches on their very bodies. These birds
are the best friends of the Rhinoceros and rarely
fail to apprize it of an impending danger. Naturally
the faithful attendance of these birds is appreciated,
for the most dull-witted mammal would feel grate-
ful for the great benefit they render it by picking
off the tormenting insects. Yet I will leave it an
open question whether or not, at the approach of an
enemy, especially Man, the birds peck at the ears
of the animal upon the body of which they find
their favorite food. I incline to the belief that the
general restlessness which the feathered sentinels
exhibit at the sight of anything suspicious, is suffi-
cient to put the Rhinoceros on the alert. We know
beyond peradventurc, that certain specially cautious
or timid birds are appreciated by other animals as
sentinels and warners, and encouraged by them to
cultivate intimate social relations. The Rhinoceros
probably encounters few willing antagonists besides
Man. Lions and Tigers shun the animal, because
they know that their claws are too weak to inflict
deep or effective wounds upon it because of the
protection afforded by its thick coat of mail, but
they may occasionally menace a calf separated from
iLs mother. The Rhinoceros fears other small ani-
mals much more than it does the large beasts of
prey, and finds most annoying foes especially among
some kinds of Gad-flies and Mosquitoes.
Man the Arch Ene- Man is undoubtedly its mest dan-
mi/ of the Rhi- gerous foe. The people of nations
noceros. within whose domain the unwieldy
creature lives, as well as European sportsmen, pur-
sue it most diligently. It was formerly erroncouslj
believed that the thick hide was bullet-proof; there
is no doubt, however, that a knife, a spear or even
an arrow projected from a strong bow can pierce it
The native hunters endeavor to approach the Rhi-
noceros against the wind during its sleep, and thrust
their spears into its body or apply the muzzles of
their guns very close to some vulnerable part in order
that it may receive the full impetus of their bullets.
The Abyssinians employ javelins, sometimes fling-
ing as many as fifty or sixty at one Rhinoceros.
When it is somewhat exhausted with the loss of
blood, one of the boldest approaches it and tries tc
hamstring it by severing the main tendon of the
hind-leg with a sharp sword, in order to paralyze
the movements of the animal and render further
resistance impossible. In India Elephants are em-
ployed in the chase, but even they are sometimes
endangered by the attacks of the infuriated animal.
The African species are hunted by Europeans in the
same way that Elephants are: the sportsman lies in
wait for them at night at their drinking place; they
are stealthily approached in the thicket where they
lie asleep by da}', or the hunters ride up to them in
the open country, in order to secure an opportunity
to send bullets of large caliber, propelled by heavy
charges of powder, into the most vulnerable region
of their bodies from the nearest possible distance.
Various Methods of The capture of the beast alive is
Capturing the attended by greater difficulties than
Rhinoceros. the hunt. The Wara Rhinoceros is
taken mainly on account of its horn, which brings a
high price among the Chinese. In order to capture it
deep, narrow pits are dug in the course of its paths;
these pits are planted with stout, sharp-pointed poles
intended to pierce and impale the heavy animal as it
falls; they are then carefully covered with branches
of trees. The Rhinoceros pursues its usual pathway,
breaks through the branches and tumbles into the
pit, and even if it escapes being injured, it is still un-
able to climb out and effect an escape. The young
Rhinoceroses, which are occasionally sold in the
various markets of the world, are caught in Africa
by hunting parties during the breeding season. Old
cows with calves are sought; the mothers are killed
and the young are then easily captured.
Selous recounts a remarkable case of helpless con-
fidence shown by a young Two-horned Rhinoceros.
One morning as he was setting out for a hunt with
his companion, Mr. Wood, they unexpectedly met an
old Rhinoceros near a fence, and immediately shot
it, hitting it with two bullets. The animal was seri-
ously wounded and fled, and then only did they dis-
cover that it was a cow, and that a calf a few days
old was vainly endeavoring to follow it. The little
creature desisted from its purpose and crept under
Wood's Horse, while Selous despatched the mother
with a final shot. "On returning to my friend," says
he, "I found him sitting under a tree, and the calf
standing close to his Horse, which did not seem to
be at all afraid of the little monster. The little calf
was hardly larger than a half-grown Pig, and showed
no sign of fear when we or our native attendants
came up to it and stroked it. One circumstance
struck me as odd; it perspired violently all over its
back, something which I never saw an adult Rhinoc-
eros do. As the untamed little orphan followed
Wood's Horse, as if it were its mother, we concluded
to take it along to our vehicles, which were some six
miles away, and to try to rear it. So we set out and
the little creature followed us like a Doe. The hot
THE CONIES.
431
sua seemed to inconvenience it greatly, for it stopped
at every shady bush; but as soon as we would ad-
vance about thirty paces ahead, it would wave its
little tail, squeal and trot on to join its Horse. Fi-
nally we reached the wagons and then the behavior
of the confiding little creature underwent a sudden
change. Whether it was due to the presence of the
Dogs, which jumped around it barking, or to the un-
familiar appearance of the carts, the general aggre-
gation of human beings, smells and miscellaneous
objects which go to make up a camp, I do not know,
but our protege was suddenly transformed into a
veritable little devil, furiously charging at Men, Dogs
and even cart-wheels. We secured it by means of a
strap around its neck and shoulders, but it proved
very refractory during the operation, jumping into
the air, rushing at me and furiously thrusting at my
knee with its nose. We fastened it to a cart-wheel,
and it began to quiet - - ... .^.^^^ ^ ■ =^
down, but whenever ap-
proached by Man or
Dog it relapsed into its
former savagery. As I
had feared, it took none
of the nourishment pre-
pared and offered to it
by us; milk would prob-
ably have proven ac-
ceptable, but unfortu-
nately we could not get
it, as we had no cows.
As all attempts to induce
it to eat failed, and we
could foresee that if we
set it free, it would
either miserably starve
or breathe its last be-
tween the teeth of some
Lion or Hyaena, I decid-
ed to shoot the forlorn
creature, which it would
have given me so much
pleasure to rear."
In our zoological gar-
dens the majority of
Rhinoceroses are good-
natured and tame, suffer
themselves to be petted,
driven back and forth,
and generally managed
without offering any resistance, and gradually be-
come strongly attached to every keeper who treats
them judiciously. There is only one case on record
in which a captive Rhinoceros exhibited a vicious
disposition, and that was where one of these animals
attacked and killed two Men.
are the Conies, the smallest and daintiest of all the
existing species of Odd-toed animals.
Classification and Naturalists have held widely diver-
Characteristics gent opinions as to the classification
of Conies. of these pretty cliff-dwellers. Pallas,
because of their habits and outward appearance,
classed them as rodents; Oken thought them to be
related to the marsupials, or pouched animals; Cuvier
placed them in his order of "Many-toed animals."
Lately his classification has also been disputed, and
Huxley has raised them to the dignity of represent-
atives of a distinct order. We regard them as be-
longing to the order of the Odd-toed animals, with-
out entering into a discussion as to whether our
doing so is the correct solution. They constitute
only one family.
The distinctive features of the Conies ( Hyracidce)
are as follows: the body is of e'ongated, cylindrical
THE SOUARE-MOUTHED RHINOCEROS. This species, sometimes called the White or Burchel]
Rhinoceros, differs from the others in having a square truncated upper lip. and the great length of the front horn. It
lives by browsing on grass and is therefore partial to grassy valleys between the tracts of bush. It is only found in
Africa south of the Zambesi, and its flesh being of excellent flavor it has been hunted until it is very scarce. No speci-
men has been brought alive to America or Europe. {.Rhinoceros simus.)
form; the head is comparatively large and clumsy,
tapering toward the front and much compressed lat-
erally; the upper lip is cleft, the top of the nose fine
and delicately shaped; the eye small, but prominent,
the ear, nearly buried in the fur, is short, broad and
round, the neck short and stout, the tail a barely per-
ceptible stump; the legs are moderately long and
somewhat weak, the delicate feet are rather long,
and there are four toes on each of the front pair, and
three to each of the hinder feet, the toes being joined
together to the last joints by a web of skin, all being
provided with flat, hoof-like nails, except the inner-
most toes of the hind feet, which are each surmounted
by a claw-shaped nail. The naked soles consist of
several flexible, callous pads, divided by deep fissures.
A copious, soft fur, consisting of one coat only,
covers the body and limbs.
The Cony an Ani- The Conies are mentioned by various
mat of Ancient writers as well-known animals in days
Prestige. 0f remotest antiquity. The variety
inhabiting Syria and Palestine seems to be referred
Zbc Conies.
THIRD FAMILY: Hvracide.
At many places in the wild, desolate, mountain re-
gions of Africa and western Asia, the arrival of Man
induces a great display of activity. Lively animals
about the size of Rabbits, which have been basking
in the sunshine, are frightened from their stony beds
by the unusual invasion, whisk about on the rocks,
disappear in the innumerable crevices, and then re-
turn to the openings and watch their strange invad-
ers with a quaint air of harmless curiosity. These
432
THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS.
to in the Hebrew text of the Bible under the name
of Laphan, which Luther translated by the word
"Rabbit," and in the authorized and revised versions
is rendered "Cony." The Conies may for the
greater part be considered characteristic animals of
mountainous regions of the deserts and of elevated
table-lands. Represented by several varieties, they
inhabit all the mountains of Syria, Palestine and
Arabia, perhaps also of Persia, the Nile country,
east, west and south Africa alike, frequenting eleva-
tions of 6,000 or 9,000 feet above sea level, and the
peaks and cones that rise like islands sheer above
the surface of the plains — the presence of the little
animals constituting one of the characteristic features
of the higdi table-lands of northeastern Africa.
THE CONY. The Book of Proverbs, enumerating four animals which it describes as "exceeding wise,"
says "the Conies are but a feeble folk, yet they mate their houses in the rocks." These are the animals in the pic-
ture, which are timid and wary, and congregate in large numbers in the mountains of northern Africa and western
Asia, (Hyrax abyssinicus.)
The Abyssinian For the purpose of our description
Cony, or Ash- wc select the Abyssinian Cony, or
koho. Ashkoko {Hyrax abyssinicus) as it is
the variety best known to us. The animal measures
from ten to twelve inches in length; the fur consists
of moderately long, fine hairs, gray-brown at the
base, lighter gray in the middle portions, merging
into a dark brown surmounted by a light colored tip,
the resulting general color of this combination being
a mottled pale gray. Modifications of tint seem to
be of rather frequent occurrence.
The more fissures and crannies there are among
the rocks, the more numerous these animals are. If
the observer quietly passes "through the valleys he
sees them sitting, or more frequently lying, in rows
on the projecting ledges; for they arc a lazy, com-
fort-loving tribe, which like to bask in the warm sun-
shine. A rapid movement or a loud noise disperses
them instantly; the whole assemblage quickens to
life, all flee with an agility like that usual amo
rodents, and almost instantly disappear. In t
neighborhood of villages, where they are also to b
found, sometimes in immediate proximity to houses,
they show scarcely any fear of the natives, and bold!
attend to their various affairs as if they understood
that nobody thinks of molesting them; but when a
proached by people whose color or attire differ:
from that of their usual human neighbors, they i
mediately retreat to their holes in the rocks. A D
or other animal of the lower orders inspires the
with much greater fear than does a human being,
When startled by a canine foe, even after they ha
become hidden, safe from pursuit, in their roc
crevices, they continue to give utterance to thei
curious, tremulous yell
which resembles the cry
of small Monkeys.
We must confirm the
observation of a former
traveler, who called at-
tention to the striking
fact that the peaceable
and defenseless Hyrax
lives in the permanent
society and on the best
of terms with a by no
means despicable beast
of prey, a variety of
Mungoos (Herpcstcs ze-
bra). A Lizard, prob-
ably one of the species
of the Star Lizard ( Stcl-
lio cyanogaster) also joins
the two. It would seem
that the prudent Cony
fills the office of sentinel
in this triple alliance, for
as soon as it utters its
shrill whistle the entire
collection disappears in
the crevices between *h&
stones.
The Conies are averse
to leaving their moun-
tainous, rocky domicile.
When the grass growing
between the boulders
has been eaten off, they
descend for food to lower regions, but they always
post sentinels on the most prominent peaks of rock,
and a warning signal from one of these guards suf-
fices to incite a hurried flight of the entire body.
Traits, Reproduc- In regard to their movements and
Hon and Hunt- mental characteristics, the Conies
ing of Comes, seem in certain particulars to be in-
termediate in position between the unwieldy Rhi-
noceroses and the nimble Rodents. They are excel-
lent climbers. A close investigation of the soles of
their feet, which are as elastic and springy as rubber,
reveals the fact that the Hyrax is able to contract
and distend the middle cleft or fissure of its sole-
pad at will, and thereby to secure a hold on a
smooth surface by means of suction. The behavior
of the Conies indicates great gentleness, and even
simplicity, combined with excessive timidity. The
social instinct is highly developed in them and they
are rarely met singly.
^ * ^.-^ss&ss^g 2
ZTbc Cloven*1boofeo Bnimals.
ELEVENTH ORDER: Artiodactyla.
SPECIALLY comprehensive
is the order of the Artio-
dactyla or Cloven-hoofed
Animals, which includes all
hoofed animals which have
only two fully developed
toes on each foot, or in
which these two at least
greatly exceed the three
other toes in size. The
third and fourth toes, cor-
responding to the middle
and ring-finger in the hu-
man hand, are the digits
which are especially large and are of equal develop-
ment one with the other, while the others are more
or less stunted or merely rudimentary. The first toe,
corresponding to the human thumb, is entirely want-
ing in all Artiodactyla. The bony skeleton is re-
markable for the great uniformity existing among
all the species in the number of dorsal and lumbar
vertebras which together always amount to nineteen,
except in the case of some domestic breeds, and by
the absence of the clavicle or collar-bone. If we
add further, that the molar teeth or " grinders " sel-
dom exhibit internal convolutions of enamel, but
have a filling of dental pulp alone, we will have enu-
merated all the common peculiar features in the
bony structure of the Artiodactyla, not taking into
consideration resultant peculiarities of development.
In regard to their mode of life all Artiodactyla re-
semble each other in that the majority of them are
exclusively herbivorous, while the remainder are, to
say the least, chiefly vegetable feeders. In all other
regards the order shows widely different forms, cor-
responding to its abundance of species.
The Artiodactyla are not indigenous to New Zea-
land and the continent of Australia, but are natives
of all other countries in which terrestrial mammalia
are to be found. Prehistoric fossil Artiodactyla are
first met with in Tertiary geological formations and
of some families there are many fossil genera nearly
related to existing forms.
The abundance and variety of species of the Ar-
tiodactyla render it desirable for convenience in
classification to divide the order first into subor-
ders. We distinguish two of these : the Manx-
hoofed, in the individuals of which the second and
fifth toes are more or less developed in addition to
the two principal toes, and the Ruminants or Two-
hoofed, in which the toes other than those devel-
oped into the two hoofs have either entirely or for
the greater part disappeared. In the former the
metatarsal and metacarpal bones are separate, but
jointed together in a manner similar to those of
human fingers and toes-, but in the Two-hoofed
species these bones are fused together, or anky-
loscd, forming in each foot a solid bone.
IRuminants or £wo*1boofeo animals.
FIRST SUBORDER: Bidactyla.
The Ruminants, or Two-hoofed animals (Bidactyla),
are all closely allied to each other, notwithstand-
_ ing the fact that they exhibit a great variety in their
external structure and appearance. They may pos-
sess horns or entirely lack those appendages, may
be beautiful or ugly, of graceful or clumsy form,
and they also show great diversity in size. Speak-
ing generally, the following may be enumerated as
distinctive features of the animals of this suborder.
The neck is long and very mobile, the head broadens
considerably across the forehead or frontal region,
and is frequently adorned by horns or antlers. The
eyes are large, lustrous, and are frequently exceed-
ingly beautiful, the erect ears are well shaped, the
lips are mobile, often naked and nearly always de-
void of whisker hairs or bristles. The tail is usually
short, rarely reaching to the ankle-joints. The hair,
which is for the greater part short and thickset, lies
close to the body; but sometimes grows into a mane
or tuft on the neck, on the lower part of the under
jaw or chin, on the back and at the tip of the tail.
The hair is never bristly, and is often of fine texture,
woolly and curly, and its color varies very widely in
different species. In all species the structure of the
skeleton and of the teeth shows great similarity. Of
incisors there are from six to eight in the lower, and
none, or in rare cases, two in the upper jaw. There
are either no canines or only one on each side of both
jaws. There are from three to seven molars on each
side of the upper and from four to six molars on
each side of the lower jaw. The incisors are usually
sharp, broad and spade-shaped, but those of the up-
per jaw have a shape similar to the incisors of a Dog.
The canine teeth of such Ruminants as possess them
are conical, and in a few species protrude laterally
from the mouth. The molars consist of two pairs
of crescent-shaped pillars, the surfaces of which
exhibit protruding folds or convolutions of enamel.
The skull is elongated and tapers toward the ex-
tremity of the muzzle; the orbits of the eyes are sep-
arated from the temples by a bony bridge formed
by the temporal and molar or cheek bones; the brain
cavity of the skull is small. In the spinal column
the unusually long, narrow mobile cervical or neck-
vertebrae attract the anatomist's attention. In all
Ruminants, without exception, only two toes, the
third and fourth, are perfectly developed. The mouth
is characterized by strong labial or lip muscles and
numerous papillae or minute excrescences on the
inside; the salivary glands are comparatively large;
the stomach consists of four, or at least three differ-
ent compartments; the paunch, the honeycomb bag,
the manyplies and the reed or rennet. The first
is in immediate communication with the gullet or
(433)
434
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
oesophagus, the last with the intestinal canal. The
paunch receives the coarsely masticated food, and
by muscular action pushes it in small quantities into
the honeycomb bag, the network of folds in which
accomplishes preliminary digestion and forms the
food into pellets, which are again brought up into
the mouth, finely ground by the molars, thoroughly
mixed with saliva, and then sent into the manyplies
through two folds of the gullet, which form a chan-
nel; and thence the food passes to the rennet, in
which it is finally digested.
Horns a Factor in The horns or antlers possessed by
Classification of many Ruminants are of some im-
Ruminants. portance in the grouping and clas-
sification of species. In general they are divided
into two groups: The Two-hoofed animals wearing
horns, and those possessed of antlers. By the use
of the term horns are indicated those formations of
horny substance which are articulated with or rest
on a bony basis of the elongated frontal bone, and
are really mere hollow, conical, horny shells; they
are never shed and renewed, but only increase in
size as the animal develops. Antlers, on the other
hand, are horns, rooted in comparatively small
prominences of the frontal bone, and which consist
of solid, bony tissue throughout, and as the age of
the animal increases, branch more and more until
they attain a certain point of development. The
antlers are shed every year and replaced by new
ones in the course of a few months. As a rule, only
the male animals have antlers; while horns are com-
mon to both sexes of the animals bearing them.
The hoofs are subject to much variation in shape
and size.
Distribution and The Ruminants are indigenous to all
Habits of Ru- continents with the exception of
minants. Australia. There does not seem to
be a uniform distribution of the main groups. The
horned animals or bovine group and the Deer have
the widest range, while the Giraffe and Musk Deer
group have the most restricted distribution; the
Deer are wanting in the Ethiopian belt, being on the
other hand the only Ruminants in the South Amer-
ican belt; the Musk Deer are indigenous to central
Asia only, the Giraffes only to Ethiopia; and the
Chevrotains are wanting in America.
Nearly all Ruminants are shy, fleet, peaceably
inclined animals, well-endowed in most physical re-
spects, but equipped to only a limited extent with
intellectual attributes. Many live in herds, all col-
lect into bands or troops. Some inhabit the mount-
ains, some the plains; no. species is really aquatic,
though some prefer swampy lowlands to dry plains.
They are exclusively vegetarian in diet. They are
fond of herbage, leaves, young shoots and roots,
some also of grains, and others of lichens. The
young of the Ruminant species are usually born
singly, although in rare cases there are two and in
exceptional instances three at a birth. In the case
of most Ruminants their usefulness to Man out-
weighs the damage they indict upon his posses-
sions, whether we consider the species that have
been domesticated or those yet in a free state, al-
though a few species are great annoyances to the
people of certain countries in which agriculture has
yet attained to but an inferior phase of develop-
ment. The flesh, hide, horns, hair and bones of
both wild and tame species are put to almost innu-
merable uses. That the Ruminants furnish mate-
Eor the manufacture of the greater part of our
clothing, is well known. As domestic animals they
do not exhibit any remarkable sagacity, but are
docile, patient and easily maintained, and for these
reasons have become indispensable to Man. The
four families of the Chevrotains, Musk Deer, Prong-
horns and Giraffes, which exhibit such a paucity ol
species, are the only ones which have not been em-
ployed as domestic animals; of all the other families
one or more species have become the servants and
allies of Man. The majority of the species living
in a wild state have always been considered the
choicest quarry of sportsmen, and thus have been
the recipients of regal honors.
The evidence of geological strata, dating from the
remote period of the Tertiary formation, goes to
show that the Ruminants have not undergone many
radical changes, and that in a majority of cases the
prehistoric species arc identical with those now in
existence.
Diuision of the We divide the Ruminants into seven
Order of Ru- families: the Giraffes (Cameloparda-
minants. Udic), the Camels (Catnelidce), the
Horned Animals (Boi'idcv), the Prong-horns {AntUo-
aipndu"), the Deer (Ccrridcc), the Musk Dcsr, {Mos-
c/iidcc), and the Chevrotains (Tmgulidce), of the char-
acteristics of each of which we will speak when we
reach their respective divisions.
£be Giraffes.
FIRST FAMILY: Camelopardalid^:.
Among existing Ruminants we still find forms
which present characteristics peculiar to themselves,
and suggest an affinity to no other creatures of the
present day, but rather reminding us of the crea-
tures described in the fairy tales of a by-gone age.
The most striking of these anomalies is the Giraffe.
Varro is not so very far wrong in defining this
strange animal as a "mixture of Panther and Camel,"
and those who lived at a much later date were cer-
tainly excusable when they scornfully pronounced
the pictures of the animal (of which commercial stag-
nation had made them ignorant, but which in the
revival of intercourse they had found again on Egyp-
tian monuments) the dream-fancies of an unbridled
artistic imagination. And as the Romans wondered
at the Giraffes which they beheld at the games of
Julius Cajsar and on several subsequent occasions,
so do we, the enlightened generation of the nine-
teenth century, marvel when we first see the curious
creature that we know so well from having often
seen its pictures.
Peculiarities of The Giraffe is the representative of
the Giraffe a distinct family ( Camclopardalida)
Family. distinguished by the most character-
istically developed structure of the foot. In the
present stage of evolution of original species the
Giraffe or, as would be most correct, " Serafe "
(Camclopardalis giraffa) is the only member of the
family. It is characterized by a neck the length of
which exceeds all normal measurements, very long
legs, a stout body with a sloping back, a delicate,
fine head with large, beautiful, clear eyes and two
queer, horn-like projections of bone arising from the
frontal region and covered with skin. The long legs
and neck combine to render the Giraffe the tallest
and at the same time comparatively the shortest of
all mammals, for its body measures only ninety
inches in length, while the height at the shoulders is
ten feet, and the head is from sixteen and one-half
THE GIRAFFE The tallest of all animals, deriving its exceptional height from its great length of neck and limbs. 1 he group in this picture
is shown with its native surroundings, among the mimosa trees of its native Africa. The spotted coat and tufted tail are here seen, and the animal hav-
ing its head most to the right in the picture also exhibits another peculiarity of these animals-the long prehensile tongue. {Camclopardalu giraffa.)
(435)
48(1
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
to twenty feet above the ground. The tail measures
forty-four inches, including the tuft of hair at the
end and thirty-two inches without it. The distance
from the tip of the muzzle to the base of the tail
amounts to thirteen and one-third feet ; the weight
is 1,000 pounds. These external measurements alone
serve to show that the Giraffe deviates in its shape
from all other mammals; but its anatomical structure
is so remarkable as to require a detailed description.
The Giraffe appears, as we said before, not only as
a queer compromise between the Panther and the
Camel, but seems to have been fabricated, as it were,
out of the component parts of the bodies of different
animals. Head and body seem to be taken from
the Horse, neck and shoulders from the Camel, the
ears from the Ox, the tail from the Ass, the legs
from the Antelope, while the coloring and mark-
ings of the sleek skin remind one of the spots of a
Panther. Such a combination can not fail to pro-
duce an animal of abnormal shape, and nobody is
likely to be inclined to call a Giraffe beautiful. The
short body is entirely out of proportion to the long
legs and neck ; the precipitously sloping back must
be pronounced ugly from an artistic standpoint, and
the immense height of the animal does not con-
tribute to its beauty by any means. The lines of the
head are magnificent, the eye of wondrous beauty
and the markings of the skin are attractive, but all
the rest is queer and striking, making the Giraffes
veritable oddities.
Special Char- The elongated head of the Giraffe
acteristics of the appears longer than it really is, on
Giraffe. account of its rather thin muzzle; it
has very large eyes of an exceeding brightness, and
yet extremely gentle in expression, large, delicate
and excessively mobile ears about six inches long;
and two projections on the forehead, which faintly
resemble horns, and are somewhat shorter than the
ears. Between the two there is a third roundish pro-
tuberance of the bone, a third horn, as it were. The
neck is as long as the fore-legs, thin, laterally com-
pressed and adorned with a pretty crest of hair on
the upper posterior surface. The body is broad
across the chest, much higher at the withers than at
the crupper; and somewhat depressed along the mid-
dle line. It is strongly characterized in the fore part
of its structure by the shoulder-blades, which pro-
trude at nearly right angles to the axis of the body;
and as the animal's body is greatly narrowed toward
the buttocks it follows that on a front view of the
animal, the observer does not see the hinder quar-
ters at all. The legs are comparatively slender and
nearly of equal length; the hoofs are of dainty shape.
A naked callosity, like that of the Camel, covers the
knees of the fore-legs and the hock-joints of the
hind- legs. The hide is very thick and its hairy cov-
ering is uniform throughout, except upon the callous
pads just mentioned, the crest of the neck and the
tuft of the tail. A faded sandy yellow forms the
ground-color, darkening on the back, and merging
into a whitish hue on the under part. It is marked
by rather large irregularly shaped russet-brown spots
of varying shades, which are so close together as to
give the light ground an appearance resembling a
network. On the neck and legs the spots are smaller
than on the remainder of the body. The abdomen
and the inner surfaces of the limbs are free from
spots. The mane is of a pale tint and banded with
brown; the cars arc white in front and at the base,
and brownish behind, and the hair-tuft is of a deep
black tint.
The Distribution The present range of the Giraffe
of Existing tends in a wide curve over the eas
Giraffes. ern half of Africa, from about tr
sixteenth parallel of north latitude to the twent)
third parallel of south latitude; in the Kalahari ale
it may extend somewhat farther southward, but
no means as far as the Orange River. In the whol
of the Congo region the Giraffe seems to be abser
being also unknown in Upper and Lower Guinea
the country further to the interior. In former time
its range extended to the coasts of the Atlant
ocean in southwestern Africa. It was exterminatec
however, all along the coast more than a generatic
ago.
In its native woods the Giraffe certainly produc
a different impression from that made by it when cor
fined within the narrow enclosure of a zoological ga
den. The curious but frequent correspondence of tr
shape and general appearance of an animal with tl
other natural objects of the locality in which it live
is also seen in this case. Gordon Cumming saj
"When a herd of Giraffes is seen dispersed in
grove of the picturesque, umbrella-shaped mimosa
which adorn their native plains, and on the topmos
branches of which their immense height enable
them to browse, the observer would be really def
cient in appreciation of natural beauty, if he faile
to find the sight a very attractive one." The Giraf
is frequently encountered in stretches of countr
abounding in old, half-decayed, weather-beaten trees
the branches of which sometimes, owing to the mos
covering them, strikingly resemble the long necl
of Giraffes. The above-mentioned sportsman says
"I was often in doubt as to the presence of a whol
troop of Giraffes, until I had recourse to my spj
glass. Even my half-savage companions had
acknowledge that their keen, experienced eyes wi
deceived sometimes; either they mistook thos
weather-beaten trunks for Giraffes, or else they cor
founded the real Giraffes with the old trees."
Habits and Mode Giraffes are most often seen in grou{
of Life of of from six to eight. Where
Giraffes. are undisturbed, however, they fre
quently congregate in greater numbers. Cummir
mentions herds of thirty and forty, but believes si:
teen to be the average number.
All the movements of the Giraffe are curious,
looks best when proceeding at a quiet walk, as
then presents a dignified and graceful appearance
Its usual gait is a slow, measured amble, and
legs of one side move simultaneously, after the mar
ner of a pacing Horse. Its running gait is a remark-
ably uncouth, halting and ponderous gallop renderec
ludicrous by the striking disproportion between it
height in front and that behind, as well as betweer
its height and length. Still, as every individual
is very long, the animal is enabled to traverse dis
tances at a very rapid rate. The great size anc
weight of the fore part of the body render it impos
sible for the animal to clear the ground of its
feet by mere muscular strength. It is therefore nee
essary for it to arch backward its long neck
thus shift the centre of gravity of the body farthe
toward its hind quarters, in order to make it pos
sible for the animal to raise its fore quarters from tl
earth and leap. The Giraffe leaps without bending
the fore-legs, lifting them stiffly, with a simultaneoi
movement of the neck; then follows the springing
motion of the hind legs, attended by another move
ment of the neck. Thus as Lichtenstein has it, "tl
neck of a leaping Giraffe moves steadily, swinging
THE CAMELS.
437
back and forth like the mast of a ship dancing on
the top of high waves." One requires a very good
Horse to overtake a fleeing Giraffe, and it is espe-
cially difficult to pursue it to the end, as nearly all
other animals tire out sooner than it does.
The attitude the animal assumes when desirous of
picking up some object from the ground, or of drink-
ing, is very peculiar. Old descriptions assert that
the Giraffe kneels down for this purpose, and in ex-
ceptional cases it may do so. As a rule, however,
it lowers its fore-quarters by straddling its fore-legs
to such an extent as to enable it to reach the ground
conveniently with its long neck. People who have
not witnessed this feat believe it to be impossible.
While sleeping it lies on its side and folds both or
only one of its fore-legs. Its sleep is not very pro-
found, and lasts but a short time.
Peculiarities of It stands to reason that the food of
the Diet of the Giraffe harmonizes with its shape
Giraffes. ancj other characteristics. The ani-
mal is entirely unfitted for devouring grass from the
surface of level ground, but is far better able to
break the foliage from trees. Its remarkably mobile
tongue is of the greatest help to it. Most Ruminants
use the tongue for the plucking of their food, but
none of them use it so much and so effectually as
the Giraffe. What the trunk is to the Elephant, the
tongue is to the Giraffe. It can pick up the smallest
objects with it, pluck the tenderest leaf and convey
it to its mouth. "In our zoological garden," says
Oken, "more than one lady, while gazing at the
Giraffes, has been deprived of the artificial flowers
adorning her hat. It seems as if the Giraffe is guided
by its eye rather than by its nose in the selection of
its food, and thus it frequently happens that the ani-
mal deceives itself, as in the cases where it tears the
artificial flowers from a hat." In the free state the
branches, buds and leaves of the mimosas furnish the
principal diet of the Giraffe; but it is also fond of
browsing on the creepers, which envelop the forest
trees of northern Africa in such profusion. As the
above-mentioned trees do not grow to be much higher
than the animal, the latter obtains its sustenance with-
out difficulty. In the dry season, when the majority
of the trees are bare of foliage, and the tall, dry grass
affords it but scant fare, it sometimes travels for miles
to drink from some pool or the puddles which re-
main from the streams that only flow during the
rainy season.
Development of The perceptive senses of the Giraffe,
the Senses of especially those of sight and hearing,
the Giraffe. are acutely developed; and its mental
capacity is of a very high order. It is clever, intelli-
gent and extremely gentle, and in proportion to its
size it is a highly good-natured, peaceable creature,
living on amicable terms not only with its own kind,
but also with other animals, as long as the latter do
not annoy or persecute it. In case of necessity it
knows full well how to defend itself effectually, not
with its horns, which seem to be merely ornamental,
but by dint of vigorous kicks administered by its
long, sinewy legs.
Methods of The hunting of the Giraffe is a pas-
Hunting the time of which the African natives as
Giraffe. we\\ as Europeans are passionately
fond. The former hunt it with the aid of a Camel
ur a Horse, pursuing the Giraffe until it is thor-
oughly exhausted, when the pursuers first hamstring
it to disable it from kicking, and then kill it. The
flesh of the animal is in great demand as an article
of food, and other parts of its body are put to va-
rious uses. Europeans in hunting it employ fire-
arms, but as a rule succeed in despatching the wary
animal only after a prolonged chase, even when pos-
sessed of long range arms. According to Selous'
experiences, one can overtake a fleeing Giraffe with
even an indifferent Horse, sufficiently at least to al-
low the sportsman to dismount and send a well-aimed
bullet after it, for it develops its highest speed only in
the last extremity. The different parts of the carcass
of a Giraffe are put to good use in many ways. The
hide is tanned into an excellent durable leather, the
tail-tuft is used for fly brushes, the hoofs furnish a
good quality of horn, and the flesh is excellent food.
Yet the natives especially rejoice when they can
possess themselves of a living Giraffe. The striking
animal is liked everywhere and everybody is pleased
to own one. In the villages in the interior of Africa
the traveler frequently sees a couple of Giraffes'
heads looming up and peering over the high walls
of a garden; and not infrequently one meets tame
specimens coming and going at will in the environs
of a settlement. At our arrival in Karkodj, a ham-
let on the Blue River, a Giraffe was the first inhab-
itant to come up to our barge to greet us. It fear-
lessly and confidingly approached quite close to
the boat, ate bread and grains of durra out of our
hands, and demeaned itself toward us as if we were
old friends. It soon appreciated how great a pleas-
ure it was giving us; for during our sojourn in the
place it came several times daily to be caressed.
The Arabian name "Serafe," "the lovely one," which
has been corrupted into Giraffe, became thoroughly
appreciable to me at that time.
Unfortunately the Giraffes exported to other coun-
tries endure confinement for a protracted time only
with the best of care. The majority die of a pecu-
liar disease of the bones, which has been termed
"Giraffe disease." Lack of exercise and inappro-
priate diet may be the causes of this fatal malady.
£bc Camels,
SECOND FAMILY: Camelid.e.
The family of the Camels ( Camelidce) are distin-
guished by callous foot-soles; by the absence of
horns and of rudimentary toes; by a cleft upper lip,
and by their peculiar dentition. In regard to the
latter the Camel differs from all other Ruminants by
the possession of two (and in earliest youth six)
incisor teeth in both the upper and the lower jaws.
The hoofs are very small, being really only ungulate
toe-nails of the callous soles. The stomach has only
three compartments, as the manyplies is so small
that it is usually considered one with the rennet.
Physical Charac- The Camels are very large Rumi-
teristics of the nants, with long necks, elongated
Camels. heads, bodies cylindrically com-
pressed in the region of the loins, and shaggy fur of
nearly woolly texture.
North Africa, central Asia and southwestern Amer-
ica are the homes of these animals. The few spe-
cies which this family contains have been almost
entirely domesticated in the Old World and partly
in the New. In the latter they inhabit the moun-
tains up to elevations of 13,000 feet above sea level;
in the former they preferably range over the hot,
parched plains. Herbage, leaves and branches of
trees, thistles and thorns constitute their food. They
are very frugal feeders, and are able to endure hun-
438
THE CL 0 J EX- HO OF ED A MM. I L S.
ger and thirst a long time. Their usual gait is a
heavy, jerky amble, and their course appears waver-
ing and awkward in the extreme, although it is really
adapted to the speedy traversing of long distances.
The wild species are all gregarious and live in herds;
Their mental endowments are on a rather low plane,
and their moral attributes worse yet. They can not
be termed gentle, good-natured, sagacious or patient
animals, though they assume the joke of servi-
tude and acknowledge human supremacy with a cer-
tain exhibition of resignation. There is only a single
young one at a birth, and the mother bestows much
loving care on it.
THE CAMELS PROPER.
The true Camels {Camelus), all Old-World forms,
are distinguished by their large size and by the pres-
ence of either one or two humps on the back; they
possess two more molars in each jaw than the Llamas
or New World species. Their form is ungainly,
the head being especially ugly; the hair is very un-
even, longer in some places on the body than in
others, but on the whole woolly. Callosities are
found on the chest and the joints of the legs wher-
ever they come in contact with the ground as the
animal kneels to receive a load or when it lies down
to rest. There are two species, one predominating
in Africa, the other in Asia. They are the Drome-
dary and the Bactrian Camel, respectively.
Traits and Char- The Dromedary is doubtless the most
acteristics of useful of all African domestic ani-
Dromedaries. mals; but it is also the most una-
miable, stupid, obstinate and disagreeable creature
imaginable ; certainly those with which I came in
contact deserve such an arraignment. It is indebted
for its good reputation solely to its physical attri-
butes; its mental qualities have not been praised
even by an Arab, though hundreds of that race could
not live without this animal.
The Dromedary, or one-humped Camel ( Camelus
dromcdaruis), called Djcmmel in Arabia, is a very
large Ruminant, averaging in height from six feet,
eight inches, to seven feet, eight inches, and a
length of from ten to eleven feet, counting from
the tip of the muzzle to the end of the tail. Though
the Camel does not exist in such a variety of breeds
as does the Horse, yet it is subject to numerous
artificial modifications. In general it may be as-
serted that the Camels of the plains or the desert
are slender, tall, long-legged creatures, while those
indigenous to fertile countries, especially to north-
ern Africa, arc clumsy, heavy animals. Between
a " Bisharin," that is, a Camel bred by the Bisharin
wandering tribes, and an Egyptian baggage Camel,
the difference is as great as that between an Arab
steed and a cart Horse. The former Camel is excel-
lent for riding purposes, while the latter is one of
the strongest beasts of burden in the service of Man.
The Arabs enumerate over twenty different breeds
of the "ships of the desert," for there is a science
of the breeds of Camels as there is of those of
Horses, and in speaking of the Dromedary, one
also uses the terms "noble" or "thoroughbred"
or "common." In the typical specimen of the
Dromedary the following arc the salient points:
The head is rather short, But the muzzle is long and
bulging; the eyes are large and of dull expression,
the ears very small but mobile. The neck is long,
laterally compressed and thickest in the middle.
The body is protuberant and rounded on all sides.
The hump stands erect but is subject to great modi-
fications in size at different seasons of the
The mere abundant the nourishment of the
the larger the hump; the more its fare is restrict*
the more the hump shrinks. With fat, well now
ished animals it is conical in shape and coversM
least one-fourth of the back; but in quite lean spec-
imens it almost entirely disappears. During the
rainy season, which implies succulent pasturage, the
hump, which during the dry months of hunger had
been barely visible, grows at an astonishing rate,
and its weight may then amount to as much as
thirty pounds, while under the contrary circur
stances it can diminish to four or six pounds. The
legs arc awkwardly placed, and the hinder thighs,
especial ly, protrude so far from the body that they
accentuate the uncouth appearance of the animal.
The tail has a thin tuft of hair at its extremity and
descends to the ankle joint. The hair is soft and
woolly, and is much longer on the top of the head,
on the neck beneath the throat, on the shoulders
ami on the hum]), and greatly thickened in the tail
tuft. Another peculiarity is to be noted in the cal-
losities on the breast and joints of the legs, which
grow larger and harder with advancing age. The
callosity on the chest projects like a hump beyond
the other portions of the skin of the breast, and
forms a cushion for the body to rest upon when the
animal lies down.
The color of the animal varies widely and con-
stantly. A light sand}- color is the hue most fre-
quently met with, and there are also gray, brown or
quite black Camels, or individuals with paler or
lighter feet, but no pied ones.
The Range of At present the Dromedary is known
the Diome- only as a domestic animal; it is
danJ- . found in all African countries from
the Mediterranean to about the twelfth parallel of
north latitude, in the Somal country to the fifth
parallel, and in southwestern Asia. It ranges from
Bokhara and Turcomania, in the extreme east, where
the Two-humped Camel begins, throughout Persia,
Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia and northern Africa to
the Atlantic ( >cean. But it is also found on the
Canary Isles, and has been introduced into Australia,
North America, Italy and southern Spain. It thrives
fairly well in the dry stretches of northern India.
Hans Mcyet informs us that the Dromedary is em-
ployed in the oil-mills of the sultan of Zanzibar, but
that it suffers greatly in health and comfort from
the effects of the climate. It seems to have originally
come from Arabia, and it probably was introduced
into northern Africa in comparatively modern times.
But of its origin nothing is certainly known. The
old Egyptian monuments show no picture of this
notable animal, neither do the Roman and Greek
authors who traveled in Egypt allude to the Camel
as an indigenous product. In the Bible the animal
is frequently mentioned under the name of Gamal.
Job is said to have possessed at one time three thou-
sand, and later six thousand Camels; the Midianites
and Amalekitcs had as many "as the sands of the
sea." The animal was used in precisely the same
way as it is now. It was distributed through north-
em Africa, being probably introduced by the Arabs.
lis domestication took place in prehistoric times.
Wild Camels, or such as have reverted to savagery,
are nowhere to be found at present.
The Camel a The Camel is a genuine animal of
Son of the the desert and thrives only in the
Desert. driest and hottest portions of the
globe, while it languishes and perishes away in cul-
THE DROMEDARY. The single-humped species "I the Camel tribe is sometimes called the Arabian Camel, because found in its greatest per-
fection in Arabia. Jt is an ungainly animal, but is indispensable when- great deserts are to be traversed, its capacity for traveling long distances without
water and its great powers of endurance making it the most useful of all beasts of burden throughout northern Africa, and in Asia from the Red Sea
to India. {Camelus dromedarius.)
Ur>)
440
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
tivated and damp countries. In Egypt very large,
heavy varieties have been bred, probably by giving
them more abundant food; but they have lost sev-
eral of their most valuable qualities, such as the
light, even pace, endurance and frugality ; these
strains are therefore held in slight esteem by the
Arabs of the desert. In the equatorial portions of
Africa, where the vegetation grows more abundant,
the Camel does not thrive. Repeated attempts to
penetrate to the interior of the continent with it,
have been attended by failure. Within its natural
range the animal enjoys sound health and attains its
highest physical development; if taken to the south
it becomes sickly and finally succumbs without any
evident reason, notwithstanding it has received good
care and the most abundant food.
As yet no effort has been made to transplant the
animal to the regions north of the great tract of the
desert; but there is scarcely any doubt that it would
thrive there also in countries not too much unlike
its native home. In 1622 Ferdinand de Medicis (the
second) introduced Dromedaries into the province
of Tuscany in Italy, and this breed has survived to
the present day. In the district of San Bossore near
Pisa, a few Camels appear to enjoy life with comfort
in a large sandy plain, their habits there being ex-
actly the same as those they possess in their native
habitat. In 1810 there were one hundred and seventy
Camels, and in 1840 the herd had increased in num-
bers only one more. In Sicily Camels were also in-
troduced, with a view to being employed as beasts of
burden in the sulphur mines, but they all perished.
In southern Spain the experiment of breeding Cam-
els has been tried with favorable results.
Experiment with In 1856 the government of the United
Camels in the States purchased seventy-five Drom-
United States, edaries at Smyrna, through Henry
C. Wayne; they were to be utilized as beasts of bur-
den in Texas, Arizona and other portions of the arid
regions. Secretary S. Langley, of the Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, has very kindly informed
us as to the result of this experiment: "At the be-
ginning of the war of secession all the Dromedaries
went into the hands of the authorities of the South-
ern Confederacy. At the end of the war they again
came into the possession of the government of the
United States, but the attention the officers had be-
stowed on the animals was relaxed as a consequence
of the war. In 1866 the government sold them at
auction and people soon ceased to occupy their atten-
tion with them. Some died, some were turned loose,
and it is said that one or two of these animals still
roam about the Llano Estacado. At the time of the
auction some were transported to California, where
they were intended for carrying burdens between
Inyo in California, and Carson in Nevada. As the re-
sult was by no means adequate to the expectations,
they were set free. Some survivors are said to still
live in the desert portions of southern Arizona and
California. In January, 1889, one of these wild Drom-
edaries was caught in Arizona near Gila Bend. This
is the last information we have had of these animals."
John W. Leonard, who lived for several years in Arizona,
says that he saw at one time, in 1877, six of these Dromedaries
in the valley that stretches several miles north of the Gila
River. Out of the herd was a young animal still following its
mother. At that time there were certainly many more than the
six mentioned, for the same authority says that he frequently
conversed with people who had often encountered the herds,
and thi 1 timates as to the total number of the animals, made
by the |>ros|>ectors and hunters who most frequented that sec-
tion of Arizona, never ran less than forty, while others claimed
that there were fully one hundred Camels in the Gila valley.
The Dromedary All over the north and east of Africa
Bred 'Extensively the Dromedary is bred in great
m Africa. numbers. Immense hosts of them
traverse the great roads of the desert between the
Niger countries and the north of Africa. The num-
ber of Camels that perish yearly along the trails of
caravans through the desert can not be estimated;
how great it i.s, however, can best be comprehended
by traveling through the desert. In the Nubian
desert as well as in the Bajuda, at the entrance and
outlet of these roads, I found one skeleton after an-
other in rapid succession for miles, so that the road
was plainly mapped out by these blanched bones.
The desert is not only the home and place of birth
of the Camel, it is also its deathbed and tomb. The
numbers of Camels that are slaughtered are insignifi-
cant when compared with the numbers which perish
while on duty.
The Camel an Ex- The Camel chooses its sustenance
clusiuely Vegeta- exclusively from the vegetable world
ble Feeder. anc] js far from being fastidious in its
choice. It may be truthfully asserted that its fru-
gality is its greatest virtue: the worst quality of food
satisfies it. When it is but scantily provided with
the driest vegetation of the arid regions it can hold
out against the hardships of desert travel for weeks.
In adverse circumstances, when other food is lack-
ing, an old basket or a mat woven out of the split
leaves of the date-palm furnishes it with an accept-
able meal. In East Soudan the huts of the na-
tives, which consist of a frame-work of slender poles
thatched with grass from the plains, have to be pro-
tected from the Camels by a dense outer coating of
thorns, else the voracious animals would devour the
whole house to its very foundations. It is really
wonderful that the sharpest thorns and spines do
not wound their callous mouths. If Camels are
allowed a juicy meal once in awhile, they accept
it with evident enjoyment; in cultivated fields they
are sometimes guilty of perpetrating the most an-
noying havoc, devastating entire districts of country.
They are very fond of small beans, peas and vetches,
and seem to look upon grains of all sorts as dainties.
On journeys through the desert where the load must
be as small as possible, every Arab takes only a little
durra or barley along for his Camel, and feeds the
animal a few handsful of it every evening, generally
from the only apology for a handkerchief which he
possesses, which is furnished by the lap of his bur-
noose or robe.
The Dromedary's If given moist juicy food, the Drom-
Ability to With- edary can go without drinking water
stand Thirst. for weeks, provided it is not heavily
loaded or especially overworked, and is allowed to
select its plant food after its own desire. It has
been said that Camels could go without water for
from fourteen to twenty days even under conditions
imposing hard labor upon it; but such accounts
smack of the fabulous in flavor and always elicit a
smile from the initiated. In the glaring heat of the
African dry season, a traveling Camel must have
sufficient nourishment, water, and fully thirty or
forty hours of complete rest at least every four days
in order to endure the fatigue its work imposes
upon it.
Stories of a Camel's I" former times this abstemious-
Ability to With- ness of the Camel in the matter of
stand Thirst False. water drinking, was explained by
the peculiar structure of its stomach. People be-
lieved that the large cells in the first two compart-
ments of the stomach might be regarded as reser-
THE CAMELS-CAMELS PROPER.
441
voirs, and one reads in many an old book of travel
how the travelers in the desert in their last extrem-
ity could still find a store of the much needed water
in the stomachs of their Camels. Though I have
always doubted these stories, I have expressly ques-
tioned experienced drivers of Camels, grown old in
the desert. None of them knew anything about
such a story; none of them had ever as much as
heard this enormous falsehood. Later on, as I was
present at the killing of Camels which had drunk
the day before, I convinced myself personally that
it is quite impossible to drink water which has been
mixed tor days with the food accumulating in the
stomach and with the gastric juices. The whole
body exhales a repulsive smell ; and such a mush
in the stomach is calculated to inspire even a person
as no other domestic animal can accomplish. All
Camels when proceeding at a pace more rapid than
a walk exhibit a gait that is apparently a /ery
clumsy amble, whether they run slowly or rapidly;
the amble of a trained riding Camel, however, is a
very easy and pleasant one for the rider. The usual
walking gait is a queer, stiff kind of stalk, the Camel
moving its head back and forth in a very peculiar
manner at every step, so that one can hardly imag-
ine anything uglier than the appearance of such a
slowly moving monster. If a Camel accustomed to
that gait and belonging to the good breeds, which
keep up a uniform pace without interruption, is
brought to a trot, the cumbersome creature appears
graceful and good-looking. In the beginning of a
race the speed of a trotting Horse may surpass that
THE BACTRIAN CAMEL. The two-humped species of Camel is tound in Asia in the region to the north and east of that occupied by the
Dromedary. It is larger and more robust than the latter animal, and in some parts of its native home sustains severe cold. Its fur is thicker and more
plentiful than that of the other species. (Camclus bactrianus.)
half dead with thirst with feelings of unconquerable
disgust. The stench from the freshly opened stom-
ach of a Camel is simply unendurable.
It is a really interesting sight when thirsty, tired-
out Camels draw near to a well or a river. They
lift their heads high in the air, inhale long breaths
with half-closed eyes, lay their ears back and then
start to run, so that one has to sit firmly in the sad-
dle if he does not wish to be thrown out. When the
beasts finally reach the well they crowd to the water
and give themselves up to the enjoyment of drinking.
Dromedaries as If one looks at a Dromedary in re-
Saddle and Pack pose he will hardly be willing to
Animals. believe that this animal can nearly-
equal the Horse in speed. And yet such is the case.
The Camels born in the desert or upon the plains
are excellent runners in many respects, and are able
to cover distances without intervals of rest, such
of a Camel, if the two go at the same gait; but the
Horse soon lags behind while the Camel trots on
uninterruptedly at its initial rate. If a rider gives
a saddle Camel a rest at noon, during a ride from
early morning till late at night, the animal will trot
for sixteen hours and in that time easily cover a dis-
tance of eighty-seven and one-half miles. A good
Camel that receives abundant food and water may
sustain such a strain for three or even four days
without an intervening day's rest, and cover upwards
of three hundred and twelve miles in the longer
period.
The work of the average or common variety, and
that of the baggage Camel conform to a different
standard. The former at best covers but half the
distance that the best saddle animals do, as a rule
averaging only about thirty miles a day; the latter
travel on the average two and one-half miles an
44 2
THE CLOVEX-IIOOFED ANIMALS.
hour, carrying a load of three hundred pounds, and
is able to march for twelve hours, or even longer,
without a rest.
Requisites for a The Arab requires three things from
Good Saddle a good Dromedary: it must have a
Camel. soft back, must not require a whip,
and must not cry when getting up or lying down.
Only he who has had experience with Camels knows
what this means. An ordinary baggage Camel is the
most disagreeable of all animals to ride. The un-
even, jolting, pacing gait causes the rider to be jerked
up and down, back and forth, describing curious
curves, comparable to the lines of a figure described
by a Chinese pagoda set in motion. As soon as the
Camel begins to trot, matters assume a different as-
pect. The steady alternating movement of the legs
on the opposite side stops the sidewise jolting mo-
tion, and if the rider skillfully lies back in the saddle,
he experiences no more inconvenience from the still
somewhat violent shaking-up than he would if he
were on Horseback. A Camel in a fit of rage always
goes at a gallop, but it is not capable of keeping this
pace up for any length of time; neither does it need
to, for usually the rider who has not a very firm seat
in his saddle, lies on the ground within the few very
first minutes, while the Camel gallops on at its sweet
will and soon resumes its usual gait. For these rea-
sons the Arabs have accustomed their riding Camels
to go only at a trot.
A Dromedary reared on the plains can be used to
only a limited extent in a mountainous country, as it
climbs with great difficulty. In the water the ani-
mal is at a still greater disadvantage. Even when
driven into a small stream or pool to drink it acts as
if insane; but when it has to cross a wide stream it
becomes much worse. As it can not swim, and the
ferry-boats are usually too small to accommodate
the unwieldy creature, the driver compels it to enter
the water, alongside of the boat, prevents it from
sinking by keeping hold of its head and tail, and
thus drags it over to the place of landing.
Mental and Phys- The vocal utterance of the Drome-
ical Character is- dary is indescribable. Gurgling
tws of Camels. ancj moaning, grunting, growling
and roaring alternate in the most curious way.
Among the perceptive senses that of hearing is
probably best developed, for the sight seems to be
much less acute and the sense of smell is certainly
weak. The sense of touch, however, seems to be
delicate and that of taste is occasionally manifested.
On the whole the Camel must be regarded as a
creature of poorly developed physical senses. A
judgment of its mental faculties is not much more
favorable, it can not be denied that the Drome-
dary possesses a really surprising faculty for annoy-
ing a person incessantly and in almost unheard of
ways. Stupidity and a vicious disposition are gen-
erally found together; but if they are combined
with cowardice, obstinacy, a sulky temper, an aver-
sion to everything sensible, hatred or indifference
toward the keeper and benefactor, and a hundred
Other vices, all possessed by the same brute and
practiced by it to perfection, it is enough to drive
insane the person who has to deal with such a crea-
ture, lie thoroughly understands and appreciates
this, who has been thrown from the back of a
Camel, trampled on by it, bitten, forsaken in the
wilderness and mocked at, alter the creature has
vexed him hourly lor days and weeks with inex-
haustible pcrseveraiM e. and after all means of im-
provement and castigation have been in vain applied
to the beast. It, is of no moment in this connection
— and we do not hold the facts in malice against it —
that the Camel exhales an odor, compared with which
the stench of a Billy-goat is perfume, that it tortures
the ear by its roar as much as it docs the nose b)
its stench and the eye by the forced sight of its
unspeakably stupid head on its long, ostrich-like
neck; what gives it so low a place in my opinion is
that it always deliberately acts contrary to its mas-
ter's will. Among the thousands of Camels which I
observed in Africa, I saw only one that displayed
anything approaching affection towards its master.
These remarks apply to the Dromedary only within
certain restrictions, however. Many travelers have
not undergone such unpleasant experiences, anc
the Dromedaries of other and much more extensive
regions than that to which my observation was con-
fined are judged much more leniently. According
to popular report those of southwestern Asia, the
Soma! country, and the Sahara, must be animals of
an entirely different stamp.
Reproduction of The female gives birth to a single
Camels and Appear- young one. It is true that the infant
ance of Young. js a misshapen little creature from
the very first day of its life, but it has something droll
and playful about it, like all young animals. It is
born with open eyes and covered with long, thick,
soft woolly hair. The hump is very small and the
callosities are barely indicated. In size it consider-
ably surpasses a newborn colt; for it is rather more
than three feet high and much taller after the lapse
of one week. With advancing growth the wool
becomes much thicker and longer and the young
Camel develops a really striking resemblance to its
American relative, the Alpaca. Almost immedi-
ately after its birth it begins to follow its mother
about, she caring for it with great solicitude. If
two mothers with their colts happen to meet, the
latter play with each other in the most amiable way,
while the mothers grunt in approbation. The Camel
suckles her young upwards of a year and shows un-
usual courage during this time, defending her off-
spring to the extent of her strength if circumstances
require it. But she only cares for her own infant,
never for a strange one.
Economic J- Williams pronounces the flesh of
Value of the young Camels one of the greatest
Camel. delicacies. The hide is manufactured
into tent covering and various utensils, though the
leather is not very durable while the hair is woven
into strong textures. The milk of the animal is so
thick and rich in fat as to be repulsive to the taste of
Man, and is therefore but little used.
The Two Humped ^he part which the Dromedary
or Dactrian plays within its range is almost sim-
Camel. j[ar' to tiiat 0f tiie Bactrian Camel
{Camchis bactriamts) in east and central Asia. It is
to be distinguished from the Dromedary by its two
humps, one rising on the withers, the other in front
of the croup. In form it is lumbering and clumsy,
the bulk of the body being greater and the hair
much more copious than that of the Dromedary; the
color also is generally darker, usually a deep brown,
with a ruddy tint in summer.
I have become doubtful as to whether or not the
Bactrian Camel ought to be considered a species dis-
tinct from the Dromedary. The two readily breed
together, and their hybrid offspring may in turn con-
tinue the mixed species by breeding with each other
with either variety of the parent stock. If we admit
their identity of species, we would have to regard
THE CAM ELS— LLAMA.
44:5
the Bactrian Camel as the original stock and the
Dromedary as a breed produced by selection; for
the Kirghiz and Mongols describe the wild Camels as
being two-humped. Prshewalski has proven within
the past forty years that there are numerous troops
of Bactrian Camels in central Asia, which are, and
always have been, really wild, and have not merely
reverted to the wild state. They possess smaller
humps than those bred in a state of domesticity, cal-
losities on the knees of the fore-legs, and a somewhat
different structure of the skull, and as far as is now
known, they ra'nge from southern Dzungaria over
eastern Turkestan to Tibet.
The Bactrian Camel is bred in all level countries
of central Asia, and is especially useful in the traffic
of merchandise carried on between China and south-
ern Siberia and Turkestan. In Bokhara and Turco-
mania the Dromedary gradually supersedes it, and
replaces it entirely where the plains become more
barren and at last merge into the desert.
Traits of the Though it maybe asserted that the
Bactrian Bactrian Camel shows in its char-
Camel. acter and qualities an affinity to the
Dromedary, it can not be denied that it is better
natured than the latter. It readily allows itself to
be approached and caught, and willingly obeys its
master's commands without causing a great deal of
commotion. But it is still a Camel in all that the
name implies. Its mental faculties arc on the same
low level as those of the Dromedary; it is just as
stupid, listless and cowardly as the latter animal. A
Hare springing up between its feet may throw it into
a panic. It starts aside in terror, and then rushes on
like a senseless creature, and its fellows, moved, by
common impulse, follow without knowing why. A
large, black stone lying by the roadside, a heap of
bones, a fallen saddle, in fact, any unfamiliar object
may frighten it to such an extent that it completely
loses its wits and causes rout and confusion in the
entire caravan.
The Bactrian Camel, like the Dromedary, can not
thrive on rich pasturage; it requires the coarse vege-
tation of the sterile plains, which would barely sat-
isfy other animals; its favorite food consists of worm-
wood, garlic, shoots of all kinds of shrubs, and
especially plants containing salt, which are indis-
pensable to the maintenance of its good health, and
to its recuperation if it becomes debilitated from
any cause.
To the female Bactrian Camel is born a single
young one— usually at the beginning of the spring
season. The little creature is very helpless during
the first few days of its life, but soon becomes strong
enough to follow the mother about, ami she evinces
for it a most tender maternal affection. A few
weeks after birth it begins to eat vegetable food, and
then is temporarily separated from the mother, the
latter being milked, as is every other female animal
belonging to the herds of the inhabitants of the Asi-
atic plains. In the second year the colt has its nose
pierced, and the bridle-stick is put through the ap-
erture, for at this age its training commences. In
the third year of its life it is used for short rides, in
the fourth to convey light burdens; in the fifth year
it is looked upon as full)- developed and capable of
working. With good treatment it may continue to
work until its twenty-fifth year.
Great Usefulness A strong Bactrian Camel can daily
of the Bactrian travel from nineteen to twenty-five
Camel. miles, carrying a burden of four hun-
dred and forty pounds, and a very strong one can
carry one hundred pounds more; with half this load
it is able to cover nearly double the distance at a
trot. In summer it can abstain from water for two or
three days, in winter from five to eight, and endures
abstinence from food from two to four days without
suffering material harm or discomfort. On trips of
considerable length it requires a day's rest at inter-
vals of every six or eight days. In the Kirghiz
plains it is not used exclusively as a beast of burden,
but also as a draught animal in single and in double
harness, and on tracts of country liable to the con-
tingencies arising from the ever changing sand drifts,
it even takes the place of Horses in the mail service.
Xothwithstanding all its faults, the Bactrian Camel
must be acknowledged to be one of the most use-
ful creatures that Man has subjugated to his service.
It well fulfills all the tasks required of it, and could
not be replaced by any other domestic animal. Its
hair, milk, skin and flesh are all put to account, and it
is harnessed to carts and used as a beast of burden.
With its help Man is enabled to traverse the water-
less, treeless wastes of wilderness in which Horses
would succumb to the hardships incident to their
passage; with its help its owner climbs mountains
upwards of thirteen thousand feet high, to points of
elevation which the Yak is the only other animal
able to endure. The Horse is the companion of the
inhabitant of the steppes, the Bactrian Camel is his
servant.
THE LLAMAS.
The New World Camels include those numerous
American animals which appear but dwarfs in size
when compared with their Old World family or gen-
eric relations. The Llamas {Auchenia) are Camels,
but they are much smaller than the Old World spe-
cies. True, the American Camels are inhabitants of
the mountains and for this reason alone they can
not attain the same size as their Old World relatives
which belong to the fauna of the plain. The Llamas
differ from the true Camels not only by reason of
srftaller size, however, but also by the relatively large
head, the frontal region of which recedes sharply
and connects at a considerable angle with a pointed
muzzle; by their large ears and eyes, their thin, lean
neck, long, slender legs with hoofs more deeply
cleft; by their smaller callosities and their long,
woolly fleece. The hump is Licking, and the loins
are still more contracted than those of the true
Camels.
Four Species of The Llamas are divided into four
Llamas Now species, which have been well known
Existent. from remote ages under the names of
Huanaco or Guanaco, Llama, Paco or Alpaca and Vi-
cugna. Authorities are not yet agreed as to whether
all four animals are to be regarded as original spe-
cies or not. Some consider the Guanaco to be the
progenitor of the Llama and Alpaca, and base their
chief ground for this opinion in the fact that the
Llama and the Guanaco may interbreed and produce
offspring capable of continuing the species; others
deem the slight differences in outward form impor-
tant enough to regard the four Llamas as distinct
species, as the natives have always done. Tschudi,
who has been able to observe all the Llamas on their
native ground, agrees with the natives, and his opin-
ion has long been regarded as decisive. Let us con-
sider, however, how potent in inducing variation of
form is the influence of domestication on animals,
and we will then also find. the contrary opinion to be
based on reasonable grounds, and will hardly be pre-
444
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
pared to acknowledge the Llamas and Alpacas to
be anything but the domesticated offspring of the
Guanaco.
The Guanaco and Vicugna have remained untamed
to the present da}-, while the Llama and Alpaca have
been domesticated from time immemorial. The first
discoverers of America found the two already in a
state of subjection to Man. Peruvian tradition sup-
poses the taming of the animals to have taken place
'in the earliest stage of human existence, and connects
them with the terrestrial appearance of their demi-
gods. The Spaniards, who landed first, found every-
where considerable herds of Llamas in the posses-
sion of the mountaineers, and described the animals
in a somewhat confused manner, yet with sufficient
accuracy of detail to enable us to recognize and dis-
tinguish the various forms. Pedro de Cieza clearly
discriminated between the four species as early as
1 54 1, by an account which serves to show beyond a
doubt that the four different kinds of Llamas have
not undergone any change within the last three hun-
dred years.
Home and All Llamas are indigenous to the
Haunts of the table-lands of the enormous moun-
Llama. tain chains of the Cordilleras or
Andes. They thrive only in cold regions and there-
fore descend to the pampas or great plains of Pata-
gonia only in the extreme south near the Antarctic
regions. Near the equator their usual haunts lie
between thirteen thousand and fifteen thousand feet
above the sea, and they do not thrive below an alti-
tude of 6,600 feet in the warm parts of the country,
while Patagonia, being a colder country, affords
them suitable haunts below this level. Those of the
species living in the wild state retreat to the highest
crests and ridges of the mountains in the rainy sea-
son, and descend into the fertile valleys during the
dry season. They are gregarious, sometimes living
in flocks of several hundred, and are assiduously
hunted by natives.
Description The Guanaco {Auchenia liuanaco)
of the Guan- claims, together with the Llama, the
aco- distinction of being the largest
South American mammal, and though it occurs only
in an untamed state, is one of the most important.
In size it about equals a European Stag or Red
Deer; as regards its shape it is a queer compound of
Camel and Sheep. In a full-grown individual the
total length of the body is seven and a half feet, the
tail occupying about nine and a half inches; the
height at the withers is three feet ten inches, and
the height from the ground to the top of the head,
five feet four inches. The female is smaller, but of
exactly the same shape and hue as the male. A
tolerably long, copious, but loose fur covers the
body. This coat consists of a short, woolly layer
of fine texture and a thinner, longer outer fur. The
general color is a dingy reddish brown, while the
middle of the breast, the abdomen and the buttocks,
as well as the inner surface of the limbs, are whitish.
The Guanaco is distributed over the Cordilleras,
from the wooded islands of Terra del Fuego to
northern Peru. It is specially plentiful in the south-
ern part of the mountain range, and is gregarious
in its habits. Meyen saw flocks numbering from
seven to one hundred grazing near rivers. A herd
usually consists of many females and only one full-
grown male.
All the movements of the Guanaco arc quick and
lively, though the animal is not as swift in flight
as one might suppose. Over level ground a good
Horse soon overtakes a fleeing herd, but ordinary
Dogs have some difficulty in keeping up with them.
The usual gait of the Guanacos is a short, halting
amble; and when fleeing at the top of their speed
they extend their necks forward, somewhat after
the manner of a Goose. The Guanaco is an excel-
lent climber; it runs like a Chamois along the steep-
est crags and precipices, even where the most ex-
perienced mountaineer fails to gain a foothold, and
fearlessly looks down into the abyss. When at rest
the animal lies on its breast and legs, Camel-fashion,
and its method of lying down and arising is very
similar to the action of the Camel under the same
circumstances. During its rest it dreamily chews
the cud.
The Guanacos are generally very wild and shy.
The leader nearly always stands a few paces from
his flock and mounts guard with the utmost vigi-
lance, while the herd grazes in peace. On the slight-
est alarm he utters a loud, neighing bleat; instantly
all the members of the herd raise their heads,
sharply look around, and then betake themselves to
flight.
The female gives birth to one perfectly developed
infant during the season. The newborn Guanaco is
covered with hair and has its eyes open. The mother
suckles it for four months, guards it carefully, dis-
plays toward it great tenderness and keeps it near
herself until it is completely matured.
Peculiar Methods The Guanaco defends itself against
of Defence Prac- its own kind by kicking and biting,
ticed by Guanacos. but timorously takes refuge in flight
without so much as making a pretence of defending
itself against an enemy which it fears. When the
Guanacos have become accustomed to Men and
domestic animals, they become bolder, sometimes
courageously charging at an opponent, trying to bite
and kick him, and in other cases resorting to a mode
of defence peculiar to all Llamas. They allow their
antagonist to approach quite closely, then put their
ears back, assume a surly expression of counte-
nance and then suddenly and violently spit upon the
enemy, the discharge consisting of saliva and the
herbage that is either held at the time in the mouth,
or which they have procured expressly for this pur-
pose out of the stomach by retching.
Man is under all circumstances the worst foe of
these animals; their fleetness protects them against
other assailants. Whether the Condor really causes
among them such havoc as has been ascribed to that
bird of prey remains an open question. The South
Americans are passionately fond of hunting the
Guanaco, both on account of the sport which it af-
fords, and the economic value of the carcass, for the
profit accruing from the flesh and skin is not to be
despise'd.
In mountainous regions, as well as on plains,
Guanacos are not infrequently taken with a view to
domestication. While they are young they exhibit
no vicious tendencies, and altogether conduct them-
selves in a pleasing manner. They are tame and
affectionate, follow their master about like Dogs,
and may be treated as Lambs; but the older they
grow, the more their love and affection for Man di-
minishes. They are easily maintained on hay, grass,
bread and grains, even in Europe, where they prop-
agate their species if they are well taken care of.
The Llama The Lama, or more properly Llama
a Domesticated (Aachoria lama), is found principally
Species. jn pCru, and there thrives best on the
table-lands. Its physical proportions are slightly
THE CAMELS— LLAMA.
445
larger than those of the Guanaco, and it is character-
ized by callosities on the breast and on the external
surface of the first joints of the fore-legs. The head
is narrow and short, the lips are hairy, the ears short
and the soles of the feet large. The coloring is very
variable; it may be white, black, pied, reddish-brown
spotted with white, dark brown, ochre-yellow, gray-
ish-red, or of other hues. The adult animal attains
a height of from eight feet eight inches to nine feet
four inches from the soles of its feet to the top of its
head; at the withers it is about four feet high.
Acosta relates that the Indians lead entire herds
of "these Sheep," loaded like beasts of burden, over
the mountains, the herds often numbering from three
such a hard task is imposed only on those animals
belonging to poor soldiers wandering through Peru.
All these animals prefer cold air and thrive in the
mountain, while they succumb to the heat of the
plain. They are often entirely covered with hoar-
frost and ice and yet remain in good health. The
short haired specimens often furnish the beholder
with cause for merriment. Ever and anon they sud-
denly stop on the road, lift their heads and fixedly
stare at people, standing still a long time without
showing any sign of fear or displeasure. At other
times they suddenly take fright and shy at some-
thing, and run up on the top of the highest crags
taking with them their burdens, and they often have
THE LLAMA. In southern Peru the Llama is one of the most common of the domesticated animals, and is now no longer known in a wild state.
It is the typical species of the New World animals of the Camel family, though much smaller than the Camels proper. It was formerly much used as a
beast of burden and is still used as such, but since the introduction into Peru of Horses, Asses and Mules its importance in that respect has greatly dimin-
ished. Its hairy covering is long and woolly. (Auchenia lama.)
hundred to five hundred, or even one thousand. "I
have been astonished," says he, "to see these herds
of Sheep loaded with two or three thousand bars of
silver, of the value of about three hundred thousand
ducats, accompanied only by a few Indians who
guide, load and unload the Sheep, the escort at the
most being supplemented by a few Spaniards. They
sleep all night in the fields and yet so great is pub-
lic security in Peru that nothing has ever been lost
by robbery on these long journeys. In suitable rest-
ing places, where there are rivers and pasturage, the
leaders unload their animals, put up tents, cook
meals and take their ease despite the long journey.
If the trip requires only one day's travel, those
Sheep carry eight arrobas (about two hundred
pounds) and traverse from eight to ten leguas
(eighteen to twenty-two and one-half miles); but
to be shot down in order to prevent the loss of the
goods they carry."
Only the males are used for conveying burdens,
the females serving exclusively for breeding pur-
poses. "There is nothing more beautiful," says Ste-
venson, "than a caravan of these animals, as they
march one behind the other, in the greatest order,
each with its burden of a hundred weight or so.
They are guided by a leader, adorned with a taste-
fully decorated halter, a little bell and a flag on its
head. Thus they travel along the snow-covered
peaks of the Cordilleras or by the side of the moun-
tain, along roads where Horses and Mules would
pick their way with difficulty; and they are so tract-
able that their drivers need neither goad nor whip to
guide or urge them forward. Quietly and without
interruption they move on toward their goal."
44fi
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
The Llama of Mcycn estimates the importance of
Great Value to the thc Llama to the peruvi;ms as ]
Peruvmns. to that of ^ Re;ndeer tQ ^ £^
lander. The animals are kept on the table-lands in
enormous herds. All species of Llamas produce at
a birth only a single young one, which is by mothers
of most species suckled for about four months, and
for a period somewhat longer by females of the
Llama species proper.
The same naturalist informs us that the importance
and also the price of the Llama have considerably
diminished since the introduction of animals of the
Horse tribe, and further that the herds of Llamas
are occasionally ravaged by terrible plagues, and
stricken down in appalling numbers.
Peculiarities of At present the Llama is seen in
Temper of the nearly all zoological gardens. If it
is kept in company with others of its
kind, it seems to be much more amiable than when
say that I never knew one to be gentle or rrood-
natured. b"«u
Characteristics The third form of the group the
of the A,- Paco or Alpaca {Auchenia pacts), is
. Paca- smaller than the Llama, and shows a
similarity to the Sheep in physical structure, but has
a longer neck and a more delicate head Its fleece
is very long and of exquisite softness; on some spots
as for instance, on the sides of the body, the hair at-
tains a length of from four to five inches. The color
is usually entirely white or black, but there are also
pied or mottled specimens.
The Alpacas are kept in large herds, which graze
on the high plains all the year round; they are driven
to the huts or booths of the owners for shearing
only. 1 here is, perhaps, no other animal that has so
refractory a temper as the Alpaca. If one is sepa-
rated from the herd, it throws itself on the ground
and neither coaxing nor blows can persuade it to'
THE ALPACA. — Smaller than tlip T lima Zhi^lf^i ~-~° *""",, ~ — "~ L'~~ -* ~" "^E^~: ~H =S -"^"-S^i
it is alone, and has nothing to claim its attention It
agrees peaceably with its generic and family rela-
tions and mated couples especially are tenderly
111,1 to each other. They harn to know their
keeper and act tolerably well toward him, but toward
strangers they exhibit the ugly disposition of true
>, being constantly in an ill humor, and ex
--Inglyn-ntaU,. l„ the Berlin Tiergarten there
was a Llama which was endowed with an especially
unpleasant temper; a placard was attached to its
■ asking visitors to refrain Iron, provoking the
LKunath, natural ivsultluang that everybodv did
his Im st to .rritate the animal. Consequently it was
n a state of perpetual agitation. Whenever Jvsilor
approached ,ts comfortable rumination instantly
d; it laid .tsears back, stared at the stranger
I" n suddenly walked up and spit at him. The other
Llamas which I have seen, or haw had under my
Ciiarg( • >" haved in a similar manner, and I can truly
get up. It prefers the severest castigation, and even
the most painful death to obedience. A single indi-
vidual can be induced to move only by making it
join a herd of Llamas or Sheep. From time im-
memorial thc Indians have manufactured blankets
and cloaks out of the wool of the Alpacas and
Uamas.
Value of the The attempt to transplant Alpacas
Alpaca to in Lurope has been repeatedly made,
""■ but so far has been uniformly a fail-
ure, and like attempts to colonize them in Australia
have met with no better success, although the exper-
iments of that kind in the latter country have been
on a larger scale than those in Europe. The Alpacas
possess great powers of endurance, can be main-
tained with but little care, and propagate rapidly
Hesides being valuable for their wool,' which sells
for about seventy dollars per hundred weight on the
western coast ol South America, the flesh of thc Al-
THE HORXED AXIMALS.
447
paca is very palatable. In their native country they
are not used as beasts of burden, but are bred exclu-
sively for their wool and flesh. From their wool the
Indians manufacture artistic table-covers and other
valuable articles, which are noteworthy for their
beautiful lustre and their wearing qualities.
The Vicugna, its "The Vicugna (Auchenia vicugna) is
Home and more graceful than the Llama," says
Haunts. Tschudi. "In size it holds the mean
between Llama and Alpaca, but is distinguished
from both by its wool, which is much shorter, more
curl_\* and of an exquisitely fine texture. The top of
the head, the upper part of the neck, the body and
the thighs are of a peculiar reddish yellow hue
known as Vicugna color;
the throat and the inner
faces of the limbs are
light ochre yellow; the
breast-hair, which is
nearly five inches long,
and the abdomen are
white.
'"During the rainy sea-
son the Vicugnas live on
the ridges of the Cordil-
leras, which afford but
scant vegetation. As the
hoofs are soft and the
soles sensitive, the ani-
mals always remain on
the grass plots, and even
when pursued, they rare-
ly retreat to the craggy,
bare peaks and stdl less
to the glaciers and snow-
fields, as is the habit of
the Chamois. During
the hot season they de-
scend to the valleys.
The apparent contradic-
tion of habits that in-
duces the animals to
keep in cold regions in
winter and in warm ones
in summer, is explained
by the fact that the crest
of the Cordilleras is
quite parched during the
dry season, and vegeta-
tion capable of affording
them sufficient nourish-
ment can be found only
in the valleys, where
there are rivers and mo-
rasses.
" The female usually
gives birth to a single
young one, which immediately after it is born exhib-
its extraordinary powers of endurance and great
fleetness. The young male Vicugnas remain under
the protection of their mothers until they are fully
grown; then a large number of females unite and
drive the males away by dint of biting and kicking.
These discarded individuals unite to form their own
herds, eventually joining others, so that the}- some-
times number from twenty to thirty."
The Vicugna Vicugnas caught young are easily
Easily Domes- tamed and become very familiar, at-
ticated. taching themselves to their keeper
and following him like well-bred domestic animals.
With advancing age, however, they become vicious.
like their wild relatives, and unbearable by reason of
their unpleasant habit of continually spitting. The
experiment of taming them is seldom tried, and their
freedom is disturbed only to procure their wool.
As early as the times of Acosta the Indians used to
shear the Vicugnas and use their wool to manufact-
ure a fabric of great value, which had the appearance
of white silk, and was very durable, as it did not re-
quire dyeing or the usual process of bleaching and
finishing. Clothing made from this stuff was espe-
cially adapted for hot weather. Even now the finest
and most durable materials are woven out of this
wool, and felt made from it is used for making strong,
soft hats.
vrf,t
THE VICUGNA. Inhabiting the most elevated localities of Bolivia ami northern Chili, the Vicugnas live in
rhis animal is the smallest of the American species ol the Camel family, is very wild, and is only capable of
domestication when young. Thej are pretty animals with a soft, silky fur which is much in request (or making fine
fabrics. (Auchenia vicugna.)
£be Iborncfc animals.
THIRD FAMILY: BoviD/E.
The third main section of the Ruminants contains
the Horned Animals (Bovida), which constitute a
single, clearly defined family, separated into five sub-
families. Closely allied to the hollow-horned ani-
mals as the Deer may appear to be, they differ from
them decidedly in shape and structure, as well as
in the manner of the growth of their horns, the de-
velopment and progression of those members being
a constant one. The Horned Animals have conical
projections on the forehead, which remain enclosed
448
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
in the horn; the bony projection forms the core of
the horn and grows uninterruptedly from the base,
and thereby extends in length and also in thickness
at the root. As it grows, new horny mass is devel-
oped on this bony projection along its whole length,
the old continually forming a firm sheath around it.
With the hollow-horned animals also the existing
older external horny coat is separated from the inner
bony core by the newly formed horny process, but
it is not shed mechanically, as with the Deer, the
conical shape of the parts by which union is formed
with the frontal bone of the head, and the firm sheath
of the previously grown external horny coat prevent-
ing the falling off of the horns. Further particular
characteristics of the family are, that all animals be-
longing to it have six incisors and two canine teeth
in the lower jaw, and twelve molars — six on each
side — in both upper and lower jaws, incisors and ca-
nines, however, being absent in the upper jaw, the
family showing great uniformity in dentition
The Horned Family Nothing general can be said about
Have Few Features the Horned Animals, except in re-
in Common. gard to their horns and dentition.
The structure of the body is very variable, as the
family contains clumsy, bulky forms as well as
light and graceful ones. The shape of the horns
and hoofs, the length of the tail, the hairy covering
and color vary to a great extent. Widely different
as is their outward appearance, the mode of life of
the Bovidae presents an equally great diversity of
habit. Indigenous to nearly all parts of the globe,
with the exception of South America and Australia,
they divide into many species and live in all lati-
tudes and heights, in all regions and fields, from the
lonely desert to the forest gorgeous in its tropical
splendor, from the swampy plain to the glacier-
covered mountains. By far the majority of them
live gregariously, not a few herding in considerable
numbers, some at least temporarily collecting in
bodies, the number of the individuals composing
which is not approached by any similar collection of
mammals unless we except the gatherings of the
rodents. As is to be expected from their varying
shape, some move with a clumsy, lumbering gait,
while the others exhibit great speed and agility;
again, adapting themselves to the environment of
their customary haunts, some are as excellent swim-
mers as the others are climbers.
Importance to Man To Man the Bovidae are of a higher
of the Horned and greater importance than all other
Animals. Ruminants, with the single exception
of the Camels. From their number humanity has
reclaimed the most important domestic animals so
far as regards nourishment and use; to them we are
indebted for a material part of our usual diet and
our clothing; without them we would be incapable
of prolonging our existence. Even the untamed
species, enjoying unlimited freedom, are as a rule
more useful than otherwise, as their inroads on what
wc term our property do not injure us as much as
the ravages of other large animals, and as they, by
giving up to our use their palatable flesh for food,
and other portions of their bodies for various pur-
poses, on the whole even more than repay for all the
damage they inflict, and as game no animals are
more popular than those of this family.
The five sub-families, into which we divide the
Bovidae, we will call Caprinae, comprising the Goats
;iiid Sheep; Ovibovinae, or Musk' Oxen; Bovinae, or
the Ox tribe; Aplocerinae, or Mountain Goats, and
Antilopinae, or Antelope tribe.
THE SHEEP AND GOAT TRIBE.
The two kinds of Capriiue, namely the Goats and
the Sheep, exhibit so close an affinity to each other
that it seems scarcely possible to decide on special
distinctive features between them.
All species of this family attain what is to be con-
sidered but a moderate size when compared with
other Ruminants; they are of sturdy and sometimes
even of clumsy organization, have short necks and
generally stout, coarse heads, low, sturdy legs with
comparatively obtuse hoofs, a round or broad tail
naked on its under surface, short or moderately long
ears, tolerably large eyes with obliquely placed ob-
long pupils, more or less compressed and angular
horns curving backward and outward, not infre-
quently spirally- twisted, and more rarely conforming
to a lyre-shaped outline. These horns are often very
bulky and possessed by both sexes, though those of
the female are considerably shorter than those of the
male. The pelt, which is usually of a subdued, neu-
tral color, is very thick, and consists of a long outer
fur and a copious woolly inner layer.
The Sheep and Goat tribe is for the greater part
indigenous to the regions of the north of the Old
World; they were originally absent in the South
American, Ethiopian and Australian Zones, and are
represented by only one native species in the North
American and Oriental belts, respectively.
THE GOATS.
The sturdy, vigorous body of the Goats {Caprd),\.o
which we unhesitatingly concede the first place in
their sub-family, have a sturdy, vigorous body which
rests upon strong and comparatively short legs; the
neck is stout and the head proportionately short and
broad at the forehead. The tail, which is usually
carried erect, is triangular and devoid of hair on its
under surface. The eyes are large and lustrous, the
ears erect, acutely pointed and very mobile. The
horns are quadrilateral with rounded edges, or two-
edged with an elliptical cross-section distinctly
marked by rings denoting the growth of each suc-
ceeding year, broad and flattened on their anterior
surfaces and possessed by both sexes. The direc-
tion of the horns is either backward, with a simple,
crescent-shaped sweep, or they curve outwardly at
the tips producing a lyre-shaped contour. Those of
the he Goats are always much heavier than those of
the she Goats. The fur consists of two layers, the
finer woolly coat being concealed by the coarse outer
hair. With some species the outer fur lies tolerably
close to the body, with others it grows into a mane
on certain parts of the body, with most species it
forms a stiff beard on the chin. The hue of the fur
is always dull and neutral, either earthy or rock-
colored, brown and gray tints prevailing. Another
feature characteristic of these animals, is the power-
ful, rank odor, with which all Goats afflict our sense
of smell.
Goats in a free state inhabit central and southern
Asia, Europe and northern Africa. Domesticated
species are distributed over the entire globe. They
arc as a rule inhabitants of mountains, especially of
high ranges, where they affect lonely spots inacces-
sible to Man. The majority of species range higher
than the line of perpetual snow. Sunny spots with
dry pasturage, thinly grown woodland glades and
craggy walls, as well as bare cliffs and rocks, loom-
ing straight above the eternal snow and ice, are their
favorite haunts. All species are gregarious. They
are active, lively, restless, intelligent and sportive
IBEX OR STEINBOCK. These mountain dwellers are the liveliest members of the Goat tribe. They are found in the highest regions of the
European Alps, spending the day in localities above the line of perpetual snow. At night they descend to the highest woods to graze, retiring at sunrise
to their snowy fastnesses. They jump from crag to crag with great security and facility. They live in small herds and the picture shows them as they
appear in their Alpine home. ( Capra ibex.)
(449)
400
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
animals, which incessantly run and gambol, and only
lie quietly on one spot when engaged in chewing the
cud. Old males are the only individuals which lead
solitary lives, and they but seldom; others always
tenaciously keep together. Though they are active
by day and by night, they give the preference to the
day. Their peculiarities are displayed at every op-
portunity. They are exceedingly good climbers and
jumpers and in the exercise of these accomplish-
ments they display an amount of courage, intelli-
gence and resolution which redounds greatly to
their credit. They are remarkably sure-footed, and
traverse the most dangerous spots in the mountains.
They are free from dizziness, and they stand on the
narrowest ledges and with apparent indifference
gaze into the most terrible abysses. With foolhardy
carelessness they graze on nearly vertical walls. In
proportion to their physical stature they are pos-
sessed of enormous strength and of wonderful pow-
ers of endurance and thus are perfectly adapted
to inhabit a sterile domain, in which every leaflet,
every little blade of grass has to be acquired by
labor, and existence must be maintained by dint of
incessant struggle. Sportive and playful toward
each other, they are wary and shy in all their rela-
tions toward other beings and generally flee at the
slightest noise; though one can not ascribe such
action entirely to fear, for in case of necessity they
fight with much courage and determination, and
exhibit a certain pugnaciousness which is certainly
entitled to respect.
Diet and Prop- -Succulent mountain herbs of all
agation of kinds furnish the fare of the Goats.
Goats. Fastidious to a high degree, they
always select the choicest morsels. Water is an
essential with them, and therefore they shun regions
where there are no rivers or creeks.
The number of young brought forth at a birth
ranges between one and four. With wild species
the number reaches two at the most; with tame ones,
in rare cases, four. The kids are perfectly devel-
oped at birth, have their eyes open and are able to
follow the mother about at once. Those of wild
species run about the mountains on the first day of
their life, exhibiting as much boldness and being as
sure of foot as their parents.
Great Value of We may truly assert that all Goats
Goats to are eminently useful animals. The
Man- damage they inflict is of slight ac-
count generally, and is to be noticed in but few
countries, while their usefulness is considerable,
especially in regions where the animals are used to
extract, for the benefit of man, profit from localities
which would otherwise lie waste. The desolate
mountains of the south of Europe are covered with
herds of Goats, which browse the grass from prec-
ipices where no human being could gain a foothold
and thus turn into food for man through the medium
of their own flesh, vegetation that otherwise would
be lost. Nearly every portion of the carcass of the
wild species is useful to man, such as flesh, skin,
horn and hair, and the tame Goats are not only the
most valuable friend of the poor, but also come very
near being the only producers of milk in the south,
where they are regarded as animals of great utility.
The classification and identification of the wild
Goats is a difficult matter, because the species are so
very similar and there are so many obstacles in the
way of observing their life. There arc several va-
rieties among them, of which we will now consider
the Ibex and the Goats proper.
The Ibex, and its The Ibex or Steinbock {Ibex) inhab
Peculiari- its mountains, at an altitude so great
ties. that other large mammals ranging
there would fail to find sufficient food and hence
would be stunted. Few Ruminants follow them
into the high altitudes, where they roam about from
year to year, descending but slightly lower during
only the severest winter weather. It is in accord-
ance with this mode of life, that every species of
Ibex has a very restricted distribution. Some natu-
ralists'admit only one species, not only for Europe,
but in general. We, however, prefer to consider the
various forms as species, for the time being. In do-
ing so, we regard the Ibex as a sub-genus rich in
species. Europe alone possesses three different va-
rieties: one, the Ibex proper {Copra Ibex), inhabits the
Alps, the second, the Pyrenean Ibex {Copra pyre na-
ico), dwells among the Pyrenees and other Spanish
mountains, the third, the Caucasan Ibex {Copra
caucasico), finds its domicile in the Caucasus. Then
there is a fourth species in Siberia, a fifth in Arabia,
a sixth in Abyssinia and a seventh in the Himalayas.
All these animals are very similar in anatomical
shape and the color of their coats and differ mainly
in the formation of their horns and in their beards.
Intermediate forms have as yet not been discovered,
and thus we must regard them for the time being as
distinct species.
