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BSREHM, Alfred Edmund 
— The animals of the world 


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‘ ~ INTRODUCTORY PREFACE. 

ek 

REHM’S immortal book, “Life of Animals,’ i. 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 char teristics. Many years 
were spent by him in the great forests, where he seemed to court 
danger in ord* ‘nat 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 cor: sted 
and brought down by the scholarly Dr. William Haacke ana Pro- 
fessor Pechuel-Loesche, the latter no '-ss 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, 
*s omitted details and descriptions of a strictly scientific nature, the object being to furnish a 
ig for popular kee instruction anc for the use of schools. Professor Schmidtlein, in his scholarly 

m< ttertaining i..ision, made such changes as the progress of modern science desianded and per- 

@Y his work in a manncr to call forth the highest praise from critics everywhere. 

‘o'r é present edition has been translated from the German by linguists of distinction who have in 
a »piest manner transferred to the English tongue the rich, exuberant and fascinating style of the 
‘252 |; while competent scholars have carefully revised the translation, making only such changes 
. 2 calculated to bring it closer to the mind of the English reader. Thus is afforded practically a 
ef.te work brought down to date, containing substantially all the matter t be found in Brehm’s 
ds, of Animals,” adapted to meet and reach the popular taste and rendered into English in such 
re r as to make it clear and intelligible to every one, the child as well as the adult, only those 
“si s being omitted which are little known and of interest to none but specialists. 
dr@ie book is designed to meet in the highest degree a great popular need, technical terms and 
‘2¥€ cientific descriptions being avoided, whenever possible, and it is invaluable as a work of reference 

study. It not only contains narratives of Brehm’s exciting personal experiences and observa- 
} «im forest and field, but also those of all other leading natuialists and explorers of the world, 


_ | intimate touch with animate nature inspired them to speak in words that glow with interest and 
iw rill the reader. . 

‘TVYasmost attractive feature of the present work is the superb illustrations, which include, with few 
Henns, all that are contained in Brehm’s complete work, and also numerous additions designee ~nd 
%q\ | at great expense and including the best efforts of the greatest artists in delineation of aal 
‘pue e work of these distinguis..ed artists, supplemented with faithful mechanical reproductions, has 
1 #% in the presentation cf the various animals p-ccisely as they appear in a state of nature, the 
'S veing of a size to enable the student to obtain a most accurate knowledge of each creature, 
rents and teachers can be assured that n .ing is exaggerated, but that every detail is giv a 


neiy > tute fidelity. Too frequently it is the ~ :e that children are shown mere caricatures of beasts 


\ \ 4 wh 


-alone can do this, but that they flutter in the air. Men who have not been taught to swim, the 


iw INTRODUCTORY PREFACE. * s 


and birds, executed without artistic sense and in entire ignorance of the structure of the animals, Te 
pictures in this work are faultless, all of them having been reproduced from living subjects and 
the hand of the master in every line. No such extended and comprehensive system of illustrations £ 
animals was ever before undertaken and this feature of the work alone must make it invaluableto 
every one who seeks acquaintance with those creatures, which, while they cannot speak, are so clos®z 

mnected with the life of Man, contributing in some part at least to his support, his enjoyment aid 
his amusement. 

Interest in natural history is extending, as Man’s scope of vision enlarges and he grasps mre. 
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, “che, 
brute’s fate is like ours. It is oftentimes -made to share Man’s fate, or Man shares its fate; it peri 
with him in fire and water and battle. It is a pity that Man forgets that the higher animals, at at a 
know the difference between treatment that is good and treatment that is bad.’ Man is es n 
debt to the humbler creatures, which supply them with their flesh for food, their hide, their hair ond 
their horns. It has been truthfully claimed that Man could not live in comfort if deprived of the Se 
ice rendered by animals in life or death. They supply meat, milk, fat, perfumery, drugs, ft 
feathers, ivory, bone and a thousand other useful and ornamental commodities, They are compat 
as the Dog, the Monkey and certain Birds; beasts of burden, as the Horse, Ass, Ox, Camel, Uh 
and afford endless sport and diversion for hunters, who, unfortunately, are too frequently 
make unnecessary slaughter of the defenseless. The student finds in the successive steps 
life order and arrangement and takes delight in classifying the creatures according to their 
serving the points of difference, and determining the uses and adaptations of the Die to 
environment. ‘ 

Extending the thought of imparting facts to the youthful mind, it might be shown that seven 
tebrae usually form the neck of the vertebrate animals, whether it be the Giraffe or the Mole; but : 
in the tail they vary from four to forty-six. It might also be shown that the muscles of apie 
the bones in motion, and that these muscles form meat, which in certain animals is the food of 
It is interesting to note that Man alone of all the Mammals walks erect; that the flight of swift 
is far more rapid than that of the most fleet Mammal; and that the Bat cannot really fly because 


like Apes and the Speo0ns, are the only Mammals which are unable to sustain themselves in wat 


in many cases the Sharactee of its individual possessor, as the wicked eye of the Snake, the pi ; ris 
eye of the Eagle; this being especially true among Mammals, as the dull eye of the Cow, thes mild 
one of the Gazelle, the stupid ones of a Sheep, the false ones of a Wolf, etc. a 

Characteristics, traits, etc., are thus observable in all the creatures, from the highest to the 1 we 
and may be pointed out, emphasized and indelibly impressed upon the mind of the young, es 
by aid of the incomparable pictures contained in this work. The advanced reader and stude nt 
discover a complete and perfect system, extending from the highest Ape to the lowest creature, ech — 
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 contains 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 so 
portion are prehensile-tailed Monkeys, Vampires, Peccaries, Llamas, Alpacas and various Edentata 
are peculiar to these localities. In the representation of the various belts of earth the division ma 
Wallace is followed in this work. It willbe seen that, as a rule, the color of an animal corres 


may be male or female; that when awake most animals are employed in search for food; that Ba} 
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, a 
only brief and disconnected references have here been made as to its scope and general value, 
covers a field not hitherto occupied in this country, embracing as it does the most thorough informa a 
tion with most graphic narrative, the whole embellished by artistic illustrations which so faithfully per 
tray the lineaments of the animals as almost to make unnecessary the work of verbal description. 5 a | i 
a work as this, within the mental grasp of all, must enter the home and the school and result im @ 
wide dissemination of additional knowledge concerning the beasts of the field, the birds of we oe 
and all manner of creeping things. is 


THE LIFE OF ANIMALS. 


PRELIMINARY NOTES ON MAMMALS. 


However superficially the student or reader may 
examine any subject, the necessity for some system 
in the arrangement of the facts will at once be ap- 
parent. This is especially true in connection with 
investigation into the truths of nature, and more par- 
ticularly those connected with our globe. The most 
casual observer sees that the various natural objects, 
each different from the other, align themselves into 
larger and smaller groups having some one or more 
characteristics in common. The systematic arrange- 
ment of these classes, the division of them into 
smaller groups, the proper classification of names 
for these segregated assemblages of things, and the 
orderly presentation of the facts in regard to these 
divisions and the units of which they are composed, 
constitutes, in broadly generalized terms, natural 
science. 

In arranging the facts of nature that plan is best 
which is simplest: and science has begun its work of 
classifying the things on our globe by dividing them 
into three primary groups called the Animal, Vege- 
table and Mineral Kingdoms. Then, taking up the 
classification of the Animal Kingdom and looking for 
the first and most obvious division, it is found that 
one large group of animals is made up of species 
widely variant-in other respects but agreeing in the 
fact that each is possessed of what is popularly 
known as a “backbone,” consisting of a number of 
segments of bone or cartilage jointed together, which 
have been given the scientific name of ‘ vertebrz,” 
the whole column of jointed segments being called 
the ‘vertebral column.” Therefore the Animal King- 
dom has been scientifically divided into two sub- 
kingdoms, known respectively as the Vertebrates 
(Vertebrata) and Invertebrates (/nvertebrata), the 
latter class including insects, mollusks, cephalo- 
pods, worms, snails, animalcules, protozoa and other 
classes of animals. 

The Vertebrates have several characteristics in 
common besides the mere possession of a backbone. 
Piercing the structure of the backbone is what is 
known as the vertebral canal, enclosed by arches 
of bone or cartilage forming part of the vertebrae, 
this canal being the receptacle in which is stretched, 
like a rope, the substance formed of nerve-tissue 
which is popularly known as the spinal marrow or 
spinal cord, and which is the main portion of the 
nervous system of the animal. On the under side 
of the backbone are placed the heart, the lungs and 
the stomach and other organs of digestion. The 
two jaws of Vertebrates are placed one above the 
other instead of being right and left, as is the case 
in insects, No vertebrate animal has more than four 
legs, while some of the invertebrates have a very 
large number. There are other physical character- 
istics common to all, or nearly all, Vertebrates, but 
their consideration involves technical explanations 
which would be out of place here. 


Since Lamarck in 1797 suggested the division of 
the Animal Kingdom into the two sub-kingdoms of 
animals with and without backbones, this division 
has been generally accepted. In the subdivision of 
the Vertebrates there are usually recognized five 
classes: the Mammals (/ammalia); the Birds (Aves); 
the Reptiles (Reptilia); the Amphibious Animals, 
like the Frog, Newt, etc. (Amphibia), and the Fishes 
(Pisces). 

The Mammals, which form Class I. among the 
Vertebrates, represent the highest forms of life on 
our globe. Some have a much higher organization 
than others, but still, from the highest to the lowest, 
they have many characteristics in common. The 
primary distinction upon which the class Mammalia 
is founded, is the secretion in the glands of the 
female of a fluid for the nourishment of her young 
during the earliest period of infancy. In nearly all 
of the animals of this class the fluid secreted is milk, 
and the mammary glands are directly suckled by the 
young, which are born alive and in a more or less 
developed condition. In the lowest order of Mam- 
mals, however,— the egg-laying Monotremes,—the 
newborn, scarcely vitalized offspring is placed in a 
pouch and there sustained by a nutritive perspira- 
tion emitted from sweat-glands. In the order next 
above them—the Marsupials—the development of 
the animal at birth is only slightly more mature than 
that of the Monotremes, and the pouch for maturing 
the young places the infant in direct connection 
with the mamma of the mother, which thus sup- 
plies it with the milk needed to bring it to full 
life and vigor. 

Mammals, besides being nurtured on mother’s 
milk in their infancy, are also characterized by the 
possession of warm, red blood, circulated through 
the system by means of veins and arteries leading 
from a four-chambered heart. Every animal of the 
mammalian class agrees with the other in possess- 
ing a diaphragm membrane, or pleura, separating 
the cavity of the chest from that of the abdomen. 
For further statement of the general characteristics 
of Mammals we quote from the introduction to the 
German edition of Brehm’s work, which says: “The 
skull is separable from ‘the vertebral column, or 
backbone, in all Mammals; the upper jaw forms part 
of the skull, and the teeth, though varying consider- 
ably in number and shape, show that in common 
they are in all species inserted in sockets. Seven 
vertebra usually go to form the neck, be it long, as 
in the Giraffe, or.short, as in the Mole. The chest 
or thorax part of the vertebral column (known. as 
dorsal or thoracic vertebrz), consists of from ten to 
twenty-four vertebrz; the lumbar vertebrz, or those 
in the middle of the back, number from two to nine, 
the sacrum has from one to nine and the tail from 
four to forty-six. Ribs may be attached to differ- . 
ent vertebra; but in speaking of ribs we usually 


vi THE LIFE OF ANIMALS. 


mean the flat, curved bones attached in the back to 
the dorsal or thoracic vertebra, and in front to the 
sternum or breast-bone and enclosing the chest 
cavity. The number of the true ribs reaching the 
sternum and of the false ones, which are* either at- 
tached to it by cartilage or are not joined to the 
breast-bone at all, is subject to a great many_varia- 
tions. In the skeletons of the Mammals there is 
great diversity in the structure of the limbs, and in 
some Whales the hinder pair are totally lacking or 
the bony skeleton of the animal only reveals two 
stunted rudiments. In the fore-limbs the shoulders 
and the hand. show the greatest variety; the clavicle 
(or collar-bone) may be very strong or it may be 
lacking; the fingers and toes may be all there, or 
may -be stunted, according as the hands and feet 
become paws, hoofs or fins; the usual number ‘of the 
fingers—five—may decrease to one. The bones of 
the leg are also variously developed. 

“The bones of the skeleton are set in motion by 
muscles, which in some animals are for us the most 
important part, as they form our daily food. These 
muscles, which in plain, every-day speech, we call 
“flesh,” are attached to the bones and move them in 
different directions.’ It may be sufficient to say 
that the muscles are developed in close accordance 
with the requirements of the skeleton of the ani- 
mal and the mode of life, which latter is closely 
allied to its form and general structure. 

“The organs of digestion are very similar, yet 
they show some variations in their structure. The 
mouth is always furnished with soft, fleshy lips, 
plentifully supplied with nerves; the teeth reach 
their highest development in the Mammals, and are 
of great importance to the mode af life of the ani- 
mal, and of special importance to naturalists in its 
scientific classification. 

“The mouth is connected with the cesophagus (or 
gullet), which never shows such a dilatation as in 
birds. The stomach is always more or less thin- 
walled, and may be simple or show as many as 
three compartments. Its arrangement is quite pe- 
culiar in those animals which, when time permits, 
comfortably ruminate their food and then send it to 
the digestive organs past the first storage receptacle. 

“The chest cavity is completely closed by the 
diaphragm; the lungs are suspended in it and do 
not communicate with any special air cavities. The 
trachea, or windpipe, usually divides into two 
branches, and has only one larynx, which lies at the 
upper end of the windpipe and is formed by a vary- 
ing number of cartilages. A few Mammals have 
peculiar cavities connected with the larynx, but the 
vocal chords are lacking only in the Whales. 

“The brain and nerves are variously developed. 
The former always fills its cavity in the skull, but 
this cavity may be very small, and the amount of 
brain is then accordingly slight. In no other Mam- 
mal does the brain so greatly exceed the spinal cord 
in bulk and weight as in Man, and in no other ani- 
mal is the cerebrum (or the higher and front portion 
of the brain) so developed. This alone shows the 
structural superiority of Man to all other animals. 
The organs of sense are sim#lar in all Mammals, the 
Whale alone showing a marked deviation from the 
general rule, for although it possesses a nose its 
sense of smell is certainly very deficient. The 
organs of hearing are usually perfect, and the ear 
shows three labyrinths. The sense of vision is not, 
in Mammals, so greatly superior to the other senses, 
as is the case with birds; the eyes are always two in 


number, usually small in size and never automat- 
ically adjustable, as with birds. The sense of taste 
is acute, in Mammals, as may be concluded from 
the muscular tongue well supplied with nerves. 
The sense of touch is highly developed and may 
have its seat in the nose, in the hands, or in hairs on 
the lips. Nearly all parts of the body are sensitive. 

“As a bodily covering hair prevails; yet the coat 
may consist of scales, bristles, horny shields, horny 


-callosities or simply the skin, which in*such cases 


may have its outer layer developed so as to furnish 
the requisite protection. The nails may be flat and 
thin, round and thick, straight or curved, blunt or 
sharp, and may be nails proper or developed into 
claws or hoofs.” 

The variety in the life of the Mammals is very 
great, although with most species eating and sleep- 
ing comprise the daily history of their lives. Yet 
the lively Monkeys in Africa, the still more odd 
swinging, prehensile-tailed Monkeys of South Amer- 
ica, the flitting Bats, the night-prowling beasts of 
prey, the diving Seals, the leaping Squirrels, the noble 
Horse, fleet Antelope and other animals lead lives 
which are peculiarly their own, differing greatly 
from those of other creatures and affording a most 
interesting subject of observation. As a rule all the 
senses, except that of sight, (in which the birds 
excel) are more completely developed in the Mam- 
mals than in any other class of animals. The vocal 
expression of mammals is sometimes remarkable for 
its volume but very seldom for its beauty, that of 
Man alone being really musical and superior to 
the voice of birds. The sounds made by different 
animals are quite varied, as is illustrated by a com- 
parison of the mewing of Cats, the barking of 
Dogs, the lowing of Oxen and braying of Asses 
with the dismal howls of the Jackal and Coyote and 
the deafening noises of the Howler Monkeys. 

The varied uses to which the tail is put forms an 
interesting subject of observation. In Man, the 
Man-shaped Apes and some varieties of the Sloth, 
the coccyx, or vertebree forming the rudimentary tail, 
curves forward and does not project externally. In 
the other Mammals it varies from an invisible stump 
to a most extensive adornment. By most long- 
tailed animals, the member is used as a weapon of 
defense against winged tormentors, and Cattle, 
which are especially subject to annoyance from 
Flies and Gnats, have a tail which is tufted at the 
end in such,a manner as to afford an effective brush 
with which to fight these insects. Many South 
American Monkeys, some of the Marsupials, and 
other animals, have prehensile tails by means of 
which they can sustain their entire weight. To the 
Bats, and also to the Mammals having a membrane- 
ous formation which enables them to flutter through 
the air, such as the Taguan, the Assapan and some 
of the pouched animals, the tail serves as a rudder 
to steer its wearer while progressing through the air. 
Others have the tail so developed as to use it as an 
organ of touch, while the Kangaroo utilizes its tail as 
a third leg, which forms, with the others, a tripod 
upon which it supports its body when at rest. 
Some tails, like those of Rats, are nearly or quite bare 
of hair and are covered with scales, some have a 
covering of short hair, others are bushy. Some 
bushy tails, like those of the Squirrel, are what is 
called distichous, that is, they are arranged or parted 
into two rows of long hairs and make a pretty or- 
nament, while the tail of the Great Ant-eater is 
draped into a long mane. 


THE LIFE OF ANIMALS. vii 


In the classification of animals into species the 
tail is often useful, and the character of the animal’s 
coat, especially if it be composed of spines or horny 
shields, or presents other peculiarities, also serves, 
quite often, to give a name to its wearer. ‘The num- 
ber, character and arrangement of the teeth, or what 
is called the dentition, is the most useful of all in 
making a scientific arrangement of the different ani- 
mals into the various subdivisions. The teeth of an 
animal are so perfectly adapted to its mode of life 
that they especially serve to characterize it, and 


' since the imperishable nature of their tissues pre- 


sérves teeth for an indefinite time, they are particu- 
larly useful in affording an idea of the characters, 
habits and affinities of extinct species of animals. 
The number of species of Mammals which now 
live and have their being on earth is about two 
thousand, but this forms only a small minority of the 
aggregate number of species which inhabited the 
globe at earlier periods of its history. The study of 
fossil Mammals has revealed the fact that many 
animals of strange forms and characteristics for- 
merly lived on this earth. Some were closely re- 
jated to living species and genera, some are espe- 
cially interesting because they furnish a connecting 
link between existing forms of animal life and 
structure, and some of the animals now living, like 
the Elephants, now represent, by a few: species, 
families or orders of which many species are ex- 
tinct. In its more extended form natural history 
includes the study of these fossil genera, and an 


' elaborate system of.classification has been created 


in recent years, as a supplement to the investigations 
and theories expounded by Darwin, which begins at 
Protozoa and ascends to Man, including all the ex- 
tinct genera of which anything is known. This, how- 
ever, is a classification involving so much of a tech- 
nical character and for its proper appreciation re- 
quiring so great a degree of knowledge of compara- 
tive anatomy, that it is obviously not adapted for 
use in treating of zoology from a popular stand- 
point. Therefore other systems of classification 
are used, and that followed by Brehm in this work 
divides the class Mammalia into fifteen main groups 
or orders as follows: 

1. Apes and Monkeys (Pithec?). 

2. Half-Monkeys or Lemuroids (Prosimiz). 

3. Wing-handed Animals, or Bats ( Chivopiera). 

4. Beasts of Prey (Carnivora). 

5. Seals or Fin-footed Animals (Pinnipedia) 

6. Insect-eating Animals (/nsectivora). 

7. Rodents or Gnawing Animals (Rodentia). 

8. Toothless Animals (Edentaia). 

g. Proboscis Animals or Elephants (Proboscidea). 

10. Odd-toed Animals ( Perissodactyta). 

11. Cloven-hoofed Animals (Avtiodactyla). 

12. Sea Cows (Stvenia). 

13. Whales ( Ce/acea). 

14. Pouched Animals Siete conn 

15. Egg-laying Mammals (Monotremata). 

This is a very convenient classification, agreeing 
in the main with the arrangement generally in use 
in the study of zoology, although frequently the 
tenth and eleventh of these orders are regarded as 
suborders of an order named the Hoofed Animals 
(Ungulata). 

Every scientific classification of the Mammals be- 
gins or ends with Man, for, zoologically speaking, 
the human being is only a Mammal: that is, a warm- 
blooded Vertebrate, with a four chambered-heart, 
nurtured in his infancy on mother’s milk; and the 


anatomical differences which separate him from the 
higher orders of Apes are less marked than those 
which differentiate the latter from the South Ameri- 
can monkeys. The first order in the classification 
of Linnzus was called Primates, and included Man, 
all the Apes and Monkeys, the Lemurs and the 
Bats. _Later zoologists by common consent ex- 
cluded the Bats and made them a distinct order, 
and afterward the same was done with the Lemurs, 


- but many still classify Man and all the Monkeys 


together inthe order of Primates, dividing them into 
five families: Férst, Men (Hominide) containing as a 
single genus Man (Homo); second, the Man-like 
Apes (Simiude@); third, the remaining Old World 
Monkeys (Cercopithicide); fourth, the American 
Monkeys except the Marmosets (Cebid@), and fifth, 
the Marmosets (Hapalide). 

The anatomical distinctions between Man and the 
nearest Apes are, principally, the greater size of the 
brain and brain cavity, as compared with the facial 
portion of the skull; the smaller development of the 
canine teeth of the male; the more complete adapta- 
tion of the structure of the vertebral column to the 
vertical position, Man being the only Mammal who 
habitually walks erect; the greater length of the 
lower as compared with the upper extremities; and 
the greater length of the hallux, or great toe, with 
the almost complete absence of the power of bring- 
ing it into opposition with the other toes. 

Of course the mental difference between Man and 
the. highest of the lower animals is so great as to be 
immeasurable, although the latter also have many 
traits which may compare favorably with those of 
human-kind. The devoted love of the mothérs of 
most species is a trait which they share with human- 
ity, and in their lives and daily doings they are also 
subject to many of the same physical conditions as 
mankind. Like us they are born, live and die; are 
subject to disease, to pain, to sorrow, and are capa- 
ble of affection, sympathy and joy. Until they be- 
come old and weary of life’s struggle most species 
of them find pleasure in association with their kind, 
although, like Man, they have their quarrels and their 
bickerings. 

The various orders are divided into more or less 
numerous families, these families into genera and 
each genus contains one or more species. Science 
has for convenience adopted a system of double 
names to describe each species of animals. Thus, 
the Tiger, which belongs to the Fourth Order or 
Beasts of Prey (Carnivora) is a member of the Cat 
Family (feid@) and of the genus of the Cats Proper 
(Felis) and the species Tiger (7Zzgvts) the scientific 
name including both the generic and the specific 
designations, thus: /e/is tigris. 

Dr. Brehm, in the great work to which these re- 
marks are prefaced by way of explanatory intro- 
duction, has excluded Man from his consideration of 
the Natural History of Mammals. The book deals 
with the facts that pertain to the lives of the animals 
rather than with the anatomical details, only giving 
so much of the latter as is necessary to a complete 
portrait and biography. Inthe field of descriptive 
zoology the work is unique, and brings the various 
animals nearer to human comprehension and human 
sympathy than is possible by any other method of 
treatment; and for this reason this English transla- 
tion of the work must be regarded as a valuable 
acquisition to the resources of the American student 
of zoology. 

ps Wades 


Passe) § ae ia tr 


etic 


The Apes and Monkeys. 


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, which 
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 
i that are transformed Men, but that 
the latter are more perfectly devel- 
oped cousins of the former. 

‘ Among the ancients the Egyptians 
Ag) and Hindoos seem to have been the 
’ only ones who showed a certain affection 
for the Apes. The old Egyptians chiseled 
their likeness in indestructible porphyry and 
4 modeled the images of their gods after them; 
“the old Hindoos built them houses and tem- 

ples, a practice which their descendants are still 

following. Solomon imported several Monkeys 
from Ophir and the Romans kept them in their 
houses as pets, dissected them in their anatomical 
studies, sometimes used them in fights with wild 
beasts, but never came to be on very friendly terms 
with them, and, like Solomon, never thought them to 
be anything else than animals. The Arabians go a little 

further : they 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 
ones ; the same is true of Men, for an Eskimo, a Bushman or a native of New Holland 
is by no 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 developed 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 


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9 THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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 The similarity of the anatomical struct- 
Structure ure of the different kinds of Apes is 
of Apes. greater than would be supposed, judg- 
ing from their outward appearanee. The skeleton 
has from twelve to sixteen cervical vertebrz, four to 
nine dorsal, two to five lumbar and three to thirty- 
three sacral (going to form the tail); the clavicle is 
strong; the bones of the forearm are separate and 
movable, 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 
rominence of the jaws, and the size of the brain. 
he 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 sac-like projections of the trachea seem to 
favor the production of shrill, howling sounds. 
Special mention must be accorded the cheek 
pouches, that distinguish certain Apes. These open 
froin 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 rumana, 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. Ina careful com- 
parison of the two it will be seen that their structure 
is essentially 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 
ithe 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 
this 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 of certain species, and above all the head 
with its small, receding skull, and the thin lips, are 
distinctive features of 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 

erformances, behaving like awkward clowns. 

here 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 
Mammals, Man excepted, neither does it place them 
so much below the level of Man, as is usually as- 
serted. The possession of ahand 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 doa 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 they 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 are affectionate. They are capable 
of becoming attached to people, are 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 
manner, their passions often getting the upper hand 
of their prudence. Once their passions are aroused 


THE GORILLA,—This king of the African forests is tound only in the deepest fastnesses of Equatorial Africa (15 degrees north and 
1§ degrees south of the equator) and no adult of this family has been held in captivity, its great strength and ferocity preventing its capture 
alive. Several young 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. Unarmed Man, the Leopard and the Crocodile are no match for this formidable creature, before 
which even the Lion might tremble. (Gorilla gini.) 


(3) 


4 ’ 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 
their 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 smelled 
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 Arabians 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 
force the locks and climb the walls, and what cannot 
be eaten is taken away, including gold and jewelry. 
One must have seen a pillaging band of Monkeys to 
understand how a farmer can half die 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 
feats 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 tothem. 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 much 
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 pe 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 u 
on it, as if they were on “evra 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 tail. 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. of the 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 the best of all ; the first 
mentioned can even run for a short time, and so fast 
that an ordinary Dog could not overtake them ; but 
even 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 first walk 
on the soles of their feet, the latter lean on the 
knuckles of their hands, and bend their body 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 prem 
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 at 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 AND MONKEYS. 


Social Life The social 

of life of the 

Apes Apes is a 
very attractive one for 
every observer. There 
are 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 
sweet 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 toa 
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 bya 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 


strong vines. 


will protect her and the helpless little one, whose dreamy face expresses entire satisfaction. 
faithful delineation ot a lite-like scene in the great hot torest in Equatorial Africa, and portrays in pleasing measure 
the home life ot these creatures so greatly resembling Man. 
wife and children, protecting them from all enemies and caretul in providing for their comforts. (Gorilla gini.) 


A FAMILY OF GORILLAS,— This picture represents a family of Gorillas, the month or two old baby 
in the foreground, at the feet of its watchtul mother, while the ever-alert fatner is keeping guard trom a perch ot 
The mother’s tace is placid, because she knows the father’s ear is never closed and that his mighty arm 


It is a most graphic and 


Fierce and intractable as is the Gorilla, he is kind to his 


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 Lhe Apes undeniably have courage. 
Fighting The stronger ones boldly resist the ter- 
Qualities. ible beasts of prey and Man, and are 


6 THE APES AND 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 

ieces of wood at their enemies, but this belief is 
ased on inaccurate observations. The people who 
spread it probably saw only what they were pre- 
et to see, not what really happened. Apes often 
reak 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 In captivity nearly all Apes live in har- 
in 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 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 as 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 
Child. The baby Ape is always an ugly little 

being, with arms and legs looking twice as long 
proportionately as its parents’, 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 
arms 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 that Apes sometimes hug their little 
ones so close as to strangle them, but his statement 
has not been verified by modern observers. In a 


one at a birth; a few kinds have two.. 


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 at 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- 
ungry little beast at arm’s length. 


Maturity, It is not known how many years an. 
Healthand Ape requires for its growth. The Gue- 
Longevity. 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 
epidemics 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 the United States as well as Europe those 
in captivity suffer from the severity of the climate. 

Cold depresses them physically and mentally, and, 

asa 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. 


Monkeysas 1 do not know whether I may advise 
Romantic people to keep Monkeys as pets. The 
ets. 


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 
imself, which, as a rule, does not turn out to be 
very profitable to his master. Some kinds are 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) 


8 THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


station of the Loango exploring party, is described 
by Pechuel-Loesche as follows : “Our Apes used to 
select some animal or thing and become sincerely 
attached to it. In this way several of the strangest 
friendships came about. It is generally known that 
Apes adopt young animals, care for them and cling 
to them even when they are dead. When our large 
collie, ‘ Trina,’ gave birth to pups, and these became 
infested with fleas, we put them in a cage with the 
Apes, where they were received with open arms, 
carefully and tenderly cleaned and caressed, while 
the old Dog was sitting outside and attentively look- 
ing on. But there was always great trouble when 
we went to fetch the pups; they evidently had been 
distributed with a view to keeping them. 

“Our mischievous Dog-faced Monkey struck up 
a friendship with the Gorilla and the tyrant of the 
yard, the smooth-coated Billy Goat, Mfuka. The 
Baboon, Jack, had selected a fat little Pig for his 
particular friend and performed the strangest eques- 
trian feats on its back ; later,a Dog took the place of 
the merry little Pig, and they played together in the 
drollest way. Forbidding Isabella had taken a lik- 
ing to a parrot; but when she one day started to 
pluck out his scarlet tail-feathers, one by one, this 
remarkable friendship came to an end.” 

Taking into consideration the bad habits of the 
Ape and the tricks he plays, his usefulness counts 
as nothing. It is very easy to teach him ; you show 
him what is required of him and beat him till he does 
it himself; that is all that is necessary! In an hour 


or two he will know how to do a thing, but he has to 
be kept in practice, for he soon forgets. His feed- 
ing is no trouble, for he eats anything Man eats. 
in their native countries, in places that are’ not 
very fertile but more or less thickly settled, the 
harm done by the Apes more than outweighs their 
usefulness. The flesh of some kinds is eaten, and 
the skins of some of the others are used for various 
purposes, but this little profit is as nothing com-. 
pared with the damage they cause in the fields and 
orchards, and it is hard to understand how the Hin- 
doos can think them sacred and care for them as if 
they were demi-gods. 
Classification We divide the Apes into three classes : 
of The Narrow-nosed (Cazarrhini), the 
Apes. _ Broad-nosed_  (Platyrrhini), and the 
Marmosets (Arctopithecin’), The first two have 
nails on their fingers and toes ; the Marmosets have 
nails only on the thumbs of their hind limbs, while 
their other fingers and toes are provided with claws. 
The Narrow-nosed and Broad-nosed are distin- 
guished by a difference between their nasal septa 
and their teeth. The former have a narrow nasal 
bone, the latter a broad one, their nostrils being 
placed on the side. The Narrow-nosed are found 
only in the Eastern hemisphere. They are “ Old 
World Apes,” and are restricted, except a single 
species, the Barbary Ape, to Asia and Africa and 
the great islands of thése continents. The two: 
others are limited to Mexico and Central and South 
America, 


The Warrow=Mosed Apes. . 


. FIRST FAMILY: CaTaRRHINI. 


The Narrow-nosed Apes resemble Man in the ar- 
rangement of their teeth and the structure of the 
nose. Their upper jaw shows a gap between the 
incisors and canines, for the accommodation of the 
lower canine tooth, which is very strong. Not one 
of the representatives of this class has a prehen- 
sile tail. They are subdivided into two groups, the 
Man-shaped Apes (Anthropomorpha), and the Dog- 
shaped Monkeys (Cynopithecini). The former step 
only on the extreme outer edge of the feet, the lat- 
ter on the entire sole. The Man-shaped Apes lack 
a tail and cheek-pouches, and very few of them have 
the callosities on their hinder quarters, that are al- 
ways possessed by the Dog-shaped Monkeys, which 
also, as a rule, often have cheek-pouches and a tail. 


THE MAN-SHAPED APES. 


The Man-shaped Apes (Anthropomorpha) form 
the highest developed group of Apes, which in the 
structure of their skeleton, and also in the formation 
and position of the eyes and ears, come nearest to 
Man Their upper extremities are longer than his, 
their lower extremities shorter. The tail is lacking. 
The face and toes are not covered with hair. Of the 
four known species, two, the Gorilla and Chim- 
panzee, inhabit Africa ; the Orang-utan and Gibbon, 
the southeast of Asia. 