Description of the The Ibex of the Alps, Bouquetin or
Alpine Ibex or Steinbock {Copra ibex), is a handsome,
Steinbock. stately creature, the body of which
measures from five feet to five feet four inches in
length. Its height at the shoulder is from thirty-two
to thirty-four inches, and it weighs from one hun-
dred and fifty to two hundred pounds. The animal's
appearance produces upon the observer the impres-
sion that it possesses great strength and endurance.
The body is sturdy, the neck of medium length, the
head is proportionately small, but strongly arched on
the forehead. The legs are vigorous and moderately
long, the horns, possessed by both sexes, attain a
comparatively large size and great strength in the
case of old males, and they curve obliquely back-
ward in either a straight direction or in a crescent
shape. At their bases, where they are thickest, the
horns stand nearest to each other. From that point
they diverge widely, and gradually taper toward
their extremities. Their cross-section forms an ob-
long quadrangle slightly depressed on the hinder
surface of the horn, and becoming flatter toward the
upper extremity. The rings produced by growth,
protrude especially in front, forming bulky knots or
tubercles, and then run along the sides of the horn,
being much less prominent there, however, than in
front. Toward the base and the extremity the rings
diminish in width; toward the middle of the horn
they are widest and are found most closely together.
The horns may attain a length of from thirty-two to
forty inches, and a weight of twenty or thirty pounds.
The horns of the female bear a greater resemblance
to those of a domestic she Goat than to those of the
male Steinbock.
The fur is rough and thick, undergoing modifica-
tions in the different seasons, being longer, coarser,
curlier and of duller tint in winter, shorter, finer and
more lustrous in summer, and during the cold season
it is mixed with a thick under wool, which is shed
as the temperature becomes warmer. The hair is
erected into a kind of mane on the back of the neck,
and in old males it also becomes longer on the back
of the head and on the lower jaw. In the latter sit-
THE HORNED ANIMALS— GOATS.
451
uation the hair forms a short beard, not over two
inches long and absent in the young males and all
females. The color of the beard slightly differs
with age and season. In summer a reddish gray tint
prevails, in winter it is yellowish gray or of a pale
tint.
Habits and Pecul- The Bouquetins form herds of vari-
iarities of the ous sizes, the old males joining them
Ste'mbock. only during the breeding season,
however, and leading a solitary life during the re-
mainder of the year. The she Goats and kids al-
ways live in a lower belt of mountain region than do
the males, in whom the yearning for the highest
altitudes is so powerful
that only lack of food
and the severest cold can
compel them to descend.
According to Berthoud
von Berghem, whose ac-
counts are still accepted
as authentic, all males
that are over six years
old retire to the highest
spots in the mountain,
lead a more and more
solitary life and finally
become so insensible to
the severest cold that
•they will sometimes stand
on the highest peaks with
their faces turned against
the storm, motionless as
statues, as a result of
which they not infre-
quently get the tips of
their ears frozen. Like
the Chamois, the Ibex
also grazes during the
night in the forests near-
est the line of vegetation,
in summer never descend-
ing lower than a quarter
of an hour's journey from
the perpetual snow limit.
At sunrise they begin to
climb upwards, grazing,
and finally settle down to
rest on the highest and
warmest places, facing
east and south; in the
afternoon they descend
again, grazing, to spend
the night in the forest, if
possible.
No other Ruminant
seems to be so well fitted
to climb mountains as the
wild Goats in general and the Ibex in particular.
All the movements of the latter are quick, vigorous
and yet easy. It runs with great speed, climbs with
admirable facility and exhibits a truly astonishing
security and speed in going along almost perpen-
dicular walls of rock where it alone can gain a foot-
hold. An uneven spot or indentation in the wall,
which a human eye barely sees when quite close to
it, affords it sufficient support; minute crevices and
small holes constitute for it the steps of a conven-
ient ladder. It plants its hoofs so firmly and se-
curely that it can keep its hold upon the smallest
spots of standing room. Schinz has observed and
interestingly recorded with what precision these ani-
mals reach the spots at which they aim. A young
Bouquetin in Berne sprang voluntarily and without
having been pursued, alighting on the head of a tall
Man, and kept its place there with all four hoofs.
Another was seen to stand on all four feet on the
top of a pole, a third stood on the narrow upper
edge of a door and mounted a vertical wall without
any other support than that formed by the projec-
tions of the bricks, at such joints as had been de-
nuded by the falling off of mortar. Running along
this wall, it scaled it to the top with three bounds.
It took its stand opposite the goal it had selected
and measured the distance with its eye; then it trav-
PYRENEAN IBEX. Closely allied in its nature to the Steinbock is the Pyrenean Ibex, which is distin-
guished from its Alpine relative by a more graceful form and by differently shaped and twisted horns. It inhabits
the snowy heights of the Pyrenees, and is very difficult to hunt because at the slightest alarm it retreats to places
inaccessible to Man. [Capta fyrenaica.)
ersed an equal horizontal space taking short steps,
repeatedly coming back to the starting point; it
swayed to and fro on its legs as though trying their
elasticity, then jumped and reached the top in three
bounds. They scarcely seem to touch the rocks or
walls in leaping, and their bodies bound upwards
like balls. The ease and security with which the
Ibex crosses the deepest and most dangerous cre-
vasses and abysses are also truly wonderful.
Sensory and Mental The vocal expression of the Ibex
Attributesof resembles the whistle of the
Ibexes. Chamois, but is longer drawn-out.
Among the perceptive senses that of sight ranks
first. The eye of an Ibex is much keener than that
45-2
THE CLOVEN- HOOFED ANIMALS,
of a Chamois, while its scent is much weaker; the
faculty of hearing is excellent, the mental capacity
is probably on a level with that of the Goats in gen-
eral. The Ibex proves its sagacity by the judicious
selection of its haunts and walks, by its calculating
caution, skillful avoidance of danger and easy resig-
nation to altered circumstances.
In quiet, elevated valleys the Ibex feeds in the
forenoon and afternoon; in regions where it fears
molestation it selects as its meal-times the hours of
dawn and twilight and perhaps the night. Its food
consists of the juicy, delicate Alpine herbs, grass,
buds of trees; leaves and tips of branches, especially
varieties of fennel and wormwood, thyme, the buds
and branches of the dwarf-birch, birches, Alpine
.roses, gentian and in winter also dry grass and moss.
Propagation Usually at the end of June or at the
of the beginning of July the females give
Ibex. birth to one or two young, equaling
•newborn kids in size. A few hours after birth the
little creatures prove themselves to be nearly as
bold mountain-climbers as their mother. She loves
her young exceedingly, licks them clean, guides
them, talks to them, through the medium of her
kind bleating calls them, keeps hidden with them
in caverns while she suckles them, and never leaves
them unless the greatest danger threatens her, and
she must save her own life, without which that of
her infant would also be lost. In such a case she
runs along dizzy precipices and seeks safety in rocky
crevices and crannies. The kids, however, very
adroitly conceal themselves behind stones and in
holes, lying quite still and motionless, looking, list-
ening, sniffing in all directions. The gray fur of
the young Ibex is so similar in coloration to the
rocks and earthy matter surrounding it that the
keenest Falcon's eye could not discern it and dis-
tinguish it from the rock, which thus takes a mother's
place and shelters it for the time being. Large birds
of prey, especially the Golden Eagle and perhaps
also the Golden Vulture, are a menace to the safety
of young kids, but owing to the mother's vigilance,
they probably are rarely successful in their attempts
to seize her young. The older animals are probably
preyed upon by the Lynx, Wolf and Bear. More
fatal than all these foes combined are the severe
climate and the accidents concomitant with the
inhospitable nature of their haunts in winter and
spring. But the worst foe of the Ibex is Man,
especially the poacher. Probably no more difficult
and dangerous undertaking can be conceived than
the Ibex hunt as conducted by a poacher. All that
can be said of the dangers of a Chamois hunt ob-
tains in this instance only in a higher measure. On
account of the scarcity of the game, the hunter must
be prepared to live from eight to fourteen days far
away from all human habitations, braving the perils
of outdoor life in the high mountains; he must en-
dure frost, snow, hunger, thirst, fog and storm, often
spend several nights on a hard rock, without shelter
from the ice-cold wind, and very often he has to
return home empty-handed after many trials of his
patience. In the event of the most favorable result
he must slum all frequented paths with his dearly
bought prize, in order to avoid detection by the
fori St guards; he must be able to walk the edges of
the most frightful precipices without dizziness, and
have strength to carry heavy burdens in order to be
able to convey the reward of his efforts home at all.
Thus it happens but too often that he brings pov-
erty and misery into his hut instead of the carcass
of his game, not to speak of the fact that he dail
runs the risk of falling into an abyss and beii
dashed to pieces, or of ending his life by the bulk
of a guard.
Ibexes Very Sus- Bouquetins taken young, as a n
ceptible of Do- thrive well, if they are given a Gc
mestication. as wet-nurse. They soon becor
tame, though they lose this quality with advancing
age. They are as full of curiosity, fun and frolic as
kids of other species, and so playful and droll that
they can not but amuse the observer. They make
friends with their foster-mother in a few days, and
with their keeper after some time, distinguishing him
from other people and showing much joy if they see
him again after a prolonged separation. They are
highly susceptible to caresses, but do not brook any
violence, and defiantly and most amusingly resist
even their keepers attempting to move their heads
by means of their short horns. If scratched between
the horns, they remain as motionless as Lambs, but
not infrequently requite such benefits by -a thrust of
the head meant in play but not always devoid of
painful results. The older they grow, the more self-
conscious and presumptuous do they become.
Stories of a Bernese There are some difficulties and un-
Halfbred pleasant consequences in the way of
Ibex. letting crosses between the Ibex and
domestic Goat run free. This was proven by the
result of experiments made at Berne about seventy •
years ago. The Bouquetins and their hybrid off-
spring were turned loose on part of the ramparts of
the town, where they received their food and propa-
gated themselves in the desired manner. But the
half-bloods, as well as the Bouquetins themselves,
soon forgot all the benefits received and finally dis-
played neither affection for, nor fear of, Man. One
hybrid male found great pleasure in attacking a sen-
tinel on the ramparts, and displayed a perseverance
in this occupation, which soon caused him to be-
come highly unpopular. Once he interrupted the
observations of the astronomer working in his tower
and tore his coat-sleeve. Later he amused himself
by joining the promenades of honest citizens, and
causing the people to flee before him. Finally he
bethought himself of mounting on the roofs of
houses and demolishing the bricks of the chimneys.
Numerous complaints were lodged against him, and
the wise and mighty city government was obliged to
respond to them; the mischievous buck was solemnly
banished and transported to a mountain near Unter-
seen, together with his female Goats. The latter
soon became accustomed to their allotted heights
but the buck preferred the inhabited parts of the
mountain to the proximity of glaciers. He began
by visiting the huts on the Alps, and he there struck
up a closer friendship with the domestic Goats of the
vicinity than was agreeable to the Goat herds, and
finally became so regular and importunate a visitor
that he could not be driven away, as he made very
free use of his horns.
Such deeds of violence and various other pranks
at last made his removal imperative. The task of
taking him higher up in the mountain to the Saxe-
tenthal devolved on four strong Men. The wild
creature was fastened to a strong rope, and he suc-
ceeded more than once in throwing all his leaders
to the ground. Then a strong Chamois hunter un-
dertook the supervision of the intended Bouquetin
removal. He also had a hard time of it, for the buck
seemed to be utterly devoid of gratitude. Once he
challenged his guardian to a duel, the Man being
THE HORNED ANIMALS— GOATS.
453
compelled from motives of self-preservation to ac-
cept it, as it occurred on the edge of a precipice.
For a whole hour he had to struggle with the animal
before he subdued it. Besides these chivalrous ex-
ploits the buck was guilty of greater deeds of mis-
chief. He continued to be the terror of the goat-
herds, whom he frequently attacked and ill-treated,
coming down from the heights to visit their huts.
The people living on the mountains again began
handing in petitions to the government, and the con-
sequence was another removal of the buck. The
Grimselalpe was allotted to him; but there also he
evinced his old disposition; he picked quarrels with
all Dogs with which he came in contact, even with
the largest; and if they stood their ground he simply
threw them over his head, sending them through the
lir in a bold curve. He defiantly put himself in the
formation of its horns. The favorite haunts of the
Pyrenean Ibex are as inaccessible as those of the
Steinbock, and it is equally as difficult to hunt.
General Character- The Goats proper (Hircus) are, on an
istics of Domes- average, of a smaller size than the
tic Goats. Ibex. The horns are more or less
compressed, those of the male having longitudinal
angular ridges or "keels," while those of both male
and female are marked by wrinkles or transverse
rings, each depression indicating a deposit of horny
matter acquired during the growth of the horn. In
all other respects the Goats resemble the Ibex.
Ancestry of the As is the case with the other domes-
Domestic tic animals we do not know which
Goat. species of wild animals was the orig-
inal progenitor of the domestic Goat. Our informa-
tion about the wild Goats, which are especially nu-
THE .EGAGRUS GOAT. The wild Goat, called Paseng by the Persian?, is believed by many naturalists to be the original stock from which the
domestic breeds are descended. The long horns of the male, transversely ridged, are proportionately longer than those of any other Ruminant animal. It
inhabits the remote heights of all Asiatic mountain ranges from the Caucasus to the Himalayas. (Cafira tcgagrus.)
way of climbing travelers and spread terror and panic
wherever he appeared. So the government at last
was obliged to take extreme measures against him
and the freedom-loving, vigorous fellow was sen-
tenced to die. His offspring were distinguished by
a particularly savage disposition, which manifested
itself as they grew older. While they were young,
they diverted the goatherds by their mischievous
pranks and antics; but when they grew older and
stronger, they became a burden to their owners and
were slaughtered, one and all. Such was the termi-
nation of the Bouquetin breeding at Berne, the in-
tended object being found impracticable, or if not
impracticable was certainly not achieved in this at-
tempt.
The Ibex of the Pyrenees ( Capra pyrenaicd) attains
exactly the same dimensions as the Steinbock of the
Alps, but differs materially from it in the shape and
merous in Asia, is so meager that we have no means
of forming even an approximate estimate- of the
number of their species. Many naturalists believe
that to the /Egagrus more than any other wild spe-
cies of Goat is due the honor of having enriched us
with so useful a domestic animal. The /Egagrus
and the domestic Goat are alike in all physical es-
sentials except in the direction and twist of their
horns.
Description of the The yEgagrus or Paseng {Capra agag-
Azgagrusor rus) is smaller than the European
Wild Goat. Bouquetin, but perceptibly larger
than the domestic Goat. The length of a full-grown
male is about five feet; the height at the shoulder
is thirty- eight inches and at the croup nearly
an inch more. The female is perceptibly smaller.
The horns are very large and strong, much com-
pressed laterally, sharp-edged in front and behind
454
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
and rounded or arched on the outer side. In me-
dium sized animals they often measure upward of
sixteen inches and more than double this size in old
individuals. Beginning from the base they sweep
backward in a bold, direct curve, and in old males
describe almost a semicircle. They are set close
together at their bases, gradually diverge for more
than half their length, and for the remainder of their
length to their extremities curve boldly forward and
inward. The knots or transverse rings on the horns,
between which are numerous smaller ridges, number
denned black-brown stripe runs along the course of
the backbone to the black tail.
Range and The /Egagrus is a native of an exten-
Habits of the sive portion of western and centra
/Egagrus. ^ Asia It ,s found Qn the southen
slope of the Caucasus, and in the Taurus and other
mountains of Asia Minor and Persia, and from thence
far south through Afghanistan and Beluchistan. It
is also found on the islands of the Mediteranean, es-
pecially among those of the Grecian Archipelago,
and perhaps even on the higher parts of the Greek
THE MARKHOOR.— -The lofty mountains which enclose the famous valley of Cashmere in Asia form the favorite home of the Mark-
er or Markhor. popularly, but erroneously, called the Serpent-eater. It is rather larger than the Ibex, is of a slaty "ray colo ™ th a long beard
of darker hue, and has strange, triangular, spiral horns which are sometimes as much as five feet long in the large males Markl oofs have
bred several times in the gardens of the Zoological Society, London. {Cafirafalconeri.) MarKiioors have
/rom ten to twelve in old individuals, ^Egragus
Goats of both sexes have coarse beards; the remain-
der of the hairy covering consists of a rather long,
smooth, wiry outer fur, and a short, woolly inner
coat of a medium degree of softness. The coloring
is a bright reddish-gray, or a rusty hue of brownish-
yellow, assuming a lighter tint upon the sides of
the neck and the flanks. The breast and throat
are blackish-brown, the abdomen and the inner and
rear surfaces of the thighs are white. A sharply
peninsula. Investigation has demonstrated, almost
to a certainty, that the /Egagrus is the same animal
mentioned by Homer in his description of the Cy-
clopean Island:
"A wooded isle, wherein do roam wild Goats unnumbered;
For path of Man, or presence there, affrights them not."'
The actions and habits of the /Egagrus strikingly
resemble those of the Ibex. With heedless fleetness
it runs along the most perilous paths or stands for
hours, entirely free from vertigo, looking down into
THE HORXED ANIMALS— GOATS.
455
deep gulfs which yawn below. It is an excellent
climber, and executes dangerous leaps with great
courage and skill. It is exceedingly wary, and
generally succeeds in avoiding the most insidious
dangers.
The little ones of this species appear in April or
May. The younger mother Goats give birth to one
or two kids, older mothers always to two and not
rarely three at a time The newborn kids follow
their mother about immediately after birth, and
after the third day are able to tread with facility the
most difficult paths. Their growth is rapid and they
are always inclined to play and caper.
There are but few living specimens of the yEgag-
rus Goat now to be found in zoological gardens,
though the transportation of animals of this kind,
tamed from infancy, would present few difficulties.
with a taste something like that of venison. It is
either eaten fresh or is cut into long, narrow strips
and dried in the air for future use. The long-haired
fur obtained in winter is used by the Moslems as a
carpet on which to say their prayers and is highly
valued, as its pungent odor is much liked by those
Orientals. The short-haired summer fur is manu-
factured into bags, the horn into sabre-handles, pow-
der horns, etc., and thus the carcass of a buck is put
to account in a good many ways.
The Evolution of Neither tradition nor history furnish
the Domestic us any aid in the attempt to solve
Goat. tiie problem of the descent of our
domestic Goat ( Capra hircus) and its exceedingly
numerous breeds. We are unable to decide at what
time one or the other of the wild species was reduced
to a state of domesticity, when any crossing of the
THE ANGORA. GOAT. One of the most valuable varieties of the domestic Goat is the Angora Goat, so called because it inhabits the section
of Asia Minor of which the town of Angora is the principal market. Its long fleece furnishes the textile staple known as mohair, used in making fine
fabrics. The horns of the male are spirally twisted, as shown in the picture. (Capra hircus angorensis.)
Vigorous Pursuit A superstitious belief is still widely
ofthe/Egag- prevalent among the unenlightened
rus Goat. peoples of the world, that the bezoar
stones, or earthy concretions found in the intestines
of the Ruminant animals, are of miraculous medicinal
value, particularly as antidotes to poisons. Though
the supposed virtues of bezoar stones have long
since been shown to be non-existent, the erroneous
belief that these concretions are oftener contained in
the stomachs of the /Egagrus Goats than in those of
other Ruminants is the cause of a relentless, exter-
minating war, waged against these frolicsome deni-
zens of the mountains by people who still believe in
the magical powers of bezoar stones. This charlatan
belief is unknown on the Grecian isles, in the Cauca-
sus and in the Cilician Taurus region, and in those
portions of their range these wild Goats are pursued
solely on account of their flesh, fur and horns.
The profit accruing from the chase is not inconsid-
erable. The flesh is exceedingdv savory and tender,
breeds occurred, if it occurred at all, or how the
peculiarities of breeds that have been proven to
exist for thousands of years have been developed.
The Angora Goat We may call the Angora Goat (Capra
and its Native hircus a/igoreusis) the noblest of all
Home. the domestic breeds. It is a beauti-
ful, large animal of sturdy organization, with strong
legs, short neck and head, curiously twisted horns
and a remarkable coat of hair. Both sexes have
horns. Those of the buck are much compressed,
not twisted, sharply edged longitudinally, and bluntly
pointed behind; they usually stand out at a vertical
angle from the head, describe a wide double spiral
curve and have their extremities directed upward,
appearing to make three curves. The she Goat has
smaller, weaker, round and directly curved horns.
Only the face, the ears and the lowest parts of the
legs are covered with short, sleek hair; the other
portions of the fleece are extremely rich, thick and
long; fine, soft, lustrous, silky and curly. Both sexes
4:»<;
THE CLO I EX-HOOFED ANIMALS.
are adorned with a rather long beard, composed of
wiry or stiff hair. A dazzling, uniform white is the
prevailing color of this breed of Goats; individuals
showing dark spots on a light ground are of rarer
occurrence. In summer the hair pulls out or is shed
in large locks or bunches, but soon grows again.
French breeders have found that one fleece weighs
from two and one-half to five pounds.
This Goat derives its name from the small town of
Angora, now in the Turkish pashalic of Anadoli in
Asia .Minor, but which was once the commercial
town Ancyra, famous among the ancients. The na-
tive country of the animal is dry and hot in summer,
but very cold in winter, though this latter season
lasts only three or four months. In times of great
scarcity, or when there is no food to be found in
the mountains, the Goats are sheltered in miserable
stables, but they are left to graze outdoors for the
remainder of the year. During the hot season the
fleece is washed and combed several times a month,
to preserve its beauty.
Great Value The number of these Goats kept in
of Angora Goat's Anadoli is estimated at half a mil-
Hair. [joni anc} there are a hundred or more
female Goats to every male. Angora alone furnishes
nearly two million pounds annually of the hair of
these Goats [which is the mohair of commerce], the
value of this quantity amounting to about §900,000.
Part of the product is locally woven into strong
fabrics for Men's wear, and finer ones for the use "of
Women, as well as into stockings and gloves, and
the residue of the product is shipped to the English
markets.
Ever since the value of mohair became known in
civilized lands attempts have been made to intro-
duce this Goat into Europe and other portions of
the globe, and the results so far leave no cause for
complaint. It is even said that the wool of the ani-
mals born in France is finer than that of the parents.
In Cape Colony, South Africa, the Angora Goat has
been introduced with especially excellent results,
the demand for these Goats in that colony increas-
ing to such an extent that in 1880 a consignment of
bucks commanded prices ranging from five hundred
to two thousand dollars each. The animals throve
excellently, and the export of mohair increased at a
surprising rate. In 1862 the amount exported barely
amounted to one thousand pounds, while in 1885 it
aggregated four million eight hundred pounds, the
value of which was officially given at over one
million dollars; so that the Cape Colonists are not
without warrant for their expressed hope that they
will soon outdo the Asiatic producers in the quan-
tity as well as the quality of their product of mohair.
The Cashmere The Cashmere Goat ( Capra liircus
Goat and its Value Imager) is scarcely less valuable than
to Man. the Angora. It is a rather small ani-
mal, of graceful build, measuring nearly five feet in
total length, and twenty-four inches in height at the
shoulder. A long, stiff, fine and straight outer fur
covers the short, soft, down-like wool of an exquis-
itely fine texture; only the face and ears are covered
with short hair. The color of the coat is variable.
Usually the sides of the head, the tail and the upper
portions of the body are of a silver white or a faint
yellowish hue.
The range of this beautiful Goat extends from
Tibet, throughout Bokhara to the Kirghiz country.
It has been introduced into Bengal, but it is espe-
cially numerous in the mountains of Tibet, among
which it ranges even during the severest cold.
For a long time doubt prevailed in Europe as to
what animal furnished the hair which is used in the
manufacture of the finest of all woolen fabrics, until
a French physician, Bernier, visited Tibet in 1664,
accompanying the Great Mogul, and was informed
that two varieties of Goats furnished such wool, one
being a wild and the other a tame species. The pure
white is in greatest request, really possessing the
lustre and beauty of silk. One animal yields from
three-fifths to four-fifths of a pound of downy wool
fit for use.
Forty thousand establishments for weaving shawls
are said to have existed in Cashmere during the
reign of the Great Mogul; but gradually this impor-
tant branch of industry was neglected to such an
extent that thousands of the sixty thousand weavers
who earned their living by their craft were forced to
emigrate for lack of work. Even yet the weaving
industry has not been restored to its former flourish-
ing condition.
The Cashmere Goat Naturally, the idea of introducing
Successfully Ac- this profitable animal into Europe
climated in Europe. was entertained years ago. Ter-
naux, who was the pioneer of the weaving of fine
shawls in France, bethought himself of procuring
Cashmere Goats, and the celebrated Jaubert offered
his services for the realization of this plan. He
sailed for Odessa in 18 18, and was there informed
that the nomad tribes in the steppes between As-
trachan and Orenburg kept Cashmere Goats. He
joined these people, convinced himself of the genu-
ineness of the animals by a close examination of the
down, and bought one thousand three hundred of
them. This flock he brought to Kaffa in the Crimea,
embarked with it and landed in Marseilles in April,
1819. Only four hundred of the Goats had lived
through the long, troublesome journey, and they
had suffered so much hardship that there was little
hope that they would be able to propagate them-
selves. The bucks especially were very weak. For-
tunately the French naturalists, Diard and Duvaucel,
sent a strong Cashmere buck to the zoological gar-
den in Paris, at nearly the same time, having received
the animal as a present in India. This Goat became
the male ancestor of all the Cashmere Goats now
living in France, which yield an annual income of
from three million to four million dollars. From
France the Cashmere Goat was imported into Aus-
tria and Wurtemberg, but unfortunately the breed
did not prosper there.
Various Other The Syrian Goat ( Capra hircus mam-
Breeds of Domes- brica) somewhat resembles the Cash-
tic Goats. mere Goat on account of its long
hair, but differs from it in having extremely long,
pendulous ears: no other variety of Goat having ears
of such size and shape. At present it is very nu-
merous in the territory near Aleppo and Damascus.
Beginning in Asia Minor, it seems to range over a
great part of the Asiatic continent. The Kirghiz
Tartars keep these Goats in large herds.
Next to this variety the F.gyptian or Nile Goat
(Capra hircus atgyptica), the animal which is so fre-
quently seen represented on the ancient monuments
of Egypt, seems to me to be the most worthy of
note. It is somewhat smaller in its physical struct-
ure than our domestic Goat, but has longer legs and
shorter horns and is especially characterized by its
small head and disproportionately large, flat muzzle.
Egyptian Goats of both sexes are either devoid of
horns or else these appendages are small, thin and
stubby, and none of the Goats of this breed which I
THE HORNED ANIMALS-GOATS.
457
observed had beards. The usual color of the animal
is a vivid, reddish brown. This Goat is extensively
bred in all the lower Nile valley as far up as central
Nubia, where another breed supplants it.
The Dwarf Goat This is the Dwarf Goat (Copra liircus
of Northern reversd), which measures at most
Africa. twenty-eight inches in length and
twenty inches in height at the withers, and does not
exceed fifty pounds in weight. It is one of the most
graceful in physical form of the entire group. It
has a stout body, short, vigorous legs, and a broad
head. Dwarf Goats of both sexes have short horns,
barely as long as a Man's finger. The fur is com-
posed of rather short but thickset hair of dark color,
the prevailing hues being black, mingled with hair
of a subdued red tint. This breed is probably indig-
enous to the country lying between the White Nile
and the Niger.
Because their usefulness
has been recognized by
people of all nations, the
domestic Goats are now
found in nearly all parts
of the globe, and are sure
to be included among the
domestic animals of all na-
tions, the people of which
lead settled lives. Goats
exist under the most va-
ried circumstances, though
the majority of species live
in flocks which graze at
will during the day and are
kept under human super-
vision at night. Goats that
have reverted to a wild
state are probably found
only on some of the mount-
ains of southern Asia and
a few of the least frequent-
ed islands of the Mediter-
ranean.
The far-famed Goats of
the Pacific island of Juan
Fernandez (made famous
by Defoe as the scene of
the adventures of Robin-
son Crusoe) are the de-
scendants of a few Goats
which were left there by
Juan Fernandez, the dis-
coverer of the island, in
1563. Their new moun-
tainous home seemed to
fully meet the requirements of these Goats, which
multiplied exceedingly.
Traits and Attri- The Goat is especially adapted to
butesofthe mountain life. The wilder a mount-
Goafs. a;n jS) ancj j-jie steeper and rougher
its surface, the better a Goat seems to thrive on it.
In southern Europe and in the temperate portions
of other continents scarcely a mountain range can
be visited without encountering flocks of grazing
Goats.
The attributes of the Goat greatly differ from
those of the Sheep, to which it is so closely allied.
The Goat is a lively, capricious, inquisitive, playful
creature, disposed to indulge in antics and cut
capers which are amusing to the unprejudiced ob-
server. Lenz has depicted its character in an ad-
mirable way: "Even a small kid, only a few weeks
old, displays a propensity for embarking in perilous
undertakings, in addition to indulging in many odd
pranks. An innate longing ever impels the Goats
upward, and their greatest pleasure is to climb
heaps of wood or stones, walls, rocks or stairs.
Frequently it is barely or not at all possible for a
Goat to descend from an eminence to which it has
laboriously climbed. It knows no dizziness, and
without concern walks or lies down by the edge of
the most frightful precipices. The fights in which,
on first meeting, horned males or even she Goats
engage are fierce enough to inspire spectators with
uneasiness."
Lilies and Dis- The Goat has a natural affection for
likes of the human beings, and it is of a vain
Goat nature and highly susceptible to
caresses. In the high mountains it importunately
THE TAHR. Living in the mountains of Simla, Nepaul and Cashmere at an elevation of not less than
six thousand feet is the Tahr, a species of Goat which because of differences in the conformation of its horns and
muzzle from other species of Goats has been by some naturalists classed as a separate genus under the name of
Half Goat (JFtemitragus). It is a large beast about seventy inches long and thirty four inches high at the shoulders.
Its wild life is little known, but it is easily tamed. (Capra or Hcmitragus jcmlaica.)
accompanies a traveler, sometimes for half an hour,
cuddling to his side, and he who responds to its
mute appeals and gives it something to its liking is
never forgotten and is always greeted joyfully when-
ever he comes again. If a Goat knows that it is a
favorite with its master, it is as jealous as a spoiled
Dog and attacks and butts any other Goat toward
which the master shows a preference. It is intelli-
gent and sagacious, and is perfectly aware whether
it has been wrongfully treated or justly punished.
Trained Goats readily assume their harness, but de-
cidedly and obstinately refuse to work if they are
teased or tormented. The intelligence of these sa-
gacious animals goes even farther. It is well known
that trained Goats perform a wide range of tricks on
command, but I can positively assert, from my own
experience, that they give, as it were, spoken an-
45S
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
swers to propounded questions, without having been
previously trained to do so. My mother used to keep
Goats and was very fond of them, and therefore paid
great attention to their care. She could always tell
whether her proteges were satisfied or not ; for she
had only to question them from her window, to re-
ceive an intelligible answer. When the Goats heard
the voice of their mistress and felt themselves in
any way neglected, they immediately gave a loud
crv; if they were satisfied, they remained silent.
Uses and Care On the high mountains of Spain
of Domestic Goats are, because of their great
Goats. sagacity, employed as leaders of
flocks of Sheep. The better breeds of Sheep graze
there during the entire summer on the mountain
heights, and in the south often ascend to altitudes
between six thousand and seven thousand five hun-
dred feet above sea level. There the shepherds
could not accomplish their mission without the aid
of Goats; yet they regard these useful animals only
as a necessary evil, because they entice the Sheep on
perilous climbing expeditions. In Greece Goats are
about the only animals kept in herds. They popu-
late the mountains and make known their presence
to the traveler from a great distance by reason of
the pungent odor arising from their bodies. In
many countries Goats are largely left to follow their
own devices, as, for instance, is done in the Alps.
They are driven, in the spring, into some particular,
entirely isolated pasturage. In autumn the herd is
collected, but sometimes many of the Goats are
found to be missing when the flock is recounted.
Some owners send a little salt to their Goats, daily
or weekly, by one of the farm hands, whose visits,
made regularly to the same spot at the same hour of
the day, the Goats learn to eagerly look for.
In central Africa also, the Goats are left to graze
at their own discretion during the day, but at night
they collect in the enclosure of thorny hedge, called
the seriba, where they are protected from wild beasts.
In western Africa they also run about at will, climb
the trunks of low, sloping trees, and mount even the
cross railed fences, but are carefully stowed away
for the night in those districts where Leopards exist,
for these beasts of prey are the worst enemies of the
Goats.
America received the Goat from Europe, and it is
now distributed over the northern and the southern
divisions of the continent, but it is not always care-
fully bred. On the contrary, it seems to be much
neglected in some South American countries, as for
instance in Peru, Paraguay, Brazil and Surinam,
while more attention is bestowed on it in Chile. In
Australia the useful creature has also been intro-
duced and has attained an extensive distribution.
The Goat an Om- Observation, shows that in Germany
niuorous the Goat eats four hundred and forty-
Feeder. nine kinds of plants out of five hun-
dred and seventy-six. Its variable, capricious dis-
position shows itself distinctly when the animal is
eating. It is ever eager for a novelty, plucking a
little everywhere, investigating and nibbling at this
and that and not stopping long even at the best. It
is especially fond of the foliage of trees and there-
fore is liable to commit considerable depredations in
nurseries. It is a remarkable fact that it feeds with-
out harmful results to itself on some plants which are
very pernicious to other animals; thus it consumes
spurgewort, spurge-olive, celandine and carline-
thistle, the acrid stonecrop, coltsfoot, sage, hemlock,
the common balm and similar herbs, also partaking
of smoking-tobacco, cigar-stubs and so on, with pleas-
ure. The digestive powers of the Goat are enormous,
and some of the food it eats seems almost impos-
sible for reception into the stomach of an animal —
as for instance, print paper, brown straw-board, etc.
It is most partial to young leaves and buds, pods of
peas and beans, leaves of cabbage and turnips and
of most trees; it thrives best on vegetation which
grows on dry, sunny, fertile, elevated spots. Goats
grazing in pastures get only water to drink, while
Goats kept in stables are usually given a lukewarm
mixture of rye-bran, with a little salt and water.
Kids of the domestic Goat are usually born one or
two, more rarely three, and only in exceptional cases
four or five, at a birth. The next day after birth
they run about and after four or five days they
follow their mother everywhere. They grow rap-
idly: during the second month the little horns begin
to sprout; in about a year the young ones have
attained their full growth.
Great Economic The Goat may in many countries be
Value of truly called the friend of the poor,
Goats. ancj its usefulness is undoubtedly
great. It is maintained at trifling cost the greater
part of the year and in summer at really none at all.
On the other hand it provides the household with
milk and furnishes the fertilizer for the piece of land
of its poor owner. Lenz kept a careful account and
found that a Goat which is well fed will furnish
about eight hundred and eighty-five quarts of milk a
year.
Besides the milk and the cheese, as well as the
butter — which play an important part in some coun-
tries— the Goat is very valuable on account of the
usefelness of its flesh, skin, bones and horns. The
flesh of young kids is very savory, though perhaps a
little too tender, and that of older Goats is good.
The skin is manufactured into Spanish leather,
morocco and more rarely into parchment; the Ori-
ent is still the chief source of the two former kinds
of leather. The skins of the bucks are made into
breeches and strong gloves; in Greece wine-bags
and in Africa water-bags are made of Goat skins.
The skin of the common Goat of Cape Colony is
valued most for the manufacture of leather. The
coarse hair is occasionally used for brushes or
twisted into ropes. The horns fall to the use of
turners, and in the Orient and among many so-called
savage tribes they are appropriated by physicians,
who use them as cupping glasses. Thus the esti-
mable animal is useful both while living and when
dead.
THE SHEEP.
When an anatomical comparison is made it is seen
that the Sheep ( Oz>is) are closely allied to the Goats,
but in point of intellect only the wild species of the
two groups bear any resemblance to each other.
The Sheep differ anatomically from the Goats in the
possession of tear pits, a flat forehead, triangular,
somewhat spirally twisted horns marked with trans-
verse furrows, and by the lack of a beard. On the
whole, the Sheep is slenderly formed, with a lean
body, long legs, a short tail, a head the facial por-
tion of which tapers sharply, moderately large eyes
and cars, and a double, shaggy or woolly fur.
Range and All wild Sheep inhabit mountains of
Habitat of Wild the northern hemisphere. Their
Sheep. range extends from Asia to southern
Europe, Africa and the northern part of America.
Every group of mountains in Asia possesses one or
THE HORSED AXLMALS-SHEEP.
459
more species peculiar to it, while Europe, Africa
and America appear poorly endowed, and so far as
is now known possess only one indigenous species
apiece. Several species are very closely allied to
each other and are dependent for their distinctive
features mainly on the difference of the horns, the
shape, size and twist of which are considered deci-
sive. One variety has the right horn twisted to the
left from its base to its extremity, while the left
horn is twisted to the right; the extremities diverge
in an outward direction; in the others the twist of
the right horn is a right curve, of the left horn a left
curve; then the extremities point backward and the
horns recall to the mind of the observer those of the
Goats.
All wild Sheep are natives of the mountains; and
seem to thrive only at a considerable altitude. For
the greater part they ascend beyond the line of
mountain vegetation, in winter of moss, lichens and
dry grass. Sheep are fastidious when they have a
choice of food, and frugal to a marked degree when
but little is offered them. Dry grass, shoots, bark
of trees and similar things constitute their only fare
in winter, without their showing any signs of detri-
ment from insufficient nourishment.
The Sheep De- More than other domestic ani-
teriorated by Do- mals, perhaps with the sole excep-
mestication. tjon 0f the Reindeer, do the Sheep
show the degenerating effects of slavery. The tame
Sheep is a mere shadow of the wild one. The Goat
retains its independent spirit to a certain degree in
captivity as well as in freedom, but the Sheep be-
comes a weak slave in the service of Man. No other
animal suffers itself to be more easily restrained and
mastered than a tame Sheep ; it seems to be glad
when another creature relieves it of the burden of
THE AOUDAD. In the great mountain ranges of north Africa is found the Aoudad. the wild variety of Sheep nearest resembling the
Goats. It ascends to lofty elevations and avoids Manas much as possible. Its broad, curved horns, and the mane-like growth of the hair on the
breast are distinctive features of this annual. (Ovis Iragelafhus.)
perpetual snow, some of them going as high as
from twenty thousand to twenty-three thousand feet
above sea level, where no other creatures can live
except Goats, the Musk Ox and a few birds. Only
tame Sheep inhabit the plains, and those that are
bred in mountainous regions show clearly enough
how much they enjoy existence in a locality which
assimilates their natural requirements. Abundant
pasturages or light forests, rocky, precipitous mount-
ain slopes, which bear but here and there a small
sprouting plant, form the haunts of the wild Sheep.
According to the season they wander from the higher
regions downward or vice versa : summer invites
them to go higher, winter drives them into more
hospitable regions, for it clears away their table in
the heights, and they must seek food elsewhere. In
summer their food consists of fresh and succulent
caring for its own welfare. It ought not to surprise
us that such creatures are good-natured, gentle,
peaceable, inoffensive; their mental qualities have
their origin in stupidity and dullness, and a lamb
is for this very reason not a very happily selected
prototype of innocent, virtuous people. In south-
ern countries, where the Sheep are left more to their
own devices than they are in more northerly regions,
their mental qualities are better developed and they
appear more independent, bold and courageous.
The multiplication of the Sheep is rapid. The
ewe gives birth to one or two and more rarely three
or four young in a season, which are able to walk
and follow their mother about soon after birth. The
wild ewes defend their young at the peril of their
own lives and evince for them an extraordinary
affection.
460
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
Wild Sheep Nearly all wild species may be tamed
Easily Domes- without special trouble, and retain
Heated. their lively disposition at least
through several generations, and as a rule breed in
captivity. They become sincerely attached to those
persons to whom they must look for their sustenance
and care, respond to their calls, are fond of caresses
and may become so thoroughly tame that one can
send them to pasture with other domestic animals,
without their attempting to profit by such favorable
opportunities to regain their freedom. The tame
THE MOUFFLON. Inhabiting the mountains of Corsica and Sardinia is the Mouf-
flon, a species of wild Sheep now much reduced in numbers. It is a very agile, timid animal, an
excellent climber, sure-footed and climbing to great heights inaccessible to Man. The male has
broad, boldly curved horns as shown in the picture. (Ovis musimon.)
Sheep have been under Man's supervision for thou-
sands of years and are now distributed all over the
globe and everywhere held in high esteem on ac-
count of their surpassing usefulness.
The Aoudad We place the Aoudad ( Ovis tragcla-
its Range and plius) foremost among the wild
Habits. Sheep to be described; it is an ani-
mal markedly characterized by its long, hanging
mane. The fleece consists of a strong, rough outer
fur, and an undercoat of fine, curly wool, completely
investing the body. The hair is longer on the neck
and withers, forming a short, erect, mane-like ridge
or comb; on the breast and sides it develops into a
rich mane, beginning at the throat and nearly reach-
ing the ground, and covering the forelegs and a por-
tion of the neck.
Various naturalists from Caius Brittanicus, who
mentioned it in 1561, have described the animal as
an inhabitant of Morocco, Algiers, Egypt, Abyssinia
and the upper Nile. Buvey says : "The Aoudad is
generally called Ami by the natives of
southern Algiers. Undoubtedly it oc-
curs with still greater frequency in the
loftier mountain levels in the Atlas
range in Morocco than it does in Al-
giers, as the immunity from human
invasion which characterizes that part
of the mountain range can not but be
agreeable to a Ruminant.
"The Arui is fond of the highest
mountain ridges, which can be reached
only by penetrating through barriers of
bowlders and masses of stone, and
therefore its pursuit is extremely diffi-
cult and often very perilous. Nor does
it, even if successful, hold out a promise
of much gain, for the Aoudad lives soli-
tarily, and only at certain periods, gen-
erally in November, can several Sheep
be found congregated. They keep to-
gether for a time, and then they disperse
again, each going its own way. The
Arabs are very fond of the flesh of
these wild Sheep, the mutton closely
resembling the flesh of Deer. The
fleeces are made into rugs by the Arabs;
the skin is sometimes tanned and used
as Morocco leather.
"Though the Arui is classified among
the rarer animals, it is sometimes caught
in nooses by the inhabitants of the
mountains and is then usually disposed
of to the commander of the nearest mil-
itary post at a low price. In the gar-
dens of the clubrooms at Biskra there
was a young Arui, which was accus-
tomed to surmount a wall sixteen feet
high, surrounding the enclosure in>
which he was kept; he would climb it
with a few nearly vertical bounds ap-
parently as easily as if he ran along
level ground, and then maintain his
hold on the top, which was barely a
hand's breadth in width, with a security
which warranted the belief that he felt
himself entirely at home on it."
The Moufflon the Only two degrees of lat-
Only Wild Sheep itude separate the Aou-
Native in Europe, dad from the Moufflon
( Ovis musimon), the only wild Sheep
inhabiting Europe, and which ranges ir>
the mountains of the islands of Sardinia and Cor-
sica. It is more or less generally believed that the
Moufflon in former times existed also in other parts
of southern Europe, as for instance on the Balear-
ic Islands and in Greece, but there is no positive
proof upon which to base this belief. At present
the Moufflon is found in herds that may sometimes
rise in number to half a hundred, but are usually
much smaller.
THE HORXED AXIMALS— SHEEP.
461
We see in the writings of old-time authors that
these wild Sheep were formerly found in great
numbers. Sometimes from four to five hundred were
slain in one single great hunt; nowadays huntsmen
are satisfied if they succeed in killing or capturing
several of them; on hunting expeditions which are
organized at great expense, and with much attention
to completeness of equipment, it very rarely happens
that one or two score of the animals are bagged.
The Moufflon one The Moufflon belongs among the
of the Smallest of smaller species of wild Sheep,
the Wild Sheep. though its length may amount to
fifty inches, inclusive of the tail, which at most meas-
ures four inches; the height at the withers is twenty-
eight inches and the weight ranges between eighty
and one hundred pounds. The horns, measured
along their line of curvature, are about twenty-six
inches long and weigh from eight to twelve pounds.
The structure of the body has the sturdy character
common to all wild Sheep. There is a dark brown
on the discovery of some suspicious object give a
note of alarm which arouses their companions, upon
which the whole party instantly takes refuge in
flight. At certain seasons the herds separate into
smaller troops, each band consisting of one ram and
several ewes, which the brave ram has attracted by
his exhibition of prowess during a prolonged series
of fierce fights. During the months of December
and January the passer-by may hear, echoing through
the mountains, the noise which the horns produce
in clashing against each other, and if he cautiously
and quietly follows the guidance of the sound he
may see the strong rams of the herd take opposing
positions and then charge against each other with
such violence that it is almost incomprehensible how
the fighters can retain their places on the ground.
Young Moufflons In April or May one or two young
and Their Char- ones make their appearance. After
acteristics. a few days they follow their mother
about on the most dangerous break-neck paths with
THE KRATSCHKAR OR WILD SHEEP OF TURKESTAN. Interesting because it is by many authorities conjectured to be the ancestor
of our common Sheep is this animal, living in Turkestan, where its range is confined to the Pamir plateau, where it breeds by thousands. It climbs the
highest ridges, which it prefers to the valleys, and is a magnificent animal, with horns only less prominent than those of our American Big Horn. It was
first made known to Europeans in the thirteenth century by the famous Venetian traveler. Marco Polo, from whom it derives its scientific name. (Ovis
line along the course of the spinal column, while
the prevailing color is a foxy red, dashed with ashy
gray on the head and merging into white on the
muzzle, the croup, the sides of the tail, the ends of
the feet, and the abdominal surface. The horns of
the ram are strong, long, very thick at the base and
triangular in their cross-section. The ewe is per-
ceptibly smaller, and is easily distinguished from
the ram by her more subdued color, and the horns.
as a rule, are absent or occur only in rare cases.
The Moufflon a In contradistinction to the Aoudad
Gregarious the Moufflon lives in herds, the guid-
Animal. ance of which devolves on some
strong adult ram. These herds select the loftiest
mountain-peaks for their haunts, establishing their
quarters on steep and more or less inaccessible prec-
ipices. As is the habit of ether gregarious Rumi-
nants, a few individuals keep a careful lookout, and
apparently the utmost security and soon match her
in all her accomplishments.
The Moufflon is lively in its movements, agile,
quick and sure-footed; but not capable of enduring
continued exertion, at least on level ground. Climb-
ing is its specialty. Cetti says that it is very timor-
ous and trembles with fear on hearing the slightest
unusual noise, taking refuge in flight as quickly as
possible.
Men have recourse to various means
to enable them to obtain this valua-
ble quarry. It is said that sometimes
rams may be attracted by sportsmen concealed in
the bush imitating the bleating of the Sheep, but
the usual mode of hunting is to shoot with a rifle,
though it rarely gives favorable results.
Strong, fully developed Moufflons are probably
never caught, and young ones can be captured only
Methods of
Hunting the
Moufflon.
462
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
after the mother has been killed. They soon be-
come used to their keeper, but in spite of the high
degree of docility which they usually exhibit, they
always retain the lively disposition and vivacious
manners characteristic of them in the free state; a
passive attachment to their accustomed companions
and an affection for their young— these are the sole
signs of mental activity which 1 observed in them.
The Argali
Central Asia and North America
the Largest of contain the largest wild Sheep char-
the Sheep. acterized by powerful horns and long
legs. The Argali of the Mongols {Oris argali) is a
huge Sheep equaling a nine-months-old calf in size.
The powerful, triangular, broad horns stand closely
together at their bases; they first turn backward and
outward, then downward and outward and the tip
again curves backward and upward. They are cov-
ered from their very roots with transverse ridges,
entirely encircling the horn in a series of intricately
intertwined convolutions. Thickset, wavy hair and
fine, short wool cover the body, the pelt being very
uniform all over. The prevailing color is a dull,
pale gray, merging into a darker brownish gray tint
on the face, the thighs, the upper part of the legs,
on the margins of the buttocks and the posterior
portion of the abdomen, and into grayish white
on the fore-part of the muzzle, on the upper portion
of the hams and on the lower half of the legs.
The Range and The Argali ranges from the mount-
Habitatofthe ains of the district of Akmolinsk to
Argali. the southeastern boundaries of the
Mongolian tableland, and from the Altai to the
Alatau, and possibly still farther southward.
The Argali shuns damp, wooded mountains and
localities of great altitude. It prefers mountain
ranges from two thousand to three thousand three
hundred feet above sea-level, abounding in barren
crags, with scantily wooded slopes and wide valleys.
There it lives winter and summer on approximately
the same territory, at the most moving only from
one mountain range to another.
Diet and Mental During the summer the Argali
Development of the feeds on the same kind of vegeta-
Argali. tion as is appreciated by the domes-
tic Sheep; in winter it contents itself with moss,
lichens and dried grass, and such other scanty prov-
ender as its range affords at that season.
The senses of the Argali seem to be excellently
and uniformly developed. It sees, hears and smells
remarkably well, is fastidious in its food, whenever
there is a possibility of choice; neither has its sense
of touch apparently been slighted. The demeanor
of the Argali is expressive of deliberation and self-
complacency, and these animals also give evidence
of a certain amount of reasoning powers and judg-
ment. Whenever constant pursuit has made them
wary, they display much caution, though they are
not excessively shy; but where they are habitually
unmolested they are surprisingly trustful. Their
foolish and sometimes dangerous curiosity is worthy
of note. Steller recounts how the hunters of Kam-
chatka occupy the attention of the Big Horn Sheep,
or the closely allied variety living on the mountains
in that region, by dressing up a dummy to attract the
attention of the animals, and then cautiously steal
up to within shooting distance of the Sheep by cir-
cuitous routes. Prejevalsky heard the same story
about the Argali and tested the truthfulness of the
Mongolian statement by hanging his shirt on a ram-
rod and thereby arresting the attention of a fleeing
flock of wild Sheep for a quarter of an hour.
Argali Sheep a Notwithstanding such devices
Favorite Game pursuit of Argali Sheep requires an
Animal. experienced sportsman, and still
more a good marksman. The mutton is highly
esteemed by the Kirghiz and is really excellent,
though somewhat strong in flavor. In addition to
being pursued by Man the adult Argali sometimes
falls a victim to the Tiger, the common Wolf and
the Alpine Wolf, though the efforts of these beasts
to capture it are rarely successful. The beasts of
prey may oftener succeed in taking a lamb, but the
most dangerous foe of the young Sheep, probably,
is the Golden Eagle.
If Man could succeed in taming these Sheep he
would win in them domestic animals which would be
of great economic value and importance. It would
be hard to find another animal as suitable to be
introduced into other countries as this one, which
defies alike the severe cold of the winter and the
burning heats of the summer of the steppes.
Kamchatkan Wild A wild Sheep, inhabiting Kam-
Sheep Related to chatka ( Oi'is nivicola), is thought
the Big Horn. t0 belong to the same species as
the Big Horn or Rocky Mountain Sheep ( Ovis
montana) though it differs from the latter in the
structure of its horns, which are similar in external
appearance to those of the Big Horn but much
weaker.
Range and Habits The Big Horn inhabits the Rocky
of Rocky Mount- Mountains and the country west of
ain Sheep. jt, ranging from the sixty-eighth
parallel of north latitude south to about the fortieth
parallel and existing only in the wildest and most
inaccessible stretches of mountain country.
The information we possess about the Big Horn,
especially regarding its habits, is very scant. Adult
rams attain a length of six feet four inches, only
four and four-fifths inches being occupied by the
tail and the height at the shoulder is forty-two
inches. The ewe measures from fifty-six to sixty
inches in length and from thirty-six to thirty-eight
inches in height. The males attain a weight of three
hundred and sixty pounds, the horns alone some-
times weighing as much as fifty pounds; the females
weigh from two hundred and sixty to two hundred
and eighty pounds. The physical organization is
sturdy and muscular and the head resembles that of
the Ibex. The length of the enormous horns, meas-
ured along the curvature, may be as much as twenty-
eight inches. The hair bears no resemblance to
wool and is of firm texture, though soft to the touch,
slightly wavy and at the most two inches long. Its
prevailing color is a dingy, grayish brown, deepen-
ing into a darker tint along the course of the spine.
In their habits the Big Horns do not differ from
their relatives, nor even materially from the Ibex.
Like the latter, they are matchlessly adept at climb-
ing. As soon as they perceive anything strange or
suspicious they seek refuge among the most inac-
cessible heights and there take up a position on
some projecting ledge which overlooks their do-
main. Wherever they have come in contact with
Man, they fear him as much as their arch enemy, the
Wolf. The mutton is eaten by white people as well
as by Indians, but has a peculiar sheep-like odor,
especially perceptible in the meat of the ram. The
skin is durable and strong, but also soft and flexible
and is in great request among the Indians for the
manufacture of leather hunting shirts.
It has always been esteemed a very difficult feat
to capture young Big Horns, as they easily follow
THE HORXED ANIMALS— SHEEP.
463
their mothers into the most inaccessible spots. The
attempt has recently met with success, however, and
in the west young rams have not only been tamed
to such an extent that they could be safely lett to
run free with the domestic flocks, but they have also
been successfully crossed with the common Sheep.
The flesh of the mixed breed is said to be excellent.
Origin of the We have as little definite knowledge
Domestic about the origin of the domestic
Sheep. Sheep (Oris arics) as about the de-
scent of other Ruminants that have entered our
service and have become completely domesticated.
Opinions of naturalists concerning this subject di-
verge widely. Some believe that all breeds of Sheep
spring from one common wild parent species, which
presumably became entirely extinct in prehistoric
times or else was completely exhausted by the com-
plete domestication of all the individuals compris-
In the light of recent investigations, the opinion
seems justified that the different breeds of Sheep
are nothing but artificial products of the efforts of
Man, variable in shape and size, formation of horns
and fleece, habits, behavior and all other qualities.
The varieties of the domestic Sheep are numerous,
but from the naturalist's standpoint are much alike.
The Merino Sheep The Merino Sheep ( Ovis arics his-
a Profitable panica) is at present by some au-
Variety. thorities considered to be the most
profitable of all domestic Sheep. It has been proven
that it acquired its peculiar character in Spain and
it has gradually been used for the improvement of
nearly all European breeds. Of moderate size and
plump, stout build, it is distinguished by a large
head with a flat forehead, arched nose and blunt
muzzle, small eyes and large tear-pits and moder-
ately long, acutely pointed ears. The horns are
THE BIG HORN \ species of wild Sheep indigenous to North America is the Big Horn, found in the Rocky Mountains, often called the mount-
ain Sheep. It is the only native Sheep found in America, is ol stout build and gets its common name from the great and curiously curved horns which adorn
the males of this species. (Ovis montana.)
ing the species, and is therefore nowhere to be
found in a state of nature at the present time..
Others, however, hold that several species of wild
Sheep must certainly be considered as factors in
this evolution, and that the almost numberless
breeds of domestic Sheep must be regarded as prod-
ucts of continued interbreeding of those species
and their offspring. Some regard the Moufflon as
the original stock, others the Argali; some the Aou-
dad, a few the Sha {Ovis vignei) of Little Tibet;
some, whose ranks I join, admit their ignorance
frankly and honestly, and justly emphasize the fact
that mere suppositions cannot aid in the solution of
the question. The difference between the breeds
consists mainly in the convolutions or twistings of
the substance of the horns, the length and anatom-
ical structure of the tail and texture of the fleece.
strong and curve laterally and backward from their
base; then they turn forward and upward in a double
spiral curve. As a rule horns grow on the head
of the ram only. The neck is short and thick, the
skin usually lying on it loosely and being deeply
wrinkled and furrowed, and a dewlap usually de-
pends from its lower portion, while the muscular
and fattv tissue about the upper part of the throat
proper bulges out in a goitre-like fashion. The
legs are comparatively short, but strong and stout,
and the hoofs are obtusely pointed. The fleece is a
short, soft, fine wool, which is quite uniformly curly.
Merino sheep have been introduced with great suc-
cess into Cape Colony, North and South America
and Australia, in some of these countries being
raised as separate herds and in others they have
been used to improve native breeds.
Besides the Merino Sheep I will also
mention the Persian Sheep < Ovis
arie s steatopygd). This is a fat-but-
of Sheep which in several varieties
4(>4
The Persian
Sheep a Pecul-
iar Species.
tocked breed
closely allied is found in innumerable quantities in
central Asia and northeastern central Africa; all
the wandering tribes of the northern and interior
portions of the country, as well as the free Negroes,
breed it. This Sheep' is an animal of rather large
physical proportions, with small horns, and differs
from most other tame species by reason of the fact
that its fleece consists entirely of hair instead of
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
MERINO SHEEP. A famous species of the domestic Sheep, which is found in its greatest purity in
Spain. It is valuable for the quality of its wool and it has been used very largely to improve many breeds of
Sheep in Europe, Australia and America. It has the mild, inoffensive qualities of domestic Sheep in general.
arics hispanica.)
wool. Its pelt resembles that of the wild Sheep,
bearing no resemblance to the genuine woolly fleece;
and the hairy covering of adult specimens is not
suitable for spinning and weaving. The lambs have
a woolly coat, which is of exquisitely fine texture.
Mental Character The domestic Sheep is quiet, patient,
of the Domes- gentle, simple-minded, servile, weak,
tic Sheep. timid and cowardly, in short, an un-
interesting creature. One hardly can ascribe any
particular qualities to it, for it is characterless. It
understands and learns but little and is therefore un-
able to shift for itself. If selfish humanity did not
accord to it particular protection, it would shortly
cease to exist. Its timorous disposition is ridicu-
lous and its cowardice piteous. Any mysterious or
unusual noise startles the entire flock, thunder and
lightning completely unsettles them, and not infre-
quently foil all human efforts to render them quiet.
In the steppes of Russia and Asia the shepherds
often have the most arduous tasks in preserving
their charges. During a snow-storm or thunder
storm the panic stricken flocks disperse in a wild
stampede, rushing out into the wastes of the steppe
like senseless creatures and then resignedly suffer
themselves to be snowed under or to freeze, without
making any attempt to shelter themselves from the
storm or even to seek for food. Sometimes thou-
sands perish in a single day. In Russia a Goat is
generally used as a leader for a flock of Sheep; but
even a Goat is not always able to keep the stupid
animals under proper guidance. During a thunder
storm the>* huddle together and can not be made to
move. "If lightning strikes
into the flock," says Lenz,
" many are killed at once;
if fire breaks out in the
shecpfold, the Sheep do
not run out but on the con-
trary may sometimes even
rush into the fire. I once
saw the charred ruins of a
large fold full of roasted
carcasses of Sheep; in spite
of all efforts the attendants
had succeeded in rescuing
but a few." The best man-
ner of rescuing Sheep from
a burning fold or structure
is to let the Sheep Dog, to
which they are accustomed,
drive them out.
To a certain degree, how-
ever, the Sheep exhibits
mental capacity. It learns
to know its keeper, obeys
his call and displays a cer-
tain amount of affection
and docility towards him.
It seems to have a liking
for music, or at least it pa-
tiently and passively listens
to the bagpipe playing of
the shepherd, and it has
evidently some premoni-
tion of impending changes
in the weather.
The Sheep prefers and
ranges in dry and high lo-
calities more than in low
and damp ones. Accord-
ing to Linnaeus it feeds on
three hundred and twenty-seven of the common cen-
tral European plants, refusing to eat one hundred
and forty-one. Ranunculus, cypress spurge, meadow-
saffron, shave-grass, wild cabbage or skunk cabbage
and rushes are poison to it. It thrives best on a diet
of various dried plants; a grain diet fattens it too
much and has a deteriorating effect on the wool.
It is very fond of salt, and fresh drinking water is
indispensable to its welfare.
The ewe usually gives birth to only one lamb,
though there are sometimes two and very rarely
three at a birth. The little creatures must at first be
carefully protected from the influence of sudden and
marked changes in the temperature, but later they
are allowed to follow their dam to pasture. They
cut their milk teeth in their first month; the first
permanent molar comes out in the sixth month; dur-
ing the second year the two first incisors drop out
and are replaced by permanent teeth; the anterior
milk molars arc shed during the fifth year only and
THE HORNED ANIMALS— MUSK-OX.
465
this completes the dentition. All breeds affiliate
readily with each other and for this reason they may
easily be improved.
Foes Dangerous In Germany this valuable domestic
to the Domes- animal has few foes; in the north and
tic Sheep. south of Europe, however, the Wolf
is prone to hang about the outskirts of flocks. In
Asia, Africa and America the larger species of the
Cat tribe and larger kinds of wild Dogs pursue the
defenseless creature, and in Australia the Dingo and
the Tasmanian Wolf prey upon it. Bruin, the Bear,
may also occasionally regale himself with a Sheep.
Eagles and Horse-kites are dangerous foes of lambs.
On the other hand those Sheep which suffer most
from these enemies possess greater immunity from
the ravages of diseases and so the damage is about
equalized. The most frequent of all diseases in
Sheep is staggers, which is most common among
young Sheep; it is caused
by the presence of a para-
sitic worm (Tama ccenurus)
in the brain. Other intes-
tinal worms, the so-called
Flukeworms (LHstoma licp-
atuitm), cause consumption
of the liver, and Thread-
worms cause consumption
of the lungs. Sheep are
also tormented by exter-
nal parasites, such as the
Sheep-ticks (belonging to
the genus Hippoboscida)
and the Mites. Then they
are subject to hemorrhage
of the kidneys, to a dis-
temper in the feet, known
as the hoof- rot, to the
smallpox, wind colic, and
other diseases which are
often fatal.
A Sheep may become
fourteen years old; but it
loses most of its teeth as
early as the ninth or tenth
year of its life. This ren-
ders it unable to maintain
itself by grazing and then,
if it is to be used for food
purposes, it has to be fat-
tened and killed with all
possible speed.
THE MUSK-OX.
In the high latitudes of
the far north, in those des-
olate regions where the
ground thaws but partially
in summer, where dwarfed
trees endure a miserable existence, wherever the
patches of moss and lichen extend, there the Rein-
deer and Musk-ox roam through the inhospitable
country. Formerly these Ruminants ranged much
more to the south. The Musk-ox has, as Duncan
says, had a hard struggle for life, as we can see by
the fragments of bone it has left in many an old
river bed of Europe and Asia. The southern bound-
ary of its range lay over fifteen degrees of latitude
more southward, while it now begins beyond the
sixtieth parallel of north latitude in America, the
only continent it still inhabits, and in which it is
numerously found.
Physical Pecul- The Musk-ox (Ovibos moschatus),
iarities of the called Umingarok by the Eskimos,
Musk-ox. combines the peculiarities of Sheep
and Oxen in a. curious way, and it therefore seems
justifiable to consider it as a representative of a dis-
tinct sub-family. The absence of a dewlap under
the throat, the peculiarity of its facial conformation,
the shortness of the stub-like tail, the peculiarly
shaped hoofs and the presence of only two mamnae:
all these features serve to differentiate the animal as
decidedly from the other Oxen, as they suggest an
affinity to the Sheep. The total length amounts to
about eight feet two inches, inclusive of the tail,
which occupies nearly three inches; the height at
the shoulders is three feet eight inches. The bulky
body is supported by short, vigorous legs, the neck
is short and thick, the tail really nothing but a stub
buried in the fur; the head is very clumsy and pro-
PERSIAN DOMESTIC SHEEP. The variety of domestic Sheep found in Persia and adjacent countries
is especially noted for the accumulations of fat which are secreted on the posterior part of the body around the
root of the tail. ( Ovis aries steatopyga fersica.)
portionately narrow and high; the forehead is for
the greater part covered by the horns; the eye is
small, the mouth large and ill-shaped, and equipped
with thick lips. The horns are ridged longitudinally
from their base to their middle. Their manner of
growth is peculiar; after emerging from the forehead
they first curve slightly backward, lying close to the
head; then they sweep straight downward, then turn
forward and outward and their pointed tips finally
curve upward again. An exceedingly thick fur
clothes the body, being of surprising density on the
face and legs. The relatively strong outer fur be-
comes longer from the lower portion of the under
4GG
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
lip to the breast and forms a mane which nearly
reaches the ground; on both flanks the hair hangs to
the hoofs, and it also grows in profusion on the
-withers, its appearance resembling a cushion-like
saddle, which begins behind the horns and covers
both sides of the neck to the extent of concealing
the ears. The general color of the animal is a dark
umber brown, merging into lighter brown on the face
and the hair of the breast and foreparts and becom-
ing yet lighter on the saddle-like tuft which extends
.along the crest of the neck and shoulders.
Range and Food Within its wide domain the Musk-ox
of the Musk- inhabits all localities which afford it
0x- at least temporary shelter and suste-
nance. Collected into herds of varying numbers it
takes up its abode preferably in valleys and low
lands. It seems to be more numerous in the more
remote regions that lie far toward the north than it
is further south and closer to Man. The members
of the Second German Polar expedition from their
experience believe that this theory is true at least in
regard to eastern Greenland. They met herds of
twenty or thirty Oxen. On the remotest islands of
the northeast, however, Mecham saw one hundred
and fifty individuals of the species distributed over
a stretch of country which it would take but a short
day's journey to traverse, and at another time he
counted about seventy Oxen grazing within sight.
During the summer the herds in the north of conti-
nental America delight in the proximity of rivers,
moving southward in the fall of the year. At the
same time they also keep closer to one another and
begin to congregate in larger herds, having previ-
ously grazed in more scattered and smaller groups.
If the ice is firm enough to bear their weight, one
can see them wandering in long trains from one
island to another, in order to find a range affording
for the time being sufficient pasturage. Their ex-
treme hardiness and frugality alone enable them to
endure the terribly severe winter. In a slow, delib-
erate manner they traverse the endless waste of
snow, in order to reach a spot which holds out a
promise of food. At the melting of the snow the
time of plenty commences for them, which while it
brings with it an abundance of food, yet has its ac-
companiments which inflict on them great suffering.
In winter they have to seek and dig for their miser-
able food deep under the snow; in summer they can
easily feed on the low-growing vegetation which
with the advent of warmer weather and sunshine
sprouts up in rank profusion, at least in spots; but
they are greatly annoyed by swarms of Gnats which
sometimes accompany them in astonishing numbers,
and to the attacks of which they are peculiarly sub-
ject while they are undergoing a change of coat. It
does not seem as if the shedding and renewal of the
coat is an easy or agreeable process, for they fre-
quently wallow in muddy pools and quagmires, prob-
ably with the intention of obtaining a crust which
will shield them from the attacks of their tormentors.
The shedding process seems also to affect their
strength, for they appear to confine their wanderings
to narrower limits during this time. Only after they
have completed their change of coat do they re-
sume their patient, persevering journeys across the
vast stretches of their dreary and sparsely inhabited
native country.
The cow gives birth to one calf: a small and at-
tractive little creature, which is most tenderly loved
and cared for, and if necessary courageously de-
fended by its mother.
The Mush-Ox an Notwithstanding their awkward look-
Agile, Active [ng shape, the Musk-oxen move
Animal. with admirable ease and with the
agility and nimbleness of Antelopes. Goat-like
they climb about the rocks; without any apparent
great effort they ascend steep walls and look down,
entirely free from dizziness. Confronted by Man,
those Musk-oxen that have seen little or nothing
of the arch-enemy of animals act in an undecided
and perplexed manner. It is not long, however,
before they acquire a correct idea of the formidable
qualities of this adversary so suddenly appearing in
their native fields, which have before been frequented
only by the Wolf or Polar Bear. Recognizing the
menacing danger arising from the presence of Man,
they take timely refuge in flight.
Methods of If several hunters stealthily approach
Hunting the a quietly grazing herd of Musk-oxen
Mush-Ox. simultaneously from different direc-
tions, the animals sometimes huddle closer together
instead of fleeing and dispersing, and thus the sports-
men are afforded the opportunity of firing several
shots. Under these conditions the hunting of the
Musk-ox certainly answers the description of Payer
and Copeland, who style it a pursuit perfectly de-
void of danger, saying that such a hunt presents no
more difficulties than would the shooting down of
a herd of Goats or Cattle grazing around a cow-
keeper's cottage present to a hunter who has taken
his position on the cottage. I believe it, however,
wrong to deduce from this the unqualified statement
that hunting the Musk-ox has in it no element of
danger, the more so as the experiences of former ob-
servers emphatically discredit the truth of such state-
ments. Wounded animals are likely to become en-
raged, and when aroused do not hesitate to charge
fiercely and desperately at the hunter, and the latter
has a fortunate escape if he is not run over or gored
with the pointed horns.
The Economic The flesh of the Musk-ox is always
Value of the permeated with a palpable odor of
Mush-Ox. musk. In the carcasses of cows,
however, it is by no means strong enough to render
the dressed meat unpalatable, as is said to be the
case with bulls, especially those killed during the
breeding season. The wool and hair are in great
request with the Indians and the Eskimos. The
wool is so fine that excellent cloth could be woven
out of it if one could only get enough of it. The
tails are manufactured into fly-brushes by the Eski-
mos and the hide furnishes good shoes.
THE OX TRIBE.
The Ox tribe {Bovi/tce), which forms the third sub-
family of the Horned Animals, is comprised of large,
strong and heavy Ruminants, the principal distinc-
tive physical characteristics of which are: more or
less round, smooth horns, a broad muzzle with nos-
trils widely separated, a long tufted tail, reaching to
the heel-joint, and a lack of tearpits and digital pro-
tuberances for the support or reception of claws.
The majority are also distinguished by a pendent
dewlap under the throat. The skeleton shows an
organization in which strength rather than agility or
grace of movement has been the prime considera-
tion. The horns, which expand at the base, may in-
volve and occupy the entire forehead, but in the
great majority of instances leave it free; they are
smooth, rounded or in some cases transversely fur-
rowed or ringed at the base, and curve outward or
inward, backward or forward, upward or downward.
THE HORNED ANIMALS— OX TRIBE.
4(57
The hair is generally short and sleek, but is some-
times developed into a mane on certain parts of the
body.
The Ox Tribe All Europe, Africa, central and
Widely Distributed southern Asia, as well as the north-
Over the Earth. ern portions of America maybe re-
garded as the native country of the Ox tribe; at
present the species which have been subjected to
the dominion of Man, are distributed over all parts
of the globe. The wild species inhabit the most
widely variant localities, some affecting dense wood-
land; others, open grassy spots, some delighting in
plains, others in mountains, where they may ascend
to a height of sixteen thousand or twenty thousand
feet. Some prefer swampy situations and moors,
others dry regions. Very few live habitually in one
place; nearly all lead a roving life. Those which
swimmers, and cross the widest streams without hes-
itation. Their strength is uncommonly great, their
endurance wonderful. Among the perceptive senses
that of smell ranks first; hearing is also acute, but
sight is not so well developed. The mental capaci-
ties are of a low order; the wild species, however,
display much more intelligence than the tame ones.
The character of the Ox tribe is manifold and
widely at variance in the different species. On the
whole, they are gentle and trustful toward creatures
which are not dangerous to them or do not annoy
them; but they also may upon occasion become ex-
ceedingly fierce, pugnacious and courageous. If they
are irritated, they charge at the strongest beasts of
prey, regardless of any peril, and know how to em-
ploy their weapons with such skill and effect that
they frequently come out victorious. In general
THE MUSK-OX. This inhabitant of the arctic regions of America is an intervening genus between the Sheep and the Ox. It is clothed with
brown hair, nearly a yard in length, covering the thick, woolly under fur. The horns of the adult male meet in the middle line of the forehead, as shown
in the picture. It is heavily built, with short legs, but climbs rocks and precipices with ease. (Ovibos moschatus.)
inhabit mountains descend into the valleys in winter;
those living in the north move southward; others
migrate, urged by lack of food, seeking more abun-
dant pasturage. The species are, without exception,
gregarious and congregate in herds, under the lead-
ership of strong, experienced animals. Some spe-
cies band together by thousands. Old males occa-
sionally segregate themselves from the herd and
lead the life of hermits.
Physical Attn- All Oxen in their movements appear
butes of the lumbering and slow, but they are per-
Ox Tribe. fectly well able to travel at a rapid
rate; and they display a great many more accom-
plishments than one would give them credit for.
Their usual gait is a slow walk; but they can also
trot and occasionally break into a remarkably awk-
ward but swift gallop. The species inhabiting moun-
tains are masterly climbers. All are accomplished
their disposition one toward another is peaceable,
though they fight with a decided ferocity at certain
times. The usual vocal expression of the species
consists of a bellowing or " lowing " of a variable
pitch, or of a grunt and growl, generally emitted
under the influence of excitement.
The Diet Plants of a great variety constitute
of the the food of the animals of the Ox
Tribe. tribe. They consume foliage and
tender buds, shoots and branches of the greatest
variety of trees, herbage, bark of trees, moss and
lichens, aquatic plants and those growing in bog
and swamps, even sharp reed-grass and reed-like
plants. In the domestic state or in captivity they
feed on all kinds of vegetables. They are all very
fond of salt, and water is indispensable for them;
some delight in wallowing in muddy pools or lie in
rivers or ponds for hours.
468
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
Propagation of the The cow gives birth usually to a
Species of the single young one, or very rarely to
Ox Tribe. two. The calf is always perfectly
developed and able to follow its mother almost im-
mediately after birth. The mother gives evidence
of the strongest maternal love and treats her calf
with great tenderness, suckles, cleans, licks and
caresses it and defends it against any dangerous
attack with the most reckless courage. The bulls
of some species assume the office of protector and
guardian of the calves when they have grown suffi-
ciently to be weaned by their mothers.
The Entire Tribe of All species of Oxen may be more
Oxen Adaptable or less readily tamed and trained to
to Domestication, devote themselves to the service of
Man; they soon become accustomed and attached
to their keeper, respond to his calls and yield obedi-
ence even to weak children; but they do not evince
a special preference for their master above others,
deporting themselves toward every one with equal
kindness when once they are tamed.
Hunting of Oxen The hunting of the wild species of
an Exciting and Oxen is a dangerous pursuit; an
Noble Pursuit. irritated bull especially is an ad-
versary not to be lightly regarded, and one to be
approached with the utmost caution. But in this
very element of danger is to be found the reason
which renders this sport popular to the true hunts-
man and for the fact that among some nations this
kind of sport is regarded as truly noble and surpass-
ing all others of its kind.
Physical Pecul- The Yak or Grunting Ox (Bos gmn-
iarities of the nieiis) has a body of sturdy build and
Yak. a moderately large and very broad
head which tapers uniformly from the long, flat
forehead to the club-shaped muzzle. The eyes are
small and of a dull expression, and the ears are
small and rounded. The horns are set on the rear
portion of the dome of the skull, one on each side
of the frontal ridge. In shape they are horizontally
compressed, rounded in front but ridged on the back
surface. They curve first backward, then again for-
ward and upward, and the tips point outward and
backward. The neck is short, like that of the com-
mon bull. The outline of the back shows promi-
nent projections and depressions in the region of the
shoulders and then slopes gently toward the tail.
The tail itself is long and tipped with a bushy tuft
which reaches to the ground. The outer covering
of the body consists of uniformly colored, long hairs
of fine texture, which sometimes fall all over the
face and also form a heavy, wavy, mane-like append-
age which falls, curtain-like, on the withers and
along both sides of the body. Adult Yaks are of a
beautiful deep black, tinted with brown on the back
and sides; but the muzzle is of a grayish hue, and a
silvery gray stripe extends along the back. Old
Hulls attain a total length of fourteen feet two
inches; the height from the ground to the top of
the hump is six feet four inches, and the horns are
from thirty-two to thirty-six inches long. A full-
grown cow, however, barely attains a length of nine
feet four inches, and a height of five feet four inches.
Range and The plateaus and mountain ranges of
Habits of the Tibet and adjacent countries harbor
Yah- the Yak; table-lands of from thirteen
to twenty thousand feet elevation are its favorite
haunts. The barren soil of its bleak home is covered
with wiry grass only in those spots which raging
storms bury under the snow in winter. Amid such
wastes the Yak satisfies its frugal wants, secures pro-
tection from human attacks and thus succeeds in its
struggle to maintain its existence more easily than
one would suppose.
Notwithstanding its great strength, the Yak is in-
ferior, in physical endowments, to the other animals
of the mountains. It is true that it vies with the
wild Sheep and the Ibex in climbing, and is equally
as sure-footed among the loftiest and wildest crags,
ridges and steep declivities; but when it runs over
level ground any Horse can overtake it. Among its
perceptive senses that of smell surpasses all others
in keenness. That its intelligence is of a low grade
is attested not only by its disproportionately small
brain, but still more by its behavior in danger. The
most notable characteristic of the Yak is its laziness.
Early in the morning and at night it seeks its food;
the remainder of the day it devotes to rest, which it
takes either standing or lying down. The only sign
of life it then gives is the chewing of its cud, but for
which it might, from its motionless attitude, be easily
taken for a stone monument.
A single calf is born to the cow of this species,
and is suckled and kept under its mother's care for
presumably over a year, as the Mongols say that the
Yak cow gives birth to young only once in two
years. In its sixth or eighth year the Yak is said
to be full grown, and in its twenty-fifth year it dies
of old age, unless its life be prematurely ended by
disease or a sportsman's bullet. No other enemy
which might prove fatal to it climbs to the heights
where the Yak makes its home.
Yah Hunting a The pursuit of the Yak is as attract-
Dangerous ive to a bold and well armed hunter
Sport. as ^ is dangerous. The powerful ani-
mal, if not mortally wounded, is apt to charge at the
sportsman without hesitancy, and even if the latter
has courage, skill, presence of mind and the best of
arms, he can never count with certainty upon felling
with a second shot the beast which, mad with rage
and pain, rushes at him. A bullet from the most
powerful rifle can only inflict a mortal wound in the
head when it penetrates the small area occupied by
the brain and lacerates that organ; and a body-shot
is fatal only when it pierces the heart. For these
reasons the Mongols fear the Yak as they would a
demon, and go out of their way to avoid it. If they
do summon up the courage to hunt it, they do so in
parties of from eight to twelve or more, and fire at
the Yak only from ambush.
Kenlock praises the excellent flavor of the Yak's
flesh, though he always found it very lean, and he
esteems the tongue and marrow bones as delicacies.
The Yah 1° all those countries which harbor
Is Extensively the Yak in their high mountains, this
Domesticated, beast is also found in a state of bond-
age as a useful and important domestic animal.
The tame Yak differs little from the wild one in
respect to shape and hair, but it varies from the
parent stock in the matter of coloring. Yaks of a
pure black hue are rare; generally even those most
resembling the wild ones show white spots. Brown,
red and mottled individuals are frequently to be
seen. Several strains have already been artificially
produced perhaps by crossing with other species of
Oxen. Occasionally tame Yaks have reverted to
the wild state and after a few generations have re-
gained their original color. The tame herds, like
their wild kinsmen, thrive only in cold, lofty moun-
tainous regions, and sicken and perish in countries
where the climate is hot, while they bear intense
cold with great indifference.
K The Wild variety of the Yak .cams in the high plateaus and mountains of Tibet near the line of perpetual snow. The animal which is
also called the Grunting Ox because of its Hog-like method of vocal expression, is about the size of the common Ox, to wh.ch it bears a general resemblance,
ijutit has a remarkable covering of long, silky hair. (Bos grunniens.)
Uf*>)
470
THE CLOl'EX-HOOFED ANIMALS.
The Tibetan employs the Yak as a beast of burden
and as a saddle animal. The disposition of the Yak
toward its friends and familiars is one of compara-
tive gentleness, as it allows itself to be handled,
groomed and led by a rope secured to a ring put
through its nose. Towards strangers it behaves dif-
ferently, as a rule: it expresses uneasiness, lets its
head drop to the ground and acts generally as if it
intended to challenge an antagonist. It always re-
tains a certain amount of its natural fierce disposi-
tion.
Yahs Especially The Yak easily carries on its back
Useful in Mount- from two hundred to three hundred
ain Country. pounds, and that over the most diffi-
cult, rocky paths and snow fields. It may be used
to convey burdens across very high mountain passes,
for it retains its vitality and strength there also, in
spite of the rarefied air which so exhausts and op-
presses other creatures. It can not be employed on
roads interrupted by boulders and wide fissures, for
a heavy burden hinders it from jumping over high
rocks or wide crevices.
The milk and the flesh of the tame Yak are
equally valuable as food for Man. The hide is
tanned into leather and the hair is twisted into
ropes. The most valuable part of the beast in the
eyes of the warlike tribes of its neighborhood is the
tail, which furnishes them with those famous insig-
nia of war or decorations borne before persons of
rank, the "horse tails" so frequently mentioned in
works treating of Oriental subjects.
The Yak Easy of The Yaks which have been taken to
Acclimation in For- Europe have thriven better than
eign Lands. was expected. The suggestion was
thus made that this beautiful Ox might be success-
fully acclimated in foreign lands and the rearing of
the animals in a domestic state might be expected to
yield abundant profit; for the Yak furnishes excel-
lent wool, palatable flesh .and rich milk; is a strong
and indefatigable worker and contents itself with
cheaper food than other Cattle. The Grunting Ox is
certainly useful in all these respects on the table-
lands of Tibet and Turkestan, and there proves to
be an almost invaluable animal. But beyond the
mere suggestion nothing has ever been done in the
matter, as in Europe it was thought that the ranges
of mountains are sufficiently stocked with mountain
Cattle and Alpine Goats and it was contended that
the Yak would certainly not render greater service
or prove of more value than they.
The Home of the A game preserve of a peculiar kind
European is found in western Russia, in the
Bison. southern portion of old Lithuania.
It is the famous forest of Bialowitch, a genuine
northern virgin forest of an area of 2,000 square
kilometers. It is entirely unconnected with any
Other forest and it may be compared to an island,
surrounded by fields, villages and treeless heaths.
Within the boundaries of the forest there is only
one village, the name of which is identical with that
of the forest; this settlement is inhabited not by
farmers but by foresters alone. About four-fifths of
the trees are pines, which exist to the exclusion of
other species over extensive stretches; in the damper
spots they are interspersed with oaks, linden trees,
hornbeams, birches, alder trees, poplars and willows.
This forest still harbors the greatest mammal of
the European continent, the European Bison. This
huge animal nowadays exists only there and in a few
forests oil the Caucasus and in the woods of Mczer-
zitz in Silesia; on the remainder of the globe, if we
except a kindred American species, it is extinct
Stringent laws protect it in the forest of Bialowitch,
and if the successive owners of this remarkable
game park had not fostered it during several hun-
dred years, the European Bison would now be founc
only in small numbers in the Caucasus.
In former times this was different; for the Bisor
ranged all over Europe and a large portion of Asia
but in spite of efforts to preserve it the attacks of
poachers and finally a general epizootic, which de-
stroyed the greater portion of the herds in the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century, reduced their
numbers most materially.
The Bisons (Botmssits) are considered the repre-
sentatives of a distinct sub-genus of the Oxen anc
are characterized by small, round horns, which are
placed well to the front and curve upwards; a very
broad, arched forehead, soft, long hair and the
great number of their ribs. The European Bison
or Wisent has fourteen pairs of ribs, the American
Bison fifteen.
Description of the Though we may safely assume that
European the European Bison (Bos bison or
Bison. Bo/iassus bison) has diminished ir
size, it is still a huge animal. A specimen of the
species slain in Prussia in 1555 was seven feet hi^
and thirteen feet long, and weighed over nineteen
hundred pounds. Nowadays the most gigantic bulls
rarely grow higher than five feet eight inches or
longer than eleven feet four inches, nor do they
weigh more than one thousand to one thousand four
hundred pounds. The Bison impresses the beholder
as the incarnation of rude strength and vigor. Its
head is moderately large and well shaped, the fore-
head is high and very broad, the facial portion
tapers uniformly towards the extremity; the muzzle
is blunt and broad, the ears short and rounded and
the eye may be called small. The neck is very
stout, short, and thick through from upper to lower
surface, and is encased in a loose skin which devel-
ops into a dewlap, extending from the throat down
to the breast. The body is supported by stout legs
and has a bulky appearance, and the shoulders are
strongly arched from the rear of the withers to the
middle of the neck. The tail is short and thick.
The horns are set on very much to the sides of the
frontal bone of the skull and are comparatively
small, round and pointed; they first curve outward,
then upward and at the same time slightly forward,
and then inward and backward, so that the tips
stand nearly vertically above the bases. The fur is
dense and long all over the body, and consists of
a thickset, curly outer coat and a woolly matted
shorter under fur. On the back of the head the hair
grows into a broad tuft, and along the spine rises
into a moderately high crest; on the chin it forms a
beard which hangs down after the manner of a
queue and on the lower part of the throat it de-
velops into a wide mane, covering the whole of
the dewlap. The prevalent color is a light brown,
dashed with a faded yellow tint; on the s'ides of the
head and on the beard it deepens into black-brown,
on the legs into dark brown, on the tail-tuft into
black, and on the tuft of hair overhanging the top of
the head it softens into a light brownish-yellow.
The cow is of a perceptibly smaller and more grace-
ful build than the bull; her horns are weaker and
the mane is much less developed, but she is of the
same colorings as the male.
In summer and autumn the Bison lives concealed
in damp spots of the wood, usually in thickets; in
THE EUROPEAN BISON. This large and powerful animal which once inhabited nearly the whole of Europe is now almost extinct, except a
herd which is kept under the protection of the Russian czar in the forest of Bialowitch. in Lithuania. It much resembles the American Bison to which it
is closely related, but is naturally a forest dweller, while the American species prefers the plains. The picture represents the animal in its forest home.
(Bos bison.)
(-1711
47 1>
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
winter it prefers higher and drier regions. Very old
bulls live in solitude but the younger members of
the herd consort in companies of fifteen or twenty
in summer and of thirty to fifty in winter. Every
herd occupies its permanent domicile and always re-
turns to it when the search for food has terminated.
The Bison Semi- The Bisons are active both by day
Nocturnal in and by night, but like best to graze in
its Habits. the evening and morning hours, and
sometimes also by night. Herbage, leaves, buds and
bark constitute their food; they strip the trees as
high as they can reach, and bend young, flexible trees
down, by straddling them, in order to reach the top,
which they generally destroy entirely. The ashtree
furnishes their favorite diet, as they seem to prefer
its succulent bark to that of any other species; trees
•with spiny or thorny foliage are avoided by them.
In winter they feed almost exclusively on bark, twigs
and buds of the trees within their reach and also
probably on lichens and dry grass. The hay crop of
the meadows in the forest of Bialowitch is stored
away for them, and they sometimes possess them-
selves of that belonging to farmers on the outskirts
of the wood by breaking down the fences. Fresh
water is a necessity with them.
The Bison an Ani- Though the Bisons produce upon the
mat of Speed beholder the impression of heavy and
and Endurance, lumbering animals, they appear suf-
ficiently active, when their movements can be fairly
seen. Their ordinary gait is a rapid walk; their run-
ning pace is an awkward but speedy gallop, the head
being carried very low, and the tail uplifted and
stretched out behind. They wade and swim through
bogs and rivers with ease. Among their senses of
perception that of smell ranks highest; sight and
hearing are less acute; taste and touch attain ordi-
nary development. Their disposition and character
change with age. Young Bisons are lively and play-
ful creatures; they are moderately good-natured, and
though they are not exactly gentle and peaceable,
they are not vicious. Old Bisons, however, espe-
cially old bulls, are dignified if not sullen in their
bearing, of an irritable, violent temper and averse to
trifling or play. Generally they ignore those who do
not annoy them, but the slightest cause may arouse
their ire and render them formidable. In summer
they always shun Man, but in winter they do not
give way to anybody, and it has sometimes hap-
pened that travelers through their haunts have had
to wait a long time before it pleased a Bison to re-
move from the path he occupied and which the way-
farer wished to travel, there being no room to pass
by the animal. A fierce, defiant, violent temper also
characterizes this species of wild Ox. Younger in-
dividuals are always more timid than the old bulls,
some among which, especially those leading a soli-
tary life, may develop into serious plagues of the
neighborhood which they infest. It seems to afford
them a special pleasure to provoke battles with the
human species.
At certain seasons the bulls engage in fights, per-
haps beginning in play, but ending in a very serious
manner. The animals rush frantically at each other
and clash their horns with so much violence that it
seems surprising that they do not break from the
force of the collision.
Propaga- The calves of the Bison species are
tion of the born singly, generally in May or
Bison. August. Prior to the appearance of
her calf the cow separates from the herd and selects
a suitable secluded spot in the thickest of the wood
or in some quiet, peaceful locality. There she keeps
herself and her calf in hiding during the first few
days after its birth, and defends the little one with
extraordinary courage in case of danger. During its
early youth the calf, in the presence of an enemy
seeks safety by crouching close to the ground; it
pricks and nervously twitches its ears, dilates its
nostrils and eyes, and anxiously watches the foe,
while the mother prepares for the encounter. The
Man or beast that approaches a Bison cow at such
a moment does so at his peril, for she rushes upon
an adversary without hesitation. The calves are
pretty, prepossessing animals, though they very
early exhibit indications of what they will become
in old age. Their growth is very slow, and they
probably attain their full size only in their eighth or
ninth year. The age to which Bisons may usually
attain is believed to range between thirty and fifty
years. Cows die about ten years younger than bulls,
but with the latter blindness generally supervenes in
old age; they lose their teeth, become unable to bite
off and masticate young twigs or otherwise provide
for their sustenance, waste away and finally succumb
to the lack of nourishment.
Hunting the These powerful animals are perfectly
Bison a Royal able to defend themselves from their
Pastime. adversaries. Bears and Wolves may
endanger the life of a calf, but only when the mother
has lost her life by some accident, and the calf is
unprotected.
In former times Bison hunting was the favorite
sport of kings, and many such royal hunts have
taken place in the forest of Bialowitch, and as late
as i860 the Emperor of Russia gave a hunt in which
he himself shot six, and the Princes Charles and
Albrecht of Prussia killed eight Bisons.
I have seen and closely observed several European
Bisons in different zoological gardens, and have in-
formed myself in regard to them. These animals are
all alike, and however kindly maybe their demeanor
in youth their natural ferocity breaks out in advanced
age and then even their keepers dare not trust them.
Even at their best they are obstinate and difficult to
manage, though they gradually come to treat their
friends with some degree of toleration. Red is said
to excite these animals to anger, and hence a person
clad in bright colors runs some risk of being at-
tacked by them.
Several naturalists have advanced the opinion
that the Bison was a factor in the origin of several
of the domestic breeds of Cattle, but recent expe-
riences seem to show this theory to be fallacious.
A violent animosity exists between the Bicon and
domestic Cattle, and even where young Bison calves
and tame Cattle are kept together, as has been done
in the forest of Bialowitch, their relations are any-
thing but friendly.
The American The same fate which overtook the
Bison also Almost European Bison in the course of
Extinct. centuries, befell its only relative, the
American Bison, in an incredibly short time: one
might say, during a single decade. Only one gener-
ation ago, millions of these huge animals roved over
immense tracts of land in North America — to-day
there are but a few hundreds of them left at various
points throughout the country, and even those few
now in existence would soon disappear did not the
general government strenuously protect them. His-
tory knows no other instance like this, nor will it
have to record one in its future annals, of harmless,
useful animals being methodically shot down and
THE AMERICAN BISON Only a few years ago this, the largest of native American animals, roamed the western plains in countless thousands.
Relentless pursuit has nearly exterminated them, and they are now only represented by a herd protected by the United States government and a few
smaller herds in zoological collections. This Bison popularly but erroneously called the Buffalo, is a large and powerful animal, with great humped
shouldecs and a shaggy mane It is pictured here as it formerly lived in large herds on the great plains. (Bos amencanus.)
(♦73)
474
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
ruthlessly slaughtered in enormous numbers for a
slight profit, and until entirely too late left utterly
unprotected by law. The only traces of the once
innumerable herds of Buffaloes are to be seen in the
blanched bones dispersed in the vast solitudes of
the great plains of the West. The result of the
close investigation of Wiliiam T. Hornaday gives
the number of the survivors on January I, 1889, as
eight hundred and thirty-five, inclusive of the two
hundred then living in Yellowstone Park under the
protection of the government. This extermination
of the Bisons has in the main been accomplished
since the beginning of the seventies, and principally
through the agency of the railways traversing the
far West. Over fifty thousand Indians whose sub-
sistence, like that of their ancestors, was either
entirely or partly dependent on the existence of the
Buffaloes, are exposed to privations and the danger
of starvation if the government of the United States
does not always provide for their maintenance in
due time.
Former Range of When the first Europeans settled in
the American North America the range of the
Bison. Bison extended nearly from the
Atlantic coast westward to the boundaries of Ne-
vada and Oregon, southward to the twenty-fifth
parallel and to the northwest to about the sixty-fifth
parallel of north latitude, comprising woodland as
well as prairie country.
If there had been laws in any way judicious and
timely regulating the hunting of the animal, there
might have been shot annually about half a million
of young bulls, the product of the carcasses of which
would have yielded a profit of about two million
five hundred thousand dollars, and the enormous
herds would not have been perceptibly decreased;
now the most strenuous efforts are necessary to pre-
serve the few hundred surviving animals.
From the foregoing remarks it will be seen that
the following description deals with the life and
habits of creatures which populated the wilderness
of North America in enormous herds about twenty
or more years ago but now are practically extinct.
Description of The American Bison or Buffalo,
the American (Bos amcricamis) occupies the same
Bison. relative position in regard to the
North American animals, that the European Bison
does to the various European species — that of the
giant of all terrestial mammals of its native country.
The bull measures from nine to ten feet in length,
exclusive of the tail, which is twenty inches long, or,
including the hair-tuft, twenty-six inches; the height
at the withers varies from five feet eight inches to
six feet four inches; the weight ranges between one
thousand two hundred and two thousand pounds.
The cows are always considerably smaller than the
bulls. The differences between the American and
European Bison arc greater than those between any
other so closely allied species of Oxen. The head
of the American Bison is very large — proportionately
much larger — has a broader brow, is clumsier and
heavier than that of its European relative; the nose
is more strongly arched and the ears longer. The
dull eyes arc of moderate size and a dark brown
color — the whites having a vascular, reddish, in-
flamed appearance. The short, deep, narrow neck
ascends abruptly to the shapelessly high withers;
the legs are comparatively short and very slender.
The horns curve backward, outward and upward and
the tips do not materially converge. The hair re-
sembles that of the European Bison. The head,
neck, shoulders, fore-parts of body and upper pai
of the fore-legs, the tore-parts of the hams and the
extremity of the muzzle are clothed with long hair;
the withers and shoulders have a large mass of
mane-like fur; the chin and throat show an append-
age of beard-like hair; the forehead and back of the
head are covered with curly, matted hair and all the
other parts of the body are clothed with short, thick
hair. In winter the hair grows to a considerable
length; in the beginning of spring the winter fur is
shed in large locks. As a result of this shedding,
the color of the beast is modified. That of the new
coat is a uniform grayish-brown, deepening into-
black-brown in the mane, which covers the top part
of the head, forehead, neck and the under surface
of the throat. The horns and hoofs, as well as the
naked muzzle, are of a lustrous black hue.
Range and Habits In contradistinction to the European
of American Bison, which is invariably a forest-
Bisons. dweller, the Buffalo must, at least
since its lange has been restricted by advancing civ-
ilization, be regarded as an animal peculiar to the im-
mense western plains of North America. There it
lived gregariously, though the herds were not or-
ganized in compact form but were somewhat loosely
divided into numerous, smaller groups. A plain
overgrown with succulent herbage, if viewed from
a distance, may seem to be literally packed with
Buffaloes, but on a nearer view one soon sees how
the apparently compact mass resolves itself into
numerous smaller herds of varying size; and each of
these, though but a few hundred paces distant from
the other, possesses a leader of its own and pre-
serves, as it were, its right of independent action.
The Bisons used to undertake annual migrations
with greater or less regularity. Beginning in July,
they moved southward; at the advent of spring they
returned to the north, distributed into smaller troops
or herds. Evidences of these migrating hosts could
be seen even when the Buffaloes themselves could
not be perceived; for packs of lean Wolves followed
in their wake upon the surface of the earth while
flocks of Vultures, Eagles and Buzzards followed them
in the air, the former as well as the latter being well
assured of prey. Wherever the Buffaloes had taken
up a permanent abode, they went back and forth
over the same paths with great regularity, especially
in going from their abundant pasturage to the rivers,
which they frequented to drink or to take cooling
baths, and on these journeys they wore the roads,
known in the language of the prairie frontiersman, as
"Buffalo-trails." These Buffalo-trails generally ran
in absolutely direct lines hundreds in number, par-
allel to one another and crossing rivers at points con-
venient for entering and leaving the water. They
closely resembled the paths trodden down and regu-
larly frequented by our domestic Cattle, wherever
they unrestrainedly graze in large numbers in forests
and pastures.
European Travel- in 1 85 1 Moellhausen saw hundreds
ers and the of thousands of Bisons in theprairies
Buffalo. to the west of the Missouri; in 185S
Froebel traveled with a train of wagons from Mis-
souri to Mexico and was surrounded by herds of
Buffaloes for eight days. As Hepworth Dixon de-
scribes it: "in bands, in masses, in hosts, the shaggy,
black creatures thunder along in front of us, some-
times from north to south, sometimes from south to
north; for forty consecutive hours we had them in
sight, thousands upon thousands, tens of thousands
upon tens of thousands, an innumerable mass of un-
THE HORXED AXIMALS—OX TRIBE.
475
tamed animals, the flesh of which, as we believe, is
sufficient to provide the wigwams of the Indians into
all eternity."
Freiherr Max von Thielmann, who hunted in the
far west in 1S75, recorded even at that date a differ-
ent experience. He expressed it in the following
words: "The blame for greater part of the extermi-
nation of the Buffalo may be laid at the door of the
three railroads, which traverse the prairie from the
Missouri to the Rocky Mountains. In the begin-
ning of this decade (the seventies) successful hunts
could be arranged between the Union Pacific and the
Kansas Pacific roads, and the Atchison, Topeka and
Santa Fe road sent 200,000 skins east during the first
year of its existence; but now the Buffalo has per-
their offspring, until the latter are strong enough to
join the herd. From this time on the bulls assume
the protectorship of the calves, though the latter
are wont to follow their mothers faithfully, until
they are supplanted by their younger brothers or
sisters.
Physical Features The Bison moves with considerable
. and Character- agility in spite of its clumsy appear-
isticsofthe Bison. ance; notwithstanding the shortness
of its legs it covers considerable distances in a brief
time. Its movements are curiously abrupt, and
when hurried, the animals describe queer wavy lines
of motion, produced by uplifting the bulk of the
body alternately in front and behind. The Bison
swims with the same vigor and endurance which
THE GAYAL. A noble handsome species of Oxen found both wild and domesticated in the mountainous regions of .Assam
from eastern Bengal east to Burmah. The figure, well shown in the picture, suggests strength, and besides the massive body the broad
horns are especially noteworthy features of the animal. {Bos fronta
and all the country
forehead and thick
manently disappeared from the territory inclosed by
these roads, and also from the strips of land skirting
the two outermost lines to the north and south,
which are broad enough to require a journey of
several days to cross them. A few herds only still
cross the tracks on their migrations northward in the
spring and southward in the fall of the year."
During the months of August and September, the
herds become excited; they draw more closely to-
gether and form a swarming mass. The bulls drive
the cows onward, meet and engage in fights, until
they in their turn are crowded away by others. The
calves, one and not infrequently two, at a birth, make
their appearance from March to Jul}', and sometimes
as late as August. Wherever it is possible, the cows
retreat to a sheltered place, and stay there with
characterize its movements in general; and it enters
the water and crosses wide streams without the
slightest hesitancy. The voice is a dull growl, par-
taking more of the nature of a deep guttural roar
than of the lowing sound made by others of the Ox
family. When thousands simultaneously lift their
voices, the deep booming sound which results has
been likened to distant peals of thunder.
Among the Bison's perceptive senses those of
smell and hearing rank first. In its mental qualities
it does not differ from its other relatives. It is little
gifted, good-natured and timid, incapable of rapid
excitement, but when it is irritated it is apt to forget
all considerations which generally influence it, and
it will then oppose an enemy with courage. Cap-
tive Bisons show, more than wi4d ones, that their
47G
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS
intellects are capable of development. On the other
hand, wild specimens by their actions clearly prove
that they discriminate between innocuous and harm-
ful things. They are not intractable to domestica-
tion, readily entering into friendly relations with
individuals who treat them kindly; at least they
learn to recognize their keeper and to love him to a
certain degree. It is true, however, that it takes a
long time to overcome their innate shyness and alter
their preconceived opinions.
During the summer the coarse looking, but nutri-
tious grass of the prairies furnishes the grazing
Bisons with ample provision, but in winter they
must content themselves with scanty fare.
The Bison's Life The perils by which a Bison's life is
Encompassed with surrounded are many and serious.
Many Perils. Winter, which is usually severe in
the prairie, destroys hundreds of its tribe after first
starving and weakening them. Their end is still
more sudden in winter when they trust the ice cov-
ering the rivers more than they are, by its thickness,
warranted to do. Their habit of galloping in .col-
umn abreast with thousands, one behind another,
frequently proves fatal to them in such a case. The
ice breaks beneath the enormous weight of the
Bisons: the animals in front of the long column fall
into the water; they vainly endeavor to get out,
being pushed forward and trampled under by the
hundreds which crowd after them and thus they
miserably perish. Many Bisons are destroyed in a
similar way when crossing rivers in summer, intend-
ing to land at a spot where quicksand or mud render
the ascent of the bank difficult.
Living Enemies of 'The American Bison has as little
the American lack of living enemies as have others
Bison. 0f its trjDe_ It is said that the Griz-
zly Bear enters into combat even with a strong bull,
and that the Wolf becomes dangerous at times to
the younger Buffaloes. The direst foe, however, is
Man, especially the white Man, the devastations of
whose hunting rifle assumed serious proportions as
early as the third or fourth decade of this century.
"In former times," says Moellhausen, writing some-
time during the fifties, "when the Buffalo could, in a
certain sense, be considered a domestic animal of
the Indians, no diminution of the innumerable herds
could be noticed; on the contrary, they throve and
multiplied on the rich pastures. Then the white
people came into that part of the country. The
large skins with their rich covering of hair pleased
them, the savory Buffalo flesh was to their taste, and
both promised them rich gain. The lust for the
glittering baubles or the stupefying and intoxicating
liquors of the white Man was first kindled in the
breast of the red-skinned natives of the prairies, and
then a very small price was offered them for the
produce of their chase, and the devastation com-
menced. Thousands of Buffaloes were slain for the
sake of securing their tongues, and more frequently
still for their shaggy skins, and in a few years a sur-
prising diminution was perceived. The improvident
Indian thinks not of the future; he lives only in the
present, and its pleasures. He needs no further en-
couragement; he will hunt the Buffalo until the last
one shall have left its skin in his hands. Surely, the
time is not far off, when the enormous herds will
live only in the memories of the people, and three
hundred thousand Indians will be deprived of their
sustenance, and urged by hunger they will, together
with millions of Wolves, become the pests of the
adjoining civilization."
Value of the The dried flesh is said to be palata-
Carcass of the ble and nourishing; especially that
Buffalo. preparation of it which is dried in
the sun, minced or pounded and mixed with fat, and
known under the name of " pemmican." When used
for expeditions on which much nourishment must be
compacted in small space it is generally also mixed
with raisins and pressed into cakes. The tongue of
the Bison is esteemed a great delicacy. The flesh
of the cows is richer than that of the bulls and that
of the calves is exceedingly tender. Out of the
skin the Indians used to make warm articles of
clothing, tents and beds, saddles, belts, etc., and
occasionally would cover the frames of their canoes
with it. The bones furnished them with saddle-trees
and scalping knives, with which they then would
deprive their enemies of their scalps. The sinews
were made into strings for their bows and thread for
sewing; and out of the feet and hoofs they manu-
factured a durable glue, boiling the gelatine out of
them. The strong hair of the head and neck were
twisted into ropes; the tails were made into fly-
brushes. The white Man also prizes the Buffalo
hides. The leather is excellent, though somewhat
porous and coarse in grain, the skin with the hair
may be used for all kinds of coverings, and skins
without blemish, which commanded a price of from
seven to twelve dollars thirty years ago, are now
three or four times as high, and soon will entirely
disappear from the market. The wool, of which a
single fleece may furnish as much as eight pounds,
can be used as well as Sheep wool and was in some
localities utilized for the manufacture of warm and
very durable materials.
The Buffalo Capa- American Bisons have been seen in
ble of Trans- European zoological gardens for the
plantation. \RS± few decades only. I received a
communication from London to the effect that an
English lord had introduced several couples from
America and bred a herd numbering from fifteen to
twenty on his estates in Scotland. After his death,
however, they were sold. They propagate normally
and easily if given adequate care. The calves born
in confinement are most vigorously defended by their
mothers against any kind of interference, and grow
up as readily as do the offspring, of our domestic
Cattle. Nevertheless, the American Bisons in the
European zoological gardens are also becoming ex-
tinct.
The Oxen proper (Bos), to which species our do-
mestic Oxen belong, form a group by themselves,
characterized by a long and broad flat forehead, large
horns, not very much expanded at their bases, and
set on the head in a line with the frontal ridge, and a
comparatively thick, short covering of fur; they are
also anatomically characterized by thirteen or four-
teen rib-bearing vertebrae, six not supporting ribs
and four sacral articulations. We will first cast a
cursory glance at several Asiatic species living in the
wild state.
Peculiarities and The Gayal (Bos frontalis), attains a
Habits of the total length of twelve feet, about
Gayal. thirty-two inches of which are in-
cluded in the tail; the height at the shoulder is from
five feet to five feet four inches. The proportions
of its body show the most pleasing symmetry, every
part being' strong and full, without appearing clumsy;
the bull thus produces the impression of the highest
vigor and perfect, harmonious beauty and nobility.
The horns are very large in diameter, of a conical
shape and show a slight curve outward and back-
THE HORNED ANIMALS— ON TRIBE.
477
ward. The fur is short, thick, sleek and lustrous,
and is uniform in length nearly all over the body; it
becomes only slightly longer at the throat, forms a
rich tuft on the lower portion of the tail and also
pendent curly tufts or fetlocks on the ankles of the
fore-legs. The prevailing color is a deep black; the
hair of the forehead is grayish or fallow brown, the
tufts on the fore-legs are of a rich sepia brown, and
the under portion of the lower lip, the corners of
the mouth and a narrow margin on the upper lip are
white.
The Gayal is a native of the mountainous regions
to the east of the Brahmaputra river as far as Bur-
mah; and it is possessed of nearly as good climbing
powers as the .Yak. It is usually found in herds,
milk of the Gayal is said to be very rich and the
flesh of the animal is excellent.
The Gaur a Neat The Gaur or Gour (Bos gaums) ex-
Kinsman of the hibits a great affinity to the Gayal,
Gayal. Dut. seems to differ from it always in
various internal and external anatomical features,
especially in the number of ribs. Sir Walter Elliot,
in describing a Gaur slain by himself, says that it
differs materially from the ordinary Cattle of India,
rather showing a close approach to the Bison, by
which name English sportsmen are wont to call it.
The head is shorter than that of the common Ox,
the forehead very broad, the frontal outline of the
face curved, the eye and ear smaller than those of
the Buffalo, the neck short, thick and stocky, the
THE GAUR. Inhabiting India. Burmah and the Malay Peninsula, the Gaur is one of the handsomest and largest of the Ox tribe. The broad fore-
head, stout figure and strong horns are prominent physical characteristics of the animal. (Bos gaums.)
goes forth to graze in the morning, evening and on
moonlit nights; and during the oppressive noonday
heat it retreats into the innermost recesses of the
woods and rests there in the shade, chewing the cud.
It is fond of water, but not of mud, and therefore
shuns swamps, but likes to cool itself in clear moun-
tain waters. Its temper is described as gentle and
trustful. It never attacks human beings, but rather
sedulously and anxiously shuns them. It defends
itself from the attack of beasts of prey with great
courage, however, and is said to put to flight even
the Tiger and Panther. If it does itself flee from
an enemy its keen senses and its agility and speed
secure its safety.
The natives have domesticated the Gayal or
Mithun from time immemorial, and either breed it
pure or cross it with other breeds of Oxen. The
body stout, the chest broad. The horns are very
much expanded at their bases and taper to a point;
they are set on laterally and curve backward and
upward. The skin is unusually thick on the upper
part of the neck and shoulders as well as on the
thighs, and is clothed with short, dense hair, which
grows slightly longer on the throat and chest and
forms a curly tuft between the horns. The prevail-
ing color is a beautiful dark brown, brightening into
a deep ochre yellow on the under surface, then
changing into a dingy white on the legs, into light
grayish brown on the forehead and deepening into
grayish black around the eyes. According to El-
liot's measurements the total length of a full grown
bull of this species would be fourteen feet four
inches, the tail measuring thirty-four inches; the
height at the shoulder is about six feet two inches.
478
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
The Domicile The range of the Gaur is greatly ex-
of the tended. Wherever the country is of
Gaur. wooded, mountainous or hilly char-
acter, however rugged the district may be, it is
found over all the territory extending from the
southern extremity of India to the Himalayas, and
eastward through Assam and Chittagong to Burmah,
and on the Malayan peninsula. A thickly grown
wilderness consisting of impenetrable thickets of
wild vines and ferns and brakes of bamboo, as well
as grassy, dense primeval forests, are hiding places
adapted to the taste of the Gaur, especially when
incorporating among other features deep ravines
abounding in water, steep walls covered with frag-
ments of rock, and rugged, barely accessible peaks.
can hardly be driven away. Towards morning it re-
turns from pasture and hides in the fields of tall
grass or the brakes of bamboo, to rest, sleep and
ruminate.
Methods of In hunting the Gaur, rifles of very
Hunting the heavy caliber are used, as is generally
Gaur. tne case wjtn jarge quarry, Tt js
hunted by following its tracks, stalking and shooting
it or -occasionally by having one driven by beaters
or hounds within shot. Good sportsmen in general
do not hunt herds, but only old bulls which live soli-
tarily and, next to the Elephant, are considered to be
the largest game one can slay. That the perils of the
chase have been greatly exaggerated, all recent au-
thors agree, though they also admit that a wounded
THE BANTENG. The most handsome of the wild Oxen is the Banteng. found on the Malay Peninsula. Java. Sumatra and Borneo. The picture
shows the distinctive features of the animal, its graceful shape, the white spot on the back of its thighs, and its not very long but pointed and powerful
horns. Jt likes to forage in swampy or marshy ground. (Bos banteng.)
Yet it descends occasionally into the low-lying val-
leys, attracted by newly sprouting, tender, verdant
grasses. Its capacity for locomotion over the most
difficult paths is said to be little short of marvelous.
The heavy animals tear along, on the broken surface
of an almost perpendicular acclivity, with a speed
and facility that almost equal those of the Deer, or
descend into the valley with a rush, in a good round
trot or a swift gallop.
The Gaur Noc- Generally the Gaur grazes only by
turnal in its night, delighting in spots where
Habits. young, juicy grass is sprouting, as it
prefers this and tender bamboo shoots to any other
food If, however, it lives in the neighborhood of
cultivated fields, it makes incursions into them and
occasionally becomes so bold and persistent that it
bull brought to bay may prove himself to be a far
from despicable antagonist.
The Banteng, I must award to the Banteng of the
Handsomest of Malayan peninsula (Bos banteng) the
the Ox Tube. meed of praise as the most beautiful
of all known wild Oxen. In gracefulness of form it
can vie with the Antelope, and its coloring is re-
markably attractive. The horns are expanded at the
bases and irregularly ridged for about the first third
of their length; from this point they are smooth,
with very sharp tips. They first curve outward and
backward, then upward and forward, and their ends
point upward and inward; they are from sixteen to
twenty inches long. The hair is'uniform throughout
and lies close to the body; its color is dark grayish-
brown, tinted with red in the hinder parts. A wide
THE HORXED ANIMALS— DOMESTIC OXEX.
479
white mark on the buttocks may be considered the
most conspicuous distinctive feature; the lower half
of the legs and the upper surface of the tips of the
ears are also white.
The Habitat, Range The Banteng is a native of Java,
and Habits of Borneo and the eastern portion of
the Banteng. Sumatra; but it also inhabits por-
tions of the Asiatic continent, namely, the Malay
Peninsula, Tenasserim and Pegu, and probably also
Burmah. It delights in damp or marshy woodland,
in watery situations in general, low lying valleys
traversed by slowly flowing rivers being more to its
taste than any other kinds of forest country.
The retiring yet courageous disposition of this
wild Ox renders its pursuit both perilous and diffi-
cult. It is true that it generally flees on perceiving
an approaching human be-
ing, but if brought to bay ^ .
and wounded, it exhibits ;,,-=; ""/,<- ' T
little fear of the sportsman, ^W^^HRtf
not infrequently turning on
him and using its pointed ^*||
horns with great skill and
effect. y^n^iffr
Adult Bantengs cannot
be tamed, but calves may
become completely domes-
ticated, as the temper of
this animal seems to be
more tractable and respon-
sive to kindness than that
of any other known spe-
cies of wild Oxen.
DOMESTIC OXEN.
None of the Oxen that
have so far been described
have probably had any
part, or at the most only a
small one, in the produc-
tion of our domestic Cattle.
The darkness beclouding
the origin of these ex-
tremely useful creatures,
which have been subject to
Man from the earliest ages,
does not seem so dense as
that which conceals from
view the history of the
descent of other domestic
animals; yet a decision on
the subject is no less diffi-
cult in this case than in
that of any of the others.
Authorities nearly all agree that the origin of Oxen
won to domesticity at nearly the same time in all
three continents of the Old World must be traced
not to one but to several different primary species.
Which were these original species, however, not
even the boldest conjectures, based on the skeletons
of extinct animals, can suffice to approximately de-
termine. As has been seen from the preceding de-
scriptions, several different kinds of wild Oxen are
even at the present day being trained and won to
domesticity, or at least used to improve existing
domestic breeds; but the period at which Man first
mastered the wild Ox or, as is more probable, formed
a herd of its offspring taken young, lies outside the
pale of all history and tradition. The earliest leg-
ends mention herds of tame Cattle; on the oldest
monuments of the countries which we consider the
nurseries of civilization we find the effigies of domes-
tic Cattle; we dig their anatomical remains out of
the alluvial soil around the former sites of lacustrine
dwellings. Not without warrant do we lay special
stress on the importance of these relics; but the
most careful examination of them sheds as little
light on this (in more than one respect) mysterious
question, as does the comparison of the ancient
monumental images with the breeds of Cattle of
to-day, and by no means solves the mystery of their
ancestry.
The ancient animal pictures of the Egyptian mon-
uments are drawn with great skill and show us dis-
tinctly three breeds of Cattle: first, a long-horned
variety, the most common breed, which had the
great honor of furnishing the sacred bull, Apis; sec-
THE SANGA. This Abyssinian variety of domestic Ox has a well developed hump and long and pecul-
iarly shaped hums, but is otherwise a well shaped animal. Its limbs and tail are long. In habits it doesnot differ
from other domestic Cattle. (Bos afticanus.)
ondly, a short-horned breed, quite similar to the
former, but with short horns describing a curve of
a quarter of a circle; and thirdly, humped Oxen,
usually represented among the tribute brought to
the Egyptian rulers by the tribes of the Soudan.
The delineation of the anatomical structure of the
head in all these representations shows features
having a close resemblance to those of a Zebu head.
The humped Ox, which is even at the present day
distributed all over central Africa, is the progenitor
of both the ancient and modern strains of Egyptian
domestic Cattle, which are and have always been of
the humped breeds. If one travels from Lower
Egypt up the Nile, through Nubia and Dongola to
Sennaar, he can but observe how the high-necked
Egyptian domestic Ox is gradually superseded by
the genuine humped Ox of central Africa. The
480
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
old Egyptian long-horned breed, especially the one
with the lyre-shaped horns, very decidedly resembles
the Abyssinian Sanga.
Humped Oxen- The Sanga (Bos africanus) may prob-
The Sanga and ably be regarded as the most beauti-
Zebu. ful breed of all humped Oxen. It is
large, slender, yet vigorous, long-legged and rather
long-tailed and the hump is well developed. The
horns are 'very strong, and differ materially from
those of most European species; they are fully
forty inches long, stand rather close together at
their bases and curve first outward, then straight
upward, in the last third inward, and the tips again
turn outward. The hair is straight and fine and the
general color is chestnut brown.
The Zebu (Bos indicus) must be regarded as closely
allied to the Sanga, though it markedly differs from
it and also is divided into a series of sub-breeds. It
definitely settle the problem. According to Ruti-
meyer three different species of wild Oxen took
part in the production of the forty or fifty breeds-
of domestic Cattle now existing and classified in
Europe and America; first the Bos primogenius, which
probably belonged to the same species as the Urus
or Aurochs described by ancient authors; second
the Bos lo/igifrons and the Bos frontosus, the remains
of which have been found in different parts of
Europe.
Rutimeyer gives it as his opinion that direct lineal
descendants of the Bos primogenius, although much
degenerated, still live in a half wild state in some of
the larger forests of the north of England and Scot-
land. An animal the description of which is very
similar to that of the Park Ox, existed in Wales as
early as the tenth century. Four hundred head of
white Cattle with red ears were sent to King John,
THE
long ears.
ZEBU. This East Indian animal, which is one of the humped varieties of domestic Cattle, is noticeable for its short, straight horns and its
The cow and calf in the picture are of the lighter breed, although there are also Zebus of other colors, and some that are pied. (Bos indicus.')
attains in some regards about the same physical
proportions, but is comparatively stouter and shorter
legged than the Sanga. The ears are long and pend-
ent; the horns are very short. The coloring is less
uniform than that of its African relative, the usual
reddish or yellowish brown frequently merging into
a dingy yellow or a white hue, pied Zebus being no
rarity. In India individuals of this species are not
infrequently true dwarfs, barely attaining the size
of a small Donkey. The zoologist still searches in
vain for a species to which he can positively ascribe
the most active agency in the production of the
Zebu breeds. Various experiments have clearly
proven that the Zebus readily propagate with other
breeds of domestic Cattle, and that the hybrids are
fertile to the most remote relationship.
Probable Ancestors The solution of the question as to
of Hump/ess the origin of the humpless Euro-
Cattie. pean breeds seems to be somewhat
easier, though in this case also we can not hope to
and one hundred were required of culprits as a pen-
alty for some misdemeanors, according to an old
statute. It has been proven that the animal then
lived in a wild state in a virgin forest, extending
transversely all over the north of England and south
of Scotland from Chillingham to Hamilton; and in
the two parks bearing these two names, lying on the
margins of the larger main forest, the Cattle are still
preserved. As early as 1260 William of Farrars
caused Chartley Park in Staffordshire to be guarded
by an enclosure, with a view to preserving the wild
Oxen on that stretch of swampy woodland, and this
example found followers. As the Ox became rarer,
other owners of large estates acted on the hint, and
thus the Park Ox was seen only in enclosures even
at a period antedating the Reformation. Fourteen
of these parks were still in existence in the begin-
ning of. the present century, and five are preserved
to the present day, each of them stocked with herds
of these British wild Oxen.
THE HORNED ANIMALS-DOMESTIC OXEN.
481
The Park Ox, or The Park Ox (Bos scoticus) is of mid-
Wild Ox of die stature, and of strong but not
Britain. clumsy structure. The hair is short
and lies close to the body; on the neck and top of
the head it is longer and curly; it is uniformly of
a milk white hue, except on the muzzle, the ears,
horns and hoofs. The ears are reddish- brown on
their inner surface, the fore part of the muzzle is
brown, the eyes are bordered with black, the hoofs
black and the horns are grayish white with black
tips. The latter are moderately long, rather thin,
slender and sharply pointed, and curve from their
bases outward and upward, while the tips turn very
slightly inward again.
The aristocratic owners of the parks still existing
in Scotland take a certain pride in extending their
especial protection to these animals, the relics of
peculiarities with the exception of the white color,
being generally a plain black, brown, red or yel-
lowish brown — a black ring encircling the eyes and
mouth.
The Freiburg or In describing a few breeds of the
Swiss Ox De- humpless domestic Ox, I will briefly
scribed. mention three specially prominent
breeds. The Ox of Freiburg or Swiss Ox (Bos
taurus friburgcnsis) may be taken as a type of the
Alpine Cattle, which are bred in a great many
strains, showing a marked variety among them-
selves. It is a well-shaped animal with a moder-
ately large head, a broad forehead, a short thick
neck, a prominent dewlap, a long, broad-backed
body, sturdy limbs and a long tail terminating in a
large tuft. It has relatively short, rather weak, but
very pointed horns, which curve outward and upward,
THE PARK OX. The wild Cattle of Britain are still preserved in several British parks, and are believed hy some authorities to approach nearest
to the ancient Urus. or Aurochs, which are by many supposed to have been progenitors of the humpless breeds of domestic Cattle. The Park Ox is of stout
form and is of white color except the tips of the horns, the ears and the muzzle. (Bos sco/icus.)
olden times, and they are preserved at a considerable
expense. Special guards watch over them, try to
ward off all danger from them and finally segregate
the Bulls which have become vicious on account of
their old age, or otherwise useless. These Cattle
have all the characteristic attributes of the wild ani-
mals of the present. They hide their young, graze
during the night, sleep and bask in the sun by day.
They are fierce only when driven to bay; on all
other occasions they are very shy and flee before the
most insignificant of humanity, even when but re-
motely menaced.
Descendants of the Among the distinctively Scotch
Park Ox Frequent breeds of Cattle there are occa-
m Scotland. sionally to be found single individ-
uals or entire breeds, which seem to have descended
directly from the Park Ox. They display all its
in the shape of a crescent, the tips turning outward
and either forward or backward. The hairy coat is
sleek and shows black or brownish red spots on a
white ground. This Ox is bred especially in Frei-
burg and the adjacent cantons of Switzerland; it
yields both excellent beef and extremely rich milk.
Peculiarities and The most widely distributed breed
Merits of the of marsh Cattle is probably the
Dutch Ox. Dutch Ox (Bos taurus hollandicus)
which, in Fitzinger's opinion, is a direct descendant
of the Aurochs. Stately proportions marked by a
graceful uniformity in the development of all parts
of the body, and very uniform coloring and mark-
ings, comprise its most prominent features. The
head is long, tapering towards the muzzle; the neck
long and thin the abdomen barrel-shaped; that is,
long and pendent; the withers are narrow- the croup
4S2
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
broad, and the tail moderately long. The legs are
especially stoutly and strongly developed, long, but
not clumsy. The horns are short, weak, and usually
turn outward and forward; the coloring is pied, the
white or grayish white ground showing black or
sometimes brown or red spots, of varying size and
shape. In Holland this Ox has been bred for cen-
turies. It is distinguished for its abundant yield of
milk, and is easily fattened.
The Durham or The Durham or Short-horned breed
English Short- of England (Bos taunts ditnchncnsis)
horn. may 5e mentioned as a not exactly
handsome product of continued systematical breed-
ing. It is, in fact, an Ox with no symmetry of pro-
portions— a shapeless animal — with a small head,
really the recipient of no care at all. Only occa-
sionally does some person commissioned to inspect
the herd visit its haunts. It is not of particularly
large stature, though a beautifully proportioned and
uncommonly strong creature, characterized by toler-
ably long and very pointed horns, curving outward;
the color is a dark red or bay, or a blackish-brown,
as a rule, but there are exceptions.
America the Par- In the New World circumstances
adise of Reverted have always favored the reversion of
Cattle. Cattle to the wild state. Colum-
bus first imported the useful creature on his second
trip to San Domingo. There it multiplied with such
rapidity that a few years later calves of both sexes
could be distributed all over the island, and twenty-
_^ seven years after the
ighj^ discovery of Domingo
-" herds of four thousand
gjic*' ;^*;V head were of common
IB occurrence. In 1587
thirty-five thousand
skins were exported
from this island alone.
About 1540 Oxen were
transported from Spain
to the southern portions
of America. They found
the climate of the New
World so favorable to
their well-being that
they shortly emancipat-
ed themselves from hu-
man protection. A cen-
tury later they inhabited
the pampas in such
enormous numbers that
people in those regions
pursued the same course
in regard to them that
the hunters of North
America did later with
regard to the Bisons:
that is, slaughtered the
animals solely for the
sake of their skins. The
flesh and fat were left
for the consumption of theTame and wild Dogs-and
of the Vultures. Such indiscriminate slaughter soon
thinned the numbers of even these enormous herds,
and only recent improvements in the manner of util-
izing all parts of the carcasses of the beasts led to a
change in the methods of slaughter and saved these
wild Cattle from utter extinction.
Wild Cattle in
the United
States.
FREIBURG OR SWISS OX. A well developed, sturdy animal is the Freiburg Ox, which is typical of the
Alpine Cattle. It is a short-horned variety, has a thick neck with a prominent dewlap, a small head and the white
ground color of its sides shows several dark spots. [Bos taurus friburgeiisis.)
very weak horns, a straight back and short legs, a
thick neck and unwieldy body, bred especially to
furnish the greatest possible amount of beef when
fattened and butchered. The coloring of the short,
smooth hair is subject to much variation. Originally
the Durham was bred almost exclusively in the east-
ern coast counties of England; now it is to be seen
in all the counties of England and Ireland and oc-
casionally in Germany, Holland and France [and
is also numerous in the United States]. In the yield
of milk it is inferior to many of the other breeds,
but in the production of beef it surpasses them all.
Oxen Easily Re- With as much ease as that with which
vert to a Wild a wild Ox is tamed and reduced to a
State. state of domesticity, the domestic
Ox reverts to the habits of the original species, when
it escapes from the supervision and care of Man.
Oxen which have reverted to complete or partial
savagery are found mainly in those countries over
which Spaniards once ruled or which are still sub-
ject to their dominion. The bull which is so highly
esteemed in Spain because it is indispensable to the
conduct of bull-fights, descends from Cattle which
once were tame. It leads the life of wild Oxen,
never entering a stable the whole year round, and is
In Texas, California and some of the west-
ern states and territories there are immense
herds of what are known as "range" Cattle.
These are the direct descendants of the
Spanish Cattle brought to America in the early days of Span-
ish dominion on this continent. A few decades ago the care
of Cattle in Texas was very lax, all of the animals being left to
follow their own devices on a common range. Now the stock
owners largely use fenced-in pastures, so as to restrict the
travels of their Cattle within proper bounds. Some of these
pastures enclose many thousands of acres within one fence.
Cattle belonging to smaller owners are still turned out on
the prairie and allowed to wander about' promiscuously. Each
owner has a brand, which he can register with the county clerk,
such registry making the brand the indisputable property of
the one in whose name it is entered. With this brand he
marks all the Cattle he owns. At least once a year there is a
general "round-up" of the Cattle, the owners in a county
uniting to drive all the Cattle to a corral, or enclosure. From
there the calves following their mothers are driven into the
branding pen, and the brand of their owner is placed on them
and they remain his until rebrauded.
THE HORNED ANIMALS— DOMESTIC OXEN.
483
In Texas it was formerly quite frequently the case that many
Cattle would wander away or conceal themselves so effectually
that the vigilance of the cowboys was eluded, the result being
that there would be next year a number of two-year-old calves
unbranded. The rule for these calves was that the first Cattle
owner who caught such an outcast could brand it. A shrewd
stockman named Maverick, seeing a chance of profit in it,
made a special feature of capturing these ownerless yearlings
and branding them, doing the business so successfully that it
JERSEY COW. The breeds of Cattle from the British Channel
Islands bear the palm for choice quality of cream and butter obtained from
their milk. The Jersey is the type of these animals and is a favorite dairy
cow in America and Great Britain.
became the custom for the other stockmen to call unbranded
yearlings "Mavericks," and they are known by that name to this
day. Such opportunities as those of Maverick are not now
open. Closer attention is paid to the Cattle and it is seldom
that a calf escapes being branded. The Cattle raising industry
is one of great importance in the West, where there are large
areas not fitted for cultivation, which are admirably adapted
for Cattle raising.
On the Falkland Islands the Oxen have com-
pletely returned to savagery and are entirely eman-
cipated from the yoke of Man,
being but occasionally hunted
by sailors whose provisions of
meat have run out. On the
Galopagos Islands, the Philip-
pine and Sandwich Isles and
on the Celebes, Oxen having
reverted to a wild state are
also found, and the same may
be said of Australia and New
Zealand. In the high moun-
tainous regions of central Asia
Cattle which have resumed
their wild habits also occur,
especially in instances in
which herds have become
ownerless in consequence of
wars. In Colombia, as in
most other countries of South
America, they live in unre-
strained freedom, not in the
low lands, however, but on
the heights of the Cordilleras.
Manner of Life of A glimpse at
Cattle in Van- t h e m a n n e r o f
ous Nations. life of the do-
mestic Cattle of various coun-
tries is instructive as well as
fascinating. In order to begin
our consideration in histor-
ical fashion, let us turn our attention first to those
herds which still lead the same manner of existence
as did those belonging to the patriarchs. The wan-
dering tribes of eastern Soudan are herdsmen, who
attend to their duties in exactly the same way as
their ancestors did thousands of years ago. Herds
of Cattle constitute their only riches. Their wealth
is estimated by the number of their Sheep and
Cattle, as that of the Laplander is estimated by the
number of his Reindeer.
The greatest of European land-owners and cattle-
breeders, including those of Holland and Switzer-
land, can hardly realize the vast numbers contained
in the herds of those nomads. Near the village of
Melbess, which I have already mentioned once, the
plain shows a deep depression, at the bottom of
which a number of wells have been dug, one beside
the other, for the sole purpose of watering the herds
congregating there during the noon hours. Begin-
ning in the afternoon and during the whole night, far
on towards noon of the next day nearly a hundred
people are busy hauling water from the wells and
pouring it into pools in which a little salt)' earth is
added to it. From all sides innumerable herds of
Sheep, Goats and Cattle draw near, first the Sheep
and Goats, then the cows. In a few minutes the
valley is filled with them. One sees nothing but an
unbroken herd of animals pressing back and forth, a
dark human form looming up between them at inter-
vals. Thousands of Sheep and Goats keep arriving,
while as many are departing, satisfied. I believe it
impossible to count the number of Cattle; for one
soon gives up as hopeless the task of counting in
the confusion of the throng; yet I believe I do not
exaggerate if I put down the number of the animals
daily congregating at the spot as sixty thousand.
In the south of Africa the Oxen are of great im-
portance, as without them the extended trip neces-
sary for purposes of trading and hunting through
the vast wastes in parts entirely devoid of water and
grass would be impossible.
32S
■- " - <■/&};
0m^^M
DUTCH COW. The breed of Dutch Oxen, of which the female is depicted in the illustration, has
been bred in Holland for hundreds of years, and is especially adapted to marshy regions. It is a rather hand-
some animal, easily fattened, and the cows yield milk abundantly. {Bos Iannis hollandicus.)
Cattle Life in Tern- In southern Russia, Tartary, and
perate and North- probably also a great portion of
ern Lands. central Asia, considerable herds of
Cattle are kept. All of the steppes of southern
Russia are covered with herds of Horses, Sheep and
Cattle. In summer all these animals live outdoors;
484
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
during the severe, long winter they find some pro-
tection against the storms on the lee side of a
mound of earth thrown up to break the force of
the freezing winds prevailing. If such a mound is
provided with a miserable piece of roof on one
side, it is considered an excellent stable. Among
these herds the Cattle rank first in point of num-
ber, and have naturally many advantages over the
others: they are hardier and do not perish so easily
in the snow storms which play such dire havoc
among the Horses and Sheep, as they do not lose
their instinct of locality and become bewildered, but
hurry straight home to shelter — unless, indeed, as
sometimes happens, the storm is too high. In most
of these regions the herds are left to roam at will.
The animals had to shift for themselves, and were
given neither shelter nor food. Some of them were
so wild that they would let no human being ap-
proach them. The calves were suckled as long as
they craved milk, and herdsmen never thought of
' **
DUKHAM OR SHORT-HORN COW. The Durham breed of Cattle is a famous English variety now com-
mon also in the United States. Its large, unwieldy body, straight back, and small head and horns, make it an
ungainly looking animal, but it is famous for the quantity and quality of beef it furnishes. {Bos taunts dunelnicnsis.)
separating them from their mothers until they had
reached their second year. This method of Cattle
raising has been greatly changed in recent years,
however.
Even in Italy there are still Cattle living in a half-
savage condition. In the Maremmas, those strips
of coast country between Pisa and Naples, which are
nearly perfectly level, fertile in spots and marshy
throughout the remainder of their extent, ill-famed
for their unhealthy, miasmatic climate and thinly
populated, numerous herds of Cattle rove about,
living outdoors year after year, migrating over ex-
tensive tracts of territory, and guarded only by the
hardiest Men. In Wallachia, Servia, Bosnia, Bul-
garia and Syria similar conditions of life prevail
among the Cattle.
In the mountainous countries of central Europe,
especially in the Alps, the valuable domestic ani-
mal receives quite a different sort of care, though
there is yet much left to be desired. Tschudi says:
"Usually there is no provision made for a suitable
stable, or even for any shelter at all. And yet these
badly protected beasts apparently thoroughly enjoy •
the beautiful, calm period of their existence in the
Alps. One has only to bring the large bell, which
in spring sounds the signal for the departure to and
the return from the Alps, among the Cattle in the
valley, and it will excite immediate and general
attention. The cows collect, lowing and jumping
with joy, thinking they hear the signal for departure,
and When they set out, and the finest cow has the
largest bell hanging from a gay ribbon around her
neck and a bouquet of flowers between her horns;
when the beast of burden is packed with cheese-
kettles and provisions, when the milk stools are set
between the horns of the Cattle, and the neatherds-
men begin their Alpine songs and the yodling re-
sounds through the valleys, then, indeed, one ought
to see the manifestations of pleasure with which the
good-natured and mischievous creatures take their
places in the procession, and, lowing, shape their
_ , — ~^^=^^_ course towards the
Sjjjg-gs=JiiE^-->^^=IL mountain. Cows left in
szz^_ the valley often escape
=" =^ the vigilance of their
owners and follow their
:-.-" j: ^^^- mates to distant mount-
ains."
In the very high
northern latitudes win-
ter is a particularly hard
time for Cattle. The
short summer of Nor-
way and Lapland does
not produce enough
vegetation to supply the
Cattle with winter prov-
ender, therefore they are
fed in winter not only
hay and straw, leaves
and birch branches,
reindeer-moss, aquatic
plants, algae and so on,
but also fish and espe-
cially the heads of Had-
docks, which are caught
in great quantities dur-
ing the time forage is
scarcest.
In most other coun-
tries of Europe, the cow
is a miserable slave of man; in Spain, however, the
bull is esteemed of some importance, and may be-
come the hero of the day and occasionally arouse a
great deal more sympathy than anything else in the
breast of a Spaniard. This is because the Spaniards
— both those dwelling in their own country and those
living abroad, especially in the warmer parts of
the New World — are passionately fond of spectacles
such as were in vogue in ancient Rome, but are
not now in favor with any other civilized nation; and
every bull passing under the observation of a Span-
iard is mentally estimated by a standard the highest
excellences of which are great capacity and invari-
able inclination for fighting.
Mental Attributes After all that has already been said,
and Capacities I need not further predicate much
of the Ox. about the intellectual qualities of the
domestic Ox. The animal undoubtedly occupies a
low plane of intelligence: for it is certainly the most
stupid of our domestic animals except the Sheep. It
learns to know its keeper and evinces a certain
«$E*S
' ^C^ry:-i/-.
THE HORNED ANIMALS— BUFFALOES.
485
amount of affection for him; it obeys his summons
and follows his call and exhibits a certain degree of
fellowship with the person who comes much in con-
tact with it. Habit seems, however, to have more to
do with this than conscious knowledge.
Various plants, whether fresh or dried, such as
vetches, peas, young grains and succulent herbage,
seem to constitute the favorite foods of the Ox tribe.
Plants and vegetable substances inimical to their
well being are: flax, leaves of the yew-tree, water-
hemlock, louse-wort, bent-grass, pond- weed, meadow-
saffron, spurge, monkshood, young oak-leaves and
walnut tree leaves, wet clover and similar things.
Parsley, celery, garlic and onions, when eaten, are
said to decrease the production of milk. Thyme,
ranunculus and plantains are eaten in times of
scarcity of food, while cows of all breeds are pas-
ever, they may again slightly turn forward or de-
scribe a gentle curve downward, and assume a
slightly outward direction.
The Fierce and Among the animals belonging to
Powerful Cape this group, we assign to the Cape
Buffalo. Buffalo {Bos or Bubalus caffer) the
first place; it is the fiercest and most powerful mem-
ber of the sub-genus and particularly characterized
by its curious horns. It is of a sturdier organization
than other Buffaloes; the head is proportionately
small and the neck rather thick; the withers are
slightly raised, the tail is long and thin and deco-
rated with a strong, copious tuft, occupying half its
length. The horns are curved outward and back-
ward at the roots, then up and backward, and the
tips again show a marked inward curve. In the
cases of old bulls they are greatly expanded at the
HEREFORD BULL. The Hereford breed is one especially favored by graziers because of its large size, its sturdy constitution, the ease
with which it is fattened and the large yield and excellent quality of its beef. It leads among the heavy English breeds and has become a favorite
with Cattle raisers in the United States.
sionately fond of all kinds of fruit and most vege-
tables, such as potatoes, carrots, squashes, turnips,
etc.; salt is necessary for their continuance in health.
The cow is justly held to be the most profitable of
all domestic animals.
THE BUFFALOES.
The Buffaloes (Bnlujlits) are clumsily built Oxen
with a heavy, ungainly body, rather short, stout
legs, a broad head with a strongly convex low fore-
head, dull, sinister-looking eyes, and laterally pro-
jecting ears, which are usually large and wide. The
horns are set on the apices of the extreme upper
posterior angles of the skull and are generally dis-
proportionately enlarged in diameter at their bases;
their direction is at first downward and backward,
then outward and finally upward; occasionally, how-
roots, and covered with thick, annular furrows; they
overshadow the whole forehead so that a narrow
strip in the middle only is left uncovered. With the
exception of the ears and the extremity of the tail,
the growth of hair is extremely scant, so that some
places have an almost naked appearance, and a truly
hairy covering can be properly spoken of only in
connection with the head and legs. The color of
the animal is produced less by the black hair, tipped
with a lighter tint, than by the dark brownish-gray
hide. The height of a Cape Buffalo at the shoulder
varies between five and six feet, according to sex
and the development of the animal. The horns,
which in the female are more slender and cover the
forehead only half as broadly and bulkily as in the
male, may in both sexes attain a spread of from
forty to nearly forty-five inches.
48G
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
Range and Habits The range of the Cape Buffalo com-
of the Cape prises, like that of the Giraffe, the
Buffalo. greater part of the eastern half of
Africa. In Cape Colony it has, together with the
few surviving Elephants of that country, only a
restricted and quite isolated habitat between the
bays of Mossel and Algoa. The southern boundary
of its present range might be described by a line
running along the Cubangu to the Ngami lake ;
thence eastward to the Limpopo and to the east of
the Transvaal; thence it would run south to about
the bay of St. Lucia. To the north of this line it is
found in most of the African territory, up to about
the sixteenth parallel of north latitude. It affects
the plain more than the mountains, and for its per-
manent abode it always selects a locality where
water is plentiful.
The Cape Buffalo is gregarious by nature, and
constantly lives in association with its own kind, in
bands of from thirty to sixty in regions where it is
pursued, and in herds numbering hundreds or even
thousands in those localities in which it is little or
not at all molested.
During the hot hours of the day the Cape Buffalo
lies in its retreat still and motionless, sleeping or
sometimes ruminating; it not infrequently makes its
resting place in a pool of water or a mud-hole, for
this reason often appearing covered with a goodly
crust of mud. In the late afternoon or toward even-
ing it rises, and grazes at intervals from that time till
early morning, not in leisurely comfort, like other
Oxen, but by fits and starts. With a restless haste,
driving away the obnoxious Flies, and often uttering
its dull growl, it sways from side to side its ever
damp, thick muzzle, pricks up its broad ears, deco-
rated with a bristly fringe of hair, and lashes its
flanks nervously with its tufted tail. Apparently
ever sulky and completely inaccessible to any mol-
lifying influence, grim and vicious, it carries its
broad, bulky head partly concealed by its horns
halfway lowered, as if ever ready to make an attack,
and the large, blue-black eyes glare wildly from
under the huge horns, so that the animal can not
avoid producing upon the beholder the impression
of unrestricted fury and deliberate malice.
Without being really timorous, the Buffaloes flee
at the approach of Man, and, especially if they have
been repeatedly pursued, they shun the proximity
of their most formidable enemy as much as possible;
but if driven to bay or provoked, they turn against
him without scruple and then heed neither spear
nor bullet in their blind rage. A wounded Buffalo,
which does not immediately charge at his enemy,
never flees far, but hides in ambush in the high grass
and there awaits the approach of his pursuers, with
the intention of rushing at them with lightning-like
rapidity. If its enemies flee or hide, it follows them
snorting, trying to trail them by its powers of scent.
The old solitary bulls separated from their herds are
said to be simply terrible. Drayson says: "It is well
known that it is the habit of nearly all animals to
flee from Man, provided he docs not wound them
or intrude on them at an unsuitable time; these old
hermits, however, certainly do not wait for such ex-
cuses, but meet the sportsman half way, and pick a
quarrel with him."
The Pursuit of Selous, who shot several hundred
the Cape Buffaloes in south Africa, says: "I
Buffalo. (]j,i not find the old solitary bulls
any more dangerous than the animals living in
a herd. Unless they are wounded, they generally
flee from Man; and even when injured, they are no
worse than any Buffalo out of a herd under similar
circumstances." He further relates, to indicate the
strength of an old bull, that he once was charged at,
while on horseback, by a wounded bull, which threw
the Horse into the air "as if it were a Dog."
Thus one may conclude that the chase of the Cape
Buffalo is not devoid of danger; the animal prob-
ably is not usually felled by the first shot, hence
generally has time and strength enough to confront
its antagonist.
The beef of the Cape Buffalo vies with that of
fattened Oxen in its savory taste. It is tougher and
of coarser grain, but is very juicy in spite of the lack
of fat; hence it is an object of zealous pursuit among
African huntsmen. But Man is not the only dan-
gerous enemy of the Buffalo; the Lion also dares
attack the powerful creature and sometimes succeeds
in killing it by breaking its neck. At any rate it is
nothing uncommon for hunters in south Africa to
encounter Buffaloes which have succeeded in shak-
ing off, and perhaps in killing, the beast of prey, but
bear deep wounds on neck and shoulders received
during their struggle.
The Cape Buffalo The first living Cape Buffaloes were
Capable of Do- taken to Europe by Th von Heug-
mestication. \m He says: "Notwithstanding its
ferocious temper in the wilderness, it seems that the
animal may be easily tamed and then probably put
to excellent use."
Cape Buffaloes have propagated themselves in
various zoological gardens; but those which are born
in confinement differ little or not at all from those
which arc imported from Africa. Both grow as
rapidly as other Oxen; but the huge horns of the
bulls are very slow in development, and extended
observations lead to the belief that many years are
needed for their growth before they assume their
characteristic shape and size.
The Indian Buf- The ancestor of the completely
falo's Physical tamed and domesticated Buffaloes,
Peculiarities, which are to be frequently seen in
the valley of the Danube and in Italy and in much
greater numbers in Egypt and India, is not the Cape
Buffalo, but an animal still living in southeastern
Asia.
The Indian Buffalo (Bos or Biibalus ami) attains,
according to its breed, a total length of from nine
feet four inches to ten feet, including the tail, which
measures from twenty to twenty-four inches. The
height at the shoulder ranges from four feet eight
inches to six feet. The head is shorter and broader
than that of the Ox, the forehead large, the facial
portion short, the neck short and stout, longitudi-
nally wrinkled in front, but destitute of a dewlap.
The abdomen is slightly elongated, but full and
rounded. The body shows a hump-like elevation
on the withers, and a depression along the back.
The chest is narrow, and the flanks are retracted;
the tail is rather short; the sturdy legs are pro-
portionately short and the feet are equipped with
broad hoofs, capable of a remarkable degree of lat-
eral extension. The small eyes have a ferocious, de-
fiant expression: the ears are long and broad,
covered with short hair on the outside, and decorated
with long tufts of hair on the inner surface. The
horns are long and strong, expanded at their roots,
then tapering and ending in blunt points; on their
two anterior surfaces they show deep transverse fur-
rows from their bases up to their middles; from that
point to their extremities, as well as along the entire
THE CAPE BUFFALO These wild and ferocious animals inhabit eastern Africa from Abyssinia to Cape Colony. Where they are little disturbed
they are found in hundreds or even thousands, but usually in smaller herds. They are sturdy animals with stout horns, and are very formidable and dan-
gerous antagonists of the sportsman who hunts them. {Bos naffer.)
(4871
4-ss
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
posterior surfaces, they are perfectly smooth; their
cross-section is an irregular triangle. The hairy cov-
ering is scant, stiff and bristly, growing a trifle longer
only on the forehead, the shoulders, along the entire
front of the throat and on the tail-tuft, while the
hinder part of the back, the buttocks, breast and ab-
dominal surface, the thighs and the greater part of
the legs have a nearly naked appearance; thus the
coloring of the hide, which as a rule is dark blackish-
gray or black, is a greater factor in producing the
general color than the bluish-gray hair, tinged with
brownish or red-brown. There also are white or
mottled individuals, but they are rare. The cow
differs from the bull only by its smaller proportions.
Range and Habits The range of this wild Buffalo ex-
of the Indian tends from the foot of the Himala-
Buffalo. yas> through Bengal and the eastern
portions of central India southward about to the
Godavari,and eastward, through Assam and Burmah,
at least as far as northwestern Siam. It is also a
native of Ceylon.
Being as fond of water as all other members of its
tribe, the Indian Buffalo is found only in the wetter
portions of its range, either near rivers or in the im-
mediate neighborhood of small lakes, which may
contain water only at certain times, or else around
shallow lagoons on the shores of the ocean. It is
clumsy in its movements, but is strong and possesses
great endurance, and in swimming it is particularly
proficient. Among the perceptive senses those of
smelling and hearing rank first; sight and suscepti-
. bility to sensation of touch appear to be little devel-
oped, neither does the sense of taste seem of a high
order, as the animal contents itself with the worst
quality of food, such indeed as other Oxen disdain.
The Buffaloes graze especially during the night and
in the early morning; they are given to incursions
into plantations and sometimes commit great depre-
dations in them.
The temper of the Indian Buffalo is said to be
sulky and uncertain; its strength and courage are
said to be so great that Hindu poetry places the
animal on a level with the Tiger. "The bull," says
Hodgson, " is so strong and pugnacious thn it not
only dares attack a full-grown Elephant, but occa-
sionally subdues it." Jerdon also states that an en-
raged Buffalo will sometimes turn and charge straight
against a hunting Elephant, and he adds: "The
Buffaloes are anything but shy, except in those
regions in which they have suffered much from con-
stant pursuit, and one can approach them within
easy range even on Elephants, without the aid of
which the chase can not very well be successfully
conducted."
The vocal expression of the Buffalo is a deep,
rumbling bellow. Hodgson says that the bull seeks
his mate in the fall; then the larger herds gener-
ally resolve themselves into smaller bands, one of
winch each bull collects around himself.
The Indian Buffalo is, in a certain sense, the
natural enemy of the Tiger, and nearly always
issues victorious from its combats with that beast.
W. Rice relates that adult Buffalo bulls are occa-
sionally attacked by Tigers, but frequently succeed
in quieting the beast of prey forever. When one
Buffalo is attacked the others fly to its rescue and,
as a rule, succeed in despatching or driving off the
assailants. Herdsmen tending tame Buffaloes may,
without fear of molest at ion from beasts of prey,
spend their time in the jungle, riding one of the
animals. Johnson relates how a Tiger attacked the
rearmost Man of a caravan. A herdsman, who
was guarding Buffaloes near by, flew to the rescue
and wounded the beast of prey. The Tiger imme-
diately relinquished its first victim and seized the
herdsman; but the Buffaloes, seeing the danger their
master was in, rushed at the Tiger and assailed it so
furiously that it soon lay dead upon the ground.
Distribution and We do not know when and how the
Life of the Tame tame Buffalo has been distributed,
Buffalo. but we suppose that it was probably
brought to Persia in the train of great armies or of
migrating tribes, as the companions of Alexander
the Great found it there. Later the Moslems may
have transported it to Egypt and Syria. In the
year 596, during the reign of Agilulf, it landed in
Italy, to the great surprise of Europeans. At first
it seems to have spread very slowly; it is now found
from southern China, throughout India and Farther
India, Afghanistan, Persia, Armenia, Syria, Palestine,
Turkey, Greece, and the valley of the Danube, Italy,
and very commonly also in Egypt, but not in Nubia.
Like all of its relatives, it most delights in hot,
swampy or watery situations. The Nile Delta is a
paradise for it. On the lower Danube it apparently
feels very comfortable; in the Italian swamps it is
the only member of its family to be found, as all
others succumb to the noisome atmosphere of the
unhealthful climate. In Lower Egypt it is plentiful
everywhere, and, except the Goat, is the only source
of supply for milk and butter. Every village in
the Delta and most of the villages in Upper Egypt
have a large pool between the huts, the sole purpose
of which is to afford the Buffaloes a convenient
bathing place. One sees them much oftener in the
water than on the pasturage, and if possible, they
submerge themselves so deeply that only the head
and a small portion of the back protrude above the
surface.
The Buffalo's One cannot sufficiently admire the
Actions and mastery by the Buffaloes of the art
Movements. 0f swimming. They act as if water
was their proper element, for they dive, lie on their
sides or half on their backs, and either permit them-
selves to comfortably float without stirring, or swim
straight across a stream, except for the slight dis-
tance they are drifted down by the current. On
land the Buffalo impresses one as being much
clumsier than it appears in the water. Its walk
is shambling and lumbering and its running gait,
though tolerably swift, is also an awkward, halting
mode of progression.
When one first meets tame Buffaloes, he is apt to
become really frightened. The expression of their
faces indicates ineradicable defiance and smoulder-
ing ferocity; the expression of their eyes seems to
signify a deceitful, base disposition. The observer
soon becomes Convinced, however, that it would be
totally wrong to judge a Buffalo by its external ap-
pearance. In some countries, certainly in Egypt, it
is an extremely good-natured animal, which every
peasant will unhesitatingly and safely trust to the
guidance of the weakest child. Buffaloes appear
indifferent to everything except food or drink.
Propagation and In the more northern regions, in
Economic Value of February or March, the Buffalo cow
the Buffaloes. usually gives birth to a calf. The
little one is an ungainly creature, but the mother
loves it tenderly and defends it from harm with the
well-known heroic courage of the Ox tribe. In its
fourth or fifth year the Buffalo is mature and it may
live for about eighteen or twenty years.
THE HORNED ANIMALS— ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT
489
The Buffalo is relatively more profitable to Man
than our domestic Ox, as it requires next to no care
and is satisfied with food which all other domestic
animals disdain. In marshy localities it is highly
useful in tilling the fields also, for what it lacks in
intelligence it more than compensates by its enor-
mous strength.
The flesh of the adult Buffalo is not eaten, at least -
by white Men of other than its native countries, on
account of its toughness and the odor of musk
which clings to it. The flesh of the calves is said to
be very good, however, and their fat to be almost
equal to pork in taste and tenderness. The strong
hide yields excellent leather and durable and useful
articles of many kinds are made from the horns.
formerly sometimes classified with the Antelopes,
sometimes with the Goats.
Description of the The Rocky Mountain Goat, called
Rocky Mountain Nane by the Canadians (Aploccrus
Goat. tnojitatius or americamis) , has the gen-
eral shape of a domestic Goat, but appears sturdier
and shorter-necked in consequence of its rich, long
fleece,.! though the body itself must be considered
slender. The head is elongated, the eye is large, and
the ears are moderately large and sharply pointed.
The short tail is bushy on the upper surface and
the sides ; the legs are sturdy and look still more
so because of their profuse covering of hair. The
hoofs, the upper parts of which are covered with
wiry hair, do not differ materially from those of wild
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT. With its home in the highest
shaped much like that of a domestic Goat, but the two differ in their horns
are very lively, agile and wary animals. (Aflocerus montanus.)
The Natural Ene- The Buffalo has enemies which
miesofthe might prove fatal to it only in India
Buffalo. and perhaps in Persia. It is prob-
ably rarely the case that a pack of Wolves attack a
Buffalo in the Danube country, and then the animal
must be either debilitated or fatigued if they are to
be successful. The conditions are similar in India,
though there the tame Buffalo encounters the same
enemv as the wild one, namely the Tiger. It is true
that this formidable beast of prey secures an occa-
sional victim from among the Buffaloes, but it seems
to hold equally true that a herd of Buffaloes are able
to invariably rout any Tiger.
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT.
On the high mountains of North America there
lives a Horned Animal which deviates so consider-
ably from its family relations in the formation of
Us horns, that we recognize in it the representative
of a distinct sub-family, the Aplocerinas. It was
parts of the Rocky Mountains this animal is not much molested. Its body is
so much that they are placed in distinct sub-families. Rocky Mountain Goats
Goats. The fleece is uniformly white all over the
body and consists of a long, hard outer coat and a
fine, long, straight, woolly inner fur, the two kinds
of hair occurring singly in some and together on
other parts of the body. On the face and forehead
appears nearly exclusively the thick, fine, curly
wool; on the neck, abdominal surface and thighs
both kinds of hair are found; on the nape and sides
of the neck, back, tail and in the mane-like covering
of the throat, breast, shoulders and front part of the
hams the wool is entirely absent. On the back of
the head there is a thick, long tuft of hair, which
falls down on all sides and merges into the mane of
the upper part of the neck and back. From the
chin and lower jaw the rich beard hangs down in
thick curls, which look as if they were intentionally
divided and artificially twisted. The neck is covered
by a drapery of long hair, which falls down over the
shoulder-blade and is continued into a kind of mane
on the shoulders and thighs and nearly envelops the
490
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
fore-legs, leaving only about one-third of those
members bare. A similar appendage covers the fore-
part of the hind-legs. The tail is decorated with a
long, thick tuft of the outer hair. The face is en-
tirely covered by the wool, as are also the eyes up to
the edges of the lids and the nose to the margin of
the nostrils. The ear, however, is covered with stiff
hair on both sides. The fleece feels soft and pliable
to the touch, like Sheep's wool, and the individual
hairs are somewhat matted and adhere perceptibly
to each other. The length of the animal is from
forty-eight to fifty-six inches, the tail taking up
rather less than four inches of this total; the height
at the withers is from twenty-seven to twenty-nine
and one-half inches, the height at the croup varies
between twenty-nine and thirty-one inches. The
horns, which are borne by both sexes, but are
slightly stronger in the buck, attain a length of from
eight to nearly eleven inches and turn upward, back-
ward and outward in a direct slight curve. They are
nearly round at the base and slightly ringed on the
lower half; in the middle section they are a little
compressed laterally and the tip is again rounded.
Range of the The range of this animal is re-
Rocky Mountain stricted to the northern part of the
Goat. Rocky Mountains and extends north-
ward to the sixty-fifth parallel of latitude. Accord-
ing to Baird, it is commonest in the elevated por-
tions of the state of Washington, and the Prince of
YYied says that it exists in greatest profusion near
the sources of the Columbia river. Some informa-
tion as to its mode of life has been obtained, but
only in recent times. It inhabits such lofty heights
that it finds no other food than lichens, mosses and
mountain plants of the hardiest kind, or in excep-
tional cases a few stunted shrubs of a kind of pine
(Pi/ucs cotitorta) and similar scant bushes. Never-
theless it leads a rather comfortable life most of the
time, and care and trouble beset it only when winter
drives it away from its high pasturage. In summer
it climbs up to an elevation of over thirteen thou-
sand feet and there selects its headquarters, generally
choosing the lower edge of the melting snow fields.
In winter it is wont to descend to a somewhat lower
level, without, however, leaving the high mountains
proper. In such a mountainous wilderness, which is
trodden by human feet in exceptional cases only, it
goes on its intricate paths with careless speed, jump-
ing from one rock to another with the precision
peculiar to its tribe and climbing about the most
inaccessible looking walls. Differing from other
Goats, the bucks are said to undertake the leader-
ship, and the she Goats and kids follow them in sin-
gle file. When the herds are alarmed or frightened
by a shot, they skim along the edges of the most
frightful precipices at a full gallop, or cross an abyss,
stepping on the same spots one after another, show-
ing more of the lightness and grace of winged crea-
tures than the actions of even the most agile quad-
rupeds. Being exceedingly wary, and endowed with
extremely keen senses of hearing and smell, the
Rocky Mountain Goat usually thwarts any attempt
of Man to approach it, and is therefore as difficult
ol observation as of pursuit. From the beginning
of June little kids are seen following their mothers,
usually one behind each Goat, but sometimes there
are twins. The kids are extremely pretty.
The Rocky Mount- Excepting a few naturalists and
ain Goat Rarely hunters addicted to this sport, the
Molested. Indians alone engage in the chase of
these wary inhabitants of those desolate heights;
and the latter do not display any special zeal in the
pursuit. The flesh of this Goat is not esteemed, for
it is tough and impregnated with the strong, rank
smell which usually characterizes the male Goat, and
which in this species is not absent even in the kid.
It is for this reason repulsive even to the Indians,,
whose taste is by no means fastidious. The Rocky
Mountain Goat is therefore pursued only for the
sake of its fur, which is either disposed of to the
white' fur traders at the trading posts or made into
plain rugs by the Indians.
As far as my knowledge goes, this Goat has never
been tamed and is to be seen in very few museums.
THE ANTELOPE TRIBE.
The Antelopes (A/itilopincE) constitute the sub-
family among the Horned Animals which is richest in
forms, but also stands on the lowest plane of devel-
opment. Speaking in a general way this sub-family
comprises the most graceful and elegant of the
Horned Animals, but this statement is only true in
the wide sense, for among the Antelopes are in-
cluded several species which conform but little to
the commonly entertained notion of an Antelope.
As a rule the animals of this tribe bear the charac-
teristic of the family, as it includes the most dainty
and slender of all the hollow-horned animals; but
there are also included in the sub-family some
clumsy, lumbering creatures which at first glance
one would be inclined to classify with the Oxen.
Therefore great difficulties attend the effort to make
a general characterization of these animals, nor is it
easy to set the line of demarcation for the sub-
family, as some Antelopes show much greater affin-
ity to the Oxen or the Goats than to the original
type, which we consider to be the Gazelle, world
famed from the earliest ages.
Characteristics and In general, the Antelopes are
Range of the slender, Deer-like animals, with
Antelopes. short and nearly always thickset
hairy covering and more or less twisted horns, which
are usually borne by both sexes. The different spe-
cies show much similarity in bodily structure, and
the only marked distinctive features are found in
the formation of the horns, the hoofs and the tail,
as well as several modifications of the hairy cover-
ing. But the number of species of Antelopes is so
great that the members placed at either extremity
of the group bear little resemblance to each other.
The Antelopes inhabit the whole of Africa, south-
ern, western and central Asia, southern and central
Europe. Each species seems to have its favorite
food, which determines its place of abode so long as
human interference does not drive the shy, fleet
animals to pastures new. The majority inhabit the
plains, but some decidedly prefer the high mountains
to the valleys, and ascend to the lower limits of
perpetual snow. Some inhabit open country cov-
ered with a sparse vegetation, others are found in
thin ranges of scrubby bushes; some in the thickest
of forests, a few species even in marshes and bogs.
Food and Their food consists exclusively of
Uses of the vegetable substances, mainly of
Antelopes. herbage, leaves, buds and young
shoots. Some content themselves with the coarsest
food, others are exceedingly fastidious and feed
only on the most succulent and dainty of plants. If
provided with fresh, green provender, the majority
can abstain from water for a long time, and those
that live in arid deserts can go entirely without
water for days and even weeks.
THE HORNED ANIMALS— ANTELOPES PROPER.
491
One may call the Antelopes, with hardly an ex-
ception, useful and valuable animals. In the locali-
ties which they inhabit, they seldom work any con-
siderable damage; and they are of use on account
of their flesh, their horns and their excellent hide.
Therefore they are invariably objects of the chase
with people of all races who share their native coun-
tries. Some Antelopes of great reputation from the
earliest ages have had their praises sung by poets
and travelers; and in the pursuit of others the' hunter
risks his life a hundred times. In various ways Man
feels himself attracted by all Antelopes. The ma-
jority of species easily bear confinement, at least in
their native country; they propagate themselves and
delight their keeper by their tame and trustful ways.
Some of them literally become domestic animals,
and in many instances were so regarded and treated
in former times.
We will mention only
the most important forms
of this sub-family, the rich-
est in variety among the
Ruminants.
THE ANTELOPES
PROPER.
vanced age sometimes show as many as thirty such
rings, though their number does not stand in a di-
rect proportion to age and growth.
The Sasin inhabits the open, flat territory of India
With the exception of lower Bengal and the coast of
Malabar. It usually lives in bands of twenty or
thirty and frequently even from forty to sixty. It
affects the open country in all cases and shuns
thickly grown regions, for it exercises great watch-
fulness. Williamson is authority for the statement
that a few young males or old females are always
posted as sentinels, when the herd is occupied in
grazing on some favorite spot. These sentinels keep
a particularly watchful eye on bushes behind which
a hunter might creep up and hide. The same ob-
server says it would be foolish to let Greyhounds
course them, for the hunter can expect to be suc-
h¥ <% ">.
I will begin the descrip-
tion of the series of ani-
mals thus classified with
an account of the Ante-
lopes proper {Antilopc).
The group comprised un-
der this name is charac-
terized by physical propor-
tions approaching the Roe-
buck in size, elongated
horns the outlines of which
resemble those of a lyre or
which may be spirally
twisted, tear-pits which are
large as a rule and small
only in exceptional cases,
the existence of inguinal
glands, and a hairless muz-
zle of small extent gener-
ally restricted to a spot
on the upper lip.
Account The Sasin (An-
ofthe Sasin til Opt ' CtTVtca-
Antelope. pn1) plays an
"important part in Hindu mythology, and is sacred,
along with many other species, to the goddess Chan-
dra or the moon. It is smaller, and more slender
and elegant than the Fallow Deer. Its body is from
forty-eight to fifty-two inches long, the tail meas-
ures six inches and the height at the withers is
thirty-two inches. The color varies in accordance
with the sex and age. Dark brownish-gray tints
prevail among old bucks. The female is much
lighter and of a sorrel tint. Young females are said
to differ from the old ones by the exhibition of a
reddish hue. The horns, which are borne only by
the bucks, attain an average length of from sixteen
to twenty inches, and in some rare cases from twenty-
four to twenty-six inches, and are generally bent in
a slight spiral of three or four and sometimes five
turns. At the roots both horns stand close together,
but at the extremities they are from twelve to six-
teen inches apart; they are stouter or more slender
according to the age of the animal and are ringed
nearly to the tip, which is smooth. Bucks of ad-
THE SASIN. This species of Antelope is a graceful, beautiful animal which live* in India in the open
country. The horns, which are home only by the males, are long and spiral. The Sasin is so fleet that Hounds
are useless to hunt it. and Cheetahs and Falcons are employed for that purpose. (Antilope ccrvicapra.)
cessful only if he takes them by surprise; else they
instantly seek refuge in flight and dart along at a
truly marvelous speed. "The height and length of
their leaps amaze everybody; they rise over ten feet
above the ground and clear a distance of from twenty
to thirty-three feet at a bound, as if they mocked at
the pursuing Hound." For this reason the Indian
princes never think of chasing them with Hounds,
but hunt them with Falcons or Cheetahs.
Sasins taken young become remarkably tame.
They readily bear confinement, usually agree with
their own kind and delight one by their trustful,
affectionate disposition. They thrive best if they
are allowed considerable liberty.
The Gazelles, The Gazelles are slender and ex-
the Typical tremely graceful Antelopes, with an-
Antelopes. nulated, lyre-shaped horns, tear-pits,
thin, slender loins, long, pointed ears, a small, rudi-
mentary toe, and two mammae. The tail is short
and tufted at the tip; other tufts exist only on the
ankles of the fore-legs. Both sexes are horned. A
492
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
Gazelle in the desert forms an exceedingly attract-
ive picture, and one which has inspired Oriental
poets with enthusiastic songs from the remotest
times. Even the stranger from the Occident, if he
sees them in a state of liberty, can understand why
it is that they appear to the Oriental the personifi-
cation of grace and loveliness; for he also feels a
breath of that enthusiasm which inspires the words
and sentiments of those glowing songs of praise.
The son of the desert compares the bright eye of
the maiden who moves his heart to its very depths,
with that of the Gazelle; he knows no more fitting
designation for the slender white neck of his be-
loved, than to call it the neck of a Gazelle. The
pious man finds in this graceful daughter of the
desert an emblem to aptly typify the yearning of his
heart after everything sublime. The Gazelle exer-
cises a fascination over everybody. The Egyptians
dedicated it to the supreme goddess Isis on account
of its gracefulness, and sacrificed its young to the
queen of the gods; its beauty serves as an emblem
to the poet in the "Song of Solomon;" for in that
book it is the Roe and the young Hart with which
the beloved is compared. The Arabian poets of all
times fail to find words sufficiently laudatory in
which to picture it; the oldest books of this nation
are full of its praises, and the singers on the Arabian
streets glorify it to-day.
Physical Pecul- The Gazelle (A?itilope dorcas) is rather
iarities of the smaller than the European Roe, but
Gazelle. js 0f a much more delicate and
slender build and has more beautiful markings. Old
bucks are forty-four inches long, or fifty-two includ-
ing the tail, and are twenty-four inches high at the
withers. The body is sturdy, though it looks slender
on account of the long legs; the back is somewhat
arched, higher at the croup than at the withers, the
tail is tolerably long and thickly grown with hair
at the tip. The legs are extremely delicate, slender
and terminate in very shapely hoofs. The neck is
elongated and the head of moderate length, broad
and high above the eyes, tapering below, and
slightly rounded at the muzzle. The ears are about
three-fourths as long as the head. The large, softly
lustrous eyes show a nearly round pupil; the tear-
pits are of moderate size. The prevailing color is a
sandy yellow, warming into a more or less dark red-
dish brown on the back and legs. A still darker
stripe runs along both flanks and separates the daz-
zlingly white under surface from the darker upper
parts. The horns vary in size and appearance ac-
cording to the sex. In the case of the buck they
are larger and the rings of growth are always much
more prominent. In both sexes the horns curve up-
ward and backward, the tips again curving forward
and somewhat converging, so that their front view
bears a resemblance to the lyre of ancient nations.
The Range and The range of the Gazelle extends
Food of the from Barbary to Arabia and Syria,
Gazelle. anc; from the coast of the Mediter-
ranean to the mountains of Abyssinia and the plains
of central Africa. The entire territory of the desert
and the plains adjoining it may be properly re-
garded as its native country. In the Abyssinian
mountains it ascends to an elevation of about five
thousand feet. The more abundant the vegetation
of the wilderness, the more frequent the animal is
in it; but it must be borne in mind that an abundant
vegetation from a north African point of view is
very different from what is meant by the expression
in regard to our country. It would be a mistake to
suppose the Gazelle to be a permanent inhabitant of
really fertile valleys; it pays but flying visits to such
regions, and probably enters them only if compelled
by hunger to do so. It is true that it prefers the
cooler climate and shade of the lowlands to the hot
glare of the table-lands, but only of the lowlands of
the wilderness; in valleys traversed by rivers it is
found as rarely as in high mountains. Its favorite
haunts are groves of mimosas, or better still, those
sandy stretches where hills alternate with valleys
and mimosas are found uniformly distributed all
over the country without forming isolated groves or
patches of woods, for the mimosa must be regarded
as its principal food. In the plains it also occurs,
and that quite numerously in some localities; but in
such situations also it prefers thinly grown tracts of
brush to fields of waving grass. In the plains of
Kordofan there are bands of forty or fifty which
extend their wanderings to considerable distances,
though they perhaps do not continue them the
whole year round. In their favorite haunts, how-
ever, they are only seen in small groups, numbering
from two to eight, and often singly.
The Gazelle at The Gazelle is indisputably a highly
Liberty and gifted animal, as active and agile as
Tamed. any other Antelope and remarkably
graceful besides. Its step is exceedingly light, and
it seems, in running, to barely touch the ground. A
fleeing herd affords a truly magnificent spectacle,
for even when danger is quite near they seem to be
at play. One Gazelle often leaps over another in
pure sportiveness, making leaps of from three to
six feet in height. With like playfulness it leaps
over stones and bushes in its path, even when it ap-
pears much easier to go around them. The Gazelle's
perceptive senses are excellently developed: that
of smell is acute, the eye is keen and the sense of
hearing delicate. The animal is intelligent, cunning
and even shy, is possessed of an excellent memory,
and where it gathers experience it becomes more
and more sensible. Its behavior is really charm-
ing. It is an inoffensive and somewhat timid crea-
ture, but by no means so devoid of courage as is
usually believed. There is always a certain amount
of quarreling and fighting going on in a herd, espe-
cially among the bucks. With all other animals
the Gazelle lives in peace; therefore it is often seen
in companionship with other nearly allied species
of Antelopes.
Gazelles taken into houses while yet young be-
come tame in a few days, and bear confinement well
and for a long time, especially in their native coun-
try. In the European households of the larger cities
of northern and eastern Africa there are always to
be seen tamed Gazelles, and among them are many
which have become so accustomed to human com-
panionship that they can be regarded as genuine
domestic animals.
The Gazelle The Gazelle is, in its native country,
Esteemed as a the object of a diligent and most en-
Game Animal, thusiastic chase. It is shot, caught
by Falcons or coursed to death by Greyhounds.
The second mode requires a great number of peo-
ple, Dogs and Falcons, thus entailing great expense,
and is engaged in only by the great people of the
world. Quietly and slowly, as much as possible
from the leeward, the huntsmen approach a herd of
Gazelles, profiting by all natural advantages for
concealment which the ground may offer. At a
suitable distance from the herd the hood is taken
off a trained Falcon, and as soon as the bird has
THE HORXED AXIMALS—AXTELOPES PROPER.
493
caught sight of the Gazelle, it is set free. The
Falcon rises high up in the air, like an arrow,
swoops down on the Gazelle and tries to fasten
its claws upon the animal's head near its eyes.
The surprised beast endeavors to rid itself of the
bird of prey by shaking and rolling itself, and
the Falcon eventually loosens its hold on the head
of the victim but instantly fastens on to it again,
usually selecting the hind leg for its point of at-
tack. Though the Dogs have as yet seen nothing
of the Gazelles, they know by experience that the
hunt commences with the removal of the Falcon's
hood. They become uneasy, pull at their leashes,
and finally can not be kept back any longer. They
are let loose and follow the Falcon, keeping it in
sight, and behind them the hunters hurry on their
Horses. If the Falcon is a good one, it can stop any
The hunter made as good use of his time as
he could, and in the majority of cases was able to
obtain a successful shot from one of the thicker
bushes, usually at a distance not exceeding from
ninety to one hundred and fifty paces. The surviv-
ing Gazelles would make off with all possible speed
after the report, generally trying to gain the nearest
hill, to the top of which they would climb. There
they would stop, however, exactly as if they wished
to inform themselves of what had taken place, and
more than once we succeeded in creeping up near to
the place where they were posted like sentinels. In
some localities the higher hills would gradually all
become covered with Gazelles, which, alarmed by
the reports of our shots, had drawn near from all
sides to survey the ground from their watch-towers.
I may well say that those mountains, which are for
THE GAZELLE. I-ong the favorite theme of Oriental poets, the G
The slender, black horns surmount a beautiful head which is further adorned
and shapely. {Anlilofe donas.)
Antelope that is not too large, until the Dogs come
up and tear it to pieces.
Methods Employed The hunt with a gun yields very
in Shooting good results. Whenever we, my
Gazelles. companion Van Arkel and myself,
saw a troop of Gazelles, we would cautiously con-
tinue on our way, making at the most a small detour
and approach the Gazelles as closely as we deemed
advisable. Then one of us would jump down from
his Mule and hide behind a bush, surrendering the
Mule to the servant who accompanied us. Then
the dismounted hunter would creep up to the quarry,
carefully keeping to the leeward and occasionally
crouching on the ground; the other one continued
his journey. Generally the leader of the herd would
curiously follow the latter with its eyes, forgetting
to examine the rest of its surroundings, and thus
exposed the herd to attack.
azelle. or Barbary Antelope, is one of the most graceful and agile of animals,
by long, but symmetrical ears, and the entire contour of the animal is delicate
the greater part bare of trees, were in this way deco-
rated in a wonderfully beautiful fashion. The fine
forms were so clearly outlined on the deep blue sky
that one could distinctly perceive every limb, even
at a great distance. It also happened frequently that
the frightened Gazelles would go over one of the
numberless hills and stop as soon as they had passed
down the other side and lost the hunter from view.
In the beginning they deceived me several times by
this strange conduct. I would climb the hill with
the greatest caution and look for my quarry in the
distance, while it stood right beneath me. A rolling
stone or some other noise which I occasioned would
alarm them and they would start away with wind-
like rapidity. But I never saw Gazelles pursued by
Men have recourse to their utmost speed, which
they display only when Dogs are at their heels. I
can not describe the spectacle then afforded by
494
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
these two animals; the most I could say being that
a Gazelle, skimming over the ground, seems to fly
rather than to run: but that statement would still fall
short of describing its fleetness.
Peculiarities and The Springboks (Antidorcas) exhibit
Structure of the a great affinity to the Gazelles, but
Springbok. differ from them and all other rela-
tives by reason of one important feature, peculiarly
their own. Along the back, beginning about its
middle, runs a furrow formed by a doubling of the
skin and covered with very long hair ; it is usually
closed, but opens in response to violent movements,
especially in bounding. The horns, which are borne
by both sexes, rise vertically from the forehead and
form an outline similar to that of a Grecian lyre.
The organization is both vigorous and graceful, the
head is moderately large, the neck slender, the tail
of medium length, the feet somewhat long from the
THE SPRINGBOK. In southern Africa these heautiful members of the Antelope family live on the plains,
but frequently undertake migrations when seasons of drought and scarcity make their accustomed range undesirable
On these occasions they assemble in bands of thousands. They are very fleet and agile. (Antilope euchore.)
soles to the ankles, the ears long and pointed, the
eyes very large, lustrous and long-lashcd, the tear-
pits small and obscure.
The only representative of this sub-genus is the
Springbok {Antilope cuchorc), a wonderfully beauti-
ful Antelope, measuring five feet in length, the tail
occupying eight inches of this total; the height at
the shoulders is thirty-four inches. The color is a
lustrous, dark cinnamon-brown; a stripe running from
the roots of the horns across the eyes towards the
nose, and another broad one extending along the
flank from the fore-thighs to the hams, are nut-brown;
all other parts are white. The horns are black, and
measured in a straight line they may attain a length
of from eleven to twelve inches in the case of the
buck; measured along the curvature, they are from
twelve to sixteen inches long and show about twenty
complete transverse rings, the tip being smooth.
The range of the Springbok is restricted to south-
ern Africa. It is still found in (ape Colony, espe-
cially in the northwestern parts,' but is plentiful
principally in the endless, desolate and desert-like
plains, extending from the Orange river to the
Ngami region. The majority of the Springboks
probably populate the Kalahari and some strips of
territory in German Southwestern Africa. They are
found there ranging from groups of twos and fives
up to herds from thirty to fifty in number, and some-
times even one hundred and two hundred. They
change their places of abode, disperse over their
vast territory or aggregate in large herds, according
to the amount of pursuit to which they are subjected,
the abundance or scarcity of food, and the filling
or drying up of water places. When the south Af-
rican regions are visited by great droughts, as hap-
pens at variable intervals, the suffering Antelopes
are obliged to desert their haunts, to evacuate vast
regions and migrate to others. The wandering bands
of animals are joined by
other troops and herds;
growing into thousands
they form hosts, and are
followed by the various
beasts of prey which feast
on the weary and dead
animals. Keeping closely
or loosely together, the
Springboks push on in a
direct course, destroying
the scanty remains of
vegetation and finally in-
vading more favored lo-
calities like swarms of
Locusts. In recent times
these migrations, or "trek-
boken," as they are called
by the Boers, have 'ost
much of their magnitude
and also occur much less
frequently, not because
the times of scarcity are
no more, but evidently
because the numbers of
Springboks have greatly
decreased.