Hanno Over two thousand years ago the Car- 
andthe thagenians sent out a fleet with a view 
“Wild Men.” of founding colonies on the western 
coast of Africa. Thousands of men and women, 
well provided with provisions and household articles, 
found room on sixty large ships. The commander of 
the fleet was Hanno, who left a description of his 
journey in a well-known work, the “ Periplus Han- 
nonis.” They founded seven colonies in the course 
of their voyage, but were obliged from a lack of pro- 
visions to return sooner than they expected. Still, 
when this happened, the bold seafarers had gone a 
little farther than Sierra Leone. A description that 
is of importance to us may be found in Hanno’s 
work, It says: “On the third day after our depart- 
ure from that place, we crossed the Fiery Rivers and 
came to a bay, called the Southern Horn. In the 
background there was an island with a lake, in which 
a smaller island rose to view, peopled with wild men. 
The greater part of the crowd were women, who had 
a body all covered with hair, and the interpreters 
called them ‘Gorillas.’ We could not catch the 
men when we started to pursue them ; they escaped 
us easily, as they climbed over precipices and threw 
rocks at us. We caught three of the women, but 
could not keep them prisoners as they bit and 
scratched us; so we had to kill them. We slew 


THE MAN-SHAPED APES—GORILLA. g 


mouth, bounded by thick 
lips and provided with a 
fearful set of teeth. The 
hair is rather long, shaggy, 
of dark colors, gray, brown 
or reddish. The face is 
left free from hair to the 
eyebrows, as also the ears 
and the hands and feet 
laterally and at the extrem- 
ities. 

It is still impossible to 
determine the native coun- 
try of the Gorilla exactly. 
It seems to be found only 
in a relatively limited part 
of Western Africa, or, more 
definitely speaking, in 
Lower Guinea. It has been 
seen on the coast between 
the equator and the fifth 
degree of south latitude, 
and in the western parts of 
the adjoining mountains. 

As it always lives in 
woods, it is not probable 
that it would be found to 
ea the south as far as the 
i mn Congo or beyond the 


FACE OF A CHIMPANZEE, This is an excellent picture of the Chimpanzee, displaying to the greatest mountains to the east, 
advantage the immense frontal ridge above the eye as well as the great ears for which it is noted. The large, though it might go to the 


slit-like mouth with the extended lower lip, the length of the upper lip, the misshapen nose and the deep-set eyes, * 3 ‘ 
are all brought out with the most faithful exactitude. north of the Ogow e and the 


Gaboon country, at least as 


them and conveyed the skins to Carthage.” Pliny far as Cameroon, as that part of the continent has 
tells us that these skins were kept in the temple of more rain, and, in consequence, abounds in woods. 


Juno, in the latter city. 


It is possible that the Gorilla also lives in those 


Theré is scarcely any doubt that Hanno, in speak- parts of Upper Guinea that are equally favored. 


ing of wild men covered with hair, 
can only mean a Man-shaped Ape, 
and though he might have had 
the Chimpanzee in view, it is now 
known that the greatest of the 
Apes is the Gorilla. 


THE GORILLA. 


The Gorilla, Njina, or in the 
language of the natives, Mpungo, 
(Gorilla gina), the sole represent- 
ative of the family of the Gorillas, 
is scarcely smaller but a great deal 
broader in the shoulders than a 
full-grown Man. The height of 
the male reaches on an average 
from sixty to seventy-two inches ; 
the width of the shoulders thirty- 
eight inches. The females are 
smaller. The length and strength 
of the trunk and the upper ex- 
tremities, the large size of the 
hands and feet, the middle fingers 
and toes of which are joined by 
membranes, form the most prom- 
inent characteristics. The most 
‘striking features in the large head, 
which because of the shortness of 
the neck and its powerful muscles 
seems to be set immediately on 
the trunk, are the prominent 
arches of the eyebrows, the eyes 
lying deep in their sockets, the 
broad, flat nose, and the large 


PROFILE OF A CHIMPANZEE,—This picture shows to good advantage the large and slit- 
like mouth, the mild and gentle eye and the quaintly shaped nose that are peculiarities of the Chim- 
panzee. While decidedly unattractive there is absent the ferocity that marks the countenance of the 
Gorilla. Aiud indeed the Chimpanzee has a disposition that is gentle and kind except when it has suf- 
fered from privation or age and infirmity overcome it. 


£ 


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LG TR: 
HA A, 


Nea iyg 
TEN 
WHAT 


Weyl 


Typ } 
a bit \ 
7 


4 \ 3 i es 


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 
great 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 beating 
of the st would send awe if not terror to the bravest of Men. 


(10) 


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RANE 
‘ AN 
SRN 


RN 
SS) 
SS AN 
Sta SE) 


SS 


SS 


RSTRGOT IE 


iven the name Satyr to this animal because of its resemblance to man and beast, the face, head, ears, beard and 
ig wonderfully like those of a human being; while the shaggy coat of hair suggests the brute. It is not strange 
Orang-utan a human being gone wild, The picture represents this Ape at rest in its forest home, both hands 
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 satyrus.) 


(11) 


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 
quiet. 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 
around, 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. 
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. ; 


“ Tf let alone, the Gorilla does not attack Men, but » 
If he is taken by surprise, he 
rises, utters a series of short half roaring, half grunt- 


rather avoids them. 


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.” 


plorers, members of the Gussfeldt Loango- 


EES 


FAMILY OF CHIMPi.NZEES,—The great artist here represents a charming scene in the home lite of the Chimpanzee. After 
having fed, the family—father, nother and child—are thirsty, and they have come to a cool and sparkling spring in the great Atrican torest, far 
away from the Man-hunter, who see.;« their lives. But there are Leopards and Crocodiles that are to be dreaded, and while the father slakes 
his thirst, the mother, with her head 1. rown slightly back, shades her eyes with her large hand that she may more clearly discern a possible 
approaching enemy. The baby impatien‘ly 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 while they drink. } 


14 THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


Koppenfels' H. von Koppenfels killed his first Go- 
Gorilla rilla Christmas, 1874. He. had taken 
Hunts. his 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 
femalwelimbed up the tree and shook it, to make the 
ripe berrieS\: fall to the ground. 

“ At this titnme the male, his mouth still full, started 
for the river flow xing near, evidently to get a drink. 
I did not take my“t--ves off him, for the stories of 
Du Chaillu and the faify-:-tales of the natives had 
combined to throw me into a‘sstate of great agitation, 
when I first caught sight of thes 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 Cesncealed 


me. It was too late—I kept track of his vavery 
movement, and had my gun in readiness. A ftow 
moments sufficed to take aim and shoot. Before* 


the smoke cleared away I had put another cartridge 
in my gun, anticipating an attack. “My black com- 
panion 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 shoot her. So my hunting luck had, at the same 
time that the Christmas candles were being lighted 
in Germany, given me, too, a magnificent present.” 

Not long after this Koppenfels shot, at a chance 
meeting, 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. 
If he had profited by my confusion, would have 
been lost. I did not wait, though, to see how long 
our staring at each other might last. As I lifted my 
gun his roaring took on more of a barking sound; he 
beat his chest quicker, the shaggy hair on his head 
raised itself with a vibrating motion, and it seemed 
that my terrible opponent was going to attack me. 
If I had retreated in time, I am fully convinced 
that the Gorilla would not have approached me, 
but such was not my intention. Mastering my agi- 
tation, I took a steady aim at his heart, and pulled 
the trigger. The animal jumped high up, and spread- 
ing his arms, fell on his face. He had seized in fall- 
ing, a liana, two inches in circumference, and so pow- 
erful was his grasp that he tore it down along with 
dry and green branches from the tree. His weight 
seemed to be about four hundred pounds, and he was 
six feet 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 witha 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 Gorilla The attempt to import young Gorillas 

in. to Europe had always been unsuccess- 

Captivity. ful, 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. 
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 
1S. covered with gray, silky. hair, the head alone hay- 
Inga reddish color. His thick-set, robust shape, his 
musCtmlar arms, his smooth, shining-black face with 
well-shapyed ears, his large, black, clever eyes—all 
strike on€\as exceedingly human. If his nose was 
not so broacq he would look like a Negro boy. 
What serves to, heighten this impression is his awk- 
wardness ; all M3 movements seem those of an un- 
gainly boy rathe -than an Ape. When he sits there 
like a Chinese pajooda, his gaze directed upon the 
spectators, and suddenly with a bright nod claps his 
hands, he has conqU:ered all hearts at a stroke. He 
likes company, maké,< 4 difference between youn: 

and old, male and haat: He is kind to little chil- 
dren, likes to kiss thet, and allows them liberties, 
without taking advantajce of his superior strength. 
Older children he does ‘not treat so well, although 
he likes to play with them, ¢o race around tables and 
chairs which he frequent) upsets, playfully slaps 
their faces sometimes, aN\g also thinks nothing of 
trying his teeth on their lez,, He js fond of ladies 
likes to sit in their laps aq hug them, or sit still, 
with his head on their S.houlders. tle stan citees 
to play in the common Cage, but conducts him- 


self there as an unconditiot,3) autocrat. Even the 


Chimpanzee has to obey hil, though the Gorilla 
treats him more as an eqt al selecting: him as 
his only playfellow and sometin’ os bestowing rather 
rough caresses on him, while } 2 bays no arenatien 
to the smaller. fry. Somimes he gets hold of 
the Chimpanzee and rol\s on the floor with him. 
If the Chitnpanzec acipes, the Gorilla falls to 
the floor, on his Bands, like an awkward boy. 
His gait resemble; that of the Chimpanzee: they 
both walk on the soles of their feet, supporting 
themselves o” “the back of the hands. But. the 
Gorilla turns his toes out more, and holds his 
head highe;, producing the impression that he 
belong to 4 better class of society. When he is 
in good ',umor—which is nearly always the case 
—he sticks out his red tongue, which in that 


During the last - 


ee eel 


thm 


ae tl 


(nn 
AN\ Wh, 
A Weg: 

Ht 


uc iia, if MEY wood 


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 AND MONKEYS. 


black face of his, forcibly reminds one of a negro 
bay. 
WT 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 hel 

himself to a little of some dainty. She would phan 
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. Inthe 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 
I 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 Europe by Pechuel-Loesche, the former 
companion of Falkenstein, who arrived with him in 
1883, on his return from the Congo, and was also 
presented to the Berlin Aquarium. He lived under 
the care of Director Hermes for fourteen months 
and died of the same disease as the first Gorilla. 
It is a notable fact 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 ever been brought to America. 


THE CHIMPANZEE. 


Let us now consider the second species of the 
Anthropomorpha, the Chimpanzee (Sima 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 back 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 
Well-Known. ysually made of the famous mosaic 

picture, which once adorned the temple of Fortuna 
in Praneste, 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 past 
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. euglin 
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. cS 
lives 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-sce 
a tree-branch while her grotesque-looking child plays with her long fore-arm. These inte 
Sumatra, and are sluggish creatures, who spend their lives in the trees, but are c 
which are much longer, proportionally, than those of the Chimpanzee, enable 
mous length of jaws of the animal is shown in the face of the baby 
face of the mother and explains why the name, satyr, 


SS 4 a ESS 


ne in the life of the Orang-utan, a mother resting upon 
resting animals are found in the islands of Borneo and 
apable of greatest activity when pursued by enemies, théir arms, 
them to swing prodigious distances through the air. The enor- 
The striking resemblance to Man is more apparent in the benevolent 
“Wild man of the woods,” is applied to the Orang-utan. (Pithecus satyrus.) 


(17) 


18 THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


the rain. His hair is olive-black, his face hairless 
and flesh-colored, and his buttocks white.” 

Savage, who made his observations in 
Lower Guinea, writes : ‘‘ We cannot say 
that the Chimpanzee is a gregarious 
animal, as there are seldom more than five, or, at the 
utmost, ten living together. Relying upon trust- 
worthy reports, | 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 sawthem 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 
to 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 

zeein  oftener than the other Man-like Apes, 

Captivity. but 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. Buffon re- 
lates that his Chimpanzee had asad and serious look, 
and 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, 
got a cup and saucer when he wanted tea, put in 
the sugar and always waited for the tea to get cold. 
He never harmed any one, but had a very modest, 
gentle bearing, and delighted in being petted. 

Out of all the numerous stories about the Chim- 
panzee we select here the accounts of the celebrated 
painter of animals, Fr. Specht, concerning one in 
Nill’s Zoological Garden in Stuttgart. This Chim- 
panzee, as Specht affirms, could laugh like a human 
being: “I took notice of this, for no other animal 
.can show its joy by loud laughter. When I would 
take this sympathetic fellow under the arms, throw 
him in the air and catch him, the cage rang with 
his merry peals of laughter. One day I brought a 


Character- 
istic 
Traits. 


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. 
here 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. Crowley” The same fate has befallen Chimpan- 
: o zees brought to the United States as 
New York, was met by those taken to Europe. 
All will readily recall that most attractive fellow, 
“ Mr. Crowley,” so long the chief object of admira- 
tion in the museum of Central Park, New York. 
This Chimpanzee was greatly attached to his keeper 
and displayed a readiness and agility in performing 
amusing tricks that won the attention of every one. 
He acquired a number ot 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 Chim- 
panzee, was his companion for awhile, but she, too, 
shared the same fate as the idolized ‘ Mr. Crowley.” 
Barnum, the American showman, had two Chim- 
panzees, “ Nip” and “ Tuck,” on exhibition in vari- 
ous towns and cities in this country, but they did 
not display the intelligence shown by “ Mr. Crow- 
ley,” nor did they live for a great while. Perhaps 
their narrow quarters in a cage and constant travel- 
ing combined to sour their tempers and limit their 
capacity for learning. Other attempts to introduce 
the Chimpanzee into this country have not been en- 
couraging, lack of understanding of the habits of 
the animal being in some measure the cause ; but it 
is a fact that this Ape does much better in warmer 
and drier climates like Paris than in that of the 
colder parts of the Continent of Europe and Eng- 
land, and the Northern States of this country. The 
experiment of keeping one has not been tried in the 
South. 


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 
Majas in Borneo (Pithecus satyrus). He is distin- 
guished by his disproportionately long arms, reach- 


ag « i 


ip i iy 


i 


= 4 Ble. 
uae 


of the young Ors ang is clearly b ght out 
ut the fea site S are nearly i e 

man child, and the wisp 
d sleeps restfully beneath the cover: 


m from life. 

1, clear and fearless eyes and large 

uth mn ape ers show that like the human creature it is fond of play. 
wn 


ns and jumps, plays all kinds of ma d pranks and enjoys 


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 vertebre. The skull of a 
young Orang-utan resembles that of a human child 
toa high degree; but as it grows older, the animal 
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 thirteen 
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. 
he young Apes have no beard, but their hair is 
darker and longer. 
Early Accounts The Orang-utan has been known for 
of the avery long time. Pliny avers that 
rang. 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 
the woods” several times, males as well as females. 
They sometimes walked erect and behaved like hu- 
man beings. One 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- 
nese affirm that Apes could talk very well if they 
were so inclined, but they are dumb through fear of 
being made to work. It is almost needless to state 
that in all these stories the Orang-utans walk crect, 
though it is sometimes added that they are also 
“able” to go on all fours. In reality the narrators 
of all these fables are innocent of deception, only 
repeating what they heard from the natives. 
Wallace's Owing to the excellent observations of 
Account of Wallace, we know more about the life 
the Orang. ina natural state of the Orang-utan than 
of any other of the Man-shaped Apes. This 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, Kessel 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. 

“Tt is an attractive and strange spectacle to see a 
Mias (Orang-utan) easily making his way through 
the forest. ithout 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, wheré 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 ease, 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 not here 
so much exposed to the winds. It is said that the 
Mias builds a new nest every night, but I think this 
improbable, for, if such were the case, the remains 


a 


THE MAN-SHAPED APES—ORANG-UTAN. 2] 


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 | 
would find him on the same tree upon my return, 


WHITE-HANDED GIBBONS.—These active and pretty animals are 
found in Terrasserim, southwest of Burmah, and are noted for their loud 
voices. 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 


or within a hundred feet of the spot where I 
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. 


regarding some approaching object. (AHylodates 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 faras I 
could determine he 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- 


“All the Dyak chiefs, who had spent their 
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 


29 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- Lo 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 intoher mouth. Her usual 
expression was that of sadness and melancholy. She 
liked all human beings without distinction of sex, 
but 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 ona 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, 
tasted 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 
took a nap in the day-time, but never a long one. 
She had been given some clothing, and this she 
alternately 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. nce 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 
complicated knots with her fingers or her teeth, and 
this seemed to afford her such pleasure, that she 
always untied people’s shoes when she had a 
chance. Her hands were exceedingly strong and 
she could lift the heaviest burdens. She used her 
feet with the same dexterity as her hands. When 
she could not reach an article with her hands, she 
threw herself on her back and got at it with her 
feet. She never screamed unless left alone. At 


first her screams resembled the howling of a Dog. 
She soon fell a prey to consumption. 


An Orange Another description comes to us from 
Utan on a careful observer, who had an Orang- 
Shipboard. wtan on a ship for three months. As 


long as 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. Turning and climbing seemed to afford 
him especial pleasure, for he would practice it on 
different masts and cables 
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 
oi 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 Pie 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 face never changed. Unfortunately 
an accident, resulting from his love of liquor, ended 
his life before he reached Germany, which was his 
destination. He stole a bottle of rum, nearly emp- 
tied it, became sick and died on the fourteenth day. 


His agility and mus- © 


THE MAN-SHAPED APES—GIBBON. 23 


THE GIBBON. 


No other Apes show such a development of the 
upper extremities as the Gibbons or Long-armed 
Apes (/ylobates). 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 plenti- 
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 


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. Of 
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 atin: 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- 


the Gibbon. of the Long- 
armed Apes are : the Sia- 
mang (/Hylobates syndac- 
tylus), the Hoolock 


THE WAU-WAU, 
known as the Silvery Gibbon, from the coloring of its fur. 
most agile of all its group and can easily swing through the air from tree- 


It is among the 


branch to tree-branch, a distance of fifty feet or more. The deepness of the 
chin and the two prominent ridges on the forehead give to the face a rather 


mous in their admiration 
of the climbing accom- 
plishments of the Long- 
armed Apes, in which 


(Hylobates hoolock), the 
Lar or White-handed 
Gibbon (Hylobates lar), the Ungko (Aylobates raf- 
flesit) and the Wau-wau or Oa (Aylobates 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- 


to its master. 


~ logk, 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 


unpleasant appearance, but in captivity it is amiable and readily attaches itself 
(Aylobates variegatus.) 


they excel every other 
species. 

Astonishing Duvaucel relates with what incredible 
Agility of rapidity and assurance the Wau-wau 
Gibbons. 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, they ~ 
proceed to wash 
and afterwards 
dry them, taking 
as much pains in 
the whole process 
as we might de- 


of a Turkey. He made cries denoting joy as well 
as anger. The female Ungko in London sometimes 
cried ina 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 


<i 
= il St y 


SSaN 


iy 


v 
We 
Mii 


AN 


SY Many \ il! revenge. Forbes, 
sire to be lavished PM et, RY Sy AK on the contrary, 
on some human 23s i fi SS SS ; praises his tame- 

- z SOS y HK\ 


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- 


~ 
£ 


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 


Qo SS favorable light. 


URSINE COLOBUS AND BLACK COLOBUS.—These monkeys are found in the deep woods He brought a 


ance of the town of Africa. The Bear-like appearance gave to the Ursine Colobus its name. The cheek bones and Siamang nearly 
inhabitants , chin are covered with long, white hair which stands outward or downward as shown in the picture. as far as Europe 


whose suburban _!tis very timid and flees at thé approach of Man. 


summer life they 
manage to spoil. It is said that their cries are heard 
a mile away. 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 


The Black Colobus, like the Ursine, has stunted and says that in 
thumbs and the fur is thick, long and black. (See chapter on ‘“‘ Dog-shaped Monkeys.’’) 


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. 


- 


1 
r 


fl id iy \j g 
‘g i \ e AWCez “ 
EY if G > . 
ry Z Mead ' 
' HOONUMAN MONKEYS 
= ives 
y= = , 
¢ \Y 


The WMarrow-WMosed Apes—Continued. 


THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS. 


The second group of the Narrow-nosed Apes consists of the Dog- 
shaped Monkeys (Cynofithecini). 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- 
i) 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. 


THE PRIAMUS SLENDER OR SACRED MONKEYS. 
MONKEY, —A native of 


nthe hg laksa Among the Dog-shaped Monkeys we will first turn to the Slender or 
inches long, with a tailtwen- Sacred Monkeys (.Semnopithecus), which are, as their name indicates, 
ree pale toe slightly built, and are endowed with long, fine extremities and a very 
of brown, and its lips,chin long tail,a small, high head, a face devoid of hair, and a short snout, pro- 
a ea eiious ceinge Gamigucumart vided with small cheek-pouches. Their callosities are very small. The. 
«Galera escapes pursuit. (Semnopithecus last molar tooth in the lower jaw is furnished with five cusps. Their 

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 (Semnopithecus entellus), which is the most common of all the Ape species 
(25) 


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 Lhe Hoonuman occupies a very high 
in Hindoo place among the innumerable deities 
Mythology. _ of the 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- 
Natives. ied for a great 
many years in his native 
country, and that is the rea- 
son 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 Europe or America, and 
therefore each one’ neg- 
lected to stuff him and send 
him over. Besides, it is 
dangerous to kill this sacred 
animal; for only the Mah- 
rattas,among Hindoos, hold 
it in low esteem; all the 
other Hindoos caring for 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 crowd, for the Monkey is sacred. A reign- 
ing family boasts descent from it, and its members 
style themselves ‘Tailed Ranas,” as they maintain 
that their ancestor was endowed with this, to us, 
seemingly unnecessary appendage. 
A High-Priced A Portuguese viceroy of India, Con- 
Monkey's stantino de Braganza, had in his pos- 
Tooth. session a Monkey's tooth, taken in 
war from the treasures of a prince of Ceylon; and a 


(Semnopithecus mauris.) 


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 tops of the trees and live upon fruitsand buds. The mop of 
hair surrounding the face gives them a peculiar expression. The 
care and affection of the mother for her young is shown by the art- 
ist in the picture. The length of a full-grown Budeng is about five 
feet, the tail coming in for more than half of the measurements. 


The Budengs build rude nests in 


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 forthe 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 eat 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 § 


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 


. 27 

The Budeng or This group has yet other remarkable 
Negro Monkey members. The Budeng or Negro 
of Java. Monkey: of the Javanese (Semmno- 
pithecus maurus) 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 of 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 isa handsome 
creature, the fur being cream-colored, except “ff 
parts of the head and the extremities of the 3 - 

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- 

eys than the Hoonumans. Their friendliness towards 

each other and their enormous leaps attract the atten- 
tion of every observer. 


7x47 \ 


é kK fh ‘ \\ af 
SARA? 


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. (Semnofithe- 
cus entellus.) 
the hairs on the 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. 


2 


(os) 


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.” (?) 
The Budeng A Captive Budeng is a quiet, gentle, 
in patient. creature. In Antwerp a Bu- 
Captivity. 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 (Vasalis 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 inthe 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 
assemble together in large troops at mornings and 
evenings and howl, the cry bearing some resem- 
blance to the word ‘“ Kahau,’ whence they derive 
their name. Although at first glance the Kahau’s 
nose looks like a burlesque of the same organ in 
Man, the real resemblance is slight, for the nostrils 
are at the extremity of the nose. 


THE THUMBLESS MONKEYS. 


The African relatives of the Slender Monkeys, the 
Thumbless Monkeys (Co/obus), are striking animals, 
distinguished by their peculiar color, and queer but 
beautiful manes. India shows more life and color 
than arid Africa, and so the Slender Monkeys are of 
a lighter and brighter hue than the Thumbless Monk- 
eys, though one cannot say that the latter are less 
pleasing to the eye than the former. On the whole, 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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  sidér the Guereza ( Colobus guereza) first. 
of Monkeys. He is 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 withagreat 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, the ies 
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 popes 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 


ZEA 
a 
GIT: 


me 
aA, #73 
iby? 


¥ y ai a J) i oat ff 

LONG-NOSED MONKEYS.—These grotesque looking Monkey i 
from which this name is derived, being large and long and movable in every direction. 
zoological gardens in Batavia, the Capital of Dutch India, where they thrive as well 


This illu: 
assemble together mornings and evenings, and in thi 


in the 


are natives of Borneo, and are sometimes called the Proboscis Monkeys, the organ 

stration is taken from life and shows them as they appear in the 
native forests. 

sketch they are apparently following the same custom. 


(29) 


In their wild state, troops of these Monkeys 
(Nasalis lavertus.) 


» 
0 


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 ursinus) 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, 
( Cercopithecus). 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 
ties of Guenons. this 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. 


captivity, where the disposition varies 
and amiable, while others are cross an 


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 


f 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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 of 
every situation, never fear hunger or privation, and 
spend their life in perennial contentment and joy. 
hey 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 
ona Stealing interesting” 
Expedition. to the ob- 
server to watch a troop. 
bent ona 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 ashe. 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 chosen 
field and scamper to their paradise. The activity 


SSL 


GUEREZA MONKEYS,—tThe most beautiful type of all the Monkey tribes and are natives of Abyssinia. Nature has given the Guerezas 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 are able to enjoy practical security from the natives, who are poor marksmen. (Colobus guereza.) 


31) 


32 THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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 tothe 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 time he stops 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 a single Monkey bearing 
as many as five large ears of corn along, two being 
held in the 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 
near 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 
not exist for them. Only Man with his long range 
rifles can overcome them; escape from beasts of 
prey is easy, and they know how to defend them- 
selves from birds of prey. 
Hunting In East Soudan the Guenons are not 
the hunted, but are caught in traps, consist- 
Guenon. ing of nets enclosing some dainty food. 
The Monkeys try to take the bait and entangle 
themselves in the nets, so that they cannot get away. 
Europeans have no difficulty in shooting them, as 
they think of flight only after a number of their 
troop have been killed. They fear Men very little, 
or not at all. I have often seen them look very 
coolly at people on foot or on horseback, and at 
Horses or Camels, while they would utter their cry 
of danger as soon as a Dog came in sight. 
I experienced what a great many others do on 
a Monkey hunt, and became thoroughly 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 the 
listened, and then hesitatingly put in an arm. 
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 would 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 nasty tricks. But they all had this in common, 
that they 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 me 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 are 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 sabaeus), 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 
beard and the under and inner surface of the legs are 


ite 


GREEN MONKEYS.—The artist has put life and action into the above picture, which shows a troop of Green Monkeys fleeing from a 
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 of 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 of the limbs is of a gravish shading, while the hair on the side of the face isa golden yellow. Many 
Green Monkeys have been taken to Europe and brought to the United States. (Cercopithecus sabaeus.) 


34 THE APES AND 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 (Cercopithecus 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 Lhe Blue-faced Guenon ( Cercopith-° 


Guenon of 
West Africa. 


Western Africa. 


ecus cephus), called Muido by the na- 
tives of Loango, is an inhabitant of 
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 body and the inner side of the 


> 2S SS 
oP SS SEER 
oo 


RED, 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 isa 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 bya 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 
perfect a manner as if they had been painted or 
stained. . 

They are plentifully found in Lower Guinea, and 
south from Yumba to the Congo, and are more 
numerous than any other species. Their favorite 
haunts are the forests along the coast and deeper 
in the continent in the damp forests of the moun- 
tains. 

The Blue-Faced Vechuel-Loesche, who studied this 

Guenon species, as well as a great many 

Domesticated. others both in the wild state and in 

captivity, gives it as his opinion, that no other 


species of Guenon is so well fitted for domestication. 
“One Guenon that we called by the native name for 
the whole species, Muido, a female, lived in my pos- 
session for five years. She was very young when I 
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 wer’ ..cr tables and cup- 
boards, but so cautious. vue never broke any- 
thing. She climbed ou. ot 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 favorite 
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 in 
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 hedges 
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 their 
ears, and bit and scratched 
to such good purpose that 
they hurriedly made their 
escape. She did not fear 
Frogs or Lizards, neither 
did she torment them. 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. 

Amusing Traits “ The only thing we could not teach 

of the Blue- her was to be clean about the 

Faced Guenon. 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 MONKEVS—GUENONS. 385 


and 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 


cong, 

iff SQ 
U7 Vg OR 
iy SS 


i 


Wy WPT 
WY pf W ff ‘SS 
Wi iy Vy 


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. 
‘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 
of 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 
him 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 


This Mangabey is easily tamed, 


36 


with her always found the little Monkey ready to 
defend her in case of need, sitting on her shoulder 
or inher 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 “ Lhis 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 


Ae 


amusing tricks making it very popular in museums and zoological gardens. 
stows away in them the greatest possible number of nuts. 


cus sinicus.) 


contentment or of a request for some favor, to the 
yelling and shrieking of anger ; froma 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, lift her arms with a slightly swinging mo- 
tion, and then, addressing the sun, would give us in 
a loud, deep tone something like the greater half of 
a chromatic scale, always ending with a deep, long- 


BONNET MONKEY.—Found in the hot regions of Asia and Africa, and is quite common in captivity, its 


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. 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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 (Macacus) 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- 

Java, cus cynomolgus), 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 


It has very large cheek-pouches and 


(Maca- 


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 males 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 cynomolgus.) 


*» 
od 


gardens are, 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 (Macacus rhesus), is 
Macaque. said 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 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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- 
Demolished. jlized 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 


b 


varie 


BHUNDER, 0R RHESUS MONKEY.——This picture presents a very contented tamily 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 


their gods. (Macacus rhesus.) 


from the hills in a large body and gather their 
tribute.” 

Every Hindoo willingly gives his share, and 
hereby shows a gentleness of spirit and goodness 
of heart which, though bordering on the ridiculous, 
does him so much honor, that we might well con- 
form ourselves to his standard. Neither can I see 
anything grotesque in their protection of the ani- 
mals from foreigners; I have always thought it but 
just that men should protect animals. Of course the 
Hindoos 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 havea plantation or 
a garden; for the protected rascals devastate it in 
the most relentless manner. If one puts out guards, 
they are of no avail, for driven away from one side, 
the Monkeys make their appearance at the other ; 
burning fires, scare-crows and such 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. 
Out 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. He is of strong, 
sturdy build; the color of the fur is greenish or 


THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYVS—MACAQUES. 39 


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 


a her; = RRA 


comfortably uponit. (Macacus nemestrinus.) 


hands are of a light copper color ; the callosities of 
a vivid red. The female lets her tail hang down, 
while the male curves it laterally and inwardly. 

The Magot, or Lhe 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 angry, it moves the wrinkled skin on the 


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. 
easily domesticated. The artist has sketched them with their favorite food, the hand of one of the animals resting 


‘ 


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 hilland endanger the 
safety of passers-by. It is 
also thought to be very 
fond of Scorpions ; very 
adroitly twisting off their 
poisonous tails, and eat- 
ing them greedily. 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. 


Ly The Troop of The Magot 
ot Magotsat is the only 
e NY Cy Gibraltar. M on k e y 


aS 
ogee that inhabits Europe in a 
wild state. I was told 
when I visited the south 
of Spain, that the band of 
these Monkeys at Gibral- 
tar was rather numerous, but did not often show 
itself. One could see the animals looking for in- 


They are harmless and 


in motion upon the ground and shows its Dog-like action, a characteristic 
ofits family. The thumbs spread out when it is walking or running and the 
crest and stubby tail are shaken when it is angered. (Cynocephalus niger.) 


sects under stones, from the fortress, if he had a 
good telescope or field glass. They hardly ever 


40 THE APES AND 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 slick 
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 rocks 
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 intriders.” 
Bit tw nln Ss Posselt's Account A year 
of Gibraltar later Pos- 
Monkeys. selt says 
about the same Monk- 
eys: “On my passage 
from Cadiz to Gibraltar 
I had inquired after the 
Monkeys and an English- 
man residing in Cadiz 
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 


tion, and I forgot all 
about the Monkeys, until 
a sound resembling the 
distant yelping of a little 
Dog startled me. About 


Dog and a very robust animal. It is also found in the Barbary States, always living in the hilly or mountainous coun- two hundred paces im 
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. (/nuzus ecaudatus.) 


“The Monkeys gained a foothold on these rocks 
a great many centuries ago; how and when they 
crossed the water 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. For 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. Ata 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, 


quite engrossed my atten- 


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 


COMMON BABOON.—The group of animals here depicted are often seen in captivity in Europe and the United States. They are true 


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 


aS 


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. 

“ Nobody 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, 1880, as follows: 

“Tt 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. 


49 _ DHE APES AND MONKEYS. 


Like Aristotle, we call the Baboons Dog-headed 
Monkeys, for the shape of their heads resembles that 
of a rude, fierce Dog a little more than 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. Their body is of a strong, bulky 
make and their muscular power is enormous. Their 
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 | }j' 
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 “~~ “=z  ~<=*!s 
a mane and is gener- 


ny 
eit ee 


>= SSS 


CHACMA BABOON.—Is very large, being about the size of an English Mastiff,and and defend them- 
is possessed of great strength. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, where its ferocity 


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 really quadrupeds. 
Their 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 heir moral 
Traits of traits do not 
Baboons. contradict 


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 
j, malicious; their muz- 


¢ tion of a Dog’s, their 
face a distortion of 
a Dog’s face. Their 
look is cunning, their 
mind wicked. They 
are more open to in- 
struction than the 
smaller Monkeys and 
have more common 

“SJ sense. Their imita- 
y~ tive nature seems 
= such, that they barely 
escape being human. 
They easily perceive 
traps and dangers, 


i Acted 


ally of an undefined brings terror to the Dogs, whom it does not hesitate to attack and frequently kill. It lives selves with courage 
earthy or rocky color: in hilly places, and when not engaged in making forays upon a neighboring field, passes gnd bravery. As bad 


gray, gray-green, yel- 
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 in 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, 


much of its time sleeping in its hiding-place in the rocks. (Cynocephalus porcarius.) 


as they may be, they 
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. Education 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 


their exterior in the” 


zle is a coarse imita- ~ 


a 


THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS 


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 Lhe Baboons shun Man, but in case of 

and their necessity they enter into combat with 

Enemies. him 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 


a foot in length. 
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 enjoy eating them as much as they do any 
other insect or Spider. 