Gordon Cumming thus
writes, speaking of a pe-
riod about forty years ago:
"Every traveler, who like
myself has seen the large
hosts which the Spring-
boks form in their pilgrimages, and gives an accurate
and true description of what he has seen, must fear
that he will encounter disbelief, so wonderful is the
sight of the migrating hordes. They have justly and
pertinently been likened to the devastating swarms
of Locusts with which the wanderer in this land of
wonders is so familiar; like them they devour all
verdure on their way in a few hours, and destroy in a
single night the fruits of a farmer's years of toil.
"On the twenty-eighth of December I first had
the pleasure of seeing a 'trek-boken.' In respect to
animals, this was, I believe, the grandest spectacle I
ever witnessed. For about two hours before the day
dawned, I had been lying awake in my wagon, list-
ening to the grunting of the bucks within two hun-
dred yards of me. I imagined that some large herd
of Springboks was feeding beside my camp. But
upon rising when it was clear, I beheld the ground
to the northward of my camp actually covered with
a dense living mass of Springboks, marching slowly
THE HORNED ANIMALS— OX- ANTELOPES.
±95
and steadily along, extending from an opening in a
long range of hills on the west, through which they
continued pouring like the flood of some great river,
to a ridge about a mile to the east, over which they
disappeared. I stood upon the fore-chest of my
wagon for nearly two hours, lost in wonder at the
novel and beautiful scene. Immense and astonish-
ing as was the herd of Springboks which I saw that
morning, it was far surpassed by the one I saw the
same night; for when we had crossed the range of
hills, through the opening of which the Springboks
had poured, I saw the plain and even the slopes of
the hills which extended all around, covered not
with herds, but with one continuous mass of Spring-
boks. As far as eye could see, the country swarmed
queer, perpendicular leaps, bounding into the air
with folded legs, the long, snow white hair upon the
back waving in the air and giving the animal a truly
fairy-like appearance, which distinguishes this An-
telope from all others. They sometimes leap higher
than six feet, and clear from thirteen to sixteen feet
at a bound, apparently without the slightest exertion.
Before leaping, they bend their heads towards the
fore-legs, then bound up, using all four feet, rise to
the given height, their backs strongly curved and the
fold of skin expanded like a fan. For one moment
they literally seem to soar, then they come down on
all four feet at once and again go up in the air.
Springboks soon become tame when taken young.
Those which I saw were shy and cautious towards
THE HARTEBEEST. This species of Antelope, existing in large numbers in central and southern Africa, is of somewhat ungainly form,
because of the lamer dsvel wiiem of the fore quarters as compare 1 with the hin Isr oaes. The most striking peculiarity of the animal is its peculiarly
shaped horns, which are well illustrated in this picture. (Bubalis caama.)
with them, until they merged into an indistinct con-
fusion of living creatures." Le Vaillant also speaks
about herds numbering from ten to fifty thousand,
pursued by Lions, Leopards and Hyaenas, and E.
Kretschmar tells of masses, which he estimated to
contain millions. The density of such a moving
herd is sometimes simply wonderful. Harris tells
us that a herd of Sheep, which once happened to
mingle with the wandering Springboks, were com-
pelled to go along with them; even the powerful
Lion, which diligently pursues these Antelopes, is
said to be sometimes taken prisoner and compelled
to move in their midst.
The Springbok's The Springbok is well entitled to
Traits and Move- the name which the Dutch settlers
ments. bestowed on it — namely, the Jump-
ing Buck. When fleeing, it executes a series of
strangers, but full of sport when in the presence of
friends. If several are kept in the same enclosure,
they do not always agree; the bucks especially are
quarrelsome fellows that torment or at least mildly
tease even their female mates. With the exception
of this quarrelsome disposition, captive Springboks
are charming animals. Their soft, magnificently
colored fur, their elegant form and graceful move-
ments fascinate everybody, even in the small space
of an enclosure where they can not be justly appre-
ciated. Unfortunately few living specimens arrive
in foreign countries.
THE OX-ANTELOPES.
We will let the Gazelles be followed by the Ox-
Antelopes (Bubalis), as they, in a certain sense, are
transitional forms between the true Antelopes and
490
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
the heavy bovine forms of the family. This group
comprises large, stout, almost clumsy Antelopes,
with high withers and sloping backs, shapeless,
elongated, broad-muzzled heads, short necks, stout
limbs and doubly curved horns, placed on the
frontal ridge and existing in both sexes.
The Hartebeest The south African Hartebeest of the
of South Africa Boers, called Kama by the Bechuanas
Described. (Bubalis caatna), is distinguished from
its relatives by its longer head and the stronger
horns, bent in more acute angles, its proportionately
smaller ears and its color. The horns are very stout
at their roots, short, and marked by knotty excres-
cences about sixteen in number; from their bases
they at first ascend parallel to each other, then they
curve slightly forward, and in the last third of their
length again turn outward and backward at nearly
hours, standing in the shadow cast by tree trunks or
the gigantic Ant-hills which are situated "invariably
in sunny spots, and thus the animal may long escape
the detection of watchful eyes by its persistent re-
pose and the choice of a background similar in color
to itself." Notwithstanding the ungainly shape and
the ugly, shapeless head, which give the Kama a
striking and clumsy appearance as it strides along,
it still produces a majestic impression, which is at
its best when the animal falls into a gallop. Active,
like any other Antelope, it often delights in queer
leaps and antics and not infrequently indulges in
strange pranks.
Hartebeests which are under human care from
early youth become extremely tame; they follow
their keeper about, take bread and tidbits out of his
hand and signify their affection for him in various
THE EIETBOK, OR BEED ANTELOPE. This African species of the Antelope sub-family derives its name from its preference for reed-grown
marshes, such as shown in the picture. It is of strong build, fleet of foot and has curved horns the tips of which point forward. (Reduncus eleotragus.)
and manifold ways. Unfortunately, these beautiful
relations between Man and beast do not last long;
for as soon as they become conscious of their
strength, the animals, especially the bucks, exhibit
the innate pugnacity of their tribe and generally
display a special animosity and the greatest vicious-
ness against those to whom they have previously
been most attached. Their flesh is esteemed, as it
is among the most savory meats yielded by the
Antelope family. The fur is made into rugs, the
tanned hide into straps and harness, and the horns,
on account of their hardness and lustre, into all
kinds of vessels and ornaments.
THE REED ANTELOPES.
The Reed Antelopes (Rtditnai), like the preceding
species, also resemble both the Gazelles and the
Oxen in some respects. They have large or medium-
right angles; the horns have very sharp points. The
color of this Antelope is a beautiful, light cinnamon-
brown. In former times the Hartebeest was fre-
quent in northern Cape Colony, but incessant per-
secution has caused it to retreat across the Orange
river. It is found in considerable numbers only to
the north of settlements or beyond the localities
frequented by hunters; and in the interior of the
eastern half of Africa in suitable regions it is among
the commonest of the Antelopes. Schweinfurth
found it to be one of the most frequent inhabitants
of the Bongo and Niam-Niam country. "Most fre-
quently," says he, " one meets troops from five to
ten in number in the uninhabited wildernesses of the
frontiers. In cultivated countries the animal prefers
the light forests of bushes in the neighborhood of
river valleys, rarely, however, entering the open low-
lands. It is in the habit of resting during the noon
THE HORNED ANIMALS— WATER-BUCKS.
497
sized forms, are of sturdy organization, and have
a comparatively large tail. The male alone is pos-
sessed of horns, which are round, ringed at the base
and curved forward at the tips.
The Riet-Bok Typ- The Riet-bok (Rcdittica eleotragus) is
ical of the Reed the best known species of this ge-
Antelopes. nus This beautiful animal attains
a length of from four feet eight inches to five feet,
inclusive of the tail; it is about thirty-eight inches
high at the withers and thirty-two at the croup. On
the whole the Riet-bok resembles the Roe-buck, but
is of a more slender organization. The Riet-bok is a
native of south Africa, as well as of the eastern parts
of central Africa. It is found only beyond the great
swamps of the upper Nile and lives in couples in the
developed, and the animals have glands between the
digits of their hoofs and are ornamented with a long
tail-tuft.
The Water-buck's The Water-buck {Kobus dlipsiprym-
Range and nus) is a stately animal of nearly the
Habits. same physical proportions as the
larger species of Deer. Its total length is six feet
eight inches, the length of the tail being twenty
inches, and the height at the croup four feet four
inches. The prevailing color is gray. The horns
attain a length of thirty-two inches, measured along
the curvature, and usually show thick, triangular,
transverse rings, except near their extremities.
A. Smith found the Water-buck in south Africa in
small herds, numbering from eight to ten, their favo-
V- \
THE WATER BUCK * >ne of the best known of the African species of Antelopes is the Water-buck, which has been given its name from its habit
of frequenting rivers and its abilities as a swimmer. The large curved horns are borne only by the male. The picture appropriately shows these animals,
one male and two females, in a damp African forest amid aquatic vegetation and with the companionship of water fowl. (Kobus elhpsiprymmes.)
thick brush-wood in the neighborhood of water-
courses or bogs, as well as in the rush-banks and
cane brakes and the high sedge grass along the mar-
gins of swampy, periodically inundating or tempo-
rarily flowing rivers. In consequence of its secluded
mode of life one sees it much more rarely than its
frequency would seem to warrant.
THE WATER-BUCKS.
The Water-bucks (Kobus) are regarded as nearly
allied to the Reed Antelope. They are large Ante-
lopes of symmetrical shape, long-haired, and often
having manes, the males being equipped with long,
pointed, ringed horns, which bend backward and
then forward in a soft curve, and lastly in an upward
and outward direction. The muzzle is moderately
rite haunts being the banks of rivers. Von Heuglin,
and later Schweinfurth, met it in the northeastern
part of central Africa, and Pechuel-Loesche found
it to be plentiful in some localities on the western
Congo. Despite its almost clumsy appearing form
the Water-buck produces a favorable impression on
the spectator. Its eyes are lustrous and expressive,
reflecting an independent, if not fierce spirit, and
its movements are comparatively graceful. Accord-
ing to Heuglin's observations it is by no means a
genuine habitual swamp-dweller, but delights in
spots which are overgrown with reeds higher than
a Man's head. Like the Black Antelope it is wont
to ascend Ant-hills, and assuming a statuesque atti-
tude, survey its swampy domicile from them. If
the leader scents danger, it hurries off at a frenzied
498
THE CLOVEX-HOOFED ANIMALS.
gailop, followed by the whole herd. The flight is
always directed toward the water and the frightened
beasts plunge into the waves with a splash.
The flesh of these beasts is said to be almost en-
tirely uneatable, being tough, coarse-grained and
pervaded with a disagreeable, rank odor, sufficiently
strong to disgust even a hungry Caffre.
THE ORYX ANTELOPES.
The genus of Antelopes classed as Oryx includes
animals which have been known from early ages.
At least one species has been found frequently de-
picted on the Egyptian and Nubian monuments, in
various positions: usually with a rope around its
neck, betokening that the animal has been pursued,
caught and subdued. In the chambers of the great
pyramid of Cheops the same animal is portrayed,
being sometimes represented with only one horn.
On this evidence some naturalists have based a
belief that the Oryx was the original of the fable of
the Unicorn, whereas the truth is that only the Rhi-
noceros can be meant by the name " Rem," which is
translated "Unicorn" in our Bible.
The Passan The Passan, called "Gemsbok" by
or Gemsbok of the Dutch and Kukama by the Bech-
South Africa. uanas ( Oryx capcnsis) is generally
regarded as the type of the genus. It is eight feet
long, counting in the sixteen-inch tail, and its height
is four feet from the ground to the top of the
shoulders. The back, sides, flanks and nape of the
neck are yellowish white, merging into a snowy
white on the head, the ears, the under portion of the
body, the upper parts of the thighs and the legs
from the pastern joint downwards. There are black
markings on the head, including a stripe on the fore-
head, a broad patch on the nose, a band extending
from the horns across the eyes to the lower jaw, and
another running parallel with it, and a black stripe
bordering the external margins of the ears, which
give the Gemsbok the appearance of wearing a
halter on its head, and there are other black patches
and stripes on various parts of the body. The
stately horns, which are borne by both sexes, are
bent very little, and oftentimes are perfectly straight,
are ringed on the lower half, smooth on the upper
portion and end in sharp points. So far as is known
the Gemsbok is only found in southern Africa, but
is represented in the northeast by a closely allied
species.
The Beisa of The latter is the Beisa (Oryx beisa),
Northeastern probably the genuine Oryx de-
Africa. scribed by ancient writers. It is not
inferior to the Passan in size, and like that animal
has horns which are straight, or only slightly curved,
and which are borne by both sexes and slightly ex-
ceed three feet in length. In markings and general
coloring the Beisa resembles the Passan. It inhab-
its northeastern Africa up to about the twentieth
parallel of north latitude.
The Algazel or Wild The third species of this group, the
Cow of the Algazel, called by the Arabs the
Arabs. Wild Cow, or the Cow of the Plains
( Oryx Icucoryx), is of a more clumsy build than its
relatives, and bears horns of the same length as
those of the Beisa, ringed, and gently curved in an
outward and backward direction, the tips inclining
downward. The ground color of the short, sleek-
outer coat is an almost pure yellowish white, lighter
on the under surface of the body and the inner faces
of the limbs, and deepening into a russet color on
the neck. Six patches of a dull brown tint mark
the head. Old bucks attain a length of six feet
eight inches, or more, the height at the shoulders
being four feet four inches.
The range of this Antelope extends throughout
the northeastern part of central Africa. It is fre-
quently encountered in Sennaar and Kordofan, more
rarely in central and western Soudan, but occurs in
the north and in a few desert valleys of Nubia.
Characteristics The Oryx Antelopes are generally
of the Oryx seen in pairs or in very small bands,
Antelopes. [\\c company frequently consisting
of only a mother with her young. Their walk is
light, their trotting uneven and hard, their gallop
very heavy, but enduring and steady; yet a well-
mounted hunter can occasionally capture the Pas-
san without firing a single shot, simply pursuing the
animal until it is exhausted and ceases its flight.
The Passan of south Africa is apparently fond of
the society of its kind, as one frequently sees it graz-
ing in perfect harmony with other Antelopes. The
Algazel, however, sometimes proves to be a highly
intractable animal, as I have observed myself, and it
often severely ill-treats other animals while in a fit
of ill-humor. When Antelopes of this species are
provoked, they are said to turn upon their assailant
in a great rage and attack him in a most vicious
manner. Lichtenstein relates how one of his com-
panions found the skeletons of a Leopard and an
Oryx lying beside each other in the Karroo country.
The buck had killed its dangerous enemy by a thrust
with its horns, but had succumbed to the injuries it
had received. Harris thinks it not improbable that
a Lion may occasionally meet its doom in a similar
way.
The pursuit of all Oryx Antelopes is usually
undertaken on horseback. Gordon Gumming de-
scribes a hunt in a graphic manner and relates how
he followed a wounded Passan a whole day, until the
animal stopped from sheer exhaustion. No other
Antelope is said to afford a more magnificent spec-
tacle than a fleeing Oryx buck.
The wandering inhabitants of the African plains
frequently catch some one of the species of Oryx of
their native regions and bring it to town to dispose
of it to some native aristocrat or to a European.
From such a source I obtained several during my
sojourn in Africa. I can not say anything in praise
of my captives. They are lazy, uninteresting and
quarrelsome. They easily bear confinement and
readily recognize their keeper; but he can never
trust them, as they sometimes, apparently in play,
make use of their horns in a most dangerous man-
ner. They can not be kept together with other ani-
mals, as they soon assert their mastery and atro-
ciously ill-treat their companions. They also pick
quarrels among themselves and viciously engage in
combats with one another. They are very obstinate
and can be transported only with the greatest diffi-
culty.
The skin and flesh of the Oryx Antelopes are
utilized for food and leather. The straight horns of
the Passan and the Beisa arc often employed by
native warriors as spear tips. The Europeans at the
Cape often have the horns polished, decorated with
silver knobs and use them as canes.
THE ADDAX.
The Addax Antelopes arc most nearly allied to
the Oryx, as their horns, which are well developed in
both sexes, form the sole distinctive feature. These
members are light, twisted either spirally or in a
"^^^^^Y HYJEnI DOGS.— ThePassanis ^^^^S^^^^^P^^V^^^^
its pursuers with its sharp horns before it is nnali> q
(499)
500
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
lyre shape, ringed along their whole length, slender
and long. The Addax is repeatedly found depicted
on Egyptian monuments. The horns which adorn
the head of the sculptured images of the gods, of
the priests and kings of ancient Egypt, are patterned
after the horns of this Antelope. From Egypt the
reputation of the animal spread and the Greeks and
Romans were familiar with it.
The Addax I Addax ndsomactdatus) is of rather
clumsy physical proportions. The hairy coat is
thickset and, with the exception of that covering a
few places about the body, is short and coarse. In
front of the base of the horns there is a tuft hang-
ing over the forehead; a strip of rather long hair
extends from the ear to the back of the head; the
chiefs of the wandering tribes of Bedouins regard
it as being one of the noblest animals that can be
hunted, and pursue it partly for the sake of its flesh,
partly to test the speed .of their Horses and Grey-
hounds, and partly to capture the young, which they
rear.
Living specimens have repeatedly been kept and
observed in various zoological gardens. Their con-
duct shows how nearly allied they are to the Oryx;
for they are just as capricious and quarrelsome as
the latter. Exceptions have been observed, how-
ever. If kept on plain food, these Antelopes bear
long captivity easily and propagate themselves -with-
out any special difficulty, as the animals are by na-
ture fitted to bear privations.
THE ADDAX. A heavy and rather ungainly species of Antelope is
twist of the horns this animal is specially marked by a tuft of long dark hair on
fore part of the neck is adorned by a long mane.
During the cool season the yellowish white hue
gradually merges into gray. Young animals are of
a pure white color. The body measures six feet
eight inches in length, and the height at the withers
rather exceeds forty inches.
The range of the Addax embraces the heart of
northern Africa, lying south of the eighteenth paral-
lel of north latitude, from the Nile country to the
Lake Tchad region. It inhabits the most arid
regions, in which, as the nomads say, not a drop of
water can be found for miles around. If the stories
of these people are to be believed, the animal can
abstain from water for months. It is shy and timid,
like the rest of the Antelopes, agile and hardy,
but exposed to a great deal of persecution. The
_ WK
the Addax, which is an inhabitant of northern Africa. Besides the peculiar
the forehead and a lighter one on the neck. {Addax nasomaculatus.)
SPIRAL HORNED ANTELOPES.
The Spiral Horned Antelopes {Strep sic eros) com-
prise large Antelopes with spirally twisted, com-
pressed and acutely-angled horns, borne only by
the males, and a fur relieved by stripes or otherwise
marked in light colors.
The Koodoo a A representative of this group is the
Large, Stately stately Koodoo {Strepsiceros kudu).
Animal. an Antelope surpassing the Euro-
pean Stag in size. Adult males measure about ten
feet in length, from the nose to the tip of the tail,
the latter organ being about twenty inches long.
The height at the withers is five feet eight inches,
and the weight ranges from six hundred pounds up-
wards. The doe is considerably smaller. In its
bodily structure the Koodoo resembles the Stag in
THE KOODOO. This animal, belonging to the group of Spiral-Horned Antelopes, is large, symmetrical and prettily marked, the white stripes on
■its sides being a specially prominent feature. The female resembles the male except that the latter bears on his head a magnificent pair of spirally twisted
aioms, over three feet in length. It ranges through all of eastern Africa, from the Nile to Cape Colony. {Strepsiccros kudu.)
C3i)
502
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
many respects. The ground color of its coat is a
reddish brown-gray tint, difficult to describe, which
merges into whitish gray on the hinder parts of the
abdomen and the inner surfaces of the limbs. This
color is relieved with white stripes, usually from
seven to nine in4 number. The horns are a magnifi-
cent adornment of the buck, being certainly the
stateliest members of their kind found among the
Antelope group. They attain a height, measured
in a direct line, of from thirty-six to forty or even
forty-two inches, their tips diverging to the extent
of from twenty-eight to thirty-two inches. It is dif-
ficult to understand how the animal is able to carry
the weight of such horns with the ease and majesty
it displays in its bearing.
Range and Hunt- The Koodoo, called Agasen and
ing of the Tigrish in Abyssinia, has a wide
Koodoo. range, extending from Cape Colony,
throughout the eastern half of Africa, to the Nile
regions. It seems to be absent in the middle por-
tions of the western half of Africa, that is, in the
Congo region. The Koodoo probably chiefly in-
habits rocky and mountainous regions, but it occurs
also on the plain, at least in southern Africa it ranges
over the plains overgrown with bushes and trees and
is also at home among thorny bushes growing in
jungle-like thickets, but cannot be considered a for-
est dweller in the common sense of the term. In
the Bogos country we found it at an elevation as low
as one thousand eight hundred feet above the sea,
ascending to an altitude of six thousand feet, always
among the precipices, along the brinks of which,
among the green mimosas, it stalked in a majestic
manner. Full-grown bucks live solitarily, but the
does assemble in small bands of from four to six.
In all countries where the stately, beautifully
marked Koodoo is found, it is subject to the most
zealous pursuit. Its flesh is really excellent, as I
have convinced myself personally, its taste being
similar to that of the venison of the European Stag.
The marrow of the bones is considered a rare deli-
cacy by many of the south African tribes. The
Caffres, especially, have no more pressing business
on hand, when they have killed a Koodoo, than to
strip the flesh off the bones and break the larger
bones, and suck the marrow out, raw as it is. The
hide is also much valued in south Africa and is con-
sidered unsurpassable for some purposes. In Abys-
sinia the skin is tanned, and of the horns, after their
internal cancellated structure has been removed by
decay, are made receptacles for honey, salt, coffee
and other articles.
BOVINE ANTELOPES.
The group of the Bovine Antelopes {Biiselap/uis)
represents in a certain measure an intermediate link
between the Antelopes and the Oxen. The anatom-
ical proportions of all the species comprised in this
group are cumbersome and clumsy; the body and
neck are short and stout, the head large, the tail
resembles that of a cow, the skin of the throat is
elongated into a low, pendulous dewlap, the horns,
which are characteristic of both sexes, are slightly
curved backward from the line of the face, are tri-
angular in shape and exhibit several spiral turns of
the scam produced by the union at acute angles of
the three sides.
The Eland a Fa- The Eland {Ihtsclaplms oreas) attains
mous African a total length of nearly thirteen feet
Antelope. four inches, twenty-eight inches
of which are included in the tail. The height at
the withers ranges between five feet and six feet
four inches, and the weight is 1,000, or, according to
Harris, even 2,000 pounds. The color undergoes
various modifications according to age and also the
locality which the animal inhabits. Adult bucks are
light brown or yellowish gray on their upper surface,
with a surface tinge of rusty red; the flanks are whit-
ish yellow, the under parts and the outer faces of the
lower portions of the thighs are yellowish white, the
head is Jight yellow-brown. Some individuals show
bold and usually transverse stripes upon the body;
with others the stripes are faint, and some have none
at all. The largest horns which Selous measured
attained a direct length of thirty and one-half inches
in the males, in which, by reason of use, they are
generally worn or broken, and thirty-four and one-
half inches in the female.
Habitat and The Eland is distributed over a much
Habits of the larger portion of Africa than was
Eland. formerly believed. Prior to the in-
vestigations of Heuglin and Schweinfurth the ani-
mal was thought to inhabit only the south of the
continent; at present we know that it occurs in all
available parts of the southern half and the eastern
half to a point far north of the equator. In the last
century it was found in Cape Colony; at present it
has retreated far into the interior. Its favorite past-
ures are the high grassy plains scantily overgrown
with mimosas, from which it descends into the damp
lowlands in times of drought. A strange fact con-
cerning it is that it is also found in mountainous
localities, and that on the roughest places, most diffi-
cult of access. Hans Meyer observed several troops
on the high plain of the Kilimanjaro, at an altitude
of 14,000 feet, and saw the spoor of the stately ani-
mals at a height of upwards of 15,000 feet. Seen
from a distance a herd of Elands resembles a herd
of domestic Cattle to such an extent as to often mis-
lead the observer. If they are pursued, they pro-
ceed at a gallop, which does not seem to be very
swift but in reality rapidly puts distance between
them and their enemies. If pressed- hard, they
quicken their pace to a steady swinging gallop.
The Eland in Cap- The Eland Antelopes at one time
tiuity—Profita- were familiar features of European
ble Game. zoological gardens, but are now be-
coming rare. Weinberg says that all specimens
existing in them now are the descendants of two
couples, introduced into England in 1840 and 1851.
London first furnished the gardens and parks of
Great Britain with these animals and then the zoo-
logical gardens of the rest of Europe. The descend-
ants of these animals show the docility and stu-
pidity of domestic Cattle and readily propagate
themselves. Once a choice young bull was killed
and its flesh was served at the royal table at Wind-
sor, at the Tuileries of Paris, and also at a banquet
of the Houses of Lords and Commons, and the cor-
rect proportion of fat and lean in the meat was
thought to be particularly excellent.
The profit of a successful Eland hunt is consider-
able. The flesh is dried or salted; the fat, of which
there is not infrequently a large quantity, is mixed
with a little beef-suet and alum and made into good
candles, while the uncommonly thick and tough
hide is manufactured into excellent straps.
THE NYLGHAU.
In recent years an Indian Antelope, which travel-
ers often mentioned under the name of Blue-bull,,
the Nylghau (Portax pieties) has frequently been takeni
THE ELAND. One of the largest species of the Antelope tribe, the Eland is a favorite game animal in a large portion of Africa, its flesh being the
most palatable of all the Antelope species of that continent. Elands are considered as belonging to an intermediate group between the Antelopes and the
Oxen, and resemble the latter in many particulars, notably in the dewlap hanging from their throats. Both sexes have horns. (Buselaphus oreas.)
(503)
504
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
to Europe and the same animal anciently was some-
times kept in captivity in India itself. The Nyl-
ghau is one of the most noticeable species of the
whole sub-family on account of its shape and color,
and appears in a certain way to be intermediary
between Deer and Ox. The horns, which adorn
both sexes, are nearly erect, of conical shape, gently
curving in the form of a crescent and from eight to
ten inches in length; those of the female are much
shorter or may be altogether absent. The prevail-
ing color is a roan — a mixture of dark brown and
ashy gray, with a faint bluish tint. The fore part of
the under surface, the fore legs and the outer sur-
face of the hind legs are blackish-gray, the hind
legs black, the middle and hinder part of the under
surface and the inner faces of the thighs are white.
Two transverse stripes of the same hue run across
the lower portions of the legs, surrounding the pas-
tern joint like a ring; a large, crescent-shaped patch
marks the throat. Old females are of a more fallow,
often deer-like, gray-brown hue. Adult bucks attain
a total length of from eight feet to eight feet eight
inches, from eighteen to twenty inches of this be-
ing included in the tail; the height at the shoulders
ranges between fifty-two and fifty-six inches. The
animal is indigenous to India, ranging from the foot
of the Himalayas to Maisur.
The Nylghau does not usually prefer mountainous
regions, but sometimes inhabits them, provided they
are overgrown with light woods and not very dense
jungles. Occasionally it also enters the open, bush-
grown country, if it is not entirely devoid of water,
for, as Sterndale assures us, it drinks every day.
Generally one sees these animals in herds of from
six to twenty in number, but old bucks sometimes
lead a solitary life. Nothing else is known of their
life in the free state, except that they graze less dur-
ing the night than in the morning and evening hours
and rest during the hottest part of the day.
The movements of the Nylghau are somewhat
peculiar on account of the queer attitudes which the
animal assumes. Its ordinary pace is similar to that
of other Antelopes, but as soon as it becomes ex-
cited, it arches its back, draws in its neck and creeps
slowly along, casting gloomy looks about through
half closed eyes. The tail is then drawn in between
the legs. In full flight the bearing of the Nylghau
is stately and dignified and affords a handsome
spectacle, especially if the animal lifts its tail erect
in the air.
The hunt of the Nylghau is not a sport of which
European sportsmen are passionately fond; the
hunter usually approaches cautiously and shoots
down the largest and nearest buck, or pursues it on
horseback, for it is not very difficult to overtake, if
it be pursued hotly from the very beginning and
made to exhaust itself more rapidly. The subjects
of Indian princes have from remote times taken
great pleasure in presenting this species of Antelope
to their lords and masters; it therefore may yet be
seen in parks owned by aristocrats. In 1767 only
the first pair were taken to England, and at the close
ol the century others came to France, Holland and
Germany. At present the Nylghau is seen in nearly
all European and American zoological gardens,
where it propagates seasonably and regularly.
FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE.
Before we leave India to return to Africa, the
country most abounding in Antelopes, we will call
to mind one of the most remarkable species of the
whole family, nay, of all Ruminants, the Four-horned
Antelope (Tetraccros qttadricortiis) . Among the do-
mesticated Ruminants we may sometimes find indi-
viduals possessed of four or even eight horns; but
they are never at the foundation of a distinct spe-
cies, but rather to be regarded as singular exceptions
or freaks of nature. No other wild animal shows
a growth of horns similar to that of this Antelope.
Thus it stands completely isolated, at least so far as
our present experience extends.
The -Four-horned Antelope is a small, dainty ani-
mal. Its length amounts to from twenty-eight to
thirty-two inches, the tail measuring nearly five
inches of this total. The height at the withers varies
between twenty-four and twenty-six inches. The
female is hornless. Of the horns of the buck the
fore pair are set on above the inner corners of the
eyes, and incline slightly backward; the hinder pair
are placed above the outer corners of the eyes,
slightly curved forward and are ringed at the base
and smooth at the tip. The hinder pair may be
from four to five inches long, the fore pair rather
more than an inch or an inch and a half in length.
The animal is apparently found throughout all
India, being quite frequent in places where wooded
or bush-grown hills afford it a compatible abode,
and it lives either singly or in pairs.
THE BUSH-BUCKS.
Under the name of Bush-bucks {Cephalolophiis)
we comprise several small species, with short horns
which are straight or slightly curved forward, and
are usually borne only by the males, but sometimes
are also developed in the female. There is a furrow
between eye and nose, and a long tuft of hair be-
tween the horns, which may be erected at will.
The Duyker The Uuyker or Diver ( Cephalolophiis
or Diver An- mergens) is one of the largest species
telope. 0f the group. It attains a length of
forty-four inches, of which about eight inches are
included in the tail; the height at the shoulders is
twenty-two inches. Its straight, awl-shaped horns
show from four to six not very prominent rings and
attain an average length of from three to four and in
some rare cases five inches; they nearly disappear
among the hair of the tuft when that appendage is
erected by the animal. The color is very variable,
but generally is a grayish olive tint on the upper
surface, or dark yellow-brown in case of the male,
fading into white on the under surface. The animal
mainly inhabits south Africa, where it is still com-
mon in forests of trees of second growth or of small
underbrush.
The Duyker is one of the first Antelopes a new-
comer meets in Cape Colony, as it inhabits the
thickets of bushes along the sea-coast in probably
greater numbers than are to be found in the wooded
inland country. Like all smaller or dwarf-like Ante-
lopes, one meets it either singly or in pairs. It is
never seen outside of the bushes in which it habit-
ually conceals itself.
"At the approach of a Man or some other enemy,"
says Drayson, "it will lie still, watching him atten-
tively, until it is sure that it is discovered. It will
then jump up and start off, making a series of sharp
turns and plunges resembling the motions of a diver,
sometimes over bushes and at others through them.
It crouches and crawls in the long grass or between
the bushes, so softly as to make the pursuer think
it has disappeared or lain down. But the latter sup-
position is never correct, for the Duyker simply pro-
THE HORNED ANIMALS— DWARF ANTELOPES.
505
ceeds under cover of the foliage, until it has gained
a start: then it again bounds away. The cleverest
hunter and the best Dog are often baffled by the
Duyker; if the course of the buck can be traced and
the place in which it lies down, after its erratic ma-
neuvering, discerned, it can easily be approached
from the leeward side. The irregular course which
it pursues necessitates great accuracy and quickness
of aim in shooting it, how ever. The Duyker is not
very swift; an old Pointer, which served me as a
Dog of all work, frequently caught and held a Duy-
ker until I came up and despatched it. The skin of
THE FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE. One of the most peculiar of
"the Antelopes is the Four-horned species shown in the picture. The ani-
mals are found in India. The most characteristic feature of this Antelope
is the small, extra pair of horns in front of the main pair borne by every
male. (Tclraceros quadricornis.)
the Duyker is used for the thongs of long wagon
whips; the flesh is highly esteemed for making good
soup. As a general rule the venison of South Afri-
can Antelopes and Deer is very inferior, being dry
and tasteless, but to the epicurean sportsman I can
recommend the liver of all the small Antelopes as
a great delicacy. The Dutch grease and baste the
flesh of the Duyker with fat taken from the Eland
or the Hippopotamus and greatly improve the flavor
of the venison."
DWARF ANTELOPES.
The smallest species of the family are ranged un-
der the title of Dwarf Antelopes ( Neotragus ). They
are exceedingly elegant little animals, exhibiting
great similarity among themselves, and only the
males bear horns, those members being very small,
thin and erect. The roundish head and the pointed
nose, with its small muzzle, are further distinctive
features. All known species strongly resemble each
other in their habits and demeanor, so that it will
suffice if I draw a pen picture of one observed by
myself and connect what is known of other species
with this description.
The Greyhound The Greyhound Antelope (Ncotra-
Antelope of gits honpricliii), called Beni Israel
East Africa. by the inhabitants of Massowah,
is one of the daintiest of Ruminants. The buck
has a pair of small horns with from ten to twelve
rings extending half around on the lower half of
the outer side and with tips which curve forward;
these horns are nearly covered by the strongly de-
veloped hair-tuft and entirely overshadowed by the
very long ears. The body is sturdy, the tail a short-
haired stump; the legs are of moderate length, but
extremely weak; the hoofs are long, narrow and
pointed, the rudimentary toes barely perceptible.
The hair is very fine and rather long. The color
appears reddish-gray or bluish-gray. On the back
the hue warms into reddish-brown; the thighs of
the fore-legs are often mottled, the under parts and
inner surfaces of the legs white. A broad band
above and below the eyes is white; the ears are
edged with a blackish tint; the horns and hoofs are
black.
THE BUSH-BUCK. This Antelope, which is also called the Duy-
ker or Diver, is especially numerous in the southern part of Africa. Al-
though not large it is a very agile animal, and on its head it bears in
addition to its short horns a tuft of hair which it can erect at will. (Ceph-
alolophus mergens.)
In Abyssinia one can hardly miss the Beni Israel,
in suitable places, beginning from the sea-coast to
an elevation of six thousand feet. Nearly all Dwarf
Antelopes are inhabitants of the forests of under-
brush so abundant in Africa. Thickets which would
be impenetrable for other larger Antelopes provide
these Lilliputians with magnificent residences. They
find a path among the densest of tangles and an exit
506
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
between the sharpest of thorns. The Beni Israel
decidedly prefers the valley to the heights. It de-
lights most in the green woods bordering the course
of those streams flowing only during the rainy sea-
son. There it revels in a profusion of hiding-places,
for in these localities, mimosas, thorns, cypress,
spurge bushes and other larger plants are interwoven
and intertwined by a genuine network of creepers;
and there it finds grateful retreats in bushes entirely
closed from the outside, while the inside is habita-
ble and completely hidden from view, or else there
are narrow thickets which are connected on long
stretches. Farther away from the vivifying water-
course, the shrubs become fewer in number and
green, succulent grass can grow unhindered. There
one is sure to meet the little Antelope. Like the
majority of its relations, about which we have ac-
quired any information, it lives invariably in pairs,
never in larger companies unless there has been an
addition to the family, and the offspring still re-
quires motherly care. In such instances the young
one trots along behind the parents.
Method of Hunting At first the hunter experiences some
the Greyhound difficulty in discovering the little
Antelope. creature; but when he has become
familiar with its habits and haunts he knows how to
find it, for he needs but to proceed logically. The
tints of the animal's fur, which correspond almost
exactly with those of the surroundings and really
appear to merge into them, contribute materially to
hide these dwarfs.
Reproduction and Very meagre accounts have so far
Capture of Grey- reached us as to the reproduction of
hound Antelopes. the Dwarf Antelopes. Ehrenberg
mentions the month of May as the usual time when
the little ones are born; but I have seen kids follow-
ing couples in March and more frequently in April.
The Caffres put into the way of the dwarf bucks
nooses which, when the animal steps into them, are
drawn tight and hold fast one of the legs of the
Antelope; or, if the natives only wish to obtain the
venison of the animals they put out snares, which
catch them by the throat and strangle them. The
venison of this animal is rather hard and tough, but
still is a somewhat palatable dish. It may be more
suitable to make soup than to serve as a roast.
Keeping Drayson's advice in mind, I have mainly
confined my gastronomic experiments to the liver
of the Dwarf Antelope and agree with that observer
that it is truly a delicacy.
Dwarf Antelopes Outside of its native country, the
Easily Tamed— Dwarf Antelope soon succumbs to
Their Foes. ^}lc influences of a foreign climate
and it is therefore very difficult to bring it to Eu-
rope. At the Cape and in other parts of Africa,
however, it has been kept for a long time in houses
or in yards. It is said that specimens which are
taken young soon become warmly attached to their
keeper, follow his call, suffer themselves to be
fondled, petted and to be carried about and gener-
ally resign themselves to human domination without
offering any resistance; therefore their exceeding
good- nature, gentleness and amiable temper are
greatly praised.
Next to Man the most deadly enemy of the Dwarf
Antelopes is probably the Leopard. Smaller Felidae
may also prey on the unresisting dwarf and most
probably the Eagle occasionally snatches away a
kid. Jackals, Foxes and other members of the band
of marauders also figure among the enemies of the
Beni Israel ahd its relations.
THE MOUNTAIN ANTELOPES.
All the Mountain Antelopes are to be distin-
guished from the others of their family by their
stout, bulk}', short bodies. They are comparatively
thick and pudgy in body and short of leg, and they
are digitigrade animals, that is, their hoofs are so
formed that the entire weight of the animals rests
on the tips. A more or less dense and wiry fur is
no less a characteristic feature of the inhabitants of
the cooler heights. Such a bodily structure is com-
mon -to all; but there are differences in regard to the
horns, sometimes both sexes being endowed with
them, sometimes only the males.
Physical Formation The Goral of India, an animal be-
and Habits of longing to the genus Nemorhcedus,
the Goral. js possessed of a remarkable fac-
ulty for climbing. Both sexes bear horns, resem-
bling those of Goats. So far few species of that
genus are known, and that but imperfectly.
The Goral {A'emorhccdiis goral) has about the same
proportions as a Goat. Its range is restricted to the
Himalayas, and that to a belt between three thou-
sand and seven thousand eight hundred feet of alti-
tude. Kinloch says that it is gregarious, sometimes
living in great herds, but generally widely dispersed
in small troops or even singly and in pairs. It dwells
in forests as well as among barren crags and stony
walls, apparently preferring steep cliffs thinly over-
grown with bushes and small trees. The inhabitants
of Nepal believe it to be the speediest of all crea-
tures. No living Goral has as yet been taken to
Europe or America and even the skins of these ani-
mals are classified among the rarities in a museum.
These Oriental Antelopes are followed in the cate-
gory by the European Chamois, the graceful, much
pursued child of German mountains. It is held to
be the representatives of a distinct genus ( Capella),
the main distinctive features of which are erect
horns, with tips curved backward like hooks.
Physical Pecul- The Chamois ( Capclla ntpicapra) , the
iarities of the only species of the genus, averages
Chamois. a length of forty-four inches, about
three inches of which are included in the tail; the
height at the withers is thirty inches, at the croup
thirty-two, and the weight ranges between eighty
and ninety pounds. The horns are about ten inches
long, measured along the curvature, and are not
only farther apart in the buck than they are in the
doe, but also stouter and more decidedly hooked.
In all other respects Chamois of the two sexes re-
semble each other, though the bucks are as a rule
larger than the does. The fur undergoes modifica-
tions according to the season. In summer the pre-
vailing color, a dingy reddish brown, or rusty red,
fades into a light reddish yellow hue on the lower
surface; a black brown stripe runs along the course
of the spine; the throat is of a yellowish, fallow tint
and the nape of the neck yellowish white. This
hue deepens on the shoulders, thighs, breast and
flanks; a stripe on the buttocks shows a tint of yel-
low which fades almost into white. A narrow black-
ish longitudinal band runs from the ears across the
eyes, standing out in bold relief on the fallow
ground color. In winter the Chamois is of a dark
brown or lustrous brown-black hue above and white
below; the legs are lighter in the lower than in the
upper portions and their color warms into a faint
red; the feet are yellowish white, like the head,
which somewhat darkens on top and on the muzzle.
Both summer and winter coat change so gradually
that they are in their entirety worn but a very short
THE CHAMOIS. Scaling the Alpine heights, sure-footed, swift and agile, the Chamois is one of the most graceful as well as one of the most
famous of the Antelope species. It is a hardy animal, with erect horns, hooked at the tip. and is most at home in the mountains from the forest belt up to-
the line of perpetual snow. The picture shows a family of these animals amid characteristic surroundings. (Capella rupicapra.)
(507)
508
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
time. Young animals are reddish brown and lighter
around the eyes. Light varieties or white individ-
uals are seldom seen.
Range and The Alps may be termed the true
Habits of the home of the Chamois. Its range
Chamois. really extends much farther, as the
Chamois is also found in the Abruzzi, the Pyrenees,
the mountains of the Cantabrian coast, of Dalmatia
and Greece, on the Carpathian mountains, especially
on the peaks of the high Tatra, the Transylvanian
Alps, and lastly on the Caucasus, in Taurida and
Georgia. In the Swiss Alps it is at present of com-
paratively rare occurrence, being much less numer-
ous there than in the eastern Alps, where it exists in
considerable numbers especially in upper Bavaria,
Salzburg and the Salzkammergut, Styria and Car-
inthia, cared for and protected by wealthy and judi-
cious land-owners or people who rent the hunting
privileges. The steep, inaccessible heights of the
middle Carpathian mountains also harbor it in num-
bers satisfactory to sportsmen, though it is not pro-
tected there.
The current belief that the Chamois is an Alpine
animal in the narrowest sense of the term, that is,
that it roams invariably above the forest belt, in the
immediate neighborhood of the glaciers, is an erro-
neous one; for it unreservedly belongs to the family
of the forest Antelopes. Wherever it is protected,
it shows a decided preference for the upper forest
belt. In summer it does ascend in greater or smaller
numbers to the higher belts of the mountain, and
remains for weeks and months in proximity to the
snoW and glaciers, selecting the highest meadows
and treeless crags as its temporary abode; but the
majority of the Chamois of a district are found in
summer, as well as winter, in the upper forest belt.
The Chamois is wont to rest at night. At dawn it
rises and begins to feed, as a rule descending the
mountain slowly. The latter part of the forenoon
it spends in ruminating in the shade of a projecting
rock or under the branches of an old fir tree, usually
lying, comfortably stretched out, on its folded legs.
At about noon it begins to slowly ascend the moun-
tain, feeding as it goes, and in the afternoon again
rests for a few hours under trees, on projecting,
smooth ledges of rock, or snow, or some similar
spot selected at random. It feeds again towards
evening and retires at the approach of dusk. It is
said to occasionally vary this history of its day
by feeding during moonlit summer nights.
Being in high degree gregarious, the Chamois
associate in flocks, which often consist of great num-
ijers. These societies are formed by the does, their
kids and the young bucks, up to their second or at
most their third year. The old bucks, except at
certain seasons, live solitary, or they join one, two
or three others of their own sex. It seems, how-
ever, that these animals never associate closely for
any long time. Of the larger flocks an old, expe-
rienced doe assumes the leadership and usually, but
not invariably, guides the actions of the flock, which,
however, does not rely entirely on her vigilance.
The Chamois' In regard to its movements the
Movements on the Chamois vies with the other mount-
Mountams. ain-climbing members of its family
already known to us. It is a skillful climber, a sure-
footed jumper and a bold and indefatigable ascender
of mountains, moving rapidly and nimbly about on
the most dangerous places to which no Goat dares
attempt to climb. When it proceeds slowly its gait
is lumbering and clumsy and its bearing ungainly;
but as soon as its
flight, the animal
impresses one as
takes to
It then
tear is aroused and it
changes completely,
far livelier, bolder, nobler and
stronger, as it bounds away, every one of its move-
ments characterized by vigor and grace. Some
definite observations have been made about its ex-
traordinary leaping powers: Von VVolten measured
the leap of one Chamois and found it to have cov-
ered a distance rather exceeding twenty-three feet.
The same observer saw a tame Chamois jump up a
wall" thirteen feet high, and leap down on the other
side, alighting on the back of a servant girl who was
cutting grass. The Chamois can gain a foothold on
the smallest projection, and in scaling an eminence,
it looks more like a bird in flight than an animal
climbing. It takes a run and generally ascends
obliquely. It goes uphill more easily than down-
hill, and sets its mobile and sensitive forefeet on the
ground with extreme caution, lest it should loosen
some of the stones over which it passes. Even
when severely wounded it rushes up the most dan-
gerous paths; nay, even when deprived of a leg, it
exhibits scarcely less agility than when it is sound.
The Chamois proceeds with the utmost caution
when crossing snow-covered glaciers, and carefully
avoids all snow filled crevices even though it can
not distinguish them by its sight. It also skirts the
edges of an abyss very carefully and slowly. Some
members of the flock concentrate their attention on
the path, while the others incessantly look out for
any other danger. "We have seen," says. Tschudi,
" how a flock of Chamois crossed a dangerous and
very steep ledge of rock, which was covered with
loose, rolling stones, and it was a pleasure to observe
their patience and sagacity. One of them took the
lead and walked gently upwards, while the others
waited their turn, until it had reached the height,
and only when all the loosened stones had ceased
rolling, the second followed, then the third and so
on. Those which had arrived at their destination
showed not the slightest inclination to disperse on
the pasturage, but stood watching on the edge of
the chasm until the last companion had joined
them in safety." An unusual sense of locality stands
the Chamois in good stead on its bold wanderings.
It never forgets a road it has once traveled and one
might say it knows every stone in its domain; this is
just why it is so thoroughly at home on the high
mountain and seems awkward when it leaves it.
The Perceptive The senses of the Chamois are un-
Sensesof the equal in acuteness, but not weaker
Chamois. than those of its relatives. Those of
smell and hearing seem to be developed best, while
that of sight is less keen. The delicacy of the first
is manifested not only by their commonly demon-
strated keen scent, but also by their surprisingly
good powers of trailing which enable them to take
up the track of each other and unerringly follow it.
He who wishes to observe Chamois or to approach
them, must pay careful attention to the direction of
the wind and approach them from the leeward, as
the shy animals will certainly otherwise escape. At
what distance their sense of scent is efficient, cannot
be determined definitely, but it may be confidently
asserted that it considerably exceeds the range of a
rifle-shot. At any rate the sense of smell is the one
which apprises a Chamois first and most unmistak-
ably of an approaching danger and consequently in-
cites it to flight. Their sense of hearing deceives
them much oftener, though it is very delicate. They
usually pay very little attention to the noise of falling
THE HORNED ANIMALS— MOUNTAIN ANTELOPES.
50£
stones; for they are accustomed to it in the moun-
tains. Even the report of a gun does not always
excite their attention; but when once Chamois rec-
ognize the sound and know what it portends, they
hurriedly scamper off. In many cases, however, the
report perplexes them and the sportsman has an op-
portunity of sending another shot at them. This
may be partly explained by the fact that even a Man
often finds it very difficult, on account of the echoes
in mountain regions, to judge from what direction a
shot was fired or whether the noise was produced
by the report of a gun or only by concussion of a
rolling stone dashing against a boulder. The sense
of sight of the Chamois is undoubtedly efficient at
long distances, but does not enable them to distin-
guish enemies who remain quietly under cover.
Like most other animals they do not seem to recog-
nize an enemy in a quiet human being, and see in
him an object of fear only when he moves.
The Chamois a Towards the middle of November,
Courageous, Pugna- the strong bucks join the flocks and
cious Animal. remain with them for two or three
weeks. Taciturn and silent as they are during the
remainder of the year, they then exercise their voices,
emitting a dull, hollow bellow or grunt, hard to be
described. At the appearing of the old males the
young bucks disperse in alarm; old warriors, how-
ever, that encounter each other in a flock, always
refuse to retreat, and at once enter into combat, a
strong buck never tolerating the presence of another
one in his flock, even if the latter consists of thirty
or forty females. The little Chamois appear during
the last days of May or at the beginning of June.
Old does sometimes have two, or even three, young
at a birth; young docs only one.
Infancy and Train- The young kids are lovely little
ing of Cham- creatures with a thick woolly coat
ois Kids. 0f a paie fallow red hue; they follow
their mothers everywhere and in a very few days
display the same agility as is possessed by older
animals. The does treat them with the greatest
maternal tenderness for at least six months, exercis-
ing great vigilance in their behalf and teaching them
all that is necessary to enable them to fill their mis-
sion in life. The mother guides her offspring with
a bleat, bearing a slight resemblance to that of a
Goat; she teaches them to climb and jump, and
sometimes executes some leap for that purpose a
great many times, until they can accomplish it them-
selves. The kids are sincerely attached to their
mother and do not, while they are young, desert her
even in death. Their growth is very rapid, for, as
Kobell, who is well versed in these matters, says,
they are the only animals which suffer compara-
tively little from the severe weather of winter. They
still find some food on the steep rocky precipices
from which the snow is usually blown away, or
under the shelter of rocks and trees, which keep it
away to some extent, while Deer are driven into the
valleys and, if not fed by man artificially, frequently
succumb.
Food of the Cham- In summer the Chamois feeds on the
ois in Summer best and most succulent of Alpine
and Winter. herbs, especially on those which
grow near the snow line, and also on tender young
shoots of the bushes and dwarf trees of that altitude,
its bill of fare ranging from the rose of the Alps to
the young seed cones of pines and firs. In late fall
and winter, however, it must content itself with the
long grass protruding above the snow, and with
moss and lichens. Salt seems to be an essential to
its well being, as it is to most Ruminants; as to
water, however, it does not seem to need it and
probably quenches its thirst by Ticking the dewy
leaves. It is fastidious from choice and frugal from
necessity and rapidly increases in fat, bulk and
weight when it feeds on good food, but scanty fare
soon reduces it. Flocks of Chamois often gather
around the hay-ricks which are piled up in some
districts of the Alps, and they gradually eat such
deep holes or tunnels into the piles that they can
go into the hay to shelter themselves from the
storms. In other localities where such hay-ricks are
unknown, they accept no food from the hands of
Man even in the severest of weather of winter, but
suffer and pine.
Winter for the Chamois not only implies great
scarcity of food, but it also menaces them with
avalanches, which sometimes bury entire flocks.
The animals know this danger and confine them-
selves to places where they are safest; but even then
their doom often overtakes them. Rolling masses
of earth and boulders also sometimes kill them;
diseases and epizootics thin their numbers, and an
array of foes, chief among which are the Lynx,
Wolf, Bear and Eagle, are constantly at their heels.
Lynxes lie in wait for them in the forests in winter,
and commit great ravages among them; Wolves fol-
low them, especially when the snow lies deep, and
Bears also inflict great losses on their ranks. In the
Engadine it is said to have happened that a Bear
pursued a Chamois into a village, in which the ani-
mal was saved by entering a barn. Eagles are no
less dangerous, as they swoop down on them as un-
expectedly as a flash of lightning coming from a
clear sky, take up a young kid without the least ado
and try to drag larger ones into some abyss, despite
their resistance. These assailants are, fortunately,
nearly extinct in all protected localities, but their
number is everywhere augmented by the most
deadly foe — Man — unless the government has estab-
lished definite hunting rules and customs which
warrant or tend to attain a regulated protection of
this noble game.
The Chamois a The hunting of the Chamois has
Favorite Game ever been held to be a sport worthy
Animal. 0f practice by the highest in the
land, and at the present day has become almost ex-
clusively a sport for princes. The greatest abun-
dance of Chamois are found in the game preserves
owned by the Emperor of Austria, the King of Ba-
varia, various archdukes and wealthy noblemen of
the Austro- Hungarian empire; they are guarded by
experienced forest guards, usually living right in
the midst of the hunting district, and therefore the
chase of the animals in these regions is both attract-
ive and generally rewarded with success.
Von Kobell's Ac- "A great deal has been written
count of a Chamois about the Chamois hunt," says
Hunt. Franz von Kobell, " and there are
some people who have but barely seen a few hunts,
and yet have taken to writing and have, according
to their humor and the experiences of the expedi-
tions in which they have taken part, either made it
out to be the most dangerous of all sports or else
described it as if it were not more perilous than the
coursing of Hares or the chase of Deer. That this
hunt is more romantic than others, is implied by
the character of the scenery amidst which it must
occur, but as regards the perils of the hunter, they
depend upon the methods used and the conditions
surrounding the hunt. He who has hunted many
510
THE CLOVEX-HOOFED ANIMALS.
Chamois will hardly have been spared the feelings
of inward terror, as he climbed over a precipice or
threaded his way through a chasm and was suddenly
aware of a rolling of stones above him, caused by
a fleeing flock and he could barely save himself by
crouching behind a boulder or ledge; or as he fol-
lowed a wounded Chamois and unexpectedly found
himself in spots where the consequences of a mis-
take in a step or leap, which had to be made, were
but too obvious. One certainly must not think
that both Chamois and hunter always have to crawl
about rocky precipices like Flies on a wall. The
locality often is so favorable that the hunter can
obtain his prey without the exercise of special skill
and with little trouble, as, for instance, when the
spoor follows the course of a road or extends through
a wood or valley. There is scarcely any variety of
hunt in which the conditions differ so widely.
The Usual Method "To shoot a good buck with a rifle
of Hunting the is usually a difficult feat; but as
Chamois. chance in some instances spoils op-
portunities, so is it favorable in others. One some-
times has chances for a shot where he does not
expect them at all. The paths which Chamois may
select when driven by beaters are very uncertain and
present a thousand aspects, for precipices, chasms
and crags alternate in the most variable manner.
Over the face of steep precipices the flock nearly
always takes the same road, unless driven off by a
shot. Over a chasm they all spring; sometimes
they go down the rocky inclines, jumping from point
to point, in a zigzag direction, without stopping.
They like to hide in the heaps of wood, which have
been cut and piled for the charcoal burners, and it is
almost incredible how quickly they work their way
through the intricate tangle of trunks and limbs. If
the wind is good — that is, blows from the hunter
toward the game — they are usually urged forward
easily; but the main thing is to make them see the
beater, for while stones thrown down the mountain
side startle them, they do not disturb them enough
to put them to flight. The Chamois know whether
the stones are dangerous to them or not; so if they
are under cover of a rock, they calmly wait, in
spite of all the stones that may come bounding
down over it. If the atmosphere 'n foggy the hunts-
man can be successful only when there are a great
many beaters, and they proceed in close order.
When a flock approaches, one can frequently ob-
serve with interest and pleasure how frivolous and
unconcerned a crowd a herd of Chamois is. For the
main body leaves all care to the leading doe, and
while she stops to listen and watch the others butt
against each other and fight, unless the beaters are
too near.
".\s regards distance, especially across a chasm, it
is easy to be deceived, and many a Chamois owes its
escape to miscalculation in this respect. There is
a rule among experienced hunters that the distance
is too great for successful shooting when one can
not easily distinguish the horns. A badly wounded
Chamois soon lies down; but if it is pursued, or a
Dog is set upon its trail, it resumes its flight and
generally mounts on a crag where a Dog can not
follow it — and then the hunter must shoot it down.
In craggy, precipitous mountains a Dog is useless,
for the trail of the wounded Chamois can be easily
traced by the blood drops on the gray stones.
Sometimes, however, the hunter loses his game be-
cause of inability to reach the spot where the animal
lies dead."
Chamois in Ma- The flesh of the Chamois can vie
terial and Poetical with that of any other animal in
Aspects. flavor and excellence, in my opinion
far surpassing even that of the Roe. which is deemed
the tenderest and most palatable of all indigenous
European kinds, the Chamois venison being distin-
guished by a savory taste, which can not be com-
pared to anything else. The hide which is manu-
factured into excellent leather, is nearly as valuable
as the venison. The horns are also put to account
and the hair taken in a strip running along the
course of the backbone serves as an ornament on the
hats of professional as well as amateur hunters.
The Chamois plays the same part in the poetry of
the inhabitants of the Alps, as the Gazelle does in
the literature and folklore of the Orient. Hundreds
of songs describe it and its pursuit in an interesting
and poetical manner; numerous and widely varying
traditions and fables are intertwined with its natural
history, so far as it has become known to the com-
mon people.
The Chamois Chamois taken young are capable of
in a State of domestication. They are fed upon
Domestication. Goat's milk, succulent grass and
herbs, cabbage, turnips and bread. If the owner
have some good-natured Goats in his possession he
may install them as foster parents, and the small,
light-hearted natives of the mountain will thrive all
the better for it. They merrily play with the kids
and saucily romp with the Dogs; they follow their
keeper about trustfully and come up to him to beg
for food. They always exhibit their natural inclina-
tion for the highest attainable points and objects
upon which they may mount. Blocks of stone, piles
of any sort of material in the yard, walls and other
eminences are their favorite haunts, on which they
sometimes remain standing for hours. They never
become as strong as Chamois in the natural, un-
tamed state, but seem to bear confinement quite
well. In some individuals a certain fierceness of
temper makes itself apparent in old age and they
sometimes use their little horns in quite a bellicose
and resolute manner. Their frugality in the matter
of food renders captivity more easy for them to bear.
In old age they are still less fastidious about their
food than in youth. In respect to bodily endurance
end indifference to hardship one might say that they
are born hardy. In winter a little straw under a
small open shed is sufficient provision for them.
They do not appear to be comfortable in a stable;
space for exercise and a supply of fresh air are
essentials for their continued well being. Those in-
dividuals that are taken old always remain timid
and shy.
Chamois seldom propagate themselves in cap-
tivity. In 1863, however, Schocpff had the pleasure
of having his captive Chamois give birth to a
healthy kid. The nurture of the little one was en-
trusted to a Goat, and it grew and throve so well
that it nearly equaled its mother in size when one
and a half years old. After two years the old
Chamois gave birth to another kid.
THE SAIGA.
The Saiga {Coins tataricus) differs so considerably
from all other known Antelopes in some important
peculiarities, that it is justly regarded as the repre-
sentative of a distinct species. It exhibits some
affinity to the Sheep in shape and action, in other
respects, however, resembling Reindeer. Its body
is very short and thick, the fur consists of extremely
en. fluently assembling in **££*£
, and Siberian steppe, t ^"^s^o" pursue it over the arid stretchy ^^EELm.1, "so odd an
„ speedv « ■*-- - -— iW iSSSSS - - — - large Pr°3eCtmg " "
iaiga has horns, but both sexes are marked
appearance. {Coins iartartcus.) (.]0
^^, f "^"the Russian and Siberian stirpes the .^'^ ^rsueT ov eV !
512
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
long filaments and is so close as to resemble a rug
of smooth wool. More than by any other feature,
however, the Saiga is characterized by the anatom-
ical structure of its muzzle and especially of the
nose. This latter organ projects beyond the lips, is
divided by a longitudinal furrow, and is composed
of thin, almost membrane-like cartilage, with a
wrinkled surface and furnished with delicate retrac-
tile muscles, and therefore very mobile, the whole
forming a somewhat weil-developed snout or trunk,
so that the group might properly bear the name of
" proboscis Antelopes." The buck alone has horns,
and they stand somewhat far apart, are lyrate in the
contour of their curves, pale in hue and transparent.
The color of the back and sides is grayish yellow in
summer; the limbs below the knee are darker, the
sides of the neck and under surface of the abdomen,
as well as the inner surfaces of the limbs are white;
forehead and top of the head are ashy gray, a
lancet-shaped patch on the croup is beset with
coarser, longer hair and appears to be blackish
brown. Towards winter the fur becomes lighter
and fades into a yellowish gray, with a whitish sur-
face tinge. The length of an adult buck is fifty-two
inches, four and a half inches of which are included
in the tail; the height at the withers is barely thirty-
two inches, the horns, measured along the line of
curvature, are from ten to twelve inches long.
The Range and The Saiga is a native of the steppes
Habits of the of eastern Europe and Siberia, rang-
Saiga. jng fr0m the Polish boundary to the
Altai mountains. It always lives in flocks, gather-
ing together in the fall of the year in great herds,
consisting of several thousand in number, which
undertake periodical migrations and return to their
former haunts in troops towards spring. It is very
rarely that one sees a solitary Saiga; for the old
bucks remain with the flocks throughout the year.
They manifest but little agility, their perceptive
senses exhibit on an average but a slight degree of
acuteness and their mental capacities are not of a
high order. The speed of adult animals is so great
that neither Horse nor Greyhound can overtake
them, but younger ones soon get out of breath and
the old animals also fall victims to the united efforts
of beasts of prey, such as Wolves.
The food of the Saiga consists chiefly of saline
plants and herbs, which grow in enormous masses in
some places of the sunny, arid Tartar steppes which
are also intersected by many streams flowing from
saline springs. The does give birth to a single
young one, which is very helpless at first, and gen-
erally makes its appearance towards the middle of
May.
Notwithstanding the fact that their venison is bad,
the Saigas are persistently and extensively hunted
by the natives of the steppes. They are pursued on
horseback and with Hounds and are, as a rule, over-
taken, if the chase extends over a long distance.
Wolves also commit great depredations among them
and completely devour those that they kill, leaving
only the skull and horns. These remnants are picked
up by the Kirghiz or Cossacks and sold for a small
price to Chinese merchants.
THE GNU.
The Gnus (Catoblepas) are probably the most strik-
ing in appearance of all Antelopes; they are very
queer looking Ruminants, intermediate links, if such
we may term them, between the Antelopes, Oxen
and Horses, and true caricatures of the more noble
and graceful members of their families. When one
sees a Gnu for the first time, he is uncertain wha
kind of a creature he really confronts. The anima
impresses one as a Horse with cloven hoofs and a
bovine head, and its whole demeanor is in perfect
harmony with its hybrid shape. It is impossible to
call the Gnu a beautiful animal, exquisitely delicate
as the anatomical structure of some of its parts may
be, because of the oddity of its general appearance.
Physical Fea- The genus of the Gnus is poor in
turesofthe species and its distinctive features
Gnus. are as follows: The body, supported
on moderately long legs, is stout, the head nearly
square, the muzzle broad, the nostril appears as if it
were closed by a valve, the eye is surrounded by a
circular, radiating wreath of white bristles and is
wild and fierce in expression. Both sexes have
horns, which are set on the frontal ridge of the
skull, flatly compressed, very broad and have their
tips hooked upward. The tail is ornamented with a
long tuft like a Horse's tail. The median portion of
the face, the upper surface of the neck, the back,
throat and cheeks are furnished with a stout mane,
while the rest of the hairy covering is smooth.
The Gnu, called Wildebeest by the Boers (Catob-
lepas gnu), averages a total length of nine feet four
inches, inclusive of the tail, which measures twenty
inches without the hair, and from thirty-two to
thirty-six inches with the hair; the height at the
shoulders is four feet. The prevailing color is a dark
grayish brown, lighter in some parts, darker in,
others, and assuming a yellowish, reddish or black-
ish tint. The female is smaller in body and its
horns are also smaller than those of the male, but
the hue in both sexes exactly corresponds.
Habitat and The Gnu is a native of South Africa;
Habits of the it has been ex term inated in Cape
Gnu- Colony. According to accounts of
trustworthy observers it migrates annually, actuated,
in our opinion, by the want of food. It is a very
active, sportive animal, and enlivens the wide plains
to a wonderful degree.
Gordon Cumming was informed that the Wilde-
beest does not retreat from its domicile, even when
attacked by a large number of hunters. Incessantly
describing circles, pawing and capering in the most
eccentric manner, the shaggy herds of these remark-
able and queer looking Antelopes surround their
pursuers. While the latter ride towards them, in-
tending to kill a few, they run in circles on either
side and take up their positions on the places the
hunters have vacated a few minutes previously.
Sometimes one sees on the plains old Wildebeest
bucks, singly or in troops of four or five, standing
short distances apart and motionless during a whole
forenoon, gazing at the movements of some other
animal, and continually emitting a loud, grunting
noise and a peculiar short, sharp nasal snort.
The movements of the Gnu are quick and spirited,
and its fondness for play and sport is equaled by
no other Ruminant. In serious combats males and
females exhibit equal courage. Their vocal expres-
sion resembles the lowing of Oxen. In captivity
the animals often prove wild and intractable, insus-
ceptible to petting and domestication, but also rather
indifferent as to the loss of their freedom. The
young Gnus are born singly at various seasons of the
year, the little one a few days after birth exhibiting
its delight in the execution of the same capers and
antics as its parents and, on account of its small size,
appearing still more droll than they. The mother
THE PROXGHORXED AX DIALS.
513
apparently loves it tenderly and perils her life in
defense of it without hesitation.
Difficulty and The pursuit of adult Gnus is rendered
Profit of a Gnu difficult by reason of the extreme
Hunt. speed and endurance of the animal.
Gnus when pursued exhibit a striking resemblance
to fleeing wild Oxen. Occasionally Gnus are caught
in pitfalls or snares. Those which are taken when
already old act as if mad; young ones, however,
that are reared on cow's milk and caressed and fon-
dled become accustomed to Man and so tame that
one can send them to pasture with the flocks and
allow them the liberty accorded a domestic animal.
The profit accruing from the carcass of a slain
Gnu is about the same as that arising from any other
wild African Antelopes. The flesh is eaten, being
juicy and tender, the hide is used as leather, and the
horns are made into knife handles and other articles.
Horns of Prong- This Ruminant, the Pronghorned
horns Not Those of Antelope, differs from all its rela-
an Antelope. t|ves 0f the entire order, by having
hollow, pronged horns, which do not increase by a
continuous growth, as do those of the Horned Ani-
mals, but are shed and formed anew from time to-
time, as are those of Deer, but in a totally different,
manner. Other peculiarities, such as the existence
of special glands, the resemblance of the hoofs to
those of the Giraffe, the texture and appearance of
the hair, etc., induced Murie, who dissected the
animal, to describe it as "an Antelope with a head
like a Deer, hoofs like a Giraffe, glands like a Goat„
hair like a Sheep," which can mean nothing else but
that the Pronghorn is no Antelope. All character-
istics of the Ruminant in question are of so peculiar
and important a character that the animal cannot be
united with any other family of its order, but must
THE
bristles ar
g QNU This species of the Antelope, which is an inhabitant of south Africa, has many peculiarities, among which the shape of the horns, the
ound the strangely formed snout, the manes on the neck and withers and the horse-like tail, are some of the most noteworthy. (Catoblcpas gnu.)
Zbc prongbornefe animals.
FOURTH FAMILY: Antii o< u kid e.
We let the hollow-horned animals be followed in
our consideration by a Ruminant which was. until
recently, classified among the Antelopes, although
the distinctive difference in the formation of its
horns from those of all other Horned Animals made
such a classification manifestly incorrect. This is
probably the animal mentioned by old Hernandez as
existing in Mexico, under the name of "Teutlama-
zame," but as the scientific description of this re-
markable Ruminant dates back only to the year
1815 it was reserved for the naturalists of our own
time to correct a scientific error which had been
obstinately persisted in, and to give the animal its
true position in its order.
be classified as the representative of a distinct family
which we will call the Pronghorned Animals.
Description and The Pronghorn, or, as it is variously
Range of the called the Pronghorned Antelope.
Pronghorn. Prongbuck, Cabree or Cabrit (A/iti-
locapra amcricana or AntUope furcifer) has, on the
whole, the shape of a vigorous Antelope, measuring
about five feet in length, from seven to eight inches
of which total are included in the tail; and the
height at the shoulders is thirty-two inches. The
head is ungainly, sheep-like and elongated, the eye
large, dark "and expressive; the ear is rather long and
is acutely pointed. The neck is of moderate length,,
and the body appears more slender than it really is,
for it is supported on very delicate legs of more than
medium length. Three different and usually sharply
contrasting tints —a rusty sorrel, white and dark
brown— make the coat one of very gay appearance.
514
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
The hair is long, wavy and brittle. The horns and
hoofs are black. Both sexes have horns, but only
those of the bucks are pronged; they rise vertically
from the head and their tips are sharply curved in-
ward and backward; in the old buck they are nearly
doubly as wide as they are thick, peculiarly rough
and uneven and beset at irregular intervals with
short, pointed excrescences. The horns of the buck
attain a length of from ten to twelve inches, those
of the female only from three to nearly five inches.
The Pronghorn is an inhabitant of western North
America, ranging from the Saskatchawan river in the
north to the Rio Grande in the south, and from the
Missouri to the shores of the Pacific. It does not
by any means confine its domicile to the plains, as
has been supposed, but has been found in the wild,
sterile, high valleys of the Rocky Mountains up to
an altitude of 8,300 feet. Finsh believes it to be
plentiful in the wide prairies of Kansas, and down to
Texas, as well as in the prairies between the Rocky
Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, or in the western
territory between the latter and the sea.
Daily Life The daily life of the Pronghorns, as
of the Prong- well as the modifications which they
horns. undergo in the course of the year,
have been described most minutely, and probably
also most correctly, by Canfield, who claims to have
become as familiar with them as other people are
with Goats and Sheep. He says: "From the first
of September to the first of March one always sees
them in larger groups composed of bucks, does and
yearlings. Shortly afterward the does individually
retire from these herds and give birth to their young.
After a short interval they again unite with other
suckling does and their little calves, possibly with a
view to common defense against the Wolf and Coy-
ote. The adult bucks roam about singly or two
together, leaving the mothers with their latest prog-
eny to their fate, the young Pronghorns in the
meantime gathering in groups of their own apart
from the older animals. Apparently tired of the
world and bored by society the old bucks wander
about for one or two months, frequenting localities
in which they are not ordinarily seen. Two or three
months subsequently the adolescent bucks again
join the old does and their calves, and finally the
old bucks also put in an appearance, so that one can
observe herds numbering hundreds, or sometimes
even thousands, after the first of September. A herd
never leaves its native locality or roams over more
than a few miles of range. In dry summer weather
they seek water and go to drink regularly once a day
or twice in three days; but if the grass is fresh and
green, as is the case during the greater part of the
year, the Pronghorns do not drink at all."
Food, Movements The food of the Pronghorns consists
and Faculties of mainly of the short succulent herb-
Pronghorns. a^c or t}ie prairie, of moss and per-
haps of young and tender branches of trees and
shrubs. They are exceedingly fond of saline water
and pure salt, like most other Ruminants, and they
often take up their abode in the neighborhood of
saline deposits, and also rest for hours around salty
outcroppings, after they have licked to satisfaction.
With sufficient pasturage they become very fat in
fall, but often suffer greatly from hunger in winter,
when the snow covers the ground to the depth of a
foot or more and they are obliged to content them-
selves with the scantiest food. They soon decrease
in flesh, for running in the snow wears them away,
and too often they perish in a miserable way.
All observers agree in their admiration of the
speed and agility of the Pronghorns. They may,
perhaps, in this regard be inferior to some of the Old
World Antelopes, but stand unequaled among the
animals of the prairies of the New World. Agile
and light, reaching far with the bold stride of their
long legs and, moreover, putting to shame every
other American mammal in point of endurance,
"they scour over the plain like the wind." Finsh
says that "a fleeing herd of Pronghorns affords an
incomparable and never-to-be-forgotten spectacle."
Skimming over the hills, the animals display the
same agility in going either up or down hill as on
the level ground and, as Audubon says, they move
their four legs along the ground with such celerity
that one can no more distinguish the limbs than he
can the spokes of a rapidly revolving wheel.
The perceptive senses of the Pronghorns are acute.
They can see at great distance, hear excellently, and
scent an enemy approaching with the wind at several
hundred paces. They are wary and shy, to a cer-
tain degree intelligent and certainly cautious, and
judiciously select their abode, especially the spots in
which they are wont to rest and chew the cud about
noon-time, always taking care that they have an
unobstructed view, profiting by the wind in a most
ingenious way and moreover putting out special sen-
tinels. They carefully avoid human settlements, but
pay little attention to herds of domestic animals —
even of Horses and Cattle — and quietly graze in
their proximity. Several observers lay stress on the
fact that they do not always flee from an approach-
ing railway train, sometimes escorting it and ap-
parently testing its speed by running beside it for
awhile. Audubon and others assure us that they can
easily swim across wide rivers.
The Growth and The growth of young Pronghorns is
Horn Shedding of relatively very rapid, as is that of all
the Pronghorn. Ruminants. The horns appear in
both sexes towards the end of July, first as short,
bluntly conical tips, which attain a length of one to
two inches by December; for the first year they do
not grow farther, but are shed and renewed. This
process, however, differs so completely from the
shedding of antlers by Deer, and is so remarkable
in itself, that I must describe it at greater length.
The first to observe and describe the shedding of
horns was Canfield; but as his paper relating to this
subject and sent to Baird in September, 1858, was
published by the latter naturalist only in 1886, the
fame of having given to science the first account of
the strange fact' belongs to Bartlett, who had the
care of captive Pronghorns in the London Zoological
Garden. The accounts of both agree perfectly and
have recently been substantiated by other observa-
tions. Bartlett says that the Pronghorn he took
care of had little horns which, towards the middle
of October, suddenly seemed to grow very rapidly,
not only increasing in length, but also increasing in
circumference. On the morning of the 7th of No-
vember, the keeper informed him rather excitedly
that the Pronghorn had lost one of its horns. In
consequence of this message Bartlett repaired to the
stable and arrived just in time to see that the second
horn had also been shed. A closer examination of
the animal revealed to his astonishment two new
horns in place of the old ones, the new embryo
members being clothed with long, straight, soft hair
and having their bony core enveloped with a horny
substance. There was no trace of bleeding, such as
always attends the loss by fracture of the true hollow
THE PROXGHORXED ANIMALS.
515
horns or the shedding of antlers by the Deer. The
new horns seemed to be of larger diameter than the
hollow space of the old ones, a circumstance ex-
plained by the fact that the hair at their bases had
concealed the gradual shedding of the old sheaths.
The rapid growth of the new horns led to the conclu-
sion that the process was an entirely natural one:
the animal in accordance with its nature had to shed
its horns in this manner. This supposition received
a complete confirmation in the account of the Amer-
ican naturalist Canfield, published in consequence of
Bartlett's report. A Pronghorn which was kept by
Canfield attained an age of nearly three years, regu-
larly shedding its horns during this time, thus af-
fording the naturalist an opportunity of observing not
only a double shedding of the horns, but also of the
neously with the beginning of the shedding process,
and thus pushes the old horns out of place. From
November till January no strong line of demarcation
can be noticed between the hairy covering and the
horn proper, the entire new formation being closely
covered with a sheath of hair, which is not rubbed
off as is the case with the Deer, but gradually falls
off as the growing of the horny substance progresses.
In summer the line of demarcation between hair and
horn is very distinct.
The Pronghorn s Pronghorned Antelopes, when taken
Behavior in in old age, do not seem to become
Captivity. reconciled to the loss of their free-
dom. Such as could be captured in winter during
the prevalence of a deep snow, and were then turned
loose in an enclosure, proved to be very tractable and
'mm*
THE PRONGHORN. This animal, popularlv known as the Antelope in the United States
its horns which it sheds in the same manner as the Deer. It is a familiar feature of the region west of the Missouri and noted as the most Heettooted of
the larger American mammals, having no rival in this respect except its neighbor, the Jack-rabbit. (Antilocapra americana.)
further development of those members. The third
year's horns exhibit a modification of form, no longer
having a circular but an ovoid cross-section rudiment-
ary development of the prong. On the forehead, at
the root of each horn there forms a second excres-
cence, at first separated from it, thus forming a sec-
ond pair of tubercles as it were, which soon unites
permanently with the older bony core, however, and
only serves for the attachment of the prong. The
complete horn is developed by the following June
and henceforth remains more or less the same after
each shedding, only increasing a little in size. We
may fairly assume that the new horny substance is
formed by the fusion of the capillary substance be-
tween the cancellated matter of the bony core and
the horny sheath, which begins to grow simulta-
good-natured, or even trustful, but only while their
exhausted and weakened condition lasted. As soon
as the effects of starvation had been overcome, the
yearning after freedom would assert itself and they
exhibited their natural savage disposition. They
would run and butt against the fence of the enclos-
ure as if they were mad and give vent to their rage
until they sustained some mortal injury.
Kids taken soon after birth also generally die
very early, unless special care is bestowed on them.
Of about twent\ little kids, which Canfield took
in the course of three summers, he succeeded in
rearing only two. Nearly all of them suffered from
diarrhoea, probably in consequence of the diet of
cow's milk, which is not suitable for them. If they
succeeded in overcoming this, they would live for
516
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
two or three months longer, then fall ill of pyaemic
sores or inflammations of the limbs and die. Mr.
Canfield might have had more favorable results
if he had given the wild young creatures a robust,
good-natured Goat as a wet nurse, for, as he says
himself, the milk of the Pronghorns is so rich and
sweet, that it can not possibly be substituted by
cow's milk.
The Pronghorn buck, in the case of which Can-
field observed the shedding of the horns, was as
pretty and playful as he was bold and restless. He
always ranged in sight of the house while grazing
in the daytime and slept near by at night. He was
fond of hunting with the Hounds, however, and as
none of them could equal him in speed he always
took the lead of the pack, when they tracked a
Covote by night. He liked to go hunting with his
master, and if he happened to lose sight of Mr.
Canfield or of the Dogs, he straightway betook him-
self home, once doing so from a distance of twelve
miles. He would often join his wild kin, when they
crossed the valley or came to drink, but he always
left them and came back home. He willingly let
people scratch his head or play with his horns, but
would let nobody touch any other part of his body.
Unfortunately he received a kick from a Mule, which
broke his leg; he was bandaged and braced and soon
recovered, but lost his former agility and shortly
after fell a prey to the Wolves. All Pronghorns
brought to Europe have experienced ill health, and
have succumbed to various diseases.
The Pronghorn Diffi- About twenty or twenty-five years
cult to Capture ago the Pronghorn was not often
or Kill. hunted, and as Prince of Wied says,
"only when no Bison flesh was to be had." At that
time the Indians were still the most deadly foe of
the animal, but they have since been superseded by
the white Man.
There arc, however, few people who habitually
engage in the difficult pursuit of this animal, even
where the Antelopes are plentiful. The sportsman
has to depend on his skill in stealthily approaching
the quarry unperceived by it, and he who is familiar
with the western prairies, devoid of trees and shrubs,
knows what this means.
The profit of the chase is not slight. The venison
of the animal is distasteful to some on account of its
strong, repulsive odor; -most people, however, find
that it has an exceedingly fine gamy flavor, entirely
different from that of 'the European Stag or Roe,
and therefore it may justly be ranked among the
most excellent dishes of the West. The fat is noted
for its hardness and is made into excellent candles;
the fur is light and soft but not durable and is used
by the Indians in the manufacture of their shirts and
by white people in the making of gloves.
£bc ©ccr.
FIFTH FAHILY: Ci-:i'ta9- est northern latitudes, and closely
allied species inhabit a large part of Asia. The
northern limit of its range reaches to about the
sixty-sixth parallel in Europe and the fifty-fifth in
Asia." To the south its range is restricted by the
Caucasus and the mountains of Manchuria. Its
numbers have greatly decreased in all populous
countries and in some it has become extinct. It is
most plentiful in the Caucasus and the vast forests
of southern Siberia. The Red Deer prefers the
mountainous regions to the plains and especially de-
lights in large tracts of umbrageous forest. These
Deer assemble in large or small herds which divide
off with reference to their age and sex. The hinds
and young fawns usually remain together; the old
females form small troops of their own, and the old
males usually live solitarily. In winter the Red
Deer descends from the mountains to the plain; in
summer it ascends to the summits of the secondary
ranges [the mountains which are intermediate be-
tween the foothills and the highest snow-capped
peaks]. It adheres to its established range unless
pursued, and only strays away of its own volition
during the mating season, or while the new antlers
are growing, or when impelled by lack of food to
seek new pastures.
The movements of the Stag are all light and
graceful, but at the same time its bearing is proud
and majestic, the male, especially, being an animal
of noble carriage. The ordinary gait is a rapid
walk. In trotting the Stag moves with great swift-
ness, and in running attains remarkable speed. In
play it takes enormous bounds, clearing obstacles of
great height. It is a fearless swimmer, entering deep
and broad streams, and in Norway even arms of the
ocean, straits and fjords are crossed with ease.
Mental Traits Of the perceptive senses of the Stag
and Habits of those of hearing, smelling and sight
Stags. are very acute. It scents a human
being at a distance of six hundred paces; and not a
soand in the forest escapes its keen ears. It is very
timid and shy, but is neither sagacious nor clever.
Its memory appears to be weak and its powers of
comprehension slight; but yet it gradually learns to
profit by experience. When, however, its passions
are aroused, it often forgets the consideration of
safety, which is usually uppermost with it. Its usual-
timidity is undoubtedly the result of its experience
that Man is its most deadly foe; but when it is fully
conscious of protection, it becomes very familiar.
When kept in close confinement, or even when at
liberty during the mating season, the Stag frequently
becomes irritated from the most trifling cause, and
may attack human beings. Both ancient and mod-
ern books of hunting contain many stories of Stags
which have, without any apparent provocation,,
made injurious or fatal attacks upon people. Be-
tween old Stags, during the mating season, most de-
termined battles occur, the combatants using their
antlers as weapons. There are instances on record
where the antlers of the two participants in such
combats have become so firmly interlocked that the
animals have been unable to separate and have died
in consequence. In some such cases even human
ingenuity and strength have been unequal to the
task of separating, without injury to the antlers, the
bodies of animals which have died in this manner.
THE DEER— RED DEER.
522
Fawns of the Red Deer make their appearance
one, or in rare cases two, at a birth, at the end of May
or in June in some lonely, quiet spot in the woods
where the vegetation is most dense. The little ones
are so weak and helpless during the first three days
of life that they cannot move from their place. One
may even take them up in his hand. The mothers
leave them but rarely and only for a short time dur-
ing this period, and even when driven away, move
only just far enough to ward off the real or imagi-
nary danger by decoying the enemy by means of a
sham flight. After the fawn is a week old, it is
worse than useless to attempt to capture it without
nets. It follows its mother everywhere, and imme-
diately crouches in the tall grass whenever she
gives a sound of alarm or stamps her fore-foot on the
ground. It suckles until the next pairing season, and
the mother instructs it from early infancy in the
choice of proper food. The female attains maturity
in its third year; but the male has to pass through
several years more before it attains the right to rule
as the "antlered monarch of the forest." Its first
horns grow in its seventh month; after that its head
decoration changes annually. As a usual thing the
spurs of the antlers increase in number annually, but
antlers with over twenty regularly shaped spurs have
probably been found very rarely. Antlers with
eighteen spurs are in-
cluded in every consid-
erable collection ; and
on living Stags antlers
with sixteen spurs are
no rarity.
The natural enemies
of the Red Deer are the
Wolf, the Lynx and the
Glutton, and rarely the
Bear. The Wolf and
Lynx are probably the
worst. The former, in
packs, pursues the Deer
in the deep snow, wor-
ries and exhausts it; the
latter jumps on its neck
from the branches of a
tree when it unsuspect-
ingly passes under them.
The most deadly foe
under all circumstances,
however, is Man, though
now he does not longer
pursue and kill the Red
THE WAPITI. The Wapiti is
lated to the Stag of the Old World, but
well developed antlers are effectively ill
withstanding the fact that the venison, skin and
antlers bring a high price, and one may highly ap-
preciate the pleasure of the hunt, the harm caused
by the Deer is not compensated.
The Barbary In northwestern Africa there is a
Deer Related to Deer, which has been separated from
the Stag. the Stag under the name of the
Barbary Deer ( Cervus barbarus), but it has by no
means been acknowledged as a distinct species by
all authorities, rather being considered only a va-
riety, for it comes nearest the Stag in all respects.
Of the other species of the sub-genus, the largest of
all, the Wapiti of North America {Cervus canadensis)
remains to be mentioned.
Tk w +• The American representative of the genus
Noble American Cervus> to which the Sta^ also belongs> is
Noote American thg Wapiti ^ervus canadensis), sometimes, •
but erroneously, called the American Elk or
Gray Moose, and which is named Wawaskeesh by the Cree
Indians and La Biche by the French Canadians. There is
no more noble species in the
entire Deer family than this
animal, which is larger than
the Stag, to which it bears a
close resemblance in many
respects. The antlers of the
two animals are much alike,
but those of the Wapiti are
heavier, corresponding to the
greater stature of the animal,
which stands considerably
higher than the Stag, its
shoulder height being about
fifty-four inches. The hoofs
are semi- circular in shape
and broader than those of the
Stag, and the tail is shorter.
The general color of the
summer coat is a light chest-
nut red, which deepens into
a brownish hue on the neck
and legs, and almost into
black on the throat and along
the median line of the under
surface of the animal. The
buttocks are yellowish white,
bordered by a dusky band
which extends down the pos-
terior surface of the hind-
legs. The winter fur is dense
and soft and its hues are
grayer than those of the
summer coat.
Like its Old World rela-
tive the Wapiti has retreated
from its former haunts in
those sections where human
beings have become numer-
Its former range in-
an American species of Deer nearly re-
larger. Its sturdy form and its large and
ustrated here. (Cenus canadensis.)
Deer in the former reckless and reprehensible man-
ner. I believe I may leave the mode of hunting
undiscussed, as a detailed description would lead us
too far, and those who are interested in the matter
can find full accounts of it in other books. At pres-
ent this noble sport has been greatly restricted, and
the majority of the professional hunters of to-day
have never shot a Stag: such quarry is reserved for
more aristocratic people.
The Red Deer is also grievously tormented by
some kinds of Gad-flies. These disgusting insects
hatch their pestiferous progeny upon the body of
the Deer, exactly as they do on the Reindeer, per-
forating holes almost entirely through the skin of
the poor animals. A species of Louse, which settles
in the hair, and Mosquitoes and Gnats also torment
this Deer to a great extent.
Unfortunately the damage wrought by the Red
Deer is much greater than the profit it brings; not-
eluded all of the northern
and middle states, and in the
western part of the continent it extended south to New Mexico;
but it is now found in few places east of the Rocky Mountains,
such as in Montana and the Dakotas. It is still by no means
rare in northern California, Oregon and Washington, but it is
much more frequent in Canada, where its range extends north
to Hudson's Bay. It frequents low grounds, preferably well
wooded tracts in the vicinity of marshes, and is quite numer-
ous in the clumps of wood bordering on the upper Missouri
and its tributaries, and on the Saskatchewan and other Cana-
dian rivers; and it feeds on grasses and the young shoots of
the willow and poplar. During the mating season the males
have fierce combats similar to those engaged in by the Stag in
like conditions, and at this time the male Wapiti emits a pecul-
iar noise, resembling the braying of an Ass, beginning with a
loud shrill tone and ending in a deep, guttural note. The
growth and shedding of the horns is about the same as with
The Red Deer, the horns reaching their full growth about the
sixth year. In May or June the female, in some convenient
thicket, gives birth to a fawn, or in rare cases to two. The
development of the young Wapiti is not different from that of
the fawns of the European Red Deer.
The Wapitis, in regions where little molested, associate, in
large herds, but as such localities are few they are usually
530
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
seen in small families of six or seven, for which the older
females act as sentinels. The gait of these animals is a swing-
ing, easy trot, or, when pursued, a clumsy gallop. They are not
difficult to hunt, but their principal utility is for their skin and
antlers. The flesh is coarse and the fat is excessively hard,
and the meat is not held in great esteem.
THE AXIS DEER.