The usefulness of the Baboons is very slight. 
They are taught a great many tricks, and in South 


It is about the size of a Pointer Dog and the jaws are possessed of great strength. 


BABOON. 43 


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 Lhe Black Bab- 

Baboon oon ( Cynocepha- 

Described. Jys 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 
Hi; half way back on the up- 
a; per part of the snout. For 
’ these reasons this Monkey 
is considered the repre- 
sentative of a special kind, 
the Dog-headed Monkeys 
proper (Cynocephalus). 
Face and buttocks are de- 
void of fur, while the rest 
of the body is covered by 
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 is 
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 intimate 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, Chaema, Common Baboon ( Cynocephalus bab- 

and Sphinx. win) isthe best known to me, though 
only in captivity. He is not easily taken for the 
Black Baboon, nor for other Monkeys that are pro- 


GELADA BABOON.——With its immense mane, great canines and fierce eye this animal pre- 
Sometimes a troop of these 
creatures encounters a body of Hamadryas when on a marauding expedition, and engage in desperate 
(Cynocephalus gelada.) 


sents a formidable appearance, and its looks do not belie its character. 


battle. The legs of the Gelada are black and the mane is a pale brown. 


vided with manes; but he closely resembles the 
Chacma (Cynocephalus porcarius) inhabiting South 
Africa, and the Sphinx ( Cynocephalus sphinx) 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 cheeks are whit- 
ish. The face and ears assume a gray tint, the upper 
eyelids are white, the hands brownish-gray ; the eyes 
light brown. Adult males reach a shoulder height 
of twenty-five to thirty inches, and counting from 
the tip of nose to the end of tail are four feet, 
eight inches long. We must not forget, though, 
that the relatively thin tail comes in for one-third 
of this length. The Chacma is considerably larger, 
clumsier of motion and darker of hue, while the 


—s ery === Sa Jus) SAIRNNES 


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 
his keeper, while she lives with him on the most in- 
timate terms. 

Story of The first Common Baboon that came 

“Perro,” a _ into my possession was named “Perro.” 
Captive Baboon. He was a good-looking, pleasant 
Monkey and grew to like me after a short interval 

. of three days. I made him guard 
our doors, chaining him to the yard 
gate. Hesoon 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 of 
straw matting over his head, as an umbrella. He 
took no special care of his long tail, simply letting 
it hang down the wall. Ostriches have a bad habit 


: 
7 


THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEVYS—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 
hanging 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. Wferisa, a kind of beer, manufactured 
from the grain of the durra or dohhen. They were 


aig Fi KAN 1 
Rape . 
; — ey rt 


we 


RILL.—This is a native of the Gold Coast and inland regions of Africa, and is noted for 
huge callosities upon its cheeks, caused by swellings of the bones. The skin here is ribbed and has 
ridges that are alternately light blue, scarlet and deep purple in color. The male is five feet high when 
standing. 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 are 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. 


Great Courage Among my pets was a tame Lioness, 

of the who made the Guenons rather nervous, 

Baboons. but 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 I 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 ina 
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 1 took another mem- 
Tamed Baboon ber of this family 
in Germany. along with me to 

Germany. It was remarkably cley- 

er, but also exceedingly mischiev- 

ous. Our Dog had tyrannized 
over us all his life, and had be- 
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— 

he found. more than a mat h. 

Atile thought it great fun to pr u- 

voke the poor Dog on all oc - 

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 ji np 
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. and 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 


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, 
layed such a prominent part with the ancient 
gyptians, 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 steppes of Central Africa, as well as a 
great many Abyssinians, wear their hair combed and 
parted like the Hamadryas, and if they did not take 
the fashion from him, they did from statues of him. 
The Hamadryas 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. 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


Home and The Hamadryas inhabits the whole 
Characteristics of coast of 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 Leo 
ard, both in point of strength and length); double 
this number were adult females. 
young and half-grown animals of both sexes. Old © 
males are distinguished by their huge size and along, — 
cape-like mane. 


The females have shorter hair and are of a darker 
brown color. The young animals resemble the © 
mother. 
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. 
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. Fields 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. 


Theremainder were | 


The hair of the mane of a middle- 
‘aged male that I killed measured eleven inches. 


Every individual hair of the body isalter- 


In my opinion there are two species 


THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYVS—BABOON. 


‘Hamadryas  Whena troop of these Baboons are 
Watching for sitting still, they all keep’ perfectly 
Enemies. silent until something happens. The 


approach of a Man or herd of cattle, when perceived 
by 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 


DRILL.—The Drill has prominent cheek bones and ridges above, the same as the Mandrill, but the vivid color- 


ing is lacking. 


tivity in the United States as well as in Europe. (Cysocephalus leucophaeus.) 


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 


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. 
Guinea and its habits are similar to those of the Mandrill which it so closely resembles. 


47 


see a Dog ora Leopard. Then the old males raise 
their terrible roaring noise, beat the earth with one 
fore-paw, show their teeth, and with flashing eyes 
gaze down from the rock, ready to rush at the enemy. 
Brehm's First The first troop I met was just rest- 
Experience 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 
gentlemen. 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 a better and 
more secure abode, and 
slowly filed 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 


It is a native of the coast of 
It is sometimes seen in cap- 


4 


io 4) 


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- 


WANDERO00.—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 adeep black. The Wanderoo lives along the Malabar coast, and has been introduced 
into Ceylon. Itis easily domesticated, but does not long survive a residence in temperate climates. (Cyno- 


cephalus silenus.) 


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. and learned of the wonderful te- 
nacity with which they cling to life. If in shoot- 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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. No 
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, (Cynocephalus 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 


With the right that we call the Gue- 
Ugliest of the yeza the most beautiful of Monkeys, 
Monkey Tribe. we may also call the Mandrill ( Cyno- 

cephalus 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 ears are 


The Mandrill, 


RED HOWLERS. 


Waterton saying of them, ‘‘ Nothing can sound more dreadful than their nocturnal noises. 


of the forest were collecting for a work of carnage.” 


Like the other members of this numerous family these Monkeys posses 


This animal inhabits the tallest trees. 


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. 
A young Mandrill is a lovely 
Il-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 


Fierceness and 


extraordinary voices, the great traveler 
You would suppose that one-half the wild beasts 
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 fora Monkey. See page 52. 


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 ( Cynocepha- 

but Smaller than lus leucophaeus),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 are natives of Upper Guinea. 


(Mycetes seniculus.) 


no means repulsive. But all this changes very early, 
much earlier than with the other Baboons, and ina 
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 


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. Pavy, 
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- 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


agreeable to the ear. Sometimes the din greeting us 
was positively deafening. 

Fondness of ts 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 my 
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 

(Cynocephalus silenus). 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 
totwenty, exclusively in the high forests, ranging 
from the 14th degree of northern latitude to Cate 
Comorin. 


Bmerican or Broad=Wosed Monkeys. 


SECOND FAMILY: PLatyrrRHINI. 


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 ‘Lhis impression of contrast is felt, 

of American to a certain degree, when compari- 
Monkeys. son is made between the Monkeys 

of the Old and New Worlds. The American or 
Broad-nosed Monkeys (/latyrrhini) are 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 are 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 muzzle. 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 
far north as Chihuahua, in Mexico), to the west by 
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 
Monkey's 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 _ fond of their meat. 
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 


went tod 
cAw he inom 


BLACK HOWLER MONKEYS,—Found in Guatemala. and have prehensile tails but no cheek-pouches or 
callosities, as the Old World Monkeys. 
Paraguay, and this species is found in the mountains as high as six thousand feet. 
an unearthly yell, which can be 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 
(Mycetes niger.) 


The Black Howlers are one of ten species, which extend from Guatemala te 
Like all of the Howlers it has 


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 asthe 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, 


52 THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


sulky Monkey, steep the arrow in weak Urari agerie in the United States. There are some very 
poison. When he falls down unconscious from the 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 Cebidz, and those whose tails are not 
prehensile, the Pithecide. 


THE HOWLERS. 


Chief among the Cebide is the Howler (/ycetes). 
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. yow’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 
—— Fa ® bony drum. If one considers the size of this drum, 
PAS Ba. : _ he is no longer astonished at the strength of the 


S \ 


BS S 

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 surronnds the tace. 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. (Aveles 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 


x: : 


: COAITA SPIDER MONKEY.—The artist has caught two Coaitas in attitides that tell more strongly 
a cure the most aggressive than words how the family came to get the name of Spiders ; for how nearly like large Spiders do they look as they~ 
Monkey forgets that he hang with extended limbs from the tree-branch. The Coaita, which is found in Surinam and Brazil, is large for~ 
; 7 gets £ its group, although exceedingly slender. (Afeles paniscus.) 


ever lived wild in a forest. 
Few American Monkeys are taken to Europe voices of these animals, which have earned for them 
although they may be seen in any museum or men- a perfect right to the name of Howlers. 


THE AMERICAN 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 The Howlers are widely spread over 
Uniler fe all parts of South America. Thick, 
ound, 


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 seniculus), 
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 niger), 
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 
I cannot deny that there was some kind of harmony 


single joint, without a nail. 
being a deep brown. 


CHAMECK SPIDER MONKEY. ; Thi Mo. 
sponding to the Colobus of. Africa, but the Chameck has the thumb slightly projecting, consisting of but a 
It is found in great numbers in Brazil, and is nearly black in color, the face and ears 
(Ateles pentadactylus.) 


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 


Belongs to the large family of Spider or Thumbless Monkeys, corre- 


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, 


ing crest of hair, its long-haired tail and strikingly marked coloring. 
South America and its home is deep in the forests. 
constantly using its prehensile tail in traveling. (A‘teles dartlettii.) 


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 does, the other slowly and 
unconsciously does, also. 
Kappler'’s Account Kappler, in_ speaking of the Red 
of the Howlers in Guiana, says: ‘‘ They live 
Red Howler. jin small 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 
different positions. The 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 


3 x Jpsitt 
GOLD-FACED MONKEY.—This is a singular appearing animal, with its project- 


It has a wide range in 
In the trees it is swift in its movements, 


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. 

How ‘the When Howlers are shot at 

Howler Acts they make their escape as 

When Hunted. 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 disagree- 
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 (Az/es). 
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 

Native Forests. similar, and exceedingly monoto- 
nous. Tschudi, agreeing with many other observers, 


SS 


nt 


THE AMERICAN MONKEYS—SPIDER. 55 


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 (iound quite frequently 
Monkeys. in Guiana; the Coaita ( Aze/es 

paniscus), and the Marimonda or Aru 
(Ateles belzebuth), The first named is one 
of the largest of his tribe; his length is 
four feet, two inches, the tail taking more 
than half of this length ; and his shoulder 
height is about seventeen inches. The fur 
is 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 (Aéeles pentadactylus). His 
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 arule 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- 
lett, 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 
golden 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. 


HUMBOLD1’S LAGOTHRIX MONKEY.—Was discovered by Humboldt up the 


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 fora 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 


ve = 


Life of the The life of the Spider river Orinoco. It has fur like a hare, hence its name of Lagothrix, and its face is remark- 
Spit er Monkeys Monkeys has been de- ably like that of a Negro. - It has no howling apparatus, but has a long, prehensile tail. The 
Described. scribed by Humboldt Lagothrix inhabits the dense forests, feeding on fruits and buds, chiefly, and lives in 


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 


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 (Ceéus) 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 just 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 Lhe 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 
South 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. His coloring is a dark or light 
brown ; the hairy temples, the whiskers, throat and 
breast, and the upper limbs are light brown. He is 
a native of Southern Brazil, and is widely spread 
from Bahia to Colombia. He 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 state, 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. ie 
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 back and forth 
by their tails 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- 

Cai. 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 give 
birth to young ones in captivity, 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. of its captivity it learns to know its 
master and keeper, looks to him for food, warmth, 


THE AMERICAN MONKEYS 


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- 
tirely forgets its past freedom and becomes almost 
wholly a domestic animal. 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 


7 ee 


: CAI WEEPER (CAPUCHIN) MONKEYS.—The artist presents a family 


CAPUCHIN. 57 


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 ( Cebus 


or Brown apella) is a native of Guiana. Its col- 
Capuchin. 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 


\ ~ 


of Cai Capuchins—father, mother and child—as seen 


in the open woods of Brazil and Colombia. The sorrowful expression of their faces is clearly shown. ‘*The Weepers” live altogether in the 
trees, leaving them only for the purpose of obtaining water or to raid grain fields. They feed upon fruits, vegetables and insects. They are 
very timid but are frequently captured and are often seen in zoological gardens and museums of the United States. (Cebus 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 eat, 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 great 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 


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 is often shipped to 
Europe and the United States, and 

Assistant. is 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 windoy-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 


The Apella as 
Organ-Grinder's 


Wifenops’ 


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 
Apella, or Brown Capuchin—Cedus 
White-Faced Capuchin—Cedbus hypolencus. 4. Green Capuchin—Cedzus olivaceus.) 


for their flesh. (1. White-Bearded Capuchin—Cedus leucogenys. 2. 


apfella. 3. 


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 he second family of the Broad- 
Non-Prehensile nosed Monkeys, the Pithecide, or 
Tails. the non-prehensile tailed group, is 
composed in greatest part of small or medium- 
sized Monkeys whose tails are covered with hair to 
the tip and are incapable of grasping or holding 
anything. 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


The Pithecta have a short, stout frame, and the 
clumsiness of their appearance is increased by their 
long, loose hair, and their bushy tail, the hair cover- 
ing of which is usually longest at the tip. The hair 
on their head shows a decided parting, and the chin. 
and cheeks are covered with a full beard. 

There are but few families in this group of Monk- 
eys, and they are natives of the northern part of 
South America. They inhabit high, dry forests 
that are free from underbrush, and keep aloof from 
other Monkeys. Tschudi tells us that “their activ- 
ity begins after sunset and lasts till dawn; during 
the day they sleep, and are hard to hunt, as they do. 
not betray themselves by any noise. They are 
easily tamed, but stay morose and mopish in cap- 
tivity, and are very lazy when awake in the day- 
time.” Schomburgk says that “wherever the foliage 
on the banks of the river was 
thick, troops of Monkeys 
gathered on the branches,. 
and the Pithecia seemed the 
most numerous. Their long 
hair, beautifully parted, their 
magnificent beards and 
whiskers, and their bushy 
tails, gave the clever-looking” 
animals a prepossessing but. 
extremely ludicrous aspect. 

Description The most com- 

ofthe mon group of 

Cuxio. this tribe inhab- 
its the extensive forests on 
the upper Maranon and Ori- 
noco rivers. The Indians call 
it Cuxio (Pithecia satanas),. 
and it is twenty inches long, 
the tail being of equal length. 
The head is perfectly round 
and covered with a kind of a 
cap, consisting of not very 
long, thick hair, radiating 
from a common center, and 
parted in front. Kappler 
says that “no dandy could 
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 scanty. The 
general color of the adult 
Monkeys is black, speckled 
with rust-colored hairs; the 
young are 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 of 

Headed Saki this group, the White-headed Saki 

of Guiana. ( Pithecia leucocephala), shows so many 
varieties, according to age and sex, that it is known 
under several different names. It lives in Guiana, in 
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 
restraint. Kappler corroborates these statements, 
and adds that this Monkey is easily tamed, but is. 
listless and timid in captivity. 


THE AMERICAN MONKEYVS—CALLITHRLIX. 59 


The Black- The life of the Black-headed Saki 
Headed Saki, (Brachyurus melanocephalus) is very lit- 
or Cacajao. tle known, though the many names by 

which it is called would indicate that it is frequently 


) 
CUXIO MONKEY.—This remarkable looking animal exhibits a very 
hairy tail and an immense beard. It is extremely careful of the latter and 
so fearful 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 
grinds its teeth ina savage manner. (Pithecia satanas.) 


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 Cacajao, 
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). 

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 fingers 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 
greedy 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. 


end of the tail. 
tured. 


THE HAIRY SAKI,—Has hair of a speckled gray color, which is very long, hangi 
the head and half hiding the sad little face. ha 1 
It is a nocturnal animal, timid and retiring, and does not live long after being cap- 


(Pithecia hirsuta.) 


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 Callithrix 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 Widow Monkey ( Cal- 
its Beauties. /ithrix lugens). Its length is about thir- 

ty-five inches, more than half of this 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 ( Chrysothrix) 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. Like the Callithrix, the tail is round and 


Me 
. : ‘ 
ng over 
This Jong hair extends ali over the body and out to the 


slender, and they have many peculiarities that are 
common to the non-prehensile tailed group. 


60 


The Lively |The best known member of this 
Squirrel Monkey group is the Squirrel-Monkey, 
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 


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. He 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 Captivity. keep three of these Monkeys in cap- 
tivity, supplying each vacancy by death with a new 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. 


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. Inthe beginningI 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- 
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, they 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 (Wyctipithecus), 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 earsare 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 (Vyctipithecus 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 they 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 
ina tamed, while an old one always re- 
Captive State. tains its 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.—tThis 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. (Callithrix personata.) 


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 


62 THE APES AND 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 b 


pag SS ss ox 


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 
danger. (Chrysothrix sciurea.) 

travelers to the distant call of a Jaguar. They ex- 
press anger by a repeated “ grr, grr, grr, grr.” 


The Marmosets. 
THIRD FAMILY: 


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 Marmosets have small, narrow claws on all 
fingers and toes, except the thumb-toes, whose claw 
is broad and nail-like. They have a round head, 
a short, flat face, small eyes, large ears, sometimes 
adorned with tufts, a slim body and short limbs; 
claw-like hands, whose thumbs cannot be opposed 
to the other fingers, although this can be done in 
the feet; a bushy tail and silky fur. The hands 
have really become paws in this tribe, and only the 
feet are similar to those of other Monkeys. 

Haunts and Lhe Marmosets have a very wide 

Habits of range, being found in Mexico, Central 

Marmosets. America and South America to the 
southern limits of Brazil. They occur in greater 
variety and numbers in Brazil, Guiana and Peru, 
Mexico affording but two kinds. How high they 
ascend the mountains has not been determined ; 


ARCTOPITHECI. 


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 eréct 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. 
(Hapale 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 MONKEVYS—MARMOSET. 63 


mentary feelings. He has all the qualities of acow- tuft over each ear stand out in bold relief against 
ard: the plaintive voice, the evident incapacity or the brown face. 

unwillingness to give in to necessity, the complain- In captivity they subsist on fruit, vegetables, in- 
ing resignation, the morbid fancy that the actions of sects, Snails and meat, and soon get familiar with 


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- 

Groupsof ognize 

Marmosets. thre e 
distinct groups as 
belonging to the 
family Hapale: the 
Lion-like Monkey 
(Hapale leonina), 
having face and ears 
devoid of hair, a 
tufted tail, and a 
mane on the head, 
neck and shoulders; 
the Tamarins, to 
which belongs the 
Silver Monkey 
(Hapale Argentata), 
having a longer tail, 
but no mane, and 
the Silky Monkey 
(Hapale pygmea) 
having tufts on its 
ears. 

The most common 
member of the last 
named group is the 
Saguin Ouistiti or 
Common Marmoset 
(Hapale jacchus). 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 


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. (Myctipithecus trivirgatus.) 


alternately russet, black and white. The tail is black, those who take constant care of them. They show 
showing about twenty. white ringlets and a white tip. themselves distrustful and irritable towards stran- 
A whitish spot on the forehead, and a pure white 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 isa 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 toa 
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, and once, even in 
St. Petersburg though under very 
unfavorable conditions. The ani- 
mals were ke pt 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, 
“ Quistiti,” 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 penicilata which is about the same 
size and nearly as common as the Ouistiti. 

The Pinche (Hapale wdipus), 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 chrysoleucus) is also 
a small animal, taking its name from its bright yel- 
low fur. The other families of the genus Rs ts 
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 


(Dy 


By 


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 on moods of the 
animal, It is a most delicate creature and does not live long in captivity. 
regions of South America. 


Its home is in the tropical 
(Hapale edipus). 


and only designated by their scientific names, which 
rest only on slight variations. 


ea — 


Che Dalt-dMMonkeys or Demuroids. 


SECOND ORDER: Prosimu. 


HE 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 
Quadrumana (four-handed), 


cul 
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 


parti 


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 

Featuresof 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 KES, 
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 Lhe 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. 


The Lemurs. 


FIRST FAMILY: Lemuripa:. 


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 Lhe 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. 


7: 


“4, OR, 
: KAD KOARRMAROT. 
THE VARI, OR RUFFED LEMUR.—tThis 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 (Lemuride) 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) 


66 THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS. 


rich in fruits and insects. They do not exactly shun 
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 
If one disturbs such a ball of fur, two 


each other. 


— oe 


SS ge 


the remarkable thumb, as well as the keen vision, are all brought out. 


of this type of the Lemur family. (Lichanotus brevicaudatus.) 


heads suddenly make their appearance and stare at 
the intruder with large, displeased eyes. 

The sleep of the Lemurs is very light. 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 of mammals. They seem to 
be as 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. 


SHORT-TAILED INDRIS LEMUR.——The characteristics of this animal as it appears in its 
native Madagascan forest, are admirably depicted in this picture. The contrasts of light and dark in 
its fur, the stumpy tail from which it derives its name, the methods of grasping and climbing aided by 
The Squirrel-like attitude of the 
animal in sitting posture, as shown by the figure in the background, is another strong characteristic 


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 are 
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 
for any kindness extended to them. 


ee ee 


THE LEMURS—INDRIS. 67 


THE INDRIS. 


The largest and most highly developed of all 
Lemurs are the Indris (ZLichanotus) or, as they are 
called in Madagascar, Babacoto. There are two 
kinds, the short-tailed Lemur (ZLichanotus brevicau- 
datus) being the better known. They attain a length 
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. 

Sonnerat, who made the 
Babacoto known to the 
world, says that he is, like 
his relatives—the Monkeys— 
a very good climber, that he 
sits erect, like a Squirrel, 
when eating, and carries his 
food, consisting chiefly of 


THE CAT-LIKE LEMUR.—lIn 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 catia.) 


fruits, to his mouth with his hands. His voice is 
of a melancholy, wailing cadence, resembling that 
of acrying child. He is gentle and good-natured, 
and numbers of his family are trained, and, like the 


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 


ESQSe Se >> = os 


MONGOOSE LEMUR.—Has a remarkable, bushy tail that is longer 
than its body, and is reddish gray incolor. It lives chiefly upon fruits and 
seeks food in the darkness of the night. The head is long and the forehead 
flat. It makes a very fine pet, doing well in captivity. (Lemur mongoz.) 


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 
yarieties are not distinct species, the difference in 
appearance being based on sex, age, etc. The best- 
known of the Makis is the Vari, or Ruffed Lemur 
(Lemur varius), distinguished by a black and white 
fur, the spots of the two colors being differently dis- 
tributed in every 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- 
gos) 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 loug time was considered a dis- 
tinct species. 
Pollen’s 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, 


5 S \ \t 
SS . 


Although called the Black Lemur, it is only the male specimen of the 


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 (Szezops) 
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 (Stenops 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 


Macaco that is accurately described by this name, the female being of a light hue or russet color. It willbeeasily 15 like plush to the touch, 
seen, therefore, that the figure in the foreground is the male and the other the female of this species. The picturealso gnd is of a reddish 


depicts the dog-like muzzle and long, hairy tail that are prominentin this family. (Lemur Macaco.) 


Their intellectual capacities are not any higher 
than those of other Lemurs. Still they are usually 
gentle and prepossessing. 

Makis inthe 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 
hands in bearing food to their mouths, or they take 
it up with their mouths without the aid of the hands. 
When contented they purr, and in this manner often 
sing themselves to sleep. 

Buffon had a male Makiin his possession, which 
delighted him as much by its graceful agility as it 
annoyed him by its uncleanliness and mischievous 
disposition. It was extremely sensitive to cold and 
damp and in winter always kept near the fire, some- 


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 Happolava 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 Loris. of a wandering zoological garden. The 
delicate creature had come to Europe with three 
others about four years before, and had borne not 
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 


being in the least disturbed by its surroundings. At 
sunset it awakes, stretches itself and noiselessly 
walks to and fro inits cage. It is very agile, but 
always makes sure before moving that the next 
branch is capable of sustaining its weight ; some- 
times stretching its limbs beyond seeming possi- 


ANN ARAN 


THE GRAY OR GENTLE LEMUR,—This animal is a native of 
Madagascar, and has an amiable disposition. The tail and body are nearly 
of equal length, each being about fifteen inches. The prevailing color is 
gray, and the prominent eyes are soft and pleasing in expres’ —. «ts habits 
are nocturnal, and in captivity it is prone to seek the dark portion of its 
cage by day, but it is a most grateful little creature and one of the most pop- 
ular pets of the entire family. (Hafalemur griseus.) 


bilities. Sometimes it moves its head to and fro 
with wonderful rapidity. The eyes literally gleam 
like living coals in the dusk, and, being very close 
together and only separated by a pale streak, they 
make a peculiar impression. 

When very angry, the Slender Loris vents its feel- 
ings in a deep snore, but it is by no means easy to 
disturb its equanimity. It likes to be petted, some- 
times closing its eyes with evident pleasure when it 
is being caressed. 

The principal food of this animal is bread soaked 
in milk. Fruit, meat and eggs it disdains to touch. 
This Loris of mine never has been tempted by liv- 
ing birds, but is very fond of insects and worms ; 
yet it is so lazy and awkward that it does not catch 


LORIS. 69 


them itself, and it requires the keeper to hold them 
while it eats. 


The Slow The Slow Loris, Sharmindi Billi, or 
Lorisor Bashful Billy (Stenops tardigradus), is 


Bashful Billy. better known than its slender cousin, 
perhaps because it occupies a wider area of country. 
It is a native of India, ranging as far west as the 
lower Brahmapootra, The animal has never been 
found in the Himalayas, but inhabits Assam and all 
the country to the south and southeast of it, as well 
as Sumatra, Java and Borneo. It is larger than the 
Slender Loris and shows a greater variety of color- 
ing. The usual tint is a light or dark silver-gray, 


sometimes with a reddish tinge ; a chestnut stripe. 
runs the whole length of the spine, frequently ending 


TS * oS s MN ve Ba 


FORK-CROWNED LEMUR.—This animal is very abundant in 
the forests on the west side of Madagascar, and is found in less numbers on 
the eastern side of the island. Its home is in hollow trees and it finds pleas- 
ure in being near to Bees, whose honey it does not hesitate to steal. It utters 
a sharp, piercing cry, very much like that of the Guinea-fowl. (Chirogaleus 
Surcifer.) 

at the ears; in some cases it is prolonged by two 
ribbons to the eyes, in others four ribbons extend 
to the eyes and ears. The eyes are always sur- 
rounded by brown rings. The bald parts of the nose 
and soles are flesh colored. The length of the body 


70 


is about fifteen inches ; that of the tail, barely one 
inch. 

The Slow Loris is difficult to study in its wild 
state, but we know that it lives with its family, 
sleeps during the day in hollow trees, and goes on 
its search for food at dusk. The animal has rarely 
been seen in its wild state by Europeans. 

In captivity the Loris are gentle, patient and mel- 
ancholy. All day long they sit crouching down and 
leaning their heads against their crossed arms. One 
of them was once tied to a rope and it would repeat- 
edly lift the fetter with a sad little gesture of seem- 
ing complaint; but it never tried to break its bonds. 
At first it snapped several times at its keeper, but a 
few light punishments sufficed to teach it self-re- 
straint. When petted it would take the hand which 
caressed it, press it to its breast and look up into 
the sympathetic face with half-closed eyes. At 
dusk it would rouse itself; first looking around with 
eyes yet full of sleep, rub them, and then begin to 
wander about the cage. Ropes had been tied all 
ahout and it would climb uponthem. It was fond 
of fruits and milk but had a special liking only for 
birds and insects. When such game was proffered, 
it would cautiously approach, as if on tiptoe, and at 
about a foot’s distance would stand up, softly stretch 
its arm and then, with one movement, quick as 
lightning, make a dash for its prey and strangle it. 

The Slow Loris 1 have seen and observed but two 

and its living Slow Loris ; the first, only by 

Peculiar Traits. day, in the Zoological Garden at 
Amsterdam. It was not quite so kindly a creature 
as I had expected. Either it was annoyed by our 
disturbing it, or else it was irritable by nature. In 
any event it was highly indignant at our intrusion. 
It spit like a Cat, and’ explained its meaning still 


(Or! thy => 


iy 
THE SLENDER LORI 
when awake, and also when as 
and feet n | 


(Stenops gracilis.) 


further by trying to bite the keeper’s hand, an 
offence it had been guilty of before. Failing in 


—tThe artist here shows the position of the Slender Loris at rest 
sp. It is curious to observe how in the first case it brings the hands 
rly together and presses the body against the upper legs; while in the other, the waking 
artly assumed, but the face is pressed down behind the left arm, while the body is nearly 


THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS. 


wreaking this revenge, it slowly retired suiking to 
Its retreat was performed in a manner 


its corner. 


oe ONY EON we 

SLENDER LORIS LEMUR.—The stealthy character of this night- 
prowling animal speaks in its features and the large gleaming eyes bode 
danger to the sleeping bird it may choose for its prey. The long, slender 
limbs account for the awkwardness of the animal when in a sitting posture, 
asshown by the figure in the front of the picture, while the deliberation as 
well as stealth of the animal are well shown by the other in the background, 
(Stenops gracilis.) 
surprising to me, though I was familiar with Har- 
vey’s excellent drawing made thirty years ago. Fix- 
ing its large eyes upon us, it went back, step by step, 
and upwards on a nearly vertical pole. This means 
that it occasionally climbs upwards, with the face 


downwards. In my knowledge, no 


PAu (ope other animal does that. When it ar- 
a Ae 


rived at a point where two branches 
diverged from the main pole it- 
stopped, and made the sketching 
artist’s task an easy one. 


LARGE-EARED MAKIS. 


A well-known species of the 
Half-Monkey tribe is the Large- 
eared Maki or Galago, which older 
travelers have frequently described. 
Their sense of hearing is most 
acute, as might be concluded from 
their large, membranous ears. 
The body of the Galago is slim, 
but does not look so, for the coat 
of fur is thick. The proportionally 
large head shows abnormally devel- 
oped ears that are destitute of hair. 
The large eyes are placed close to- 
gether; the limbs are of moderate 
length; the hands and feet are well 
formed; the index finger and sec- 
ond toe, and in some the adjoining finger and toe, are 
furnished with a claw; the others have flat nails. 


“Y, IS 4 


THE LEMURS—LARGE-EARED MAKITS. 71 


All the Galagos, which are inhabitants of Africa 
and some of its islands, must be looked upon as 
carnivorous, unlike the other Makis, for they eat 
fruit but incidentally. To describe them, I will 
draw on my own and Kersten’s experience: ‘The 
Galagos are nocturnal animals, in the full sense of 
the word : beings for whom the moon takes the place 
of the sun, and for whom day passes unnoticed ; 
for then these animals lie curled up and sleeping in 
some hiding-place, their eyes shut to the hated sun- 
light and their ears furled up to shut out all noise. 
If they are rudely awakened, their eyes first assume 
a dreamy, far off look, then the creatures gradually 
regain consciousness and show their displeasure at 
having been disturbed. After sunset they are alto- 
gether different. As soon as the forest is enveloped 
in darkness, the Galago wakes up, roused perhaps 
by the coolness of the air; the tail which has been 
curled around his head is 
rolled back, the eyes are 
opened and his ears, which 
have been so folded as to 
completely cover the orifice 
leading into the inner ear, 
are unfurled. He licks and 
cleans his fur, leaves his 
hole and begins his ghost- 
ly work, which, when its 
results are reviewed in the 
day-time, is seen to con- 
sist of nothing but murder 
and robbery, marked not 
only by insatiable thirst 
for blood but also by a de- 
gree of cruelty rarely to be 
found in animals. With 
all the characteristics of a 
beast of prey, Lynx-eyed, 
sharp of hearing like a Bat, 
as acute in his sense of 
smell as a Fox, and quite 
as cunning though not so 
clever as that animal, 
agile like a Monkey, in- 
creasing the infallible pre- 
cision of his attack by his 
boldness, the Galago is a 
formidable foe for all very 
little animals, therein dif- 
fering from all. his rela- 
tives.” 

These words narrate 
nearly everything that is known about the life of 
the Galagos in the wild state, and it will not be 
easy to learn more, as they are extremely difficult 
to observe in the night. : 

Accounts of Among the few known species of 
the Common the Large-eared Makis, the largest 
Galago. of whom equals a Rabbit in size, the 
smallest barely exceeding the average Mouse, we 
will first consider the Common Galago (Ofolicnus 
galago), a graceful animal, about the size of a Squir- 
rel. His upper parts are gray, the under parts yel- 
lowish-white ; the ears are flesh-colored and the eyes 
brown. 

This species of Galago is a native of a large part 
of Africa. Adanson discovered him in Senegambia 
and later travelers observed him in South Africa 
and the Soudan. In this latter country I found him 
myself, but always to the west of the White Nile. 
The natives know him well under the name of Tend). 


SLOW LORIS LEMUR.—This peculiar animal, which is also known as “ Bashful Billy,” is chubby and 
ponderous, as the picture shows, its large and heavy limbs making its movements so sluggish as to fully justify its 
name of ‘‘Slow.”? The brown rings that always surround its large eyes are well brought out in the picture, and the 
figure in the background shows the stumpy tail, scarcely an inch long. 


Their belief is that he was originally a Monkey, but 
became degraded through his sleepiness. We al- 
ways found him in mimosa forests, usually in couples. 
The animals we saw were sleeping on branches near 
the trunk, and always awoke at the sound of our foot- 
steps. When we came too near, they dexterously 
climbed up the tree, never fleeing, but always sitting 
down and watching us with a certain degree of con- 
fidence as to their safety. They knew admirably, 
how to avoid the many sharp thorns of the mimosas, 
and they could leap considerable distances. We 
were told that at night they were very agile, and 
that then their eyes blazed “like living fire,” to use 
the expression of the natives. It is said that the 
Common Galagos can be easily caught in traps ; and 
during the day-time good climbers need only use 
their hands to make the capture. The hunter only 


has to shake the bough upon which the animal is 


AR 
Se 


(Stenops tardigradus.) 


sitting to make the frightened creature cling to it in 
fear of falling, and then it can be easily seized. 
I believe myself that this mode of capturing Gal- 
agos is a good one, for I have often caught young 
Squirrels in this way, 
The Comba, Lhe Large-eared Maki, living in 
His Traits and Zanzibar and called Comba by the 
Uses. natives (Otolicnus agisymbanus), ex- 
ceeds the Galago in size, his length being about 
twelve inches, exclusive of the tail, which measures 
ten inches. The prevailing color is yellowish or 
brownish gray ; the large, nearly bald ears are gray. 
Kersten tells us that the Comba is caught in a very 
simple manner in Zanzibar. He is not hunted but 
falls a victim to his “sweet tooth.” Notwithstand- 
ing his avidity for blood, it appears that he does not 


_ despise sweet things ; on the contrary, he is as fond 


of them as only Monkeys and a few rodents can 
be. ‘When palm wine is being manufactured,” so 


72 _ THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS. 


the above-mentioned traveler tells us, “the Comba 
not infrequently invites himself to partake of the 
feast. He drinks and experiences the truth of the 
saying, that an excess of spirits fogs the spirits. For 
the wonderful liquid streaming from the palm’s 
crown is not only sweet, but also intoxicating, and 


eS 


POTTO LEMUR,—\This is a small animal, its body being only six 
inches long, and as the picture shows, has a short, stumpy tai! and very 
small ears. Like other nocturnal animals its eyes are very prominent. 
It inhabits the West Coast of Africa and lives on fruits. (Perodicticus 
potto.) 


gets more so the longer it remains exposed to the 
air. The thirsty guest loses consciousness, tumbles 
down from the tree upon which his hold is usually 
so secure, and lies on the ground, sleeping off the 
effects of his debauch. The Negro who comes the 
next morning to collect the palm wine that has 
flown out, finds the still unconscious dreamer, and 
either puts him in some improvised cage, or secures 
him with a rope fastened around the loins. The 
next day he brings him to town and offers him to 
some European, who regards the animal as a great 
prize. In the course of time he abundantly repays 
the trouble he gives while being tamed. Ina room 
which harbors a Comba, there is no comfortable 
living fora Mouse. The room or ship he inhabits is 
also sure to get rid of the troublesome Cockroaches. 
We recollect with pleasure an experience we had on 
a tedious journey. Our ship was infested with Cock- 
roaches, and this made the occasional unpacking of 
our trunks a necessity. As soon as the trunk was 
opened, the odor of these insects would attract our 
tame Comba. Though the time of day did not suit 
him for exploits of this kind, he carefully examined 
the contents of the trunk, and soon proved to us that 
he knew very well what was expected of him. He 
had ample scope for the display of his peculiar tal- 
ents in looking after the disturbed army of Cock- 
roaches. With surprising dexterity and lightning- 
like rapidity he made dashes at either a full-grown 


Roach, or at a larva, and while one hand held the 
one he was chewing to his mouth, the other was 
hunting new game. In this way he kept on search- 
ing, working and eating till he completed his task.” 


The Tarsier. 


SECOND FAMILY: Tarsip2. 


Another little animal, the Tarsier, has, with just 
cause, been made the representative of a distinct 
species. It has a large, round head, set close on the 
shoulders, a frog-like face, short fore-limbs and long 
hinder paws, and a tail surpassing the body in 
length. Its teeth resemble those of the Insectivora 
or Insect-eating animals. The name Tarsier (Zar 
side) is derived from the animal’s very long tarsus, 
or ankle-bones. By various naturalists it has been 
classed with the Mice, with the Marsupialia, or 
pouch-bearing animals, and with the Lemurs. Only 
one, or, at most, two families belonging to this 
group have yet been discovered, and these general 
characteristics apply to both. : 

The Spectre Tarsier (Zarsius spectrum) attains a 
length of about seventeen inches, including the tail 
which is about ten inches long. The fur is brownish 


ANGWANTIBO LEMUR,——This is a small, symmetrical 
animal resembling the Potto in some respects but having smaller 
hands and feet and only a rudimentary tail, and its ears are pro- 
portionately larger than those of the Potto. It is found in Cala- 
bar, on the West Coast of Africa, and is very rare. (Arctocebus 
calabarensis.) 


gray, the ears are bald and the eyes are proportion- 
ately the largest of any mammal. Its finger-tips are 


provided with pads. The Spectre Tarsier lives in 
the Malay Archipelago and is by no means common. 


THE AYE-AYE, 73 


The natives regard him as an enchanted animal and 
stand in great awe of him. 

Jagor tells us about his captive Tarsiers as follows: 
“Thad the opportunity of purchasing two Spectre 
Tarsiers. I was assured in Luzon, that these 
strange, pretty little animals inhabited only Samar. 


_—— . ime EES : 
LITTLE GALAGO LEMUR.—This littie creature is a native 
of Madagascar. Its well-formed head and ears, long tail and sym- 
metrical limbs, of which the hinder ones are the longest, are brought 
outin the picture. It accumulates fat around its tail and in different 
parts of its body upon which it subsists during the dry season, when 
it coils itself up ina hole in atree and practically hibernates. (1Z- 
crocebus myoxinus.) 


< > 


My first pet had to go hungry for some time, as he 
scorned vegetable food, and I could not procure 
Grasshoppers at once. He looked very funny when 
I used to feed him. He would then stand on his 
two long, thin legs and his tail, and turn his round 
head, furnished with two huge yellow eyes, first one 
way, then another, looking for all the world like a 
lantern on atripod. By degrees he would succeed 
in focusing his eyes on the proffered object; then 
would stretch out his arms like a child, quickly seize 
his prey and deliberately devour it. 

In the daytime he was sleepy, dull and cross when 
disturbed ; at dusk he awakened and his pupils di- 
lated. At night he moved about noiselessly and 
rapidly, and generally sideways. He was easily 
tamed but died soon after I got him. A second pet 
of the same group also lived but a short time. 


The Hye-#ye. 
THIRD FAMILY: 


About a hundred years ago the traveler Sonnerat 
received two animals from the western coast of 
Madagascar, animals of whose existence nobody 
had as yet been aware. Even on the opposite coast 
they were entirely unknown; at least the natives 
assured Sonnerat that they had never seen such crea- 
tures. They exhibited great astonishment and their 
exclamation, “ Aye, Aye/”’ was the name the natu- 
ralist chose for his newly-discovered animals. 


LEPTODACTYLA. 


The Aye-Aye brought to Europe by Sonnerat re- 
mained for a long time the only known specimen, 
and his description, dated 1782, was the only source 
of information about the rare animal. Naturalists 
had begun to think the species had died out, when 
De Castelle proved the contrary in 1844. This trav- 
eler had the opportunity of procuring a living young 
Aye-Aye, which he did, and he destined it for the 
Parisian Jardin des Plantes. Unfortunately the ani- 
mal died before reaching Europe, but its skin and 
skeleton came into the possession of the Parisian 
Museum, and it was proved that it belonged to the 
same family as Sonnerat’s Aye-Aye. The two speci- 
mens were the only ones known till 1862. Then the 
Zoological Society of London received the glad 
news that two “Barefingered Animals” (Leptodac- 
tyla)—that was the name science had given them in 
the meantime—had been caught in Madagascar and 
were on their way to Regent’s Park. One of them 
reached the Zoological Gardens alive, the other in 
alcohol. Later afew more specimens followed, three 
of which were purchased by the Berlin Museum, 


an ab. See en ines - wt z oe a 
LARGE-EARED GALAGO LEMUR,——This picture ac- 
curately shows the characteristic features of this animal. The 
great, hairless ears, the large eyes, the claw on the index finger, 
the well-formed limbs that give him his great agility, as well as 
the remarkably long tail, are all brought out with fidelity. (Ofo- 
licnus galago.) 

Then it was that naturalists were enabled to prop- 
erly classify the Aye-Aye and give it a fixed posi- 
tion in their systems. 

The Aye-Aye a Since the researches of Owen and 
Distinct Group of Peters the Aye-Aye ( Chiromys maa- 
the Half-Monkeys. agascariensis) has been regarded as 
forming a distinct group by itself among the Half- 
Monkeys. 


74 THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS. 


I had the opportunity of observing the Aye-Aye 
in London, though unfortunately but for a single 
evening. Yet I saw that Sonnerat’s description 
requires not only additional details but correction. 
I will, therefore, give here an account of my own 
experiences and of what the keepers told me. 

The animal really resembles no one mammal to 
a noticeable extent. It reminds one a little of the 
Galagos, but a naturalist would hardly think of 
classifying it with them. The thick, broad head, 
with its large ears, making it appear still wider ; 


AYE-AYE.—This animal, classed with the Lemurs, but differing in many respects 


from al] others of that order, is the most peculiar known to naturalists. 


portrayed. (Chiromys madagascariensis.) 


the small, fixed, stirring, glowing eyes, with a pupil 
smaller than that of any nocturnal Monkey; the 
mouth, which shows a certain likeness to a Parrot’s 
beak, the considerable size of the body and the long 
tail, which, like the body, is clothed scantily with 
long, stiff, bristle-like hair, and, lastly, the remark- 


The picture shows 
many of its oddities—the long, sprawling fingers, all except the thumb having pointed claws 
(the third finger being especially long), the loose straggling outer fur that covers a woolly 
undercoat, the large, naked ears, the long bushy tail, and even the rat-like teeth, are vividly 


able hands with their withered middle finger—all 
these peculiarities give the animal so strange an 
appearance that one vainly cudgels one’s brains in 
the effort to classify it with creatures resembling it. 

Night is Day A cursory glance at the Aye-Aye is 

to the _ sufficient to tell the naturalist that he is 

Aye-Aye. dealing with a nocturnal animal. The 
Aye-Aye is more afraid of light than any mammal 
of which I know anything. A Half-Monkey can be 
awakened at least; he gropes around, looks wonder- 
ingly at the world in daylight, takes some interest 
in a Beetle humming near by, even licks 
and strokes his fur; but when the Aye- 
Aye has been awakened in the daytime 
with a great deal of trouble, he seems 
to be perfectly absent in spirit. Me- 
chanically he drags himself back into 
his dark corner, curls himself up, and 
covers his face with his thick tail, which 
he rolls around his head like a ring. 
Every movement, every action of this 
animal shows: a laziness that is un- 
equaled. Only in full darkness, long 
after sunset, does he creep out, evi- 
dently still laboring under the fear that 
a glimmer of light might shine on him. 
The light of a candle, which passes un- 
noticed by all other nocturnal animals, 
makes him beat a hasty retreat. 

Personal If Sonnerat is correct in 

Observations of his description, he must 

the Aye-Aye. have had to deal with 
an exceptionally sweet-tempered Aye- 
Aye. The one I] saw was anything but 
good-natured ; on the contrary, he was 
an irritable, unsympathetic fellow. 
When he was approached, he spit like 
a Cat; when one held out one’s hand 
he made a dash for it, uttering the same 
spiteful sound. ; 

The only food the Aye-Aye in Lon- 
don gets is new milk, with the boiled 
and grated yelk of an egg stirred in. 
A little dishful is sufficient for his daily 
sustenance. He uses both his hands in 
eating; and with them he throws the 
liquid into his mouth. So far he has 
refused to eat meat. 

These few facts I noted down in 1863, 
and will now give the observations of 
Pollen, dated 1868, as they afford a few 
particulars about the Aye-Aye in his 
wild state. He says: “This animal, so 
interesting to science, has a -predilec- 
tion for the bamboo forests in the in- 
ner parts of the large island. It feeds 
on the marrow of the bamboo and sugar- 
cane, but also on Beetles and their 
larve. To get at the food, it gnaws an 
aperture in the stem of the plant, inserts 
its slender middle finger and scoops out 
the marrow or the insects it may con- 
tain. Its sleepiness by day equals its 
activity by night. From sundawn it 
sleeps, hiding its head between its legs, and curl- 
ing its tail around it. At night it climbs and jumps, 
investigating all crevices and openings in old trees 
in its search for food, and retires before daybreak. 
Its cry isa loud grunt, and is frequently heard dur- 
ing the night. 


Che Uing=Danded Animals. 


THIRD ORDER: CHIROPTERA. 


EFORE the setting of the sun 
on any beautiful summer day, 
some members of this re- 
markable order of animals 
begin their weird activity. 
Out of crevices and dark 
hollows creeps the strange, 
gloomy army of Bats, which 
has been hidden during the 
day as if it had reasons of its 
own for shunning the light, 
and sets out on its nightly 
ii travels. As the darkness be- 
comes more dense the num- 
ber of these enigmatical beings increases until at 
midnight all have emerged and are flying hither and 
thither through the air. 
Bats Inhabit The more closely we approach the tor- 
Warm rid zone, the greater is the number of 
Climates. Bats, and the richer their variety. The 
South is the native country of the majority of Wing- 
handed Animals. Even in Italy, Greece and Spain 
the number of Bats is surprising. There, as even- 
ing draws nigh, they come out of their nooks and 
‘corners not by hundreds, 
but by thousands. Out of 
every house, every old 
Stone wall, every rocky 
hollow they flutter, as if a 
great army was preparing 
for a parade, and the en- 
tire horizon is literally 
filled with them. The 
swarms of Bats one sees 
in a hot country are aston- 
ishing. It is extremely 
interesting to spend an 
evening outside the gates 
of a city in the Orient 
where the Bats literally 
darken the sky. One soon 
ceases to count them, for 
in every direction multi- 
tudes are fluttering through 
the air. Everywhere there 
is a living and moving 
mass flying through the 
trees of gardens and 
groves, fluttering over the 
fields, some low, others at a considerable height. 
Through the streets of the town, through houses and 
rooms flits the moving train. Hundreds are con- 
stantly appearing and disappearing and one is 
always surrounded by a hovering swarm. 

Principal Characteris- Lhe Wing-handed Animals are 
tics of the Wing- mainly distinguished by their bod- 
Handed Animals. jjy shape. Almost uniformly they 

have a “stocky” trunk, a short neck and a thick, ob- 
long head, with a wide mouth. In general structure 


BARBASTELLE, OR PUG-DOG BAT.—When the evening comes the Pug-Dog Bats flutter out in busy 
search forsmall Butterflies, upon which errand those in eee are bent, their sharp eyes looking eagerly about 
for these insects. They live in various parts of Europe an 
hover about the edges of forests. (Synotus barbastellus.) 


they correspond nearest with the Monkeys, and, like 
the latter, have two mamma, but are totally differ- 
ent in every other respect. Their hands have to 
serve them as wings and are therefore enormously 
enlarged, while the trunk is of small size. Thus 
they give the impression of great size, while in 
reality they are among the smallest of mammals. 
The interior structure likewise shows characteristic 
peculiarities. The skeleton is light, but strong, the 
bones never contain air cavities, like those of birds. 
The formation of their hands is most peculiar, the 
arm, the fore-arm and the fingers being greatly elon- 
gated, especially the last three fingers, which exceed 
the arm in length. This arrangement renders them 
fit for the attachment of the flying membrane, but 
incapable of other service. The thumb, which stands 
outside the membrane, resembles the fingers of other 
mammals; itis short, has two joints, and is furnished 
with a strong claw, which is supposed to do duty 
for the whole hand in climbing and when the ani- 
mal suspends itself. The thigh-bones are much 


shorter and weaker than the bones of the arm, the 
bones of the hinder limb in general being much in- 
ferior to those of the fore-limb. Their formation is 


are numerous in the country of the Alps, where they 


regular ; the foot is divided into five toes, and these 
have claws. A striking peculiarity pertains to the 
foot: a bone projecting from the heel and called 
the “spur.” This bone is found only in Bats, and 
is used to stretch the membrane between the leg 
and the tail. The breast muscles are exceedingly 
strong, and possess one muscle that is lacking in 
other mammals, this being inserted into the back 
of the head on one side and into the hand on the 
other, serving to stretch the wings. The teeth re- 


(75) 


76 


semble those of the insect-eating animals, having all 
the various kinds in closed rows; but the number 
and shape vary greatly. 

Some Pronounced [he most pronounced of all the 

Peculiarities peculiarities is the skin, changing as 

of Bats. it does the whole shape of the body 
as well as the expression of the face, sometimes 
giving the latter a really monstrous appearance. The 
wide open mouth contributes to the repulsiveness ; 
but the excrescences of the skin on the ears and nose 
really give the face its uncanny appearance and com- 
plete its extreme. ugliness. 

“ No other group of animals,” says Blasius, “shows 
such a development of the skin. I refer not only 
to the flying membranes but also to the ear and nose. 
The ears attain in all these families a striking growth. 
Their length in some kinds is nearly equal to that 
of the body; in width some show an extension of 
both ears into one. In some kinds the parts adjoin- 
ing the nostrils and the crest of the nose show the 
most abnormal growth, and the results are faces such 
as we should be able to find nowhere else in the 
world. The strange development of the skin in the 
wings, ear and nose differs from that .of all other 
animals and seems to regulate the movements and 
mode of living of the Bats, even in details.” 

Features 

of a lately been discovered, is a highly 

Bat's Wings. elastic, or, rather, contractile layer of 
skin. The outer layer is constantly kept pliable by 
anointings with an oily liquid, secreted by glands 
in the animal’s face. The structure of the hair in 
Bats is also remarkable, as each thread presents a 
screw-like appearance under the microscope. The 
purpose of this arrangement seems to be the better 
retention of heat. ‘ 

The Senses of the Lhe senses of Wing-handed Ani- 

Wing-handed mals are excellent, but developed 

Animals. _ very differently according to groups. 
Some organs of sense show strange enlargements 
and appendages. The sense of taste is probably 
the least acute ; yet it cannot be called dull, judging 
from the structure of the tongue, the softness of the 
lips and the rich supply of nerves in both. Besides, 
this sense has been experimented on and proved to 
be acute. If one, for instance, puts a drop of water 
in the open mouth of a sleeping Bat, it will immedi- 
ately swallow it ; but if brandy, ink or some other ill- 
tasting liquid be given, it will cast out the draught. 
The eye is no less developed. In proportion to the 
size of the body, it is small, but the pupil is capable 
of considerable dilation. Some kinds have espe- 
cially small eyes; and Koch calls attention to the 
fact that they are sometimes so hidden behind the 
hair of the face that they cannot be used for the 
purpose of seeing. These small-eyed animals are 
such as one sometimes sees flying about in the day- 
time, while the real, nocturnal Bats have larger eyes, 
lying quite free and unobstructed. Yet the eye 
may be destroyed without damaging its owner to 
any great extent. The sense of sight is supple- 
mented greatly by the sense of hearing, of smell 
and of touch. Bats have frequently been blind- 
folded by sticking a piece of court-plaster over their 
eyes; yet they flew about the room just as usual, 
avoiding in a dexterous manner obstacles placed in 
their path, such as strings stretched across the room, 
etc. The sense of touch may have its seat in the 
wings ; at least, this is the conclusion that has been 
reached after long and frequent observations. The 
senses of smell and hearing are very well developed. 


A feature of the wings, which has but 


THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS. 


The nose is perfect in all genuine Bats ; for not only 
can the nostrils be dilated, narrowed or entirely 
closed by special muscles, but the animals also pos- 
sess large, leaf-like appendages, whose only use can 
be that of increasing the sense of smell. The ear, 
perfected in a similar manner, consists of a large 
shell, often extending to the corner of the mouth, 
provided with leaf-like expansions and extremely 
mobile. There is besides, a large flap, which may 
vary in shape, and which, if a noise be too loud, may 
be closed and thus spare its owner the pain of list- 
ening ; while in very slight noises it serves to catch 
and increase the volume of the sound waves. It is. 
doubtless true that the Bat may hear insects fly 
within a limited area, and that it is guided, to some 
extent, by the ear in its flight. If one cuts the leaf- 
like appendages off, or the lobes or ear-flaps, the’ 
Bat gets confused and knocks against obstacles. 


The The intellect of the Bats is by no. 
Intelligence means as lowas is commonly supposed, 
of Bats. and the creature gives the lie to the 


stupid expression of its face. The brain is large and. 
has some convolutions, which alone indicates that its. 
intelligence cannot be small. All Bats are distin- 
guished by a rather high degree of memory and 
some by the presence of reasoning powers. 

Kolenati tells us that a Bat, hunting in an avenue 
of linden trees, spared a female Butterfly, because 
she attracted a great many males of her kind, thus. 
proving a lure forthe game. If one tries to angle 
for Bats by using Butterflies on hooks, his labor is 
lost. They will approach and look at the hovering 
insect, but soon discover the fine tackle, and leave 
the temptation untouched, even if food is very 
scarce and they are hungry. It has been demon- 
strated frequently that Bats may be tamed and be- 
come strongly attached to their masters. A number 
of naturalists have trained their pets to take food 
from their hands or search for it in a glass. My 
brother tamed a Long-eared Bat to such a degree 
that it followed. him all over the house, and when 
he offered it a Fly, it instantly hastened to sit in 
his hand and take the morsel. The larger Bats are 
really possessed of amiable, social qualities ; they” 
become very tame and in many ways prove them-. 
selves very sensible. 

About Blasius says: ‘‘ The capacity for, and the 
the way special manner of, flying depends on the 
Bats Fly. shape of the wings. Whoever has studied 

Bats in nature, must have observed how the rapidity 
and agility of certain species correspond to the 
shapes of their wings. Those that have these mem- 
bers longest and slenderest fly highest and bold-. 
est ; they can make the most varied and often sud- 
den turnings, and are so confident that they will 
brave storms and winds. Asa rule the wing in fly-. 
ing describes but a small, acute angle, it being only 
at sudden turns that it takes a wider scope, while: 
the flight is manifold and rapid with small wing-. 
movements and apparently little exertion. 

“The Vespertilio and Rhinolophus are the poorest: 
flyers of all the Bats. Comparing them with others, 
it will be found that their wings are the broadest and. 
shortest ; they describe a large, and in most cases, 
obtuse angle. Their flight is fluttering, slow and un- 
certain. Generally they fly low and in a straight 
direction, without quick turns or side-movements. 
Some seem to fairly skim the ground or water, fly- 
ing but a few inches above it. 

“Tt is not difficult to guess the genus from the: 
height and manner of flight and the size of the: 


GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BATS. 77 


animal; and one cannot err in determining the readi- 
ness and manner of flight after looking at the con- 
struction of the wings.” 

In general the flight of Wing-handed Animals is 
by short stages rather than by sustained motion. It 


THE KALONG BATS,—-This sketch from nature presents the 
largest of the Dog-headed Bats in their sleeping-place in the forest, 
aroused from repose possibly by the artist while he studies them. How 
like a great cloak is the membrane drawn closely about them as they 
hang from the long, twisted vine. From tip to tip the wings are nearly 
five feet as they fly. Their home is in Java, Sumatra, Benda and Timor, 
where they are very destructive to orchards, the fruit of which they de- 
vour only at night. (Pteropus edulis.) 


is produced by a constant movement of the arms. 
While the bird can soar, the Bat can only flutter. 
Its fluttering is greatly promoted by the structure of 


the body. The strong breast muscles, the light 
lower part of the body, the elongation of arms and 
hands which sometimes reach three times the length 
of the body, and, lastly, the flying membrane itself, 
are all conducive to this mode of locomotion. Soar- 


ing is impossible, for none of the bones of the Bat 
are filled with air, the body does not contain the 
large air cavities of the bird, and, which is the chief 
reason, the Bat does not possess the strong feathers 
that are used to give impulse and guide the course. 
Its flight is a constant beating of the air and never 
a long shooting or gliding about without motion of 
the wings. In order to be able to stretch their mem- 
brane and readily and quickly take to flight, all Bats 
while in repose hook the claws of their hind paws 
into some lofty place, and suspend themselves from 
it, heads downward. 

It must be said that their hands are not only used 
in flying, but also in running on the level ground. 
Their walk is not really so bad as one might be led 
to suppose; still, it is nothing but a wretched hob- 
bling along. A few species make an exception to 
this rule and run nearly as fast as a Rat. 

Peculiar Habits ‘All Bats sleep by day and fly about 

and Character- at night. The majority make their 

istics of Bats. appearance at dusk and retire to 
their hiding places long before dawn ; some species 
come out between three and five o’clock in the after- 
noon and flicker merrily about in spite of the 
brightest sunshine. 


75 


Every kind has its own hunting-grounds in for- 
ests, orchards, avenues and streets, over stagnant or 
slowly-flowing water surfaces, etc. It is rare that 
Bats fly over open fields, for the simple reason that 
there is no game for them. In the fertile South they 
also haunt maize and rice fields, for these always 
harbor a great many insects, which are their lawful 
prey. Their hunting ground will not usually cover 
an area greater than a thousand feet ; although some 
larger species might perhaps go one mile, and the 
prominent tropical species may fly over much greater 
distances, as they have been known to travel from 
one island to another several miles apart. 

The Bats are gregarious, but only under certain 
conditions. There are species that are hostile to, 
and occasionally make a meal of each other. Blood- 
sucking Vampires will attack Long-eared Bats for 
the purpose of sucking their blood, and the latter 
will avenge the wrong by eating their assailants. 


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THE KALONG BAT. 


quest of fruit of which it is so fond, the position being that always assumed by the Sloth. The great “spurs” of the 
creature are clearly shown as well as its gentle eye and small ear. The Kalong is gregarious and always moves in 


great swarms. (Pteropus edulis.) 


The food of Bats consists of fruit, insects, small 
vertebrata, and blood sucked from larger animals. 
The Bats of Europe feed only on insects, especially 
Night-butterflies, Beetles, Flies and Mosquitoes. 
Their greed is exceptional, the larger ones devour- 
ing with ease a dozen Beetles, and the smallest 
ones eating several dozen Flies without having their 
hunger satisfied. The more active they are, the 
more food they require, and for this reason are ex- 
ceedingly useful animals, meriting the favor of Man 
for ridding the world of so many pests. Of course 
such is not the case with Blood-sucking Bats, which 
may do a great deal of harm, nor with Fruit-eating 
Bats, which sometimes destroy orchards and vine- 
yards. 


THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS. 


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. only 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 
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 more 
or less sound sleep. They 
select for their hiding- 
place nooks or corners 
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-EATING 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 stars 
the little Pipistrelle busily flies, looking for such tiny insects as Gnats, 
Midges and other two-winged Flies, which form 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 
pests. (Vesperugo pipistrellus.) 


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- 
ance 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 lhe 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- 
ralists. 


Flying Dogs, or Fruit-Eating Bats. 


FIRST DIVISION: 


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 
(Preropus), and the second group including the 
Night-Dogs ( Cynonycteris). 

Il 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. 


PTEROPINA, 


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. (Vesfertili daubentonii.) 


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 


80 THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS. 


as ina cloak. One may find hundreds of them in 
hollow trees. They sometimes fly about during the 
day 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 


found in middle Europe and parts of Asia, in their favorite haunt, a great barn, and the mighty ears are strongly 5 * : = : 
brought out in the flying and the crouching examples. These ears are nearly as long as the entire body. The manner it W1 th lightning-like 


of sleeping is shown in the third animal, whose ears project far below the body although the head is well drawn up. 


(Plecotus auritus.) 


may be heard at a considerable distance. The re- 
port of a gun does not disturb them, further than 
sometimes to cause them to flutter to an adjoining 
tree, where they resume their interrupted meal. 

They scream a great deal, even when movelessly 
suspended from the trees. Their voice has a peculiar 
creaky or shrieking sound and sometimes they hiss 
like geese. 

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 then 
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. MHaacke 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, ‘Lhe largest of the Fruit-eaters is the 

Largest of | Kalong (VPtervopus 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 Java, 
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 te 
her breast fell down, 
but before it could 
reach the ground the 
mother, which followed 


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. 81 


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 


search of food. 
and are so active in their flight that the Falcon cannot capture them, 
(Vesperugo noctula.) 
consequence, sooner or later, abscesses form on their 
wings and finally cause their Jeath. 


Egyptian Lo the group Cynonycteris belongs 
Flying-Dog the Egyptian Flying Dog (\Cynonycteris 
Bat. egyptiacus). 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. 


NOCTULE BAT.—This sketch accurately portrays the Noctules in the foreground at rest, while one in the distance is flying high in 
Although nocturnal animals they start out upon their hunts long before the setting of the sun. 


Old Flying Dogs of this genus attain a length of 
seven inches, their expanse of wing being thirty to 
thirty-five inches. 


The Smooth-Wosed 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- 


5 cae a 


Bold and fearless they soar high 


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 WING-HANDED ANIMALS. 


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. 
The The Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus) 
Long-Eared cannot be mistaken for any other, be- 
Bat. 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 
inches long, traversed by many furrows, and they 
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; 


| 
fe 
\ 
it 


=< y See 
a is 


its thumb. At the slightest noise it pricked up its 
ears, like a horse. In repose the ears were always 
folded back, It often turned its head, licked itself 
with its tongue and sniffed. Like all Bats it suf- 
fered much from parasites, and often scratched its. 
head with its nails. 
The Mouse-colored ‘Lhe Mouse-colored or Common Bat 
or ( Vespertilio murinus) inhabits all of 

Common Bat. central Europe, beginning with 
England, 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 gray-brown, the lower a dingy white; 
young animals being lighter gray. 

From March until October one is sure to see the 
Common Bat in localities favor- 
able to its existence, and it is. 
easily recognized by its flight, 
which is clumsy and_ fluttering, 
but devoid of zigzag movements. 
It. also lives in mountains and 
spends the day under the roofs of 
old buildings, or more rarely in 
caverns, hanging in clusters. The 
quarrelsome disposition and _ vi- 
cious biting of these Bats drive 


the Blood-suckers. Koch’s obser- 
* vations of captive Common Bats. 
’ lead him to think that the weaker 
‘: kinds have good reasons for ayoid- 
\ ing them, as they sometimes kill 
\\ the smaller ones with a bite and 
then eat portions of them. 
The Noctule The Noctule (Vespe- 
or vugo noctula) is an 
Great Bat. early flying Bat, and 
is popularly known in Tiigland as. 
s; the “Great Bat.” - It is a common 
animal in Europe and is about 
four and one-half inches long, with 
an expanse of wing of. fifteen 
inches. Its color is a reddish- 


EGYPTIAN RHINOPOME,—What queer-looking creatures are here depicted, with their Hog- brown, the ears and wings being 


like noses, great ears and Jong, 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. (Rhinopoma microphyllum.) 


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 
years, with very careful treatment. For this reason 
they are usually selected for the purpose of a study 
of the family in general. They may become more or 
less tame. Faber had one in his possession which he 
studied for several weeks. It was a very active little 
animal, especially at dusk, and often flew about in 
the day-time, but remained quiet towards midnight. 
It could fly about in the rooms with the greatest 
ease, avoiding obstacles by whirring around them. 
It could climb upon the walls very well by the aid of 


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. ot infre- 
quently 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 Swal- 
lows on the wing, can harm it. 

The Barbastelle A strange looking creature is the 

or Barbastelle (Synotus barbastellus), 

Pug-Dog 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. 
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. 

Blasius says that this Bat is common in England, 
France, Italy, Germany, Sweden and the Crimea. 


away all smaller varieties, except - 


” Ee << —— s — 


ae 


LEAF-NOSED OR BLOOD-SUCKING BATS. 83 


He has also seen it in Hungary and middle Russia 
and in the Alps as high as the cottages of the shep- 
herds extend. 

In summer the Barbastelle comes out as soon as 
the first shadows of evening fall, in fair weather as 
well as in rain or storm ; it prefers forest-edges and 
orchards to the houses of villages and confines its 
hunting chiefly to small Butterflies. Its flight is 
high and rapid, and full of zigzag movements. 


Leaf-Mosed or Blood-Sucking Bats. 
THIRD DIVISION: IstropHora. 