Among the Deer of India we must first mention
the Axis, called by the Hindus, Chital, and by the
English, the Spotted Deer {Axis axis). It rep-
resents a distinct sub-genus, and attains a length of
body of from fifty-four to sixty inches, the height at
the shoulders being only from thirty-six to thirty-
eight inches. So far as color is concerned it may be
called one of the handsomest, if not the handsomest,
plentiful and collects in great herds, which graze in-
the open places during the night, and seek the shade
of the forest in the day. The Axis is the object of
persistent pursuit by the natives and by Englishmen;
this continual pursuit may be the reason why it is as
shy as the common Deer in localities where experi-
ence has familiarized it with being hunted. A cap-
tive Axis soon becomes entirely docile, however. It
was introduced into England many years ago and it
thrive's excellently in the mild English climate.
THE RUSINE GROUP.
Most other Deer of India bear a peculiar stamp,
which distinguishes them from their European or
American relatives, but can better be appreciated on
THE AXIS DEER. One of the most beautiful of the many species of the Deer family is the Axis Deer, found in India. The coat of this
animal, in both sexes and at all seasons, is distinctly spotted. The antlers of the male are long but the branches are not very numerous. (Cirrus axis.)
of all Deer. An attractive grayish fawn hue is the
ground color; the stripe on the back appears very
dark, nearly black on the withers; the throat, abdo-
men and inner faces of the limbs are yellowish
white, the outer surface of the limbs yellowish-
brown. Seven rows of white, rather irregularly
placed spots, conspicuously adorn each side.
Range and Pecul- The Axis is a native of all India,
iarities of the with the exception of the Punjab,
Axis- and of the country east of it to
Cochin China and is also found in the island of Cey-
lon. The animal inhabits the level as well as the
hilly country and is found at the foot of the Hima-
layas and in the Sundarbans, in stately forests as
well as in the jungle, but generally near water.
Wherever the surroundings are to its taste, it is quite
personal inspection than described. In general one
may say that these Indian Deer, which form the sub-
genus Rusa, are of more or less compact organiza-
tion, with stout limbs, short head and neck, but with
a proportionately long tail, and are thinly covered
with coarse, brittle hair. Only the males have horns
and the horns have, as a rule, no more than six spurs.
In my opinion the Sambhar (Rusa aristotelis), which
was described by Aristotle under the name of "Hip-
pelaphus" in a manner leaving no doubt as to its
identity, may be designated as the stateliest and
noblest Deer of this group.
The Great Rusa— The Great Rusa (Rusa liippeiaphus)
Its Physical Propor- is little inferior to the Stag and
tions, Range, etc. Sambhar in size, and measures fully
six feet eight inches, twelve inches of which are in-
THE DEER— AMERICAN DEER.
531
eluded in the tail; the height at the withers is about
forty inches. The female is considerably smaller.
In general the distinctive characteristics of this Deer
are those of its group. A notable feature is the
strong mane, which is developed at the throat and
chin, the hair composing which hardly differs in
character from the hair of other portions of the
body.
As far as is now known the Great Rusa is a native
of Java; to Borneo it is said to have been imported
by Man. Travelers say that this Deer gathers into
very numerous troops, which frequent open grass-
covered plains more than they do woodlands. Dur-
ing the heat of the day the animals lie hidden in the
grass and reeds or in the bushes; before sunset they
set out for a pool and at the advent of evening they
begin grazing. They are exceedingly fond of water,
and this trait can be observed in cap-
tive specimens, which always display
great eagerness for a mud-bath.
The movements of the Rusa de-
serve a short description. No other
Deer that I know struts along with
so much dignity as this one. Its gait
exactly resembles an artificial pace,
the so-called "Spanish walk" of a
trained saddle Horse. Every one of
its movements is like those which a
Horse executes under the direction
of his rider.
On the grand hunts held by the '.. '%(
Malayan princes, in which the ani- /^rp >',v
mals are driven by beaters, many
hundreds of this species of Deer are
sometimes slain; though the hunters
do not employ fire-arms, but use only
swords and spears to slay them or
nooses to capture them alive. Jung-
huhn says that this Deer is hunted
only for its flesh, which is cut into
thin slices, rubbed with salt, dried in
the sun and called "jendeng." It is
considered the most palatable accom-
paniment of the various rice-dishes,
which are never absent from the table
of Javanese chiefs, and is also es-
teemed as an excellent dish in the
menu of Europeans. The skin is not
used.
Physical Propor- The Hog Deer {Rusa
tions and Habitat porcinus) is one of the
of the Hog Deer, commonest species in
India and exhibits the most awkward
and ungainly forms of the whole fam-
ily. It is of a moderately heavy organization, thick-
bodied, short-legged, short-necked and short-headed.
The general color, usually, is a coffee-brown, which
deepens into blackish-brown in the male and fades
into tan color in the female. The antlers of the
male, as a rule, bear six spurs; the horns are weak,
stand on rather high cranial protuberances and at-
tain a length of from fourteen to sixteen inches.
The Hog Deer is a native of the greater part of
British India and Burmah. It is commonest in the
Ganges country, and rarer in central India. Gener-
ally the animals live singly, but sometimes one finds
two or three together. They prefer grassy spots
thinly grown with bushes to the jungle or to a forest
of tall trees, though they occasionally also occur in
the latter in large glades. They lie hidden by day
and feed by night; when alarmed, they flee in a
curious and rather awkward manner, with the head
held low, their name being derived from this gait.
The majority of the Hog Deer which are found
in zoological gardens are exported from Bengal.
The climate of temperate Europe agrees tolerably
well with them, but they require a sheltered place
to which they can retreat in rough weather. They
breed readily, and increase considerably even when
kept in a narrow enclosure.
NORTH AMERICAN DEER.
The Mazama Deer (Cariacus) live in North Amer-
ica and northern parts of South America; they are
delicately formed, graceful Deer, distinguished as
much by their structure as by the antlers of the
male. Their shape is very slender, and the neck
and head are long; the legs are of moderate length,
^w.
THE SAMBHAR. This is an Indian species of Deer which derives its scientific name from
the fact that it is mentioned by Aristotle. Its antlers are heavy and it has a mane-like growth of
hair under the neck. (Cervus or Rusa aristotelis.)
but slender, and the tail rather long. The antlers
are either forked or bent in one curve from behind
outward and forward and branch in from three to
seven spurs, which are all directed inward. These
antlers have a basal spur, but the two other anterior
spurs, found in Old World species, are absent. The
coat is formed of close, soft, glossy hair. It devel-
ops into a mane in the male and into a tuft on the
tail of both sexes.
Structure and The best known species is the Vir-
Range of the Vir- ginia Deer or Carjacou {Cariacus
ginia Deer. virginianus) which exhibits an affin-
ity to the Fallow Deer in many respects, about
equaling it in size, but differing markedly from it
by reason of its graceful form and especially the
elongated, fine head, which one may, with some jus-
tice, call the most beautiful head belonging to any of
532
THE CLOVEN- HOOFED ANIMALS.
the Deer. The Prince of Wied says, however, that
the animal often exceeds the Fallow Deer in size
and is but little inferior in that respect to the Stag.
The color varies according to the season of the year.
The prevailing color of the summer coat is a beauti-
ful, uniform reddish yellow, deepening on the back,
but becoming lighter on the flanks; the abdomen
and inner faces of the limbs are paler. In winter the
upper surface is grayish brown, the under parts pure
white. The length of a male of average size is six
feet, the tail measures twelve inches, the height of
the antlers is twelve inches, and the length of each
horn, taken along the curvature, is about twenty
inches. The height of the buck at the withers is
about forty inches. The doe is considerably smaller,
being only four feet four inches long and not over
thirty-two inches high. The fawn is spotted very
VIRGINIA DEER- Here is our common American Deer, famous as one of the most
beautiful of the entire family. Its range includes all of the United States east of the Missouri
River, and all the southern states including Texas. In the far western region it is replaced by
closely allied species. (Cariacus virginianus .)
daintily with white or yellowish white, on a dark
brown ground, resembling the parents in other re-
spects.
From the accounts of American naturalists this
beautiful Deer is distributed through all forests of
North America, with the exception of those of the
extreme north. It is said not to be usually found in
the sub-arctic regions, but it occurs in Canada. It
ranges from the eastern coast of North America to
tin- Rocky Mountains and southward to Mexico. In
former times it is said to have been plentiful every-
where in its native country; at present it has been
nearly exterminated in the more densely populated
parts and has retreated to the forest country or the
fastnesses of the mountain regions. In general its
habits coincide with those of the Red Deer, allow-
ing for differences in environment.
Audubon's Account Audubon says: "The Deer has a
of the Virginia strong attachment to the locality it
Deer. }ias selected as its domicile and
always returns to it when it has been driven away.
It does not rest on the same bed on different days,,
however, but still is found in the same locality,,
sometimes at a distance of less than fifty paces from
the spot on which it has been molested. Its favor-
ite haunts are fallow fields, which have partly re-
verted into bushland again, the underbrush on which
conceals it and affords it shelter. In the southern
states it often selects brushwood along the bound-
aries of plantations, especially in summer, when in
most states it is protected by law from molestation.
There it reposes during the day, in a gloomy thicket
of canes, wild grapes, thorn bushes, etc., always
selecting the place of its domicile in the closest pos-
sible proximity to its feeding ground.
The fancy for similar localities is not.
general, however, for one often finds
its tracks in fields, which can have
been invaded only by animals coming
from a great distance. In mountain
regions the traveler sometimes sees
one lying on a rocky projection, re-
minding the observer of a Bouquetin
or a Chamois, but it generally hides
among low bushes, beside fallen tree
trunks, or in similar places. In the
cold season it prefers protected, dry-
spots, often standing and basking in
the sunshine. In summer it retreats
into shady parts of the woods dur-
ing the day and ranges in the vicin-
ity of small rivers or cool streams.
To escape the attacks of Mosquitoes
it often takes refuge in a river or
pond, and submerges itself in the
water up to its nostrils.
"The food varies with the time of
year. In winter the Deer devours the
branches and leaves of bushes, in
spring and summer it selects the ten-
derest herbage, exhibiting great fas-
tidiousness, and often enters fields in
quest of young Indian corn and other
grain. It is very partial to berries of
various kinds, nuts and the smaller
fruits. One would think that such
variety of food would tend to keep
it always in good physical condition;
but such is not the case, for, with the
exception of certain seasons, these
Deer are very lean. They are fat
from August to November. We have slain some
ourselves, which weighed about one hundred and
sixty pounds each, and have been informed that
some attain a weight of upwards of one hundred
and eighty pounds.
"The does are fattest from November to January;
then their condition is reduced until the fawns are
born, but they become fatter again while they are
suckling their young. The young fawns are born in
April in the south Atlantic states, and when but few
days old, sometimes sleep so soundly that they can
be surprised and taken before they are aware of
the approach of Man. They are very easily tamed,
and become greatly attached to their keepers after
several hours of captivity. A friend of ours pos-
sessed a female fawn, which was brought to a Goat
after its capture and adopted by her, and we have
THE DEER— AMERICAN DEER.
533
seen others reared by cows. They readily endure
confinement, but we have found them to be trouble-
some pets. A couple which we kept for some years
acquired the habit of visiting our study by way of
the open window, and continued their visits when
the window was closed, heedless of broken glass.
The animals seemed to have a destructive disposi-
tion in general, licked and nibbled at the covers of
our books, and scattered our papers in sad confusion.
No bush in the garden, however valuable to us, was
sacred to them; they even gnawed our carriage har-
ness and finally took to biting off the heads and feet
of our young Ducklings and Chickens, leaving the
mutilated bodies.
"The venison is the most savory of any that we
have tasted. It is more delicate than that of the
Wapiti or of the European Deer; but it possesses its
best flavor only during the months when it is fat.
•
The Virginia Deer Mazama Deer, which I took care of,
Easily Domes- would trustfully approach their
ticated. friends and would not only accept
proffered dainties in a friendly manner, but also grate-
fully lick the giver's hand. Unfortunately there is
one drawback to the keeping of these Deer in small
enclosures: they frequently break their delicate legs,
and injure themselves so severely that a cure is diffi-
cult or impossible.
"Fire Huntina" *n Port'ons °f the southern states, partic-
forDeerin the ularly„in the regions known as the "piney-
South. woods ot Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and eastern Texas, where the
long-leaf yellow pine forests extend for many miles with little
undergrowth, the Virginia Deer was formerly very plentiful,
and is still found, though in reduced numbers. In those sec-
tions a peculiar mode of hunting was formerly resorted to. A
party of hunters, with their Dogs, would start out after dark,
carrying besides their guns a queer receptacle, shaped like a
frying pan but larger and with a longer handle. Into this
THE PAMPAS DEER. In the extensive grassy plains of South America ranges the species of Deer shown in the picture. It is smaller
than the Virginia Deer, but, like the latter, is a graceful and agile animal. (Cariacus or Blastocerus campestris.)
"The chase of this Deer required all the cunning
and patience of the Indians, before the pale-face
entered the hunting grounds with his rifle, his Horse
and his Dogs. The Indian disputed the prey with
the Wolf and the Puma, and the most varied modes
of hunting were brought in requisition. The Deer
was oftenest slain after it had been decoyed to the
vicinity of the hidden hunter by an imitation of the
cry of the young or that of the buck. Sometimes
an Indian would dress in the skin of a slain Deer,
the antlers of which he fastened on his head; he
would faithfully imitate the gait and movements of
the Deer, succeed in approaching close to the herd
and then kill several with his bow and arrows, one
after another, before the animals would become
alarmed and take flight. Since the introduction of
fire-arms, however, most of the Indian tribes have
laid aside the bow and arrow for the rifle, in the use
of which they have become quite adept."
vessel, known as a "fire-pan", the hunters placed and ignited
from time to time, pine-knots, which are plentifully found
in those forests. This hard and resinous fuel burns easily and
with a bright light. As the fire-pan was behind the hunter,
the handle being carried on the shoulder, the blaze did not
dazzle his eyes, and yet brought into bold relief every object
for a long distance ahead of him. Deer tracks were followed
until at last the hunter saw before him two balls of lustrous,
bluish-red light, reflected by the eyes of the mystified Deer,
which, although dazzled and amazed by the bright glare of the
resinous torch, stood still. The hunter could approach within
easy shot of the animal, before the latter comprehended the
necessity of flight, and by aiming at the spot between the eyes
secured his game. Adepts in this method of sport learned
to discriminate between the eyes of Deer and those of colts
and calves, which much resemble those of Deer when seen by
firelight, and which beginners sometimes shot by mistake. It
was claimed that each animal inhabiting the woods had a dis-
tinguishable gleam of its eyes, differing from all others in size,
shape or color; and other animals besides Deer, including
Raccoons, Opossums, the Red Lynx and other nocturnal ani-
mals were hunted by the same method of "shining their eyes,"
as it was called. A kind of lamp to wear on the hat was in-
vented and sold for fire-hunting purposes to replace the fire-
o34
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
pan, but this method of hunting has become almost obsolete.
tu \uht t i rj Tne nearest relative of the Virginia Deer is
ihe wnne-iaiiea the White-tailed Deer {Cariacus lettcurus).
IV / ln s'ze 'l 's very mucn the same as the Vir-
ginia Deer, but the tail is longer and is
white with a reddish tinge on the upper surface, and the under
portion of the muzzle is also white. The legs and hoofs are
more slender than those of the Virginia Deer and the general
color is paler. From the western portions of Nebraska and
Dakota to the Pacific coast, through the northern part of Cali-
fornia and all portions of Oregon and Washington the White-
tailed Deer make their home amid the trees and bushes on
the borders of rivers and swamps. The valleys immediately
east of the Cascade range harbor them most abundantly. In
their habits they resemble other species of the family. They
are lively, and, when alarmed, make their escape with remark-
able speed, and are su'ficiently wary usually to keep out of
range of any but long-distance shooting.
Th 01 l Another species quite common in the far
7 ■ f ' ri n west is the Black-tailed Deer (Cariacus co-
n -hri' lumbianus). The upper surface of the tail
Uescnoea. .g b]ack) the nn(^er portion white. The ant-
lers branch out in prongs, the number of branches increasing
with age. From the western slope of the Cascade Mountains
this Deer extends southward through Oregon and California,
and is especially a familiar feature of the redwood forests of
those states, although to the south the thick growths of the
manzanita and chapparal afford it a convenient shelter. Its
flesh is not much esteemed, and it is therefore not hunted so
vigorously as some other species. Not much success has at-
tended the effort to domesticate Black-tailed Deer. They
seem to be sufficiently amiable and friendly, but the changed
conditions do not agree with them, and they soon die.
Th Ml Do Mule Deer (Cariacus macrotis) is a
me muie ueer, nejgnbor 0f the two iast mentioned species,
a Large pe- ag ^ jn}ia]-)[ts tne mountains of Washington,
Oregon and Idaho. This animal never de-
scends to the valley unless it is driven by very severe weather
from its usual home on the heights. The antlers branch off
in double prongs and constitute a striking adornment; another
marked characteristic is the ears, eight inches long, which
give the animal its name. The color of the coat is a dingy
brown, changing to gray in winter. There is a black stripe
along the back which, according to some authorities, can be
erected by the animal at will. The margins of the large ears
and the tuft of the tail are black. The remainder of the tail,
which is about eight inches long, and the buttocks are white.
Its movements are not so lively as those of the Virginia
Deer.
The venison of the Mule Deer is excellent, and it is therefore
a favorite game animal. A single fawn is born to the doe in
May or June. The little creature, which is of.a pale yellow hue
with white spots, is very pretty, and is cared for with great
tenderness by the doe until it is old enough to be weaned,
and even after that remains with its mother for a consider-
able period. The males of the Mule Deer species shed their
horns in March.
There is a variety of the Mule Deer found in southern Cali-
fornia, Arizona and northern Sonora which is smaller than
those of the more northern region. Its general color is more
of a reddish hue, and the upper surface of the tail is black. It
is not found east of the Sierra Nevada range.
The Mexican A sma11 sP"ies' inhabiting Mexico, Central
or Sonora America and a part of Texas is known as
Deer lne -^ex'cari or Sonora Deer (Cariacus mex-
icanus). Its size varies with locality, for
those living in the northern part of the range are, the largest,
the smallest being found in Central America. This animal has
a short tail, broad and short hoofs and its coat is of a grayish-
brown color, resembling the wintei coat of the Virginia Deer,
but the Mexican Deer does not change color with the seasons.
Its habits are similar to those of the Virginia Deer.
SOUTH AMERICAN DEER,
In the Blastoccrus genus, which succeed the Vir-
ginian Deer and its relatives, and the native country
of which is South America, the antlers are erect
and forked; the main anterior branch is always less
developed than is the main posterior branch; the
.interior member is sometimes forked; the posterior
always.
Description of The best known species of this
the Pampas Deer genus, the Pampas Deer or Guazuy
or Guazuy. ( Blastocerus c/niipcstris) is of moder-
ate proportions compared with other members of
the family; its body is from forty- four to fifty- two
inches long, the length of the tail being four inches;
the height at the withers is twenty-eight inches; at
the croup thirty inches; and both the shape and
color of the animal are deer-like. Its antlers re-
semble those of the Roe buck, but they are more
slender and the spurs are longer.
This Deer is plentiful in Paraguay, Uruguay and
northern parts of the Argentine Republic. Reng-
ger says that it ranges chiefly in the open, dry
country in thinly-populated regions and shuns the
neighborhood of swamps and forests even when
hotly pursued. It lives in pairs and in small troops;
old males live in solitude. During the day the
Deer rests in the high grass and keeps so still that
one can go by on horseback without arousing it.
After sunset it goes in quest of food and roams
about all night. The doe produces only one fawn
at a birth, either in spring or in autumn.
A Pampas Deer taken young becomes exceed-
ingly tame. It soon learns to know all members of
the household, follows them about, responds to their
calls, plays with them and licks their faces and
hands; with Dogs and Horses it is not only on
peaceable terms, but even goes so far as to tease
them with playful butts and thrusts; it shuns strange
people and Dogs. Its sustenance consists of raw
and cooked vegetables of all kinds; it is specially
fond of salt, as are all its relatives. In fine weather
it disports, itself in the open air; during the noon
hours it chews the cud, and when it rains it betakes
itself to shelter.
THE ROE.
The Roe represents a special genus {Capreolus),
the horns of which are round, but slightly branched,
forked, rough and have no basal spur.
The Roe buck {Capreolus caprcea) attains a length
of fifty-two inches and a height of thirty inches at
the croup; the small stub-like tail is not an inch
long. The weight ranges between forty and fifty, in
some rare cases sixty, pounds; the doe is of smaller
proportions. Compared with the Stag, the Roe is of
sturdy build, and its head is short and blunt. The
antlers are characterized by large, bulbous expan-
sions or "burrs" and relatively large shafts beset
with quite broad protuberances, technically called
"pearls." Generally the main shaft of the horn has
only two spurs, but the full development of Roe's
antlers does not stop short at this. Blasius says
that ten spurs form the highest regularly developed
form of the Roe buck antlers. Malformations are
remarkably frequent in Roe buck's horns. One can
see antlers of the most abnormal shape in collec-
tions: some show a whole series of the usual spurs,
others are enlarged into blades, and beset with mar-
ginal spurs. There are Roe bucks with three horns
and three cranial protuberances for them, while
others have only one horn, the so-called " wig horn."
The close hair of the Roe changes with the season.
The upper surfaces of the body and the outer sur-
faces of the limbs are dark rusty red in summer,
brownish gray in winter; the under parts and the
inner surfaces of the limbs are lighter.
The Range and With the exception of the extreme
Favorite Haunts of north, the Roe is distributed all
the Roe. over Europe and the greater part of
Asia. In the latter continent its range northward
includes middle and southern Siberia as far as the
forests extend, eastward to the mouth of the Amoor,
southward to the lofty mountains of India and .Man-
THE ROE DEER. A very pretty species of Deer, although small in size, is the Roe. The antlers of the male have no basal tine or branch, are
upright and are deeply furrowed. The Roe Deer is found in southern and central Europe and also in Asia Minor. It is kept in parks, in Great Britain,
and it is everywhere fond of large, dense forests. iCapriolus cafiraa.)
(535)
536
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
churia, but it is quite scarce in the barren, treeless
table-lands.
In general one may say that, within its range, the
Roe is found alike in young forests and in older
ones, provided they abound in underbrush, no mat-
ter whether they are situated on mountains or in
plains or whether they consist of deciduous or ever-
green trees. The Roe seems to delight in the latter,
especially in a marshy country. In winter it de-
scends from the heights, in summer it mounts higher.
In agricultural countries it often rests in the fields
of tall grain during the day.
Characteristics The Roe is nimble and graceful in
and Habits of its movements. It can cover consid-
the Roe. erable distances in its agile bounds,
leaping over wide ditches, high hedges and shrubs
without any obvious effort, and it is also a good
swimmer and an adept at climbing hills and moun-
tains. ' Its senses of hearing, smell and sight are
acute, and it is cunning and cautious. While the
animal is young it is remarkably amiable, but in old
age it is very obstinate, defiant and vicious.
Roes never form as large troops as do the Red
Deer. During the greater part of the year they live
in families, consisting of one buck and one, or more
rarely of two or three does and their fawns. Dur-
ing the day the Roe remains hidden in a quiet,
secluded spot of its temporary domicile; towards
evening (and in quiet localities in the late after-
noon) it goes out to graze in young forests, in
glades or in fields; towards morning it betakes itself
back to the thicket or into high grain, and beats
away the moss or sod with its fore-paws, thus
preparing itself a lair for resting. It usually perti-
naciously frequents the neighborhood in which it
has once established its, domicile, but not invariably.
Its food is nearly the same as that of the Stag; only
the Roe selects more of the tenderer plants, being
more fastidious.
Only a single fawn is, as a rule, born to a young
doe; old ones give birth to two, or in rare cases even
to three. The mother conceals her offspring from
an approaching enemy with great care, and at the
slightest premonition of danger she gives signals
of alarm. During the first days of life, when the
fawns are yet too weak and awkward to run, the
mother resorts to dissimulation and tries to decoy
the enemy away from the vicinity of the little ones.
If a fawn be taken away from her, and she can not
rescue it, she follows the robber, whether Man or
beast, for a long time and expresses her distress by
constantly running to and fro and bleating. About
eight days after their birth, the fawns accompany
the doe when she is grazing, and after ten or twelve
days they are strong enough to run after her. Then
she returns with them to her old quarters, with the
intention, as it were, of introducing the offspring to
their father.
Hunting the Roe, The Roe is hunted in nearly the
and the Profit same manner as are other Deer,
Therefrom. though s h o t g u ns are now used
more extensively than are rifles in districts which
are not under the restriction of game laws. The
Roe is also pursued by Lynxes, Wolves, Wild Cats
and Foxes, the first preying upon large and small
alike, the last chiefly selecting the fawns; the very
young fawns are said also to fall victims to the
diminutive but bloodthirsty Weasel.
The profit that accrues to Man from the Roe is
inconsiderable; the harm it does is not slight, and
outweighs the profit. It works sad destruction in
young forests especially, and sometimes destroys the
painstaking labor of years in a few days.
The Roe Difficult The Roe is more difficult to keep
to Keep Cap- than other Deer, either in parks, in
tive. zoological gardens or in smaller in-
cisures, for its liberty-loving mind rebels at all
restriction. It proves to be a very fastidious, capri-
cious creature, difficult to satisfy; it is frail and weak,
does not always breed in a cage and often dies in
consequence of some insignificant cause. If reared
from early youth, it is readily tamed, is on friendly
terms with Man and beast, acts like a true domestic
animal and affords one great pleasure. In the long
run, however, the doe alone is satisfactory; the
buck ends by exhibiting his true nature; he becomes
bold and importunate, while the doe as a rule re-
tains her gentle disposition.
THE MUNTJAK DEER.
In conclusion, we will cast a glance at the genus of
the Muntjak Deer ( Cervicitis), which are character-
ized by their small size, their short, imperfect antlers,
their strikingly large canine teeth, their deep, wide
tear-pits and lack of a hair-tuft on the hinder ankles.
The species ranged in this group are natives of the
southern and southeastern parts of Asia, up to south
China, and of the adjacent islands.
Description of the The Muntjak or Kidang, sometimes
Muntjak or called "Wrinkle-face" by English-
Kidang. men (Ccrvidus mwitjac), is the best
known form; it is somewhat smaller than a Roe,
being from forty-six to forty-nine and one-half
inches in length, from six to seven inches of which
are included in the tail; the height at the shoulders
ranges between twenty-six and twenty-eight inches.
The hair is short, smooth and close, the color on the
upper surface being a warm, yellowish brown, some-
times deepening into maroon; the hinder part of the
abdomen and the inner surfaces of the limbs, the
back part of the cheeks and the lower part of the
tail, are white; the fore part of the abdomen and the
chest are more yellowish. The horns are set on very
high basal protuberances, are directed obliquely
backward, and bend at first slightly outward and for-
ward, then curve boldly backward and inward. The
basal prominences, which are from three to four
inches in length, are very peculiar; they are covered
with a hairy skin up to the "burr," as the bulbous
protuberance at the beginning of the horn proper is
called; the margin near the burr is decorated with
tufted hair, and the burr is composed of a single row
of large " pearls" or button-like excrescences. The
female has hair-tufts in the place of horns.
The Range and The Muntjak is a native of Sumatra,
Habits of the Java, Borneo, Banca and Hainan, as
Muntjak. we\\ as 0f the Malayan peninsula,
Burmah and British India. A country that is not
too high and shows alternating hills and dales, or
still better, which lies at the foot of high mountains
or near extensive forests, seems to unite all the con-
ditions that are essential to the wellbeing of this
Deer. It is found singly or in pairs. Spots which
moreover have an abundance of water and are un-
frequented by Man, form the choicest abode for the
Muntjak. With its head held low, it slips through
matted thickets and among broken trees like a
Weasel, and nimbly threads its path through the
smallest gaps. Day and night it utters its sharp
cry, a hoarse, sharp, resounding bark, which has
caused it to be known in some places as "the
"Barking Deer." The Muntjak is a very courageous
THE DEER— AMERICAN DEER.
537
beast and uses its small horns and its canine teeth
with much vigor and skill. Many Dogs are wounded
in attacking it and they sometimes sustain injuries
on neck, throat or abdomen, which end in death.
The Muntjak endures confinement very well in its
own country and fairly well in Europe. It is often
found in the possession of Europeans and natives.
The venison is said to be savory, but lean.
~^t.
£be m>usk Beer.
SIXTH FAMILY: Moschid.c.
Some naturalists have placed among the Deer
several small and very dainty Ruminants, which
among others include the dwarfs of the entire order,
namely, the Musk Deer and the Chevrotain. We
regard them as distinct families, however.
The Musk Deer (Moschidce) have no antlers, no
tear-pits, no hair-tuft on the hinder legs, and a rudi-
mentary tail. The males
are, like male Chevrotains,
distinguished from other
Ruminants by the posses-
sion of long, protruding
canine teeth in the upper
jaw, projecting downward
from the mouth. The
lofty mountains of China
and Tibet constitute the
native habitat of these ani-
mals. There they live in
the rockiest portions of the
mountains — seldom rang-
ing in the valleys, into
which they descend only
when a severe winter drives
them from their heights
and lack of food compels
them to turn toward more
favored regions.
The family is represent-
ed by one genus and one
species only, the Musk
Deer (Mosc/nes moscJiiferus).
It is a graceful Ruminant,
from thirty-six to forty
inches in length, and from twenty to twenty-two
inches in height at the shoulders. It is of sturdy
build; higher at the croup than in front, slender-
legged, short-necked. It has a rather long head,
obtusely rounded at the muzzle; its eyes are of mod-
erate size with long lashes and a very mobile pupil;
and it has ears of ovoid shape which are half as long
as its head. The toes are encased in rather small,
long, narrow and pointed ungulate nails; but the feet
can be expanded considerably by means of a fold
of skin connecting the hoofs with the rudimentary
toes, which reach to the ground. This arrangement
enables the animal to walk sure-footed and without
difficulty on snow-fields or glaciers. By all accounts
the color of the coat of the animal must be very
variable; some individuals are very dark above,
dingy white below; others are reddish brown; some
yellowish brown above, white beneath; others again
show a longitudinal row of light spots on the back.
The canines protrude from the mouth of the male
two or three inches, and show first a gentle bend out-
ward, then a scythe-shaped curve backward. The
female also has canine teeth, but they do not pro-
trude beyond the lips.
Description of the The musk pouch lies in the hinder
Pouch of the part 0f the abdomen and has the ap-
Musk Deer. pearance of a sac-like, slightly prom-
inent, roundish pouch rather exceeding two inches
in length, one inch in width and about two inches in
height. On both sides it is beset by a margin of
stiff hair, the direction of the growth of which, on
one side is opposed to that of the other side, a cir-
cular spot in the middle being left uncovered. This
spot contains two little apertures, one behind the
other and connected with the pouch itself by short
canals. Small glands within the pouch secrete the
musk, and when the pouch becomes too full it is
emptied by means of the anterior canal. The pouch
attains its full dimensions and normal contents of
musk only in the adult animal. The average quan-
tity of the valuable substance is little short of an
ounce, but nearly double that amount has been
found in some pouches. Young bucks yield about
one-eighth of this quantity. In the living animal the
' V'.A <
THE MUNTJAK. The species of Deer shown in the picture are small animals with rather short legs,
inhabiting India, the Indian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsula. Their most notable peculiarity is the length
ol the articulation which connects the antlers of the male with the frontal bones. (Ccrrulus munljac.)
musk has the consistency of a salve; when dried it is
a granulated or pulverized substance, which is at
first of a red-brown hue, but later darkens and may
become coal-black.
Neither the Greeks nor the Romans knew any-
thing of the Musk Deer, notwithstanding their fool-
ish fondness for perfumed ointments, and the fact
that they obtained most of them from India and
Arabia. The Chinese, on the other hand, have been
using musk for thousands of years. We obtained
the first information concerning the Musk Deer
from the Arabs.
Range and Attri- The Musk Deer is distributed over
bates of the the region from the Amoor to the
Mush Deer. Caspian Sea and from the sixtieth
parallel of north latitude to China and Farther India.
It is most abundant around the Lake of Baikal and
in the mountains of Mongolia, as well as in the
Himalayas, where it is said rarely to descend below
seven thousand five hundred feet in summer. In
parts of these regions it is yet so plentiful that pro-
fessional hunters can slay several hundred in one
winter. The craggy slopes and tangled forests are
the proper haunts of these noted animals, and' there
"f 538
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
they are found usually singly, but sometimes in
couples. Kinloch compares the habits of the Musk
Deer to those of the Hare, as it prepares itself
"forms" like those of the latter animal and lies in
them during the day. When grazing it selects
slopes, where grassy pastures alternate with patches
of low underbrush. It enters the open, uncovered
pastures only at dusk or in the early morning hours.
Its movements are quick and sure. It runs with the
speed of an Antelope, jumps with the precision of
a Bouquetin, and climbs with the boldness of a
Chamois. Over the soft surface of snow-fields, in
which a Dog sinks and a Man can hardly move,
Musk Deer proceed quite comfortably, barely leav-
ing a trace. When pursued, they jump just like the
Chamois from a considerable height, without sus-
taining any injury, or they run along precipices
which barely afford a possibility of gaining a foot-
hold. In case of necessity they do not hesitate to
swim across broad rivers.
Their perceptive senses are excellent, but their
mental capacity is slight. The Musk Deer is shy,
but neither sagacious nor prudent. When an acci-
dent befalls it, it is frequently at a complete loss
how to act, and runs about as if it were deprived of
its senses. A newly captured individual behaves in
the same manner.
Reproduction, Pur- The female gives birth to one or
suit and Value of two brightly mottled voung ones,
the Mush Deer. ancj guards them faithfully till the
next pairing season, at which time she casts them
off. At the end of the third year the young have
completed their growth.
The pursuit of this important and profitable creat-
ure is very difficult, at least in Siberia. Its shyness
seldom allows a hunter to approach within shoot-
ing distance. The course usually pursued is to lay
snares on its way. The plans of the trapper for the
capture of the Deer are often nullified by the Glut-
ton, the Siberian Weasel and the Ravens. The furred
beasts of prey follow the trail of the animal and eat
the captives out of the snares. The Golden Vulture
and the Eagle also prey on the young Musk Deer,
the Panther and Cheetah on the old ones. English
sportsmen kill the Deer in the Himalayas with a
rifle, and either stalk it alone or have it driven out
by beaters.
The venison is much esteemed by Europeans in
India; the musk pouch is worth from $2.50 to $7.50.
The greater part of the musk is shipped to England
from China; but it is seldom unadulterated, for that
crafty, long-cued nation has been zealously studying
the art of adulteration of the precious substance for
ages. Old travelers relate queer things concerning
the strength of the odor of musk. Tavernier and
Chardin say that hunters are obliged to stop their
noses and mouths before cutting off the pouch, for
incautious inhalation of the odor causes fatal hem-
orrhages. Chardin affirmed that he had never been
able to nearly approach dealers in musk, and had to
make his purchases from them through the interven-
tion of commercial friends. According to his asser-
tion the odor is unbearable and really dangerous
to Europeans who are not used to it.
We still lack detailed accounts of the life of this
animal in confinement. In the year 1772 a Musk
Deer reached Paris, after a journey of three years,
and it lived there for three more years. It died
from the effects of a ball of hair, which had formed
in its stomach from the hair the animal had licked
off itself, and had become attached to the wall of the
stomach in such a manner as to prevent the passage
of food from that organ to the smaller intestines. It
had always been well previous to the accident caus-
ing its death, and this fact led French naturalists to
believe that this important animal might be intro-
duced into high European mountains.
£be Cbevrotains.
SEVENTH FAMILY: Tragulid/E.
The last family of the Ruminants comprises the
Chevrotains or Pigmy Musks {Tragnlidce), and forms
the connecting link between the Ruminants and the
Swine. The animals classified under this title in-
habit western Africa and south Asia and are exceed-
ingly pretty creatures. If one imagines a roe-like,
dainty little animal, with a rather stout body, a
slender, well-shaped head, beautiful, lustrous eyes,
and legs which are scarcely thicker than a lead
pencil, with extremely neat hoofs, a small, trim, stub
tail and a soft, close fur of attractive hue, he will
have a correct idea of a Chevrotain.
Appearance and The Kanchil or Pigmy Musk ( Tra-
Habitat of the gulus kanchil or Tragulus pygmceus)
Kanchil. js about eighteen inches in length,
less than two inches of which are included in the
tail; the height at the withers is eight inches, the
croup being nearly an inch higher. The hair is of
rather fine texture, and of reddish fallow hue on the
head, lighter on the sides, and nearly black on the
top. The upper surface of the body is reddish yel-
low-brown, strongly mingled with black along the
back, lighter on the flanks, spotted with white on the
upper part of the neck, and the under surface is white.
The older males have strongly curved canine teeth,
which protrude rather more than an inch beyond the
gums. The small, fine hoofs are of a light brown
horn color. Young animals do not differ from the
old ones in these particulars.
Java, Singapore and the Malayan peninsula are the
chief regions constituting the home of this lovely
little creature; in Sumatra, Borneo, Ceylon, as well as
in India, from its southern extremity to the Hima-
layas, up to an altitude of eighteen hundred feet, it is
represented by allied species. In Java it inhabits
the mountains more than it does the plains, existing
along the lower edges of the primeval forests cover-
ing all mountain ranges, selecting for its retreat the
brushwood forming the forest boundaries; from its
domicile it can easily reach the grassy slopes below
in a few minutes. One never encounters it in herds,
for it usually lives singly, or, at the most, in pairs dur-
ing the mating season. During the day it lies hid-
den, resting and ruminating, in the thickest part of
the bushes; at dusk it sallies forth to graze upon
various leaves, herbage and berries. Water is indis-
pensable to it.
Physical and Men- All movements of the little animal
tal Endowments are extremely light and graceful,
of the Kanchil. anc\ lively withal. In proportion to
its size it is capable of executing long leaps, and it
skillfully surmounts all obstacles in its way. But its
delicate limbs are not gifted with great endurance,
and it would soon fall into the hands of its enemies
if it did not possess a means of defense in the exe-
cution of a peculiar trick. Generally it endeavors to
escape pursuit by hiding in a bush; but as soon as it
sees that it can no longer do so, it calmly lies down
and feigns death, as the Opossum does under similar
THE SWINE.
539
circumstances. The enemy approaches, thinking
the prey is his for the taking, but before he has
reached it, the little creature gives a bound and
scampers off like a flash.
In modern times specimens of this or the other
species of Pigmy Musk have frequently been taken
to foreign lands and kept in confinement for a con-
siderable time. Wandering menageries also have
occasionally shown some one of the species all over
the country. The appearance of the animal is neat
and trim; it keeps itself exceedingly clean, and is
continually licking and dressing its fur. The large,
MUSK DEER. Animals so peculiar that they form a tamily by them
selves are the Musk Deer, which, while closely related to the Deer proper,
have many special traits of their own, including the secretion of musk.
(Moschus moschiferus.)
beautiful eyes seem to indicate that it is an animal
highly gifted mentally; but such is not the case, for
it gives no proof whatever of superior intellectual
powers: being a dull, uninteresting creature. It
spends its day sleeping, ruminating and eating.
One seldom hears the sound of its voice — a soft,
low gurgle, resembling somewhat a note of the
tremolo stop of an organ.
Clovctwlboofctt IRoiulRuminants.
SECOND SUBORDER: Sum.
The second suborder of the Artiodactyla com-
prises the non-ruminating Swine and Hippopotami,
which may be collected into two families.
Zbc Swine.
EIGHTH FAMILY: SuiD-B.
The Swine have a laterally compressed body; the
head is nearly conical in shape with a truncated
muzzle, the tail is thin, long and curly, the elongated
snout is broadened in front nto a disc, which con-
tains the nostrils; the ears are of moderate size and
are generally erect; the aperture of the lids of the
eye is oblique and proportionately small; the legs
are slender and thin, the toes stand in pairs, the
middle ones, which support the body, being mate-
rially larger than the outer ones. A more or less
dense coat of bristles covers the body. The female
has numerous mamma; placed in two parallel rows
on the abdomen. The skeleton shows light, graceful
formations. All Swine have three kinds of teeth —
incisors, canines, and molars — in the upper and
lower jaws. The number of the incisors varies be-
tween two and six in the upper jaw, and four and
six in the lower; these teeth frequently drop out
in old age, however. Canines exist always and are
of very characteristic shape — three-edged, strongly
curved and bent upwards. The remaining, or molar,
teeth, the number of which is variable, are more or
less compressed, the grinding surface being broad
and beset with many cusps, or projections. Among
the muscles, the set that moves the lips is particu-
larly noticeable; the muscles of the upper lip are
especially strong and mobile, and furnish the trunk
with the strength necessary for rooting in the earth.
Distribution and With the exception of Australia, the
Attributes of Swine are natives of nearly all coun-
the Swine. tries of the remaining continents.
They affect extensive, damp, marshy forests in
mountainous or'lowland countries, thickets, bushes,
THE KANCHIL. — This is the smallest of all the Cloven Hoofed ani-
mals, and is very agile and wary. It is snared by the Malays for the sake
of its tk-sh. (Tragulus kanchil.)
damp plains and fields grown with high grass. They
all delight in water, in bogs, pools, and the banks of
rivers and lakes. In such places they make a bed in
the mud or marsh and spend their time of rest in it,
often lying half in the water. Some species seek
shelter in large holes between the roots of trees.
The majority are gregarious; but the herds which
they form seldom attain to great numbers. Their
mode of life is nocturnal; for even in localities where
they are unmolested they begin active operations
540
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
only at dusk. They are by no means as clumsy and
helpless as they seem, their movements being com-
paratively light. Their walk is somewhat swift,
their running rapid; their gallop consists of a series
of peculiar bounds, each of which is accompanied by
an expressive grunt. They are all excellent swim-
mers, and even cross straits in order to pass from
one island to another. The perceptive senses of the
Swine are also well developed, those of smell and
hearing being especially acute. The small, dull
eye, on the contrary, does not seem to be very
keen, neither do taste and sensitiveness to touch
seem to be well developed. They are wary and shy,
and flee, as a rule, from all danger, but when they
are hemmed in, they bravely take up the defense
and often furiously charge against their antagonists.
In doing so they try to knock down and overrun
the enemy and rip him with their sharp tusks, and
they use these formidable weapons with so great
skill and vigor that they sometimes become very
dangerous. The males defend their mates, and the
mothers protect their young with great devotion.
They seem but slightly amenable to instruction, of
an obstinate disposition, and not capable of domesti-
cation of a high degree, their qualities in general not
being very attractive. Their vocal expression is a
queer grunt, expressive of a great deal of self-con-
tent and a comfortable state of mind and body.
Old males also utter a deep growl.
Diet and Repro- The Swine are omnivorous in the
ductionofthe most extended sense of the word.
Swine. Whatever is in any way edible is
acceptable to them. A few Hogs feed exclusively
on vegetable food, such as roots, herbs, cereals and
fruit, onions, mushrooms, etc.; the others consume in-
sects and their larvae, Snails, worms, reptiles, Mice —
nay, even fish — and show a great liking for carrion.
Their voracity is so well known that nothing need be
said about it; all other qualities are really absorbed
and overshadowed by it, with the sole exception of
the unparalleled uncleanliness which has made them
the objects of the aversion of mankind.
In few species does the female give birth to but a
single young one or a small litter; the others bring
forth a large number at a time, often more than any
other mammal, the number occasionally rising as
high as twenty- four. The little ones are charming,
playful, active creatures, that would delight any-
body, if they did not display the uncleanly predilec-
tions of their parents, from the first day of life.
Their growth is surprisingly rapid, and they are
capable of reproduction when they are a year old.
For this reason all countries in which they thrive
swarm with them, and they are exterminated with
difficulty even where they are in nowise protected.
Their exceeding fecundity and indifference toward
a change of environment render them highly suit-
able for a state of domesticity. Few animals are
tamed so easily; but few revert again to the wild
state so readily as they do. A young Wild Hog
usually soon becomes used to confinement and to
the filthiest of stables, while a domestic Hog, born in
such quarters, becomes a savage, fierce animal after a
few years in the free state, being scarcely different
from its ancestors, and (if it be a female) as a rule
producing young at her first litter which are in every
respect similar to wild specimens.
The Enemies All wild Swine are so destructive to
of the agriculture that they must be re-
Swine. garded as enemies to the cultivation
of tiie ground. They are therefore most diligently
pursued wherever Man assumes sovereignty. The
chase of the Wild Hogs is counted one of the noblest
of sports and has many attractive features, for they
are animals which occasionally offer a desperate
resistance.
Man, however, is the worst enemy of the Wild Hogs
in the northernmost countries only. In the equato-
rial regions the larger species of the Cat tribe and of
the Dogs pursue them and often make sad inroads
on their ranks. Foxes, smaller Felidae and birds of
prey dare attack only young Swine, and always dis-
play great caution when doing so, as the mother
vigorously protects her litter of little ones.
THE SWINE PROPER.
All Swine of the globe display great affinity to
each other in structure and character. The slight
differences which may be established are based on
the greater slenderness or bulkiness of structure, the
number of toes and teeth and the formation of the
tusks. Forty-four teeth, four toes on each foot, and
usually ten or at least eight mammae on the abdo
men of the femaie, elongated oval hairy ears and a
tail of moderate size, terminating in a tuft; such are
the characteristics of the Swine proper (Sus), which
are adequately represented in the common or Wild
Hog or Boar (Sus scrofd). ' This strong, stout and by
no means defenseless animal is fully eighty inches
in total length, including from eight to ten inches
for the tail. The height at the shoulders is thirty-
eight inches and the weight averages from three to
four hundred pounds, size and weight being subject
to considerable modifications, however, according to
the locality, season and food. The Wild Boars living
in swampy regions are always larger than those
which live in dry forests; those which exist on the
islands of the Mediterranean never equal in size
those of the continent. The Wild Boar much resem-
bles its tamed descendant in shape, though the body
is shorter and sturdier, the legs are stouter, the head
is somewhat longer and slenderer, the ears are more
erect, slightly longer and more acutely pointed; the
tusks are also larger and sharper than those of the
domestic Swine. The hue is variable, but is usually
black; gray, rusty white or mottled Wild Hogs are
rare. The young display yellowish stripes on a red-
dish gray ground, running rather straight from the
fore parts to the hindquarters and fading out in the
first months of life. The hairy covering consists of
stiff, long, pointed bristles, frequently split at the
top; rather short fine woolly hair is mingled with
them, according to the season; a kind of crest
or mane forms on the back. Rusty-colored, white
spotted individuals and such as are half black, half
white, are generally considered to be descendants of
degenerated domestic Swine, set free at some former
period to increase the number of Wild Boars.
The Ancient and In former times the Wild Boar was
Present Range of spread all over Furope, being equally
the Wild Boar, plentiful in the central and in the
southern part of this continent; at present, to the de-
light of all agriculturists and foresters and to the
regret of all sportsmen, it is extinct in several coun-
tries and in many others it exists only in a few
parks protected by game laws. Its range does not
extend northward beyond the fifty-fifth parallel. In
Germany it still exists in a completely wild state in
greater numbers than is agreeable to the agricul-
turist. Still more numerously than in Germany does
it exist in some of the mountain forests of France
and Belgium, and also in Poland, Galicia, Hungary,
(54i)
542
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
the Danube valley, southern Russia, on the Balkan
and the Spanish peninsula. In Asia it ranges from
the Caucasus to the Amoor and from latitude fifty-
five degrees north to the northern slope of the Him-
alayas; in Africa it inhabits all suitable localities
along the entire northern coast. Beyond the given
boundaries it is represented by other species, in
part still to be examined by naturalists and thus not
yet conclusively defined. Such are the Maned Hog
of continental India (Stts cristatus), the Andamanese
Hog of the Andamans (Sits andamanensis), the
Bearded Hog of Borneo (Sus barbatus), the Striped
Hog (Sus vittaius) of Java, Amboina and Bangka,
the Javan Wild Hog (Sus verrucosus) of Java and
Ceram, the Celebes Hog, found on Celebes (Sus
cclebensis), the Timor Hog on Timor (Sus timorcnsis),
the New Guinea Hog (Sus papuensis) and the Black
Hog (Sus niger) on New Guinea, the White-bearded
Hog (Sus leucomystax) in Japan and Formosa, and
finally the Sennaar Hog (Sus sennarcnsis) in the cen-
tre of northeastern Africa. A strong Indian Boar
is by no means afraid of a combat with a Tiger, and
not infrequently proves itself master of the field.
The Preferred Damp and swampy localities are
Domicile of the often the abode of the Wild Boar,
Wild Hog. no matter whether they are covered
with extensive forests or only a swampy growth; it
shows a great predilection, however, for extensive,
young and dense forests of fir, pine, and other trees
with needle-like foliage. In many localities of
Egypt the Wild Boars live all the year around in
sugar-cane fields, without ever leaving them; they
feed on the canes, wallow in the water which is con-
ducted through the fields, and feel so thoroughly
satisfied there that they can not be driven away by
any means. In constructing its bed the Boar roots
out a depression, just large enough to take in its
body; if the material is obtainable it lines this lair
with moss, dry grass and foliage, and rests in it
quite comfortably. Herds of Wild Boars prepare
their lairs in a similar manner, but in lying down
so dispose of themselves that the heads of all are
directed toward a common centre.
Omniuorous Pro- Being very gre gar ious, the Wild
pensities of Hogs are wont to gather into herds,
Wild Hogs. tne sows with the young, by them-
selves. The mature males not infrequently form
troops of their own; but males of seven years or
older live solitary and join the herds only during the
breeding season. During the day the members of
the herd lie in their lairs, quietly and lazily; towards
evening they rise and start in search of food. At
first they root up the earth in the woods or in the
fields, or they run to a pool, and wallow in it for half
an hour or so. Such a cooling bath seems to be in-
dispensable to them, for sometimes they run miles to
obtain it. Only when complete quiet prevails do
they attack the fields and from any place upon which
they then settle they are driven away with extreme
difficulty. When the heads of grain are filling out
it is very hard to drive them out of the fields and to
protect the crop from damage. They eat much less
than they trample down or uproot, and this is why
they are so exceedingly destructive. In the woods
and on the meadows the Hogs look for worms and
insects and their grubs and truffles, or in fall and
winter for acorns, hazel-nuts and chestnuts; in the
cultivated fields they take potatoes, turnips, cereals,
peas and beans. One may say in general, that they
eat all imaginable kinds of plants and various animal
substances, even dead beasts, slain Deer and car-
casses of their own kind, and occasionally they may
become truly beasts of prey, for they attack fawns,
pursue Red or Fallow Deer or Roes which are
wounded or weak from scant food, and in times of
scarcity they eat their own young. According to
whether food is plentiful or the winter a severe one,
they may temporarily change their quarters and
even undertake considerable migrations.
General Mental Wild Hogs are wary and ever on the
Characteristics of alert, though not exactly shy, as they
the Wild Hog. can depend on their own strength
and weapons. Their character is a queer blending
of a preference for comfortable repose, inoffensive
good-nature, impetuosity and uncommon irritability.
The strongest Boar will not molest a person if it is
not provoked: but it always attacks a Dog and en-
deavors to kill it. No sow, however, and still less
an old male will endure insult, or even teasing.
If a person quietly goes his own way the Wild Boar
pays no attention to him, or else makes off; but
if it is provoked, it will turn even upon an armed
Man. Dietrich aus dem Winckell relates how, when
an inexperienced youth, he once gave a Pig, which
ordinarily was quite a good-natured fellow, a blow
with his whip when riding past it, after which he
was obliged to ride as fast as he could to escape it.
He says: " Even a hunter must be on his guard when
confronted with wounded Swine. When a Hog at-
tacks Man or beast, it rushes at its antagonist with
great rapidity. It deals powerful, dangerous blows
with its tusks; it rarely ceases the aggressive and
still less frequently does it retreat. If one does not
lose his presence of mind in such cases he lets the
Hog approach quite close and then jumps quickly
behind a tree; or, if this is not feasible, simply
aside; thus the animal, not being very agile, rushes
past. But he who has no time or opportunity for
the execution of these maneuvres for safety, can
only throw himself flat upon the ground; for a
fighting Hog can strike only in an upward direction,
never downward." The female is not of so hasty a
temper as the male, but is little inferior to it in
courage. She can not inflict severe injuries with her
tusks, but this fact only results in making her still
more dangerous than the male, for she stops near
the object of her wrath, tramples on it with her feet
■and tears out pieces of flesh with her teeth. Even
half-grown sows or young Pigs attack human beings;
little ones are defended by older animals with in-
domitable courage. Sows which have Pigs do not
easily give up the pursuit of any person who has
robbed them of a little one.
If one looks at the tusks of a large Hog he realizes
that they may become formidable weapons. Both
tusks are white and lustrous and extremely sharp and
pointed, and as age increases, they become more so
through constant mutual friction. The tusks of the
male increase in length and size and become more
strongly curved as the animal grows older.
Birth and Infancy The weaker sows give birth to from
of Wild four to six, the stronger ones to
P'9S- eleven or twelve Pigs at a litter, in
a lair which the mother has previously prepared in
some lonely thicket and lined with moss, pine or
fir needles, or other foliage. In this retreat she
hides her little ones during the first two weeks,
leaving them for short intervals only when she goes
in search of food.
A group of these handsomely marked, young ani-
mals affords a pleasing spectacle, for the little Pigs
are lively and extremely amusing creatures. Their
THE S 1 1 1NE- S \ I LYE PR OPER.
543
markings are very becoming to them, and the play-
ful, mischievous disposition of youth presents a
perfect contrast to the laziness and fierceness of the
animal in old age. The sow advances gravely, the
pigs run back and forth, squealing and grunting, dis-
persing and then collecting again, stopping, per-
v- %^
■
^llp
THE BERKSHIRE HOG. This is a favorite English breedof domestic Swine, dis-
tinguished by a stout body, pointed, erect ears, comparatively short limus and early maturity
of growth. (Sus scrofa.)
petrating some clumsy little joke, surrounding the
mother and stopping her to suckle, and again mer-
rily trotting on. So it goes all night: and even by
day the restless brood can scarcely bear the restraint
of the lair, continually moving to and fro. The age
a Wild Boar may attain is estimated at twenty or
thirty years. A tame Hog never becomes
so old; lack of exercise and dearth of
suitable food shorten its life. The wild
Swine are probably subject to few diseases.
In central Europe their principal foes are
the Wolf and Lynx and probably also the
sly Fox, which catches at least an occa-
sional little pig. In more southern regions
the larger members of the Cat tribe, espe-
cially the Tiger, pursue this choice game
extensively. The greatest foe of the ani-
mal, however, is Man.
The Boar a Favor- The chase of the Wild Boar
ite Game An- has ever been held to be a
imal. gallant, manly sport; at
present, however, it has become more of
a farce — a travesty on the old hunts — than
an equal struggle between hunter and ani-
mal. In olden times matters were cer-
tainly seriously different, especially when
the only arms in common use were the
bow and the spear.
A Wild Boar defends itself against Dogs
with unyielding rage. In former times
people used in hunting Wild Hogs only
the so-called Boar-hounds, strong, fleet
and courageous animals, which were kept
in a half-savage state and used only in Boar hunts.
One breed of Dogs was used to follow the trail of
the quarry and the other kind fought it. Before
they would be able to seize the Boar and hold it
fast by the ears, many a Dog had his body ripped
open or sustained some other injury. When once
seized by the ears the Boar would be held until
the hunters came up and dispatched it.
The flesh of the Wild Boars is justly much es-
teemed, for it has not only the taste of pork but a
genuine gamy flavor besides. The skin is also util-
ized and the bristles are in great request.
But however great the profit may be, it
can never outweigh the damage the ani-
mal inflicts on the agricultural districts
- it may infest.
Origin of the Com- Not only the European
mon Domestic Wild Boar, but also sev-
H°9- eral of its Indian, Ma-
layan and eastern Asiatic relatives seem
to have been reduced to the domestic
state from the earliest ages. In Julien's
opinion domestic Pigs were bred in the
Celestial Empire about 4,900 years be-
fore Christ; Rutimeyer's investigations
of the lake dwellings show two different
breeds of the useful domestic animal in
Switzerland. "The ancient Egyptians,"
says Dumichen, "kept the Hog as a
domestic animal. The monumental in-
scriptions mention it and it is pictured
singly and in herds. Yet it seems to
have been kept for the sole purpose of
being offered as a sacrifice on certain
feasts of the year." It is frequently
mentioned in the Bible; the Odyssey
speaks of it as of a universally known
and generally cared for animal.
Innumerable breeds have arisen and become ex-
tinct since those times and even now, as a result
of the requirements of necessity or fashion, or by
chance, new breeds originate and older ones die out.
Fitzinger and Von Nathusius assume that all breeds
now living may be traced back to two different
Writ* ^mm> -
THE HARRISSON HOG. A variety of domestic Swine with pointed, semi-
pendent ears, short legs, and tapering muzzle. It becomes excessively fat and is valuable
for pork production. {Sus sirofa.)
forms or species: the European Wild Boar and one
south Asiatic species {Sus cristatJis). This, however,
does not preclude the fact that other I ndo- Malay-
Chinese species have also taken part in the evolution
of the domestic species. Great as the difference be-
544
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
tWeeii these breeds may be, their existence as well
as the origin and dying out of forms bred under the
influence of Man arc explained by independent or
compelled selection in breeding and also by the
variable conditions of climate, food, etc., surround-
ing domestic Hogs. All the popular and admired
breeds of modern times are only artificial products
of Man: the sturdy Berkshire, the fat Harrisson, and
the compactly built Runt Hog. The Masked Hog
is also an artificial production and owes its existence
to the caprice of Japanese breeders. We leave it to
others to describe that, as well as all other breeds,
and will only cast a cursory glance at the habits and
qualities of the domestic Hog in general.
Distribution of The domestic Hog is at present dis-
the Domes- tributcd all over the globe. As far
tie Hog. north as agriculture is pursued it
lives in a state of domesticity; in the southern coun-
tries it is kept in herds more or less remote from
human companionship. As swampy countries con-
stitute its natural and preferred range it undergoes
MASKED HOGS. A curious variety of the domestic Swine is the Masked Hogs, to
which I) reed the animals shown in the picture belong. This species has its home in Japan,
and its notable features are the deep furrows in its face, and the large pendulous ears.
(Sus plicipkps. )
certain modifications as a consequence of enforced
life among mountains. The higher it ascends the
more it assumes the character of a mountain animal.
The body becomes smaller and sturdier, the head
shorter and less pointed, the forehead broader; the
neck shortens and augments in thickness, the hinder
quarters are more rounded and the legs become
stronger. Mountain Hogs accumulate little fat, but
have tenderer and finer grained flesh and are less
prolific than those living in the valleys. The cli-
mate, the conditions of the soil and breeding and
crossing also exercise a certain influence on the
i olor and so it happens that in some countries one
hue prevails, in others different ones. Thus the
Hogs in Spain are almost exclusively black, while
individuals of that color arc very rare in the north.
Method of Life Swine are kept and fattened cither
of Domestic in stables or folds, or are kept out-
Hogs. dinus for a great part of the year.
The animals which are penned in become larger and
fatter, but arc weaker and more subject to diseases
than those which spend the greater part of their
lives outdoors; these latter are usually somewhat
longer-legged and leaner, but much stronger physic-
ally and mentally, and more independent and cour-
ageous than the former. This forest breeding, if
such 1 may term it, is followed not only in America,
but also in most provinces of Russia, in the Danube
valley, in Greece, Italy, southern France and Spain.
In Scandinavia the Hogs run at large at least during
the whole summer, each having a small triangular
wooden collar around its neck, which prevents it
from entering fenced-in land, but does not hinder it
in the least in other respects. In traveling through
Norway one sees Hogs running along the high roads
very leisurely and contentedly, seeking all kinds
of refuse and procuring other food by vigorous ex-
ploration of the ground by rooting. In southern
Hungary, Croatia, Slavonia, Bosnia, Servia, Turkey
and Spain, they are left to their own devices all the
year round, and are cared for only sufficiently to
keep them from running away. They appear to
appreciate their surroundings in the forest
and find very suitable feeding and fattening
grounds, especially in the oak woods. In
Spain they ascend high up in the moun-
tains, in the Sierra Nevada, for instance,
as high as 7,500 feet, and seem contented
and thrifty in localities in which other ani-
mals could not find enough to sustain them.
Life in the free state greatly develops all
their physical and mental qualities. They
are good runners and climbers and are
amply able to protect themselves. In some
instances, particularly in the colder tem-
perate climates, the Hogs are kept in for-
ests in summer and in folds in the winter.
It has been held, but quite erroneously,
that a Hog needs mud and dirt for its
physical welfare. Recent investigations
have demonstrated that this animal thrives
much better when it is kept clean, than
when it constantly wallows in the mud;
therefore well informed and progressive
breeders no longer coop up their Pigs in
the abominable prisons, called pig-sties,
but give them spacious, airy premises, that
can easily be cleaned, and there they rear
much healthier and stronger domestic Pigs
than they formerly did in the small, dirty
sties. The best plan is to have the floor
of the swine-fold made of stone slabs.
Mental Attribute The domestic Hog is voracious, re-
of the Domes- fractory and awkward, and displays
tic Hog. little attachment to humanity. There
are exceptions, however. Domestic Hogs, which
from early youth have lived more in contact with
the family than by themselves, as not infrequently
happens in rural regions, exercise their intellectual
powers and prove themselves much more intelligent
than others of their kind. A forest guard told me,
that he at one time had a little Pig of the so-called
Chinese breed in his possession. It followed him
like a Dog, knew its name, always came when it was
called, went up the stairs with him, behaved quite
decently in the house, obeyed orders and performed
tricks. It had been taught to look for morels in the
woods and performed its duty with great zeal. In
France especially are Hogs trained to seek truffles.
They also acquire many other accomplishments.
When Louis XI was sick, nothing could cheer the
melancholy king until a troop of well-trained little
THE SWINE—SWINE PROPER.
o45>
Pigs were brought to him; they were attired in
queer clothing and danced to the music of a bag-
pipe. ( Hher Pigs have been trained to form words
of large printed letters, to indicate the time after
looking at a clock, etc. An Englishman had a Pig
trained to hunt. The animal was called "Slut;" it
was very fond of the sport and would follow any
hunter. It would point at any kind of game with
the exception of the Hare, which it never seemed to
notice. So sensitive was its nose that it would fre-
quently point at a bird at a distance of forty yards.
"Slut" was employed in the capacity of pointer for
several years, but was at last killed, because it had
become a dangerous neighbor to the Sheep. Other
Pigs have been trained to run in harness. A farmer
near St. Albans, Kngland, often came in with a team
of four Hogs, drove once or twice around the mar-
ket-place, fed his team, and then drove back to his
cause its death: as to the rest it eats anything Man
eats and a hundred things beside. It selects its food
indiscriminately from the vegetable and animal king-
doms. It makes itself very useful on fallow land
and in stubble-fields, as it destroys Mice, Maggots,
Snails, Earth-worms, Grasshoppers, chrysalids of
Butterflies, and various weeds, and as a result gets
very fat while it is rooting up the earth. Black
Hogs are said to enjoy the advantage of being able
to consume poisonous plants of all kinds without
injury to themselves, and therefore they are kept in
some countries to either partial or total exclusion
of all others.
While one tries, as much as possible, during the fat-
tening process to keep domestic Hogs from taking
exercise, he must allow some space for recreation
to those destined for breeding. They also require
clean, warm folds. The pairing usually occurs twice
THE TDFTED HOG. This animal, sometimes known as the Red River Hog. is noted for its vivid coloring, its somewhat humped back and
light-colored mane, and above all for its long, penciled ears. It is a native of west Africa, where it runs wild in the forests. (Potamochxrus porcus.)
house. Another farmer laid a wager that he would
in one hour ride his Pig from his own house to Nor-
folk, a distance of four miles, and he won his wager.
These stories prove that Hogs are docile and
carry with them the corollary that we ought not to
underrate their mental capacity. It is a queer fact
that Hosjs always display a certain aversion towards
Dogs. Tame and wild' Hogs have no scruples
against eating all other sorts of carrion, but are said
never to touch Dog-flesh; on the other hand strange
Dogs are often attacked by a gang of village Hogs,
and sportsmen and promenaders, who, with their
Dogs, visit villages where Hogs are allowed to run
abroad, do well in being cautious.
Feeding and Uses In general a tame Hog is almost
of the Domes- absolutely omnivorous. 1 here really
tic Hog. is hardly a nutritive substance which
this animal would scorn. Some plants are not
touched by it and acrid, pungent spices sometimes
a year, in the beginning of April or in September.
From sixteen to eighteen weeks later, the sow pro-
duces from four to six, sometimes from twelve to
fifteen, and in rare cases from twenty to twenty-four
voting. The mother displays little maternal solici-
tude for her Pigs, often not even preparing a bed
before their arrival. It happens not infrequently,
when the number of her progeny annoys her, that
she eats some of them, this usually happening after
she has smothered them by rolling over the Pigs
accidentally. Some sows have to be watched and
denied animal food a longtime before the little ones
make their appearance. If the mother is patient
and careful with them, the young are left to suckle
for four weeks, and require no other attention.
Then they are taken iwayand reared on light, easily-
digested food. Their growth is very rapid and a
Hog is capable of reproduction at the early age of
eight months.
54G
THE CLOVEN- HOOTED ANIMALS.
I need say nothing about the utilization of the car-
cass ot the animal; for everybody knows that abso-
lutely no part of the body is wasted.
THE HUMPED HOGS.
The Hogs that have so far been considered are
followed by the Humped Hogs (Potamochceriis) ,
which are undoubtedly the handsomest members of
the entire family. Their distinctive features consist
in a bony protuberance situated between eye and
nose, an elongated face, a moderately long and finely
shaped muzzle, large, narrow, pointed ears, decorated
with hairy tufts, a moderately long, bushy tail and
four mammae in the female.
Description of The Tufted Hog (Potamochcems por-
the Tufted cits) the most beautiful of all Swine,
H°9- has been known since the middle of
the seventeenth century. This animal is consider-
ably smaller than the Wild Boar, though it attains,
at full growth, a length of from five feet to five feet
four inches, inclusive of the tail, which is ten inches
in length; the height at the shoulders ranges from
twenty-two to twenty-four inches. The skin is cov-
ered with short, soft bristles, which are elongated
into a weak mane along the course of the spine
and develop into tufts beneath the eyes, into stout
whiskers on the cheeks and into a bushy tuft at the
extremity of the tail, the remaining portion of which
is naked along the greater part of its length.
The prevailing color of the animal is a fine lustrous
brownish red, dashed with yellow. The animal
abounds mainly in west Africa, but Boehm mentions
having seen it several times in eastern Africa.
We still have very scanty information concerning
the life of the Tufted Hog in a wild state. The
Gussfeldt Loango exploring party obtained several
young Tufted Hogs. One of them was installed in
the Monkey cage, was on excellent terms with its
fellow-prisoners and was very amusing by reason of
its cheerful, active disposition. Pechuel-Loesche
says, in speaking of the wild specimens: "They are
iively and very fleet; judging from their trails, they
always roam about in considerable herds, especially
in damp forests, near rivers, though they are not
rare in the mountains. Occasionally one may be
heard grunting in the thicket, quite near the traveler,
or still more frequently they growl in quite a pecul-
iar, contented way. When they are alarmed, they
seldom give a sound, but retreat noiselessly, hoping
to remain unseen. They are tenacious of life and
may go quite a long distance after being struck by a
well-aimed bullet. The flesh is savory."
Like all Wild Boars, they endure the change from
.a torrid to a temperate climate fairly well and usu-
ally survive if protected during the severe weather
of the winter; they would excite great hopes of
successful propagation in captivity if they would
■only take better care of their young than they have
so far done under human supervision.
The Bush Hog A second species of the genus, the
of Southern and Bosch Vark or Bush Hog (Potamo-
Eastern Africa, clacrits t/fricamts), it is believed, in-
habits only southern and eastern Africa. It is some-
what larger than the Tufted Hog, has a uniform
growth of hair, except a recumbent mane on the
neck and rather stout whiskers. The beard and
mane arc whitish gray, the face is fallow gray, the
rest of the body reddish grayish-brown.
THE BABIRUSA.
A very curious Hog lives on Celebes and the
adjacent islands east of it, especially on Sulu, IYIan-
gola and Buru. It is much slenderer and has longer
legs than all the others of its kin, but is chiefly dis-
tinguished by its tusks, which have the appearance
of horns, for they attain such great length that they
may quite appropriately be compared to those mem-
bers. Europeans have simply accepted the original
native name, Babirusa, which is equivalent to Boar-
Deer. The Babirusa differs from all other members
of the family by reason of its canines and is justly
regarded as the representative of a distinct genus
(Porcus. )
Description of The Babirusa (Porcus babyrussci) is an
the Babi- animal of comparatively large phys-
rusa. [ca\ proportions. Modern sportsmen
report having seen male Babirusas as large as me-
dium-sized Donkeys. The average length of body
of an adult animal amounts to forty-four inches,
the tail is eight inches in length, the height at the
withers and croup is thirty-two inches. The body
is elongated, the back slightly arched, the head
comparatively small, the legs are long and quite
vigorous, each having four toes, and the tail is slen-
der and pendent. The canine teeth of the upper
jaw of the male Babirusa are extremely long, thin
and pointed, rounded on their front face, later-
ally compressed, blunt-edged behind, and directed
upwards and at the same time strongly curved
backwards, so that they sometimes penetrate into
the skin of the forehead when the animal is of an
advanced age; they pierce the root of the mouth
and curve backward in a crescent shape or even still
more markedly. The shorter and thicker tusks of
the lower jaw are directed upwards in a straighter
manner. The canines of the female are very short.
The hairy covering consists of sparse and rather
short bristles, which are thickset along the course of
the spine, between the numerous wrinkles of the
skin and at the extremity of the tail, where they
form a small tuft. The skin is thick, hard, rough,
greatly wrinkled and deeply furrowed on the face,
around the ears and on the neck. A dingy, ashy
gray on the upper and exterior surface and a rusty
red on the inner faces of the limbs are the prevailing
colors; a brownish yellow band, formed by the tips
of the bristly hair, extends along the middle line.
The ears are blackish.
History, Range and It seems that the Babirusa was
Habits of the known to the ancients. Skulls of
Babirusa. the animal have been known to
naturalists for several hundred years, but skins have
ever been rare in Europe, and are so still; the pic-
tures have been caricatures and the natural history
of the animal consisted of a series of the most in-
sipid fables.
Celebes must be regarded as the real native
country of the Babirusa, for it is only found there
and on the previously mentioned adjacent islands,
being absent from the other islands of the Austra-
lian Archipelago and also on the Asiatic and Aus-
tralian continents. Its habits are similar to those of
other Swine. Swampy forests, cane-brakes, moors
and lakes grown with a profusion of aquatic plants
are its favorite haunts. There it assembles into
greater or smaller societies, sleeping by day and
roaming about by night in search of food, accepting
anything in the line of provender. The Babirusa
avoids Man as long as it can, but when driven to
bay, it defends itself with the resolute courage com-
mon to all male Hogs, and its lower canine teeth are
such effective weapons that they may well inspire
the most courageous Man with a sentiment of cau-
THE S 1 1 -LYE— IV ART HO GS.
547
tion. The natives are said to kill it with spears and
sometimes to organize hunts in which the animal
is driven by beaters, under which circumstances it
usually seeks safety in flight.
T>ie sow is said to give birth to one or two young,
in February. They are pretty little creatures, from
seven to eight inches in length, and are loved and
defended by their mother with great devotion. If
the young are taken early, they gradually acquire a
certain degree of tameness; they become used to
Man, occasionally follow their keepers about and
express their gratitude by shaking their ears and
tails. One sometimes finds a living Babirusa in the
possession of a native chief, for the people of the
islands which it inhabits regard it in the light of a
queer creature and keep it in confinement as a curi-
osity. This, however, happens quite seldom, and a
high price is asked for a Hog of this kind.
the London Zoological Garden, and some of them
throve quite well, and propagated in captivity, under
the careful treatment accorded to them.
THE WART HOGS.
Besides the Humped Hogs (Potomochcencs), Africa
harbors genuine monsters of the same family, the
Wart Hogs {Phacochcerus). They are the clumsiest
and ugliest of all known Swine, distinguished above
all by the ungainliness of their heads and the pecul-
iarity of their dentition. The body is of cylindrical
shape, the neck short, the head bulky, with a low,
broad forehead, the nasal area being perceptibly
broadened all over and disproportionately so in the
front part of the upper lip. On the sides the head
is disfigured by three wart-like growths; one of these
is over an inch high, pointed and mobile and is situ-
ated below the eye; another, a smaller one, stands
THE BABIRUSA. A peculiar species of the Swine family found in some of the islands of the Malay Archipelago. The tusks of the lower jaw are
long and sharp, but the upper pair grow very long and curve backward. Only the male Babirusa has these tusks. (.Parens babyrussa.)
Markus, the Dutch governor of the Moluccas,
made a present of a couple of Babirusas to the
French naturalists, Ouoy and Gaimard, when they
visited him on their tour around the world. These
two Babirusas were the first that were brought
to Europe alive, arriving in 1820. Both animals
became tolerably tame. They proved to be ex-
tremely sensitive to cold. In March the female
gave birth to a young one and immediately became
very irritable and vicious. She allowed nobody to
touch her offspring, tore the clothes of the keepers
and snapped violently at those who approached her.
Unfortunately the animals did not long survive, for
the cold climate proved fatal to them. The little
Pig, a male, grew rapidly and attained, to a consid-
able size in a few weeks. It died before it was
two years old. Later, other living Babirusas reached
erect on the fore part of the side of the upper jaw,
and the third, which is long at the root, begins on
the lower jaw and extends along it to the mouth.
The small eyes are prominent, like those of the
Hippopotamus; the disk on the snout is enlarged
and is of an ovoid shape, the longest diameter being
horizontal. The skin is covered with very short and
thinly set bristles, with the exception of whiskers
and a spinal mane-like crest. The dentition con-
sists originally of six incisors above and below,
gigantic, longitudinally furrowed tusks, which bend
directly upward, as they do with the Hogs, and six
molars in each row, above and below. Thus there
are forty teeth, of which, however, not only the mo-
lars, but also a majority of the incisors, usually drop
out, although the loss of the teeth is not uniform
but varies in different individuals.
548
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
Physical Charac- The Wart Hog (PJiacockcert/s africanus)
teristics of the attains a total length of six feet four
Wart Hog. inches, inclusive of the tail, which
measures eighteen inches; the height at the shoulders
is twenty-eight inches; the appearance of the animal
is also characterized by the very elongated, broad
snout somewhat furrowed along the center, the erect
excrescences and the tusks which are but very
slightly, if at all, bent laterally. The hairy cover-
ing of the sides and under parts of the body is short
and thin, even during the cold season. On the
other hand a mane, which begins on the forehead,
broadens on the back, and extends to the croup,
attains so considerable a length that it falls down to
the abdomen along the sides. The range of the
Wart Hog extends principally over the eastern
parts of central Africa.
ish brown, mingled with white, on the sides [and1
there is an oblique whitish stripe on the neck and
shoulders, from which it derives its name of Collared
Peccary]. The inguinal gland secretes a fluid of
pungent odor, offensive to human nostrils, but which
seem to be a grateful perfume to the animals them-
selves, for they frequently rub their muzzles over
each other's glands, and seem to derive a considera-
ble degree of satisfaction from the act.
The White Lipped The second species of the genus, the
Peccary De- White-lipped Peccary ( Dicotylcs labi-
senbed. atus) is perceptibly larger than its
relative, from which, also, it differs in color: and it
has a large white patch on the lower jaw. Its gen-
eral color is grayish brown, rather uniform on the
entire body, the light patch on the muzzle standing
out in bold relief.
■
*£
THE WART HOG. This African animal has many peculiar features, those from which it derives its name being the fleshy warts which disfigure
its face. It is a very strong animal and its back is surmounted by long bristles forming a mane. {Phacochcerus africanus.)
THE PECCARIES.
Among the distinctive characteristics of the Pec-
caries (Dicotylcs) are, first, their dentition: the teeth
are thirty-eight in number and the tusks do not
curve upward, nor do they pierce the upper lip.
These animals are further characterized by a compact
structure; a short head and short, slender snout,
and rather small cars; by the lack of an outer digit
on each hind foot, the rudimentary tail, the cutane-
ous gland opening near the loins, and the mamma;
of the female, which are two in number.
Description of The Collared Peccary {Dicotylcs tor-
the Collared quatus) is a small Hog measuring not
Peccary. more than thirty-eight inches, with a
tail less than an inch long, and the height at the
shoulders is from fourteen to sixteen inches. The
general color is a blackish brown, fading intoyellow-
Range and Habits The Peccaries are of common occur-
of the Pec- rence in all wooded regions of South
caries. America, up to an altitude of about
three thousand feet above the sea. [The range of
the Collared Peccary extends also northward through
Central America, Mexico and Texas, the Red River
in Arkansas being the northeastern boundary of its
range.] The White-lipped Peccaries roam through
the woods in large herds numbering thousands,
under the leadership of the strongest males. The
Collared Peccaries form into troops only numbering
from ten to fifteen, and they daily change their place
of abode and arc continually migrating. Rengger
affirms that one may follow them for days without
seeing them. "In their wanderings," says this nat-
uralist, "neither the open country (which ordinarily
they seldom frequent) nor water can stop them. If
THE HIPPOPOTAMI.
549
they reach a field, they cross it at a run, and if they
arrive at the banks of a river, they do not hesitate an
instant, but swim across it. I saw them crossing the
Paraguay River at a place where it required about
half an hour to do so. The herd keeps together in
a close throng, the males in advance, each mother
female having her young behind her. The noise
made by the herd can be heard from afar, not only
on account of the dull, hoarse sounds made by the
animals, but still more by reason of the "crackling of
the branches which they break in their impetuous
progress."
The Peccaries search for food both day and night,
and it is probably the lack of suitable food which
actuates them in their more extensive wanderings.
All kinds of arboreal fruit and roots furnish their
usual fare. Their teeth are so strong that, as
Schomburgk says, they can easily open the hardest
of palm-seeds. In inhabited countries they fre-
quently make inroads on plantations and do great
mischief to the crops. They are said also to eat
Snakes, Lizards, worms and grubs, besides vege-
table food. In their move-
ments and character they ex-
hibit an affinity to the Wild
Boars, but show neither the
voracity nor uncleanliness of
the latter; for they never eat
more than they require and
seek water only during pe-
riods of the most intense
heat, and then they wallow
only in pools. During the
day they hide in hollow tree-
trunks or between loose roots;
when they are hunted, they
always flee to such hiding
places. Their perceptive
senses are weak, their mental
capacity slight. The senses
of hearing and smell seem to
be best developed, but that
of sight is very poor.
"The White-lipped Pecca
ries," says Rengger, "are ex-
tensively hunted, partly for
the sake of their flesh, and
partly because they are so hurtful to the crops.
They are usually tracked in the woods by Dogs and
killed with fire-arms or spears. If they are in the
habit of invading a certain plantation, the planter
digs a pit, which may be as deep as nine feet, on that
portion of his possessions through which they are
wont to pass as they take their departure. He then
waits for them to put in an appearance, and when
they come he drives them towards the pit, with the
help of Dogs and Men, who raise a great outcry; if
the herd is numerous, the pit is sometimes half filled
with them. The Indians catch them with snares."
The female gives birth to a single young one, or
in some rare cases two; the little ones follow their
mothers perhaps as early as the first day, but cer-
tainiy in a very short time after their birth. These
little Peccaries do not grunt, but cry somewhat like
Goats. They are tamed without trouble and be-
come true domestic animals if accorded good treat-
ment.
The skin of the Peccaries is principally used for
bags and thongs, the flesh being eaten by the poorer
classes. It has an agreeable taste which has, how-
ever, no resemblance to pork.
Gbc Ibippopotami.
NINTH FAMILY: Hippopota.\jid,e.
The Hippopotamus {Hippopotamus amphibius) is
very much clumsier than any of the other Artiodac-
tyla and is, besides one much smaller relative (the
Liberian Hippopotamus, which is yet little known,
and occurs in Upper Guinea) the only living repre-
sentative of a distinct family, the Hippopotami {Hip-
popotaniidcc). The ancient Egyptians, who called the
uncouth giant "River-Hog," were much more cor-
rect in their appellation than the Greeks, who
called it "River-Horse," or the Arabs, who call it
"Water-Buffalo;" for if the Behemoth mentioned in
the Bible can be compared to any animal, that ani-
mal is the Swine.
General Character- From a purely external considera-
istics of the Hip- tion the head differs more than any-
popotamus. ^ing else from all others mammals.
It is distinguished by its nearly rectangular shape,
and by the small ears and eyes, as well as the ob-
THE COLLARED PECCARY. Though placed with the Swine in scientific classification, the Pec-
caries have many peculiarities. The Collared Peccary has a peculiarly shaped head, rough, bristly coat, and
short tail which are among its most characteristic features. (Dico/yles torquatus.)
liquely placed, large nostrils of a curved, slit-like
shape, which, together with the other organs of
sense, form the highest points of a plane, below
which lie the forehead and facial part. The head is
also characterized by the shapeless muzzle, the thick,
smooth upper part of which is rather narrow pos-
teriorly, broadens and becomes thicker in front,
and is abruptly cut off, giving to the beast a thick
upper lip which covers and closes the hideous mouth
from all sides. The neck is short and stout, the
body long, but at the same time thickened out of
all proportion and therefore inordinately clumsy;
the back is higher at the croup than at the withers,
and depressed in the middle, and the abdomen is
full and round, and so pendulous as to touch the
earth when the animal walks on muddy ground.
The tail is short and thin, and towards the extremity
laterally compressed; and the disproportionately
short, shapeless legs have broad, four-toed feet, the
digits being joined by short webs and all directed
forward. The extremity of the tail alone has short,
wiry bristles. The remainder of the hide, which is
nearly an inch thick and is characterized by several
deep folds, especially on the neck and chest, is very
550
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
sparsely covered by short, bristly hair. Furrows,
which cross each other, divide the skin into scale-
like plates, which may be of large or small size.
The color is of a peculiar coppery brown, which
merges into a dark, dirty-looking red on the upper
surface and into a bright, purple-brownish tint be-
neath. Brownish and bluish spots, placed with a
considerable degree of regularity, give the rather
uniform mass a certain diversification in coloring.
The hue changes, however, with reference to whether
the Hippopotamus is dry or wet. On just leaving
the water, its upper parts appear brownish blue, and
the lower surface nearly flesh-colored, but when the
skin dries, it becomes darker, nearly blackish brown
or slate-colored, or when the sun shines on its back,
it looks uniformly bluish gray. The total length of
an adult male Hippopotamus is from fourteen feet
to fifteen feet, inclusive of the tail, which is eighteen
inches long; the height at the shoulders is five feet.
The weight of the animals may average from four
thousand to five thousand pounds, and probably
may rise as high as six thousand in an old bull.
The head alone of such a giant weighs fully four
hundred pounds.
The dentition of the Hippopotamus differs from
that of the Swine, with which it most nearly corre-
sponds, less in the number of teeth than in their for-
mation. Each jaw contains four incisors, two ca-
nines and fourteen molars: thus the teeth are forty
in number. The two central incisors of the lower
jaw are separated from each other by a gap, are con-
siderably larger than the lateral ones, and are in a
certain sense similar to canine teeth. Those of the
upper jaw are smaller, curved and placed perpendic-
ularly to the jaw. The canine teeth of the lower
jaw are enormous tusks, averaging twenty inches in
length and eight pounds in weight; they are three-
sided, curved in a crescent shape, beveled at the
extremity, and marked with deep longitudinal fur-
rows; the upper ones, which are directed downward,
are perceptibly smaller and weaker than the lower
pair, but are also curved and beveled. The skele-
ton is exceedingly bulky in all its parts; the skull is
nearly rectangular, flat and compressed, the cerebral
area is small, the orbit is surrounded by a high ridge
formed by the frontal and malar bone, the remainder
of the bony framework is thick, clumsy and heavy.
The Range of At present one must penetrate rather
the Hippo- deeply to the interior, coming from
potamus. the north, if he wishes to encounter a
Hippopotamus in Africa. The noted animals have
receded far towards the center of the continent along
the Nile. Only when one reaches the very heart of
Africa do the sculptured effigies in the Egyptian
temples, which date four thousand years back, be-
come living pictures before one's sight. There the
same animals are found to-day, among the un-
changed people; there we meet the Baboon and the
Crocodile, the sacred Ibis and the Tantalus, and be-
side them what remains of the Elephant, the Rhi-
noceros and the Hippopotamus. Wherever Man
rules undisputed the latter have succumbed to the
terrible firearms; but where he is armed only with
a spear or bow, they still confront him as living
enemies. The Hippopotamus is now extinct in all
parts of Egypt and also in Nubia, where Ruppell
found it in considerable numbers as late as the be-
ginning of this century.
In east, south and west Africa the Hippopotami
end much lower towards the coast than in the
northern half of the continent, and not infrequently
even swim out to sea. They likewise go up a river,
as far as the force of the current permits them, and
thus it happens that they are found in the lake of
Tana in Abyssinia, which is situated 6,460 feet above
the sea.
General Traits of The River Horse is confined more
the Hippopot- closely to the water than any other
amus. thick-skinned animal; for properly
speaking it comes to the shore only in exceptional
cases: when the stream itself does not abound in
the plants which form the animal's customary food,
it leaves the water for the purpose of feeding.
Sometimes, however, it seeks the bank during the
day, to bask in the sun's rays.
In favorable spots along a watercourse an expert
can soon discover the whereabouts of these gigantic
animals. At intervals of three or, at the most, four
minutes, during calm weather, one may see a jet of
spray rising to the height of about eighteen inches,
and may hear a rushing, puffing or snorting sound.
This means that a Hippopotamus has just risen to
the surface to breathe, and then, if the observer is
near enough, he may also see a part of the animal's
head: a shapeless, red or brownish red mass, upon
which may be distinguished two points — the ears;
and four little hillocks — the eyes and nostrils. It is
seldom that more than the upper part of the head of
a Hippopotamus is seen in the water, and even this
portion can be easily mistaken for something else,
when it is seen for the first time. By keeping to
the leeward and remaining quiet, it is easy to ob-
serve the animal swimming up and down as if in
play.
The Hippopotamus is gregarious, only the old
males living a solitary life. A large pool is some-
times utilized for a somewhat protracted sojourn of
a herd of these animals. When they inhabit narrow,
shallow waters which, in many places, dry up during
the arid season, it can be observed that the animals
do not leave certain favorable spots during any part
of the day. They are also wont to hollow out for
themselves pits in the middle of the beds of shallow
rivers: long, deep depressions — the longest diameter
of which follows the same direction as the current —
in which they can dive conveniently and hide when
they are pursued. These depressions are sometimes
connected by channels, hollowed out like ditches,
which form submarine pathways for the animals.
The Hippopotami In places where they deem them-
by Day and selves free from danger of molesta-
Night. tjon ^e animals seek, during the day,
some spot near the bank, either in shallow water or
on the shore, and bask in the sunshine, abandoning
themselves to a dreamy, half-dozing condition, dur-
ing which they display a degree of blissful content-
ment equaling that exhibited by wallowing Swine or
bathing Buffaloes. At intervals the male animals
grunt like Hogs, or one of them lifts its head a little
to look around, but otherwise pay little attention to
the surroundings except in those localities where
they have learned to dread Man and his terrible fire-
arms.
Toward evening the group shows signs of life.
The grunting of the male becomes louder and the
entire herd dive up and down the stream in play
and sometimes indulge in a merry chase. They
seem to like the neighborhood of vessels, and often
accompany boats on evening trips for considerable
distances. Sometimes they make such a terrible
noise, with their snorting, grunting, roaring and gur-
gling that they become veritable nuisances. They
THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. One of the largest and most formidable animals known to natural history is the Hippopotamus or River Horse. Its
short clumsy legs bear a body of great bulk and a tough hide, and its head is one of the most peculiar and repulsive possessed by any animal; the neck is
short and very thick. The expression of ferocity in its face is a true index tc its character. The native home of the Hippopotamus is in the large rivers of
the northern part of central Africa. (Hippopotamus amphibius.)
(551)
oo:
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
swim in any depth of water with a degree of ease
and agility that is amazing and they go through the
water as swiftly as a row-boat, without making a rip-
ple, when they swim quietly. When, on the contrary,
a Hippopotamus is enraged and charges at an enemy,
or blusters about after having been wounded, it jerks
its hind legs backward with extreme violence, shoots
forward with powerful bounds, and may trouble the
waters of an entire lake, causing high waves on the
■whole of its surface. The force of its movements
under such circumstances is such that it has been
known to lift boats of considerable size and dash
them to pieces.
"To describe the vocal utterance of these giants
with even approximate accuracy," says Heuglin,
quite truly, "is beyond the power of words. It
consists of a roar, bearing some resemblance to that
of a Buffalo. Its tone is a deep, reverberating bass,
which sounds as if it came from the recesses of a
large, hollow barrel. The roar of a number of
males, each striving to outdo the others, suddenly
resounding through the quiet loneliness of night,
combined with the rushing, blowing and puffing of
the diving Hippopotami, produces an infinitely ma-
jestic impression, which does not seem to be lost
even on the animals of the wilderness; for the Jackal,
the Hyaena, and even the Lion, are silent and listen,
when, like the rolling of an earthquake, the thunder-
ing voice of Behemoth booms over the watery sur-
face, resounds through the distance, and is lost in
the vast virgin forest." The voice of the Hippopot-
amus surpasses that of all other animals in volume,
but is seldom heard in full force.
Habits of Feeding In the broad lagoon-like spots of the
of the Hippo- upper Nile, abounding in vegetation,
potamus. the Hippopotamus does not leave
the stream even at night, or does so very rarely. It
feeds in such places day and night on the plants
growing in the water.
Such is not the case in localities where it must
ascend the bank to graze. About an hour after sun-
set it emerges from the water, listening and watching
with the greatest caution; in the neighborhood of
cultivated localities it shapes its course towards the
plantations. There it works great devastation, some-
times daying waste an entire field in one night. Its
voracity is enormous, and if its numbers increase to
any extent, it may become a serious plague, in spite
of the fertility of its native country; for a much
greater quantity than the amount consumed is trod-
den down under its huge feet or broken when it
wallows contentedly, like a Hog, in some shallow de-
pression after it has satisfied its wants. It consumes
all kinds of grain and all vegetables which are raised
in the country.
The Hippopot- The Hippopotamus, however, is not
amus a Danger- only hurtful to the crops on its forag-
ous Foe. jng expeditions, but may become a
monster perilous to the life of Man and beast. The
four powerful tusks are formidable weapons when
used against other animals. Ruppcll tells us of a
case, in which a Hippopotamus crushed four draught
Oxen, which were quietly standing near a water-
wheel. "On the Kingani," says Boehm, "two women
who were loudly talking to each other, as they
passed by several feeding Hippopotami, were sud-
denly attacked by one of the animals and injured so
severely by a few bites, that both died." The Hip-
popotami are not, however, regarded everywhere as
uncommonly dangerous; in some regions they arc
not feared when on land, but only in the water.
They seldom molest large vessels, but light boats
sometimes fare rather badly from their attacks.
"Lieutenant Vidal," says Owen, "had just started on
his trip on the river Tembi in southwestern Africa,
in a light boat, when he suddenly felt an exceed-
ingly powerful thrust from beneath, so that the stern
of the boat was nearly lifted above the water and
the pilot was precipitated overboard. The next
instant a gigantic Hippopotamus rose out of the
water, and, open-mouthed and with a fierce, menacing
look, rushed at the boat. It seized the craft between
its fearful jaws and tore seven boards off it at one
bite. Then it disappeared, but soon came up again
to renew its attack and was made to desist from
its purpose only by a shot fired at its face. The
boat, which immediately filled with water, was fort-
unately so near the shore that its occupants could
gain the land before it sunk. Probably the little
vessel had grazed the back of the animal and thus
provoked the attack."
Similar stories, with manifold additions and mul-
tiplications, are current in many of the regions in-
habited by the thick-skinned fellows, if not in all,
and he who hears them is led to the belief that
they relate to everyday occurrences. Hippopotami
are quite frequently to be seen on some African
rivers, and in some special localities exist in large
numbers, and if they were as dangerous as they are
sometimes represented to be, all travel and traffic on
water-courses frequented by them would cease, or at
least would be greatly impeded. In reality, how-
ever, numberless frail craft ply along those streams,
past the huge creatures or between them, and are
not molested.
Birth and Youth The Hippopotamus is dangerous
of the Hippo- only when it is defending its young,
potamus. it js oniy during modern times that,
by watching captive animals which have bred in
confinement, observations concerning the pairing of
these animals and the birth of their young have
been made. In the free state, the young are born
about the first third of the rainy season, which
period always affords them the most abundant quan-
tity and succulent quality of food. This season of
tropical spring varies greatly in different parts of
Africa. The maternal Hippopotamus is tenderly
solicitous for her progeny, seeing impending danger
in the most harmless objects. Probably the father
also guards his offspring, but the mother is easily
recognized, never losing sight of her infant for an
instant, watching it with truly maternal care and
sometimes playing merrily with her pet. She suckles
it under water, but Theodor von Heuglin says that
the female gives birth to her young on the land, or
in some swamp, in a secluded lair. After birth she
does not always lead it straightway to the river, but
sometimes puts it into a pit, which the little beast
can not leave without her aid.
Dangers of Hunt- The blind rage of an infuriated Hip-
ing the Hippo- popotamus indicates clearly that the
potamus. pursuit of the animal without fire-
arms of heavy calibre and great power is a sport not
exactly suitable for amateur hunters. Light rifle
bullets, even when fired at short range, seldom have
any effect. Ruppell says: "With one Hippopota-
mus which wc killed we fought for four hours, and
it came very near destroying our large canoe and all
of us along with it. The twenty-five bullets we fired
at the monster's head, from a distance of about six
feet, pierced only the skin and the bone near the
nose. All other bullets lodged in the thick hide.
ATTACK ON A HIPPOPOTAMUS. The hunting of the Hippopotamus is fraught with great danger, and the scene depicted here represents a
moment of peril. The huge beast, compelled to take the defensive, has broken the rude paddle used by the natives to propel the canoe. One of the boat-
men is endeavoring to give the monster such a thrust with the spear as will either end its life or cause it to retreat and expose some vital spot to the aim
-of the white Man's gun. If this fails, the frail craft may readily be crushed by the animal's vicious attack. {Hippopotamus amphibius.)
(553)
55 4
THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS.
At every snort the beast squirted copious jets of
blood over the boat. Then we finally made use of a
large stationary swivel gun which we had deemed
unnecessary, considering the short distance. But
only after five of its balls, fired at the distance of
several yards, had inflicted the most terrible wounds
in its head and body, did the giant breathe its last.
The darkness of night still increased the ghastliness
of the struggle."
But without such weapons of offense, the native
hunter has from time immemorial attacked the mon-
ster with javelin and spear and followed the sport as
successfully as these arms permitted. In all essen-
tial respects the African sportsman proceeded and
still proceeds after the fashion of the ancient Egyp-
tians, with whose Hippopotamus hunts we are famil-
iar through the pictures on the monuments, and the
accounts given in the writings of several of the old
authors. The spear and a suitable harpoon provided
with a line and a buoy are the only weapons which
the inhabitants of the upper Nile country use against
the Hippopotamus even in the present day. At
about midnight the harpoon caster creeps along the
shore to the place at which the animals issue from
the water. He hides in the bushes to the leeward of
this place of egress and waits until an animal, return-
ing from pasture, has about half entered the river.
Then he throws the harpoon into its body with all
his force, and flees, hoping that the frightened ani-
mal will rush into the water. This is what usually
happens; but on the other hand the monster gener-
ally turns upon its assailant if attacked when going
up the shore. After the harpoon throwing, either
immediately or on the next morning, the sportsman
and his assistants enter one of the boats held in
readiness, and go in search of the wounded animal,
looking first for the spear-end protruding above the
water or the floating wooden buoy. As soon as they
have found these traces of the animal they cau-
tiously row near, with javelins and spears ready for
instant use, and the line is taken up. The slightest
pull causes the Hippopotamus to rise to the surface
in a paroxysm of pain and rage; it rushes at the
canoe, but is greeted by a shower of spears, which
frequently compels it to retreat. Yet it not infre-
quently happens that it reaches the boat and de-
stroys it with its tusks. In a fortunate case, however,
the beast is assailed with all the weapons, until it
succumbs to the wounds.
Economic Value The profit of the chase is not slight.
of the Hippo- The flesh of the monster, particularly
potamus. t}ie fatter portion, is esteemed and
eaten by everybody. In the good old times the set-
tlers of Cape Colony could hardly imagine a greater
treat than a Hippopotamus hunt. The flesh and fat
were cut off the body of the slain gigantic creature
on the spot, and transported home by the cart-load.
Young animals are said to yield especially savory
meat and the fat of the old ones is reputed to be
preferable to fat pork; the tongue is considered a
delicacy, either fresh or smoked. This latter state-
ment nearly all sportsmen agree upon, but many are
of a different opinion concerning the flesh, which
some think insipid, soft and tasteless. In east Africa
the fat is considered the best ointment for the hair
or the body. The thick hide is manufactured into
excellent riding-whips, canes and shields; the teeth
are, according to Westendarp, in great request for
fhe manufacture of a number of fine turner's articles,
as the composition of the tusks surpasses the gen-
uine Elephant's ivory in fineness of texture, hardness
and whiteness. The capture of the monster alive
requires a patient, skillful chase. Every Hippopot-
amus seen in captivity has, almost without excep-
tion, been taken while young, and it is scarcely nec-
essary to say that the mother of the little animal
must be first killed, before such a capture is possible.
The unreasoning affection of the clumsy, little crea-
ture for its mother facilitates the capture, however;
it follows its wounded mother anywhere and does
not even desert her dead body. A harpoon is then
thrown at some sensitive spot of its body, or the
hunter entangles it in a net, and thus it is pulled
ashore. At first it endeavors to free itself, uttering
yelling, piercing cries, like a Hog about to be killed,
and offers a great deal of resistance; but it soon be-
comes used to Man and follows its keeper about.
The Hippopota- All experiments show that the Hip-
mus Easily popotamus endures confinement
Tamed. readily and for a long time in the
various temperate climates. When a couple of the
animals are installed in a place, where they can move
about in accordance with their natural propensities,
that is, can go into the water or be on shore as the
fancy takes them; and one may count on their hav-
ing offspring. They are satisfied with any kind of
food, especially with anything that is usually fed
to domestic Hogs. During my stay in Cairo I
saw the first captive Hippopotamus which has been
shipped to Europe in modern times. It had become
so used to its keeper, that it ran after him like a
Dog and allowed itself to be easily managed.
[Since then many Hippopotami have been taken to
Europe and America.]
Age and Develop- Behemoth hardly has another enemy
ment of the Hip- besides Man that could seriously im-
popotamus. peril its safety. In those places
which "Man does not reach with his torment" the
Hippopotamus probably attains a very great age.
Though its growth is comparatively rapid, it requires
many years before it attains its full size. Probably
it is capable of reproduction in its second year and
is certainly so in the third; but, as observations of
captive specimens have demonstrated, it continues
to grow steadily for several years, even after it has
borne young, and when the body has at last attained
its full size, the teeth at least continue to increase in
length and bulk. It is not known when the decay
incident to old age begins, nor is it known how old
it may become in the free state.
The Liberian Hippo- The second existing representative
potamus a Smaller of the family, the Liberian Hippo-
Species. potamus, or, as it might be termed
also, the Dwarf Hippopotamus {Hippopotamus or
Chccropsis liberiensis) is very much smaller than the
preceding species, and is apparently restricted to a
small range in Upper Guinea. It differs from its
gigantic kinsman not only by reason of its much
smaller proportions but also by the lack of two in-
cisor teeth in the lower jaw. Buttikofer, who has
seen freshly killed specimens, says that the back is
of a slate-black hue, the abdomen a dingy, greenish
white, the sides a greenish slate-gray. An adult fe-
male, which he obtained, weighed, according to his
estimate, only eight hundred pounds, its height at
the shoulders was thirty and a half inches, its total
length seventy-four inches, nearly seven of which,
were included in the tail.
Zhc Sea Cows.
TWELFTH ORDER: Sirenia.
TUDEXTS reading the name
"Sirenia" in zoology would
naturally think of the fabu-
lous creatures of antiquity
which were said to be half
Woman and half fish, which
inhabited the crystal waves
of the ocean and by their
wonderful sweet singing
and still more enticing ges-
tures, by the stately poise of
their heads and their glow-
ing glances, lured the poor
sons of the earth to follow
them to the ocean's depths and be lost; but if he
should expect in this connection an account of such
beings, he would be greatly mistaken. Naturalists
have in this case only proven their predilection for
adopting poetical names, without having fulfilled the
requirements of poetry. The name of Sirenia has
been about as appropriately chosen for the ocean-
dwellers in question as has been that of the Greek
wood-nymphs (Hamadryas) which has been bestowed
upon the queerest of Monkeys, which, indeed, is
beautiful only in the eyes of a naturalist, and neither
in its looks nor its actions has any suggestion of a
nymph.
General Charac- The Sirenia or Sea Cows form an
teristics of the order by themselves. In their inte-
Sirenia. rjor anatomical structure they show
the greatest affinity to the hoofed animals and may
be regarded as a branch of them, which has adapted
itself to an aquatic life. Many naturalists place
them among the Whales as a special division or
family, but the differences between them and the
latter animals are so great that the plan of placing
them apart is well justified. They are distinguished
by a small head, separated by distinct demarcation
from the body and furnished with a bulbous snout,
bristly lips, and nostrils opening at the extremity of
the muzzle; by the clumsy, peculiarly articulated
body, sparsely covered with short, bristle-like hair,
and by their peculiar dentition. They have only
two limbs, namely, the anterior pair, but they are
genuine fin-limbs. The general integument incases
the toes so completely that all independent mobility
of the individual parts is destroyed. Only the traces
of nails indicate externally the digital divisions of
the hand. The tail, which performs the functions of
the hinder limbs, terminates in a fin. It requires a
vivid imagination to see mermaids in these animals,
even if they should show themselves at a great dis-
tance; the only thing these lumbering, uncouth crea-
tures have in common with the beautiful body of a
human female is that their mammae are also placed
on the chest, between the fore limbs, and are more
prominent than those of other aquatic mammals, but
these animals are nevertheless very interesting.
£be flDanatees.
SOLE FAMILY: Manatid,e.
This order has only one family (Manatida?) , which
is divided into three genera, of which one, composed
of the Sea Cow proper, can no longer be classified
among the living ones, however. The genera differ
so materially in their dentition that it does not seem
suitable to discuss it here and at the present time.
While the Sea Cow or Stellerine possessed, instead
of teeth, only a horny plate for mastication, which
was developed on the inner side of the lower jaw and
on the palate, the rest of the Sirenia have toothed
jaws. Upon this difference have been based the
genera, which, if one follows the more recent classi-
fications of Dollos (who regards the Stellerine, which
has not been long extinct, as a Halicore that has
lost its teeth) would be limited to the Dugong {Hal-
icore) and the Manatees (Manatus).
Habitat and The Sirenia inhabit shallow banks
Habits of the and gulfs of tropical countries, estu-
Sirema. aries and streams, and especially the
shoaly waters of the latter. They seem to occur
only in exceptional cases in the temperate zone, but
nothing definite can be said in regard to this sub-
ject, as they usually baffle observation. We know,
however, that their abode is not always the same:
they often wander for many miles, sometimes pene-
trating far inland, entering the lakes which are con-
nected with great rivers. They are to be seen either
in couples or in small societies; yet it is affirmed
that they live in strict monogamy and that a male
always keeps faithfully to his mate. They are much
more aquatic than the Seals. In exceptionally rare
cases only do they thrust their bulky bodies above the
surface of the water. They lack the agility of other
aquatic mammals, for, though they are excellent
swimmers and divers, they shun very deep waters,
probably because they are too awkward for a con-
stant ascent and descent. On dry land they drag
themselves along for short distances with the great-
est difficulty; their finny limbs are much too weak
to move the great bulk of the body, the more so as
the latter does not seem to possess any of the flexi-
bility of the body of a Seal.
Diet and Attn- The food of the Sirenia is composed
butesofthe of marine plants, algae and grasses
Sirenia. which grow in shoaly water or close
to the bank, as well as of various aquatic plants
which grow luxuriantly in shallow spots of rivers.
Like all voracious creatures the Sirenia are lazy,
dull-witted beings with weak senses. They are
called peaceable and harmless for the reason that
they do nothing but eat and rest. They are neither
shy nor bold, and live in peace with all other animals,
caring for nothing but their food. Their intellectual
power is exceedingly slight, but there is no doubt of
(555)
556
THE SEA COWS.
the existence of some intellect. The sexes exhibit
great affection for each other and endeavor to pro-
tect one another; the mothers tend their children
lovingly and are even said to carry them, when they
are suckling, as Women carry their babes, using one
of their fins as an arm to press the little ones to the
breast. The vocal expression of the Manatees con-
sists of a weak, dull moan. In breathing, they make
a noise much resembling a loud snore.
It is worthy of notice that these clumsy creatures
not only endure confinement, but may be tamed to a
high degree of docility.
Their flesh, fat, hide and teeth are used; but, so
far as knov/n, no other portions of their carcass are
put to account in any way.
THE MANATEES PROPER.
In the Manatees (Manatus) the tail-fin is rounded;
the somewhat shapeless, fish- like body is very
and a weight of six hundred or, according to Kap-
pler, sometimes of eight hundred pounds. Ameri-
cans assert, however, that they have seen much larger
individuals, measuring seventeen or even twenty feet
in length. The skin is nearly destitute of covering,
having only short bristles, which stand about four-
fifths of an inch apart. The coloring is a rather
monotonous bluish gray, darker on the back and
sides than on the under surface. The bristles have a
yellowish tint.
We owe the first exact account of the animal to
A. von Humboldt. In dissecting a Lamantin, which
was ten feet long, in Carrichana, on the lower Ori-
noco, he found the following: The upper lip, which
is clothed with a very tender skin and serves as an
antenna, or feeler, when coming in contact with ob-
jects, protrudes greatly, and the cavity of the mouth,
which has an abnormally warm temperature in a
freshly killed animal, shows a very curious organiza-
LAMANTIN OR AMERICAN MANATEE. From Florida to Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico this strange aquatic mammal frequents
creeks, lagoons and the estuaries of rivers, and ascends many of the latter to a considerable distance. Its head is of moderate size, oblong, with
a blunt, truncated muzzle. It has only one pair of limbs, which are flattened, oval paddles, and it has a flat, horizontal tail, with rounded edges.
(.Manatus americanus or latirostris.)
sparsely covered with short hair, which becomes
more thickset only on the snout, where it changes
into bristles. On the toes of the rounded pectoral
fins can be discerned four small flat nails. Only
young animals exhibit incisor teeth, as the incisors
fall out very soon and only the molar teeth are left
in the mouths of old animals. The two American
species of this genus occur in the rivers flowing into
the Atlantic and the adjacent sea-shore between the
twenty-fifth parallel of north latitude and the nine-
teenth parallel of south latitude. The African spe-
cies (Manatus senegalensis) inhabits the Tchad lake,
the upper parts of the great western rivers and the
small rivers of the coast which flow into the Atlantic
I h ean between the twentieth parallel of north lat-
itude and the tenth parallel of south latitude.
The Lamantin The Lamantin, called Ox-fish by the
end Other Portuguese {Manatus /at/rastris), is
Species. the species that has been observed
nost closely. It attains a length of about ten feet
tion. The tongue is nearly immobile, but in front of
it there are, on both sides of the jaws, a fleshy excres-
cence and a cavity covered with hard skin, one fit-
ting into the other. If the back of the animal is laid
open, the dissecter is astonished at the size, shape
and length of the lungs; for they are about a yard
long, have exceedingly large cells and resemble huge
floats; they admit an enormous quantity of air.
The stomach is divided into compartments, and the
intestine is over one hundred feet long. The other
American species [which, from its principal habitat,
may be termed the Amazonian Manatee] (Manatus
ini/nguis) differs from this Lamantin by its narrower
skull, which also has more delicate bones. This
species is so far definitely known to exist only on
the upper Amazon and the Orinoco rivers.
Habitat and The Lamantin inhabits the eastern
Habits of the coast of Florida, the coasts of the
Lamantin. Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Mag-
dalena River and the eastern coast of South Amer-
THE MANATEES.
557
ica and its rivers as far south as Cape North, occur-
ring principally in Surinam. Probably it is the
only member of the order to be found in the Gulf
of Mexico. A. von Humboldt observed that the
Lamantins prefer those places in the sea in which
there are fresh water inlets or springs; in rivers
they penetrate far inland and in times of inundation
they also wander into lakes and swamps. "In the
evening," says A. von Humboldt, "we passed the
estuarv of the Cano del Manati, which derives its
name from the enormous number of Lamantins or
Manatis which are annually caught there. They are
plentiful on the Orinoco below the waterfalls, in the
Meta and the Apure."
The habits of the Lamantin are much like those
of other Sirenia. Several travelers have affirmed
that it sometimes leaves the water to graze on land;
but as early as the last century others most decid-
edlv refuted this. It browses only on the grass
arrows, which have ropes and light wooden floats
fastened to them to indicate the direction the ani-
mal takes, or he harpoons and kills and then flays
and dresses it in one of those light, raft- like boats,
which are used for travel on South American rivers.
This latter operation is sometimes done in the mid-
dle of the stream, the hunters first filling the boat
two-thirds full of water, pushing it under the Laman-
tin and then causing it to float by baling the water
out with a gourd. The thick hide of the beast is
cut into strips and used for whips and cords, the
latter are of no service in the water as they soon rot.
THE DUGONG.
The Chinese and Arabs have for centuries known
one of the most important representatives of the
family of which we received but scant, occasional in-
formation up to the beginning of the present cen-
tury; we mean the Dugong {Ha/icore dujoiig).
THE DUGONG 1" the Red Sea and on the eastern coast of Africa and all coasts of southern Asia, the Indo-Malayan Archipelago and
numerously found, living on seaweed in shallow harbors, bays and mouths of rivers. The tail is fish-like, but the head
(Halicorc dugong.)
Australia, the Dugong is
is of oblong shape, and the only limbs are two nailless flippers.
which grows in the water. As all southern rivers in
quiet places abound in aquatic plants of all kinds it
does not suffer from want, nor is it obliged to swim
far to procure its food. It eats enough to completely
fill the stomach up to the oesophagus, but when
its appetite is satisfied it often lies down in shallow
places, in such a way that the snout projects above
the water, so that it does not need to be constantly
rising to the surface to breathe and thus it sleeps
through several hours of the day. When it is awake
it can be seen above the water only when it comes
up to breathe; this, however, happens very often,
notwithstanding the capacious lungs, and it is prob-
ably for this reason that it prefers the shallower
spots in rivers.
The method of hunting this animal
is rather simple. The hunter ap-
proaches the grazing -place of the
i boat and waits until one of them
breathe. He either shoots it with
Description of
the Du-
gong.
Hunting and
Taming the La-
mantin.
Lamantins
comes up
in
to
The Dugong attains a length of from
ten feet to sixteen feet eight inches.
The short, thick neck, which exhibits
distinct demarcation from the head, merges almost
imperceptibly into the body, which is uniformly
rounded, gradually becoming thicker from the head
to the middle and then tapering towards the tail.
The pectoral fins are placed at a short distance be-
hind the apertures of the ears, in the lower third of
the perpendicular thickness of the body; they are
not particularly long; but broad, rounded at the
anterior margin, sharper at the posterior; the toes
may be recognized only by touch, for no trace of
claws exists. The tail is formed by a flattened,
crescent-shaped fin. The most striking feature in
the short, thick snout is the flat upper lip, sloping
from above backwards and downward, and beneath
which projects a thick piece of flesh, truncated be-
low. This projection communicates behind with a
peculiar plate in the mouth, which covers the inter-
558
THE SEA COWS.
maxillary bone. A similar plate is placed on the
lower jaw. The lower lip forms a thick bulbous
roll, sharply defined behind. The nostrils lie on the
upper surface of the snout, are placed close together
and form two crescent-shaped slits; the eyes are
small, of ovoid shape, but strongly arched and of
black hue; they lie in an oblique slit, surrounded by
lashes along its upper margin, devoid of true lids,
but furnished with a winking membrane, and can
be closed at will by a muscle which produces con-
traction of the skin ; the ears are only indicated
by small roundish apertures. The skin is of a dull
leaden or bluish gray color, marked with dark lon-
gitudinally arranged spots; it is smooth and shining,
wrinkled only on the abdomen and overgrown with
short, thin and stiff bristles, which nearly develop
into spines on the upper lip. The fins are perfectly
naked. The dentition consists of rootless incisors
and molars, part of which fall out in old age. Canine
teeth are lacking; the male, however, develops two
of its front teeth into tusks, measuring from eight to
ten inches in length and nearly an inch in thickness;
they are covered by the gums for about seven-eighths
of their length.
Habitat and Habits It seems that the Dugong is caught
of the Du- in all parts of the Indian Ocean and
gong. t[ie regions communicating with it.
It occurs all over the southern Chinese seas, and off
the coasts of Sulu, Banda and Sunda; towards the
north it extends to about the middle of the Red Sea.
In this last locality it is a very well-known animal.
All sailors have seen it, and one will hardly question
any of them in vain about the Nakhe el Bahr (Camel
of the water). In the east it inhabits the coast of
New Guinea and Queensland, as far southward as
Moreton Bay.
The Dugong frequents the sea, and in exceptional
cases the fresh water of the estuaries, but not the
rivers themselves; it prefers the neighborhood of
coasts and proceeds only as far from shore as the
submarine vegetation extends. Its favorite haunts
are shallow inlets in which the sun shines through
the calm waters to the very bottom and the pro-
fuse vegetation of the sea can develop with par-
ticular luxuriance. It does not frequent the land; at
least it may be inferred that Dugongs found lying on
the shore have been left by the ebb-tide, and being
too lazy to push their heavy bodies back into the
water, prefer to wait until the next high tide. From
the bottom of shallow creeks the Dugong rises to
the surface about once a minute, thrusts out its nose
or sometimes half its body, breathes and slowly
sinks back into the deep.
The fishermen say that the Dugongs usually live
in couples and rarely in small families; but this
statement applies better to the Arabian Gulf than to
other parts of the Indian Ocean, where they are said
sometimes to have been seen in schools. The Ara-
bian fishermen say that one always finds at least two
Dugongs together in the Red Sea, but not infre-
quently as many as ten.
THE SEA COW.
"Along the whole beach of the island, especially
where little streams flow into the sea and all kinds
of sea-plants are most plentiful, one finds at all sea-
sons great herds of Sea Cows, which our Russians
call Morskaia Korova. As the Sea Otters had been
scared away from the northern coast and the obtain-
ing of provisions began to become difficult, we
thought of catching these animals and using ther
for food as presenting an easy way out of our diffi-
cult}-, because they were near to us. To this end
the jolly-boat was repaired towards the end of June,
as it had been badly damaged on the rocks in fall; a
harpooner, a steersman and four oarsmen were
placed in it; and each was given a harpoon and a
rope, coiled as are ropes used in whaling, the other
end being held on the beach by the remaining forty
Men. - The sailors quietly rowed up to the animals,
which were grazing in herds along the banks at the
bottom of the sea, deeming themselves in perfect
security. As soon as the harpooner had securely
buried his weapon in the body of one, the Men on
the beach gradually pulled it ashore; those in the
boat approached it in the meanwhile, exhausting it
still more by the wounds they inflicted, and when it
seemed quite spent they dealt it other wounds with
large knives and spears, so that it lost nearly all its
blood, which streamed out of the wounds in jets;
then it could be pulled ashore during flood tide and
there secured. When the ebb came, and the animal
lay on dry land, we cut the flesh and fat off in pieces
and carried them to the dwelling-plaCes, amidst great
rejoicing, the flesh being stored away in large barrels
and the fat hung on high posts. It was not long
before we saw ourselves surrounded by such plenty
of food that we could uninterruptedly go on with
the construction of our new boat, which was to be
our means of escape."
The naturalist, Steller, who was shipwrecked in
November, 1 741, on the previously unknown Behring
Island, where he spent ten dreary months, thus be-
gins his description of one of the most remarkable
of marine mammals, a creature which seems to have
been completely exterminated, and has been named
the Sea Cow, Rhytina, or after its discoverer, Steller-
ine (Halicore stellcrii). Allured by the accounts of
the Russian exploring party to which Steller be-
longed, whalers and foolhardy adventurers flocked
to Behring Sea in great crowds and there com-
menced so terrible a slaughter among the defense-
less dwellers of the ocean that the Sea Cows were
exterminated from the face of the globe. All later
endeavors to procure at least one of these animals
have been in vain. Every ship bound for Behring
Sea has had its instructions concerning them, but
none has brought one back with it. It is supposed
that the last was killed in 1768 by an expedition
under Popoff. Nordenskjold, however, who visited
Behring Island in 1879, is inclined to place the date
of the final extinction of the tribe in the year 1854.
Steller believed the Sea Cow to be the Lamantin
discovered by Hernandez. His description shows
clearly, however, that the Sea Cow was a very differ-
ent creature from the remainder of the Sirenia. The
jaws were covered with grinding plates, instead of
teeth connected only with the gums. This feature
alone suffices to characterize the animal. "The
largest of these animals," says Steller, "are from
twenty-four to thirty-three feet long, and about
twenty-three feet in girth at the stoutest place. I
estimate the weight to be about forty-eight thou-
sand pounds. The fat is not oily or flabby, but
hard and glandular, white as snow, and after lying
a few days in the sun it assumes an agreeable yel-
lowish tint like that of Dutch butter. Boiled, it
surpasses the best beef suet in sweetness and flavor;
when melted, it is like fresh olive oil in hue and
freshness, and like sweet almond oil in taste."
XLhc TObales.
THIRTEENTH ORDER: Cetacea.
HALES are among the
mammals what the fish
are among the vertebrates:
creatures belonging exclu-
sively to the water and an-
atomically constructed in
accordance with the neces-
sities of such a mode of
life. Their size is an indi-
cation of this: for the water
alone admits of the easy
progress of such giants,
and only the infinite abun-
dance of the sea affords
them the required nourishment.
The Whales exhibit the warm blood, the breath-
ing through the lungs, the suckling of the young
and all other essential features of the mammalia,
along with the other orders of the class. In every
other respect, however, they deviate from the higher
mammalia still more than do the Sirenia. Slightly
educated persons, and nations in the childhood of
civilization, have invariably classed them among the
fishes, and only the close modern investigation of
their character has assigned them their proper place.
General Descrip- The body of the Whales is bulky,
tion of the clumsy, and devoid of any external
Whales. joints. The head is frequently mon-
strously large and as a rule unsymmetrical, and
merges into the trunk of the body without distinct
demarcation of a neck region; the trunk tapers
backwards, and terminates in a broad, horizontal
tail-fin. The hinder limbs, which distinguish all
other mammalia, with the exception of the Sirenia,
are absent; the fore pair have become fins: one has
to examine these with the dissecting knife, if he
wishes to discover the digits in them, and even then
he finds peculiarities of structure. An occasional
dorsal fin, which extends along the spine, still fur-
ther increases the resemblance of these animals to
fish. Otherwise the Whales are characterized exter-
nally by the wide-gaping mouth, devoid of lips,
and provided either with an abnormally large number
of teeth or barbs; by the thin, smooth, soft, greasy-
feeling skin, velvety to the touch, and scantily over-
grown with bristles in a few small spots. The color
is sombre, and the skin contains a thick layer of fat,
the entire integument forming a strikingly thickened
hide, between the cells of which the fat is deposited.
The Anatomical The inner anatomical structure of
Structure of these giants of the sea also exhibits
Whales. peculiar features. The bones of the
skeleton are distinguished by their loose, porous
formation, and they are so pervaded by a fluid fat,
that the liquid can hardly be eradicated and they
preserve a fatty, yellowish appearance even after
prolonged bleaching; on the other hand no bone
contains a cavity for marrow. The huge skull bears
a regular proportion to the body in a few species
only; the bones of the head are found in queer
malpositions: put loosely together if articulated,
or are connected with other bones only by soft
cartilage; some of them appear stunted, others strik-
ingly enlarged and there seems to be no vestige
of order or regularity. In the vertebral column the
formation of the neck part is most striking. The
number of the individual vertebra? is normal, seven,
but they are similar in shape to thin, flat rings and
not infrequently are partly ankylosed or fused to-
gether, producing, in consequence, the little mobility
characteristic of the necks of such species as possess
this formation of the cervical region. It is owing
to this fact that one often recognizes the seven
articulations only by the foramina or apertures in
the bony substance through which the pairs of
nerves emerge from the spinal cord. Besides the
cervical vertebra; the Whales possess from eleven to
fourteen dorsal, from ten to twenty-four lumbar and
from twenty-two to twenty-four caudal vertebra?.
It must be remarked, however, that strictly speak-
ing, one may talk only of pectoral or dorsal verte-
bra-, and of lumbar-caudal ones, as a developed
pelvis is absent and no sacral bone exists. The
number of true ribs is very small; the true Whales
have only one, and more than six do not seem to
occur in any member of the order. False ribs al-
ways occur in greater number than true ones. The
fore limbs are characterized by their shortness and
the flatness of all bones, and the strikingly great
number of joints in the digits; for while other mam-
mals have three joints in the phalanges all Whales
have more, with the exception of the first and some-
times of the fifth phalange, and the number of
joints in one phalange may rise to thirteen.
The dentition of the Whales not only differs from
that of all other mammalia but also materially di-
verges between the two main divisions of the order.
According to Carus, teeth germs form in longitu-
dinal pits of the mucous membrane of the jaw in all
Whales, but they do not develop into permanent
teeth, which are not shed, except in the case of the
Toothed Whales. They disappear in the Whalebone
Whales and in their stead there develops an arma-
ment of the upper jaw and of the palate peculiar
to these animals. In transverse furrows there are
formed horny plates or laminae suspended by one
edge perpendicularly to the plane of the cavity of
the mouth; the outer ones, fastened to the upper jaw,
are the longest, those on the palate the shortest;
they are the baleen, which forms whalebone.
The epiglottis is not adapted for producing a har-
monious voice, but for the passage of a great quantity
of air at once The windpipe is very wide, the
lungs have considerable capacity, and all branches of
the bronchial tubes communicate with one another,
so that from either one both lungs may be filled.
(559)
500
THE WHALES.
The muscles are simple, in accordance with the
proportions of the animal, and exceedingly vigorous.
The bulk of the brain and nerves is very small. In a
Whale of twenty feet in length and ten thousand
pounds in weight, the brains did not weigh four
pounds: that is, not more than the weight of those of
a human being, who seldom attains a weight of two
hundred pounds! The development of all organs of
sense is apparently deficient. The eyes are small,
the ears barely perceptible externally, being, so to
speak, rudimentary. Yet one cannot suppose the
senses of sight and hearing to be inadequate. All
Whales prove that when they are submerged their
sight is not only very keen, but is effective at great
distances, and also that they hear noises of all kinds.
It is only when they are above the water, in the
rarer medium of the air, that these senses appear
weak. The sense of smell is very deficient. We
cannot judge of the taste, but we know that the
sense of touch is somewhat developed.
The Whale Emi- It is hardly necessary to explain that
nently Fit for such an organization is eminently
Its Habitat. fittecj for the aquatic life of the
Whales. The horizontal tail-fin admits of easy div-
ing or ascent, or the exploration of regions of vary-
ing depth. The smoothness of the skin facilitates
the progress of the enormous mass through the
water, the layer of fat diminishes the weight, com-
pensates for the lack of warm, hairy covering and
also offers the necessary resistance to the almost
incalculable pressure that a Whale has to endure in
descending into the depths of the ocean. The ex-
tremely capacious lungs permit a prolonged stay
under water.
The Whales shun the proximity of coasts as much
as possible: for peril assails them from land. Only
a few Dolphins live in fresh water: others occasion-
ally penetrate into rivers, but do not usually proceed
farther than the influence of the tide is felt. No
other Whales leave the salt water, but traverse
shorter or greater distances of the ocean with more
or less regularity. Eschricht gives the following
account of these migrations:
General "There are Whales in all oceans; but
Traits of the no single species has a permanent
Whales. place of abode anywhere, having,
apparently, certain favorite haunts for summer, and
others, perhaps very remote, for winter; and after
the fashion of migratory animals in general, they
traverse more or less definite routes, in spring, from
one to the other, and back again in the fall of the
year. Like most migratory animals, the Whales are
gregarious. Where food is plentiful one often finds
hundreds or over a thousand congregated together,
not only of one but of different species; and accord-
ing to the testimony of inhabitants of coasts, the
numerous migrating 'schools' are sometimes joined
by a few animals of entirely different orders."
All Whales are highly active animals. They are
masterly swimmers, evincing in the action not the
slightest effort, and some displaying incomparable
speed. When they wish to do so, they exhibit such
an extraordinary strength of the powerful tail -fin
that they can jerk themselves above the water, in
spite of the enormous weight of the body, and
take long leaps. Generally they keep near the
surface of the water, and perhaps they descend
into great depths only when wounded. The upper
stratum of the water is their proper element, as they
have to expose their heads and parts of their backs
to breathe. This latter process is accomplished in
the following manner: the Whale blows up the water
which has entered the imperfectly closed nostrils,
with a snorting noise and such force that it is sepa-
rated into fine drops, and yet is thrown to a height
of five or six yards. This breathing jet may best
be likened to a column of vapor, escaping from a
narrow pipe; the snorting also resembles the noise
caused by escaping steam. A jet of water such as
is given forth by a fountain is never thrown up by a
Whale" though most artists thus represent the spout-
ing of the animals, and many naturalists still thus
describe it. Immediately after the spouting of the
water, the animal inhales the air which it requires,
with a rapid inspiration, emitting an audible, moan-
ing sound, and sometimes it breathes three, four or
five times a minute, but the jet is thrown up only at
the first time of breathing after rising, though one
may, in cool weather, often see lingering in the air
the mist produced by the breath. The nostrils are so
placed that the Whale, in rising, elevates them above
water first, and thus breathing is as easy to it as to
other animals. A large Whale, swimming undis-
turbed, may pass continuously along the surface
from five to fifteen minutes, breathing uniformly, or
it may sink slightly below the water after every
breath, but sometimes it goes on in this way much
longer, until it has satisfied its desire for air. Then
it may plunge down and remain invisible for ten or
twenty minutes or even longer. The large species
may remain under water for from thirty to fifty min-
utes, when they are pursued. A harpooned Sperm
Whale remained under water for nearly an hour,
according to the observation of Pechuel-Loesche;
another, which was also injured, remained there for
eighty minutes, diving down about three thousand
nine hundred feet. When the breathing is stopped,
a Whale is asphyxiated just as is any other mammal,
and that, too, as the observations of whalers show, in
a very short time. The animals also die in a com-
paratively brief period when they are on dry land.
The Diet and All Whales subsist on animal food.
Reproduction of and probably take in plants only by
Whales. chance; at least more exact observa-
tion is required before we can positively assert that
one species, namely, the Razorback, browses on the
sea-weeds which are often found in its stomach in
great quantities, and that a Dolphin eats the fruit
fallen into a river. Larger and smaller aquatic ani-
mals are the prey after which they strive. The very
largest species feed on the very smallest animals,
and, vice versa, the smaller ones are the most invet-
erate beasts of prey.
The young Whale is at birth very well developed
and is from one-fourth to one-third as long as its
mother. The mother tends it with touching tender-
ness, risking any danger for its sake and never for-
sakes it while it lives. The growth of the young one
seems to be comparatively slow. How long the life
of the Whale lasts is not known.
The .Enemies and The Whales also have their enemies,
Puisuitof especially during the early portion
Whales. 0f their lives. Several species of
Sharks, and the Killer-whale are said to regularly
hunt for young Whales in the same way in which
they attack older ones and then feast on the gigan-
tic carcass for days. But Man is a much more
deadly enemy to the Whales than any monster of
the sea. It is he who has, for over one thousand
years, systematically pursued many species of the
order, and has nearly exterminated some of them.
The Americans became the most diligent whalers.
THE WHALES.
561
During the period from 1835 to l8/2, that is, cover-
ing thirty-eight years, 19,943 ships were engaged in
the Whale industry; they secured 3,671,772 barrels of
spermaceti as well as 6,553,014 tons of oil, and real-
ized from them the sum of §272,274,916. In Scam-
mon's estimation they must have killed annually
3,865 Sperm Whales and 2,875 Whalebone Whales,
to which must be added one-fifth of this amount as
the proportion of wounded which escaped final cap-
ture, so that one must count the total number of
the Whales caught or in any way destroyed within
this period to be no less than 292,714.
Methods of The capture of the Whale, though
Hunting the accidents happen during the hunt, is,
Whale. on the whole, less dangerous than
the voyage in itself, if it leads into ice-bound parts
of the sea. During many years the commerce sus-
tains heavy losses. Fortunately human lives are
seldom lost in the shipwrecks, as the sea is usually
calm and the crew have sufficient time to make
their way to another ship. Whale-fishing is not only
a dangerous and arduous undertaking, however, but
also a very uncertain one. Up to a few decades ago
the fishing was mainly done by ships fitted out for
long cruising, and they hunted principally three of
the largest species: the Greenland Whale, the
Right Whale and the Sperm Whale, which repre-
sented a value of from §3,750 to §10,000 apiece,
according to its condition and the state of the
market. The method of capture is as follows:
When the ship has reached the whaling grounds, it
cruises back and forth, and two Men are usually
on the lookout on the mast. When Whales are
sighted the call, "There they spout!" throws the
entire crew into excitement. "The behavior of the
animals under inspection," says Pechuel-Loesche,
"the manner of the spouting, the shape of the back
and tail-fin, enable experienced whalemen to recog-
nize with tolerable certainty, whether they have met
the species of Whale that they have been seeking,
or any other Whale the capture of which is at all
remunerative. When this question has been settled,
the captain gives the order for lowering the boats,
of which the large whaler usually has four. These
boats are from twenty-one to twenty-seven feet long
and about six feet broad, of light but perfect build,
devoid of keel and pointed at both ends, so that
they can go backwards and forwards with equal
facility, and may be quickly turned. The weapons
include about four harpoons, several lances, a very
heavy gun, which shoots wedge-shaped grenades, a
short blubber-spade, a hatchet and a strong knife,
which are placed in the stern of the boat within
convenient reach of the harpooner. The compass,
a ladle, and a small cask containing ship's biscuit,
a lantern, candles and matches, are placed in the
stern locker; another small keg with drinking water
usually lies in the middle of the boat. The most
important part of the capturing implements is the
line, about an inch in thickness, about three hundred
and fifty fathoms in length and made out of the best
quality of hemp. It is coiled in spiral form in two
fiat tubs behind the row-benches, with the most con-
scientious care, as any tangle, occurring while it is
being run out, would entail an accident. From the
end of this rope left outside of the tub the harpooner
takes a length of five to eight fathoms and affixes
two harpoons to it. These an experienced thrower
hurls against the Whale, at its first approach, in
rapid succession; and to enable him to grasp them
securely, they are placed on a low stand to his right.
"A good harpooner must be sure of his aim at a
distance of four or five fathoms. Generally, however,,
he goes much nearer the Whale, sometimes even
letting the boat touch it, so that the harpoon is
thrown instead of being thrust into its body. This
intrepid mode of attack leaves nothing to be desired
in regard to precision of stroke, but it is the most
dangerous. As soon as the harpoon is fast, the boat
is rowed backwards, away from the Whale, with
all possible speed. This moment is always fraught
with peril; by chance or intentionally the wounded
animal may capsize the boat with its huge tail, or
hurl it into the air or smash it from above as if it
struck down upon the frail craft with a gigantic fly-
flopper. If the frightened Whale flees (in a deep
part of the sea it usually dives perpendicularly, in
shallow water it swims off at a slight depth), tho
line rolls off the next instant; sometimes from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty fathoms are un-
reeled in one minute. The crew has to be on a
sharp lookout then, for whoever is entangled by
the line is generally lost. After this the boat is
"fast." Steersman and harpooner change places;
the latter had the task of attacking the Whale, but
the prerogative of killing it belongs to the former.
Then only begins the real struggle and the greater
danger. Naturally nobody thinks of stopping a
diving Whale; any large Whale would pull the boat
down with it, as a fish does the light piece of cork
which forms the float of a fishing line. If the animal
dive's very deep, the next boat is called upon, and
its line is added to that already attached to the
harpoons; if the Whale does not come up quickly-
enough, the last fathom of line may go overboard —
and then the Whale is free. It is very seldom that
the boatsmen succeed in regaining possession of the
line, by rowing in the direction which the animal
has taken and fishing up the dragging line after its
reappearance.
"In most cases the line of one boat is sufficient,
however. The Whale may dive to the depth of one
or two hundred fathoms and stay there, scarcely
moving. If the line begins to be loose it is pulled
up with joint efforts, to incite the prey to rise. If the
uncouth fellow takes this proceeding amiss, however.,
it baffles any attempt to bring it to the surface with
irresistible force and goes deeper down. Thus the
struggle back and forth goes on according to the
size and species of the animal for ten, twenty or
thirty minutes, and in some rare cases for double
this time, until the Whale begins to realize the need
for air and rises. The direction of the line shows
whereabouts it will appear and a second boat en-
deavors to surprise and engage it there, planting
additional harpoons in its body; only when this has
been accomplished does success seem assured. At
this point the wounded animal either turns upon its
tormentors or makes an effort to escape by darting
along the surface, as it can not dive immediately for
lack of breath. Then begins a mad pursuit, the ani-
mal only drawing out a few fathoms of the line
which is securely hitched to the boat but ready to be
cast off in an instant. The dark, gigantic body-
shoots through the waves, puffing and snorting,
while the water parts and is hurled up in milk-white
masses as the animal, by furious strokes of its tail,
endeavors to free itself. Two or three boats, filled
with intrepid sailors, fly in pursuit of the Whale.
They disappear among the foaming, splashing, tow-
ering waves, often seeming to sink during their mad
course over and through the surging waters, but
562
THE WHALES.
they continue their course over the 'vasty deep' no
matter whether it be day or night. An unprepared
observer might imagine he saw in them a gathering
of the maddest of water spooks. At last the Whale
stops, exhausted, and either rolls in the water in a
tired and sluggish manner or rages and beats around.
Then the boats can approach it, and this they do,
cautiously keeping out of reach of the animal's dan-
gerous tail. The crew then try to kill the Whale
either with a gun-harpoon or a hand lance, the thin
iron blade of which is thrust behind the fin to the
depth of about six feet. If the Whale dives again
or makes off, the performance is repeated, until it is
finally killed or its pursuers are obliged to set it free
by cutting the line. If a gun-harpoon or a lance
pierces the lungs the Whale spouts blood — it 'hoists
the red flag' — and dies in a comparatively short
time, though sometimes only after the exhibition of
a powerful agony called by whalers ' the flurry,'
during which all boats wait at a safe distance."
If a Whale is killed and the ship can not conven-
iently approach it, it must be taken in tow by the
boats. On its arrival at the ship it is secured by a
strong chain around the root or the tail and also
fastened near the head; it is made fast to the star-
board side of the ship so that it floats with its head
directed backward. Two powerful pulleys are se-
cured to the main mast, the running tackle of which
has its free ends coiled around the capstan. At the
side of the ship a frame-like scaffolding is lowered,
and swings horizontally above the Whale, serving
as a running stage for the blubber-cutters, who pre-
pare for cutting off the blubber with sharp spades.
An incision is made on three sides of the fin, to
which the tackle of a pulley is fastened; then the fin
is torn away, and a continuous strip of "blubber,"
follows as it is raised up the ship's side, the width of
the strip being from fifty-two to seventy-six inches.
When this has been hoisted to the height of the
lower mast, a second tackle is fastened to it at the
level of the deck, the strip of blubber is cut off just
above it and the piece is lowered into the hold,
while the second pulley in turn winds the ribbon of
blubber again up to the lower mast. The hoisting
of the blubber is hard work and progresses only by
inches; by the slow but powerful traction the strip
of blubber, the width of which is determined by the
distance apart of the incisions made by the cutting
spades, is torn off the carcass of the Whale and
wound up in about the same manner as an apple is
pared or the wrapper is peeled off a cigar. The
body of the animal slowly revolves around its
longer axis; in the very beginning, when the oppor-
tune moment arrives, a Man secured by ropes and
armed with an axe descends to the body of the
Whale and cuts off the upper jaw of a Whalebone
Whale or the lower jaw of a Sperm Whale, which is
taken directly on deck, to have the Whalebone
taken from the former and the beautiful teeth from
the latter. The huge upper part of the head of a
Sprem Whale is also taken on deck in two pieces,
in order to secure the spermaceti. The taking off of
the blubber lasts from four to eight hours, according
to the size and species of the Whale and the state
of the weather: the process is technically termed
"flensing." When all valuable parts have been
stored away, the mass of flesh is cast adrift.
Process of Render- The enormous strips of blubber let
ing Sperm down into the hold are there cut
0tl- with short spades into small, oblong
pieCCs, which are thrown back on the upper deck
and are deeply incised by a machine provided with a
sharp knife and run by hand; then they go into the
"rendering pot," or boiler. The boiling is done in
huge iron kettles, walled in on deck, and the hearth
of which is surrounded by water. At first wood is
used as fuel, but later on only the "cracklings" or
residue of the blubber, which possess enough heat-
ing power to "try out" the entire remaining supply.
The oil is cooled in a cooling-pan and then poured
into barrels. "Attired in their worst clothes," writes
Pechuel-Loesche, "half-naked, dancing and singing,
running after one another and brandishing their
tools, dripping with fish-oil and sooty like devils,
the crew disport themselves about the hearth. An
intensely active life prevails on board. The sight of
this activity is doubly striking by night when a mass
of the cracklings is hoisted up in an iron basket.
This strange torch burns merrily, casting a weird
light on the scene as the blazing flames throw glar-
ing, fitful rays on the deck and bring out in bold
relief the black clouds of smoke and the masts with
their sails, the reflection extending far out over the
sea. By day huge masses of smoke on the horizon
betray the presence of a Whaler which "tries out"
the blubber, long before one catches sight of the
ship itself."
Proper Diuis- The Whales are naturally divided
ion of the into two main groups, which one
Whales. may justly call suborders: the
Toothed Whales and the Whalebone Whales. In
the former both jaws, or at least one, is furnished
with teeth which are not generally shed, but may in
some instances be partially or entirely cast. This
feature suffices to distinguish them from the Whale-
bone Whales in any case. As Kuekenthal has re-
cently demonstrated, the Whalebone and Toothed
Whales ought to be classified in two independent
orders, as the Toothed Whales derive their origin
from a much older group than the Whalebone
Whales. The attributes they have in common are
only similarities which may be traced back to the
common adaptation of the two groups to a life in
the water.
Zbe Wbalebone Mbalee.
FIRST SUBORDER: Mysticete.
The Whales belonging to the suborder of the
Whalebone Whales {Mysticete) are few in species;
they are mainly distinguished by the lack of teeth
in both jaws, the upper jaws and palate being fur-
nished with plates of baleen or whalebone. These
plates do not stand in the stead of teeth, neither do.
they resemble them in their organization, their mode
of connection with the jaw nor their shape. In very
young Whales the jaws have been found to contain
small, bone-like corpuscles, which might be thought
to be tooth-germs; the baleen, however, appears
much later and does not proceed from the jaws at all,
but from the palate, and the plates are not connected
immediately with the bone. Their transverse posi-
tion in the vault of the cavity of the mouth resembles
that of the palate-teeth of fish. The baleen is a
horny but not-bony formation of the integument and
consists of triangular of, more seldom, of square
plates, in which may be distinguished thin external
layers of horn and an inner substance formed of
close-lying parallel filaments which terminate in
bristly fibers that form the split portions which com-
THE WHALEBOXE WHALES.
563
pose the extremity of the plate. Curved layers of
horn coalesce with the individual plates at the roots,
connecting them with the skin of the roof of the
mouth, from which they derive their nourishment.
This skin, which is four-fifths of an inch thick, is
abundantly supplied with blood-vessels. The total
number of plates is from two hundred and fifty to
four hundred, the longest being found in the middle
of the jaw, while the shortest are at the ends and at
the curve, as they grow rather uniformly shorter
from the middle to the two sides. When the Whale-
bone Whale closes its mouth the lower jaw adjusts
itself to the entire upper jaw, the plates touch the
tongue around the edges, thus entirely closing the
cavity from the outside and, like a sieve, holding
fast the smallest and most slippery prey beyond the
possibility of escaping.
phants or from one hundred and fifty to one hundred
and seventy Oxen. Over seven thousand five hun-
dred gallons of oil have sometimes been rendered
from the blubber of such a giant.
In spite of a Whale's enormous bulk it moves
with great speed and agility in the water, swimming
straight ahead, but in constant vertical curves, com-
ing up to the surface or appearing above it and
then again plunging to the depths beneath.
Food of the The food of this largest animal
Whalebone on earth consists of small, insignifi-
Whale. cant mollusks, crustaceans, cephalo-
pods, sea-nettles and worms, many species of which
are barely visible to the eye. But it swallows
millions of these creatures at once. With its huge,
widely-gaping mouth open the Whale traverses the
ocean, fills the great cavity with water, together
RAZORBACK WHALE One of the longest"" 'species of the Whales is the Razorback. which maices its home in the north Atlantic and
•\rctic Ocean* It attains a length of over eighty feet, and besides being a powerful, is also an agile animal, moving through the water with great
rapidity and devouring great numbers of Haddocks, Herrings and other fish. (Physatus antiquorum.)
Physical Charac- The Whalebone Whales are enor-
teristics of Whale- mous creatures with huge heads, a
bone Whales. wide gape of the mouth, double
nostrils and blowing-holes, valved apertures for the
ears which the animal can close at will, and very
small eyes. The spinal column consists of seven
cervical, fourteen or fifteen dorsal, eleven to fifteen
lumbar and twenty-one or more caudal vertebrae.
The tongue is grown fast in the mouth, and is im-
mobile, the gullet is narrow, and the stomach has
three compartments.
Adult Whalebone Whales attain a length of from
sixty to one hundred feet and a weight of from forty
thousand to three hundred thousand pounds. They
are therefore the largest animals now found on the
globe. The bulk of body of a large Whale corre-
sponds to that of about thirty or thirty-five Ele-
with the little animals that exist in it, and when the
tongue, which is not devoid of sensibility, feels their
presence, the giant closes the trap. All the fibers
of the baleen are directed perpendicularly down-
ward, thus forming a sieve through which the water
can escape, but which retains all the small creatures.
A single muscular action of the clumsy and scarcely
mobile tongue drives the jelly-like mass through the
gullet into the stomach.
Noteworthy Traits In the Whalebone Whales the senses
of Whalebone of sight, hearing and touch are
Whales. those best developed. Their intel-
lectual faculties seem to be weaker than those of
the Toothed Whales. All Whalebone Whales are
fearful, shy and fleet, and therefore probably live in
peace among themselves and with most other
aquatic mammals. When they are attacked their
504
THE WHALES.
natural courage sometimes awakes, however, and
may develop into fierceness, and they defend them-
selves with violence and not infrequently with suc-
cess, but on the whole they do little harm, even
to their most formidable enemy. Their principal
weapon is the tail, the enormous force of which can
be realized when it is considered that it is the organ
which propels the huge body through the waves with
the speed of a steamboat. A single blow of the tail
suffices to smash the strongest boat to pieces or to
hurl it into the air, and to kill a strong animal, or a
human being.
We know very little about the reproduction of the
Whalebone Whale; only that the female gives birth
to one, or in rare cases two very large young, which
have from a third to a fourth of their mother's
length and are far progressed in development. The
mother suckles them for a very long time, defends
them with courage and persistence, hides them under
her fins in case of danger, and leads them about until
they become independent.
IRorquals or jfurroweo Wbalee.
FIRST FAHILY: Bal^nopterid^:.
The Furrowed Whales or Rorquals {Balceiiopteridce)
owe their name to deep, parallel, longitudinal fur-
rows, which extend over the throat, breast and part
of the abdomen; they are of comparatively slender
build, furnished with a distinct dorsal fin and lancet-
shaped pectoral fins of variable length, and their
baleen plates are short, but wide.
THE HUMP-BACK WHALES.
Very long pectoral fins or flippers, which attain at
least one-fifth and often one-fourth of the total
length, distinguish the Hump-back Whales {Mcgap-
tera).
Description of the This genus is represented by the
Hump-Back Hump-back of English and Ameri-
Whale. can sailors, the Rorghval of Norwe-
gians and Keporkak of the Greenlanders {Mcgap-
tera Umgimana) . This Whale is widely distributed,
occurring in all of the oceans; it is about fifty feet
in length; its flippers are about three feet wide and
from nine to twelve feet long and the tail fin has a
spread of about twelve feet. It is one of the clum-
siest members of the family. Compared with other
Rorquals it is decidedly ugly, its body being short
and thick, its flippers almost disproportionately long
and its tail-fin excessively developed. In the last
quarter of the total length the back shows a fat-fin,
the hump, which may be of very variable shape and
formation. The color of the skin is subject to many
modifications. A more or less uniform, deep black
hue generally prevails on the upper surface, while the
lower surface of the body and the flippers is diversi-
fied by whitish, marbled markings.
Habitat and Habits Few Whalebone Whales are seen
of the Hump- oftener or in greater numbers than
Back Whale. the Hump-back, Occurring as it
docs in all latitudes between the equator and the
polar oceans of the north and south, in the high seas
and near the coast, in .all larger gulfs and bays; and
it seems to migrate regularly every year from the
poles to the equator. Off the coast of Greenland it
is seen only during the summer months, while it is
found all the year round off the western coasts of
America and Africa, though not in the same places
every month.
Though the profit of a slain Hump-back is not
small, it is greatly inferior to that derived from a
Sperm Whale or a Greenland Whale, as its blubber
yields proportionately far less oil than one would
naturally believe. For this reason the Hump-back
is molested by whalers only when there is no better
to be procured, at least off the Greenland coast.
Along the American and African coasts, however, it
is pursued, with some regularity and a considerable
degree of profit by the coast-dwellers.
THE RAZORBACK WHALE.
In Gray's classification the Fin-fish, which is so
frequently spoken of and often mistaken for some
other of the Rorquals, has only recently been placed
in its proper position, and represents a genus (P/iy-
salus) the special features of which are as follows:
the head takes up about a quarter of the total length,
the dorsal fin is placed in the last quarter of the
middle line; the joints of the flippers are close be-
hind the head; the tail-fin is indented in the middle
and divided into two more or less distinct flukes.
Description, Habi- The Fin-fish or Razorback, called
tat and Habits of Sildror in Norway and Tunnolik in
the Razorback. Greenland (P/iysa/us antiqiwrum) , is
one of the slenderest forms among the Whales, and
may attain a length of eighty-three feet. The flip-
pers are one-tenth as long and one-fiftieth as wide,
and the dorsal fin is one-fifth as long as the entire
length of the animal.
The northernmost part of the Atlantic and the
Arctic Oceans are the usual haunts of the Razor-
back. At the beginning of fall it migrates into more
southern waters, and thus it is also met in the seas of
the temperate and torrid zone; and is said even to
have been found in the Antarctic Ocean.
As one may conjecture from its slender form,
the Fin-fish is rapid and agile in its movements. It
is considered one of the swiftest of all Whalebone
Whales. In swimming quietly it proceeds in a
straight direction and rises very frequently to
breathe: every ninety seconds, according to my ob-
servation. I could hear the noise made by it in
blowing at the distance of one knot. The Razor-
back often appears in the immediate proximity of
sailing vessels, swims around them, sometimes faith-
fully follows them for several hours.
The food of the Razorback consists principally of
fish, which it often drives before it in shoals, and of
which it catches great numbers at once in its vast
mouth. When it finds an abundance of prey, it
remains in one place for days and even weeks, nota-
bly off the coast of Greenland, where it devours as-
tonishing numbers of Haddock and Codfish, or other
fish which assemble in large "schools."
The Razorback The capture of the Razorback is-
Difficult of more difficult than that of the Green-
Capture. land Whale on account of the great
speed and violence of the animal, but the profit
derived from its carcass is much less. In compari-
son with the Greenland Whale it is considered nearly
valueless by the cruising whalers. It is different in
those localities where the pursuit may be engaged
in from the coast, for in these instances, all parts of
the body being put to account, a much higher profit
may be derived from it than is possible to accrue
to the whalers, as, for instance, off the northern
coast of Norway. Kuekenthal says that the value
of a large individual of this species is estimated
there to amount to $625, of which only S75 repre-
sents the value of the short whalebone.
THE SMOOTH-SKINNED WHALES-GREENLAND.
565
THE BEAKED WHALES.
The last genus of the family comprises the Beaked
Whales {Balcenoptera) which are, as far as is now
known, the smallest and most gracefully built of all
Whalebone Whales.
The Pike Whale the The best known representative of
Smallest of its this genus is the Pike Whale (Ba/ce-
Family. noptera rostrata), the smallest known
member of its family, for its length hardly exceeds
thirty-three feet. A sombre slate black is the hue
of the entire upper surface, from the extremity of
the upper jaw to the angle of the flippers of the tail,
including the pectoral fin; a more or less reddish
white color prevails on the lower surface; the flip-
pers have the same hue as that of the back above,
relieved by a white transverse stripe in the middle;
their under surface is white ======s===s&==^==s==s
like the abdomen. The ~
range of the Pike Whale
extends over all oceans
surrounding the north pole.
From there it wanders
southward at the com-
mencement of winter and
then appears also on the
European, east and west
American and east Asiatic
coasts.
In respect to habits and
mode of life it greatly re-
sembles the Razorback.
Generally it lives singly,
very rarely in couples, and
hardly ever consorts in
greater numbers. It feeds
preferably if not exclu-
sively on small fish, per-
haps also on cephalopods,
and pursues its prey with
such avidity that it often
strands itself in the act of
pursuit and in many cases
loses its life in this v/ay.
. Along the American
coast the Pike Whale is
not generally hunted, and
along the coasts of north or central Europe only
when it shows itself near the shore.
twenty-two feet four inches; length of the largest
plate of whalebone, ten feet ten inches. Yet it can
not be denied that larger specimens have been found
and still exist in remote parts of the sea. Karl
Giesecke tells of a Whale, taken in 1813, which was
sixty-eight feet long, and in the commencement of
this century one was killed near Spitzbergen, which
was of about the same length and had whalebone
sixteen and one-half feet long.
Proportions of the A Whale sixty feet in length is really
Greenland an awe-inspiring monster. On an
Whale. average, the shapeless head includes
one-third of the total length of the animal; the
mouth might easily admit a boat of moderate size
with her crew, being from sixteen to twenty feet
long and from eight and one-third to ten feet wide.
Gbe 5mootb*5Junnefc> Wbales.
SECOND FAMILY : Bal^nid^:.
The Smooth-skinned Whales (Ba/ce/n'(/(z), which
form the last family of the suborder, are of heavier
and at the same time more awkward organization
than any of the Furrowed Whales; they possess
neither dorsal fin, nor furrows in the skin; their flip-
pers are broad and truncated, their baleen plates
long and narrow.
THE GREENLAND WHALE.
We must consider the most important of all
Whales, the Greenland Whale [Balcena mysticetus), as
the type of this family; it is a shapeless creature,
which exhibits a lack of proportion in all its parts
and members.
Pechuel-Loesche gives the proportions of a speci-
men caught north of Behring Straits as follows:
Length, fifty-four feet eight inches, spread of tail,
THE PIKE WHALE. Smallest among the family of the Rorquals or Furrowed Whales is the animal
shown in the picture. It lives in Arctic waters except during the winter months, when it frequents the northern
American and European coasts. Its length is about thirty feet. The under surface of the animal is nearly white.
• tera rostrata.)
In comparison with all of its relatives in the order
that have so far been described, this Whale is of ex-
tremely clumsy build. The body is short, thick and
round, tapering strongly towards the tail, and show-
ing an elevation in the middle of the head where
the blow-holes terminate. The eyes, which hardly
exceed those of an Ox in size, are placed immedi-
ately above the beginning of the lower jaw, the ears,
the outer auditory tubes of which have about the
diameter of a goose-quill, lie a little farther behind.
The two narrow, slit-like, S-shaped blow-holes, which
are about eighteen inches long, are placed about ten
feet from the extremity of the upper jaw on the
highest point of projection in the center of the head.
The baleen plates are from three hundred to three
hundred and sixty in number and those situated in
the middle may attain a length of about sixteen feet
eight inches and weigh from six to seven pounds
apiece. The soft tongue, with its whole lower sur-
face grown fast to the jaw, lies immobile in the
gigantic mouth. Except a few bristles at the ex-
tremity of the muzzle, some soft hairs on each side of
the head, and two or three rows of very short hairs
between the blow-holes, the skin is completely
naked.
566
THE WHALES.
The upper skin is thin, of dense texture and vel-
vety softness, comparable to leather saturated with
oil, and under it lies the layer of blubber, from eight
to eighteen inches in thickness.
Range and Habits The Greenland Whale inhabits the
of Greenland highest latitudes of the Atlantic and
Whales. Pacific Oceans and the Arctic Ocean
proper, but takes up no permanent abode. It is at-
tracted by the ice to a greater extent than any other
species of Whale, and of its own accord selects its
haunts in the immediate neighborhood of the ice
fields, and wanders south or north in seasons coinci-
dent with the formation or thaw of the ice. It not
only leaves a locality where the ice melts, but un-
doubtedly also travels through great distances under
the ice, as it has been found amidst immense ice-
fields, in which, in order to breathe, it was obliged to
rise to one of the few crevices formed by the ebb
and flow of the tide.
The Greenland Whale is gregarious. Generally it
is found associated only in small groups of three or
four, but during its more extended migrations it may
collect into schools composed of large numbers.
Experienced Whalers report that generally Whales
of the same age consort, young and old forming
separate troops.
Physical and Men- The movements of these animals are
tal Attributes of of an irregular character, but by no
Greenland Whales. means slow or heavy. "Clumsy as
the Whale's body apparently is," says Scoresby, "its
movements are quick and agile; it can put itself be-
yond the reach of its pursuers in five or six seconds.
So great a speed, however, can be maintained only
for a few minutes. Sometimes it darts upwards to
the surface of the water with such force that it
springs beyond it; sometimes it stands on its head,
lifting its tail into the air, and lashing the water
with terrific violence. The noise which this lashing
causes may be heard at a great distance in calm
weather, and the circles made in the water expand to
a considerable width. When it is pierced by a har-
poon, it dives toward the bottorri, as straight as an
arrow, and though this direction can be maintained
for only a few minutes, the action is performed with
a speed and force that sometimes, in shallow places,
causes it to break its jaws in a collision with the
ground."
There is not much to say about the higher attri-
butes of this Whale. Among the perceptive senses
those of sight and touch alone seem to be fairly de-
veloped; but it maybe reasonably supposed that the
organs of sense are sufficiently effective so long as
the animal remains under water, and are deficient
only when called on to perform their functions in the
air.
In serene weather this Whale has been observed
in its sleep. It lies then on the surface of the water,
like a dead body, without moving, the extremity of
its head lifted above the waves; it breathes quietly,
without throwing up a jet, and keeps its balance
with its flippers.
As a rule, the female gives birth to one, or in rare
cases two young, usually in March or April. The in-
fant Whale nurses for a long time, perhaps a whole
year, the mother lying on her side while suckling it.
Its growth is exceedingly rapid, and a nursing Whale
attains a length of at least twenty feet, a girth of
thirteen feet four inches and a weight of twelve
thousand pounds. According to all accounts the
mother is devotedly attached to her progeny and
tends and defends it with solicitude.
Economic Value of The value of the carcass of a
the Greenland siajn Greenland Whale is very
Whale. great. The average production of
the animal is from 12,000 to 15,000 quarts of oil and
from 1,400 to 2,000 pounds of baleen. According
to the very variable prices of oil and whalebone,
the average value of a Greenland Whale amounts
to five thousand dollars; a large Whale, however,
may bring in double that sum. The greater part
of the profit generally comes from the baleen,
which no other species of Whale possesses in such
excellent quality. The flesh can not be said to be
altogether uneatable; French ship-cooks know how
to prepare it remarkably well. The people of the
high northern latitudes have no scruples about eat-
ing it, and they habitually consume the blubber.
Enemies of the Besides Man the formidable Gram-
Greenland Whale pus or Killer Whale is probably the
and their Inroads. on\y otrier f oe to attack a Greenland
Whale. It is apparently greatly annoyed, however,
by various parasites, which prey upon its body. The
so-called Whale Lice, a genus of crustaceans, some-
times take up their abode on it by hundreds of thou-
sands and cause such ravages on its back that one
might think it suffered from a malignant disease.
Sea acorns or Barnacles also sometimes cover it in
large numbers and form suitable points of attach-
ment for various aquatic plants, so that there are
Whales which are obliged to carry a miniature
world of animals about on themselves.
Though a constant decrease in the number of
Whales can not be denied, we are hardly warranted
in believing that the Greenland Whale will be exter-
minated for some time. Its inhospitable native
waters still contain a number of refuges inaccessi-
ble to ships and preserve the species from the total
extinction which would otherwise be its lot.
Gbe Gootbefc "QClbales.
SECOND SUBORDER: Denticf.te.
The remarkable difference in dentition between
the Whales has led to the division of the Cetacea
into two suborders, one of which, as we have seen,
comprises animals which are toothless, having the
place of the teeth supplied by a substance, baleen,
popularly known as "whalebone," which is peculiar
to themselves. The other suborder is known, by
contradistinction, as that of the Toothed Whales
(De?iticcte), including four families: the Dolphins
(Dclphinidce), the Narwhals (Monodofitidce), the Bot-
tle-nosed Whales {Hyperoodontidce) , and the Sperm
Whales (Catodo?itidce).
Zbe Bolpbins.
FOURTH FAMILY: DelphinidjE.
The first family of the Toothed Whales comprises
the Dolphins, which are medium sized or small
Whales having both jaws, either for their whole
length or partly, beset with more or less conical
teeth, nearly uniform in shape. The body is pro-
portionately long, the head comparatively small, the
snout in several species is elongated and pointed,
and there is usually a dorsal fin.
Range and Gen- The Dolphins inhabit all oceans, un-
eral Traits of dertake great migrations, but are the
Dolphins. only Whales which frequent rivers or
even spend their whole lives in them or in the lakes
THE GREENLAND WHALE. This marine monster is the most important of its order, yielding both oil and whalebone in large
quantities and of the best quality, ln'the northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Arctic seas this giant of the mighty deep
makes its home, and is sometimes found in large numbers, although it is zealously hunted. The picture shows a female of the species attended
by her young. The older animal is shown in the act of " blowing." (Balana mysticetus.)
(567)
568
THE WHALES.
connected with them. They are all gregarious, some
of them collecting in very large shoals and roam-
ing about the sea together for days and weeks.
Their liveliness, playfulness and lack of shyness have
earned them the friendship of sailors and poets
from the most remote ages.
Nearly all Dolphins swim with remarkable speed
and agility, and are therefore highly adapted for
catching fish, and among their numbers are some of
the most formidable and predaceous beasts of the
ocean. Some species even dare attack the largest of
Whalebone Whales, and often conquer them by dint
of perseverance. The food of the Dolphins consists
principally of cephalopods, mollusks, crustaceans
and minute sea organisms, but some are also said to
consume sea-weeds and even fruits of trees, pluck-
ing the latter from the branches that hang over the
water. They are all voracious, greedy and cruel,
consuming every eatable thing which they can pro-
cure and not even disdaining the young of their own
are eaten; the skin and intestines are utilized, and
the blubber yields a very fine oil, which is in great
request.
THE GRAMPUS.
Among the numerous species, of which this family
consists, the Grampus or Killer Whale, known from
the earliest ages and notorious for its voracity, de-
serves to be mentioned first. It represents a genus
of the-same name (Orca). The most prominent fea-
ture is the exceedingly long, erect dorsal fin. The
body is stout, the head short, the forehead sloping,
the snout rather broad and the teeth are few in num-
ber, but very strong.
Characteristics and The Grampus or Killer Whale (Orca
Range of the gladiator) mav sometimes attain a
Grampus. length of thirty feet, but averages
a smaller size, usually from thirteen to twenty feet.
The color seems to be very variable. A more or
less deep black extends over the greater part of the
THE GRA.MPUS. This animal, also known as the Killer Whale, has, because of its ferocious and voracious nature, been aptly termed
"the Wolf of the Seas." Several of them sometimes unite in attacking the great Greenland Whale and kill it, while White Whales, Porpoises and
Seals are killed by the Grampus singly. A stout body and short head, powerful jaws beset with strong teeth, and a long, dorsal fin, are prominent
features in this species. (Orca gladiator.)
kind or of their nearest relatives. The females give
birth to one or two young, suckle them for a long
time, carefully protect and tend them and defend
them in danger. It is believed that the young grow
very slowly.
Pursuit of the All Dolphins are pursued very much
Dolphins and its less by Man than are the other
Profits. Whales. Their worst foes are the
members of their own family; but their own indis-
creet zeal is still more fatal to them than are the
attacks of any of their enemies. They pursue their
prey with such greed and eagerness that they often
allow it to lead them to disaster on the treacherous
*diorc: they run aground, can not swim back, and
thus perish on the dry land. Fishermen sometimes
find dozens of them lying on the beach. In their
agony some of them utter moans, a few shedding
copious tears at the same time.
Man derives considerable profit from many spe-
cies, for nearly all parts of the body arc put to ac-
count. The flesh, fat and some of the internal parts
upper surface, a rather pure white over the lower
surface, with the exception of the extremities of
head and tail. It inhabits the northern Atlantic,
the Arctic Ocean and the northern Pacific, perma-
nently frequenting the coasts of England, France
and Germany. An odd feature in connection with its
migrations is that it appears in the southern waters
in the summer months, being wont to arrive in May
and disappear in the late fall.
The Grampus is numerous nowhere, but is found
in mid-ocean as well as near coasts, not infrequently
entering bays or even ascending rivers.
It hunts not only small fish, but also the giants
of the ocean, for it is not only the largest but also
the greediest and the most predaceous of all Dol-
phins. Wherever it appears it is the terror of all
creatures to which it is an enemy, and if possible
they leave its dangerous vicinity. Its voracity often
compels it to live near the coast, where it generally
frequents the mouths of rivers, teeming with fish;
but when in pursuit of larger prey it swims out into
THE DOLPHINS— PORPOISES.
569
the high seas for miles and avoids the coast for days
or even weeks. Wherever Greenland Whales, White
Whales and Seals are found, one will never miss see-
ing this their tireless enemy. The White Whale and
the Seal rush toward the coast in terror at the sight
of it; the former always and the latter usually en-
dangering their safety in such flight. All whalers
hate the sight of the Grampus, for its arrival is an
indication that all other Whales will at once forsake
that part of the sea, even if they have to hide be-
tween the ice to escape pursuit. Eschricht took
•out of the stomach of a Grampus over thirteen feet
long the remains of thirteen Porpoises and fourteen
Seals. The fifteenth Seal had stuck in its throat and
choked it.
Scammon says: "The attack which these Wolves
of the ocean make on so gigantic a prey as the
Greenland Whale recalls to mind a Stag pursued
and run down by a pack of Hounds. Some fasten
on to the head of the Whale, others attack it from
below, while a few seize it by the lips and hold it
and placed in the middle of the body, and the teeth
are numerous and sharp-edged.
The Porpoise and The Porpoise {Phoccena communis)
its Habits De- attains a length of five feet to six
scribed. feej- e{ght inches, or perhaps in rare
cases of ten feet. The skin is naked, soft, smooth
and glistening; the color is a dark blackish brown
or black with a greenish or violet lustre above, and
pure white beginning narrowly at the tip of the
lower jaw and from thence broadening backward;
below, the flippers are of a more or less dark brown
tint. The teeth are from forty to fifty in each jaw,
thus numbering in all from eighty to one hundred.
It is the Porpoise that one so frequently sees on
every journey through the North Sea; that prowls
about the mouths of western European rivers and,
swimming against the current, not infrequently pen-
etrates to a considerable distance inland. Thus it
has been repeatedly found in the Rhine and Elbe
and killed in the Seine at Paris and the Thames at'
London.
THE PORPOISE. One of the smallest animals among the Whales is the Porpoise, which is very common in all parts of the North
Atlantic. It follows vessels of all kinds, has no difficulty in keeping up with the fastest steamships, but specially likes to play around sailing
vessels, as long as they are near the coast. It has a broad tail, a short, dorsal fin and a short body. \Pliocana communis. )
-under water or tear its tongue when it opens its huge
mouth. In the spring of 1858 I was a witness to
such an attack made by three Killers on a female
Gray Whale and her young." After so many ac-
counts, tallying in all particulars, there can hardly
"be a doubt of the truth of the stories told of the
ferocitv and voracity of these beasts.
The Grampus of Though the body of the Grampus
Little Value possesses hardly any flesh, as Steller
to Man. says, but consists of fluid fat, still it is
nowhere generally hunted. Grampuses are occa-
sionally caught in rivers; and there are on record
three instances of Killer Whales having been har-
pooned in the Thames.
THE PORFOISES.
The commonest Dolphin of the northern Atlantic
seas is the Porpoise or Sea Hog, a representative of
the genus Phoccena, so poor in species. Its body is
short and spindle-shaped, the forehead gently slop-
ing, the dorsal fin is low, broad-rooted, triangular
The native region, proper, of the Porpoise may be
considered to be the whole north of the Atlantic,
from Greenland to north .Africa, inclusive of the
Baltic Sea. It seems that it also goes north in sum-
mer and turns its face south in winter. In spring it
goes in the wake of the Herrings and pursues them
so diligently that it often annoys the fishermen. Its
voracity is proverbial; it digests its food very quickly
and requires a considerable quantity of sustenance
to meet its needs. Fishermen detest it, as in a gen-
eral way it injures their trade, and sometimes in-
flicts upon them actual personal loss; for it easily
tears the weak nets in which they have captured fish
of the smaller varieties and then leisurely eats up
the prisoners. Strong nets, however, are often fatal
to it, as it entangles itself in them and chokes.
THE WHITE WHALE.
Martens, who visited Spitzbergen in 167 1, as a
barber on board a whaler, and gave an account of
northern marine animals, first mentions one of the
570
THE WHALES.
most remarkable Dolphins: the White Whale or
Beluga, which represents the genus Beluga. The
lack of a dorsal fin may be considered as the most
important distinctive physical feature of the animals
of this genus. The strongly-arched forehead ter-
minates abruptly in the broad, truncated muzzle, the
jaws of which are armed with a few conical teeth,
which usually fall out in old age. The short, blunt
flippers, which are placed in the first quarter of the
total length, are of an ovoid shape.
Characteristics of The Beluga or White Whale (Be-
the White luga leucas) averages a length of
Whale. from thirteen to twenty feet. The
color is a yellowish white in old animals, brownish or
bluish gray in young individuals, and later is mottled
until it gradually fades into the hue of maturity.
The Beluga ranges throughout all waters around
the north pole, but does not usually roam far south.
In rare cases it mav strav into southern seas, having
ships and gambols joyfully up and down in their im-
mediate proximity; yet it always remains timid, and
flees at the slightest noise. The principal reason,
however, why whalers do not hunt the animal, which
yields more or less profit, is, that the Beluga ofter
baffles pursuit in the open sea by its great speed
and agility; and its hunt requires too much time to
be profitable for civilized whalers. It is different
with the natives of the high north: for them the
Beluga is the most important of Whales, on account
of its oil and flesh. The majority are caught in
nets, which are set at the mouths of ocean creeks or
the inlets of bays, or in straits between islands. The
flippers and tail are esteemed as special delicacies,
if they are well prepared. The skin is dried and
tanned and serves a variety of purposes. In Kam-
chatka, for instance, thongs are made out of it,
which are highly esteemed on account of their plia-
bility and strength.
THE WHITE WHALE. Besides the peculiarity of a white body this animal is notable as having no dorsal fin, while its blunt muzzle,
its short, oval flippers and broad, forked tail are also notable characteristics. As it ranges in polar seas, the artist has appropriately depicted
it in the vicinity of an iceberg. (Beluga leucas.)
several times descended to the coasts of central
Europe. Small fishes, Shrimps and cephalopods
form their food, and besides these animals sand is
invariably found in their stomachs, a fact which has
led to the joke, common among the Greenlanders,
that it can not swim without ballast.
In its demeanor and character the Beluga differs
in nearly every respect from the impetuous Gram-
puses, and likewise from the Porpoises. White
Whales arc hardly ever seen singly, but generally in
groups, which may grow into immense schools. The
sight of such a school is said to afford a truly mag-
nificent spectacle, as the dazzlingly white animals
sometimes, as they rise to breathe, lift their bodies
half above the dark waves.
The Beluga of Great The whalers greet the Beluga with
Value to the Arc- jov, as they sec in it the precursor
tic Dwellers. 0( t}lc jarge Whale, and they often
sail on in its company, without molesting it. Under
these circumstances this Dolphin comes close to
ROUND-HEADED WHALES.
Among all the gifts of the sea none is more im-
portant for the northern native than the one prof-
fered in the shape of an animal belonging to the
family which we have now under consideration.
The Ca'ing Whale, I mean the Ca'ing or Pilot Whale
its Haunts and ( Globioccphalus melas ) , a representa-
Habits. tive of the genus of the Roundheaded
Whales {Globiocepluilus). The Ca'ing Whales [which
name is a Scotch contraction of " Calling" Whales}
are characterized by the almost globular head, which
has a swollen appearance; the crescent shaped flip-
pers, placed well under the body; the dorsal fin, erect
in the middle of the back, and the wide intermaxil-
lary bones of the lower jaw. The body is not spin-
dle-shaped, but compressed laterally. In each jaw,
placed at tolerably wide intervals, there are from
twelve to fourteen rather long, nearly conical, in-
terlocking teeth, the sharp points of which are
curved slightly backward and inward. The naked,
THE DOLPHINS— DOLPHINS PROPER.
571
shining skin is deep black above, grayish black be-
low, marked with a broad, heart-shaped, white patch
on the lower part of the neck. Very old males at-
tain a length of from twenty feet to twenty-three
feet four inches. The Ca'ing Whale inhabits the
Arctic Ocean and also the northern part of the
Pacific. From the Arctic Ocean it prowls throughout
the northern part of the Atlantic, occasionally pene-
trating as far south as the latitude of Gibraltar, but
it does not follow definite routes as do other Whales.
More gregarious than others of its family and order,
it always lives in schools and herds, which may
swell from ten and twenty to one thousand or more.
It seems that they are led by old, experienced
males, which they follow with the same indifference,
or rather stupidity, that Sheep exhibit in following
their leading ram, even if it be to their own peril.
The diet consists principally of various varieties of
Cuttle-fish; yet the stomach of a Ca'ing Whale which
was killed was found to contain Haddocks, Herrings
and other small fish, and several kinds of mollusks.
pers are placed squarely on the sides, in about the
first fifth of the length of the body; the dorsal fin is
situated nearly in the middle of the upper surface;
the tail-fin is proportionately very large and of an
almost exact crescent shape.
The Dolphin De- The Dolphin {Dclphinus delphis) at-
scribed — lts tains an average length of six feet
Wide Range. eight inches. The skin is exceed-
ingly smooth, and not only shining but varied in
color. It is greenish brown or greenish black cbeve,
dazzlingly white below, with a sharp but not straight
line of demarcation; the sides are irregularly spotted
with a grayish or blackish tint. The number of
teeth is subject to considerable variations. Usually
there are from eighty-four to one hundred in each
jaw, but there also have been found Dolphins which
had fifty-three teeth on each side of the jaws above
and below: that is, the amazing number of two hun-
dred and twelve in all. The teeth stand at regular
intervals, the upper ones interlocking between the
lower ones; they are long, conical and very pointed.
fA'ING OR PILOT WHALE Belongs; to the genus of the Round-headed Whales is the Ca'ing: or Pilot Whale which inhabits the
Arctic and the northern portions ol the Atlantic and Pacihc Oceans. The head is almost round and its dorsal fin is rather large and of crescent
shape These animals often pursue their prey to the shore and meet destruction on the shallow banks. (Globiocephalus metas.)
The Ca'ing Whale No other Whale is stranded so fre-
Frequently quently and in such numbers as the
Stranded. Ca'ing Whale, the gregarious habits
of which lead it into fatal danger; perhaps it is not
going too far to say that this Whale does not meet
with death in the sea, but almost invariably on land.
Hardly a year passes, but that a greater or smaller
number of Ca'ings are stranded in some place. In
1779 a herd of two hundred met with this fate, in
1805 another of three hundred was stranded on the
Shetland Isles; and in 1809 and 1810 eleven hundred
Whales were cast ashore in a bay called Walfjord in
Iceland. On all northern islands the inhabitants
have endeavored, from ancient times, to strand all
Ca'ing Whales which show themselves in the neigh-
borhood, in order to take advantage of the very con-
siderable profit which results from their capture.
THE DOLPHINS PROPER.
The Dolphins, and several species closely allied to
them, represent a distinct genus (Dclp/u/ius). The
comparatively small head tapers in front into a snout,
elongated in a beak-like manner and armed with a
great number of conical permanent teeth; the flip-
All the seas of the northern hemisphere are in-
cluded in the habitat of this celebrated animal,
which contributes so much to the amusement of sea-
farers and travelers. In its habits and ways the Dol-
phin exhibits, if possible, a still more playful, capri-
cious disposition than its relatives. Sometimes it
prowls about the high seas, sometimes it ascends far
towards the sources of rivers. Dolphins approach
ships in schools and play around them for a long
time before they shape their course in another direc-
tion; they plunge up and down incessantly, lift their
heads above the water for a few moments, blowing
with a snorting noise, and then disappear again in
the deep. They swim with such extraordinary
speed, that they not only follow the* course of the
swiftest steamer with ease, but gambol near it on
their way, circling around it at will, without being
left behind. Occasionally one of them jerks itself up
into the air and, turning a somersault, falls noise-
lessly back into the water and hurriedly resumes
its former position.
The teeth show clearly enough that the Dolphin
belongs among the most predaceous and voracious
animals of the sea; it is said to even turn upon its
Di-2
THE WHALES.
wounded companions. Its food consists of fish,
Shrimps, cephalopods and other marine animals.
Its favorite prey are Sardines, Herrings and Flying-
fish.
Dolphins are born singly; the young one is from
twenty to twenty-four inches in length, and the
mother nurses it very tenderly for a long time.
The Dolphin encounters a worse foe in the Killer
Whale than it does in Man; for the latter pursues it
only when the lack of the fresh meat of land ani-
mals forces him to supply his need with the flesh
of the Dolphin. This fact is to be attributed to a
certain reverence on the part of Man which the ani-
mal enjoys up to the present day.
As early as 1819 A. von Humboldt published an
account of a Dolphin inhabiting the fresh waters of
South America, without, however, giving a detailed
description of it. The painstaking German natural-
ists, Spix and Martens, published a more accurate
description in 183 1, but the final account is due to
the Frenchman, D' Orbigny.
and in the Orinoco. It is said to differ from the
ocean Dolphin in that its movements are slower and
less active; it swims more quietly, often rising to
the surface to breathe and generally gathers only
into small groups.
Bates tells us that the Amazon River is inhabited
by at least three different kinds of Dolphins and
that Whales are numerous everywhere but surpris-
ingly plentiful in some places. "On the wider parts
of the riverbed," says this observer, "from its mouth
upward for fifteen hundred miles, some one of the
species can be constantly heard to roll, blow or
snort, especially at night, and it is these very sounds
which contribute not a little to inspire the traveler
with the conception of oceanic vastness and soli-
tude." The food of these Dolphins consists mainly
of small fish; but they are said not to disdain various
fruits which fall from the trees into the river. The
Inias show the greatest preference for the clear,
deep estuaries formed by those waters at the junc-
tions of tributaries with the main streams, evidently
THE DOLPHIN. The smooth-skinned, lively and voracious Dolphin which finds itself just as much at home in the deep ocean as near
shore, is a familiar sight to all who go to sea, for it follows in the wake of vessels sometimes for days. It is a smooth-skinned, compact animal,
and its muzzle is elongated into a beak-like projection. (Delphinus delphus.)