All sub-orders of this tribe are distinguished by 
leaf-like complications of the nose, which may as- 
sume the most varied shapes. 


but only under certain conditions; and this ex- 
plains the conflicting stories that are told concern- 
ing them. We must also take into consideration the 
fact that it is very difficult to study their habits. It 
might be well to recount here a few instances of 
these blood-sucking traits, without ascribing the 
nocturnal deeds to any one species in particular, as 
is the practice of most travelers. These stories are 
very conflicting, and there is one species of Leaf- 
nosed Bats that I cannot connect positively with 
any one of these several 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, 


S S ss S 


VAMPIRE BAT.— 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 be, 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.) 


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. 

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, 


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.” 


84 THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS. 


Rengger adds to these words of Azara the follow- 
ing: ‘“ A hundred times have 1 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 
irtto 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 


ve 


\ 


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 
animals should be on their guard. During the summer months it pursues insects up the mountains to a height greater thana mile. (Ahinolo- 


phus ferrum-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.” 

Other 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 
second night I was awakened at midnight by the 
noise of Bats flying back and forth in my room. 
They had extinguished my lamp, and when I relit 
it, 1 saw that the room was full of them. The air 
seemed black with the swarm flying around init. I 
had recourse to a stick, and in a few minutes they 
disappeared. When everything was quiet, they re- 
appeared 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 S 
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 furof nearly 
all the Horseshoe Bats is 
light. 

The Lesser Lhere are four 

Horseshoe known Euro- 

Bats. pean species 
in this group, the most 
common of them being 
the Lesser Horseshoe Bat 
(Rhinolophus hippocrepis). 
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 


GREATER 


branch. Partia 
rum-equinum.) 


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 


ESHOE BAT.—tThe grotesque and unsightly nose, sharp teeth and huge ears of this 
Bat are strikingly presented in this picture as the creature hangs in its peculiar sleeping posture from a tree- 
fly aroused it would seem to scent danger and be preparing for escape by flight. 


(Rhinolophus fer- 


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 ina 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 


raised edges during the night, a thing he was ata 
loss to explain; Kolenati believes them to have 
been caused by the Horseshoe Bat. Hence we 
conclude that Europe 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 (Rhinolo- 
Horseshoe phus ferrum-equinum) 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 the 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 


- 


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 


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 welwitschii.) 


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 tc 


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 may be 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 
(Rhinopoma microphyllum). Vt is a very small ani- 
mal, whose most remarkable feature is its long, thin 
tail. It consists of eleven vertebrzee 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. 


feed upon small Frogs. 


Che Beasts of Prey. 


FOURTH ORDER: CaARNIVORA. 


»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 sto 
be found between the pow- 
erful Lion and the tiny Wea- 
sel, the graceful Cat, clumsy 
Hyena, 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 Prey 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 toes, 
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 show peculiar 
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 oily 
and used to keep the skin pliable. ; 

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 vertebre are long, and those of the 
lumbar region are often united; but the number of 
vertebre 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, 


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 


acute to a high degree. In exceptional 
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 


Senses in 
Carnivora. 


(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. Asa 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 

Liveand inan animal indicate a certain mode of 

Hunt. life 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 Felidz 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. none of them unite for life. Among 
some Felidze 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. 


The Cat Family. 


FIRST FAMILY: Ferripa. 


If asked to whom the place of honor among the 
Beasts of Prey belongs, no Man would be long in 
doubt as to the family he should name. The Lion 
was crowned king of the beasts at a remote period 
of time, and so we first turn to his tribe, which is 
that of the Cats, or Felidz. 

The Cats are the most perfect and typical mem- 
bers of the family of Carnivora. No other group 
presents the same symmetry of limb and body and 
the same regularity of structure. Every part of the 
body is lithe and graceful and this is why these ani- 
mals are so pleasing to our esthetic sense. We may 
safely regard our domestic Cat as representative of 
the entire family. 


Physical We may assume the structure of the 
Featuresof 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 


Felidae are endowed are 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 


ge 


y 


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 
paw 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. 


oy: 


Me 3 SS SS => 


THE ROYAL TIGER. 


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 locaté 
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 


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 of 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. (Fe/is 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 ina 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 is 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 Felidz 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 
ains to investigate its faculties, but yields to estab- 
ished 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 
plains 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. erably mammals. Some show a pre- 
dilection for birds, a few others are fond of Turtles, 
and some even go fishing. All species pursue the 
same methods when attacking their destined prey. 
With stealthy footfall they creep over their hunting 
ground, listening and looking in all directions. The 
slightest noise makes them alert and incites them to 
investigate its origin. They cautiously glide along 
in a crouching position, always advancing against 
the wind. hen they think themselves near 
enough, 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 oper.tion over and over, until 
the animal dies of its wounds. The largest members. 
of the Cat family shun animals which offer great re- 
sistance, and attack them. only after experience has. 
taught them that they will be victorious in the fight. 
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 Felide are good 
runners, yet most of 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. We may say that 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 
the 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 


TIGRESS AND CUBS,—Here is a charming home picture of the Tigress engaged with her cubs in the morning toilet after exactly the same manner as the domestic Cat with her Kittens. The whole grou 
dition of serene enjoyment. The maternal affection and infantile playfulness stand in pleasing contrast to the fierceness and cruelty possessed by this species in such superlative degree, 


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 mother, 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 Felidz is very 

of the _—_ difficult; yet we think it proper to di- 

Cat Species. vide them into the Cats proper (Felis); 
the Lynxes (Lynx); the Cheetah (Cynazlurus) and 
the Foussa ( Cryptoprocta) of Madagascar. A typical 
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 thanthe 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 Viverridz, 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 (Fe/is), 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 his fur. He is the most dreaded of ail 
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 
which 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 done. 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 
does not fight shy of populous localities like the 
Lion, who scents danger in them, but boldly opposes 
Man, not openly, to be sure, but as a stealthy, cun- 
ning foe. His cruelty and Man-eating propensities 
have been greatly exaggerated; or, at least, depicted 
in very glaring colors. 


-are of a yellowish-brown color. 


The The Royal Tiger (Fels ftigris), also 
Magnificent called Bagh, Sher and Nahar by the 
Royal Tiger. Hindoos, and Hariman by the Malays, 

is amagnificent specimen of the Felide, 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 


ponds respectively, while two males weighed three 
undred 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. 
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 Felidz 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 Lhe range of the Tiger is wide, not 
Tiger is being confined to the very warm parts- 
Found. of 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 


2 ee ee ee ee ee ee 


AN INTERRUPTED MEAL.—tThe Tiger in the picture, having secured an Antelope for its prey, and dragged it into a thicket of bamboos and long grass in the jungle 
hears a suspicious sound. Ears and eyes are alert to see whether the noise portends danger to itself. 


, is about to begin its sanguinary meal 
If it is caused by an animal the feast may go on, but if it be a hunter, the Tiger must either fight or flee. 


when it 


94 THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


above the sea-level. He does not ascend high 
mountains, and. even in the Himalayas he is not 
found at a greater elevation than six thousand feet. 
The banks of rivers thickly grown with reeds, impen- 
* etrable bamboo bushes and other thickets are ‘his 
favorite haunts. He is also fond of ruins, and not 
infrequently as many as three or four are seen lying 
on an old wall or on the roof of a deserted temple. 
All observers agree that he habitually returns to 
hiding places and lairs that have once been selected, 
although others just as desirable may be in the 
immediate neighborhood. Blanford writes: ‘Some 
spot grown with high grass or reeds, on the bank of 
a river or edge of a marsh, some thicket of bushes 
among a dozen of similar kind,-some special pile 
of rocks among a hundred just like it; continues to 
be the home of a Tiger for years, and when its in- 
habitant is killed by a sportsman, another will soon 
move into the deserted home.” 
Habits and The Tiger possesses the same habits 
Characteristics and customs as all the Cats, but they 
of Tigers. are proportioned to his great size. His 
movements are as graceful as those of the smaller 
felines, and he is possessed of wonderful agility and 
great endurance. He glides noiselessly along, cov- 
ering great distances in a short time; he runs swiftly 
at a gallop and swims excellently. His jumping 
ability has been much overestimated. The foot- 
marks left by him in the pursuit of game have been 
measured and the greatest distance covered in a 
single leap was about seventeen feet. He does not 
climb trees, unless their trunk is inclined or very 
gnarled; and he is unable to ascend those that are 
upright and have a smooth bark. But he sometimes 
jumps on trees in play, Cat-like, and tears the bark. 
The Tiger cannot be said to have exclusively 
nocturnal habits. Like all Cats he prowls around at 
any hour of the day or night, but he prefers the 
period just before or after sunset. He lies in wait 
for prey chiefly at points where animals go to drink, 
near roads or along paths through the wood. In 
southeastern Siberia he nightly visits places where 
salt is being made; for he, like the native sports- 
men, is well aware that Deer congregate there, 
attracted by the product of the mines. Often he 
encounters hunters intent on the same game as him- 
self. No mammal enjoys immunity from his attacks, 
except the strongest, like the Elephant, the Unicorn, 
or the Buffalo. He is said, sometimes, to try his 
strength on the latter, but usually, and especially if 
the Buffalo be a male, he comes out worsted. There 
also are a few reports to the effect that an old and 
tried Wild Boar occasionally gets the better of him. 
Now and then the Tiger may pick a‘quarrel with a 
Bear, but his favorite game is Wild Boars, Deer and 
Antelopes. When times are hard he eats any ani- 
mal that comes along, whether it creeps, flies or 
walks. The Bengal Tiger, during inundations, lives 
upon fish, Turtles, Lizards and Crocodiles. Simson 
found the stomach of a slain Tiger stuffed with 
Grasshoppers. He is said not to disdain Frogs ; 
and when, in northern regions, food is scarce in win- 
ter, he goes Mouse-hunting. 
The Tigera Thus all animals, large or small, have 
Terrorto good reason to be on their guard against 
all Animals. the Tiger. As Crows, or the smaller ani- 
mals, make a noise when pursued by a bird of prey, so 
many animals in the tropics lift up their voices at 
the approach of the Tiger. They know him from 
experience, and realize what is in store for them 
when he begins his hunt. Forsyth and others tell 


us how useful Monkeys may be on.a Tiger hunt. 
“Once,” Forsyth tells us, “I followed a Tiger 
through a dried-out water-course, guided solely by 
the conduct of numerous Hoonumans, which were 
plucking fruit on the banks. When the Tiger was 
passing under them, they fled to the highest trees, 
shook the branches violently and screamed and chat- 
tered so that one could hear them at a great dis- 
tance. Each troop continued its noise until he was 
out of sight, and then the next one sounded the 
alarm ; after which the first troop of Monkeys de- 
scended and complacently resumed their berry-eat- 
ing. In this way I was kept informed as to the 
precise whereabouts of the Tiger, and was able, at.a 
bend of the river, to cross it, run ahead of the brute 
and lie in wait for him. Soon I saw him sneaking 
along with great, swinging strides, his tail between 
his legs, the very personification of a guilty mur- 
derer. His conscience evidently smote him, for he 
guiltily looked around and up, as if imploring the 
Monkeys to keep still and not betray his presence. 
A bullet put an end to his career.” 
Tigers, though On the whole the Tiger is not a coura- 
ierce, not geous animal. He is not only cautious 
Brave. and timid, but downright cowardly, 
though exceedingly «cunning. At a first meeting 
with Man, the Tiger always seeks safety in flight. 
Some Tigers are put out of countenance by noises 
and gestures, and probably none resist a resolute 
opponent. Some there are, who know by experience 
that Man is their most easily conquered prey, and 
these are very dangerous, as they then lie in wait 
for unsuspecting victims. Under certain conditions 


they are not only bold, but impudent. A few dis- 


tricts are so infested with Tigers that communica- 
tion between given points can only be had in safety 
by means of large bodies of men, who protect them- 
selves by night by building fires, of which these 
animals have great fear. Tigers are known to havé 
carried away people in the neighborhood of villages 
and even from between huts, and instances are re- 
corded where they have compelled people to desert 
their homes for places of greater security. Those 
have most to fear whose occupation demands a rather 
solitary outdoor life, as shepherds, mail-carriers, 
wood-choppers and field laborers. The first named 
are also in constant fear for their flocks. 
Villages During the latter part of the ’60’s a 
Terrorized by Man-eating Tiger had taken up his 
Tigers. — abode in Maisur, and attained unenvi- 
able notoriety under the name of Benkipur, terror- 
izing the neighborhood for miles and miles around, 
until a bullet closed his career of cruelty. Forsyth 
freed the central provinces of several Man-eaters, 
of whose deeds he tells us. 
stopped all communication on several roads, driven 
away the inhabitants of several villages and com- 
pelled others to live in fortified and closed houses. 
This Tiger was said to have carried away over one 
hundred people before Forsyth succeeded in killing 
him. According to Fayrer, a Tiger in the same dis- 
trict, during the years 1867, 1868 and 1869, carried 
away respectively twenty-seven, thirty-four and for- 
ty-seven people; continuing his depredations until 
he was killed by a spring gun. One Tigress drove 
away the inhabitants of thirteen different localities, 
and escaped all pursuit in the most cunning manner, 
until an Englishman killed her. But because such 
things happen it must not be concluded that they 
are of common, every day occurrence. 


One of them had — 


TIGER ATTACKING A BUFFALO,.— Watching by the spot where animals come to drink, the Tiger in the picture has had its stealth rewarded 
by avictim. The Asiatic Buffalo is one of, the most difficult prey with which the Tiger has to do, and under ordinary conditions the Buffalo gets the better 
of the Tiger that attacks it. In the instance shown in the picture, however, the Buffalo has been taker moment of hopeless disadvantage by its stealthy 
assailant, and is evidently doomed. The method of the Tiger’s attack is told in a graphic manner by this picture. 


(9s) 


96 THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


We have an immense stock of information con- 
cerning the life and habits of Tigers, owing to the 
usually simple mode of hunting them. The number 
of people addicted to this sport is very great, com- 
prising even ladies, and the old, terrible stories have 
lost much credence. It is no longer difficult for 
us to separate extraordinary from everyday occur- 
rences. 

The character and disposition of Tigers vary in 
individuals, as might be expected ; yet, according to 
the best authorities, there are in the main three 
classes of Tigers: those that kill forest animals, 
those that carry away cattle, and Man-eaters. 

The Game-Hunt- A Tiger of the first group shuns the 

ing Tiger's dwellings of Man, for his real home 
Habits. is in the wilderness, where he prowls 
around at all hours of the day and night. He natu- 
rally leads more of a roaming life than the others 
and follows his game from one part of the country to 
another in the course of the seasons. To the sports- 
man he proves a most welcome rival, but to the 
agriculturist he is a good friend, as he drives away 
Stags and Wild Boars, from whose depradations it is 
so difficult to protect the fields. These game-killing 
Tigers as a rule are more slender and agile than the 
others, though they also boast among their numbers 
some of more massive build. They are by far the 
most numerous class of Tigers, and during the hot- 
test and dryest season they gather near the water- 
courses that have not given out. 

The Cattle. Those Tigers that carry away cattle pre- 
Stealing fer the neighborhood of villages and 
Tigers. seek their prey among the herds that 

are driven to pasturage, or among such stragglers as 
may be left out for a night. As owners of flocks 
usually lock them up in secure places before dusk 
the rapacious Tiger accustoms himself to get his 
food by broad daylight, usually in the latter part of 
the afternoon. If he is not pursued, he frequents 
but a few villages ; if threatened he extends his wan- 
derings. In Maisur, in a stretch of country twenty- 
five miles long and thirty-seven miles wide, eight 
well-known Tigers at one time made their living in 
this way. Of course they also kill Goats, Sheep, 
Donkeys, Stags, Boars and other game if it crosses 
their path. An exclusive robber of Cattle is found 
only among the old, fat and lazy Tigers. Such 
robbers select as their headquarters some locality 
abundantly supplied with flesh and water. They 
establish relations of mutual tolerance with the 
human inhabitants of the village, and every four or 
five days each Tiger seizes and bears to his lair an 
unfortunate Cow or Bull. 

We must not take our Cattle as a standard and 
thereby measure the damage that is done. The 
Hindoo never kills a Cow, and so there are in every 
village a multitude of old, decrepit beasts that do 
more harm than good, because they aid in spread- 
ing the Cattle plague, and these are really best dis- 
posed of as Tiger-food. Without the aid of Tigers 
in destroying Boars and Deer, it would be utterly 
impossible in certain districts to obtain good har- 
vests. That is why agriculturists are not greatly 
pleased, when a sportsman zealously hunts the 
game-killing and modest Cattle-robbing Tigers, 
for they serve them as field guards in a certain 
way. Sanderson once killed a well-known, gigantic 
Tiger, and the natives, surrounding the corpse, 
unanimously mourned over his fate ; ‘ He never did 
us any harm; what a pity he is dead,” they said. 


The Man- The Man-eater usually begins by carry- 
Eating ing off Cattle, and loses his dread of Man 
Tiger. by constant contact with shepherds. Of- 
tener the Man-eater is a female than a male, prob- 
ably because she has to care for her little ones; and 
sometimes it is a wounded or crippled specimen, 
which cannot support itself in the usual way. Man 
can be watched and attacked so much more easily 
than any tame or wild animal, that a Tiger which 
has once lost the fear of him accepts him as lawful 
prey, wherever it can safely do so. This has led to 
the belief that the Tiger prefers human flesh to any 
other; but this is refuted by many authentic ac- 
counts, as also is the belief that the Man-eating 
Tiger as a rule is a lean, half-starved creature. 

Man-eating Tigers are said to predominate in 
those parts of the country where herds of Cattle 
are pastured at certain seasons of the year; after 
their departure the Cattle-robbing beasts are com- 
pelled from lack of other food to attack the natives. 
The Man-eater does not display any greater courage 
than other Tigers. He is as cowardly as he is cun- 
ning and surprisingly impudent. Running from 
armed Men, he only attacks those who are alone 
and defenceless, fully appreciating as he does the 
difference between the two. In consequence of his 
Man-hunting habits he is better acquainted with the 
ways of Men and is therefore much harder to be 
reached by the sportsman than other Tigers. 

Pleason ‘Sanderson says: “ This dreadful plague 

Behalf of of the timid and weaponless Hindoo is 
the Tiger. becoming rare. Man-eating Tigers of 

the worst character are now seldom heard of, and 
when they are they are soon hunted down and killed. 

“It is a pity that the Tiger is doomed and is be- 

ing exterminated in most unsportsmanlike manner. 
The cause of this lies in the hue and cry, raised 
mainly in England, over the mischief he does. This 
belief is without foundation. Let every Man-eating 
Tiger be pursued and killed; likewise slay the worst 
among the Cattle-robbers; but ordinary Tigers are use- 
ful, they are not dangerous and ought to be spared. 
Distant be the day when there will be no more 
Tigers.” This explorer is superintendent of the 
government department for the capture of Elephants 
and his profession compels him to live in the wilder- 
ness among wild beasts. He has an intimate knowl- 
edge of every portion of India, its needs and its 
dangers, and is therefore a most competent judge. 
His conclusions may well cause serious reflection, 
especially as they are held by other trustworthy ob- 
servers. Sherwill says very positively: “The Ben- 
gal Tiger is, on the whole, a harmless, timid’ animal, 
only becoming dangerous when he is wounded. He 
never molests Men, unless driven to bay, and Man- 
eating Tigers are not found at all in Bengal, except 
in the marshy forests of the Ganges delta.” Fayrer, 
who appreciates the cruelty of the Tiger, declares 


~ 


that accidents are no more frequent on a Tiger-hunt | 


than in the following of the Fox in England. 
Thus it is shown that this generation has a differ- 
ent estimate of the Tiger than was held by our fore- 
fathers. He isa beast of prey which, in many dis- 
tricts, at least of India, does more good than harm, 
and only upon rare occasions does he become that 
embodiment of terror which has given a formidable 
reputation to the whole species. 
How the Rarely does the Tiger or the Lion hunt 
Tiger Hunts prey in the manner that has been usu- 
His Prey. ally accepted as correct; that is, as if 
he measured the distance, crouched down and reached 


a ee eS 


z=: = SE IIE | 
A TIGER HUNT.— When Prince Phillipe of Orleans and his nephew, Prince Henry, were entertained in 1889 by Lord Dufferin, Viceroy of India, 
with a Tiger hunt, they met with the remarkable adventure shown in the picture. 


A Tigress, whose two cubs had been killed by the party, sprang out of 
the jungle on the foremost Elephant. The Mahut (Elephant driver) dexterously slid down the side of the Elephant’s head in time to save himself, and the 
infuriated beast grasped the Prince’s gun as she alighted on the Elephant’s neck. 


Fortunately the gun was simultaneously discharged, and the report 
frightened the Tigress, who then made her escape and was next day killed by the party. 


his picture, which was drawn from the account given by the 
Prince himself, is not presented as representing in detail the characteristics of the Tiger, but rather as a valuable illustration of the animal’s boldness, and 
also of an interesting mode of hunting it. 


(97) 


98 THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


his victim at one huge bound. The chief success of 
his attack lies in its surprise. An animal that is 
close to him, he seizes immediately ; one that is far- 
ther away he reaches by quick bounds; he pursues 
a fleeing one, and, if it be a large animal, he tries to 
tear the muscles and tendons of its hind legs by 
furious blows of his paw. 

The Tiger either drags his prey into a thicket 
immediately or he waits for dusk ; and sometimes he 
carries it a short distance. Sanderson saw an enor- 
mous male Tiger carry an ox weighing about three 
hundred and sixty pounds a distance of about three 
hundred paces. When not disturbed the Tiger eats as 
much as he-can, which is nearly sixty pounds. He 
usually begins with a hind leg ; seldom with a flank. 
While eating, he interrupts his meal at intervals by 
going for a copious drink of water. He is said to 
sometimes wade into the water and dip his head in 
as far as the eyes, lapping and gurgling as if he 
wished to rinse his huge mouth. After a satis- 
factory meal, he goes to sleep. He only arouses to 
procure drink, and, in fact, he attends to his diges- 
tion with a great measure of enjoyment. In the 
evening, generally between four and nine o’clock, he 
returns to his prey, to eat what he has left, if he can 
find it; for his table, like the Lion’s, is, during his ab- 
sence, spread for all kinds of hungry beggars, and 
he not infrequently discovers that the latter have 
made away with the carcass, even to the bones. 

He can endure hunger and thirst for a very long 
period. Two Tigers were once hemmed in by nets, 
in an impenetrable thicket about one hundred paces 
in diameter ; they were wounded on the fifth day, 
but were not killed until the tenth, and then with the 
assistance of an Elephant. The weather was very 
hot and they had been, besides, surrounded by fires, 
and in all this time they had neither food nor water 

- and they suffered from their wounds; yet, they re- 
tained their strength to the last. 

Methods of There are a great many devices for 

Catching catching Tigers. All kinds of traps 

the Tiger. are set for them and pitfalls are very 
efficient. Formerly pointed poles were placed in the 
center of the latter but an innocent human being 
was impaled on one of them and since that time 
their use has been interdicted, at least in the neigh- 
borhood of Singapore. Hasskarl writes me from 
Java that large traps are made of tree-trunks, and 
the bait isa young Kid, whose bleating attracts the 
beast. After due caution the Tiger creeps into the 
trap, tries to carry off the prey and thereby pulls a 
string, which shuts the trap. H. O. Forbes tells us 
that the natives of Sumatra make a hole in the fence 
surrounding a village, and attach a spear above the 
aperture so that when the Tiger crawls through he 
detaches a spring, which forces the spear into his 
body. In Assam, O. Flex tells us, automatic bows 
with poisoned arrows are put in the Tiger’s path, 
near the place where he goes for water. Spring guns 
are also used to good effect. Lately strychnia has 
been employed very extensively, but it is said to 
lose its efficacy when the meat upon which it is 
strewed begins to decompose. 

The profits of a successful Tiger-hunter are not to 
be despised. Besides receiving the bounty offered 
for killing a Tiger, he can use nearly all parts of its 
body, especially the fat, which amounts to from four 
to six quarts, and which is believed by the natives 
to cure rheumatism and certain diseases of Cattle. 
In some localities the flesh is eaten, and Jagor de- 
clares that its taste is not bad. In some countries 


the teeth and claws, the fat and the liver are valued 
more than the flesh and bones. The teeth are 
counted by the Shicaris as precious charms which 
render the wearer invulnerable against attacks of 
other Tigers. The claws, framed in gold and silver, 
are worn as ornaments by European and Asiatic 
ladies. The skins are cured and sold to Europeans 
and Chinese merchants. The Khirgiz adorn their 
arrow-cases with them. In Europe a Tiger skin, ac- 
cording to Lomer, may be sold for as much as three 
hundred dollars. 

Tiger Kittens The Tiger seeks his mate at varying 
and Their seasons according to his locality, the 
Training. breeding period beginning in the north- 

ern regions late in the fall or early in the winter; in 
the southern countries, like India, it is restricted to 
no particular time. The Tigress gives birth to two 
or three, sometimes four, and in rare cases five or 
six cubs, having first selected for her lair some im- 
penetrable spot, surrounded with thick vegetation. 
The little ones are about half the size of our adult 
domestic Cat and are charming little creatures, as 
are all Kittens. During the first few weeks the 
mother does not leave the young ones until she is 
nearly famished ; but as soon as they are somewhat 
older and require solid food, she begins to prowl 
around for prey. 

Sanderson says: “Little Tigers are extremely 

pretty and very good-natured. But if one wishes to 
tame them, they must be captured before they are 
a month old, and have no knowledge of life in the 
wilderness, or any dread of Man. They show a 
great deal of affection for their owner, follow him 
about, lie under his chair, and utter a peculiar, joy- 
ous snort when he caresses them. As soon as they 
taste meat, they do not want anything else to eat and 
will turn up their little noses at milk. The belief 
that a raw meat diet renders them wild is totally 
unfounded, as my own experience with them has 
shown. That is really the only food on which they 
thrive, and if they have enough of it they are ve 
tractable. At the age of four months they are al- 
ready quite strong and stately, but they can be left 
to run about fora much longer period. I kept a 
couple of them at liberty until they were eight 
months ‘old. They used to play very nicely by 
themselves and also with Men, and with a tame 
Bear. My experience has taught me that Tigers 
tamed in this manner are neither malicious nor blood- 
thirsty, and are not at all subject to savage outbursts 
if food is furnished in plentiful supply. I once had 
one of considerable size which had accustomed him- 
self to sleep in my bedroom. After I had fallen 
asleep he would frequently jump upon my bed; but 
he never took it amiss when I gave him a few cuffs 
and threw him down again.” 

Tigers are Of late Tigers have been trained to per- 
Teachable but form certain tricks. The trainer enters. 
Treacherous. a cage and causes them to go through 

a fixed programme, but it always remains a risk 
attended with decided danger. The Tiger is a genu- 
ine Cat, and shows affection for those who pet him, 
sometimes not only tolerating caresses but also re- 
turning them. Still his friendship is always doubt- 
ful, and he obeys in matters that are repugnant to his. 
nature only when he recognizes and fears Man’s 
authority. He never deserves full confidence ; it is 
not so much his malice that is to be dreaded as 
his consciousness of his own strength. He has as 
little malice or treachery as our own Pussy, but is. 


= —_— 


— EE eee” 


iene 


=e Wha 


2 


THE CAT FAMILY—WILD CAT. 99 


just as intolerant of bad usage, and rebels when he 
does not like the treatment accorded him by Man. 

Combat Between Indian princes still arrange combats 

Tiger and between Tigers and other animals, 

Elephant. especially the Elephant and Buffalo. 
Tachard witnessed such a fight in Siam. Three 
Elephants, whose heads were protected by a kind of 
harness, were led into an enclosure, fenced in by 
stakes. The Tiger was already there, but was held 
by two ropes. He was not very large, and when he 
caught sight of the Elephants, looked about for a 
hiding place; but the Elephants at once gave him a 
few blows with their trunks, which sent him to the 
floor in a dead faint. He was then untied, soon re- 
gained consciousness and, with a roar, rushed at the 
trunk of one of the Elephants, but the giant lifted 
it high up and threw the Tiger into the air with his 
tusks. He did not attempt another attack after this, 
but ran back and forth 
near the stakes and tried 
to escape. The three 
Elephants were then 
pitted against him, and 
they administered such 
terrific blows fhat he 
again fainted. If the 
struggle had not ended 
at this point the enraged 
Elephants would have 
killed him. 

The ancients did not 
know the Tiger until a 
Jate period. The Bible 
does not mention him, 
and the Greeks speak 
of him but little. Near- 
chos, Alexander’s gen- 
eral, saw a Tiger-skin, 
but not the animal itself, 
although the Hindoos 
informed him that it was 
as big as the largest 
Horse and was superior 
to all other creatures in 
swiftness and strength. 
Strabo is the first writer 
who gives any detailed 
account of him. The 
Romans had no knowl- 
edge of Tigers up to the 
time of Varro. Claudius 


tse 


THE MARBLED CAT. 


possession. 
quently Tigers were of- 
ten brought to Rome, and Heliogabalus had them 
draw his chariot when performing as Bacchus. 
Avitus gave, in an amphitheatre, the first perform- 
ance in which Tigers were killed, five of the beasts 
being slaughtered. 
Description of The Royal Tiger has as few near kins- 
the Clouded menas the Lion; his nearest relatives, 
Tiger. one of which was the Tiger of the 
Caverns that inhabited central Europe, all being ex- 
tinct. One South Asiatic species, the Clouded Tiger 
(Felis nebulosa), approaches him nearest, having like 
him a long body set on strong, short limbs. The 
head is small, the ears are rounded, and the soft fur 
resembles the stripes of the Royal Tiger. The great- 
est points of difference are its smaller size, the very 
short limbs and the tail, which is as long as the body. 
The ground color of his fur is a dingy, whitish-gray, 


sometimes overlaid with a yellow or brownish tinge. 
The lower parts are of a tan color. The head, feet 
and abdomen are adorned with black, round or oblong 
spots or stripes. The margins of the lips show a 
black edge, and the ears are black with gray spots. 
The length of the body is a little more than three 
feet, and the tail measures a little less than the body. 
The range of this animal is very extensive, embrac- 
ing all southeastern Asia. 

A few years ago the Clouded Tiger was a very 
rare animal in collections and zoological gardens, 
but is now more frequently met with. The natives of 
Sumatra say that he is anything but ferocious and 
lives only upon small mammals and birds. Among 
the latter we must, unfortunately, include Chickens, 
and the damage he does in poultry yards is consider- 
able. A beautiful specimen of the Clouded Tiger 
was attached to the London Zoological Garden, and 


Hag Tees This animal is a little larger than a large house Cat. The ground tint of the fur 
had four of them in his varies, but is usually of a brownish gray and merges into a black strip which extends along the entire back. On the 


Subse- sides are dark spots, not so sharply defined as those of the Leopard, but still quite prominent. The Marbled Cat 
inhabits Assam, Burmah, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra and perhaps Borneo. (/e/is marmorata.) 


the keeper treated it as he would a good-natured 
Domestic Cat. 


THE COMMON WILD CAT. 


The Common Wild Cat (Felis catus) is the only 
one of the family that has not been quite exter- 
minated in the Old World countries, like Germany. 
For a long time it was thought to be the ancestor of 
our Domestic Cat, but closer investigation does not 
support this belief. The Wild Cat is considerably 
larger than Pussy. It may be distinguished from 
the latter at a glance by its thicker fur, its larger 
whiskers, its ferocious look and its stronger teeth; 
its head is thicker, and its tail is fuller and shorter, 
does not taper toward the end, and is ringed in 
gray and black. The throat shows a whitish-yellow 
spot, and the soles of the feet are black or dark. 


100 


The Wild Cat attains a weight of sixteen or eight- 
een pounds. Its height at the shoulders is about 
sixteen inches ; its length from snout to tip of tail, 
forty to forty-five inches, the tail measuring twelve 
or thirteen inches. 

The fur is long and thick, gray in the male, yel- 
lowish gray in the female. The face is yellowish, 
the ears are russet gray on the outside and yellowish 
white on the inner side. Four black bands run from 
the forehead backward between the ears, and two of 
them uniting run along the spine and the upper side 
of the tail. From this band others of a rather faded 
dark color proceed downwards, dying away on the 
abdomen, which has a yellow color, dotted with 
black spots. The eyes of the animal are yellow. 

Where and How The Wild Cat inhabits all parts of 

the Wild Cat Europe, with the exception of the 

Lives. north, or more especially Scandinavia 
and Russia. In Germany it inhabits all the wooded 
mountains, though not in very large numbers. The 
southeast of Europe is par- 
ticularly well stocked with 
it. In the lower parts of 
the Alps it is very common. 
It is also frequent in Spain 
and France, and Great Brit- 
ain has not yet quite exter- 
minated it. Outside of Eu- 
rope it has only been found 
in Grusia, south of the Cau- 
casus. Great, thick forests, 
especially gloomy woods of 
the pine and fir-tree, are its 
favorite haunts. The more 
deserted a district is, the 
more devoted is the Wild 
Cat to it. It prefers rocky 
forests to all others, as 
rocks afford so many places 
of concealment. Besides it 
lives in the holes made by 
Badgers and Foxes, and in 
hollow trees. 

The Wild Cat lives in 
company with others of its 
kind only during the breed- 
ing season and while its 
young ones are dependent 
on it. At all other times it 
leads a solitary life. The 
young separate from the 
mother at an early age and 
try hunting on their own 
account. catus.) 

The Wild Cat begins its activity at dusk. En- 
dowed with excellent organs of sense, cautious and 
cunning, noiselessly creeping up to its prey and 
patiently watching its opportunity, it is a dangerous 
foe to small and moderate sized animals. It lies in 
wait for the bird in its nest, the Hare on the ground, 
the Squirrel on the tree. It kills larger animals by 
jumping upon their backs and severing the carotid 
artery with its sharp teeth. It also shows its genu- 
ine feline nature by renouncing its intended prey, if 
the first leap is unsuccessful. Fortunately its prin- 
cipal nutriment consists of Mice of all kinds and 
small birds. It is only occasionally that it seeks for 
larger animals. Still, it is a fact that it attacks Fawns 
and Roes, and is strong enough to cope with them. 
It keeps watch by the banks of lakes and rivers for 
fish and birds and catches them very adroitly. It 


the picture. 


COMMON WILD CAT.—This fierce European animal is thor- 
oughly hated by its human neighbors, who often trap it, like the one in 


Here we see the principal distinguishing features of this 
Cat—the arrangement of its strong teeth, the long whiskers, the 
stunted tail and the gray and black markings of its shaggy coat. (/e/is 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


is extremely destructive in parks and game pre- 
serves. 

Considering its size, the Wild Cat is a very dan- © 
gerous Beast of Prey, especially as it is guilty of the 
bloodthirstiness that distinguishes all of its kindred. 
For this reason hunters detest it and pursue it with- 
out mercy. No sportsman gives it due credit for all 
the Mice it kills.) How many of them it destroys 
may be seen from Tschudi’s statement that the 
remains of twenty-six Mice were found in the stom- 
ach of one Cat. Zelebor examined several stomachs 
of Cats of this species and found them to contain 
the bones and hairs of Martens, Fitchets, Ermines, 
Weasels, Marmots, Rats, Mice, Squirrels and birds. 
Small mammals, therefore, form its principal food, 
and as Mice are the most frequent among these, we 
are inclined to think that the good services of the 
Wild Cat more than compensate for the mischief it 
does. It exterminates more harmful than useful 
animals, and if its attributes do not endear it to the 

: hunter, our woods profit by 
its activity. 


Hunting The Wild Cat 
_the is hunted with 
Wild Cat. a considerable 


amount of zeal. Zelebor 
‘says: “It is the most diffi- 
cult thing in the world to 
draw a live Wild Cat from 

. the hollow of a tree. Two 
or three of the strongest 
and boldest men, with 
hands protected by tough 
gloves and a wrapping of 
rags, will find both strength 
and courage taxed to the 
utmost by the effort to drag 
one of these Cats from such 
a retreat and put it in a 
bag.” I must confess that 
the chances of success of 
this method of hunting 
these animals seems du- 
bious to me, for all other 
writers agree that to hunt a 
grown Wild Cat is no joke. 
Winckell advises sports- 
men to proceed with cau- 
tion, not to delay with the 
second shot if the first 
does not kill outright, to 
approach the Cat only 
when it has been complete- 
ly disabled from moving, 
and even then to give it a finishing stroke before 
touching it. Wounded Wild Cats driven to bay are 
very dangerous. Tschudi says: ‘Take good aim, 
hunter! If the beast is only wounded, it curves its 
back, lifts its tail straight up, and makes for the 
sportsman with a vicious, hissing snort, and buries 
its sharp claws in his flesh, preferably his breast, so 
that it can hardly be torn away; and such wounds 
are extremely slow to heal.. It has no fear of Dogs, 
but will of its own accord, and before it sees the 
hunter, often come down to them from a tree; and 
the fight that ensues is fearful. The fierce animal 
uses its claws to good purpose, always aiming at the 
Dog’s eyes, and fights with desperate energy until ° 
the last spark of its tenacious life is extinguished.” 
We must carefully differentiate the Wild Cat 
proper from stray domestic Cats that may have 


RL THE. oe 


Var 
Vly “a 
Gyj 


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BA Tu 
ft 7 / 
Vat 


+ ab 
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Py oe 
—< 


FEMALE WILD CAT AND YOUNG..—In the forests of Europe the Common Wild Cat makes its home. This is not the animal commonly known 
in America as the Wild Cat, the latter being really the Red Lynx. The European animal is a true Cat, larger than the domestic species and very fierce and 
bloodthirsty, preying upon al! mammals and birds it can mast Yet like all felines it rears its young with great tenderness and affection. Here is a family 
of Wild 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. (/e/is catus.) 


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 
tint, though they always lack the blunt tail, the light 
spot at the throat and the dark soles of their ances- 
tor. The animal known as Wild Cat in the United 
States 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 


THE EGYPTIAN CAT.— 


This picture has a familiar look, the resemblance to the house-cat being so m 


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 vicinity 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 


se NN 


Sa 355 
Although still dis- 


I’ a8 Z* Zz 


arked. 


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. (/edis 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 
iike that on some of our Cats. The mummies and 
pictures on Egyptian monuments agree most closely 
with this species, and evidently tend to prove that 
this was the domestic Cat of the Egyptians. 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. 

The observations of 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 


eee 


THE CAT FAMILY—DOMESTIC CAT. 


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 
erfect eyes, ears and claws, to know how to catch 
ice, and, if a female Cat, 
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 domestica.) 

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 


avery common one, 


THE DOMESTIC CAT,——The animal in tl 
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 
otherlarger members of the Cat family, and may therefore be observed with profit by the student. (Felis maniculata 


103 


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- 
tous 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 
With the help of its claws it 


climb to any height. 


ne picture is familiar to all, and the playful scene here depicted is 


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. Ihave 
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 tothem 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 inthe Cat. Thesense of smell is rather 
dull, as anybody can see 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 
is different, 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 

ualities are usually quite misunderstood. Peo- 

of the Cat. ple consider it a treacherous, deceitful, 
sly animal, that is not to be trusted. Many confess 
to an unconquerable feeling of antipathy towards it. 
Asa 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 are 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, the Dog, and we are not able to show equal 
friendship and admiration for these two opposite 
natures. 

“Let 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 mucha 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 of 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 roofs and hay-sheds, 
without bewilderment. It is an ideally local animal, 
and if the family moves it either declines to accom- 
pany them or, if carried to the new residence, returns 
at the first opportunity to the old homestead; and it 


is remarkable how unerringly it will find its way back, 
even when carried away ina sack for a distance of 
several miles.” 

The Mother When the mother Cat gives birth to- 

Catand 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 are 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. 
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. 
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 At is commonly thought that Cats are 
and Affection incapable of being educated; but this 
of Cats. is an injustice. 

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. 
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 here are 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 ina 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. 


At the same time- 


Tenderly she 


They are also capable: 


Some Cats accompany’ 


Mother 
followed her, and the Cat then joyfully ran across. 


THE CAT FAMILY—DOMESTIC CAT. 


the yard toa 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 mastet. Therefore I also 
believe the following story to be true: A Cat lived 
on very good terms with a Canary bird and fre- 

uently played with it. 
ne 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 From all 
Usefulness these ac- 
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 yp. 
against them. Besides, —“4g,7-2¥ 
the usefulness of Cats ee 
ought to be taken more 
into account. He who 
has never lived in an 
old, tumble-down house, 
overrun with Rats and 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 ofa 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 


tics are well brought out in the picture. 


105 


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 Lhe Domestic Cat (Felis maniculata do- 

ofthe  mestica) 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; 


eS eo s : Sin e 
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- 
(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 Lhe Angora Cat (Felts maniculata domes- 
Cat, a Distinct tica angorensis) 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 
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 


or mixed tinge. 


106 


subscribe to the opinion held concerning him from 
remotest times. The Lion is the king of all Beasts 
oi 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 areeasily distinguished from all other Felide. 
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 Felidz, the body of the Lion 
seems short, the flanks retracted, and the whole body 
produees 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 Lhe Barbary Lion (Fels leo barbarus) 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 ina 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 
onthe breast as.upon the remainder of the body, 
or, at most, but a very little longer. The Barbary 
Lion is confined to the Atlas country. 

Other The Senegal Lion (Felis leo senegalensis) 

Varieties has a lighter mane, very little developed 
of the Lion. on the breast. The South African. Lion 
( Felis leo capensis), and probably also the Abyssinian 
Lion, are distinguished by.their huge size ; and they 
have a dark mane. The Persian Lion (Felis leo per- 
Sicus) possesses a mane consisting of mixed -brown 
and black hair; and this animal extends over Persia 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


* 
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 
maneless, 

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 proyed to 
be erroneous. He is of a dull tan color, the tail-tuft 
and ears being darker. 

Decrease in Lhe time when six hundred Lions could 

Numbers be brought together in one arena is 

of the Lion. jrremediably 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 Gérard, have 
made sad havocin 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. 

The Lion'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 a 

e 


feline species; still he differs in many essentials. 


EES 


HEAD OF THE BARBARY 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. 


108 


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 1 am fully persuaded that when a Lion 
ona 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 

rey; his eyes glow and his tail lashes the air. He 

lets go of the dying animal, and again closes his 
teeth on it until it ceases to move. Then he beats 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. ; a, 
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 Lhe North African Lion, when within the 
in Search reach of a village, seeks nowhere else for 
of Prey. prey. 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 them 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 ina 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 u 
to them, sometimes with others of his own kind, 
keeping well to leeward of the 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 well as the 
herds of Cattle, and like other Felidz 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 eats the intestines 


g 
“ii, 
Li 


Wo // jy, 


THE BARBARY 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. (edis leo éar- 


darus.) 


110 


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 death through dislocation of the vertebre of 
the neck, the Lion jumping on their shoulder, taking 
their 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 1s 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 filland more. The King does not tol- 
erate them and it is said that serious quarrels occur 
over this matter. 

Lions Attack 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 are 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 
Selous 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, he 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 
are 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. nent language than Selous: “It has 


always appeared to me that the word ‘majestic’ is 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


singularly inapplicable to the Lion in the wild state, 
as when seen by daylight he always has a stealthy, 
furtive look that entirely does 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 am 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’7o’s one met fifty Buffa- 
loes to a single Lion ona 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 asa 
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- 


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 agea 
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. 


= = “ - A. | 


scientific division. 


mane is lighter and only covers the head, neck and a part of the breast. c : 
are about to take their meal, but appear to have heard suspicious sounds, which they would like to know more about before commencing. 


leo senegalensis.) 


The Lion Lions captured young may become very 
in tame if they receive intelligent care. They 
Captvity. 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. 


THE SENEGAL LION.—— Although there are differences in the Lions found in various parts, they are so slight as to scarcely justify a 
The principal variance is in the mane of the male, which is largest and darkest in the Barbary Lion. 
The Lion in the picture, with his Lioness, have secured their prey and 


LION. 111 


He needs about eight pounds of fresh meat daily. 
This will keep him in fine condition and he will 
grow fat on it. 
Experience 1 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 ilke a Dog, caressed me at 
every opportunity and annoyed me only-by coming 
to my bed in the night and awakening me with her 


j ; EY on 
In the Senegal Lion the 
(Felis 
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 
aiter 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 
fortwo years. Then I visited her andshe 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 think. 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, soas 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 
Gérard 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 
peas 1856 and 1857 the same writer tells us that sixty 
ions 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 Inthe Atlas country the Lion is hunted 
of Hapting in various ways. If he molests a Bed- 
the Lion. 


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-grown Lion may weigh as much as 
four hundred pounds. Every boy eats a piece of the 
heart, for this is supposed to make him courageous. 
The hairs of the mane are worn as charms, as they 
are believed to protect their wearer from other Lions. 
Ancient Lhe 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 Sczvola, the 
second by Sulla. He had one hundred Lions in the 
arena, Pompey had six hundred and “Julius Cesar 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 Pharsalus, 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 hunaeee 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 aufhcient 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 Felidz, 
regarding them either as varieties of the same spe- 
cies, or as three distinct species. 

Distinguishing The Leopard (Felis pardus) 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 isa 
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 thelimbs. 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 inthesun. It is called Gesela 
in Abyssinia and is much hunted for its skin. 


Characteristics The Panther ( Felis panthera) is usu- 
of the ally about seven feet long, including 
Panther. the 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 
owerful in proportion to the body and the paws are 
arge. 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 intinge. The spots on the head 
are 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. 


en a eee 


a 


gia’ 


, 


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 Jed 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, 


(113) 


114 
The Long- The Long-tailed Panther (Felis varie- 
Tailed — gata), 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. 
His spots are small and dark and are grouped very 
close together. They give the skin a black-blue lus- 
tre, perceived when one looks at the fur from the 
side. 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 
Java knows that he is found in the same litter with 
the yellow animals. Sanderson believes them to 


inhabit only thick, extensive forests, and nct te be 
found everywhere like their yellow kinsmen. Nearly 


\ Nr ees . 2 = 


every zoological garden now has Black Leopards, 
and in some they are systematically bred. 

Hunters, merchants, etc., readily dis- 
criminate between the smaller, bulk- 
ier Leopard and the larger, more 
slenderly-built Panther, but in zoology they both 
belong to one group. The Panther and Leopard are 
both Feks pardus. In West Africa they are called 
“Ngo,” in Persia “ Palang,” in India ‘“ Tschita,” 
“ Adnara,” “ Honiga” and “ Kerkal,” and on the 
Malay Peninsula they are termed ‘“ Harimau-bin- 
tang.” The size, the shape of the head, the slender 
or bulky frame, the length of the tail, the ground 
color and spots of 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- 
ference in the size is probably due to the difference 
in age, locality and food. 


Leopards and 
Panthers 
one Family. 


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. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


Traits of It is as customary to speak of the 
Leopards and Panther and Leopard as it is to speak 
Panthers. of 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 voice is not loud 
and is 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. pon 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 are 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. 


(Felis pardus.) 


Seer Sx 
ade ae 
SEES a 


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 endangey them, and at the same time for any luckless animal that 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 ora stately Leopardess. (Felis pardus.) 


(115) 


116 


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. 

Heis 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 witha of his intrepidity. One day we were 

Leopard. riding on horseback through a part of 
the 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- 
ain 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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!” Welooked down and sawa 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. Sowe 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, descendin 


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 ona 
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 ina 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- 
tated beasts. Sanderson says that he knows of no 


“ei 


the c : 
ba 


i) 


Wut 


= 


= = = —————— = 


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 ofits spots. Itisa restless hunter, killing not only mammals but also birds. The animal in the picture is represented in its native Sumatran 
jungle, ready to seize an aquatic bird which has become aware, too late, of its enemy’s stealthy approach. (/e/is melas.) 


(117) 


118 


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. ing of 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 


aptly named. 
longer. 
limbs and muscular development make it an assailant to be feared. 


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. He 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 of Men; but this 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- 


lance at this picture shows that the animal it represents is 
It is spotted differently from other Panthers, and its head is less round and the neck proportionately 
It is one of the boldest and fiercest of the animals infesting the forests of Sumatra and Java, and its strong 
(Felis variegata.) 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. ferent 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 are 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. rica I 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 
slong 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. 


overcome his obstinacy without ill-treating him, for 
he did not belong to me, and J 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 tooka 


SANTA i Vi 


\ Vm YK. A-/ 
wa) 


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 
It is sometimes called the Snow Leopard. 


ring-shaped on the body, are well brought out. 


new stable-brush and fastened it ona 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 possiblespeed. 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. 


2h 


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 (Felis uncia), 
attains nearly the same 
size as the Leopard. The 
ground color of the skin 
is whitish gray, the hairs 
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 


parts of eastern Asia. 
defined as those of the Leopard. 
surroundings of its arboreal home. 


Vi Ag/ \ a4 =e ty 
' 4 p\4 - ; v, 
MIMA\S IN 


119 


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 Felidz 
which deserve to be men- 
tioned in connection with 
the preceding group. 

The Viverrine Cat (Felis 
é 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 East 
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 ard Sheep. 
The majority of these Cats behave badly in captiv- 
ity and are very difficult to tame. 

Still smaller is the Leopard-Cat (Felis dengalensis), 
whose $ize is that of our domestic Cat. It is spread 


(Felis uncia.) 


THE LEOPARD CAT.—Fierce, cruel and untamable, this Cat is a terror to small animals and birds in all 


It derives its name from the number and shape of its spots, although they are not so sharply 
It is noted forits agility in climbing, and the picture shows it in the appropriate 
(Felis bengalensis.) 


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 (Felis serval) as a con- 
necting link between Cats and Lynxes. He is of 


120 


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 Felidae, to which 
we will now turn; but their slender body, shorter legs, 
and small head devoid of beard and mane place the 


thief. 


the illustration. (Felis serval.) 
uniformly colored New World Felide on a much 


lower plane than the Old World Cats. 


THE COUGAR, OR PUMA. 


The best known species of the uniformly colored 
American Felide is the Cougar, Silvery Lion or 
Puma (felis concolor), commonly called ‘“ Panther ” 
in the United States, and having different local names, 
among which are those of “ Tiger,” ‘‘Catamount” and 
‘Mountain Lion.” His length is about forty inches, 
the tail measures about twenty-five inches, and the 
shoulder height is about twenty-five inches. The 
dense, short, soft fur is more abundant under the body 
than on the back. The prevailing color is tan-brown, 
darkest on the spine, whitish on the under parts. 
Above and below the eye there is usually a white 


e THE SERVAL.——One of the vices of this African Cat is that it preys upon birds and is an accomplished Chicken 
It is therefore appropriately portrayed in the picture with a bird as its victim. n 
slender body, black stripes and spots on the light (tan-colored) fur, and especially the large, long ears, are all well shown in 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 
locality; 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. ica, 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. 
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 Ayres, 
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. 

Every 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. 

Prey All smaller, weak mammals are his prey, 

of the Deer, Sheep, young. Calves, and Colts when 

Puma. separated from their mothers. Even the fleet- 
footed 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 


The characteristics of this Cat, the 


PUMA ATTACKING AN ANT-BEAR,—There is no more harmless cre 
feet are muscular and its claws are powerful and when a P 
although generally succeeding in making a meal of the Ant-Bear. 
every animal that comes in its way. The Savage character of 


ature than the Ant-Bear of South America, when let alone. But its fore- 
uma attacks it they are used with such effect that the fierce feline is often severely wounded, 

The Puma is a very bloodthirsty animal and, whether hungry or not, usually attacks 
onslaught is well portrayed in the picture. (Felis concolor.) 


(121) 


122 


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 agility, 
making his way out on boughs until they bent with 
his weight, and then jumping to another tree. 

When the Puma has seized his victim, he tears 
open its neck, and laps its blood before he begins to 
eat. He devours every 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 
Frequently the slaughter of a single creature 


sand. 


her wantsit. There will be trouble. (/e/is concolor.) 


does not content this sanguinary animal, and thus he 
becomes a dangerous enemy to owners of flocks. 
He never carries his victim far from the place at 
which he killed it He rarely attacks animals larger 
than Sheep; Horses, Mules and: Cows are secure 
from his attacks, as well as Dogs; although he fre- 
quently prowls close to houses. 
Hunting Owing to his cruelty and the injury he 
the does to the property of Man the Puma is 
Puma. being energetically exterminated. There 
is no 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 animal, the following seems to me to be very 


THE COUGAR OR PUMA.——This vicious beast is an American animal ranging from Canada to Patagonia, 
and in the United States is only found in forests or mountain fastnesses in the West and South. 
from others of the Cat tribe by being of one color, with the exception, usually, of white spots above and below the 
The picture represents a family row, evidently. The Puma in the background has captured a large bird and 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


good: An Englishman, hunting wild Ducks in the 
pampas, was creeping.along on the ground towards 
some birds. He had wrapped his head and body in 
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. The animal was 
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. 

The Puma Pumas captured old sometimes reject all 

in food and prefer starvation to the loss of 

Captivity. liberty; when very young cubs are cap- 
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 drawback 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 Yag 
ofthe uarundi (Felis yaguarundi), a slender 
Yaguarundi. creature nearly resembling a Marten in 
his long body and tail. The head is small, the eye 
moderately large, the ears 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 always lighter in tinge. 
The size is much smaller than that of the Puma, for 
the body is only twenty-two inches long; the length 
of the tail is nearly thirteen inches and the shoulder 
height fourteen inches. 


It is distinguished 


Aree GE, NY 
Pe 


a CS Le Beh ch 
a AY 
Saye 


——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 fish 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 w 


aters, 
seeming to know that its only reward would be a shock. (Felis onza.) 


124 


The Yaguarundi inhabits South America, between 
Paraguay and Panama, and O. 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 (Feds onzaz) is the largest, strongest 
and most ill-famed of all New World Felide. 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 onthe rest of the body. The ground color 
as well as the spots are 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 skin is so dark 
that the spots are 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 
species. 
Home and. The name of “Jaguar” is taken from 
Haunts of the the Guaran language, in which “Jaguar- 

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 part of the United States. 


‘respect, 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


Probably he is most common in the temperate re- 
gions of South America, and least frequently found 
in the United States, where the encroachménts 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 ina 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. 

Thé 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 
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 are 
acute and are of uniform development, except that. 
the smelling faculty is rather deficient, as is the case 
with all Felide ; 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-turtle, 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 fora few 
minutes, or makes wide circuits to approach his prey 
from another and more advantageous side. hen 
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 
Attack. 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: “I 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 Tapir, which h 
mal runs into a thicke 
sented in the illustration the Tapir can dive w 


a graphic scene in the South American forest. From a convenient ambush the Jaguar springs out 

as been enjoying herself with her young on the river bank. Frequently when a Jaguar jumps on the back of a Tapir the attacked ani- 

t with its bloodthirsty assailant, whose hold on the tough, thick hide is weak, and thus the Jaguar is often thrown off. In the case pre- 
ith its young, and thus escape the Jaguar, which, like all other Cats, can do little damage in the water. 


(12©) 


126 


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 Felidz. 

Jaguarsnot A Jaguar which has not yet made 

Usually Danger- the acquaintance of Man, avoids him 
oustoMan. 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. 
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, 
Habitsand The Jaguar remains in one locality 
Wanderings of as long as there is anything left for 
the Jaguar. him to prey upon and he is not an- 
noyed too much. When food becomes scarce, or 
pursuit waxes hot, he leaves the neighborhood and 
emigrates to otherhaunts. 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 


Only. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 
ointed, and so every wound combines bruising with 
aceration.” 
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 the 


still live on their mother’s milk, for otherwise it is 
too late to tame them. They play 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 doa 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. ccompanied 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 


SR : 2 Sih) ES AE 5 

OCELOT AND SLOTH.——In the South American for 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 round, due to the shape of its toes, but it seldom leaves the trees, where it can move 
about with considerable rapidity. But itis no match for the agile, cruel, bloodthirsty lot, 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. 


(127) 


io 8) 


12 


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 (Fels 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, 
The general color is tawny 


well-harmonized colors. 


- ss HSS os 
J peat N he am 


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. (/e/is pajeros.) 


or grayish brown above and yellowish white below. 
A black stripe runs from the eyes to the ears. The 
body shows 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. He'does not seem to have a permanent den. 

How the Ocelot During the day he sleeps in the most 

Lives impenetrable part of the forest; at 
and Hunts. dusk, and particularly at night, he 
goes forth to prey. Dark or stormy nights are as 


THE BEASTS OF PREY, 


good as moonlight to him, in fact, he prefers those 
that are stormy, as he can then slink into farmyards 
unperceived 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 he 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 
Dogs 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 
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 show 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 ina 
cage or chained up. 


THE PAMPAS CAT. 


The Pampas Cat (Fes pajeros) 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. Each hair is gray at its root, 
and then yellow, tipped with silver-gray, or in the 
stripés with a russet yellow. Along the spine black 


THE CAT FAMILY—MARGUAY. 


and dark red hair is mixed, and the tail shows from 
four 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. 


Si SSS) P , SRA 


THE MARGUAY, OR TIGER 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. 
an arboreal animal, partial to birds as well as rodents and other small mammals. 


have a bird in view. (Felis 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 
the Long-tailed Tiger Cat. The Marguay is called 
Tiger-cat (Felis tigrinis) by nat- 


uralists and in commerce; and 3 a 


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 
oe animal. Waterson 

rought up a young Margua se 0 
in Guiana with erest cake it PEARCE fenraten. 
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. 
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 Marguay waged an incessant © 


129 


THE LONG-TAILED TIGER CAT. 

The Long-tailed Tiger Cat (Felis macrura) 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, 
white 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. 


Nearly all naturalists agree in assigning the Lynx 
(Lynx) a place of its own among the Cats. The 


Itis 
The Cat in the picture seems to 


b>) ~ 
2S \WOIYS 
Me aaRHAR 7, 


THE LONG-TAILED TIGER CA?.—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, as shown in the. picture. 
(Felis macrura.) 


The smallness of the head and the pointed ears are also distin- 


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 stumpy. 

All continents except Catless Australia are well 
stocked with Lynxes; Europe itself has two distinct 


130 


species of its own. They preférably 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 ina 
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 ina 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, 

iving the Lynx face a rather peculiar appearance. 

he color of the fur is 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 manent occupant of German for- 

Common Lynx. ests and was universally detested 
and pursued. His numbers have been steadily re- 
duced since and he may now be considered extermi- 
nated 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- 
est fires may, for 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 


‘full right to the ornamental ear-tuft. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


one locality, searches it in all directions, often travel- 
ing miles in one night and using highroads for this 
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 
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. be 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 


Lr 


WIRSE 


(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- 
Animal. ive of 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 


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 reached such a point that when she was en- 
gaged ina passionate but forbidden chase of Hares, 
Sheep or poultry, and I called her, she would stop 
instantaneously and come back like a guilty Dog, 
crouching low on the ground and pleading for 
mercy. When she was too far away to hear our 
voices, the report of a gun was sufficient to call her 
back to us in breathless haste. 

“Lucy took part in all my autumnal hunting expe- 
ditions. When she caught sight of a poor Hare, she 
immediately engaged ina hot 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 


Ye 


, “a 
r mor) 
Fi a Po aE 


THE CAT F 


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 Lhe Lynx is zealously hunted, not only 
Lynx—Its. because of the mischief he does, but be- 
Valuable Fur. cause of the pleasure the sport affords. 
The fur of the Lynx is very valuable. The Scan- 
dinavian specimens are counted among the finest 


long limbs, and long ear-tufts that are his prominent characteristics. 

birds in the deserts and grassy plains of Africa and western Asia. 
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 


4AMILY—-LYNX. 1 


Qe 
vr 


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. of the above 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. 


“eee 


ES 


Tae! 5 — = > = ene ~ sl 
THE CARACAL LYNX.—This animal is the most vicious member of the Lynx group, and the picture well shows the slender body, 


He is fleet of foot, and attacks Antelopes as well as small mammals and 


(Lynx caracal,) 


(The Red Lynx The species of Lynx found in forests 
orAmerican in the United States is the Red Lynx 
Wild Cat. or Bay Lynx (Lynx rufus). 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 
maculata), which is found in Texas and Southern Cal- 


134 


ifornia; the Oregon Lynx (Lynx fasciata), which in- 
habits northern Oregon and Washington ; the Flor- 
ida Lynx (Lynx floridanus), which is found in Florida, 
Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana, and the Carolina 


PEESHOO, OR CANADIAN LYNX.—This animal is 
cious as the European species. 
artist in an attitude of repose. 
Lynx. (Lynx borealis.) 


Lynx (Lynx carolinensis), 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. Lynxes 
the Caracal (Lynx cara- 
cal or Caracal melanotis), 
strikes one as a genuine 
child of the desert and 
plain. This animal is 
smaller than the north- 
ern species being from 


somewhat smaller and is neither 
It 1s regarded as a lazy animal, liking its‘ease, and is appropriately presented by the 
Its ears are not quite so long, but its ear-tufts are longer than those of the Common 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. (Lynx 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 


SEL NG 


so active nor so fero- 


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. 
western Asia and India, and lives in deserts as well 
as on grassy plains, but he is not found in forests. 


AAS 


we NG in Se % 


COMMON JUNGLE-CAT.—This animal, which is of the Lynx 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.) 


He inhabits all Africa, 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 


which means Dog-Cat. 


THE FAHHAD, OR AFRICAN CHEETAH.—A glance at this picture will show why the naturalist has given these animals a name 
The limbs are long like those of the Dog, but the long tail, the head and the paws are Cat-like. 


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 African variety, 


shown in this picture, differs from thé Asiatic species principally in the shortness of the mane on the nape of the neck and different markings of 


the fur. 


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 Nubia, 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.” 


(Cynailurus guttatus.) 


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 
istics of 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 jubatus), and the Fahhad or African 
Cheetah ( Cynailurus guttatus), the Spotted Cheetah 
( Cynailurus soemmeringit), 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 furis long and tangled, especially on the 


136 


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 forma few small rings. The length 
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 ina medium-sized ruminants which live 
Wild State. in the 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 asa 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 
Animal. 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. 
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-Dogs 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 


The Shah of Persia 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 
to him with expressive gestures. All the animal’s 
latent passion for the chase, together with his nat- 
ural craftiness, are 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 ina 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 boldl 
up to him and pet him. He accepts caresses wit 
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 

ass him unmolested, for he will not even deign to 
ook 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 
onthe 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 


m1 


CHEETAH, 0R HUNTING LEOPARD. 
Hunting Leopard, and in India and elsewhere is usec 


1 in the hunting « 
when it is turned loose. It approaches 


the herd with cat-like stealtt 
bite and whose warm blood it drinks as its share of the booty. (Cyna 


Of the wild members of the Cat family thi 


is animal is the most easily tamed. It is sometimes called the 


of Antelopes. Itis carried blindfolded in a two-w heeled Ox-cart until the herd is seen, 
1 until near enough to spring upon the Antelope, whose jugular vein it severs with a 
ilaurus Jjubatus.) 


138 


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 1 must confess, to my shame, that 
a Cheetah I delight in no other spectacle so 
andaleopard. much asa 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 


aE ios rs a eS 


connecting the Cats and the Civets. 
stumpy legs tipped with sharp, retractile claws. 
Malagassy natives. (Cryptoprocta ferox.) 
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. Thena 
fight followed accompanied by such a terrible spit- 
ting and “swearing” that I 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 
the victor, if I 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 for 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. 
How really amiable my Jack was, may be seen 
in the following anecdote: Several German ladies 


THE FOUSSA, OR CRYPTOPROCTA.—This animal, which is confined to the island of Madagascar, forms a distinct group by itself, 
The picture shows its peculiarities: the long tail, the short ears, long whiskers, and especially the short, 
The animal is said to be very ferocious and bloodthirsty, and it is greatly feared by the 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 ona 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. 


WS 


THE FOUSSA, OR CRYPTOPROCTA. 


Pollen’s and Schlegel’s investigations have shown 
that the animal named Foussa, or Cryptoprocta, 
which formerly was counted among the Viverridz 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 Viverride. 

The Cryptoprocta (Cryptoprocta ferox) 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 headand 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. 


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 


139 


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. 


The Civet Family. 


SECOND FAMILY: VIvERRID&. 


The Cryptoprocta has led us to the family of the 
Civets (Viverride). 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 Lhe Civets inhabit the southern part 
of the of the Old World, preferably Africa 

Civet Family. and 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. Rocky 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, and 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 they 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 the old ones are 
fierce and obstinate. They bear captivity well, and 
several species of these animals are extensively kept 
for the sake of the secretion of their glands, which 
is a valuable article of commerce. 

On the whole the usefulness of 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 (Az/uropoda), 
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 (Viverra) are 
light and elongated, the tails long, the legs also long 
and the soles covered with hair; the feet aré 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 


Structure The African Civet (Viverra civetta) 

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 ina 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


€ 
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 fed 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 


SS == 


THE AFRICAN CIVET. 


This is a typical member of thé 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. 


‘ 
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. 
long, oblong, white stripe running backward. The 
length of the body is about twenty-eight inches ; 
the 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 
food and that it will even climb trees for the sake 
of securing them. 


On both sides of the neck there is a . 


(Viverra civetta.) 


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. atic Civet (Viverra stbetha), which, for 
a long time, was taken for a variety of the African 
species. Its color and markings are different; its 


THE CIVET FAMILY— 


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 


although its tail is proportionately longer. It is an inhabitant of 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 z00- 

logical gardens is the 
Lesser Civet or Rasse 
(Viverra 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. 


of movement are remarkable. 


THE LESSER CIVET, OR RASSE.— One of the smallest of the Viverrine, or musk-bearing family. Its 
markings resemble those of the African more than the Asiatic Civets, but it is much smaller than either of the others, 
(Viverra malaccensis.) 


CAT-FOOTED CIVETS. 141 


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 ptt 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— 

The Common order of 

Genette. the Gen- 
ettes (Genetta) 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 is 
the Common Genette 
(Viverra genetta), the 
only Civet 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 from six to seven inches. The body 


caret 


The sub- 


THE COMMON GENETTE.—One ot the prettiest of all creatures is the Common Genette, a small, graceful, 
but bloodthirsty animal, with a beautifully marked and valuable fur. 
in the picture, especially in the Snake-like attitude of the animal in the background. 
(Viverra genetta.) 