Thelnia,or The Inia or Bonto [Inia amazonica)
Bonto, of South represents the genus of the Long-
Amenca. beaked Dolphins (Inia). Its muzzle
is elongated into a narrow, roundish, obtuse beak,
overgrown with stiff hair, and each jaw has sixty-
six or sixty-eight pointed teeth with curved, strong
crowns. The slender body is equipped with long
flippers, notched at the upper ends and tapering in
crescent shape towards the extremities; the tail-fin
has no flukes and the dorsal fin is very low. The
length of the male varies between six and ten feet.
The female is said to be only half as large. The
Inia is of a pale bluish color on its entire upper
surface and pinkish red beneath; but there are many
deviations; sometimes one finds individuals of a pro-
nounced reddish or even blackish tint. Recently
naturalists have differentiated and classified several
allied species.
As iii as is now known, this Dolphin inhabits
nearly all South American rivers between the tenth
and seventeenth parallels of south latitude. It is
well known in the Amazon River and its tributaries,
because such places harbor the greatest number of
fish.
The Inia is not pursued by the natives. Its flesh
is said to be tough, its blubber small in quantity, and
its skin suitable for scarcely anything but the manu-
facture of shields, the capture thus being remunera-
tive only in very slight degree.
THE SOOSOO.
Pliny mentions a Dolphin under the name of Pla-'
tanista, which lives in the Ganges River in India, and
according to his description is twenty-three feet
long. The animal really exists, but is much smaller
than the celebrated old author says, being only six
feet eight inches long. This Whale is the Soosoo of
the Ganges (Platanista gungctica) and is specifically
characterized by a very slender body, a crescent
shaped, forked tail-fin, and a long, beak-like snout
curving upward, the upper jaw of" which forms a
crest projecting in front and surrounding the blow-
holes. The jaws contain thirty or thirty-two strong,
conical, pointed teeth. The fin on the back is indi-
THE NARWHAL.
573
cated only by an elevated, fatty skin, the color is
grayish black above, grayish white beneath.
This remarkable Dolphin, which, however, recent
investigations have shown to be by no means the
only representative of the order living in the rivers
of southeastern Asia, exists not only in the Ganges
and its tributaries, but has also been found in the
Brahmaputra and the Indus. The food of this spe-
cies consists chiefly of fish and Shrimps; occasion-
ally grains of rice and remains of insects are also
found in its stomach, but they are said to come from
the intestines of fish it has devoured.
Zbc IRarwbal.
FOURTH FAHILY: Monodontid*.
Important distinctions separate the Narwhal or
Sea Unicorn (Monodon monoceros), the representative
of the genus of the same name, so widely from the
behind. The tail-fin is very large and branches into
two large flukes. The hue of the shining, soft,
velvety skin seems to be subject to considerable
modifications according to the sex and age. In the
male the white or yellowish white ground color is
diversified with numerous, irregularly shaped, dark
brown spots set closest together on the back, widest
apart on the abdomen, and merging into one an-
other on the head; young animals are darker than
old ones. There are also nearly purely white and
grayish, unmarked individuals. The total length of
the Narwhal is said to sometimes be as great as
twenty feet, not averaging, however, more than from
thirteen to sixteen and one-half feet.
Superstitions and We must not be astonished at the
Facts Concerning fact that marvelous stories concern-
the Narwhal. jng tjle Narwhal were rife among
our ancestors. An animal so remarkable in shape
necessarily arouses the wonder of mankind, and so
long as science had not yet spoken a decisive word,
there was food for imagination. The tusk especially
THE INIA. This animal, sometimes called the Bonto, is quite common in the larger rivers of South America. Its muzzle is elongated
into a beak and its flippers are long. It is especially prominent in the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers. Its movements in the water are quite
lively. It lives on fish and is very voracious, (/ma amazonica.]
other Toothed Whales that a distinct family has
been based on the animal. The dentition differs
from that of all other Whales in the development of
two enormous tusks, which are from six and one-
half to ten feet long, comparatively weak, twisted
from right to left, hollowed inwardly and projected
horizontally from the upper jaw. The right tusk is
stunted as a rule, and in the female both tusks attain
but a limited development. There are two small
incisors and one molar besides, in the upper jaw, but
they are invariably found only in young animals.
The cylindrical head is rounded in front and occu-
pies about one-seventh of the total length of the
elongated, spindle-shaped body; the snout is very
short, broad, thick, somewhat shortened on the right
side and is not differentiated by any line of demar-
cation, from the flat forehead, but is abruptly trun-
cated, being cut off almost perpendicularly in front.
There is no fin on the back, its place being supplied
by a fold of skin. The pectoral fins are situated in
about the first fifth of the length of the body. They
are short, of oval outline and thicker in front than
has given rise to manifold conjectures. Albertus*
Magnus speaks of this animal as a fish, which has
a horn on its forehead, with which it can pierce
fish and frail ships, but says it is very slow in its
movements, and the objects of its attacks can eas-
ily escape. On our part we regard this tusk as a
weapon, such as is often given the male sex alone.
The Narwhal is an inhabitant of the northern seas
and is oftenest found between the seventieth and
eightieth parallels of north latitude. It is plentiful
in Davis' Straits and Baffin's Bay, in the Arctic
Ocean between Greenland and Iceland, around
Nova Zembla and farther in the north Siberian seas,
and it is rare south of the Arctic Circle. In its
native latitudes it is nearly always seen in schools
containing large numbers, for in point of gregari-
ousness it is inferior to none of its relatives. "Dur-
ing its migrations,'' says Brown, " I have seen schools
numbering many thousands. With tusks and tails
aligned, they swam beside each other, going north,
their movements recalling to the mind of the ob-
server those of a cavalry regiment; bobbing up and
574
THE WHALES.
down with seeming greatest regularity, pursuing
their course in wavy lines. Such schools are not
always composed of individuals of the same sex,
but consist of males and females mixed."
Disposition, Food Modern seafarers describe this Whale
and Foesofthe as a very lively, agile animal, which
Narwhal. gives the sea an aspect of animation
by reason of its extraordinary speed and repeated
divings and reappearances, and enchains the atten-
tion of the observer. It certainly does not wage
such bloody wars with other Whales as have been
fabled, and it lives on amicable terms with its own
kind.
Sea cucumbers, mollusks and fish form the food
of this notable creature.
Manifold dangers and many foes menace the life
of the Narwhal. Of no other Whale does one find
so many remains as of this one. Winter, which
often arrives with surprising abruptness, binding the
seas of the high north in fetters of ice, endangers
and renders difficult the existence of all air-breath-
ing marine animals, puts an end to the lives of hun-
dreds and thousands of this species, and when the
than they are now, for we see in them only an ivory-
like mass. About one hundred and fifty years ago
there were still very few Narwhals' tusks in Europe
and those that seafarers chanced to find met with a
ready sale. They were held to be the horns of the
Unicorn of the Bible, and that is why Englishmen
place this member on the fabulous Unicorn of their
national coat- of- arms. Emperors and kings hac
them made into rods, adorned with the daintiest
carvings, for the purpose of being carried behinc
these monarchs on state occasions, and valuable
crosiers for bishops were also manufactured out of
them. As late as the sixteenth century four Nar-
whals' tusks were preserved in the Baireuth museum
on the Plassenburg as extraordinary curiosities. One
of them had been accepted by two margraves of
Baireuth as payment of a debt owed by King Charles
V, and for the larger one the Venetians offered the
enormous sum of 30,000 sequins, as late as 1559, with-
out succeeding, however, in obtaining possession of
it. One tusk, which was suspended by a golden
chain in the electoral collection of Dresden, was
valued at gioo,000.
THE SOOSOO. With a long, slender body ending in a forked tail at one end and a long beak in another, the Soosoo is one of the stran-
gest members of the Dolphin family. It is found in the Ganges and other principal rivers of India, where it lives on fish. IPIatantsta gangetica.)
ice fields break the sea washes their dead bodies
or fragmentary remains ashore. Small parasites
torment the Narwhal, large enemies menace it, and
Man in many localities also pursues it. Some are
harpooned in the high seas; on the whole, however,
the extent of the chase is nowhere considerable, the
results therefrom not being remunerative according
to the European or American standard of profitable
adventure. Flesh and oil are equally esteemed.
When the Danish ladies living in Greenland bring
the flesh on the table, boiled or fried and served in
the jelly made of the fat skin of the same animal,
they are filled with the consciousness that the most
fastidious foreigner will soon learn to appreciate the
dish. Native Greenlanders eat the flesh boiled and
dried, the skin and blubber raw; they burn the oil in
lamps, make thread out of the sinews and air-bag
floats out of the stomach, which they use in fishing;
they even know how to put the intestines to account.
Tusks and Teeth of 1" former times very large sums
the Narwhal Highly were paid for the tusks. All kinds
Valued. 0f occult powers w re ascribed to
them, and they were put to far xv e varied uses
Cbe Bottle^mosefc Mbale*.
FIFTH FAMILY: Hvperoodontid^:.
For the sake of completeness I will briefly men-
tion the third family of the suborder, which com-
prises the Bottle-nosed Whales {HyperoodoHtida:) and
is represented by several species, chiefly in southern
seas. The Whales belonging to this family differ
from the Dolphins as much by the snout which is
prolonged into a more or less beak-like formation as
by the dentition, the peculiarity of which is that
the lower jaw has on each side only one or two
developed teeth, and besides them, if any at all, but
few rudimentary ones, which do not project beyond
the gums.
Characteristics and One of the better-known members
Habitat of the Bot- of this family is the Bottle-nosed
tie-Nosed Dolphin. Dolphin (Hypcroodon bidens) a stur-
dily framed Whale ranging in length between twenty
feet and twenty-six feet eight inches. The snout is
prolonged like a beak and protrudes to the extent of
from twelve to twenty-four inches; a short but deep
fold of skin extends from the middle of the lower
THE SPERM WHALES.
575
jaw backward on each side of the mouth; a similar
furrow is found farther back at the throat; the rest
of the skin is smooth and glistening, of a more or
less uniform black tint, but as a rule darker on the
upper than on the lower surface.
The range of the Bottle-nosed Dolphin seems to
be restricted to the Arctic Ocean and the north of
the Atlantic; but it undertakes regular migrations
thence, which lead it into waters that are a consid-
erable distance south of its usual range. It makes
an annual appearance near the Faroe Islands and
not infrequently appears off the coasts of Great
Britain and even ascends some of the favorably
situated British rivers. Cuttle-fish, mollusks and
small fish form its diet. Of the former it consumes
enormous numbers: the remains of over 10,000 of
these animals have been found in the stomach of a
captured specimen. Kuekenthal affirms taat its div-
greater part of their length, and are beset with an
array of conical teeth of nearly equal length, while
the dental formations of the upper jaws hardly de-
serve the name of teeth.
Description of The Sperm Whale is inferior in size
the Sperm only to some of the largest Whale-
Whale. bone Whales. There are statements
to the effect that some old males have been encoun-
tered which measured one hundred feet, but one will
probably come nearer the truth, when no exact meas-
urements are given, if he accepts the length to range
between sixty-six and seventy-six feet, the circum-
ference between thirty and forty feet and a width of
tail of sixteen and one-half feet. This holds good
for male or "bull" Whales, for the females are,
without exception, considerably smaller, not even
attaining half the length of the males. In propor-
tion to the dimensions of the body the pectoral fins
THE NARWHAL This species differs so greatly from all other members of the order of the Whales that it is classed alone in a sepa-
rate genus. Its most characteristic feature is found in the ions; tusks which project from six to ten feet; ajid another is the m,merous spots which
(Monodon tnonocerus.)
mark its sides. It is plentiful in all the seas of the north, but is rarely seen south of the Arctic circle
are remarkably small. In the largest of the Sperm
Whales they measure only six and one-half feet in
length and forty inches in width. The huge, block-
ing powers are remarkable considering its compara-
tively small size: a harpooned Bottle-nose took off
three hundred fathoms of line and remained forty-
five minutes under water.
£be Sperm Mbalcs.
SIXTH FAMILY: Catodontid*.
The fourth family of the Toothed Whales {Cato-
dontidce) is represented by the Cachalot. Spermaceti
Whale or Sperm Whale ( Catodon or Physeter macro-
cephalus), the tvpe of the genus of the same name
(Catodo/i), the most uncouth member of the whole
order. It is characterized by its enormous head,
protuberant at the extremity of the snout and ab-
ruptly cut off; bv the possession of a single blow-
hole.'placed somewhat to the left, and by the pecul-
iar formation of the lower jaw, the two halves of
which lie close together and almost parallel for the
like head, which is abruptly truncated in front, has
the same height and breadth as the body, into which
it merges without distinct demarcation or the inter-
position of a neck. The body is very thick in the
anterior two-thirds and then tapers towards the tail.
In the last third there is a low, humpy bulbous, im-
mobile dorsal fin, which sometimes has a cut-off
appearance behind and gradually merges into the
body in front. The short, broad, thick pectoral fins
are placed immediately behind the eyes and have
five longitudinal furrows on the upper surface, cor-
responding to the five phalanges or fingers encased
in the integument, while the lower surface is smooth.
The tail-fin is not deeply forked and has two flukes,
the margins of which are indented in youth. The
blow-hole is a -lit of from eight to twelve inches,
and curved sc what like the letter S; in contra-
570
THE WHALES.
distinction to its position in other Whales it is placed
quite in front on the head, somewhat to the left of
the median line. The small eye lies far back; the
ear, a small longitudinal slit, lies a little below the
eye. The gape of the mouth is very wide, the jaws
opening back nearly to the eyes. The lower jaw is
considerably narrower and shorter than the upper
one, into which it fits when the mouth is closed, and,
like it, is beset with rootless, conical teeth, the num-
ber of which varies considerably, as some drop out
in old age and others become nearly covered by the
gums. Only the teeth in the lower jaw, from thirty-
nine to fifty-two in number (sometimes more numer-
ous on one side of the jaw than on the other) are
proportionately large. The skull is remarkable for its
lack of symmetry, the head for its bulk and uniform
thickness. Beneath the layer of blubber, which on
the head is several inches thick, spread layers of
cartilage, which serve as a covering for a large cavity
which a horizontal wall divides into two compart-
ments, connected by several apertures. The entire
cavity is filled with an oily, light substance, the
spermaceti, which is also found in a tube running
from the head to the tail, and in many little sacs
interspersed in the flesh and blubber. The flesh is
tough and coarse-grained and interwoven with many
thick, stiff, cartilaginous integuments. Over it lies a
layer of blubber, variable in thickness and enveloping
all is the naked, nearly smooth, glistening skin, of a
dusky black or deep dark brown hue, lighter in places
on the abdomen, the tail and the lower jaw, and in
very old Whales also on the top of the head. The
tongue is fixed along its entire under surface to the
lower jaw. The stomach has four compartments and
the bladder is filled with an orange colored, oily fluid
which sometimes contains ball-shaped lumps from
three to twelve inches in diameter and twelve to
twenty pounds in weight, probably products of dis-
ease, similar to the stones or calculi found in the
bladders of other animals. These balls furnish the
well-known and valuable substance known as am-
bergris.
Habitat and Habits The Sperm Whale is almost cosmo-
of the Sperm politan in range. All oceans of the
Whale. globe, with the exception of the
Arctic and Antarctic, harbor it. Pechuel-Loesche
considers the waters between the fortieth parallels of
north and south latitude as the proper range of the
Sperm Whale, and from this region it makes irregu-
lar excursions to the north, following warm currents
and also south to the fiftieth parallel and occasion-
ally beyond it. All specimens which have been
observed between the fifty-fifth and sixtieth parallels
of north and south latitude and still farther from the
equator can only be regarded as stragglers. Cer-
tainly no experienced and trustworthy whaler has
ever found or hunted groups or so-called "schools"
of the animals in these regions.
After the fashion of Dolphins this gigantic Whale
traverses the ocean in compact groups or schools of
greatly varying numbers, selecting the deepest waters
us its haunts. It is fond of prowling near those
coasts washed by dee]) water but it carefully shuns
dangerous shoaly water, though it may occasionally
accidentally appear in it. The schools usually con-
sist of twenty or thirty members; at certain times,
however, several schools are said to unite and jour-
ney along together.
In respect to its movements the Sperm Whale is
little inferior to the swiftest members of its order.
In quiet swimming it travels from three to six knots
an hour, but when excited it rushes through the
waves, plowing them up like a steamer. One can
recognize it from afar by its movements. When
moving calmly, it glides lightly under the surface,
but when hurrying it violently strikes its tail up
and down, so that its head alternately goes up high
and down low. Not infrequently it assumes a per-
pendicular position, holding either its head or its
tail high above the surface: differing in this from
most other Whales. When playing it stretches out
one of its flippers and beats the water with great
force; or it lashes the waves with its tail so that
the splash can be heard far away and huge white
sheaves of water shoot up which can be seen at a
distance of ten knots on clear days and serve as
good signs to experienced whalers. On calm days
Sperm Whales lie in the water quite motionless and
let themselves be rocked by the waves, or they put
their heads high up in a ludicrous way, assuming an
erect position in the water. One might take them
for the ends of huge tree-trunks or the necks of
gigantic bottles, gently rocking to and fro on the
waves.
Various kinds of Cuttle-fish form the principal
food of the Sperm Whale. Small fish that stray
into its large mouth, are naturally swallowed like-
wise, but the Whale does not hunt them. Occasion-
ally it also indulges in vegetable food, devouring
the various fruits of trees, which the rivers take into
the sea.
The Sperm Whale The Sperm Whale has been hunted
an Object of Vigi- from remote times, but more exten-
lant Pursuit. sively since the end of the seven-
teenth century, the precedence in this form of
enterprise belonging to the Americans. Since the
beginning of this century the South Sea has been
the principal hunting ground for these Whales, and
even now they are nearly exclusively Englishmen
and North Americans who engage in this pursuit.
During the years from 1820 to 1830 English whalers
took 45,933 barrels of spermaceti, giving an annual
average of nearly 4,600 barrels; in 183 1 and 1832
the yield grew to 7,605 and 7,165 barrels. During
the last thirty or forty years, owing to the develop-
ment of the petroleum industries, the profit of Sperm
Whale hunting has decreased considerably. An
adult male Whale yields from eighty to one hun-
dred and twenty barrels of oil; the value of such a
specimen varies, according to the exceedingly un-
stable condition of the market, between $2,200 and
$5,000; the females are not worth half so much,
being much smaller.
The pursuit of the Sperm Whales is fraught with
greater danger than that of other Whales. A Whale-
bone Whale endeavors to injure its enemy only in
exceptional cases, while the Cachalot defends itself
when attacked, turns courageously upon its adver-
sary and makes use not only of its tail, but also of
its formidable teeth. That it defends itself with its
teeth against other enemies than Man is substan-
tiated by various observations. Thus, sometimes an
old male, with a totally mutilated lower jaw, is
killed, the animal evidently having been engaged in
a fight with one of its own species, or some yet un-
known Leviathan of the deep; besides this, whalers
also know from hard experience, that not only does
a fighting Sperm Whale sometimes run its head
against a boat or smash it with its tail, but really
takes it into its mouth and crushes it quite easily.
Definite observation has shown that it can adjust
its tooth-studded lower jaw at almost a right angle
THE SPERM WHALES.
577
to the upper one, and also move it laterally to
a remarkable extent. When it is harpooned, it
sometimes remains lying quite still in the water'for
a few moments as though it were paralyzed, thus
giving a vigilant whaler opportunity to despatch it
quickly. As a rule, however, it engages in a des-
perate conflict for its life and by no means always
seeks safety in flight, but retaliates for the injury
received, with stern fury. All experienced seafarers
have stories to tell about accidents, caused by it;
some of these tales maybe exaggerated or invented,
but others have been thoroughly proven.
Adventure of What- The ship Nantucket was made a
ers with Sperm complete wreck, in the year 1807
Whales. by a Sperm Whaki off the cQas'
of Massachusetts. In
1820 the boats of the
ship Essex hunted a
school of Sperm Whales
in the South Sea, while ^3=11=11111^
the ship was following
under shortened sail. A
gigantic bull appeared
in proximity to the ship &yjjgij
and leisurely swimming
up to it, st rue k
against it. as it seemed,
quite accidentally. The
ship was severely shaken
and the Whale also ap-
peared to bo seriously
injured, for it rolled
furiously about in the
water; soon, however, it
recovered and mule off
— at least such was the
belief of the crew, who
were w o rk i n g at the
pumps, for a consider-
able leak had been
sprung in consequence
of the collision. The
Whale was seen to sud-
denly halt at a distance
of about one hundred
fathoms, turn around and
charge full at the vessel;
it struck one side of the
bow and crushed it to
such an extent that the
ship immediately began
to sink. Some old'bulls
are well known to the
whalers, and have ac-
quired a kind of celeb-
rity as "fighting Whales,"
or "biting Whales," as for
instance " New Zealand
Tom," a gigantic fellow, named after its favorite
waters. It is said to have its wits sharpened to such
an extent that it meets any attack half way and
smashes or bites through the boats which do not
escape in time. The ships themselves it leaves un-
molested. It is immortalized in songs and in tales;
its back is said to be studded with harpoons, resem-
bling that of a Porcupine. At any rate one may re-
gard the Sperm Whale as the most gallant or the
noblest of all Whales; it is the type of a genuine
monster of the sea.
The gain to be expected from the pursuit of the
Sperm Whale, however great it may be, is too little
to compensate for the serious dangers with which
the undertaking is fraught. Besides the blubber,
which yields very good oil, spermaceti and ambergris
are also taken from the Cachalots. The spermaceti
which is baled out of the cavity in the head, is fluid,
transparent and nearly colorless in its fresh state;
it coagulates in a cold temperature and then assumes
a white color. It is used in medicine and in the
manufacture of candles, which are preferred to all
others. Of still greater value is the ambergris, about
which so many fables were current from ancient
times, until it was recognized to be an excretion of
the Cachalot; it is a light, wax-like substance of very
variable color, and possessed of a very agreeable
odor; it softens in heat, changes into an oily liquid
j^Sf^SP^'"'
THE SPERM WHALE. V\
log-like head which is flattened .it the ex
extensively hunted, principally for its oil
real monsti i length, has a heavy.
trcnii t \ holes are pla I the head. This Whale is
,1 valuable article of commerce. , Catodon macrocephalus.)
in boiling water, and evaporates when subjected to
great heat. It is largely used for fumigating pur-
poses and is also mixed with perfumed oils and
soaps. It is more frequently found floating in the
ocean than in the body of a Whale. There is no
doubt that pieces one hundred and eighty pounds
in weight, five feet in length and over twenty inches
in thickness have been found floating on the water.
Besides these substances the teeth of the Sperm
Whale are also put to account. The pulp is some-
what yellowish, but firm and durable, and the teeth
are extensively used for buttons and chips; one
pound is worth from half a dollar to one dollar.
■■-■ , • >'*>■"!///*. t
THE GIANT KANGAROO. < >nc ol the most interesting of mammals is the Kangaroo, a typical Pouched Animal, which is also noteworthy for
the disproportionate izi and strength of its hind limbs. When moving about on all fours, grazing, ii presents an awkward appearance, but it makes rapid
pro n in by great bounds, using its powerful bind limbs only, after the manner of a Jerboa When the Kangaroo is .it rest it often assumes ., perfe< tl\
' position; the tail aiding the two hind leg to form a sort ol supporting tripod for the bo.lv. When two ol these animals fight, which sometimes
happi ' fore paws prove only ineffective weapons, but the Kangaroo can inflict severe wounds with the sharp claws of its powerful hind feet,
U ' niing itself meanwhih {Macropui giganteus.)
(57«)
Zhe poncheb Bnimale-
FOURTEENTH ORDER: Marsupialia.
JAMMALIA, except those of
the Apes, the Whales and
the Momotremes, includes
no order which is equally
important, or more worthy
of the attention of natural-
ists and students, than that
of the Pouched Animals,
or Marsupials. Close con-
sideration of the latter
order shows that under this
classification are ranged
families which have little
in common except the
pouch and the mode and organs of propagation,
and which could be, not inaptly, grouped as inde-
pendent orders of a distinct sub-class of mammals.
Examination of these animals leads involuntarily
to the opinion that we have before us a group which
was in the palmy period of its existence in the ages
when lived and thrived the shapeless amphibia of
the mainland, the Flying Lizards of the air, and the
marine Dragons of the sea. Very weighty evidence
indicates that the Pouched Animals are only slightly
modified offspring of mammals of bygone periods
of creation and development.
By comparing a Pouched Animal to a beast of
prey or to a rodent, the dullest eye will instantane-
ously perceive that the Pouched Animal is in all
respects much less developed and perfected than
the corresponding predaceous or gnawing mammal.
This shortcoming of the Pouched Animal is found
either in the formation of the body, or in the con-
struction of some of the limbs, or in the dentition.
We speak with pleasure of the graceful frame of
many carnivores or rodents, but it is seldom that we
experience the same feeling in regard to a Pouched
Animal. At best some one species may excite our
wonder, but not our pleasurable emotions; another
our sense of the ludicrous; a third simply repels us.
Something is always wanting in a Pouched Animal
to meet the sense of propriety of one accustomed
to other animal tonus. In examining the dentition,
our opinion of the importance of the animal is no
more favorable; for the teeth, also, seem imperfect
and deficient, compared to those of the corre-
sponding carnivores and rodents. The predaceous
Pouched Animal has a sufficient number of teeth
in its mouth, and they are arranged in a manner
similar to those of the beasts of prey, but they are
always less developed. What holds good in respect
to the predaceous Pouched Animals may also be
said of the others, and thus the impression that the
Marsupials are imperfect and insufficiently devel-
oped beings seems thoroughly justified.
General Charac- Little can be said of the bodily form-
teristics of Pouched ation of the Marsupials in general.
Animals. fhe various members of the order.
as to physical characteristics, differ more from one
another than do those of any other order. Natu-
rally, the formation of the digestive organs and, in a
certain sense, also the articulation of the supporting
bony skeleton, harmonizes with the dentition, and as
the order of the Pouched Animals contains genuine
carnivorous forms as well as true vegetable feeders,
and even groups recalling to mind the traits of the
ruminants, we would hardly be justified in speaking
of a prevailing type among the members of this
order. Without considering the size, which ranges
between that of a medium-sized Deer and that of a
Shrew, no other order comprises such a variety of
animals, and it seems unnecessary to say anything in
this place that would have to be repeated in the
course of description. A common characteristic of
all members of the order is the structure of the
organs of reproduction and the possession of mar-
supial (or pouch) bones. These latter are formed
from the tendons of the external oblique abdominal
muscle, which are inserted in front into the pubis,
ossify and thus become the so-called marsupial
bones, found also in the male, but in the female
probably serving to protect, by strengthening the
abdominal wall, the young placed in the pouch from
the pressure exerted by the abdominal viscera. The
mammae, to which the newborn young attach them-
selves, are situated in the pouch. This pouch may
be a perfect pocket, or degenerate into merely two
folds of skin, or be entirely rudimentary. The
young are born under conditions not found existing
in any other higher mammal. They are small,
naked and blind and their limbs are mere stubs.
Birth and Deuel- The female Pouched Animal gives
opment of Mar- birth to its young in an immature
supials. state of development, takes them up
in its mouth and puts them to the mamma;. There
the\- remain until the organs of sense and the Umbs
have developed, and, in the forms possessing a devel-
oped pouch, this latter is, during this time, not only
a nest and refuge for the young, but also the place
in which it develops into a perfect infant. Thence
the young one undertakes excursions later, which it
gradually extends; but it spends its entire infancy
suckling, and with more than one member of this
remarkable order the embryonic period preceding
birth lasts only a month or little more, while its
development during pouch-life extends through a
period lasting from six to eight months. In the case
of the Giant Kangaroo, the little animal puts its
head out of the pouch about nine weeks before it
first leaves it, and for about nine weeks more the
young creature lives part of the time in the pouch
and the remainder outside of it. The number of
young may be quite large.
Habitat and Attn- I Marsupials at present inhabit
butes of the Australia and a few adjacent islands,
Marsupfols. South and North America. In
America the members of one family only are found,
and the majority of species exist in the southern
.•79)
580
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
parts. In accordance with their great diversity in
physical structure, the Pouched Animals have little
in common in their mode of life: some are carniv-
orous, others are vegetable feeders; many live on the
ground, others on trees, some temporarily even in
the water; the majority have nocturnal habits, but
some are active by day also.
In 1888 Thomas differentiated six families, thirty-
seven genera and one hundred and fifty-one species
of Marsupialia, which may all be classified accord-
ing to their dentition into two suborders, the carniv-
orous and the herbivorous forms.
Ibcrbtvorous jpoucbefc animate.
FIRST SUBORDER: Diprotodontia.
In the suborder of the Herbivorous Pouched Ani-
mals there are three incisors in the upper and only
one in the lower jaw, but the latter is particularly
long and strong. The premolars are always small
and weak, especially those in the lower jaw, which
usually fall out early in life and are generally absent
in the adult animal. The molars are blunt, but strong,
and the entire dentition adapts the animals of this
suborder to a diet of fruit and grass. The suborder
includes three families: The Leaping Pouched Ani-
mals, the Climbing Marsupials, and the Wombats.
Xeaping fl>oucbefc> animals.
FIRST FAMILY: Macropodidje.
The first family of the vegetable feeders comprises
the Leaping Pouched Animals (Macropodidce), dis-
tinguished by their dentition and by their peculiari-
ties of form, which in most species are very marked.
The upper jaw normally contains three incisor teeth,
the anterior one being largest, and a canine tooth
being present only in exceptional cases; in the lower
jaw there is only one wide, chisel-shaped incisor
tooth and the canine tooth is always absent; there
are besides four premolars and eight molars in each
jaw. The mode of locomotion of the Leaping
Pouched Animals is by a series of leaps ; some
species, however, know how to climb trees.
THE KANGAROOS.
The sub-family of the Kangaroos (Macropodintz)
contains, besides the giants of the order, creatures
of a Rabbit's size, but all possess a highly character-
istic structure. The body of the Kangaroo increases
in girth from the throat toward the buttocks; and the
most largely developed part of the body is the loin
region, on account of the great muscular proportions
of the hinder limbs. On the other hand, the head
and chest are almost rudimentary in development.
The locomotion of the Kangaroo is almost exclu-
sively performed by the hinder part of the body,
and thus the great development of that portion is
explicable. The Kangaroo can use its weak fore
legs only in a very insignificant way for locomotion
and for the grasping of food, while the greatly
lengthened hinder legs and the powerful tail enable
it to proceed by leaps. The hinder legs and the tail
are undoubtedly the most characteristic feature of
the animal's structure. The legs have strong thighs,
long shins and a disproportionately lengthened foot
region with strong, long toes, the fourth of each ha\
ing a huge, hoof-like nail. The number of toes
only four, as the thumb is lacking. The tail is pre
portionately thicker and longer than that of anj
other mammal, and extremely muscular. The fore
feet of the Kangaroo, which have five toes, each
nished with round, moderately and equally devel
oped nails are used by the animal after the fashion
of hands. The head partakes of the character of
that of a Deer and also bears some resemblance to
the head of a Hare.
Range and Australia and its adjacent islands are
Habits of the the home of the Kangaroo; the wide,
Kangaroo. grassy plains in the interior of the
continent form its favorite haunts. Some species
prefer bushy localities, others the rocky mountains
to the lawn-like, grassy plains, and still others have
taken up their abode in almost impenetrable thick-
ets, through which they must make passages and
paths by breaking limbs and branches; or else they
live on the rocks and trees themselves, incredible as
this may seem. Most species are active by day; the
smaller species, however, are nocturnal animals, hid-
ing by day in shallow depressions, which they make
their permanent abodes. A few also permanently
inhabit rocky crevices.
The Kangaroos undoubtedly take rank among the
most remarkable of mammals. Everything about
them is really extraordinary: their movements and
their attitudes when at rest, the way they seek their
food, their reproduction, their development and their
mental qualities. Their ordinary gait, which they
assume principally when they are grazing, is a heavy,
awkward hobble. The animal supports its fore feet
on the ground and then pushes the hinder legs on
between them. While doing so, it must also sup-
port itself on its tail, as else it could not lift its
long hinder legs high enough to render such move-
ments possible. But the Kangaroo remains in this
inconvenient position no longer than is absolutely
necessary. When browsing upon bushes or trees
it always sits on its hinder legs and tail and lets
the fore legs hang down limply. Whenever it has
plucked some favorite plant, it assumes the erect,
position to consume it. It supports its body on the
soles of its hind feet and on its tail, which is firmly
planted on the ground behind, the body thus resting
securely and conveniently as if on a tripod. In their
sleep the smaller species adopt a position similar
to that of a Hare in its form: closely crouched to
the ground, they squat down on all fours, the tail
being extended at length behind the body. This
position enables them to take flight instantly.
When a Kangaroo's suspicion is aroused, its first
impulse is to flee. Then it displays all its agility.
When its gait is faster than its ordinary grazing hob-
ble, it leaps only on its hinder legs, but its bounds
surpass those of any other animal in length. It
presses its fore limbs tightly against the chest,
stretches the tail straight backwards, thrusts the
long and slender hind legs against the ground with
all the force of the powerful thigh muscles, and
darts like an arrow through the air in a low curve.
The leaps follow in immediate succession, and each
is at least nine feet, but the larger species cover, not
infrequently, from twenty to thirty-three feet at a
bound, the height of each leap being from six to
ten feet. F/ven captive specimens take leaps of
twenty-six feet, if chased back and forth in a large
enclosure. It takes quite an excellent Dog to keep
pace with a Kangaroo, and indeed there are few
LEAPIXG POL THED ANIMALS— KANGAROOS.
581
Hounds that can do so. When there is anv cover,
•such as brushwood, the pursuit has soon to be given
up; for the agile Kangaroo easily clears the bushes
in its way by leaping over them, while the Dog has
to go around. On uneven ground its speed is less,
and it experiences great difficulty in going down
hill, as it is apt to fall forward in its violent bounds.
hours after birth the young Giant Kangaroo has a
length of only a little over one and one-fifth inches.
It can be compared only to the embryos of other ani-
mals, for it is quite immature, transparent; sott and
worm-like; its eyes are closed, the ears and nostrils
are only indicated, the limbs yet unformed. There
is not the slightest resemblance between it and the
mother. The fore legs are one-third longer than
the hinder ones. It hangs from the breast in a
strongly curved position, its short tail bent upwards
between the hinder legs, without a noticeable move-
ment; it is even incapable of sucking. As soon as
it has been attached to the nipple, the latter swells
so considerably that it completely closes the mouth
of the little one. As before indicated it is supposed
that the young Kangaroo does not suck at all, but
is provided with milk without making any effort of
its own, the milk squirting into its mouth in re-
sponse to contraction of the lacteal muscles of the
mother. For nearly eight months it is nourished
exclusively in the pouch; it sometimes protrudes its
head slightly a little before this period expires, but
it is not yet capable of moving independently.
YELLOW-LEGGED KANGAROO. The Mountain or Rock Kanga-
roos make their retreat in <
one ledge to another. The Yellow-legged Kangaroo, shown in the picture.
with the little baby Kangaroo which rests in her pouch, belongs to this
genus. (Pctrogalc xanthopus.)
'A running Kangaroo may hold out for hours, with-
out tiring.
Mental Capacity Among the perceptive senses of the
and Propagation of Kangaroo that of hearing probably
Kangaroos. ranks highest: at least there is a
continual movement of the ears in captive speci-
mens, just as in other captive large game animals.
Sight is less keen, and smell, probably, is rather defi-
cient. Some observers, however, aver that the ani-
mals see, hear and scent excellently. They are very
dull in intellect: even Sheep are far superior to them
in this regard. Anything out of the accustomed
order confuses them, for they are not capable of
a rapid comprehension of new surroundings. The
brain works slowly: every impression they receive
becomes clear to them only gradually. A captive
Kangaroo becomes used to Man in general, but I
doubt whether it discriminates between its keeper
and other people.
The reproductive powers of all Kangaroos are
slight. The large species rarely give birth to more
than one voting one at a time. When the young
one is born the mother takes it up with her mouth,
opens the pouch with both fore teet. and attaches
the insignificant little creature to the breast. Twelve
W1
THE BEAR KANGAROO. This animal, which is one of the Tree
Kangaroos, lias its home in New Guinea. It climbs with facility and feeds
on the fruit, bark and leaves of trees, its hind limbs are proportionately
shorter than those of the Kangaroos proper, although still longer than the
fore pair. (Dendrolagus ursinus.)
A considerable time after it first peeps out of the
pouch, the young one occasionally leaves its refuge
and roams about near its mother, but for a long
time it flees back to the pouch whenever it appre-
hends any danger. It approaches its mother with
long bounds and dives headlong into the half-open
pouch of the quietly sitting female.
582
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
Kangaroos The Kangaroos are the most impor-
Important Game tant objects of the chase in their na-
Animals. tive country and are hunted very ex-
tensively by beasts of prey as well as by Men, natives
or whites. The white Men, however, cause much
greater havoc in the ranks of the Kangaroos than do
the natives. Numerous methods are employed to
exterminate the animals; they arc shot with fire-arms,
or coursed to death by Hounds: and that for very
wantonness, for the slain bodies are left to rot in
the woods. "That is the reason," says an anony-
mous writer, "why the Kangaroos are already exter-
minated in the environs of all larger cities and set-
tlements; and if this savage chase is permitted to
continue, it will not be long ere they will be num-
bered among the rarer mammals in the interior
also."
Kangaroos Easily All species of Kangaroo readily re-
Tamed and Ac- sign themselves to confinement, and
climated. are easily maintained on hay, green
fodder, turnips, grain, bread and similar articles of
food; they do not require a specially warm shelter
in winter and breed readily if given proper care.
THE GIANT KANGAROO.
The Giant Kangaroo [Macropus giganteus), known
by the appellation of "Boomer" among the Aus-
tralian settlers, belongs to the largest species of the
family. Very old males have, when in a sitting posi-
tion, nearly the height of a human being. Their total
length amounts to about ten feet, about three feet of
this being included in the tail; the weight ranges
between two and three hundred pounds. The female
is, on an average, one third smaller than the male.
The fur is copious, thick, smooth and soft, nearly
woolly in texture. The coloring is a brown that can
hardly be described, mixed with gray. The fore-
legs, and the hind shins and ankles are white or
grayish white, the toes are blackish; the head shows
the color of the back with dark stripes on the sides;
the tail is brownish, gradually darkening towards
the extremity, being entirely black at the tip.
Traits of the Cook discovered this species of Kan-
Giant Kan- garoo in 1 770 on the coast of New
garoo. South Wales and described it under
the name in use among the natives. The animal
lives in grassy pastures or in the sparsely grown
scrubby woods, such as are often found in Australia.
It retreats to the bush especially in summer, seeking
shelter from the hot noonday sun. At present it
has been driven far into the interior of the country
by incessant pursuit, and even there it is becoming
rare. It lives in groups, but is not as gregarious
as we were formerly led to believe by reports that
many different families unite. Usually only three
or four are seen together, and they regard the social
bond so loosely, that one cares very little for the
other, but goes its own way independently. A par-
ticularly good pasturage may cause a larger number
of the animals to congregate, but they separate
again when they have exhausted the resources of
the locality. Formerly it was believed that males
were leaders of the bands, probably because their
large size seemed to render them fit for this office;
but this supposition has been proven to be incorrect.
All observers agree that the Giant Kangaroo is ex-
ceedingly shy and timorous and seldom allows a
person to approach it. At present it is more rarely
seen in confinement in Europe and America than
when it was more numerous and easier to capture in
its native country. With good treatment it survives
a long time; specimens have lived in Europe from
ten to twenty-five years.
MOUNTAIN KANGAROOS.
The Mountain Kangaroos (Pctrogalc) are animals
fitted for a life in mountainous regions; to them
belong the Yellow-legged Kangaroo (Pctrogalc xan-
tliopus) and the South Australian Rock Kangaroo
(Pctrogalc pcnicillata). The latter attains a length of
fifty inches, inclusive of the tail, which is as long as
the body and has a tuft of hair at its end. The pre-
vailing color is purple-gray, merging into a whitish
brown hue on the sides, black behind, brown or yel-
lowish beneath.
Home and Habits The mountains of South Australia
of the Rock harbor the Rock Kangaroo in con-
Kangaroo. siderable numbers; yet it is not often
seen, as it is a lover of the night and very rarely
comes out of the dark caves and gulches between
the rocks before sunset. The agility which it dis-
plays in climbing along the rocky precipices would
do credit to a Monkey. By its climbing accomplish-
ments it is protected much more effectually than its
relatives from pursuit by Man and other foes. In
modern times Rock Kangaroos have been repeatedly
brought alive to Europe and they may be frequently
seen in zoological gardens. They do not differ from
their relatives in their habits or behavior, except in
their climbing propensities.
THE TREE KANGAROOS.
The climbing powers of the Macropodinae are
brought to the highest point of development in the
four species constituting the Tree Kangaroos (Den-
drolagus), of New Guinea and north Queensland.
The large, strong fore legs are but little inferior to
the hinder limbs and are a very characteristic feature
of this genus. The Bear Kangaroo (Dendrolagus
ursi/ius) of New Guinea is a medium large animal,
fifty inches in length, a little more than half of which
is included in the tail.
All observers agree that one can hardly imagine
a more remarkable creature than a Tree Kangaroo,
merrily moving about among the branches and dis-
playing nearly all climbing abilities that have been
observed in mammals. The animal climbs up tree
trunks with the greatest ease, going up and down with
the security of a Squirrel; yet it looks so strange
in the tree tops that every spectator is much amazed
when, for the first time, he sees the dark-haired,
long-limbed creature, hopping from the ground to
the tree and moving about the waving branches. In
accordance with the nature of its haunts, it feeds
principally on leaves, buds and shoots of trees;
probably it also eats fruit. One seldom sees it in
captivity.
THE KANGAROO RATS.
The small leaping forms are called Kangaroo Rats
(Potoroi/ice). They generally resemble their large
relatives greatly, but differ from them not only by
reason of their small size, but also in the long nails
on the middle toes of the fore limbs and especially in
their dentition. This sub- family is restricted to the
continent of Australia and Tasmania.
THE OPOSSUM RAT.
One of the largest species of the Kangaroo Rats
is the Opossum Rat {Bcttongia pcnicillata), an animal
of the size of a Rabbit, with very short, round ears
and rather long hair. The color of the upper sur-
THE CLIMBING MARSUPIALS.
583
face of the body is grayish brown, sprinkled with
black and white; the under surface is dingy white
or yellowish. The Opossum Rat is especially dis-
tinguished by a brush of long, black, bushy hair,
covering the last third of the tail; it is nearly twenty-
seven inches long, twelve and one-half of which are
included in the tail. It is indigenous to the whole
!
KANGAROO RAT. This Australian animal well deserves its name,
of the rat-like appearance of its head and tail. The other portions of the
formed like those of the Kangaroos. (I'otorous tridactylus.)
of continental Australia with the exception of the
northernmost region.
Gould says: " Like the other species of the
genus, the Opossum Rat scoops out a hollow in the
ground for the reception of its thick-walled, grassy
nest, the appearance of which is so thoroughly in
harmony with the surroundings, that one is sure to
overlook it, except by the
most careful examination.
The way the dwarf Kan-
garoo transports the dry
grass for the construction
of its nest is very pecul-
iar. It is done by means
of the tail, which is quite
prehensile. The animal
seizes a tuft of grass with
the tail and drags the ma-
terial to its destination;
one may imagine how
queer and curious a sight
is presented when, in con-
finement, it gathers the
material for its lair in a
similar way."
THE KANGAROO RAT.
The Kangaroo Rat
{Potorous tridactylus) may
be recognized by its ob-
long head, its short legs
and its rat-like tail. Its
body is sixteen inches
long, its tail ten inches,
the body is of short,
sturdy organization, and the neck is thick. The tail
is long, flat, and distinctly ringed and scaly; it is
covered very sparsely with short, stiff hairs. The
long, loose, feebly-glistening fur is dark brown above,
dingy or yellowish white beneath.
The Kangaroo Rat is a native of the colonies of
New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and
Tasmania. It affects localities sparsely grown with
bushes, and shuns an open prairie country. It scoops
out a hole in the ground between tufts of grass,
carefully lines it with dry grass and hay and there it
spends the day sleeping, usually in company with
others of its kind; it is of truly nocturnal habits,
appearing abroad only towards sunset.
The Kangaroo Rat differs very markedly from
the other Kangaroos in its movements. It
runs quite differently and much more swiftly
than they, more after the manner of the Jer-
boas; that is, it moves the hind legs alter-
nately and not both at once. In respect to
diet it also differs from its heretofore de-
scribed relatives." It digs chiefly after tubers,
plants and .roots and therefore sometimes
causes considerable damage in cultivated
fields. Since the establishment of zoological
gardens the Kangaroo Rat has not infre-
quently been taken alive to Europe and
America. It thrives excellently on plain
food and requires no particular shelter. A
box lined with hay or a small earth-house
suffices; if it is given no place of abode it digs
out a lair for itself and lines it carefully with
grass, leaves and hay, in the same manner
that it prepares a nest when free in its native
country.
''Vil'M-*^
because
body are
Cbe Climbing fIDarsupials.
SECOND FAMILY : Phalangerid^-.
In the family of the Climbing Pouched Animals
{Phalangeridce)'we. range three sub- families, the mem-
bers of which are mostlv herbivorous, and seldom
%
OPOSSUM RAT. This animal belongs to the sub-family of the Kangaroo Rats. It has a short, somewhat
broad head, a long tail with tufted end, and strongly developed hind quarters and limbs. Its movements are very
fleet, as it jumps about on its hind feet, but slow when on all fours. (Bettongia penidtlata.)
carnivorous or insectivorous; they lead an arboreal
life, have five toes on each foot, a single-cham-
bered stomach and a well developed pouch, opening
in front. On the hinder feet the second and third
toe are grown together, while the fourth is the long-
est and the nailless great-toe (corresponding to the
thumb of Man) is opposable to the others; the toes
of the fore feet are of more or less equal size.
584
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
KOALA OR AUSTRALIAN BEAR.
The first sub-family is formed by only one genus
and species, and presents to us one of the most re-
markable of all the Pouched Animals, the Koala or
Australian Bear (P/tasco/arctus dnereiis). The tail-
less body is stout, the head very thick and short-
snouted, the mouth is provided with cheek-pouches,
the ear is large and overgrown with bushy hair, the
fore and hinder paws have five toes and are genuine
hand-feet, or feet capable of seizing and holding an
object. On the fore paws the two inner toes are
opposed to the three others; the hinder feet have a
strong, nailless, opposable thumb and toes of very
THE SPOTTED CUSCUS. One "I the handsomest of the Marsupials is the
Spotted l ti in part of Australia, New Guinea and
the islands north to the I hensile tail is long and is naked and scaly for its
terminal half. The animal is a tree-dwellei and lives on vegetable food and also on such
birds and mammals as it can overcome. I Phalanger maculatus.)
unequal size, armed with sharp, long and curved
nails, thus being eminently adapted for climbing.
In respect to dentition, the unequal upper incisors,
of which the first is the largest and strongest, the
small canine teeth, and the grinders, provided with
cusps, are worthy of notice, as special characteristics
in which this animal differs from its relatives.
The name of "Pouched Bear" is characteristic,
for the Koala bears a striking likeness to a young
Bear in shape, gait and general behavior. Its
length is about twenty-four inches, the height at the
withers about half as much. The color of the upper
pari of the body is reddish ashy gray, the under sur-
face is yellowish white; the outer sides of the cars
are blackish gray.
The Koala is indigenous to east Australia from
Queensland to Victoria. It is nowhere common and
is therefore little known as yet. In pairs it moves
about the loftiest trees with a slowness which has
also gained for it the name of "Australian Sloth."
The animal is of semi-nocturnal habits, sleeping at
least through the greatest heat and light of the day,
deeply hidden in the tops of gum-trees, which form
its favorite haunts. Towards evening it begins its
quest for food. Quietly and unmolested by any
other creature of the wilderness, it proceeds leis-
urely to browse off the young leaves and shoots of
branches, holding them with its fore paws and biting
them off with its front incisors or cutting teeth.
Being of dull senses it suffers itself to
be taken with little trouble and resigns
itself with equanimity to the inevitable,
including confinement. It not only quickly
becomes very tame, but in a short time
learns to know its keeper and even dis-
plays a certain attachment for him.
So far as is known, the female gives birth
to only one young one. After the infant
has outgrown the pouch, she carries it
around on her back and shoulders for a
long time, and treats it with great care and
affection. Europeans have known the
Koala only since 1803; the natives, who
call it Goribum, have always regarded it
as a valuable object of the chase. They
hunt it diligently for its flesh, climbing
after it on trees.
SMALL POUCHED ANIMALS.
The sub-family richest in species is
formed by the Small Pouched Animals
(Phalanq-eri/ice), which attain, at the most,
the size of large Martens. The tail is
generally long and prehensile, ths snout
is short and broad.
THE CUSCUS.
In the forests of Celebes, the Moluccas,
New Guinea, the Timor group and north
Queensland are found the members of a
peculiar genus of this sub-family, the Cus-
cus {Phalanger). They are of clumsy, awk-
ward structure, with moderately long ears,
perpendicular pupils of the eyes and a
thick, more or less woolly fur: the tail is
hairy only around the root, the terminal
half being naked and nearly covered with
warts.
The Spotted The Spotted Cuscus, known
discus the Hand- to the inhabitants of Aru as
somest Species. Wangal ( Phalanger macula-
tus), is one of the handsomest species of the genus;
it attains a total length of forty-four inches, the tail
including about nineteen inches of this. A thick,
woolly fur of silky softness clothes the body. The
color is subject to many modifications. The upper
surface is generally white, dashed with yellow or
with gray, relieved by large, irregular, rusty red,
deep brown or black spots; the outer faces of the
limb are lighter. The under parts are always spot-
less and of a pure white hue.
The Spotted Cuscus inhabits the islands east of
Celebes to New Guinea and North Australia. We
are indebted to the Dutchman, Valcntyn, for the first
accounts of the life and habits of these animals. He
relates that the Cuscus or Kusus, as the Malays call
THE CLIMBIXG MARSUPIALS -COOSOOS.
oba
them, are among the queerest members of the Weasel
tribe on Amboina. "The head heirs much resem-
blance to that of a Rat or a Fox. The end of the
tail is bare and prehensile; with it they cling so
firmly to branches that one can pull them off only
with a great effort. On the Moluccas also they do
KOALA OE AUSTRALIAN POUCHED BEAR. Combining many
•characteristics of tiie Bear and the Sloth, although a true Marsupial, the
Koala, with its short, thickset body, short snout and large head is one of the
most singular and interesting arboreal animals of Australia and Tasmania.
4.Phascolarctus cutereus.)
not live in burrows, but on the trees, in the woods,
•especially where there are tree- nuts. There are
more of them on Ceram and Buru than on Amboina,
for on the latter island they fear the people, who
catch them in a peculiar way and eat them; for they
are a delicacy for the natives, and when fried, the
flesh tastes like that of a
Rabbit. To capture one
of these animals the hunt-
er must stare fixed ly at it
■when it is suspended by its
tail; this will cause it to let
^o in fear and it will fall
from the tree. However, it
is not given to every one
to be able to 'look a Cus-
•cus off a tree.' The animals
eat green leaves, the outer
shells of canary nuts, pisang
and other succulent fruits.
While eating they sit like
Squirrels. Between the
hinder legs is a pouch, in
which from two to four
young are kept." In the
forests all known species
feed on fragrant fruit; in
confinement they also eat
raw meat, in default of
vegetable food. Their
conduct in the cage or in
a room is as little prepos-
sessing as their looks.
particularly stupid and dull; at night the eyes glow
like those of other nocturnal animals: then they re-
semble the Loris in many respects.
THE COOSOOS.
The Coosoos ( Trichosums) are seen much more
commonly in Europe: they are nearly allied to the
Cuscus, have a similar dentition and are distin-
guished from the latter by reason of the roundish
pupils, large ears, smooth fur, and a tail which is
hairy for its entire length, except on the under sur-
face of the tip.
The Vulpine Pha- Une °f the best-known species of
langcr— Its Habits, this genus is the Vulpine Phalanger
Range, etc. ( Tricliosiirus vulpecula or Plialangisla
vulpina), an animal which appears to combine the
graceful form of the Squirrel with that of the Fox.
The body is twenty-four inches long, the tail eight-
een inches. The upper surface of the body is of a
brownish gray hue, with a fallow reddish tinge, very
marked in places; the under parts are light ochre
yellow, the throat and chest are generally of a rusty
red, and the back, tail and whisker-hairs are black.
The Vulpine Phalanger inhabits Australia and Tas-
mania, and is one of the most common of all Aus-
tralian Pouched Animals. Like its relatives, it lives
exclusively on trees in the woods and its habits are
thoroughly nocturnal. Its food is for the most part
of a vegetable nature, but it by no means despises a
little bird or some other vertebrate.
Only two young ones are born to the female and
they are carried in her pouch for a considerable
time, but later she carries them on her back, until
the little ones can dispense with maternal care.
They are readily tamed. Of late, living Vulpine
Phalangers have frequently been exported to for-
eign countries, and most zoological collections pos-
>- 1 ' ' :" " ' **■•,
0 'eL
THE VULPINE PHALANGER OR COOSOO. This ani both of the Fox
and the Squirrel, is one of the most common of the tree-i: - eeps during the
day but is lively at night, although its food is principally vegetal for fruit. (Trichosurui vul-
pecula. i
They are slow, quiet, sleepy and peevish; they eat sess several. Captive specimens are gentle and
greedily and drink very much. They do not live at peaceable: that is, they do not bite; but they are so
peace with each other, but often strike one another, stupid, listless and lazy that they afford the ob-
accompanying the blows with growls and yelling server but little pleasure. The natives pursue the
cries; they spit like Cats, hiss and pull one another animal diligently and consider its flesh an excellent
about. During the day their large carmine-red eyes, delicacy, in spite of the repulsive odor which it gives
the pupils of which contract into narrow slits, look forth, and they also find many uses for its skin.
aH'o
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
They wear a mantle of Coosoo fur with the same
gratification of vanity which we derive from a gar-
ment of Sable or Marten.
THE POUCHED SQUIRRELS.
The Pouched Squirrels {Petauroidcs) bear such a
striking resemblance to the better known Flying
Squirrels in their physical conformation, that they
might easily be mistaken for them, if their dentition
were not so' different from that of those lodents.
SUGAR SQUIRREL. This pretty, agile animal makes its home in eastern Australia in the dense for-
ests of eucalyptus trees, tne bark of >vhich contains a kind of sugar, known as "melitose." From this favorite
food the Sugar Squirrel gets its popular name. It has a flying membrane like the American Flying Squirrel and
can use it with great effectiveness. iPetaurus sciurens.)
The Pouched Squir- The single species of the genus, the
rel, its Haunts Pouched Squirrel {Petauroidcs vo-
and Habits. la/is), possesses a flying membrane
extending from the top of the fore leg to the base
of the large toe of the hind foot. It attains a length
of body of twenty inches; the tail, which is bare on
the under side of the tip, being of about the same
length. The head is small; the snout short and
pointed; the eyes are very large and the ears are
broad and grown with thick, bushy hair. The feet
have strong, curved and sharp nails. The fur is
very long, soft, bushy on the tail and subject to
great modifications in point of hue. Generally the
upper surface of the animal is brownish black, the
head a more decided brown; the flying membrane is
marked with whitish spots; the snout, chin and paws
are black, and the throat, chest and abdomen are
white
The Pouched Squirrel inhabits Australia, from
Queensland to Victoria, especially the extensive for-
ests between Port Philip and Morcton Bay, and is
said to be common throughout that region, though
it is rarely seen in confinement. Nocturnal, like
all its relatives, it hides towards morning in the
hollows of large dead trees and spends the day
sleeping, secure from any enemy, with the sole ex-
emption of the ever-hungry and ever-watchful Aus-
tralian native. It is said to fi 54 1 1 1 desperately when
brought to bay, and to make equally good use of
both teeth and claws. The flesh is considered a
delicacy, and, as the animal attains a considerable
size, it is eagerly pursued on this account both by
the black aborigines and by the white Man.
When the Pouched Squirrel is wide awake, it is
distinguished by the agility and precision of its
movements. It seems to fly from one branch to the
other, leaping across considerable spaces, climbing
to the top with exceeding speed and going from
___„___, _.._.._ _ treetop to treetop. Its
v long, soft hair has a silky
lustre and becomes irides-
\ cent in its leaps, and the
,; pale moonlight glints on
it with a really beautiful
effect, the rays being re-
flected by the shining hair
in a peculiar way.
The food of the Pouched
Squirrel consists of leaves,
buds and young branches,
and perhaps also of roots.
The animal rarely de-
scends to the ground for
food. It is said to endure
confinement for a consid-
erable time ; but hunters
succeed very rarely in cap-
turing it.
SUGAR SQUIRRELS.
The Pouched Squirrels
are followed by the Sugar
Squirrels (Petaurus), the
tail of which is hairy over
its entire surface. The best
known species is probably
the Sugar Squirrel (Petau-
rus sciurcus), the very name
indicating that the species
must be a well-known one.
The animal resembles a
Squirrel, and still more a Taguan, not only in shape
but also in size.
Habitat and Char- The Sugar Squirrel is found from
acteristics of the Queensland to Victoria. It is truly
Sugar Squirrels. Arboreal, and nocturnal in its habits,
like most creatures of a similar physical structure.
It climbs about the trees with the agility of a Squir-
rel, always from below upwards, and is capable of
executing exceedingly long leaps, changing its di-
rection at will. Even when jumping from a height
of thirty feet, it is capable of reaching a tree from
sixty to ninety feet distant.
All observers are unanimous in their admiration
of its movements when flying, and affirm that the
animal displays a grace and daintiness which hardly
have an equal. The Sugar Squirrel is a prepos-
sessing animal in general, for it is readily tamed,
though not entirely inoffensive, and is extremely
lively, active and cheerful at night, but unfortu-
nately it is always somewhat timid. It is frequently
found in the houses of settlers, who take great care
of it. Its intelligence is not great, but its merry
ways, its gentleness and grace to a certain extent
atone for its lack of mental powers. It readily be-
comes accustomed to any diet, though fruit buds
and insects are most favored by it, these forming its
natural food. It is specially fond of eucalyptus
honey; insects, probably, also form a not inconsider-
WOMBATS OR RODEXT-LIKE MARSUPIALS.
587
able portion of its fcod. Captive specimens in the
London Zoological Garden have been observed to
devour dead Sparrows and pieces of meat with
great pleasure, and therefore naturalists have been
led to believe that they noiselessly approach sleep-
ing birds and other small animals at night, after
the manner of a Loris, and kill them. la some re-
gions they work considerable destruction among the
peaches and oranges.
The social instincts are very pronounced in the
Sugar Squirrel, for it is always found in the woods
in company with others of its species.
THE OPOSSUM MOUSE.
The pigmy among the Climbing Marsupials is the
Opossum Mouse {Acrobatcs pygmczus), which is prop-
erly classified as a distinct genus. Its broad flying
membrane extends to the lower joints of the legs.
The tail, which is thickly covered with hair, is dis-
tichous: that is, the hair grows parted into a double
row. The ears are moderately large. The pretty
little animal has about the physical proportions of a
domestic Mouse, and when it sits on a branch, with
its elastic membrane folded against the body, it
might be mistaken for one of our dainty, though
detested, rodents. The Opossum Mouse attains a
length of about five and one-half inches, of which a
little more than half is the length cf the tail. The
short soft fur is gray-brown
above, and yellowish white
beneath
The Opossum Mouse is
indigenous to eastern Aus-
tralia from Queensland to
Victoria. Like its relatives.
it feeds on leaves, fruit, buds
and other tender parts of
plants; and will generally
devour a small insect, when
it happens to come across
one. It is scarcely inferior
to its relatives in liveliness
and activity, and few sur-
pass it in ability to leap or
fly over long distances with
the help of the outstretched
flank membrane. The little
creature is said to be a great
favorite with the natives as
well as with the immigrants
in the vicinity of Port Jack-
son, and is frequently kept
tame in a cage. It is lively
and good-natured, and soon
becomes tractable in captiv-
ity, but likes freedom and will escape if possible.
only on the big toes of the hind feet; the soles are
broad and devoid of fur. All the toes of the hind
feet, except the largest one on each, are partly
grown togetiier. The dentition is very remarkable,
the broad front incisors, of which there are two in
each jaw, corresponding to the gnawing teeth of
the rodents. Besides them there are one premolar
and four long curved molars on each side above and
below.
Description of The Tasmanian Wombat {Pliascolo-
the Tasmanian mys ursinus) reaches a length of
Wombat. about thirty-eight inches and has
short, rounded ears. The color is a spotted, dark,
grayish brown.
This species is a native of Tasmania and the
islands of Bass' Strait, while the Broad-fronted Wom-
bat (Phascolofnys latifrons} is indigenous to South
Australia. All species live in dense woodland; they
dig large caverns and very deep tunnels in the
ground and spend the day sleeping in them. Only
when night has completely set in, does the Wom-
bat hobble out to look for food. Its diet consists
chiefly of a hard, rush-like species of grass, which
covers vast tracts of land, and also includes various
kinds of herbage and roots, the latter being secured
by vigorous digging.
The Wombat appears even clumsier than it really
is. Its movements are slow, but persistent and vig-
THE OPOSSUM MOUSE.
Mombats or IRoocnMifec HDarsupials.
THIRD FAHILY: I'hascoi.omyid.e.
The third family of the herbivorous Pouched Ani-
mals comprises the Wombats [Pliascolomyidic') and
introduces to us the Rodent- like Marsupials. So far
three species of Wombats are known, all of which
are very similar in form and habits. These animals
are of exceedingly clumsy frame, the body heavy
and stout, the neck thick and short, the head un-
couth, the tail a small, nearly bare stub; the limbs
are short and crooked, the feet five-toed and armed
with long strong, curved claws, which are lacking
This small animal, about the size of a common Mouse, is a pretty little crea-
ture with a head nnTch like ThaTof a Mouse, but a long tail, bushy like a Squirrel's and a flying membrane simi-
lar to that of the Assapan or Taguan. [Acrodaics pygmaus.)
orous. It is so dull-witted and indifferent that it
can only be roused to action with great difficulty. It
pursues' its way without stopping and never shrinks
from any obstacle, but endeavors to accomplish
whatever' it has decided to do, in spite of all difficul-
ties. If it has commenced digging a burrow, a per-
son may fill up the excavation over and over again,
but the Wombat will a hundred times or more re-
sume its work and repair all the damage, with the
equanimity of a philosopher.
In captivity, if given proper food, the Wombat
enjoys good health and becomes so accustomed to
contact with Man that it may safely be allowed the
range of the house. It can be kept without diffi-
culty on green fodder, carrots, turnips, fruit and
various kinds of grain.
588
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
Zbc Carnivorous flDarsupials.
SECOND SUBORDER: Polyprotodontia.
The second suborder of the Pouched Animals is
constituted by the carnivorous forms {Polyprotodon-
lia), which are distinguished from the members of
the first suborder by reason of the great number of
incisor teeth — from fourteen to eighteen — of which
eight or ten are found above and six or eight below.
These teeth are small and of nearly uniform size,
and are greatly surpassed in size by the long, pointed
canine teeth.
Zbe Banoicoots.
FOURTH FAHILY: PeramelidjE.
Even an inexperienced, amateur naturalist will
readily recognize the members of the first family of
the Carnivorous Marsupials, namely the Bandicoots
{PcramcliJie). The considerably lengthened hinder
peculiar and tolerably quick, as their pace consists
of a series of leaping steps of varying length. Their
diet consists mainly of plants, especially of succu-
lent roots and tubers; but they also eat insects,
worms and seeds.
The Long-nosed The Long-nosed Bandicoot {Peram-
Bandicoot and its elcs nasitta) belongs to the Bandi-
Characteristics. coots proper, indigenous not only to
Australia but also to New Guinea. It is an animal
of peculiar physical structure, having many points
of resemblance to a Rabbit and also to a Shrew.
Adult animals measure rather more than twenty
inches, including the tail, which is nearly five inches
long.
Zbc preoaceoue flftarsupiate.
FIFTH FAMILY: Dasyurid^e.
The predaceous Pouched Animals {Dasyuridcs)
form the second family of their suborder. Fore and
THE BROAD-FKONTET) WOMBAT. — This inhabitant ol r
burrows which it makes lor itself and is a persistent digger, and when it ism
hltljr
legs and the deviating toe formation constitute fea-
tures likely to be noticed by anybody. Of the five
fore toes only the two or three middle ones are large
and well developed, and they are armed with strong,
curved claws. The second and third toes of the
hinder feet arc grown together; the great toe is
absent or rudimentary; the fourth toe is very long.
The body is, on the whole, stout, the head very
pointed, especially the nasal extremity; the tail
usuajly very short and sparsely grown with hair, but
in exceptional cases long and bushy; the ears are
strikingly large in some species.
The Bandicoots live in Australia and New Guinea,
in burrows which they excavate in the ground, and
to which tiny repair in great h;iste on the slightest
alarm. Occasionally they are found in the vicinity
ol iilant,it ions or settlements, but generally they
I e< p alool from the arch-enemy of all animals: Man.
Most species seem to be gregarious and to have ex-
clusively nocturnal habits. Their movements are
\nstralia subsists on grass, herbage and roots. It lives in deep
)t scooping out a home it is generally busy digging for roots. {Phascohmys
hind legs are of nearly the same length, the former
bearing five toes, the latter sometimes five, or only
four. The hairy tail is long and not prehensile.
THE DASYURINES.
The sub- family of the Dasyurines {Dasynrince}
occupies the first rank among the animals of this
group. All species belonging to it now live only in
the Australian belt, from New Guinea to Tasmania.
General Charac- The Dasyurines inhabit woodlands as
terofthe Dasy- well as rocky localities or the shores
urm&. 0f fjie ocean, and live either in deep
burrows and holes, under roots of trees, in rocky
clefts, or in hollow trees. Some move only on the
ground, others are excellent climbers and some live
exclusively on trees. Their tread is stealthy and
deliberate, and they are classed among the planti-
grades, as they step on the entire sole.
Nearly all are nocturnal animals, sleeping by day
in their holes and sallying out to prey by night. On
THE PREDACEOUS MARSUPIALS— ZEBRA-WOLF.
589-
their raids they go to the sea beach and devour all
animals cast ashore, both fresh and putrid. Those
that live on trees subsist mainly on insects, their
largest prey being small mammals, and bird's and
their eggs. The largest species may occasionally
visit human habitations and kill all the poultry of a
coop in one night; after the fashion of Martens, or
like the impudent Foxes of the north, they despoil
granaries and larders, stealing meat and bacon. The
smaller species are able to squeeze through the
smallest apertures, and render themselves as de-
tested as Martens and Polecats; the largest of them
attack flocks of Sheep and occasionally make off
with a victim. Many take their food up to their
mouths in their forepaws. Their vocal expression
consists of a peculiar growl and a yelping bark.
The larger species are very savage, untamable and
addicted to biting, and defend themselves furiously
with their sharp teeth, when attacked, while the
smaller ones seem gentle and good-natured. Some
may be easily kept in confinement, and tamed with-
out great trouble, but never
show any signs of affection
for their keepers. The fe-
males give birth to four or
five young in spring.
The harm inflicted by the
members of this sub-family
far outweighs the profit de-
rived from them, and justi-
fies persistent pursuit.
THE ZEBRA-WOLF.
The Z e b r a - w o 1 f or
Pouched Dog (Thylaciiius
cynocephalus), the only liv-
ing representative of a dis-
tinct genus, did not come
by its name wrongfully, 1 r
it really resembles a wild
Dog. Its elongated body,
the shape of the head, the
strong demarcation of the
snout, the erect ears, the
eyes, the tail, which is car-
ried extended straight be-
hind, all are similar to the
corresponding members of the Dog; the limbs are
proportionately short, however, and the dentition
differs markedly from that of the Dog.
The Pouched Dog is the largest of all carnh
Pouched Animals. Its body is over forty inches
long, the tail measures twenty inches and old males
aresaid to become still larger, measuring in all about
six feet four inches. The fur is close and loose, of
gray-brown hue and marked with twelve or fourteen
black transverse stripes on the back.
Habitat and Habits The Pouched Dog is a native of
of the Pouched Tasmania. In the first period of
Do9- European settlements it was very
common, to the great detriment and vexation of the
cattle breeders, to whose sheep-folds and poultry-
yards it paid frequent visits. Later, however, fire-
arms caused it to retreat more and more, and it is
now restricted to the interior, where it still exists in
considerable numbers in mountainous districts, being
most frequently found at an altitude of about three
thousand feet above the sea level. During the day
it seeks refuge in clefts of rock in dark, deep
gulches, nearly inaccessible to Man, or in natural re-
treats, or deep burrows which it digs for itself, and
from which it undertakes its raids. It is a nocturnal
animal and to a great extent shuns light. Even if it
is not the most savage of all predaceous Pouched
Animals, it still exceeds all its family relations in
strength and courage and deserves its'name for this
reason also.
The food of the Zebra-wolf consists of all smaller
animals that it can subdue, vertebrates or inverte-
brates, from insects and mollusks to domestic ani-
mals. When it is especially hungry, it despises no
kind of food and is not even frightened by the sharp,
spinous weapons of the Echidna. When the animal
extends its raids to the settlements, it is caught in
traps or hunted with Dogs. It knows how to take
care of itself in an encounter with the latter and dis-
plays a savage disposition.
THE TASMANIAN DEVIL.
The nearest relative of the Pouched Dog, the Tas-
manian Devil (Sarcopkiltis ursinus), is very much
uglier, and is repulsive and filthy in the highest de-
/^J^^kC-'
LONG-VOS^D BANDICOOT. This th r-is !:':e ;> rle like a Shrew, tail
like a R ol two or three toes
r ut Carnivorous Marsupials.
gree; it also forms a distinct genus. The animal
obtained its significant name through its ineradica-
bly savage and untamable disposition. All observ-
ers agree in saying that it is difficult to conceive
of a more disagreeable, raving, frantic, furious crea-
ture than this pouched Devil, whose ill humor and
vexation are never spent, and whose blood is aroused
at the slightest provocation. Not even in confine-
ment, with the most careful treatment, does it lose
these qualities. It never learns to know or like
the person who provides it with food and takes care
of it, but attacks its keeper with the same senseless-
fury and ferocity which it shows towards any other
person who dares approach it.
The fur consists of short, wiry hair. The chest
and neck are marked with a white collar and usually
with two white spots; the remainder of the body is
clothed in a coal-black fur. The total length of the
animal is about forty inches, twelve inches of which
are occupied by the tail.
Destructiueness 1" the early days of the colony the
of the Tasma- Tasmanian Devil gave the settlers a.
nian Devil. great deal of trouble, and came near
spoiling their poultry-breeding. After the manner
590
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
of Martens it would invade the poultry-yards, and
massacre with a bloodthirstiness equaled only by
that exhibited by one of the Weasel tribe. It there-
fore became an object of general execration and
vindictive pursuit from the very outset, the more so
as its flesh was found to be savory, or at least eat-
able. Traps of all kinds were put out, and thus it
came about that it also soon learned to know and
fear the reign and intelligence of Man, and retreated
to the densest and least accessible forests in the
mountains. In many localities it has already been
exterminated, and even where it still exists, it is now
seen but rarely. It is a genuine nocturnal animal,
and as shy of daylight as the Pouched Dog or one
of the Owl-tribe.
on the head than on the body. A mature animal
attains a body length of sixteen inches, with a tail
twelve inches long, the height at the withers being
six inches. The members of the species are dis-
tributed over New South Wales, Victoria, South
Australia and Tasmania.
The Spotted Dasyure delights in forests along
the sea coast. By day it hides in burrows under
trees and stones or in hollow trunks. After night-
fall it pfowls far around in its search for food. It
feeds principally on dead animals cast ashore by
the sea, but preys also on smaller mammals or birds
nesting on the ground in the woods, not even dis-
daining insects. The number of young ranges be-
tween four and six. The Dasyure is pursued with as
ZEBRA-WOLF OR POOCHETJ DOG. This animal, the larg
mania, mostly in the mountain districts. It bsars a %ri it i\.-^.n.)l.i:i;j,
coat and is a typical Pouched Animal. (Thylacintts cynocephalus.\
THE DASYURES.
The Dasyures, sometimes called the Brush-tailed
Opossums (Dasyurus), constitute a distinct genus.
In their appearance they partake of the character of
both Foxes and Martens, without, however, showing
a striking resemblance to either of them. The body
is slender and elongated, the neck comparatively
long, the head pointed in front. The tail is long,
non-prehensile and covered with thick, bushy hair;
the legs are short and of medium stoutness, the
hind limbs being somewhat longer than the fore
pair, and the hind feet distinguished by the lack of
a great toe; the toes arc separated and armed with
strong, curved, pointed daws.
Habitat and Char- Oncol the best known species, the
m i < ol the 8potted Spotted Dasyure (Dasyurus viverri-
Dasyure. ,llts)t is usuai]y ()r a failmv |)rown
line, although some individuals arc lighter; the lower
parts of the body arc white. The entire upper sur-
face is studded with irregular, white spots, smaller
est of the Carnivorous Marsupials, makes its home in the interior of Tas-
superhcully, to the Dog, but differs in dentition and the stripings of the
much pertinacity as are the preceding predaceous
Pouched Animals. It is frequently caught in great
numbers in steel traps baited with some kind of
animal food. It is not to be recommended as a pet,
for it is one of the most uninteresting of creatures.
THE BANDED ANT-EATER.
The Banded Ant-eater (Myrmecobuis fasciatus) is
the only representative of the second sub-family of
the predaceous Pouched Animals (Myrmecobiina).
Its body is long, the head very pointed, the hinder
feet four-toed, the fore feet five-toed, the hinder legs
somewhat longer than the fore legs, the soles bare,
the toes separated. The tail is non-prehensile, long
and shaggy. The female has no pouch. The great
number of teeth is notable, being greater than that
of any other mammal, and ranging from fifty to
fifty- four.
The Ant-eater is justly considered to be one of the
handsomest and most striking in appearance of any
THE TOUCHED RATS— COMMON OPOSSUM.
591
of the Marsupials. Its proportions arc about the
same as those of a common Squirrel. The coloring
is very peculiar. The ochre yellow tint of the an-
terior upper part, which appears lighter by reason
of being interspersed with white hair, gradually
deepens into black on the greater part of the poste-
rior half of the body and is diversified with white or
reddish transverse stripes. The principal food of
the Ant-eater is implied by its name. Hence, it is
mainlv found in those woodlands in which Ants
occur in large numbers. It stretches out its tongue
into the teeming heap, after the fashion of the Ant-
bear, and quickly withdraws it, as soon as a multi-
tude of the enraged insects have fastened on to it.
It is also said to consume other insects and occasion-
ally it eats the resin which exudes from the branches
of the eucalyptus, or even grass.
Quite unlike the preceding carnivorous forms, the
Ant-eater is entirely inoffensive. It readily resigns
itself to captivity, which usually proves fatal to it, as
ring chiefly in the South American belt, since only
one species, also represented in the southern conti-
nent, is found in North America. Nearly all of the
species live in the forest or in the underbrush, taking
up their abodes in hollow trees, holes in the ground,
among thick grass and in bushes. One species in-
habits the banks of small rivers, being an excellent
swimmer, and it seeks shelter in burrows. All are
nocturnal in their habits and lead a solitary, roving
life. Their gait when walking on level ground is
rather slow and unsteady, and the mode is planti-
grade. Most .species of this family can climb on
tires, suspend themselves by means of their prehen-
sile tails and remain in that attitude for hours.
Among their perceptive senses that of smell seems
to be best developed. The mental faculties are of a
very low grade, though it can not be denied that
they possess a certain degree of cunning, and they
are especially skillful in evading an}' kind of trap.
Their food consists of small mammals, birds and
TASMANIAN DEVIL This animal oi diabolical name is ugly enough to deserve it, is savage and untamable, ferocious and destruc-
tive. It became so formidable an enemy in the poultrj yards ol the Tasmanian colonists that they have nearly exterminated it, except in a few
retreats in the interior of the island. {SarcapAilus urisinus.)
the necessary food is procured with difficult}- in
sufficient quantities. The number of young at a
birth is said to range between five and eight.
Gbc fl>oucb<$ IRate.
SIXTH FAHILY: Dim i i-hyidje.
The Pouched Rats constitute the third family of
the suborder; they attain at most the size of a Cat,
but often do not exceed that of a Mouse. The body
is stout, the head more or less pointed at the snout.
The tail is usually long, bare at the tip and prehen-
sile; sometimes it is short and more or less hairy;
the hinder legs are slightly longer than the fore
pair, the paws are five-toed, webbed in one genus,
and the hinder great toes are opposable to the other
digits of the feet. The females of some species are
destitute of pouch; in others it exists, and opens
more frequently backward than forward. The denti-
tion is of a decidedly carnivorous character.
In former periods Pouched Rats were also found
in Europe, but now only inhabit America, being ar-
ranged in two genera and twenty-four species, occur-
their eggs, and probably also includes small reptiles,
insects and their grubs and worms; in times of scar-
city they also feed on fruit. The aquatic forms feed
principally on fish, while the larger species frequent
human habitations and slay all the weaker animals
they can get hold of, reveling in their blood and
really intoxicating themselves with it. Their voices
are heard only when they are ill-treated, and then
they utter peculiar, hissing sounds. When pursued
they never defend themselves, but resort to dissimu-
lation, when they can no longer hide themselves.
When in anguish they give forth a disgusting, gar-
lic-like odor.
THE COMMON OPOSSUM.
The Common or Virginian Opossum (Didelphys
marsupialis) is probably the best known of the
Pouched Rats. Neither its hue nor any grace or
charm of manner distinguishes the animal, and thus
it is justly held to be a repulsive looking creature.
The length of body is nearly nineteen inches and
the tail measures about seventeen inches. The latter
is quite thick, round and tapering, hairy only at the
base, and naked from that point to the end; it is
592
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
surrounded by rows of fine scales, between which
protrude a few short, straggling hairs. The female
has a perfect pouch.
The Opossum is a native of America, from the
northern United States to Chile and southern Brazil.
In the central parts of this vast territory it is found
in abundance, and that by no means to the pleasure
of Man. It inhabits forests and bushes, and the
denser the foliage the more the Opossum delights
in its haunts.
Audubon s Ac- Andubon says: " Methinks I see one
count of the at this moment slowly and cautiously
Opossum. trudging over the melting snow,
scenting as it goes for the fare its ravenous appetite
prefers. Now it has come upon the fresh track of a
Grouse or Hare and it raises its muzzle and sniffs
the pure air. At length it has decided on its course,
and it speeds onward at a rate equaling the speed
of a Man's ordinary walk. It stops and seems at a
loss in which direction to go, for the object of its
pursuit has either taken a considerable leap or has
and juicy stems it gladly feeds. The matin calls of
the wild Turkey-cock delight the ear of the cunning
creature, for it well knows that it will soon hear
the answering cry of the female and thus be enabled
to trace her to her nest, when it will suck the eggs,
with delight. Traveling through the woods, per-
haps on the ground, perhaps aloft, from tree to tree,
it hears a cock crow, and its heart swells as it re-
members the toothsome food on which it regaled
itself last summer in the neighboring farmyard.
Thither then the hungry rogue bends its way, and
if the opportunity is favorable, it sneaks into the
chicken coop."
The Opossum is an arboreal animal,
as is shown by its entire equipment,
and on the ground it is rather slow
Its mode of walking is plantigrade.
All its movements are apparently lazy and even its
running gait is slow, though it consists in a series of
ambling leaps. In the tops of trees, on the other
hand, the animal climbs with great precision and
Life and Habits
of the Opos-
sum.
and awkward.
boit Drown.
SPOTTED DASYURE. "i
E
rion. ts.)
doubled backward upon its track before the Opos-
sum entered. It raises itself up, stands for a while
on its hind feet, looks around, sniffs the air again
and then proceeds; but now, at the foot of a noble
tree, it comes to a full stop. It walks round the
base of the large trunk, over the snow-covered roots
and among them finds an aperture, which it at once
enters.
" Several minutes elapse, after which it reappears,
dragging along the carcass of a Squirrel, and with it
in its mouth begins to ascend the tree. Slowly it
climbs until it gains a cluster of branches inter-
twined with grape-vines, and there, composing itself,
it twines its tail round one of the twigs and with its
sharp teeth devours the unlucky Squirrel which it
holds all the while with its fore paws.
The Omnivorous "The pleasant days of spring have
Propensities of arrived and the trees vigorously
the Opossum. shoot forth their leaves; but the
Opossum seems nearly exhausted by its enforced
abstention from food. It visits the margins of
creeks and is pleased to see the young Frogs, which
afford it a tolerable repast. Gradually the poke-
berry and the nettle shoot up and on their tender
in Australia and Tasmania, has a fox-like head, a stout body the coat of which is
- ' y da}', and at night living on animals it kills, and also on car-
tolerable speed. The great toes, or thumbs, of its
hind paws enable it to grasp and hold the limbs of
trees, and its prehensile tail greatly assists in secur-
ing for the animal stability of position and immu-
nity from falls. Not infrequently it suspends itself
by means of its tail and stays in that position for
hours.
In the vast, dark woods the Opossum prowls
about day and night, though it prefers darkness to
light. But when it apprehends danger, or even when
daylight annoys it, it appears only by night and
sleeps through the day in earth holes or hollow trees.
It lives with its mate only during the pairing time,
leading a solitary life during the rest of the year,
like all its kin. It has no fixed habitation, but uses
any cranny which it descries in the morning after
having completed its nocturnal wanderings. If for-
tune favors it particularly and it finds a burrow in
which lives some weak rodent, it is naturally the
more pleased; for then the original inhabitant of the
dwelling furnishes it with a ready-prepared meal
As we can infer from Audubon's description, it feeds
on all the smaller mammals and birds it can cap-
ture, also on eggs, various reptiles, larger insects and
OPOSSUM AND CHIFMUNK. The on!y American Marsupial is a carnivorous animal, always hungry and untiring in pursuit of prey. It pos-
sesses acute powers of scent, and is very persistent in following the trail of any smaller animal. In the pil ture it has followed to its lair and overcome a
Chipmunk, which it has dragged to a convenient tree and is in the act of devouring. This picture shows tin manner in which it holds on to limbs by il
and is an excellent portrait of this predaceous Marsupial. | Didelphys marsupialis.)
(393)
594
THE POUCHED ANIMALS.
their grubs, even worms; and in default of animal
food it contents itself with vegetable substances,
such as maize and nourishing roots. It prefers blood
to any other food and therefore it slays with inde-
scribable bloodthirstiness whenever it can do so. In
the poultry yards it often kills all the fowls and then
sucks their blood only without touching the flesh.
It is said to become so gorged with the blood, as
.Mai tens do, that one sometimes finds it in the morn-
ing, sleeping among the dead fowls. Cautious in
general, it becomes blind and deaf when it can
assuage its thirst for blood; forgetting all danger
and without desisting from its murderous purpose,
it unresistingly suffers itself to be killed by Dogs or
by the enraged farmer.
The Opossum as It is not easily killed, however, for
an Expert in an Opossum is very tenacious of life,
Deceit. anj resorts to dissimulation when
very hard pressed. " Conscious of its inability to
resist." says Audubon, " it rolls up 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 open, its tongue
extended, its eyes dimmed; and there it would lie
until the Bottle-fly should come to deposit its
eggs in its carcass did not its tormentor walk off.
'Surely,' says he to himself, 'the beast must be
dead.' But no, reader, it is only ' 'possuming,' and
no sooner has the enemy withdrawn, than it grad-
ually gets on its legs and once more makes for
the woods."
The Opossum is extensively hunted chiefly on
account of the havoc it works among poultry. The
Negroes are particular enemies of the animal and kill
it whenever and wherever they can. The flesh is
unpalatable to most white persons, for two glands
impart an exceedingly strong and repellant odor of
garlic to it, but the Negroes seem to like it and the
flesh repays them for the trouble of the pursuit.
The ways of a captive Opossum are hardly inter-
esting to the observer. I must say from my own
experience that the animal is even more tiresome
than other predaceous Pouched Animals. Rolled up
and motionless, it lies in its cage all day, and only
when one provokes it, does it make the slightest
movement. It opens its mouth as wide as possible,
and for as long a time as one stands before it, as if
it suffered from lock-jaw. It is lazy and sleepy and
appears to be disgustingly stupid.
THE PHILANDERS.
The subgenus Philander differs from the Opos-
sums proper mainly by reason of the imperfect
pouch of the female. This pouch is formed by two
cutaneous folds, which are laid over the unformed
young attached to the mammae.
Description of the The largest species of this subgenus
Crab-Eating and one of the largest Opossums in
Opossum. general, is the Crab-eating Opossum
{Philander philander) . The body is nine and one-
half inches long, and the tail nearly thirteen inches.
I lie thick, soft, woolly hair is dingy, yellowish or
reddish gray, yellow beneath. The pale gray face is
marked with a brown median line and dark circles
around the eyes, while the terminal half of the tail
has a whitish appearance.
The Crab-eating Opossum has a wide geograph-
ical range, extending perhaps throughout all of trop-
ical America. It is numerous in the woods of Bra-
zil, affecting the proximity of swamps, which furnish
it with Crabs. It lives almost exclusively on trees,
and descends to the ground only when it wishes to
forage. " Its tail is prehensile and entirely naked,
aiding it in climbing. On the ground it proceeds
slowly and awkwardly; yet it knows how to entrap
smaller mammals, reptiles and insects, and especially
Crabs, its favorite food. In the trees it preys on
birds and their nests; but it also eats fruit, like the
Opossum and its kin. It is said to also visit poultry
yards occasionally and cause great devastations
among Chickens and Pigeons. The young of the
Crab-eating Opossum differ in color from the old
animals. They are completely naked at birth, but
when they are sufficiently developed to leave the
pouch, they grow a short, silky fur of a shining nut-
brown color, which gradually deepens into the dark
brownish black color of maturity. All observers
agree that the little creatures escape from the pouch
and, moving around and upon the mother's body,
afford a charming spectacle.
THE WATER OPOSSUM.
The second genus of the family is represented by
the only Pouched Animal, which so far is known to
have aquatic habits, the Water Opossum or Yapock
( Chironectes minimus ) .
Character and Do- The animal has, on the whole, the
ings of the Water appearance of a Rat. The tail is
Opossum. nearly as long as the body, and pre-
hensile, though it probably is not used for grasping
objects. The fur is of a beautiful ashy gray hue on the
back, sharply defined from the white under surface.
Six black, broad transverse stripes mark the back.
A dark band runs along the course of the spine
from one stripe to another. The ears and tail are
black. The body of an adult animal is about sixteen
inches long, and the tail measures the same.
The Water Opossum is distributed over a great
part of the South American belt. It is found from
Guatemala to southern Brazil, but seems to be every-
where of rare occurrence, or at least to be obtained
with difficulty, and is therefore- found in few collec-
tions. It is said to prosecute its search for food by
day as well as by night, to swim with ease and to
proceed quickly and readily on land. The food is
said to consist of small fish and other small aquatic
animals and of spawn; yet the large cheek-pouches
seem to indicate that the Yapock does not disdain
vegetable food.
The female gives birth to about five young, which
complete their development in the pouch; she leads
them to the water rather early and instructs them for
some time in swimming, diving and the art of acquir-
ing food.
Zhc EgQsXa^incj Mammals.
FIFTEENTH ORDER: Monotremata
OR a long time the point
has been eagerly argued,
as to the order in which
the Monotremes or Egg-
laying Mammals ought to
be placed; but now this
question has been settled.
The opinion of older zo-
ologists, who saw a dis-
tinct class of the animal
world in the Monotremes,
had certainly, temporarily
at least, lost its sway, yet
it has now partly regained
it, and no zoologist of the present time places the
Duck-mole and the Echidna (both of which might
justly be regarded as representing distinct sub-
classes among mammals) among the pouched ani-
mals, or still less among the edentates.