Its agile but wary movements are well shown 
Its quickness as well as stealth 


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 


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 
dificult 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 
involuntary admiration. 
Pechuel- 


An Account 
offame 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.” 


excels all musk-bearing animals. 


pointed snout, 


the “ civet,”’ or animal-musk, which is procured from it, in which respect it 
Its slender body bears distinct markings, 
with a black stripe along the spine; and the head has keen eyes and a 
It.is,a night prowling animal and very destructive among 
Chickens, Ducks and smiall mammals and birds, 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


The Paradoxures The Civets lead us to the Paradoxures 

or or Palm Cats (Pavadoxurus). © 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- 
urus, meaning queer-tailed, can be curled by a few 
species of the Palm Cats, but this peculiarity is by lo 
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 
the Indian Paradoxure 

Paradoxure, (Paradoxu- 
rus niger) resembles the 
Genettes in shape as well 
as coloring. His dimen- 
sions ape 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 retracted 
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. 


imal is commercially valuable for 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 


(Viverra zibetha.) 


. 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 (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), répre- 

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. 


Like all other members. — 


4 yw 
Mone 


\ 


one 
Wah vy 
AS 


vm! 


Hy Ht ‘a 


ffee 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 


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 


QS. 


—, 
+ 


ferent specimens. 


natives call him “ Coffee-Rat.” (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus.) 


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, 
His color is principally 
black on the head, gray 
on the cheeks, 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. 


fers from the others in the absence o 
somewhat bushy tail. 


‘ K 


Like the othe: 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


THE DOG-FOOTED CIVETS. 


Among the Viverride with non-retractile claws, 
or Dog-footed Civets ( Cynopeda), we must first turn 
to the» Mungooses: or Ichneumons, so widely cele- 
brated in olden times: The Mungooses: (Heresies) 
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” (Herpestes 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 


Ny AWS SY 


* 


pene 


a and Formosa, dif- 
f spots on its fur. 


r Paradoxures, it lives on fruits as well as flesh. (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. A®lianus, 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. 


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 
romoter of public welfare with a great many more 
Erilliant qualities. When the Crocodile has eaten 
its fill, 1t 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 eggs 
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. 


Se B 


—— 


THE ICHNEUMON.——This 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.” 
mais 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. (Herfestes ichneumon.) 


145 


Characteristics A full-grown Ichneumon consider- 

of the ably exceeds our domestic Cat in 
Ichneumon. size, Its body is about twenty-six 
inches long, and its tail at least eighteen inches. 
Its short legs make the animal appear smaller than 
The body is slender, like that of all Viver- 


it: is. 


- = x As - SRA ! Tf) JTF rpy 
=== Wes A SN ae: HIMMANAR Ge 
The animal is very bloodthirsty and kills all ani- 


ride, 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 


146 


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. 
On 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 


MANGUE OR KUSIMANSE.——A small, burrowing animal of West Africa, forming by itself a distinct group 


of the Viverrine family. 
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. (Crossarchus obscurus.) 
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 Lhe 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 for 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 eats 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, Lizards, 


It has a thick, stout body covered with harsh fur of a chocolate brown, and its length from 


THE BEASTS OF PREY: 


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 simmer 
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 e during the breeding 
season. 

Methods of The chase of the Ichneumon is consid- 

Hunting the ered a pious deed by all Egyptians. It 

Ichneumon. is 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, 


Its walk is plantigrade, the soles are 
The snout is long and the ears small. 


THE CIVET FAMILY—DOG-FOOTED CIVETS. 


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 he does noiselessly and gently, so as not to be- 
tray himself by quick movements. It is essential to 
ot in 


shoot at a short distance and with very large sh 


THE MUNGO.—Among the Mungooses the Mu 


—_— 


animal in the foreground. (Herfestes 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 _—_ resemble each 
Its Habits. other in their 
shape and mostly also in 
their behavior. The de- 


ngo, which inhabits India, Ceylon ‘and Afghanistan, is 
especially distinguished because of the skill he exhibits in destroying poisonous Snakes. 
with a coat of almost uniform gray, with a tapering tail nearly as long as the body, are shown by the picture of the 


147 


It ranges to the East as faras Assam, and west- 
ward to Afghanistan and Beloochistan, 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 
searches his hunting 
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 Lhe Mungo 
asa Snake is honored 
Exterminator. and cele- 


oT ses 


brated for his fights 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 rdot, 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, 


His long body covered 


eo te 


scription of the Ichneu- 
mon might, therefore, 
serve our purpose, if there 


THE BANDED MUNGOOS,—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 in Africa and becomes as much attached to the house as the domestic Cat. 
(Herpestes fasciatus.) 


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. 


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 why 
other Snake-hunters, such as the Secretary-bird and 
some Eagles, should be left defenseless and the 


148 


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 
thing in this animal that excites admiration is the 


Leo x 


Pr £42 . a J ae ee 
THE CRAB MUNGOOS.—This animal, sometimes called the Urva, 


where it lives, 
Crab it has captured. (Aerpfestes urva.) 


derives 
feeds on Crabs, which, with Frogs, also a favorite food with it, are plentifully found in the wet valleys of Nepaul, 
It has a stout body, a pointed snout, and a rather long and bushy tail. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 of 
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 Ichneurnon 
there is only one Europe- 
an Mungoos that is worth 
mentioning, the Meloncillo- 
( Herpestes widdringtonit). 
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, 


The picture shows it with a 


adroitness with which he escapes the spring of the. which brought a high price, was the only part that 


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. 
Sterndale 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. 
‘He was very clean, and after eating picked his teeth 
in the funniest way with his claws. He was an in- 


THE FOXY MUNGOOS. 


in a group by itself. 


This animal, which is found in the 
has a smooth, tan-colored fur and a bushy tail with a white tip. 
habits, and is generally classed with them, although differences in its skeleton have caused many naturalists to place it 
(Cynictus penicillata.) 


was used and the remainder of the fur was thrown 


away. i 
The Meloncillo lives exactly like the Ichneumon, 


wii SS SS See a 
southern part of Africa, is of a beautiful form, 
It resembles the Mungoos group in its nature and 


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 SURICATE.—This animal, which lives principally in south Africa, is ¢ stinguished by its rough coat and its strong claws, of which those on the 
forefeet are particularly long. It is the special enen f the Elephant-Mouse, a remarkably prolific and destructive rodent of south Africa, which the picture 
shows itin the act of attacking. The Suricate forms by itself a distinct genus of the Viverrine order. (Suricata tetradactyla.) 


(149) 


150 


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 séen 
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 lap; 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 1 will mention one other member of this 
Mungoos or group, the Crab Mungoos or Urva (Her- 

rua, 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 BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 isa 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 ( Cynictis penicil- 

Mungoos,an ata) is about twenty-eight inches in 

African Species. Jength, 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. ee 

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 
jhunted; its life and habits have never been observed 
to any extent. 

The Suricate Lhe Suricate (Suricata tetradactyla) 

and Its inhabits Africa from Lake Tsad to 

Strong Claws. the 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 smallflong-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. 

here 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. 


The Marten Family. 


THIRD FAMILY: MustTeE.Lip2. 


The family of the Martens, or as it is sometimes 
called, the Weasel family, shows a greater variety of 
species than that of the Viverridz or Civets. Itisa 
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 these 
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. cept 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. 


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. and adepts in all physical exercises. 


They walk on the soles of their feet, use their paws 
and tail in swimming, and climb excellently in spite 
Their organs of sense are all 
Their mental 


of their blunt claws. 
developed in nearly equal degree. 


forests of Europe and northern Asia. 


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 are 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 
boldly when attacked and carries them from one 


THE PINE MARTEN.——Beautiful in its graceful form and its rich, soft fur, the Pine Marten is one of the most attractive animals in the 
The sides of dark brown, the long, bushy tail of the same color, the black legs, the lighter tinge of the fore- 
head and cheeks, and the very light, bright yellow of the breast are distinguishing features of the animal. 
destructive of small quadrupeds and birds. The picture shows it with an animal it has just caught. 


151 


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 follow 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- 


ae 


It is a forest animal and is very 
(Mustela martes.) 

sion happen only through the carelessness of the in- 
voluntary contributors to their appetites. 

How great a number of animals of the Marten 
family are 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 
are 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 

ilies 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, Martde. The second sub-family, MWelde, 
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 slender, 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 Lhe Pine Marten (JJustela martes) is 
Physical an animal as agile as it is beautiful. 

Characteristics. ts 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. 
hue on the back and a less distinct spot. The throat 
and lower part of the neck of young animals are ofa 
lighter tint. . es 

The Pine Lhe Pine Marten inhabits all the 
Marten’s Home wooded parts of the northern half 
and Habits. of the Old World. In Europe it is 
found in Scandinavia, Russia, England, Germany, 
France, 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 Thessalian 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 
asa climber. Hollow trees, and nests deserted by 


The female is distinguished by a paler - 


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. Asa 
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 
Fawn 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 ina Squirrel’s or Magpie’s nest ora 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. 


- Doingsofa ‘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. J 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 Falcon in its nest, eating the head, 
neck and partof 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 MARTEN FAMILY—MARTEN GROUP. 


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, when it finds 
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. 

“T wish to call atten- 
tion to an erroneous 
opinion that prevails 2 
generally. It is com- Piss 
monly believed that the 
Martens, in killing any 
animal, always find the 
carotid arteries and sev- 
er them with their strong (Atustela foina.) 
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 


able to its habits. 


THE STONE MARTEN.— Sometimes also called the Beech Marten, is 
distinguished by its short tail, small ears, white throat and beautiful, grayish 
brown fur, darkening on the legs and tail as shown in the picture. 
small mammals and birds, and is particularly partial to poultry, as European and 
Asiatic farmers frequently find. A 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- 


1538 


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 easil 
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 
wood, 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 
Marten one needs a 
good Dog, which will 
seize it boldly and hold 
it fast, for the animal is 
wont to jump at its pur- 
suer and will frighten a 
Dog that is not very 
courageous. It is easily 
caught in traps, which 
are prepared in a very 
ingenious 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 
are ingeniously mixed 
from various strongly 
scented materials. 

The fur of the Pine 
Marten is the most valu- 
able of European 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 Lhe Stone or Beech Marten (Zustela 
Marten or Beech foina) is a little smaller than the 
Marten. Pine 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 


It attacks all 


154 


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 Lhe mode of life and habits of the 

of the Stone Marten correspond with those 

Stone Marten. 
respects. It is an wap 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 ina 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 
he 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 rescuer a distinct proof of its return- 
ing consciousness by biting him. Still the wounded 


of the Pine Marten ina po many . 
a 


IHE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 person 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 ina 
cruel way. While on one of its nocturnal excursions: 
the Marten entered a trap and was found dead the” 
next morning. 

The Sable,a Lhe celebrated Sable (Mustela zibel- 

Most Valuable lina)is closely allied to the Martens. 

Fur Animal. Jt is 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 inthe 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 also been observed 
that it is fond of the honey of wild Bees. It seems. 


if pfyyyis Tm YELLE 
Gi) 


V7 


yh} 
tN A iit 
iN 


Z-__AZZ —s 


THE SABLE,—This animal, found in the colder portions of Asia and North America,is zealously hunted because of the great value of its fur. Itis 
most appropriately depicted in the snow, where one of these animals, having killed a(Rabbif{\ seems to be called upon to defend its prey from a hungry 
brother, which, from the position of its claws, seems inclined to fight for a share of the booty. The animal in the upper part of this picture shows the mark- 
ings most prized by the Sable hunter: the lower part of the neck yellow, the cheeks gray and the rest of the fur nearly black. (Mustela zidellina.) 


fa ‘ 
a \ ok 
(155) bein» | aad | * 


156 - 


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. Steller, 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 piueel oe cca 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 
behets wats few accounts about the life of Sables 
amed, 


in 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 
layed very merrily together, sat upon their hind 
egs 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 nthe northeast and extreme 
Sable a north of North America the Sa- 

Northern Variety. ble genus is represented by the 
American Sable (Mustela americana). It 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 Lhe Fisher Marten is a native of the 

Marten, or same region of country. It is called 

Pekan. Pekan in Canada and Wijack by the 
Indians, and is also known as Pennant’s Marten 
(Mustela pennantii). It is a large, thick-set, Fox-like 
animal, whose body measures over twenty - four 


, THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 mgrket; 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 fetidus) 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 are 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. 

The Tiger Polee Lhe 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 MARTEN FAMILY—WEASEL GROUP. 


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 
In winter it shifts its 


the digging and burrowing. 


IS 


e= BEI 


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 where the Polecat is as welcome 
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 


THE POLECAT,— An animal which is generally avoided by those of sensitive olfactory nerves is the Polecat, which inhabits the greater 
part of Europe and Asia, where it ravages poultry yards, but also catches Rats, Mice and other rodents. 
mother Polecat in the picture is shown in the maternal act of bringing to her young a Frog she has killed. 


157 


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 
i 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 


ae 
It is also partial to Frogs, and the 
(Putorius fetidus.) 

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 
tothe 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 


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 a childhood 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, 
but 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 (Putorius furo) as a 

Variety. descendant of the Polecat, having un- 
dergone certain modifications in captivity and domes- 
tication. 

The Ferret has been known since the oldest times, 
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 “ Viverrez,”’ 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 Ferret does not differ in any marked degree 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. f 
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 Lhe Ferret resembles the Polecat in 
ape of the its temper, except that it is not so 
erret. 


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 cautiom 
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. Ina short time they forget 
Man, and if they are 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. 


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 Lhe Ferret is excellent as an assistant 

Hunt Rabbits ina 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 ina 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 

revented from killing them either by a muzzle or by 
faving 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, it 
would lie down to rest and 
its master would be com- 
pelled to wait for it for hours. 

t 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 ofthe 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. 


THE 


valuable. (Putorius furo.) 


RRET.—A domesticated Vv: 
of Rabbits, and is also, in England, trained for Rat-killing purposes. 
and the eyes red. The animal in the picture is evidently of the Rat-killing kind, which is considered the most 


159 


Weasels and 
their Kind 


The Weasels and their next of kin are 
y of 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 (Putorius vulgaris) attains 
of the a total length of eight inches, about 
Weasel. two of 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 


ety of the Polecat, which is used very largely for ridding fields 
It is an Albino, the fur entirely white 


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 are 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. 


160 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 
lains as well as mountains, forests as well as wood- 
ess 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 are 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 

rolonged 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. ible 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 it 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 killeda 
large animal it does not eat the flesh but contents. 
itself with lapping the blood; but smaller prey it 
eats upentirely. 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- 
aean burrows, especially holes made by Moles. 

Young Weasels while still following their mother 
are of the proper age to be domesticated. Buffom 
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- 


NW 


SS 


Uy 


yl 


x2 FFSESpSSSES = 

WEASEL ATTACKING A BROWN RAT.— During the present century the Brown Rat has greatly increased in numb 
the place of the smaller black member of his tribe. This vicious rodent has a most determined enem 
size, pursues it relentlessly and with almost uniform success. The picture shows the Weasel att 
method of seizing its victim by the neck. This small Beast of Prey is slender and handsomely 
little amimal. (Putorius vulgaris.) 


ers in Europe, largely taking 
y in the Weasel, which, although inferior to this Rat in 
acking one of these destructive rodents, and illustrates its 
proportioned, has a smooth fur, and is an agile and audacious 


(161) 


162 


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, | 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 ora 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 (Putorius erminea) 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 half 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 
sheds 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 toth a 
dark patch had spread over half the forehead, but 
still showed 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 
the 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 ears 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 
1gth the ears, with the exception of a small spot, had 
become brown. At first the dark hairs grew to- 


THE BEASTS OF PREY, 


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 Its Numer- ‘rupeds and birds which it can conquer, 

ous Prey. and 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 keeper a great deal of pleas- 
ure. Some specimens are said to have followed 
their keeper about like a Dog. Even old Ermines 
may sometimes be domesticated. 


\ <<) MY Wt 


THE ERMINE, OR STOAT,—This fierce little Beast of Prey 


is found in the northern portion of both hemispheres. 
pecially tond of birds. The animal in the picture will fi 


It is shown in this engraving in its summer co: 
rely white, except that the tip of the tail is 


mals, attacking even Hares, does not despise Snakes or Lizards, and is es 
ing the nest above him. This animal’s fur changes with the seasons. 
white. In the winter the animal is enti 


It preys upon all small mam- 
nd no difficulty in depopulat- 


at, the upper part brownish-red, the lower 
black at all seasons. (Pxtorius erminea,) 


(163) 


164 
Account of “A few days before Christmas, 1843,” 
meee says Grill, “I was given a male Ermine, 
rmine, 


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 rootand on the inner half of the 
tail had a sulphur yellow tint. It was a pretty, lively 
little animal. At first I put it ina 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 ona 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. 

“On 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 treatment of all wild animals held good for 
this one also: the trainer must show at the same 
time that he does not fear the animal and that he 
does not intend to harm it.” 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. —_ and 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 hair, 
resembling Otter fur. Its color isa 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 satisfactoty, 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 Audubon: 
and Prince de Wied. : 

The European Lhe European Mink or Nerz (Pudorius 
Mink or Jutreola) 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 Polécat, 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 asimilar distribution of colors,. 

Superior Fur. but 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. 


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 srnall 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 easily 
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 nw an Mink or 

Rare. Nerz 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- 


165 


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 with 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 ina long time, 


fatigable zeal of Count 
Mellin. He proceeds to 
give us a few details, ob- 
served by the latter: 


THE EUROPEAN MINK.——This animal, sometimes also calle 
Nerz, 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 


and emerges at a consid- 
erable distance from the 
place at which it dived 
beneath the surface. 


“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- 


here. It inhabits swampy regions and banks of streams, and is an expert at 
fishing and catches small mammals, birds and Frogs, (Pxtorius lutreola.) 


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 1868, 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 


166 THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


spacious dwelling, and several times has leftit. The 
first time it did this, I found it hidden in a corner of 
aroom. 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 
while I was opening it, I knew that I had to deal 


with a Mink, for there was no 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 nmiost 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, Gu/o, 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 | Lhe Glutton (Galo 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 ears 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. it is their fault 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), whichis 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. s 
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 Elks. Thunberg 


OE 


THE GLUTTON, 0R WOLVERINE.—This animal, which is found in the cold northern regions of Europe, Asia and America, receives 
its name from the earlier belief that it was abnormally voracious, but it does not appear to deserve its title. It is a very fierce hunter, however, 
and kills animals of all sizes from the Mouse to the Elk, the picture describing its attack on the latter animal. It is a clumsy but powerful animal 
with a coarse fur which is long and shaggy, except on the snout. (Guo borealis.) 


(167) 


168 


was told that it could kill Cows, lacerating their 
throats. Loewenhjelm, inhis “ Travels inthe 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. pai 
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. tied to a pole, it runs back and forth in 
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 Lhe 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 Wolverines, 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- 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 (Gadictis) are members of this family 
who 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 mdderate 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 (elide) 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 Me/es, 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 ears are small, the soles naked, and the 
fore-paws are provided with strong claws. The tail 
is short, the fur coarse and thick, and there is a slit 
under the insertion of the tail leading into the scent- 
pouch. The teeth are surprisingly strong. 


THE MARTEN FAMILY—BADGER. 


Characteristics The common Badger (Meles 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 of 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 spots 
are still more rarely found. 


Tl 


THE TAYRA.—This Brazilian 


Homeand 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 ona hill, but always a 
quiet, solitary spot. The animal is fond of a com- 
fortable, contemplative mode of life, and likes to 


he Marte family, having the lo 
tion depicts them appropriately in the woods, for they are arboreal animals, and prey upon Re 
claws are webbed, but they climb well and are very quick and dexterous hunters. 


169 


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 subterranean 
life it can bury itself in a few minutes. 
Observations of The Badger spends nearly all its life 
Badgers in’ inthis 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 


g, sle 
bbits and 
(Galictis barbara.) 


stra- 
The 


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 stomach 
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 


170 


chambers and conduits, while the Badger is content 
in the lower ones. 

Habits and Lhe movements of the Badger are slow 

Foodof 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 larve 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, 


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 picture. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


tribe and does not damage, but helps to preserve, a 
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 
ofthe 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 on 
its stomach, 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 relatively warm, it transiently 
sallies forth as early as January or February to dig 
out roots, or, if fortune smiles on it, to catch a 


It is as clumsy as it looks, but is famous for the carefully 


constructed burrows it scoops out with the sharp, curved claws shown in the illustration. (Meles taxus.) 


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. ss 
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 
leaves 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 for 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 are fully grown in the second year and may 
attain an age of ten or twelve years. 


THE MARTEN FAMILY—--BADGER. 


Methods of Various devices are employed in catch- 
Catching ing 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, or 
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 Ludwig 
aTame 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 second 
and athird 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- 


tion sketched from a picture by Audubon. 


it to catch not only rodents but also birds, as shown in the illustration. 


171 


ing, with her hair standing on end. In this manner 
she would trot back and forth before the Dog, like an 
enraged Turkey. Ina 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 


and short, broad tail, and the long, strong claws and short, soft fur which distinguish this animal, are seen in this illustra- 


Although its movements are somewhat slow and ponderous its craft enables 
( 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 


Badger a 
Distinct Variety. 


The American Badger or Taxel (7axidea 
americana), which was formerly classed with 
its European cousin, is now justly regarded 
as a distinct species. The y is very 
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, se 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 


its rather slow, heavy and awkward progress. Seen when 
crouching in fancied security, or hoping to escape observation 
(and it will sometimes remain long motionless in this posture, 
permitting near approach), the animal might easily be mis- 
taken for a stone or clod of earth. The very hairs lie flat, as if 
parted in the middle, and form a fringe along either side, pro- 
jecting, as one writer has remarked, ‘like the shell of a turtle 
or the eaves of a house.’” 

This Badger is found in the greater part of 
the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 
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 (Z7axidea americana), but the 
characteristics of the animal do not differ materially from the 


Home and Habits 
of American 
Badgers. 


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 pot 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 witha 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. 

The 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 Lo¢gkwood, “ en- 
larges the establishment to suit his own ideas of convenience.” 


THE RATELS. 


Another group is formed by the Ratels, or Honey 
Badgers (Mellivora). They are animals possessed 


NN PE My sT 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 Ratel The Ratel, or Honey Badger (Mel- 
or 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 
ashy gray, while the 
snout, cheeks, ears, throat, 
breast, underpart and legs 
are grayish black, the line 
of 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- 
of Ratelss 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 
nocturnal and it seldom 
sallies forth in the day- 
time. On our hunting 
trip to the Bogos country 
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. 


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. ; wR 
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 ae 
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 (7ydaus 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 tothe tip of the tail. The 
under surface of the body is lighter than the upper 
part. The fur consists of a silky inner coat anda 
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 larve 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 


173 


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.” 

Traitsand Lhe Teledu is a very slow-moving ani- 

Habits of the mal, and is therefore often caught by 

Teledu. the 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. 


Its strong, cur~ 4 claws enable it to make its burrowing chamber, and with the aid of its 
strong snout to dig and root for worms” .d larve in Java and Sumatra, where it lives. (AZydaus 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 


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 


focans.) 


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 Lhe Mephitis have a more slender 
af the body than the 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 
yards. Old animals and males are said to produce 
a stronger odor than young or female specimens. 


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 suj- 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 Felidze 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 Suritho The Surilho 

of Brazil of Brazil (dZe- 

Described, phitis suffo- 
cans) 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 they 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. 


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 for 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, 
from where it spreads 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 it 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 
Dogs 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 aSkunk. 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- 

perience ence witha Skunk. “This small, 
with a Skunk. 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. I 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 and tempt- 
ing and it kept its tail lifted up, as if it invited 
us to take hold of it and carry it home on our 
arms. I was quite delighted and put out my 
hand to take it—and the pretty little beast 
overwhelmed tne 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 in captivity Skunks do not emit their 

ina terrible odor, provided one guards care- 
Captive State. fully against irritating them. They get 
very tame and tolerably well accustomed to their 
keeper, though they 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 


fumes. 


175 


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 (Rhaé- 
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 bears the unenviable distinction of 
emitting a fetid secretion which, once smelled, makes all other stenches seem per- 


When an enemy approaches, the animal lifts its jong, 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 mephitica.) 


bushes. Its habits are 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 styled 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 OTTERS. 


The third sub-order of the Martens is formed by 
the Otters (Lutride), 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 
of the other Martens. 


and skeleton resembles. that 
The most peculiar feature is 


THE CAPE ZORILLA.— 


ability in that way. 
extending along its body and a long, bushy tail. 


feathered prey. (Rhabdogale mustelina.) 


the strikingly flat skull, with its wide cranial part, its 
narrow facial one, and a short snout, these character- 
istics 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. with 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 


hile our own American animals of the Skunk group 
have no rivals in the faculty of emitting offensive odors, the Zorillas of Africa have great 
The Cape Zorilla is a prettily marked animal with white stripes 
It hunts and kills all small mammals and 
birds, and is an accomplished Chicken-thief, so that the picture appropriately shows it with 


THE BEASTS.OF PREY. 


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 (Lutra 
mon Otter. yylgaris). The length of this animal is 

forty-eight inches, sixteen of this going to the tail. 
The head is oblong and rounded; 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 are very short, webbed up 
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 Lhe 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 
S 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 extensively grown to 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 every way ; in its aquatic 
life, as well as in its movements ; in its hunt for food 


\ 


THE MARTEN FAMILY—OTTER. 


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 
never 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 


THE COMMON OTT 


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 lowchuckle ; 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 


ER.—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. 
animal in the picture having just captured a finny meal, caming to the river bank to enjoy it. 


177 


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. They 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 anda 
as a Hunter. |. ynx combined on the land. In shallow 


water it drives the fishes into a bay 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 ‘predilection of the animal for fish is also shown, the 
(Lutra vulgaris.) 

The Otter also preys upon Crabs, Frogs, Water- 
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. year 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 


Storyof “A well-known sporting gentleman,” 
aTame 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 


makes its home on the banks of nearly all streams except those from which it has been driven by Man. 
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. 
vigorously hunted for its fur, and for this purpose traps are largely used after the manner shown in this illustration. 


the purpose of ascertaining the size of the larger 
Trout in the pools on their estates.” 

Methods of Lhe 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 
ata hole inthe ice. It is most frequently caught in 
traps set into the water at a depth of about two 
inches, without any bait. Thetrap 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. 


‘sportsman and guides him in his action. 


GY 


we? 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


On larger lakes and ponds it is followéd in boats and 
shot when it comes up to breathe. A light ripple on 
the surface of the water indicates its course to the 
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 post 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 inGermany. A captured Otter hisses, makes 


While it resembles the European Otter, it is 
The American Otter is 
(Lutra canadensis.) 
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 MARTEN FAMILY—OTTER. 


The Américan Otter (Lutra canadensis), 
although closely allied to the Common Ot- 
ter, has sufficient distinctive differences to 
entitle it to be classed 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 
the United States and in Canada north to 
the Hudson Bay region. Its habits resem- 
ble those of its 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 


Hi My 
hi 


i 1 
. i 
) 


The American 
Otter, a 
Larger Species. 


Range and 
Habits of 
American Otters. 


i 
My) 
i} : hh 


SEA OTTER, OR KALAN,—This is the true marine Otter, for while other species of the group 
water the Kalan makes its home in the ocean, and is found on the shores and islands of the North Pacific. 


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 ahich 
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 (Zutra californica), the Peruvian Otter (Lutra felina), 
inhabiting Central America, Peru and Chili, and the Brazilian 
Otter (Luéra 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, Lhe Common Otter and some of its 
aMarine relatives temporarily visit the ocean, 
Variety. but one species belongs to it entirely, 

The Sea Otter or Kalan (Enhydris lutris) is a repre- 

sentative of a distinct species and is perhaps a tran- 


=S — 
make occasional excursions~into salt 
The flattened face, rounded head, 


short tail, flipper-like hind paws, and dense fur are shown in the animal in the picture, which is enjoying a meal of shell-fish on a beach in its 


icy, northern home. (Ezhydris lutris.) 


stomachs 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- 
ing in America, because of the systematic 
way in which they are pursued by trappers 
for the value of their fur. The skin of the 
American Otter is in high reputation and general use with fur- 


Hunting and 
Training 
American Otters. 


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 


lend it a grizzled appearance. The under fur is of 
a fine, woolly texture. Young animals have a long, 
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 degree 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 Steller, who was ship- 
Sea Otter. 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 
elts sell for thirty roubles in Kamchatka, forty in 
rkutsk, 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 flesh 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. One blow on the head is sufficient to 
make them drop down as if dead and cover their 
eyes with their paws. 


‘a prey to the nearest. hunter. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


“In July 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 Reindest 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. has 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 
aoe pits is ways. When the sea is calm the peo- 
unted. 


ple go 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- 
ippese and so on, until the Otter, which is not 
allowed sufficient breathing time, wearies and falls 
Such a hunt may be 
prolonged for two or three hours unless a well- 
timed 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 €s- 
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 


i 
a 


Vj 

Wh 
Yt HAA 
A Wh f 


Pant 


COMBAT BETWEEN AN OTTER AND A STONE MARTEN.—Members of different species of the Marte 
the picture represents an encounter between an Otter and a Stone Marten which was observed 
sistent hunters of the Water-Rat and it was probably over such a booty that the combat began. 
unnoticed and killed the Otter, which was on top, with a blow, while the Stone Marten made its 
a mouthful of Marten-fur. The Marten, however, notwithstandin 
by s al severe wounds on the Otter’s body. 


n family sometimes quarrel, and 
at Beilstein in Swabia. Both these animals are per- 
The Man who saw the fight approached the animals 

scape, although the teeth of the dead animal held 
g its inferior bulk and strength, had valiantly borne its part in the fight, as was shown 


(181) 


182 


in killing seventy-eight of these valuable animals 
within an hour. 

If the hunting ef these animals is not restricted 
by law, the Sea Otter will be exterminated in the 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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, 


The Hyxna Family. 


FOURTH FAMILY: 


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 Hyenas. tastic and horrible tales as that of the _ 
Hyznas. The ancients told the’ most incredible 


stories about them. Dogs were said ‘to lose their 
voice and senses if the shadow of a Hyzna fell on 
them. The hideous animals were alleged to imitate 
the human voice, in order to decoy people toward 
thier retreat 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 Hyzna. The Arabs especially are rich in 
stories concerning it. They firmly believe that peo- 
ple who partake of the brain of a Hyena become 
insane, and the head of a slain Hyzna is always 
buried, lest it should be used by wicked sorcerers for 
their diabolical charms. They are even firmly per- 
suaded that Hyznas themselves are nothing but 
sorcerers in disguise, which assume human shape by 
day and prowl around as Hyznas during the night, 
working destruction upon good people. I have been 
repeatedly and earnestly warned by my servants not 
to shoot the Hyznas, and fearful stories were told 
me about these despised creatures and their supposed 
supernatural powers. 
Hyenas Have ‘Tradition always selects its heroes, 
Many An animal which is the subject of 
Peculiar Traits. many marvelous tales must have 
something peculiar in its appearance. This is con- 
firmed in the Hyznas, which resemble Dogs, yet 
differ from them in every point. Their appearance 
is far from pleasing; in fact, is decidedly repulsive. 
All Hyznas areugly. Some naturalists have seen in 
them a connecting link between Dog and Cat, but we 
cannot agree with this opinion, for the Hyznas have 
a distinctly 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- 


HYANIDA. 


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 does 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 gloomy and all these features 
combine to produce an unattractive appearance. 
All Hyenas 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 crunch 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 horny. projections, a wide gullet and pe- 
culiar tail-glands are further distinguishing features 
of the animals under consideration. 


Range and ‘The range of the Hyzna is very wide, 
Habits of the comprising all of Africa and south- 
Hycenas. 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 Hyzena 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 Hyzenas call one another by these howls, and 
the noise immediately ceases when one of them has 


SPOTTED HY #NAS.—-The Hyznas, although their vices have been greatly exaggerated by tradition, have much 
ance and character. Largest of the family is the Spotted Hyena, deriving its name from the bro 
characteristics ot these animals. They have found a carcass which they are preparing to devour, while the envious Vultures, 


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 wic 
throat, are al] well shown here. (Hyena crocuta.) 


that is repulsive, both in appear- 
wn spots on its yellowish gray fur. The picture shows the 
which they have driven awa 


e 


(183) 


184 


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 Hyenas Hyenas are guided in their wanderings 
Prowl! by their scent as well as by their sight 
and Hunt. and 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 toclimb. Assoonas 
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 
ever ready to flee if danger threatens. The spotted 
species are a little more courageous than the striped 
Hyena, but still may be termed exceedingly cow- 


tends along the back, hanging down on both sides, this mane being in part whitish gray and the remainder 
brownish black. The legs have black stripes on the general brown color, and the long ears are erect. 
(Hyena brunnea.) 


ardly, when their size is considered. If they do not 
find any carrion they confine themselves to attacking 
defenseless prey, and therefore do damage only to 
the weaker domestic animals, in whose ranks they 
may make considerable havoc. Hyznas destroyed 
two strong Asses belonging to the traveler and hunter, 
Selous, the marauders eating every part but the 
skulls, and on 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- 
garded as exceptions, as they are certainly best 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


pleased when they find carrion. Around a carcass 
that lies in the Hyznas’ 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 told 
that feasting Hyznas 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 
is far greater, since the carcasses 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 Hyzna 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 
dare to attack adult people ex- 
cept when 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 ina 
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, Hyzenas 
are easily tamed and frequently 
become very affectionate. They 
bear captivity well, but often 
become blind in old age. 
Divisions of In former ‘ages 
the Hyena. Hyzenas 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 Hyzenas proper and 
the Aard-Wolf, which may be considered a connect- 
ing link between the Hyznas and the Civets. 