Physical Peculiar- That the Monotremes really suckle
ties of the Mono- their young has long been estab-
tremes. lished beyond a doubt; yet the close
investigations of Gegenbaur were necessary to ac-
quaint us with the true nature ot the organs of lacta-
tion. The glands, which are situated on the sides
of the abdomen, open in many fine ducts of the
skin, which in these places is covered with hair.
As many male mammals have similar glands in
the same places, the first dissectors did not take
these to be real organs of lactation until Meckel
proved that these glands were not developed in the
mile Duck-mole, and Baer noticed that the lacteal
glands of Whales were similarly constructed. Owen
examined the glands in 1832 and found each to have
about one hundred and twenty openings in the skin,
secreting a nutritive fluid, which he found in the
stomach of the young in a coagulated state. There-
fore he classified the Monotremes among the mam-
mals. But on the second of September, 1884,
Haacke reported to the Royal Society of South
Australia, in Adelaide, that he had a few weeks pre-
viously found an egg, which he produced at the
meeting, in a so far unknown brooding pouch of a
living Echidna, and on the same day a cablegram
was read in Montreal, which informed the assembled
members of the British Association that another
naturalist, Caldwell, who was at that very time work-
ing in Australia, had found that the Monotremes
lay eggs. These discoveries again rendered the
closer relation of the Monotremes to other mammals
more questionable, the more so, as Gegenbaur proved,
in 1886, that the glands which furnish nourishment
to the young do not correspond in their structure
with the sebaceous glands, as do the lacteal glands
of all other mammals, but represent modified sweat-
glands. If one further considers that, according to
the discovery made by Thomas as late as 1888, the
Duck-mole has, during a considerable time of its life,
teeth, which are true teeth but differ greatly from
those of any other living mammal, and that the
blood-heat of the Monotremes amounts to twenty-
eight degrees Celsius (sixty degrees Fahrenheit) at
the most, differing in this from all other warm-
blooded animals, one would think the action justified
if we were to separate the Monotremes as a second
main division of mammals from the first, in which
arrangement we would classify the pouched ani-
mals and higher Mammalia as genuine mammals; or
it would not be erroneous even it we were to place
them as a distinct class among the vertebrates.
Such a division will perhaps be decided on finally;
but up to the present we classify these animals as
the last and lowest order of mammals, composed
only of themselves.
The Monotremes have an outer envelope of skin
similar to that of other mammals. The Duck-mole
is clothed in fur and the Echidna has its covering of
spines and bristles; but in other respects they differ
markedly from the other known forms of the class
in external appearance as well as internal structure.
A hard beak, similar to that of an aquatic bird,
stands them in stead of a mouth, and the intestines,
the urinary and genital organs all terminate in one
orifice, the so-called "cloacal aperture." This is
a formation we find again in the birds, which the
Monotremes also resemble by reason of their large-
yolked eggs, the possession of a single forked ster-
nal bone, formed by the two ankylosed or conjoined
collar bones or clavicles, and the partially developed
condition of the right ovary. While for these rea-
sons their relation to both birds and reptiles can
not be denied, they exhibit an affinity also to the
pouched animals by reason of their possession of
marsupial bones.
The Monotremes are small mammals, with a
sturdy, somewhat flattened body, very short legs,
beak-shaped jaws covered with a dry skin, small
eyes, a short tail, feet placed at a diverging angle
in regard to one another, armed with strong claws
and a hollow spur upon the heel of the male,
this spur communicating with a special secretory
gland. The outer ear-conch is absent; teeth exist
only in the Duck-mole and consist of flat, disk-like,
laminae or "plates" furnished with tubercles or cusps
along the edges of their upper surfaces, and articu-
lated loosely superficially with the jawbone, rather
than having inserted roots.
Besides the bones of an extinct Echidna, teeth of
prehistoric animals, similar to those of the Duck-
mole have been found; but at present this peculiar
order is limited to the two families of the Echidni-
dae and the Duck-moles.
(595)
590
THE EGG-LAYING MAMMALS.
Gbc Hnt^catere.
FIRST FAMILY: Echidnid^.
The family of the Ant-eaters {Echidnida) consists
of two genera, containing one species each. They
are distinguished by their clumsy body, covered by
a bristly fur which is for the greater part interspersed
with spines; by their cylindrical and absolutely
toothless beak, slit at the lower end; their short,
stub-like tail, their free, imperfectly mobile teeth
and their long, thin, worm-like tongue, which is freely
protractile in a manner analogous to that character-
izing the motion of that organ in other Ant-eaters.
In their external appearance the Ant-eaters differ
from the Duck-mole much more than they do in
their internal anatomical structure. The two lacteal
glands have hundreds of opening canals and lie
laterally on the abdomen of the female in shallow
depressions, which at least in the Porcupine Ant-
eater, according to the authority of Haacke, are
enveloped in the lateral folds of a brooding-pouch,
developing as required for the purpose of the recep-
tion, incubation and hatching of the egg, later shel-
tering the young and becoming more spacious as the
growth of the young advances, and then again dis-
appearing by process of absorption after the wean-
ing of the progeny. This pouch opens in front and
is, even at the beginning of the process of reproduc-
tion, large enough to admit a watch. The depres-
sions form shortly before the laying of the eggs,
and may become entirely obliterated temporarily.
R von Lendenfeld found that during the incubation
of the eggs the heat in the pouch was higher than
that in any other part of the body, and that the skin
forming it appears greatly reddened, and, so to speak,
congested, on account of the increased local circula-
tion of the blood. The Porcupine Ant-eater seems
to lay only one small, large-yolked, parchment-cov-
ered egg. The duration of the period of incubation
has not yet been established. The young, when first
hatched, is like that of the pouched animals — very
tiny, naked and blind and differs from its parents
especially by reason of its short snout. It is not
definitely known how it is nourished. It seems that
it remains in the maternal pouch for a long time.
The Ant-eaters range from New Guinea over Aus-
tralia to Tasmania.
The Australian The Australian Porcupine Ant-eater
Porcupine Ant- (Echidna acideata typicd), the physical
eater. proportions of which are intermedi-
ate between those of the Papuan and the Tasmanian
Ant-eater, possesses a comparatively long beak.
The face and the region around the ears are either
completely, or for the greater part, beset with smooth
spines, leaving a strip on the forehead and on either
check bare. The spines on the back are long, stiff
and strong, often attaining a length of two and one-
half inches and usually completely overgrowing the
hair interspersed among them. Their color is a pale
yellow at the base, orange yellow in the middle and
black at the tip. The hair on the back is black or
deep brown, but is often entirely absent, occasionally,
however, protruding above the spines of the hind
quarters, this phenomenon perhaps occurring at cer-
tain seasons only. The legs, and the entire under
surface, arc covered by a dark brown fur, plentifully
mingled with smooth spines. The animal is about
sixteen inches in length, about half an inch of
which is included in the tail. This sub-species is
distributed over the entire continent of Australia,
and also occurs on Kangaroo Island, off the southern
coast of Australia.
The Papuan and The Papuan Porcupine Ant-eater
Tasmanian Porcu- (Echid/ia acideata lawesi) differs from
pine Ant-eaters. the Australian sub-species by reason
of its smaller size, shorter dorsal spines, between
which the hair is visible, a greater number of spines
on the head, the legs and the under surface of the
body, and by a comparatively longer beak. This
sub-species is known only from specimens taken
near PorfMoresby in southeastern New Guinea.
The Tasmanian Porcupine Ant-eater (Echidna aai-
Icata sctosa) differs from the Australian variety by
reason of its greater proportions, as it attains a
length of twenty inches, and by the lack of spines
on the head, sides, abdomen and legs. The hue
of the head is generally lighter than that of the rest
of the body.
Habitat and Habits The Porcupine Ant-eater affects
of the Porcupine mountainous regions more than it
Ant-eaters. does plains, sometimes ascending
to an altitude of 3,000 feet above the sea. It partic-
ularly delights in dry woodland, where it can exca-
vate burrows and holes under the roots of the trees.
There it hides during the day; at night it sallies,
forth and searches for food, sniffing and digging.
Its movements are lively, especially when digging,
as it is an adept at this employment. Insects and
worms, but especially the various kinds of Ants and
Termites, constitute its principal food. It finds
them with the help of the very sensitive tip of its
snout, which is probably less adapted to smelling
purposes than it is as an organ of touch It eats
after the fashion of other animals with a vermiform
tongue, protruding that member, and, when it is
covered with Ants, retracting it quickly. Like all
other Ant-eaters it apparently involuntarily mixes
much sand and dust or dry wood with its food, for
its stomach is always filled with such substances.
Occasionally grass is also found in the digestive
organs.
When an Echidna is menaced with capture it
instantly rolls up into a ball, and it' is then very
hard to obtain a hold upon it, as the sharp spines
usually inflict wounds which cause great pain to its
assailant. The muscular contraction of the animal
in rolling up is sufficient to insert the spines. A
rolled-up Echidna is not easy to transport, the best
way being to grasp it by the hinder legs, disregard-
ing its efforts and strugglings. When an Echidna
has dug for itself a burrow of moderate depth, it is
extremely difficult to pull the animal out of its sub-
terranean retreat. It first relaxes and then enlarges
itself, after the manner of Armadillos, and presses
its spines so closely against the circumference of its
burrow that it really seems to be glued in it. The
assertion of the natives of the regions which it in-
habits, that the male wounds its assailant with the
spur on its hinder leg, and injects a poisonous fluid
through the hollow weapon into the wound, must be
regarded as untrue in the light of the results, of all
the experiments that have been made in this direc-
tion.
The vocal expression of this queer creature, which
is heard when it is very uneasy, consists of a weak
grunt. Of its perceptive senses those of hearing and
sight rank first; the others are less developed.
Haacke's Observa- Haacke has repeatedly kept Echid-
tionsofthe n?e in Australia and made observa-
Echidnai. tions, especially concerning their
climbing ability, endurance of hunger and method o£
THE DECK-MOLES.
597
propagation. "The first Echidna which I received,"
says he, "I put under a box in my study; but that
treatment did not seem to please it at all. It persist-
ently and continuously endeavored to escape from its
prison, and where there was enough space between
the floor and the edge of the box, it constantly put
out its long tongue in an exploring way. Finally it
succeeded, during the night, in lifting the heavy box
and liberating itself. For a long time I looked
for it in vain. At last, to my great surprise, I found
it in another box about sixteen inches high, which
•was open above and half filleJ. with pieces of gold
quartz the size of a Man's fist, and wrapped in paper;
this seemed to impress it as a more fitting sleeping
place than the level surface of the ground. Keep-
ing this experience of the climbing ability of the
animals in mind, I put two other Porcupine Ant-
eaters in a barrel about three feet high and twenty
inches wide, and placed it in the spacious basement
of the museum building in Adelaide. An escape
from this prison, having the usual shape of barrels,
seemed impossible. Yet one of the animals suc-
ceeded in escaping. After days of
search I found it, again in the barrel
with its companion. It may have
heard the latter, and worked its way
up to the edge of the barrel between
that receptacle and the wall and then
dropped down into it. As I intended
dissecting the animals, and therefore
wished to free them from all interfer-
ing fat, I starved them, and found
that they could fast at least a month
without any visible impairment of
their health. I found the intestinal
tract of one of them, killed after a
six weeks' fast, filled exclusively with
sand, to which the animal had access.
This was a hint in regard to the prep-
aration of food for these animals
when in confinement. If it be
given a diet of a fine grained, mixed
food, consisting of equal parts of
powdered dry meat, scraped yolk of
egg, finely ground hemp seed, crumbs
of crackers, grated carrots and pure
sand, an Echidna may, in my opinion,
thrive for a long time, and possibly
propagate its species. An addition
of Ants, grubs and Meal-worms will make the food
still more wholesome. The animal must be treated
exactly as are insectivorous birds. The majority of
Echidnidae could fast through the time occupied
by the journey from Australia to Europe, the fast
steamers having shortened the duration of the trip."
The Woolly Echidna is so far known to exist
only in the northwest portion of New Guinea; noth-
ing has been written of its mode of life.
£be ©ucfc^moles.
SECOND FAMILY: Ornithoriiynchid.e.
The Duck-mole I Ortdthorhynchus anatinus or para-
doxus) is the only known member of the second
family of this order. We are indebted to Dr. George
Bennett for the first good description of this really
striking animal, which continued to be an object of
wonder to naturalists and the public at large long
after its discover}-. Its form and habits were so
queer, that Bennett traveled to Australia for the sole
purpose of observing the animal. Up to that time
only indefinite information had reached us. We
simply knew that the Duck-mole lived in the water
and was persistently hunted by the natives, for it
yielded a savory flesh and laid eggs. The assertion
"& ^^slifcSrS^- ^sj^
THE PORCUPINE ANT-EATER. Belonging to the last and strangest order of mam-
mals, the Porcupine Ant-eater has many physical peculiarities. It has a bird-like head and beak; a
bristly fur beset with spines, a rudimentary tail, and many other odd characteristics. (Echidna
aculeata.)
of the latter fact was considered untrue until Cald-
well reported his_ discovery of its eggs in 1884.
Description of
THE WOOLLY ECHIDNA.
of the
The second genus, with its one species,
Echidnidae is constituted by a recently discovered
animal of New Guinea, which we will call Woolly
Echidna {Proechidna bruijtdi), in contradistinction
to the Porcupine Ant-eater. The genus can not be
sharplv differentiated from the preceding and is
principally distinguished from it by the number of
toes, there being only three on each foot. The
beak, wh.ch is curved' downward, is nearly double
as long as the remainder of the head. The animal
is about twenty inches long ana is covered on head,
bodv and limbs bv a dense, coarse dark brown or
black woolly fur. with which a fevy bristles are mixed
and scattering spines are hidden in the hair.
The Duck-mole is somewhat larger
the Duck- than the Echidna, being about two
mole. feet in length, six inches of which
are included in the tail. The males are considerably
larger than the females. The flattened body shows
a certain similitude to that of a Beaver or an Otter.
The legs are very small, all four feet being five-toed
and webbed. In the fore feet, which possess greater
muscular power than the hind pair and serve for
swimming as well as for digging, the webs extend
slightly beyond the claws, are very flexible and
elastic and are retracted from the claws when the
animal is engaged in scratching or burrowing in the
earth. All the toes are very strong, blunt and ex-
cellently adapted for digging. The two middle
digits are the longest. The short hinder paws are
directed backward and resemble those of a Seal, and
are most effective when exerted in a backward and
outward direction. The first toe on each hind foot
is verv short; the nails are all curved backward and
598
THE EGG-LA YING MAMMALS.
are longer and sharper than those of the fore feet;
the web extends only to the base of the toes. The
male has on each hind foot a pointed, mobile spur,
which can be rotated either on its own axis or
around the leg to a considerable extent. It is placed
a little above the toes and directed inward. The
tail is flat and is broad at the end, the extremity
being formed by long hairs. It is abruptly cut off,
and in old animals is either entirely naked beneath
or covered with a few coarse hairs. In young ani-
mals it is quite hairy, the fur in the older specimens
probably being worn away by long continued fric-
tion. The head is rather flat, small and so markedly
characterized by its broad duck-like beak as to be
without an equal in point of singularity among
mammals. Both jaws are elongated, and are sur-
rounded along their entire length by a horny envel-
ope, which is continued backward in a curious shield.
The adult animal has only four horny teeth in its
two jaws, of which the upper front tooth is long,
narrow and sharp, while the posterior tooth is broad
and flat, and resembles a grinder. Before the Duck-
mole attains one third or a half of its size, it has, in
the place of these horny teeth, eight true teeth which
have the appearance of flat, irregularly rounded
disks, beset at their edges with larger or smaller
cusps or protuberances. These teeth, which have
been discovered only recently, resemble those of
the small fossil mammals of the Jurassic group.
After they have been almost entirely worn away and
cast, the horny formations replace them, being
developments of mucous membrane which has be-
come indurated and horny in character. The ori-
fices of the nostrils are situated on the upper surface
of the beak, near its extremity; the small eyes are
placed high in the head; the aperture of the ear,
which may be closed by a special muscle acting as a
valve, is situated near the outer corner of the eye.
The fold of integument, which projects like a shield
from the beak over the front of the head and the
throat, is of great use to the animal, as it keeps the
mud off the adjacent fur during the search for food
and shelters the eyes when the Duck-mole is dig-
ging. The tongue is fleshy but beset with callous
projections and is supplemented with a curious
bulbous organ behind, which completely closes the
mouth. Thus the beak is an excellent sieve, ena-
bling the animal to examine the water, separate the
eatable substances from others, and to store them
away in the capacious cheek-pouches extending
along the sides of the head.
The fur of the Duck-mole consists of a thick,
coarse outer coat of dark brown color with a silvery
white surface tinge, and a very soft, grayish inner
fur, similar to that of the Seal and Otter. A peculiar
fish-like odor, probably due to some oily secretion,
is given forth by the fur, especially when it is wet.
The Australians, however, are very fond of the flesh
of the animal in spite of this disgusting odor.
Habits and Dom- The Duck-mole is fondest of calm
idle of the spots in rivers filled with an abun-
Duck-mole. dance of aquatic plants and the banks
of which are shaded by the dense foliage of trees;
and it constructs more or less complicated bur-
rows in the banks. A tortuous tunnel, usually about
eighteen feet long, terminates in a spacious cham-
ber: both the chamber and its approaches being
strewn with dry aquatic plants. Generally, however,
every chamber has two entrances, one below the
surface of the contiguous water, the other about
twelve inches above.
The Duck-moles are seen at all times in the rivers
of Australia, but most frequently during the spring
and summer, and the question has been propounded
whether they might not hibernate. Their habits
usually induce them to emerge from their retreats
at dusk, though they sometimes also appear on the
surface of the earth in the daytime, searching for
food. When the water is very clear, the observer
can follow with the eyes the movements of the ani-
mal as it dives and reappears above the surface.
He who wishes to observe it must be quiet and
motionless; for not the slightest movement eludes
its keen eye, nor does the least noise escape its
delicate sense of hearing. It rarely remains above
water over one or two minutes at a time; then it
dives and reappears at a short distance. As Bennett
saw exemplified in his captive specimens, the Duck-
mole likes to stay near the shore, amidst the mud,
searching for its food between the roots of the
aquatic plants, which form the main abode of in-
sects. The diet which it obtains during its forays
consists mainly of small aquatic insects and mol-
lusks; it stores them temporarily in its cheek-
pouches and then consumes them i. greater leisure.
Bennett's Anec- "On a beautiful summer evening,"
dote of a Duck- says Bennett, "I approached a small
mole. river in Australia, and as I knew the
predilection of the Duck-mole for the hour of dusk,
I tried to obtain a glimpse of one. With a constant
grasp on our guns, we patiently stood on the shore.
It was not long before we saw a black Object appear
near us on top of the water, the head being raised
but little above the surface. We stood motionless,
lest we should scare the animal, carefully observing
and following its movements, for one must be ready
to shoot just as the Duck-mole reappears after div-
ing. Only a shot in the head is effective, as the
loose, thick fur will not allow a bullet to penetrate
it readily. We wounded one which gave evidence
of severe injury and sank immediately, but soon
rose again. When the Dog brought it to us we
found it to be a fine male. It had not yet expired,
for it made an occasional movement; but no noise,
except a frequent stertorous breathing through the
nostrils, escaped it. Several minutes after it had
been brought out of the water it apparently revived,
and, instantly rising to its feet, staggered towards
the river. About twenty-five minutes later it turned
over several times and then died. As 1 had heard
much about the danger of being pierced by its spur,
even when the animal is mortally injured, I put my
hand near the so-called "poisonous" spur at the first
grasp. In its violent exertions to escape the animal
scratched me slightly with its hind paws and also
with its spur, but despite the roughness with which
I seized it, it did not wound me intentionally. I
had also been further told that the Duck-mole lay
on its back when it wished to use the spur, which
statement will not be received as at all probable by
any one who knows the animal in ever so slight a
way. I put it into this position, but it only strove
to regain its feet without attempting to wound me
by using its spur. In short, I tried in every way to
induce the animal to make use of its spur as a
weapon, but in vain; and I am perfectly convinced
that the spur has another function than that of a
weapon; the more so, as later experiments with
wounded animals have always yielded the same
result. The natives characterize the spur as "mis-
chievous," that being with them a word which in
general conveys the idea of dangerous or poisonous
THE DUCK-MOLES.
59D
character; yet they use the same expression in
speaking of the scratches inflicted by the animal
with the hinder feet, and they are not at all afraid
of seizing a living Duck-mole. When the queer
creature runs along the ground, it produces an im-
pression of something unnatural, and its strange
shape easily startles a timid person. Cats instantly
take flight at its appearance, and even Dogs, which
are not specially trained, stare at it, prick their ears
and bark, but are afraid to touch it, so strongly are
they impressed by the strange appearance and oddi-
ties of this animal."
Bennett had many burrows explored and thus had
the advantage of observing several Duck-moles in
captivity. " I had one burrow dug up," says he, "in
spite of all dissuasions of a lazy native, who could
not understand why I wished for Duck-moles, since
I possessed an abundance of Cattle and Sheep. The
entrance of the burrow was large in proportion to
the width of the tunnel, for the latter became nar-
rower as we advanced, until it only permitted the
passage of the animal. We had followed it to a
depth of nine feet, when suddenly the head of a
Duck -mole appeared be-
low, just as if it had been
awaked from sleep and
had come to see what we
wished. It seemed to rec-
ognize the fact that our
noisy work was not con-
ducive to its welfare; for it
retreated quite hurriedly.
As it turned around it was
seized by the hind leg and
pulled out. It seemed to
be very uneasy and aston-
ished at this treatment.
We placed our prisoner,
which was a full-grown fe-
male, in a barrel full of
grass, river-mud, water, etc.
It scratched all around the
sides of the barrel trying
to escape from its prison;
but as it found all its labor
vain, it became quiet,
curled up and seemed to
sleep. During the night it
was very restless and again
scratched with its fore
paws, as if it were intent
on burrowing a tunnel. In
the morning I found it fast asleep, the tail turned in,
head and beak under its chest, the body curled up.
When I disturbed its slumber it growled, somewhat
like a Dog, only a little more gently and perhaps
more harmoniously. During the day it was usually
quiet, but during the night it renewed its attempts to
escape and growled continuously. All Europeans
of the neighborhood, who had often seen the dead
animal, were glad of the opportunity to observe a
living specimen, and I believe that this was the first
time a European had taken a living. Duck-mole and
had examined its burrow.
"When I left I put my ' Mallangong' into a little
box lined with grass, and took it with me. To afford
it some recreation I woke it after a short time, tied a
long string to one of its hind legs and set it ashore.
It soon found its way into the water and swam up
the stream, evidently most delighted with such
spots as were thickly covered with aquatic plants.
After the animal had enough of diving, it crept
ashore, lay down on the grass and gave itself up to
the luxury of scratching and combing itself.
"A few days later I allowed it to take another
bath in a clear river, in the water of which I could
see its movements distinctly. It quickly dived to
the bottom, stayed there for a little while and then
rose again. It roved along the bank, guided by the
sense of touch in its beak, which seemed to be very
frequently used, and also to be a very sensitive organ
of touch. Its appetite was probably quite well sat-
isfied, for whenever it withdrew its beak from the
mud, something eatable was undoubtedly in it, as its
jaws were then working laterally with a movement
peculiar to its method of chewing. Various insects,
which hovered closely about it, were unmolested by
it, either because it did not see them or because it
preferred the food which the mud afforded it.
After its repasts it would sometimes lie down on the
grassy bank, half out of the water, or it would bend
backward, combing and cleaning its fur. It re-
turned to its prison very unwillingly, and this time it
did not quiet down at all. During the succeeding
DUCK-MOLE. Last among the known mammals is the strange and aptly named Duck-mole. It is web-
footed and lays eggs, like a Duck, and burrows in river banks like a Mole or a Beaver, but spends most of its
waking moments in the water searching for the aquatic insects and Mollusks which constitute its food. (Oriiitho-
rhynchus atialinus.)
night I heard it scratching in the box which stood in
my bed-room, and lo! the next morning the box was
empty. The Duck-mole had succeeded in detach-
ing a lath and had effected its escape. Thus all my
hopes of further observations were foiled."
Bennett's Account On another voyage Bennett succeed-
ed Young Duck- ed in discovering a burrow contain-
moles. jng three young ones, upon which
the hair had already grown, and which he could ob-
serve for some time. "When we found the nest
with the young ones," says he, "and placed them on
the ground, they ran to and fro but did not make
such savage attempts to escape as did the old ones.
The natives, whose mouths watered at sight of these
fat young animals, said that they were about eight
months old, and added that the young Duck-moles
were fed milk by their mother only during their
early infancy and later were given insects, small
shells and mud.
GOO
THE EGG-LAYING MAMMALS.
"I could allow the young animals the liberty of
the room, but one old one scratched the wall so
incessantly that I had to shut it up. Then it lay
quietly all day, but always renewed its attempts to
escape during the night. When I disturbed the ani-
mals in their sleep, there was always a murmuring.
"My little Duck-mole family lived for some time
longer and thus I could observe their habits. The
little animals appeared frequently to dream of being
in the water: for their fore-paws were often seen to
move as they would in swimming. When I placed
them on the ground by day, they sought a dark rest-
ing-place and in such a spot or in their prison they
soon fell asleep, their bodies being disposed of in a
curled-up attitude; but they preferred their usual
resting place to any other.
"At evening my two little pets emerged from
their cage at dusk and usually ate their food; then
they began to play like a couple of young Dogs,
attacking each other with their beaks, lifting their
fore paws and climbing over each other. They were
extremely lively; their little eyes gleamed and the
apertures of their ears opened and closed in remark-
ably rapid succession. As their eyes stand quite
high in their heads they can not see very well
straight ahead, and therefore are apt to come into
collision with contiguous objects.
" Soon after my arrival in Sydney the animals, to
my great regret, lost much of their flesh, and their
skins lost their fine, shining appearance. Their ill
health was plainly seen in all their actions, and their
appearance could only excite pity. On the 29th of
January the female died and was followed on the
2d of February by the male. I had kept them
alive only about five weeks."
Incubation and The Duck-mole lays several soft-
Developmentofthe shelled eggs, in which, according to
Duck-mole. Caldwell's discoveries, the embryos
before being hatched, are developed to about the
same stage of growth as are those in a Hen's egg
which has been incubated for thirty-six hours. The
eggs are hatched in the nest. The newly- hatched
young are small, naked, blind and as helpless as
those of the Echidna or of the pouched animals.
Their beaks are short.
In the zoological garden at Melbourne Duck-
moles have occasionally been kept of late years, but
none have, so far, reached Europe alive.
TWO OTHER MONOTREMES.
The already described Monotremes should per-
haps be followed by a recently discovered, unnamed
animal of the interior of Australia. Its fur has a
metallic lustre and it lives subterraneously. So far
only one — and that, unfortunately, mutilated — speci-
men is known, and it still awaits a detailed descrip-
tion.
A still more important acquisition to the natural
history of the lowest forms of mammals, however,
would probably be the description of the sole in-
digenous terrestrial mammal of New Zealand. This
animal resembles an Otter in general appearance; it
lives near and in the water like that animal and is
now probably restricted to the elevated lakes of the
New Zealand southern mountain chain. It has been
seen several times, and once so near that the ob-
server dealt it a blow with a whip, after which it dis-
appeared in the water, uttering a shrill cry. Julius
von Haast saw the animal's tracks in the snow, but
no one has yet succeeded in obtaining a specimen.
New Zealand possesses the lowest forms of bird life
of any country of the globe; and it is very possible
that its single living, indigenous mammal stands as
much below the Monotremes in development as the
Monotremes are below the pouched 'animals, and
thus would furnish important and perhaps surpris-
ing disclosures concerning the origin of the highest
class of vertebrates, which includes Man.
INDEX TO TEXT.
Aard- vark, 396
Aard-Wolf, 187
Abyssinian Cony or
Ashkoko, 432
Abyssinian Lion, 106
Acrobates, 587
" pygmaeus, 587
Addax, 498
" antelopes, 498
" nas-omaculatus, 500
Adjag, 200
-lEgagrus or Wild Goat, 453
African Cheetah, 135
African Civet, 140
African Elephant, 398
African Ground Pig, 369
African Hartebeest, 496
African Naked Dog, 218
African Rhinoceros, 426
African Wild Ass, 415
Agoutis, 362
Aguara or Azoras Fox, 198
Ailuropoda, 139
Ailuropus, 264
Ailurinae, 264
Ailurus, 264
" fulgens, 264
Alactagas. 329
Albinos, 398
Alecs, 518
" americaua, 520
" palniatus, 518
Algazel or Wild Cow, 498
Almizilero, 303
Alpaca, 446
Alpine Crying Hare, 380
Alpine Hare, 375
Alpine Ibex or Steinbock, 450
Alpine Marmot, 320
Alpine Wolf, 203
Almiqui, 298
Aluateor Red Howler, 53
American Badger or Taxel, 171
American Bison, 472
American Feline Animals, 120
American Fox Squirrels, 310
American Meadow Mouse, 347
American Mink, 164
American Mole, 295
American or Broad-Nosed
Monkeys, 50
American or Rocky Mountain
Pika, 379
American Otler, 179
American Sable, 156
American Skunk, 174
American Spermoplnles, 316
American Tapir, 422
American Trotting Horse, 411
American Varying Hare, 378
American Wild Cat, 133
Andamanese Hog, 542
Angora Cat, 105
Augora Goat, 455
Angwantibo Lemur, 72
Ant-bear, 386
Aut-eaters, 386
Ant-eaters, 596
Antelopes, 490
Autilocapra, 513
" americana, 513
AntilocapridiE, 513
Antilope, 491
" cervicapra, 491
" dorcas, 472
" euchore, 494
Antilopinae, 490
Anthropomorpha, 8
Aoudad, 460
Apella or Brown Capuchin, 57
Apes and Monkeys, 1
Aploceriuae, 489
Apiocerus, 489
montanus, 489
Arabian Ass, 416
Arabian Horse, 409
Arctic Fox, 238
Arctitis, 264
" binturong, 264
Arctocebus, 72
Arctocebus cdabarensis, 72
Arctomyinse, 315
Arctomys, 315
" bobac, 318
" flaviventor, 321
" monax, 321
" marmota, 320
" pruinosus, 321
Arctopitheci, 62
Argali, 462
Armadillos, 388
Artiodactyla, 433
Aru, 55
Arvicola, 345
agrestis, 347
" amphibius, 345
" arvalis, 347
" glareolus, 346
" nivalis, 346
" cecor.omus, 348
" ripirius, 347
" rutilus, 347
Arvicolidae, 344
Ashkoko, 432
Asiatic Cheetah, 135
Asiatic Civet, 140
Asiatic Elephant, 397
Ass, 415
Ass of the Plains, 415
Assapan, 312
Asses, 413
Ateles, 54
" bartlettii, 55
" beelzebuth, 55
" hypoxauthus, 55
" paniscus, 55
" pentadactylus, 55
Atherura, 358
Atherura africaua, 358
Auchenia, 443
" huanaco, 444
" lama, 444
" pacos, 446
" vicugna, 447
Angwantibo, 72
Aulacodus, 369
" swinderianus, 369
Australian Bear, 584
Australian Porcupine Ant-
eater, 596
Australian Wild Dog, 204
Axis, 530
" axis, 530
Axis Deer, 530
Aye- Aye, 73
Babirusa, 546
Baboons, 41
Bactrian Camel, 442
Badger Dogs, 221
Badgers, 168
Baltenidae, 565
Balaena, 565
'• mysticetus, 565
Balaenoptera, 565
" rostrata, 565
Balasnopteridae, 564
Banded Ant-eater, 590
Banded Mungoos, 150
Bandicoots, 588
Bank Vole, 346
Bauteng, 478
Barbary Ape, 39
Barbary Deer, 529
Barbary Lion, 1&6
Barbastelle orPug-Dog Bat, 82
Barren Ground Bear, 250
Bashful Billy, 69
Bissaris, 272
" astuta, 272
Bay Lynx, 133
Beagle Dogs, 22*4
Beaked Whales, 565
Bearded Hog, 542
Bear Family, 243
Bear Kangaroo, 582
Beasts of Prey, 87
Beaver, 323
Beaver Shrews, 303
Beech Martin, 153
Beisa, 498
Beluga, 569
" leucas, 570
Bettongia, 582
peuicillata, 582
Bhunder, or Rhesus Monkey,
38
Bichociego, 392
Big Horn Rocky Mountain
Sheep, 462
Bmturoug, 264
Black Baboon, 43
Black Bear, 252
Black Colobus, 30
Black Fox, 237
Black-headed Saki, 59
Black Himalayan Bear, 253
Black Hog, 542
Black Howler, 53
Black Maki, 67
Black Panther, 114
Black Rat. 333
Black Rhinoceros, 426
Black Squinel, 310
Black tailed Deer, 534
Bladder-nose Seal, 279
Blarina, 300
" brevicauda, 300
Blastocerus, 534
" cauipestris, 534
Blenheim Spaniels, 225
Blood-sucking Bats, 83
Blue-faced Guenou, 34
Brachyurus, 59
" calvus, 61
" melanocephalus, 59
Bradypodidae, 381
Bradypus, 382
" tndactylus, 382
Brazilian Otter, 179
Broad- fronted Wombat, 587
Broad-nosed Monkey, 50
Broad-nosed Shrew, 300
Brown Bear, 244
Brown Capuchin, 57
Brown Hyaena, 185
Brown Rat, 333
Brush-tailed Opossum, 590
Brush tailed Porcupine, 358
Bobac, 318
Bonnet Monkey, 36
Bos, 468
" africanus, 479
" americanus, 474
" ami, 486
" bauteng, 478
" bison, 470
Bos, caffer, 485
" frontalis, 476
" gaurus, 477
" gruuniens, 468
" indicus, 480
" scoticus, 481
" taurus friburgensis, 481
" " dunelmensis, 482
" " hollandicus, 481
Bottle-nosed Dolphin, 574
Bottle-nosed Whales, 574
Bouquetins, 450
Bovidae, 447
Boviuse, 466
Bovine Antelopes, 502
Boxer, 221
Bubalis, 495
" caama, 496
B'udeng or Negro Monkey, 27
Buffaloes, 485
Bulldog, 220
Burchell's Zebra, 419
Burunduk, or Striped Siberian
Ground Squirrel, 313
Bush bucks, 504
Bush Hog, 546
Buselapbus, 502
" oreas, 502
Cacajao, 59
Cachalot, 575
Cacomixle, 272
Ca'ing Whale, 570
Cai or Sai Monkey, 56
California Gray Squirrel, 310
California Wood Rat, 336
Californian Mouse, 340
Californian Hare, 379
Callithrix, 59
" lugens, 59
" personata, 61
Camelidae, 437
Camels, 437
Camelus, 438
" bactrianus, 442
" dromedarius, 438
Camelopardalidae, 434
Camelopardalis, 434
giraffa, 434
Campagnol, 347
Canadian Beaver, 324
Canadian Lynx, 133
Canadian Porcupine, 356
Canidaa. 187
Canis, 188
" adustus, 196
" alpinus, 203
" anthus, 194
" aureus, 196
" caucrivorus, 198
" dingo, 204
" dukhunensis, 200
" familial is, 207
" jubatus, 191
" latrans, 197
" lupus, 190
" mesomelas. 196
" occideutalis, 194 ■
' pictus, 199
" procyonoides, 198
" rutilans, 200
" vetulus, 198
Cape Buffalo, 485
Cape Hunting Dog, 199
Cape Zorilla, 175
Capella, 506
" rupicapra, 500
Capra, 448
" aegagrus, 453
(601)
CO:
INDEX TO TEXT.
Capra, caucasica, 450
" falconeri, 454
" hircus, 455
" h. aegyptica, 456
" h. augorensis, 455
" h. lauiger, 456
" h. niambrica, 456
" h. reversa, 457
" ibex, 450
" jetnlaica, 457
" pyrenaica, 450
Capreolus, 534
eapraea, 534
Capriuas, 448
Capybara, 364
Capuchins, 56
Caracal, 134
Caraya or Black Howler, 53
Cariacus, 531
" eolumbianus, 534
" leucurus, 534
" macrotis, 534
" mexicauus, 534
" virgiuianus, 531
Carjacou, 531
Carnivora, 87
Carnivorous Marsupials, 588
Carolina Lynx, 134
Cashmere Goat, 456
Caspian Seal, 278
Castor, 323
" canadensis, 324
" fiber, 323
Castoridae, 323
Catarrhini, 8
Cat Family, 88
Cat-Footed Civets, 139
Cat-like Bears, 264
Catoblepas, 512
guu, 512
Catodou, 575
" macrocephalus, 575
Catodontidas, 575
Cats Proper, 92
Catta Lemur, 67
Cavia, 360
" aperea, 360
" cutleri, 360
" porcellus, 360
Cavies or Guinea Pig Family,
359
Caviidac, 359
Cebidie, 52
Cebus, 56
" apella. 57
" capuciuus, 56
" leueogenys, 5S
" hvpoleucus, 58
" olivaceus, 58
Celebes Hog, 542
Centetes, 297
" ecaudatus, 297
Centelidaj, 297
Cephalolophus, 504
mergens, 504
Cercopithecus. 30
Cercolabes, 358
" novas hispania2, 358
" preliensilis,359
villosus, 358
Cercolabinae, 356
Cercoleptes, 271
Cercoleptescaudi volvulus, 271
Cercopithecus diana, 34
cephus, 34
fuliginosus, 35
ruber, 34
abaeus, 32
Cervidar, 516
Cervus, 526
" barbarus, 529
" canadensis, 529
" elaphus, 526
Cervii'us, 536
muntjac, 536
Cetacea, 559
Cbactna, 44
Chameck, 55
Chamois, 506
Cheetali, 13s
Chestnut-backed Gray Squir-
rel, 310
Chestnut-Cheeked Gopher,
354
Chevrotains, 538
Chickaree or Red Squirrel,
310
Chimpanzee, 16
Chipmunk, 314
Chinchillas, 369
Chirogaleus, 69
" furcifer, 69
Chiromys, 73
" madagascariensis, 73
Chironectes, 594
" mimimus, 594
Chiroptera, 75
Chlamydophorus, 329
" truncatus, 392
Cliolcepus, 382
" didactylus, 382
Chrysothrix, 59
sciurea, 60
Cinnamon Bear, 352
Civet Family, 139
Climbing Marsupials, 583
Climbing Porcupines, 356
Clouded Tiger, 99
Cloven hoofed Animals, 433
Cloven - hoofed Nou - Rumi-
nants, 539
Coaita, 55
Coast Fox, 243
Coatis, 269
Ccelogenys, 363
, " paca, 363
Coendou, 359
Collared Peccary, 548
Colobus, 28
" guereza, 28
" satanas, 30
" ursinus, 30
Colugo or Kaguang, 304
Col us, 510
" tataricus, 510
Comba, 71
Common Agouti, 362
Common Baboon, 44
Common Badger, 169
Common Bat, 82
Common Brown Bear, 244
Common Chinchilla, 369
Common Dormouse, 322
Common Fox, 232
Common Fox Squirrel, 310
Common Galago, 71
Common Geneite, 141
Common Hamster, 340
Common Hare, 374
Common Hedgehog, 290
Common Jungle Cat, 134
Common Lynx, 130
Common Macaque, 36
Common Marmoset, 63
Common Marmot, 320
Common Mole, 295
Common Mole Rat or Slepez,
351
Common Mouse, 336
Common Opossum, 591
Common Otter, 176
Common Pocket Rat, 354
Common Paradoxure, 142
Common Porcupine, 354
Common Seal, 278
Common Shrew, 299
Common Squirrel, 306
Common Wild Cat, 99
Condylura, 296
" crisiata, 296
Conies, 431
Cooper's Mouse, 350
Coosoo, 585
Corsac or Fox of the Steppes,
239
Cotton or Rice Rat, 336
Cotton-tail or. Wood Rabbit,
379
Cougar or Puma, 120
Couiy, 358
Coyote, 197
Coypu or Nutria, 367
Crab eating Dog, 198
Crab-eating Raccoon, 268
Crab-eating Opossum, 594
Crab Mungoos or Urva, 150
Crested or Hooked Seal, 278
Cricetiuae, 340
Cricetodipus, 352
" - tiavus, 352
parvus, 352
Cricetus, 340
" Jrumentarius, 430
Crocidura, 302
aranea, 302
" suaveolens, 302
Crossarchus, 146
" obscura, 146
Cross Fox, 237
Crossopus, 302
" fodiens, 302
Crying Hares or Pikas, 379
Cryptoprocta, 138
" ferox, 138
Cuscus, 584
Cuvier's Lagoti, 371
Cuxio Monkey, 58
Cycloturus, 388
" didactylus, 388
Cynailurus, 135
guttatus, 135
" jnbatusr 135
" laneus, 135
" scernmerriugii, 135
Cynictus, 150
" penicdlata, 150
Cynocephalus, 41
labuin, 44
" gelada, 48
hamadryas, 46
leucophaeus, 49
mormon, 49
niger, 43
porcarius, 44
silenus, 50
sphinx, 44
Cynomys, 316
ludovicianus, 316
Cynopithecini, 25
Cyuopoda, 144
Cynonycteris, 79
" aegyptiacus, 81
Cyon, 200
Cystophora, 279
" cristata, 279
Dachshunds, 221
Dama, 524
" vulgaris, 526
Danish Dog, 218
Dasypodidae, 388
Dasyproctae, 362
aguti, 362
Dasypus, 389
" sexcinctus, 389
" villosus, 389
Dasyuridas, 588
Dasyurinae, 588
Dasyurines, 588
Dasyurus, 590
" viverrinus, 590
Daubenton's Bat, 79
Dauw, 419
Deer, 516
Degu, 367
Delphinidas, 566
Delphinus, 571
" delphis, 571
Dendrolagus, 582
ursinus, 582
Desmans, 303
Diana Monkey, 34
Dicotyles, 548
" labiatus, 548
Dicotyles torquatus, 548
Didelphyidae, 591
Didelphys, 591
" marsupialis, 591
Dingo, 204
Dipodidae, 327
Dipodinae, 327
Dipodomys. 352
" philippii,352
Dipus, 328
" aegypticus, 32S
Dog, The, 187
Dog-footed Civets, 144
Dog-shaped Monkeys, 25
Dog of Thibet, 221
Dolphin, 571
Dolphins, 566
Dolphins Proper, 571
Dohchotis, 362
" patagonica, 362
Domestic Ass, 416
Domestic Cat, 102
Domestic Dogs, 229
Domestic Goats, 453
Domestic Hog, 543
Domestic Oxen, 479
Domestic Sheep, 463
Domestic Shrew, 302
Donkey, 417
Dormice, 321
Drill, 49
Dromedary or One-Humped
Camel, 438
Duck-mole, 597
Dugong, 557
Durham or Shorthorn, 482
Dutch Cow, 483
Dutch Ox, 481
Duyker or Diver Antelope, 504
Dwarf Antelopes, 505
Dwarf Goat, 457
Dwarf Hippopotamus, 554
Eared Seals, 286
Eastern Chipmunk, 314
Echidna, 596
" aculeata lawesi, 596
" aculeata setosa, 596
" aculeata typica, 596
Echidnidae, 596
Edentata, 381
Egg-laying Mammals, 595
Egyptian Cat, 102
Egyptian Flying-Dog Bat, 87
Egyptian Jerboa, 328
Egyptian or Nile Goat. 456
Egyptian Rhinopome, 86
Eland, 502
Elephantidas, 397
Elephants, 397
E!ephas, 397
" africanus, 398
" asiaticus, 397
Elephant Seal, 279
" Shrew, 296
Eliomys, 322
" nitela, 322
Elks, 518
English Thoroughbred Horse,
410
English Turnspit, 222
Enhydris, 179
" lutris, 179
Equida?, 405
Equus, 405
• " asinus, 415
" asinus africanus, 415
" asinus somalicus, 416
" burchellii, 419
*' hemionus, 413
,; hinuus, 418
" mulus, 418
" onager, 415
" q«"gg». 4'9
" zebra, 419
Frethizon, 356
dorsatum, 356-
Erinaceidae, 289
1XDEX TO TEXT.
003
EitJ.ueus, 290
europaeus, 290
Eriomi s . 369
" ctiiucbilla, 369
" lanigera, 369
Ermine or Stoat, 162
Eskimo Dog, 230
Etruscan Shrew, 302
European Bison, 410
European Elk, 518
European Mink or Xerz, 164
European Porcupine, 356
Fahhad or African Cheetah,
135
Fallow Deer, 524
Felidse, 88
Felis, 92
" bengalensis, 319
" catus, 99
" concolor, 120
" leo barbarus, 106
" leo capensis, 106
" leo guzeratensis, 106
" leo persicus, 106
" leo senegalensis, 106
" uiacrura, 129
" inaniculata, 102
" rnauiculata domestica,
i»5
" rnauiculata domestica
atigorenesis, 105
" marmorata, 99
" maniculata, 102
" melas, 114
" nebulosa, 99
" onza, 124
" pajeros, 128
" piulhera, 112
" pardalis, 128
" pardus, 1 12
" serval, 119
" tigrinis, 129
" tigris, 92
" uncia, 119
" variegata, 114
" viverrina, 119
" yaguarundi, 122
Fen nee, 240
Ferret, 158
Fiber, 344
" zioethicus, 344
Field Shrew, 302
Field Vole or Short Tailed
Field Mouse, 347
Fisher Marten, 156
Florida Lvux, 134
Florida Wood Rat. 336
Flying Dogs or Fruit-Eating
Bats, 79
Flying Squirrels, 311
Fork-crowned Lemur, 69
Four-horned Antelope, 504
Four-striped Chipmunk, 314
Foussa or Cryptoprocta, 138
Foxhound, 224
Foxes, 232
Fox Squirrels, 310
Foxy Mungoos, 150
Freiburg Ox, 48r
Fruit-eating Bats, 79
Galagos, 70
Galeopithecidre, 304
Galeopithecus, 304
*' volans, 304
Galictis, 168
" barbara, 168
vittata, 16S
Gaur, 477
Gayal, 476
Gazelle, 491
Gelada Baboon, 48
Genettes, 141
Gentle Demurs, 69
Geomys, 352
" bursarius, 352
" castanops, 354
Geomys hispidus, 354
mexicanus, 354
" tuza, 353
German Bloodhound, 224
German Mastiff, 218
Giant Kangaroo, 5S2
Giant Pangolin, 393
Giant Tatu, 392
Gibbons, 23
Giraffes, 434
Globiocephalus, 570
melas, 570
Glutton or Wolverine, 166
Gnu, 512
Goats, 448
Gold-haired Monkey, 60
Golden Marmoset, 64
Golden Mouse, 340
Gold-faced Monkey, 55
Gophe s. 352
Gotal, 506
Gorilla, 9
ginn, 9
Grampus, 56b
Gray Fox, 241
Gray or Gentle Lemur, 69
Gray Gopher, 316
Gray Lemur, 69
Grav Prairie Squirrel, 316
Gray Seal, 278
Gray Squirrel, 310
Gray Wood Rat, 336
Great Ant-eater or Ant-bear,
386
Great Bat, 82
Great Rusa, 530
Greater Horseshoe Bat, 86
Greenland Whale, 565
Green Monkey, 32
Greyhound, 215
Greyhound Autelope, 505
Orisons, 168
Grizzly Bear, 250
Ground Squirrels, 313
Grunting Ox, 468
Guanaco, 444
Guara, 191
Gueuous, 30
Guereza, 28
Guinea Pigs, 360
Gulo, 166
'' borealis, 166
Guzerat Lion, 106
Gyinuorhina, 81
Hairy Saki, 59
Hairy-tailed Mole, 296
Half-monkeys or Lemuroids,
65
Halicore, 557
dugong, 557
stellerii, 558
Hamadryas, 46
Hamsters, 340
Hapale, 62
" argentata, 63
" chrysoleucus, 64
" jacchus, 63
" leoniua, 63
" cedipus, 64
" penicillata, 64
pygmaea, 63
" rosalia, 62
Hapalemur, 69
" griseus, 69
Hares, 372
Harrisson Hog, 543
Hartebeest, 496
Harvest Mouse, 339
Hedgehogs, 289
Hereford Bull, 485
Herpestes, 144
" fasciatus, 150
" ichueumon, 144
" mungo, 147
" urva, 150
" widdringtonii, 148
Hesperomys, 340
Hesperomys aureolus, 340
californicus, 340
leucogaster, 340
leucopus, 340
michiganensis,
140
oryzomys, 340
Hinny, 418
Hippopotami, 549
Hippopotamidae, 549
Hippopotamus, 549
amphibius, 549
liberiensis, 554
Hoary Marmot, 321
Hog Deer, 531
Honey Badgers, 172
Hooded Seal, 278
Hoolock, 23
Hoonumau, 25
Hopping Mice, 352
Horned Animals, 447
Horses, 405
Horseshoe Bats, 85
Hounds, 222
Howlers, 52
Hulman, 25
Humboldt's Lagothrix Monk-
ey, 55
Hump-back Whales, 564
Humped Hogs, 546
Hunting Leopard, 135
Hutia Tonga, 367
Hyaena, 182
" bruunea, 185
" crocuta, 184
" striata, 186
Hyena Dogs, 198
Hyena Family, 182
Hyaenidae, 182
Hydrochcerus, 364
capybara, 364
Hylobates, 23
" hulock, 23
" lar, 23
rafflesii, 23
syndactylus, 23
variegatus, 23
Hyperoodon, 574
bidens 574
Hyperoodontidae, 574
Hyrax, 432
" abyssinicus, 432
Hyracidae, 431
Hystrichidae, 354
Hystrix, 354
" cristata, 354
Ibex or Steinbock, 450
Ichneumon, 144
Indian Buffalo, 4S6
Indian Paradoxure, 142
Indian Ratel, 173
Indian Rhinoceros, 426
Indian Wild Dog, 200
Indris, 67
Inia or Bonto, 572
Inia aniazonica, 572
Insect-EatingAuimals, 289
Iusectivora, 289
Introductory Preface, iii
Irish Hares, 375
Istiophora, 83
Italian Greyhound, 217
Jackal, 196
Jackal Wolf, 194
Jack Rabbit, 379
Jaculinae, 328
Jaculus, 328
" hudsonius, 328
Jaguar, 124
Javan or Wara Rhinoceros, 426
Javan Wild Hog, 542
Jerboas, 327
Jersey Cow, 483
Jumping Hare, 330
Jumping Mouse, 328
Jungle Cat, 134
Kalan, 179
Kalong, 80
Kamchatkan Wild Sheep, 462
Kanchil, 538
Kangaroos, 580
Kangaroo Rais, 583
King Charles Spaniels, 225
King Rat, 335
Kinkajou, 271
Kit Fox, 238
Koala or Australian Bear, 584
Kobus, 497
" ellipsiprymuus, 497
Kolsuu, 200
Koodoo, 500
Koulan, 413
Labiated or Sloth Bear, 260
Lagidium, 370
" * cuvieri, 371
Lagomys, 379
" alpinus, 380
" princeps, 379
Lagostomidae, 369
Lagostomus 271
" trichodactylus, 371
Lagothrix, 55
" humboldtii, 55
Lagotis, 370
Lamantin, 556
Lar, 23
Large-eared Foxes, 240
Large-eared Makis, 70
Leaf-nosed Bats, 83
Leaping Pouched Animals,
580
Least Pocket Mice, 352
Lemming Vole, 350
Lemmings, 348
Lemur, 65
" catta, 67
" macaco, 67
" mongoz, 67
" varius, 67
Lemuridae, 65
Lemuroids, 65
Leopard Cat, 1 19
Leopards, 112
Leporidae, 372
Leptodactyla, 73
Lepus, 374
" americanus, 378
" americanus virgin-
ianus, 379
" americanus washiug-
tonii, 379
" aquaticus, 379
" artemesia, 379
" californicus, 379
" callotis, 379
" campestns, 379
" cuniculus, 376
" glacialis, 378
" hibernicus, 375
" palustris, 379
" sylvaticus, 379
" timidus, 374
" vulgaris, 374
Lerot, 322
Lerotin, 322
Lesser Civet or Rasse, 141
Lesser Horseshoe Bats, 85
Liatuga or Russian Flying
Squirrel, 312
Liberian Hippopotamus, 354
Lichauotus, 67
" brevicaudatus, 67
Lion, 105
Liou-like Monkeys, 63
Little or Two-Toed ant-eater,
388
Little African Squirrel, 310
Little Galago Lemur, 73
Llamas, 443
Loir or Fat Dormouse, 321
Long-eared Bat, 82
Long-eared Fox, 241
Long-legged Shrews, 296
004
INDEX TO TEXT.
Long-nosed Bandicoot, 588
Loug-nosed or Proboscis
Monkey, 28
Long-tailed Fox, 237
Long-tailed Pangolin, 394
Long-tailed Panther, 114
Long-tailed Tiger Cat, 129
Lophiotnyidae, 307
Lophiomys, 307
iiuhausii, 307
Loris, 68
Lovely-Haired Monkey, 61
Lupus, 190
Lutra, 176
" brasilienis, 179
" califoruica, 179
" canadensis, 179
" felina, 179
" vu'.garis, 176
Lutridae, 176
Lycaou, 198
Lynx, 129
" borealis, 133
" caracal, 134
" caroliuensis, 134
" chaus, 134
" fasciata, 134
" floridanus, 134
" maculata, 133
" pardiuus, 133
" rufus, 133
" vulgaris, 130
Lynxes, 129
Lyre Bat, 86
Macaco, 67
Macacus, 36
" cynomolgus, 36
" nemestriuus, 39
" rhesus, 38
" sinicus, 36
" sylvanus, 39
Macaques, 36
Macropodiciae, 580
Macropodinae, 580
Macrorhiuus, 279
" leoninus, 279
Macroscelides, 296
typicus, 296
Macroscelididae, 296
Macropus, 582
" giganteus, 582
M igot Monkey, 39
Makis, 67
Malay Wild Dog or Adjag, 200
Malayan Bear, 254
Malayan Tapir, 422
Manatees, 555
Minatidae, 555
Manatus, 556
iuuuguis, 556
" latirostris, 556
Mandrill, 49
Mailed Cheetah, 135
Maned Hog, 542
Maneless Lion, 106
Mangue or Kusimanse, 146
Manididae, 393
Mauis, 393
gigantea, 393
longicaudata, 394
" pentadactyla, 394
" temminckii, 394
.Man shaped Apes, 8
Mara or Patagouian Cavy, 362
Marbled Cat, 99
Marguay, 129
Marimonda or Aru, 55
Markat Monkey, 38
Markhoor, 454
M irniosets, 62
Marmots, 315
M irsh Rabbit, 379
Marsh Shrew, 302
Manupialia, 579
Marten Family, 150
Marten Croup, 152
Marlidae, 152
Masked Hog, 544
Masked Paradoxure, 144
Mastiffs, 218
Mazama Deer, 531
Megaderma, 86
" lyra, S6
Megaptera, 564
" longimaua, 564
Meles, 168
" taxus, 169
Melidae, 168
Mellivora, 172
" capensis, 172
indica, 173
Meloncillo, 148
Melursus, 260
" labiatus, 260
Mephitis, 173
" suffocans, 174
" varians, 174
Merionidinae, 332
Merino Sheep, 463
Mexican Badger, 172
Mexican Cacomixle, 272
Mexican Gopher, 354
Mexican Otter, 179
Mexican Porcupine, 358
Mexicau Deer, 534
Mice, 330
Michigau Mouse, 340
Microcebus, 73
myoxinus, 73
Mink, 164
Miriki, 55
Mirikina Monkey, 6r
Missouri Mole Mouse, 340
Mole Rats, 350
Mole Shrew, 302
Moles, 294
Moose, 520
Mougoose Lemur, 67
Monk Seal, 278
Monkeys, 1
Mouodon, 573
" monoceros, 573
Monodontidae, 573
Monouemata, 595
Mouotremes, 595
Moschidae, 537
Moschus, 537
" moschiferus, 537
Moufflon, 460
Mountain Antelopes, 506
Mountain Chipmunk, 314
Mountain Kangaroos 582
Mouse-colored Bat, 82
Mule, 418
Mule Deer, 534
Mungo, 147
Muugooses, 144
Muntjak Deer, 536
Muridae, 330
Murinae, 332
Mus, 332
" agrarius, 337
" alexandrinus, 332
" barbarus, 337
" decumanus, 333
" gambiauus, 332
*' minutus, 339
" musculus, 336
" rattus. 333
" sylvaticus, 336
Musang, 142
Muscardinus, 322
• avellanarius,-322
Musk Deer, 537
Musk-Oxen, 465
Muskrat, 344
Musquaw, 252
Mustela, 152
" americana, 156
foina, 153
" martes, 152
" pennantii, 156
" zibellina, 154
Mustelidtt, 150
Mycetes, 52
Mycetes uiger. 53
" seniculus, 52
Mydaus, 173
" meliceps, 173
Myodes, 348
Myodes lemmus, 348
Myogale, 303
" inoschata, 303
" pyrenaica, 303
Myogaliuae, 303
Myoxidae, 321
Myoxus, 321
" dryas, 322
" - glis, 32 r
Myoptamus, 367
coypu, 367
Myrmecobiinae, 590
Myrmecobiuus, 590
" lasciatus, 590
Myrmecophaga, 386
" jubata, 386
Myrmecophagidas, 386
Naked Dog, 21S
Narica, 270
Narrow-nosed Apes, 8
Narwhal, 573
Nasalis, 28
" larvatus, 28
Nasua, 269
" narica, 270
" rufa, 269
Negro Monkey, 27
Nemorhoedus, 506
goral, 506
Neotoma, 336
" cinereus, 336
" floiidana, 336
" fuscipes, 336
Neotragus, 504
" hemprichii, 505
Nerz, 164
Neurotrichus, 304
gibbsii, 304
Newfoundland Dog, 225
New Guinea Hog, 542
Nilbhandar or Wanderoo
Monkey, 50
Noctule, 82
North American Deer, 531
North American Wolf, 194
Northern Fur Seal, 288
Northern Prairie Hare, 379
Nyctipithecus, 60
" trivirgatus, 61
Nylghau, 502
Ocelot, 128
Octodon, 367
" cummingii, 367
Octodoutidae, 366
Odd-Toed Animals, 405
Old World Meadow Mouse,
337
Onager, 415
Opossum, 591
Opossum Mouse, 587
Opossum Rat, 582
Orang-utan, 18
Orca, 568
" gladiator, 568
Ordinary Seals, 275
Ord's Pocket Mouse, 3y,
Oregon Lynx, 134
Oregon Mole, 296
Ornithorhy;ncbidae, 597
Ornithorbynchus, 597
" anatinus, 597
Oryx, 498
" beisa, 498
" capensis, 498
" leucoryx, 498
Oryx Antelopes, 498
Orycteropodidae, 396
Orycteropus, 396
" capensis, 396
Otaria, 286
" jubata, 288
Otaria stelleri, 2S6
" ursina, 288
Otariidas, 286
Otocyon, 241
" megalotis, 241
Otolicnus, 70
agisymbanus, 71
galago, 71
Otter Hound, 222
Otters, 176
Ounce, 119
Ovibos, 465
" moschatus, 465
Ovibovinae, 465
Ovis, 458
" argali, 462. .
" aries hispanica, 463
" aries steatopyga persic
464
" montana, 462
" musimon, 460
" nivicola, 462
" polii, 461
" tragelaphus, 459
Owl Monkeys, 60
Ownerless or Pariah Dogs, 206
Ox Antelopes, 495
Oxen, 476
Ox Tribe, 466
Paca, 363
Paco or Alpaca, 446
Palm Cats, 142
Pampas Cat, 128
Pampas Deer, 534
Panda or Red Cat-like Bear,
264
Pangolins, 393
Panthers, 112
Papuan Porcupine Ant-eater,
596
Paradoxurus, 142
" hemaphroditus,
J42
larvatus, 144
niger, 142
Pardine Lynx, 133
Pariah Dogs, 206
Park Ox, 481
Parry's Marmot Squirrel, 316
Paseng, 453
Passan. 498
Patagonian Cavy, 362
Patas Monkey, 34
Peccaries, 548
Pedetes, 330
" caffer, 330
Pedetinae, 330
Peeshoo or Canadian Lynx,
133
Pekau, 156
Pennant's Marten, 156
Perameles, 588
" nasuta, 588
Peramelidae, 588
Percberon Horse, 410
Perissodactyla, 405
Perodicticus, 72
" potto, 72
Perognathus, 352
" fasciatus, 352
" hispidoa, 352
" penicillatus, 3^,
Persian Lion, 106
Persian Sheep, 464
Peruvian Otter, 179
Petauroides, 586
" volans, 586
Petaurus, 586
" sciureus, 586
Petrogale, 582
" penicillata, 582
" xanthopus, 582
Phacochcerus, 547
" africauus, 548
Phalanger, 584
" maculatus, 5S4
Phalangeridae, 583
INDEX TO TEXT.
C05
Phalangeridae, 584
Pharaoh's Rat, 144
Phascolarctinae, 583
Phascolarctus, 584
" cinereus, 584
PhascolomyidtK. 587
Phascoloruys, 5S7
" latifrons, 587
ursinus, 587
Philauder, 594
" philander, 594
Phoca, 278
" caspica, 278
" grcEnlandica, 27S
" vituliua, 278
Puocaena, 569
" communis, 569
Phocidae, 275
Phyllostoma, 84
" spectrum, 84
Physalus, 564
" antiquorum, 564
Pigmy Musk, 538
Pikas, 379
Pike Whale, 565
Pilot Whale, 570
Pinche Marmoset, 64
Pine Marten, 152
Pinnipedia, 273
Pipistrelle Bat, 79
Pitheci, 1
Pithecia, 58
hirsuta, 59
" leucocephala, 58
" satauas, 58
Pithecidae, 58
Pithecus, 18
" satynjs, t8
Platanis'.a, 572
gaugetica. 572
Platyrrhini, 50
Plecotus, 82
" auritus, 82
Pocket Mice, 352
Pocket Rats, 354
Pointer Dogs, 223
Polar Bear, 254
Polar Hares, 375
Polecat, 156
Polyprotodontia, 587
Pomeranian or Spitz Dog, 230
Poodle Dog, 227
Porcupines, 354
Porcus, 546
" babyrussa, 546
Porpoises, 569
Porta x, 502
" pictus, 502
Potamochcerus 546
" africauus, 546
Potamochcerus porcus, 546
Potorous, 583
" tridactylus, 5S3
PottT Lemur, 72
Pouched animals, 579
Pouched dog, 589
Pouched gopher, 352
Pouched rats, 591
Pouched squirrels, 586
Prairie dogs, 316
Prairie hares, 379
Prairie mole, 295
Prairie Woil, 197
Predaceous Marsupials, 588
Priatnus monkey, 25
Prickly pocket mice, 352
Priodon, 391
gigas, 392
Proboscidea, 397
Procyon, 264
" cancrivorus, 268
" lotor, 264
Procyon in as, 264
Proechidna, 597
" bruijnii, 597
Proteles, 187
" lalandii, 187
Pronghorned Animals, 513
Prosimii, 65
Psammomys, 332
obesus, 332
Pteromys, 311
" petaurista, 311
" volans, 312
" volucella, 312
Pteropina, 95
Pteropus, 79
" edulis, 80
Pug Dog, 221
Pug- Dog Bat, 82
Puma, 120
Putorius, 156
" erminea, 162
" fcetidus, 156
furo, 158
" lutreola, 164
" sarmaticus, 156
visou, 164
" vulgaris, 159
Pyrenean Ibex, 451
Quachil, 354
Quagga, 419
Rabbit, 376
Raccoon, 264
Raccoon Dog, 198
Rangifer, 520
" caribu, 521
" tarandus, 521
Rasse, 141
Ratel or Houey Badger, 172
Razorback Whale, 564
Red Backed Meadow Mouse,
347
Red or Bay-Lynx, 133
Red Coati, 269
Red Deer, 526
Red Fox, 237
Red Howler, 53
Red or Patas Monkey, 34
Red Squirrel, 310
Redunca, 496
" eleotragus, 497
Reed Antelopes, 496
Reindeer, 520
Rhabdogale, 175
" mustelina, 175
Rhesus Monkey, 38
Rhiuocerds, 424
" bicornis, 426
" simus, 431
sondaicus, 426
" sumatrensis, 426
" unicornis, 426
Rhinocerotidae, 424
Rhiuolophus, 85
" ferrum - equin -
um, 86
hippocrepis, 85
Rhinopoma, 86
" microphyllum, 86
Rhinopomes, 86
Rice-field Mouse, 340
Rice-Rat, 336
Riet-bok, 497
Ringed Seal, 278
Rock Kangaroo, 582
Rocky Mountain Goat, 489
Rocky Mountain Marmot, 321
Rocky Mountain Pika, 379
Rocky Mountain Pocket Rat,
354
Rocky Mountain Sheep, 462
Rodentia, 305
Rodents or Gnawing Animals,
305
Roe, 534
Root Vole, 348
Rorquals or Furrowed Whales,
564
Round- Headed Whales, 570
Royal Tiger, 92
Ruffed Lemur, 67
Ruminants, 433
Ruuning Mice, 332
Rusa, 530
Rusa aristotelis, 531
hippelaphus, 530
" porcinus, 531
Russian Flying Squirrel, 312
Rusiue Group, 530
Sable, 154
Saccomyidae, 352
Saccomyinae, 352
Sacred Baboon, 46
Sacred Monkeys, 25
Saddle-Back Seal, 278
Sage Rabbit, 379
Saguin ouistiti marmoset, 63
Saiga, 510
Saint Bernard Dog, 226
Salamander, 353
Sambhar, 531
Sand Rat, 332
Sanga, 480
Sarcophilus, 589
ursinus, 589
Sasin Antelope, 491
Sasyures, 590
Scalops, 295
" argentatus, 295
" aquaticus, 295
Scapanus, 296
" breweri, 296
townsendi, 296
Scirtetes, 329
" jaculus, 329
Sciuridae, 306
Sciuriuae, 306
Sciurus, 306
" aberti, 310
" anzonensis, 310
" carolinensis, 310
" cinereus, 510
" fossor, 310
" hudsonius, 310
" ludovicianus, 310
" minutus, 311
" niger, 310
" vulgaris, 306
Scotch Greyhound, 217
Scotophiles, 86
Scotophilus, 86
welwitchii, 86
Sea Bear, 288
Sea Cow, 558
Sea Cows, 555
Seals or Fin-Footed Animals,
273
Sea Hog, 569
Sea Leopard, 277
Sea Lion, 286
Sea Otter, 179
Sea Unicorn, 573
Semnopithecus, 25
entellus, 25
maurus, 27
Senegal Lion, 106
Sennaar Hog, 542
Serval, 119
Sharmindi Billi, 69
Sheep, 458
Sheep Dog, 229
Sheep and Goat Tribe, 448
Shetland Pony, 411
Shielded Rhinoceroses, 426
Short Horn Cow, 484
Short-tailed Indris Lemur, 67
Short tailed Monkey, 61
Short-tailed Saki, 59
Shrews, 297
Siamang, 23
Sigmodon, 336
hispidus, 336
Silky Tamarin, 63
Silver Fox, 237
Silver Monkey, 63
Silver or Prairie Mule, 295
Simia, 16
" troglodytes, 16
Sirenia, 555
Six banded Armadillo, 389
Skunks, 173
Skye Terrier, 229
Slender Loris, 68
Slender or Sacred Monkeys, 25
Slepez, 351
Sloth Bear, 260
Sloths, 381
Slow Loris, 69
Small Bears, 264
Smaller Chinchilla, 370
Small Pouched Animals, 584
Smooth-nosed Bats. 81
Smooth-skinned Whales, 565
Snow Leopard, 119
Snow Mouse, 346
Soleuodon, 298
cubanus, 298
Somal Ass, 416
Soosoo, 572
Sootv Jlangabey, 35
Sorex, 299
" bendiri, 302
" palustris, 302
" personata, 302
" platyrhinus, 300
" vulgarus, 299
Soricidae, 297
Soricinae, 299
Souslik, 315
South African Lion, 106
South American Deer, 534
South Australian Rock Kan-
garoo, 5S2
Southern Gopher, 353
Southern Sea Lion, 28S
Southwestern Chipmunk, 314
Spalacidae, 350
Spalax, 351
typhlus, 351
Spaniels, 224
Spectre Tarsier, 72
Spermophilus, 315
citillus, 315
empetra. 316
franklini, 316
tridecum-linea-
tus, 316
Sperm Whale, 575
Sphinx Baboon, 44
Spider Monkeys, 54
Spiny Hedgehogs, 297
Spiral-horned Antelopes, 500
Spitz Dog, 230
Spotted Cheetah, 135
Spotted Cuscus, 584
Spotted Dasyure, 590
Spotted Hyaena, 185
Springbok, 494
Square-mouthed Rhinoceros,
43i
Squirrel-Monkey, 60
Squirrels, 306
Stag or Red Deer, 526
Staghound, 224
Star-nosed Mole, 296
Steinbock, 450
Steuops, 68
" gracilis, 68
" tardigradus, 69
Stenorhynchus, 277
" albiventer,27S
" leptonyx, 277
Stinking Badger, 173
Stoat, 162
Stone or Beech Marten, 153
Strepsiceros, 500
kudu, 500
Striped Hog, 542
Striped Horse or Zebra Group,
418
Striped Hyaena, 186
Striped Siberian Ground
Squirrel, 313
Striped Wolf, 196
Suricata, 150
" tetradactyla, 150
Suricate, 150
Suid;e, 539
006
INDEX TO TEXT.
Sugar Squirrel, 586
Smilho, 174
Sus, 539
andamanensis, 542
barbatus, 542
celebenr-is, 542
cristatus, 542
leucomystax, 542
niger, 542
papueusis, 542
plicipleps, 544
scrofa, 542
seunarensis, 542
verrucosus, 542
timoreusis, 542
vittatus, 542
Swamp Hare, 379
Swine, 539
Swiss Ox, 481.
tiynaptomys, 350
•' cooperi, 350
Synotus, 82
" barbastellus, 82
Syrian Goat, 456
Taguan Squirrel, 311
Tahr, 457
Tailless Ape, 39
Talpa, 295
" europaea, 295
Talpidae, 294
Tatnandua or Caguare, 387
Tamandua, 387
" tetradactyla, 387
Tatnarins, 63
Tamias, 313
" stnatus, 313
" harrisi, 314
" lysteri, 314
" quadrivittatus, 314
" lateralis, 314
Tana, 296
Taurec, 297
Tapiridae 420
Tapirs, 420
Tapirus, 422
" americanus, 422
" indicus, 422
Tarpan, 406 .
Tarsidae, 72
Tarsier, 72
Tarsius, 72
" spectrum, 72
Tatupoyu, 389
Tasmaniau Devil, 589
Tastnaniau Wombat, 587
Tasmanian Porcupine Ant-
eater, 596
Taxel, 171
Taxidea, 171
" americana, 171
" berlandieri, 172
Tayra, 168
Teledu or Stinking Badger,
173
Temminck's Pangolin, 394
Terriers, 229
Tetraceros, 504
" quadricornis, 504
Texas Hare, 379
Texas Lynx, 133
Thirteen-lined Spermopbile,
3J6
Thomomys, 354
" clusius, 354
" talpoides, 354
Three-banded Armadillo, 391
Three-toed Sloths, 382
Thumbless Monkeys, 28
Thylacinus, 589
" cynocephalus, 589
Tiger, 92
Tiger Polecat, 1^6
Timor Hog, 542
Tolypeutes, 391
" tricinctus, 391
Toothed Whales, 566
Toothless Animals, 381
Tragulidae, 538
Tragulus, 538
" kanchil, 538
Trakehnen Hor=e, 408
Tree-Climbing Ant Eaters,
387
Tree or Climbing Porcupine,
356
Tree Kangaroos, 582
Tree Squirrel, 311
Triehechidae, 282
Trichechus, 282
rosmarus, 282
Trichosurus, 585
" vulpecula, 585
True Jerboas, 328
Tuco-Tuco, 367
Tufted Hog, 546
Tupaia, 296
" tana, 296
Tupaias, 296
Tupaiidae, 296
Two-Horned Rhinoceros, 426
Two Humped Camel, 442
Two-toed Ant-eater, 388
Two-toed Sloth, 382
Ulmer Mastiff, 218
Unau or Two-Toed Sloth, 382
Ungko, 23
Ursidae, 243
Ursinae, 244
Ursine Colobus, 30
Ursine Seal, 288
Urson or Canadian Porcupine,
356 -
Ursus, 244
" americanus, 252
" arctos, 244
" cinereus, 250
" Ciunamoneus, 252
•' malayanus, 254
" maritimus, 254
" richardsonii, 250
" torquatus, 253
Urva, 150
Vampire Bat, 84
Vari or Ruffed Lemur, 67
Varying Hare, 375
Vespertilio, 82
" daubentonii, 79
" murinus, 82
Vesperugo, 82
pipistrellus, 79
" noctula, 82
Vicugna, 447
Virginia Deer, 531
Virginian Opossum, 591
Viscacha, 371
Viverra, 139
" civetta, 140
" genetta, 141
" malaccensis, 141
" zibetha, 140
Viverridae, 139
Viverrine Cat, 119
Voles, 344
Vulpes, 232
" ciuereo-argentatus, 241
" corsac, 239
" fulvus, 237
" lagopus, 238
" littoralis, 243
" macrurus, 237
" velox, 238
" vulgaris. 232
" zerdo, 240
Vulpine Phalanger, 585
Walrus Family, 282
Wanderoo Monkey, 50
Wapiti, 529
Wara Rhinoceros, 426
Wart Hogs, 547
Water-huck, 497
Water Opossum, 594
Water Pig or Capybara, 364
Water Shrew, 302
Water Vole, 345
Wau-wau, 23
Weasel Group, 156
Weasels, 159
Welwitsch's Bat, 86
Western Fox Squirrel, 310
Whalebone Whales, 562
Whales, 559
White-Bearded Hog, 542
White Footed Mouse, 340
White-handed Gibbon, 23
White-Headed Saki, 58
White Lipped Peccary, 548
White-Tailed Deer, 534
White Whale, 569
Widow Monkey, 59
Wild Boar, 540
Wild Cat, 99
Wdd Dogs, 188
Wild Horse, 406
Wild Pigs, 542
Wild Sheep, 548
Wing Handed Animals 75
Wolverine, 166
Wolves Proper, 190
Wombats, 587
Woodchuck, 321
Wood Mouse, 336
Wood Rabbit, 376
Wood Rats, 336
Woolly Echidna, 597
Woolly Cheetah, 135
Xerus, 314
" rutilus, 514
Yaguarundi, 122
Yak, or Grunting Ox, 468
Yapock, 594
Yellow-legged Kangaroo, 582
Zebra, 419
Zebra-wolf, 589
Zebu, 480
Zorillas, 175
INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
Lion and Lioness, Frontispiece . .
Gorilla 3
Family of Gorillas 5
The Gorilla and the Leopard ... 7
Face of a Chimpanzee 9
Profile of a Chimpanzee 9
The Gorilla 10
Orang-utan 11
Family of Chimpanzees 13
Champanzees at School 15
Female Orang-utan and Child . . 17
Young Orang-utan 19
Baboons (colored) opp 25
White-handed Gibbons 21
The Wau-Wau 23
Ursine Colobus . . . 24
Black Colobus 24
Hoouuman Monkeys 25
Budeng or Negro Monkey 26
Hoonuman Monkeys 27
Long-nosed Monkeys 29
Diana Monkevs 30
Guereza Monkeys 31
Green Monkeys 33
Red or Fatas Monkey 34
Sooty Maugabey 35
Bonnet Monkey 36
Common Macaque 37
Bhunder or Rhesus Monkey .... 38
Pig-tailed Macaques 39
Black Baboon 39
Magot,Birbary or Tailless Ape ... 40
Common Baboon 41
Chacma Baboon 42
Sacred Baboon or Hamadryas . . 43
Gelada Baboon 44
Mandrill 45
Drill 47
Wanderoo 48
Red Howlers 49
Black Howler Monkeys 51
Miriki Spider Monkey 52
Coaita Spider Monkey 52
Chameck Spider Monkey 53
Gold-Faced Monkey 54
Humboldt's Lagothrix Monkey ... 55
Cai Weeper Capuchin Monkeys . . 57
A Group of Capuchins 58
Cuxio Monkey 59
Hairy Saki ... 59
White Headed Saki Monkey . ... 60
Short-tailed Monkey 6r
Lovely Haired Monkey 61
Squirrel Monkeys 62
Silky Tamarin 62
Night Monkeys 63
Common Marmosets 64
Pinche Marmoset 64
Vari, or Ruffed Lemur 65
Short-tailed Indris Lemur 66
Cat-like Lemur 67
Mongoose Lemur 67
Macaco or Black Lemur 68
Gray or Gentle Lemur 69
Fork-Crowned Lemur 69
Slender Loris 70
Slender Loris Lemur 70
Slow Loris Lemur 71
Potto Lemur 72
Angwautibo Lemur 72
Little Galago Lemur 73
Large-eared Galago Lemur .... 73
Aye-Aye 74
Barbaslelle or Pug-Dog Bat .... 75
Kalong Bats 77
Kalong Bat 7S
Pipistrelle Bat 79
Daubeuton's Bat 79
Long-eared Bat 80
Noctule Bat 81
Egyptian Rhinopome 82
Vampire Bat 83
Greater Horseshoe Bat 84
Greater Horseshoe Bat 85
Welwitsch's Bat 86
Royal Tiger 87
Royal Tiger 89
Tigress and Cubs 9:
An Interrupted Meal 93
Tiger Attacking a Buffalo 95
A Tiger Hunt 97
Marbled Cat 99
Common WildCat 100
Female Wild Cat and Young . . . . 101
The Egyptian Cat 102
The Domestic Cat 1 03
The Angora Cat 105
Head of the Barbary Liou 107
The Barbary Lion 109
Female Panther and Young (colored)
opp 112
The Senegal Lion 11 1
Lions Attacking a Buffalo 113
The Leopard 114
Leopardess and Young 115
The Black Panther 117
The Long-tailed Panther 118
The Ounce 119
The Leopard Cat 119
The Serval 1 20
Puma Attacking an Ant Bear ... 121
The Cougar or Puma 122
The Jaguar 123
Jaguar Attacking a Tapir 125
Ocelot and Sloth 127
The Pampas Cat 12S
The Marguay or Tiger Cat .... 129
The Long-tailed Tiger Cat 129
The Common Lynx 131
The Pardine Lynx . 132
Leopard and Tapir (colored) opp . . 132
The Caracal Lynx 133
Peeshoo or Canadian Lynx .... 134
Common JuugleCat 134
The Fahhad or African Cheetah . . 135
Cheetah or Hunting Leopard . . . 137
The Foussa or Cryptoprocta . . . . 138
The African Civet 140
The Lesser Civet or Rasse 141
The Common Genette 141
The Asiatic Civet 142
Indian Paradoxure or Palm Cat . . 143
The Common Paradoxure orMusang 144
The Masked Paradoxure 144
The Ichneumon 145
Mangue or Kusimanse 146
The Mungo 347
The Banded Mungoos 147
Crab Mungoos 148
The Foxy Mungoos 148
TheSuricate 149
The Pine Marten 151
The Stone Marten 153
The Sable 155
The Polecat ... 157
The Ferret 159
Weasel attacking a Brown Rat . . 161
The Ermine or Stoat 163
The European Mink 165
The Glutton or Wolverine 167
The Tayra 169
The Common Badger 170
The American Badger or Taxel . . 171
The Ratel or Honey-Badger .... 172
The Teledu or Stinking Badger, . . 173
TheSurilho 174
The Skunk 175
The Cape Zorilla 176
(607)
The Common Otter 177
The American Otter 178
Sea Otter or Kalau ........ 179
Combat between au Otter and a
Stone Marten 181
Spotted Hyaenas 183
Brown Hyaenas 184
Striped Hyaenas 185
The Aard-Wolf 186
The Wolf 188
A Pack of Wolves 189
The Jackal Wolf 190
Guara 191
Aguara or Brazilian Fox 192
The Striped Wolf 193
The Jackal . . " " 194
The Wolf 19 ,
Cape Jackal 196
Coyote or Prairie Wolf 197
Raccoon Dog 198
The Crab-eating Dog 199
Hyaena Dog 200
Indian Wild Dog or Kolsuu .... 201
Malay Wild Dog or Adjag 201
Alpine Wolf 203
Prize Dogs of the International Dog
Show in Hanover 205
Dingo 207
Prize Dogs of the International Prize
Show at Cleve 209
The Greyhouud 211
Italian Greyhound . . . . . . . . 212
Scotch Greyhound 213
Danish Dog 214
The German Mastiff 215
The Bulldog 216
The Pug-Dog 217
The Dog of Tibet 218
Badger Dog or Dachshund 219
Pointer 219
Retriever 220
The Schweiszhuud or German Blood-
hound 221
The Staghound 222
The Foxhound 223
The Beagle 224
The Newfoundland Dog 225
The St. Bernard Dog 226
The Poodle 227
The Skye Terrier 228
The Sheep Dog 229
The Pomeranian Dog or Spitz . . 230
Eskimo Dog , 231
A Fox Family Dining 23^
A Family of Foxes 235
The Red Fox . . 237
The Kit Fox 237
The Arctic Fox 239
The Fennec 240
Corsac 241
Long-eared Fox 241
The Gray Fox 242
Bear and Young Bathing 245
Grizzly Bear and Bisons 247
The Grizzly Bear 249
The Black Bear 251
Black Himalayan Bear 253
Malayan Bear 255
Polar Bear and Cubs 257
The Polar Bear 259
Labiated or Sloth Bear 261
Ailuropus 262
Panda 263
Biuturong 265
Raccoon 267
Raccoon 268
Coati 269
Kinkajou 271
Cacomixle . 271
008
IXDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
Common Seal 274
The Sea Leopard 277
Saddle-Back Seal 279
Crested or Bladder-Nose Seal . . . 280
Elephant Seal 281
Walrus 283
Sea Lions 285
Fur Seal or Sea Bear 287
The Hedgehog 291
Common Mole 293
Common American Mole 294
Star-Nosed Mole 295
The Tana 296
Elephant Shrew 297
Taurec 298
The Almiqui 298
Common Shrew 299
Broad-Nosed Shrew 299
Mole Shrew 300
Domestic Shrew 300
Water Shrew 301
Etruscau Shrew 302
Desman 303
Colugo 304
Skull-Caps or Lophiomys 307
Common Squiriel 308
Gray Squirrels 309
Chickaree or Red Squirrel .... 310
Taguan 311
Assapans or American Flying Squir-
rels 313
Chipmunk 313
Xerus 314
Burunduk 315
Souslik 315
Prairie Dogs 316
Bobac 317
Alpine Marmot 319
Woodchuck 320
Loir 321
Lerot 322
Common Dormouse . 323
Beaver 325
Jumping Mouse 327
Egyptian Jerboa 327
Alactaga 329
Jumping Hare 331
Black Rat 333
Brown Rat 333
Cotton Rat 335
Florida Wood Rai 335
Common Mouse 337
Barbary Mouse 337
White-Footed Mouse 339
Meadow Mouse 339
Wood Mouse or Long-tailed Field
Mouse 339
Harvest Mice Attacked by Snake- 341
Hamsters 343
Muskrat 345
Snow Mouse 345
Water Vole 346
Red-Backed Meadow Mouse .... 347
American Meadow Mouse .... 347
Field Mouse or Campagnol .... 349
Lemmings 349
Mole Rat 351
Onl's Pocket Mouse 351
Least Pocket Mouse 353
Pouched Gopher 353
Common Pocket Rat 354
Common Porcupine 355
Urson or Canadian Porcupine. . . . 357
Mexican Porcupine 357
Brush-tailed Porcupine 358
Coeodou 359
Guinea Pigs 360
Mara or Patagonian Cavy 361
Common Agouti 363
Paca , 364
Capybara or Water Pig . ...... 365
Octodon • - . . 366
Tuco-Tuco 367
Hutia Tougo 367
Coypu or Nutria 368
African Ground Pig 369
Common Chinchilla 371
Smaller Chinchilla 371
Cuvier's Lagoti 372
Viscacha 373
Common Hare 375
Alpine Hare 376
European Rabbit . . . 377
American Varying Hare 378
Northern Prairie Hare 378
Wood Rabbit or Cotton-tail .... 379
American Pika 379
Alpine Crying Hares 380
Unau or Two- toed Sloth 382
Ai or Three-toed Sloth 383
Great Ant-eater or Ant-bear . . . 385
Tamandua 387
Little Ant-eater 387
Six-banded Armadillo 389
Bolita or Three-bauded Armadillo . 390
Giaut Tatu 39 c
Bichociego 393
Pangolin 394
Aark-vark 395
Temminck's Pangolin 396
Indian Elephant 399
African Elephant 403
Tarpan 406
Arabian Steed 407
Trakhenen Horse 408
English Thoroughbred Horse . . . 409
Percheron Horse 410
American Trotting Horse 411
Shetland Pony 413
Koulan 414
Onager. 415
Domestic Ass 416
African Wild Ass 417
Quagga 418
Zebra 419
Dauw or Burchell's Zebra 421
Malayan Tapir 423
American Tapir 425
Indian Rhinoceros 427
Two-horned Rhinoceros 429
Square-mouthed Rhinoceros 431
Cony 432
Giraffe 435
Dromedary 439
Bactrian Camel 441
Llama 445
Alpaca 446
Vicugna. 447
Ibex or Steinbock . . . 449
Pyrenean Ibex 451
uEgagrus Goat 453
Markhoor 454
Angora Goat 455
Tahr ... 457
Aoudad 459
Moufflon 460
Kratschkar or Wild Sheep 461
Big Horn 463
Merino Sheep 464
Persian Domes'ic Sheep 465
Musk-Ox 467
European Bison 471
Yak 469
American Bison 473
Gayal 475
Gaur 477
Bauteng 478
Sanga 479
Zebu 480
Park Ox .481
Freiburg or Swiss Ox
Jersey Cow
Dutch Cow
Durham or Short-horn Cow. . . .
Hereford Bull
Cape Buffalo
Rocky Mountain Goat
Sasin
Gazelle
Springbok
Hartebeest
Rietbok or Reed Antelope ....
Water-Buck
Passan Pursued by Hyaena Dogs .
Addax
Koodoo .
Eland
Four-horned Antelope
Bush-Buck
Chamois
Saiga
Gnu
Proughorn
Elk
Moose
Reindeer
Fallow Deer (colored) op, 1
Fallow Deer
Stag or Red Deer
Wapiti
Axis Deer
Sambhar
Virginia Deer
Campus Deer
Roe Deer
Muntjak
Musk Deer
Kanchil
Female Wild Boar and Young
Berkshire Hog
Harrisson Hog
Masked Hogs
Tufted Hog
Babirusa
Wart Hog
Collared Peccary
Hippopotamus
Attack on a Hippopotamus . . .
Lamantin or American Manato .
Dugong .
Razor-back Whale
Pike Whale
Greenland Whale
Grampus
Porpoise
White Whale . /
Ca'ing or Pilot Whale
Dolphin
Inia
Soosoo
Narwhal
Sperm Whale
Giant Kangaroo
Yellow-legged Kangaroo
Bear Kangaroo
Kangaroo Rat
Opossum Rat
Spotted Cuscus
Koala or Australian Pouched Bear
Vulpine Phalanger or Coosoo . . .
Sugar Squirrel
Opossum Mouse
Long-nosed Bandicoct
Zebra-wolf or Pouched Dog. . . .
Tasmaniau Devil
Spotted Dasyure
Opossum and Chipmunk . .
Porcupine Aiit-Eater
Duck-mole
482-
483
483.
4S4
485
4*7
489.
491
493-
494
495
496.
497
499
500
501
503
505
505
5o7
5ii
513
5'5
517
5<9
522
524
525
527
529
53' >
53i
532
533
535
537
539
539
54i
543-
543
544
545
547
548-
549
551
553
55&
557
563
565
567
56S
569
570-
571
572
573
5^4
575
577
578-
58i
5Si
583
583
584
585
585
586-
581
589
590
591
592
593
597
599-