THE HYAZNAS PROPER. 


The Spotted Hyzna (Hyena crocuta) is distin- 
guished by its greater strength and spotted skin 
from the striped and brown species which are much 
oftener seen in Europe. The ground-color is whit- 
ish gray, with a surface tinge of yellow; the 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 black; the 


THE HYA:\NA FAMILY—HAYANA. 


feet are whitish. These colors are liable 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 Hyena’s The Spotted Hyena inhabits 
Haunts and southern and eastern Africa, ex- 
Mode of Life. tending from the Cape of Good 
Hope to about the seventeenth degree of north 
latitude, and wherever it is plentiful it almost com- 
pletely crowds out the Striped Hyzna. The two 
species live together in Abyssinia and East Soudan, 
but farther south the Spotted Hyzna gradually 
becomes sole possessor of the field. It is very com- 


185 


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 
Hyena, The tricks performed in wandering circuses 
by the Hyzna 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 cage. For hours they lie 
like a log; then they jump up, look at people with 
a remarkably dull-witted expression, rub themselves 
against the bars from time to time and then break 
out with their abominable laughter. 


STRIPED HY 2NAS.—This species of the Hyena family is the best known, and derives its name from the markings of its fur as shown in the 


picture. 
rence on the African and Asiatic plains which form its habitat, 
guish the animal, are seenin this group. (Hyena striata.) 


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 Lhe Spotted Hyzna is the animal 

Dispositionof that plays the most important part 
Spotted Hyenas. jn 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 


This is, like the other species, a carrion eating animal, and the dispute over the 
The rough, coarse fur an 


ossession of a bone, as here depicted, is a very common occur- 
mane, the erect ears and somewhat slender limbs which distin- 


The Brown The Brown Hyena or Strand-Wolf 
Hyenaor (Hyena brunnea) is mainly distin- 
Strand-Wolf. cuished 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 Hyzna is 
considerably smaller than the Spotted Hyzena, and 
at the best 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 


much less plentiful than the Spotted Hyzna, but to 
have about the same habits, living mainly on carrion, 
perhaps on that washed ashore by the waves. | ; 
The Striped The Striped Hyena (Hyena striata) is 
Hyena 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 this 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 universally 
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 


AOE, 


THEA 
stripes and a rough mane extending along its back. 
other is just emerging, for they are burrowing animals and live gregariously. 
of Sheep in southwestern Africa. (Proteles 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 Lhe Striped Hyzna has the most 

Striped extensive range of the three species; 
Hyenas Live. it is common throughout the north- 
ern part of Africa, beginning with the extreme west, 
and is found over a considerable part of southern 
Africa and allsouthern Asia, from the Mediterranean 
tothe Bay of Bengal. Likeall Hyznas it does not 
affect woods, but delights in the open country. It is 
the least harmful of the three species of Hyznas, 
and probably is nowhere much feared. There is so 
much carrion, or bones at least, lying around in its 
native country, that it is seldom driven by hunger to 
boldly attack living animals. Its cowardice exceeds 
all bounds; still it sometimes enters villages, and in 
Egypt prowls around their outskirts. Carcasses put 


ARD-WOLF.—This animal forms a distinct group of the Hyzna family, has a yellow tur with black 
In the picture one Aard-Wolf has left the hole from which the 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


out by us as a bait to decoy Vultures within range 
of our guns always attracted Hyznas 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 poet eb ine 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 

Hyenas Trained Khartum we purchased two young 

as Pets. Hyenas [fora price equal to twenty- 
five cents in American anes, The animals were 
about the size of a half-grown Terrier, clothed ina 
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 Hyzna 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 Hyznas 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 


=| 


They are great enemies to the flocks 


a 


THE DOG FAMILY. 187 


conclusively that even Hyznas are capable of warm 
attachment. 


THE AARD-WOLF. 


The Aard-Wolf (Proteles lalandii) forms the sec- 
ond genus of the Hyena family. In its external 
appearance this animal, which as yet has been stud- 
ied but very little, strikingly resembles the Striped 
‘Hyena, and like it, has a blunt snout, long fore- 

aws, a sloping back, a mane on its spine, and a 

ushy 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 sawthree Aard-Wolves killed by 
members of his party, 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. 


The Dog Family. 


FIFTH FAMILY: Canip&. 


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 many 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 and © 


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 
eye-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 sacral 
and from eighteen to twenty-two caudal vertebre. 
The chest is formed by thirteen pairs of ribs, nine 
true and four false. The clavicle is stunted, the 
shoulder narrow, the pelvis strong. The digestive 
apparatus is distinguished by a roundish stomach; 
the intestines proper 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 exclusively animal 
the Dog Family. feeders, and therefore admit of the 


inference that they are of a less sanguinary nature 


than the Felidz. 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 ready 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 thanat 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 


may therefore be said that all Dogs are gregarious 
animals. 


Physical In 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 ina 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 walk is peculiar, as they do not 
set their legs straight in this movement. 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. 
led certain naturalists to make separate species of some of the varieties. 


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 Dogs are equal to the Cats, 
and those of diurnal habits decidedly surpass them. 
Mental Endow- The mental endowments of the Dogs 
ments of are still more highly developed than 

the Dog Family. those of 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, are devoted to 
him body and soul, daily prove to us that their intel- 
lect has reached a higher development than that 
of any other animal. The tame Dog and the wild 
Fox act with rational deliberation and carry out 


This common Wolf is found in Europe, Asia and America, although a few minor differences have 
It is a great enemy of flocks and herds, is 
relentlessly hunted by Man but is still found in large numbers wherever the country is wild. 


BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 fond 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 


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 ata 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. 


(Canis lupus.) 


Divisions The Dogs may be divided into three 
ofthe groups, and two of these may be split up 
Dog Family. into smaller sub-orders. These groups 


are formed by the Wolves or wild Dogs (Canis), with 
a round pupil and a short tail; the Foxes (Vadpus), 
distinguished by a slit-like pupil and a long, bushy 
tail, and the Long-eared Dogs ( Ofocyon), animals of 
the desert, having a different and much more numer- 
ous set of teeth. 


litter consists of from - 


» 


A PACK OF WOLVES,—The common Wolf is a fearful destroyer among the flocks 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 


In 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 (Zupus) comprises 
all Wolf-like Dogs except the Hyana-Dog; they 
have forty-two teeth, and show a great variety in 
their external appearance, though their head is al- 
ways moderately large and the snout rather pointed. 


he A 


THE JACKAL WOLF. 


the Arabs. 


The Wolf the Lhe Wolf (Canis 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 closer 
inspection reveals the following differences: the body 
is lean, the 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 


This isa species of Wolf found in Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia and the Soudan and called ‘** Abuel. Hossein” by 
It has a stout body on slender legs, pointed snout, and a general appearance of strerigth and agility. 
only smaller animals, the Wolves sometimes hunt in packs,‘and several-of them are often found together, as.in the picture. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. 
Anadult 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 


While generally attacking 
(Canis anthus.) 


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, Servia, 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—WOLEF. 


in 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 Wolfas The ancients knew the Wolf well. Many 

Knownto Greekand 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 


191 


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 char- 
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. 


BS =~ 


GUARA.—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. (Canis 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 Lhe Wolf inhabits lonely, quiet regions, 

Wolf Makes and spots in the wilderness, delighting 

His Lair. in 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 


change and a disproportionately 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 
he 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 falla 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 BEASTS. OF PREY. 


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 constantly loses several of his faithful com- 
pecens in the chase during the summer. When the 

olf 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. Itis a vigorous 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. 


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, and then feeds only on 
these Mice, 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. ly 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 are a favorite game and 


(Canis vetulus.) 


Single Wolves hardly ever attack a Man, even if his 
only weapon isa 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 aconsiderable extent. In Spain 
the Wolves also do much harm. In Russia about 


THE DOG FAMILY- 


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. only 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 - 
fondest of the most dan- 
erous hunting. It is dif- 
cult 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 - r 
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 Wolves. If he mis- 
times his attack by a moment, he is trampled down 
by the enraged Hogs and devoured with as much 
enjoyment as a meal of pork might afford him. 

Attributes The Wolf possesses all the Dogs’ attri- 

and Traits of butes and traits; he has their strength 
the Wolf. and perseverance, their acute senses and 
their sagacity. But 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 not 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. 


WOLF. 193 


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 equally 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. 

In the early spring the female Wolf 
gives birth to from three to nine, usu- 
ally from four to six young, in some 


The Mother 
Wolf and 
Her Young. 


- ’ 
Ay Role ME 


THE STRIPED WOLF.—The Fox-like muzzle, long legs, long tail, and general appearance of agility and 


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 
Dogs. They 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 fora 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. Theagea 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 


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. 


Tamingof 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 

oung Dog and at full growth was donated to the 
Janda 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 JACKAL.——The comely sha 


night hideous in the Orient. (Canis aureus.) 


The Wolf is The Wolf is killed in every possible 
Hunted manner; by the bullet, by insidious 
With Zeal. foison, 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 
once. 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- 


wler of Asia is well shown here. 
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. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 $2.50 to $8 apiece. 
Besides this, many gov- 
ernments give a fixed pre- 
mium for every Wolf that 
is killed. 


- The North 
tn Ware American 


P Wolf (Canis 
and Its Habits. occidentalis) 


is a species Closely allied to the 
common Wolf, and the question 
whether it is a distinct species 
is still an open one. Asa 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 b 
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 
ATT alt ocean to ocean, but in some of 
rok i Ke the northwestern states there 
can are white Wolves and in Texas 
The body a variety is found with a reddish 
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 Boa to be sick or exbaueed: frequently falls 
a prey to the Wolves. Deer, Antelopes, Foxes, rodents and all 
small mammals are attacked by Wolves, and those of their own 
ack 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 sein of the Arabs (Canis anthus), 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 are 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 


Their howlings make 


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- 
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. 


ness. 


(195) 


196 


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 (Canis adustus), an 

mediate Species. 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 ofthe Fox; the eyes havea 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 hasa more aristocratic bearing. 
These Wolves are remarkably agile, lithe animals, 


=a Sa = = 


tance up the western coast is the Cape Jackal. 
is especially abundant in the mountainous regions. 
which lie close together. 


of camp-fires, 


CAPE JACKAL.—— Ranging in eastern Africa from southern Nubia south to the Cape, from thence across the continent and for some dis- 
It is especially plentiful in Abyssinia and south Africa, and is found in both plains and forests and 
It is distinguished from the other Jackals by the Fox-like head, and the long, pointed ears 
It has a'thick, fine, soft tur of a beautiful yellowish gray on the sides, yellowish white on the under portion, while the 
back is covered with a broad cape of a blackish hue crossed with white lines. 
It steals everything edible it can get hold of, and has even been known to enter boats by way of the gang-plank. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


freedom. Not only did he run around in the encilos- 
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 eyés, 
a mild word or a slight remonstrance was sufficient 
to turn him from his evil way. Sometimes he strayed 
from the enclosure and remained away all day, but 
he always made his appearance in the dining-room at 
night 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 


It is very bold, entering villages and even camps, showing no dread 
It creates havoc 


among poultry and small domestic animals, and is accused by the Somali natives of eating the fat tails off the Jive Sheep of their country. (Canis 


mesomelas.) 


and it affords one great pleasure to observe their 
movements. They come quite close to human dwell- 
ings, for the village Dogs never think of picking a 
quarrel with them; neither do the natives, who call 
them ‘Mbulu,’ harm them. The Mbulu utters his 
shrill, long-drawn yelp in the morning and evening 
all the year round; it is so loud that a newcomer 
may be quite startled when he hears it in the imme- 
diate proximity of a village or encampment. The 
piteous cries of a Mbulu once brought us to the edge 
of a bushy little forest just in time to rescue the ani- 
mal from a huge Snake which was strangling it. 
The Striped ‘‘ We frequently kept half-grown Striped 
Wolf in Wolves inour enclosure. One of them 
Captivity. grew to be a very stately animal, and 
was so tame and docile that he was given unlimited 


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 
and affectionate expression, like a Dog, but very sel- 
dom wagged his tail. The human voice produced an 
impression on him such as I have seen exhibited only 
by the Gorilla ; it literally seemed to fascinate him.” 
Character- The Jackal (Canis or Lupus aureus) is 
istics of the the animal which the ancients called 
Jackal. Thos or Gold-Wolf, and probably 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. 


ackal 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 ofthe of life the 

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. 


197 


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 


“Gp 


oy 
\ 


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 ina 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 (Canis da- 
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 around pupil. The color of the fur is a dingy 
yellowish-gray. 


198 


Rangeand The Prairie Wolf is spread extensively 
Habits of the over the central parts of North Amer- 
Coyote. ica, 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 European 
Wolves. It preys upon everything it can subdue 
and is as sly as the other Wolves and Foxes. At 


China and contiguous countries. 
long fur, a short, bushy tail and short legs. It does little damage, its prey being fishes and the smaller mammals. 
(Canis procyonoides.) 


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 cide 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 fire, but it is very alert and only a quick shot is likely to 
be successful. It continues to make its presence known, how- 
ever, for like the Asiatic Jackal, which in its habits it much 
resembles, 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” isa proverb in the far West, probably be- 
cause 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 1 can give a personal account of its life 
of aCaptive 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- 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 pitying 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 
(Canis procyonoides), 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 (Canis cancrivorus) 
[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 (Canis vetulus or azare). 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 HYAZENA 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 Hyzna-Dogs (Lycaon). 
The body is slender, but of strong build, the head is 
moderately large or rather small, the snout is blunt. 
Hearing and sight are 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—HYA:NA DOG. 


The Hyena The Hyena Dog or Cape Hunting 

Dog or Cape Dog (Canis or Lycaon pictus) is about 

Hunting Dog. the size of a lean Wolf 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 Hyzna Dog is a native of Africa, but his 
boundaries have not yet been exactly determined. 
He ranges in south Africa; Boehm 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 Cummings 

Hyeena Dogs. met Hye- 
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 
overgome 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 Hyena 
Dog, Heuglin calls it “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 fnulti- 

of the colored Beast of. Prey remains a 

Hyena 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. 


> 


small packs. (Canis cancrivorous.) 


199 


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. 


cud As 
: Rei i ee a 


THE CRAB-EATING DOG.——This is a South American species of wild Dog, which is placed by some natu- 
ralists along with other South American animals in a group under the name of Fox-Wolves. 
Fox-like but the remainder of the body, with the exception of the bushy tail, is more like that of the Wolf. 
known about its habits except the Crab-eating propensity, from which it derives its name, and the fact that it hunts in 


The muzzle is distinctly 
Little is 


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 Hyzna Dog is awild animal which 
Tamed — seems to promise a great deal if it only 
Hyena 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 


Man. Schweinfurth saw a Hyena Dog in a Seriba 
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 bea 
boisterous mischievousness, and an indomitable habit 
of biting, perhaps without the intention of hurting 
anybody and only as an outlet to the fidgety live- 
liness of their ever active spirits. As soon as a 
Hyena 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.” 


Bo a hy 


\ 
\) 


Nf 
(3 Ny } N 
pi 


~ Peas 
aN 


1%, 
Ss th SS 


Dog, is the representative of a distinct sub-order of the Wolf species. 


(Canis pictus.) 


If he had known the Hyzna Dog, he would,.doubt- 
less, have ascribed this sentiment to that animal. 
The Indian Sykes has described the Indian Wild 
Wild Dogor Dog, or Kolsun, which he considered 


Kolsun. the 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 ( Cyon), 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-Ram-kutta, Djangli, Kol- 
sun, Kolsa, etc., in India, Buansu, etc., in the Hima- 
layas (Canis or Cyon dukhunensis and Primevus), and 


SS 


HY ZENA DOG.—The slender, long limbed animal in the picture, sometimes also called the Cape Hunting 
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. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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- 
s-_. bles the Hyena 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 
5 ae into smaller packs in order 
AWC to cut off its escape on all 
Ea 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- 
5 tines protrude and the ani- 
mal soon succumbs. 

The Malay The Malay 

Wild Dog, or Wild Dog or 

Adjag. Adijag (Canis 
or Cyon rutilans) 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 


bf 
ifs 


~ 


T~ 
—orwerk o~ 


THE DOG FAMILY—DOG. 


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 


WS CULES | 


vu 


ty, 


Os 


201 


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 
Dog. 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. The whole 
species has become our 
property, each individual is 
devoted to Man, his mas- 
ter, adopts his manners, 
distinguishes and defends 
his property, and remains 


INDIAN WILD DOG, OR KOLSUN.—An exceedingly skillful hunter, keen of eye and fleet of foot is the 
Indian Wild Dog, or Kolsun, which bears a strong likeness to some domesticated hunting Dogs. The animal in 
the picture is shown with ears erect, and eyes watching for game. The strong though not bulky form, the bushy 
‘ail, and the fur, light below and dark above, are faithfully illustrated. (Canis dukhunensis.) 


attached to him even unto 
death: and all this springs 


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- 


Wild Dog in search of food. 


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 isa favorite resort for the Malay 
(Canis rutilans.) 


not from mere necessity, 
nor from fear, but from a true friendship. The 
swiftness, the strength, and the highly developed 


— 


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 


ety. 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 Dogand ‘‘1f 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 Linnzus 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- 
Dog. 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 dift 
ferent from those of European Dogs; he believes 
them to come from a distinct species, which he calls 
Canis ingg. The native Dogs in Peru are called 
Runa-allco, to distinguish them from the European 
species which have degenerated into the wild state. 
hese Dogs are said to sustain particularly un- 
friendly relations with Europeans. 

“Tt 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 Fox 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 Fox, 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 with 
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 egagrus; 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 2100 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. 


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 and 
somewhat different Dog, 
which, during the Iron pe- 
riod, was replaced bya 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 ina 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 ina 
few instances, been made with sufficient exactness. 
There is no inherent difficulty 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- 


4 


= 
Y LD — 
C74 Ge 2. WE Rae 

pane ee ee 

ALPINE WOLF.—This animal, by some accounted a sub-order of the common Wolf, has so many points 

of difference in size, color, and fur, that it may be properly called a distinct species. 

inches long, exclusive of the bushy tail, which measures fourteen inches, and its shoulder height is eighteen inches. 

Its long, coarse fur ig-of russet, or yellowish gray, but of lighter tint and longer about the neck; the head is broad, 

the muzzle blunt and the ears small. 

valleys of the Yenesei and Amoor rivers, attacks Deer, especially Roes and Fawns, and the Mountain Goat; 


runs in packs usually, but sometimes singly and vigorously fights Men and Dogs when they attack it. 
writers it is called the Wild Dog of Siberia. 


203 


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-like 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 Galapago 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 


It is about thirty-eight 


It is found in northern Asia and inhabits mountains surrounding the 


By some 
(Canis alpinus.) 
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 
Canis, 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 of Simi- ‘‘ 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 


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 (Canis cancrivorus). 
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 cordillera. 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 ing@) 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 
Canide. 

“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 Geoffray Saint-Hillaire 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. Ehrenberg asserts 
that the domestic Dogs of Lower Egypt and cer- 
tain mummied Dogs have for their wild types a 
species of Wolf (Camis lupaster) of the country; 
whereas 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. On the east coast of Africa between latitude 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 Hyzna. Mr. 
E. Layard informs me that he has seen a Caffre 
Dog which closely resembled an Eskimo Dog. In 
Australia the Dingo is both domesticated and wild. 
Though this animal may have been introduced 
aboriginally 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 I know of no facts supportin 
the belief in so powerful an action of climate. Sot 
conclude the domestic Dog is nothing but the arti- 
ficial product of Man.” 


The Dingo, |Aninstructive 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 (Canis 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. is 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 edition.) 


PRIZE DOGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL DOG SHOW IN HANOVER.—-1. Saul.—Schweiszhund or German Bloodhound. 
Hector IV.—German Short-haired Pointer. 3. Runal.—German Short-haired Pointer. 
Rough-muzzled Dog. 6. Fina.—Female Badger-Dog. 7. Thyra.—Female Badger-Dog. 
Mastiff. 10, Leo.—German Mastiff. 11, Como.—Newfoundland Dog. 12. Cadwallader.—Alpine Dog. 13. Zulu II.—Pug Dog. 
Dog. 15. German Sheep Dog. 16. Normand.—French Chien Courant. 17. St. Hubert.—French Chien Courant. 
Courant. 19. Persian Greyhound. 20. D’ Audemer.—Spaniel. 


2. 
4. Mylord II.—German Long-haired Pointer. 5. Diana. 
8. Schnipp.—Long-haired Badger-Dog. 9. Pallas.—Tiger 
14. Lorne.—Bull- 
18 Nivernais.—French Chien 


(205) 


206 


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. 
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 In his 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 

Depredationsof 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 
inFear. so. In his 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 great 
surprise, they saw the animal get up, shake himself 


Though - 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 

ina 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 yoke 
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 néver 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 are also fed very 
little 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. is 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. 


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 
Dogs live on the elevations just described in a 
condition of complete independence. There they 
spend the greater part of the day in sleep, and 
Lge around at night. Each one of these Dogs has 

is 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 
they 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 hid- 
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 life begins in the 
mountains. Large and 
small troops and some- 
times packs are 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 


- 


southern continent. (Canis dingo.) 


207 


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 I used 
either as bait for wild Vultures or to feed my cap- 


Ce 


SSS ae = na 


DINGO.——The wild Dog of Australia, known as the Dingo, is generally disliked by the present white inhabit- 
ants because of the damage it causes among the flocks in the great Sheep ranges. The aborigines, however, frequently 
tamed it sufficiently to make it an important assistant to them in the chase. It is about as large as a medium-sized 
domestic Dog, has a shaggy coat and a bushy tail, and makes its living by hunting the marsupials and rodents of the 


tive Vultures and Hyznas. 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 every 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 


Ownerless _[n 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, goaround 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.” 

Linneus’ 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, Linnzeus, 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


before a thunderstorm. Suffers from tape-worm ; 
propagates rabies. Finally 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 are 

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 
aclean 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, curvin 
the tip. A plentiful supply of water is an essentia 
condition to their health. ae 

Physical The Dog can run and swim excellently, 
Traits of the and can also climb to a limited extent, 
Dog. 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 stomach 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 are 
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 


a re 
PRIZE DOGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL DOG SHOW AT CLEVE.—1. Druamah.—Scotch Deerhound. 2. Hercules.—English Blood- 


hound. 3. Job.—German Long-Haired Pointer, 4. Cora.—German Smooth-coated female Pointer. 5. Longa.—Female Badger-Dog. 6. Nero.—German 


“Tiger” Mastiff. 7. Prince—English Mastiff. 8. Mohr—Pomeranian Dog. 9. Solo.—White Poodle. 10. Gessler.—Alpine Dog. 11. Rattler.—Ger- 
man Rough-coated Terrier. 


(209) 


210 


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. Thesense 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. 

Scheitlinon Books might be written about the 
Mental Charac- mental characteristics of Dogs; it 
teristics of Dogs. is 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 doso. 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 
abused 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


drink out of their mistress’ glass and eat out of her: 
late, and to be kissed. The Hound is praised for 
bis 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 vet 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. of the 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’s 
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.” 

“T 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 hs 5 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. 


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 
the 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 
truttles 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 show 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- 


na ~ 
~~ 


211 


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. 
ogs 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 


he a) i: 


ei 


comme tie 


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 and cleaner one 
keeps him, the more rea- 
sonably c1ie demeans 
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. and 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 


brought out in this illustration. 


—<— 


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 
(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. ing 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 Waltershausen was in the habit of buying Sheep 
every spring in Eichsfeld and, of course, his Sheep 


212 


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 


ITALIAN GREYHOUND.—Because of its great symmetry of body and limb the Italian Greyhound is 
It is the smallest of the Greyhounds, but its more delicately shaped out- 
It resembles the other Greyhounds in its general 


highly prized by connoisseurs of Dogs. 
lines and especially smooth, soft coat make it a great favorite. 
traits. (Canis familiaris 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. jitter, 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 are 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 old 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 
Symptomsand 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 


St 


THE DOG FAMILY—DOG. 


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. Inthe later stages constipation sets in, 
the ears droop, the tail hangs down, the eye hasa 
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 people, 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 fluids 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. 
In the former the eyes 
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 ina 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 

ieces 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 
this mouth the while. He turns away from water in 


grajus hibernicus.) 


than any of the others to withstand cold climates. : 
head and a kind disposition, make this Dog both a beautiful and a faithful companion to Man, 


213 


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 Pere Many remedies have been vaunted 
sons Suffering as a cure for rabies, but they have 
from Rabies. not 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.— This breed of Greyhound is by its much longer and thicker fur, better adapted 


The markings of black or brown and white, added to an intelligent 
(Canis familiaris 


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 


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 ‘ll. 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 thestrong body and limbs 
confer upon the animal great powers of endurance, while the eyes speak kindness and intelligence. 
(Canis familiaris molossus 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 ofthe easily overestimated. Every reader 
Dog. 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 aremnant 
of the cannibal habit. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 madé 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 
mex daring, and were honored as much 
as any hero among the greedy arm: 
® 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, 
Argos. 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—GREYHOUND. 


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 of 
species. Reichenbach 
counts one hundred and 
ninety-five different 
kinds! 


THE GREYHOUND. 


The distinguishing 
features of the Grey- 
hound (Canis familiaris 
grajus) 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, 


JSamiliaris molossus germanicus.) 


215 


and thé 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. 


Traitsand 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 


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. 
or has been more written about than Prince Bismarck’s “Dog of the Empire,” a fine specimen of this breed. 


Perhapsno animal of modern times is more widely known 
(Canis 


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 


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 
opponent by the nape of the neck, tightening his 
grasp when the other Dog moves, tries to lift him 


= 


THE BULLDOG.——The type of strength, courage and persistent determination, above all other animals, is 
the Bulldog. The stout body and powerful chest, the blunt muzzle, the upper lip overhanging the lower jaw on both 
sides and the diminutive ears, all of which are shown in the picture, are points of distinction of this well known ani- 
mal. He is a faithful watch Dog, a fearless hunter and a good servant, but a bold and invincible antagonist.. (Canis 


familiaris molossus hibernicus.) 


and gives him a shake that makes the poor animal 
lose his senses. All the unsympathetic qualities of 
the Greyhound.cannot diminish his importance, how- 
ever. Among many nations he is as indispensable 
as the Pointer.to the European sportsman, or as 
the 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- 
tars, 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 Horse. Among the Arabian tribes of the desert, 
or rather of the desert-like plains on the border of 
the Sahara, there is a proverb: “A good Falcon, a 
swift Dog 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 may be ridden unobstructed, is the only one 
suitable for the hunter who desires to be “in at the 
death” when a Greyhound has caught a Hare. 

The Greyhound Sucha chase affords a beautiful spec- 

Chasinga _tacle. The Hare is not as stupid as it 
Hare. looks and plays an inexperienced 
Dog many a trick. The Greyhound follows his 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


game with fearful rapidity, making leaps of great 
distances, sometimes vying with the larger Felidz in 
this respect, clearing two, three or four yards at a 
bound, so that he soon comes up with the Hare. 
When he is nearly on the point of seizing it, the 
hunted animal suddenly turns around and retraces 
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, again 
seeks the Hare and sees it running along at probably 
one hundred and fifty paces distant. He turns about, 
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 differ 
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 
Greyhounds. 

In 1848 I spent several. weeks in the village of 
Melbes in 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 guard their 
village. It wasa 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 Hyznas 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. 
Their 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 
fora hunt. The Menand the Dogs assembled and 


THE DOG FAMILY—GREYVHOUND. 


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 

lentiful 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. of 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 Bédouins 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 reached 
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- 
oe and he meets every expectation. 

hen 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 
ee like an arrow, always selecting the finest, state- 

iest 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 
the 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 


THE PUG DOG.—This very familiar little animal is a sort of a miniature Bull- 
dog, which he resembles in shape, and ona 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. 


217 


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 (Cans familiaris gra- 
jus ttalicus), 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- Lhe smooth, thin fur and the con- 
hound a Rough- sequent sensitiveness to cold, as 
Coated Variety. well 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 


ne 


lal 


ML 


(Canis familiaris molossus fricator.) 


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. 
Yet 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 Naked Dog An ugly, degenerated type of the 
of Central Greyhound is the naked Dog found 
Africa. in 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 shoylder 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 anda 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 of Man. 


canus.) 


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 ( Camis familiaris molossus). 
The Handsome, Lo this group belongs, in the first 
Large Danish _ _ place, the Danish Dog (Canis famil- 
Dog. zaris molossus danicus) though it may 
be considered a cross between Greyhound and Bull- 
dog. Heisa large, handsome animal of noble shape, 
has slender legs, 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 his near relative and descend- 
Ulmer Mastiff. ant, the German Mastiff ( Canis fam- 
tliaris molossus germanicus ) distinguished as much for 
its beauty as its sagacity, and popular in Germany 
for still another reason. Who has not heard, or, at 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 
head, and are, as a general 
thing, partially split. 


Story of a A Dog of 
Large German this breed, 
astiff. 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 
peer owing to their 
arge 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 


(Canis familiaris molossus tibet- 


.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., 


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 Jamiliaris 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 name) 
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 


shown in this illustration. 


219 


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 the 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 1 happened to 
be present: before this ques- 
,. tion was put to him, and he 
saw that the girls were hot 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 


(Canis 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 


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- 
From that time the Dog always went to meet 


ure, 


— 


THE RETRIEVER.—The Retriever variety of Hounds includes besides the smooth-coated kind known as 
the Pointer, the Retriever proper, or Water Spaniel, the beautiful, rough-coated Dog shown in the picture. It has the 
Well trained Dogs of this species are not only valuable 
assistants of the chase but are amiable and especially docile friends of Man. (Canis familiaris sagax avicularius.) 


same traits as the Pointer, but is more fond of the water. 


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- Lhe Bulldog (Canis familiaris molossus 
teristics of the hibernicus) is a sub-order of the Mas- 
Bulldog. tiffs; he is of a stout, vigorous build, 
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 long 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 ears are rather long, of moderate 
width, rounded and semi-erect, the tips hanging over. 
The 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 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 lips 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 Traits of the Bulldog is probably Ireland; at 

Bulldog. least it is 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. 
There 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 face, 
and hold fast until the beast is ready to patiently 
submit to him. He is easily trained for fights 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 are 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 Lhe breed of Bulldog known as 

Especially Pugna- the Boxer (Canis familiaris molos- 

cious Bulldog. _— sus 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- 

Dogs. cature of a Dog, if 
such I may term him, the Pug 
(Canis familiaris molossus fucator), 
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 to a great many 
people. 

Mastiffs Formerly ‘A large species of the Mastiff was 

Used as Man- _ used fora brutal practice in former 
Chasers. 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 


hund. 


this illustration. 


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. (Canis familiaris molossus tibetanus) 
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 (Canis 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 


ee 


we a) 


THE SCHWEISZHUND, OR GERMAN BLOODHOUND,.——A valuable Hound, principally 
bred in Germany, stout of body, bold in disposition, with a keen scent and a cool head, is the Schweisz- 


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. 
overhanging upper lip, and the great development of the chest, are marked characteristics shown in 
(Canis familiaris sagax sanguinarius.) 


The very large, pendent ears, the 


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 short, 
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 


99% 


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. ulty of hearing; they 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 


~ (ZA = 


only found in the royal kennels of England, is the Staghound. 
is especially adapted for the hunting of fleet-footed game. 
(Canis familiaris sagax acceptorius.) 

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. 
They 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. The 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 
forgets everything else. Although he may have 
received, 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 


THE STAGHOUND,——A famous but very rare species of Hound, which in its pure breed is now said to be 
It excels all other Dogs in speed and endurance and 
It is appropriately depicted by the side of a wounded Stag. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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. 
For 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 
Turnspit and Great Britain ( Canis familiaris 
Described. yvertagus rectipes). 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- 
. ‘4 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, isa. 
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 
being of medium length. 
its ability as a hunter of 


It derives its name from 
the Otter. 


THE HOUNDS. 


The group of Dogs, ranged under the common 
name of Hounds (Cants 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 are 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. 


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. j 

‘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 

Traininga 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 are 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 


‘Fy 
7; 
ee 
“ 


THE FOXHOUND. 


animal of the chase. 


998 


mat 


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 séen), 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 


o other Dog of any species has had so much attention paid toits 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. 
(Canis familiaris sagax vulpicapus.) 


Its perfect proportions and vigorous build make it an ideal 


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 Observa- It goes without saying that if a 
tions on the good Dog is to be well trained, 
Training of Dogs. he 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 


994 


assistant, and consequently treat him as such even 
from his puppyhood. 
The Schweise- Resembling a smooth-coated 
hund or German Pointer in size and form is the 
Bloodhound. German Bloodhound or Schweisz- 
hund ( Cants 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 


small but fleet-footed game, is the Beagle. 
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 8taghound Another member of the group is the 

aVery Rare Staghound (Cams familiaris sagax 
Animal. acceptorius), 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 


Its characteristics are a stout build with a development of the chest 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 
Se 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 Lhe Beagle (Canis familiaris sagax 

as aHunter — ivvitans) 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 (Canis 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 
standin 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 


THE DOG FAMILY—SPANIELS. 


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 toa 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 afew 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 
foundland may con- 
Dog Described. sider the 


species just mentioned as 
dwarfs, the Newfoundland 
Dog (Canis familiaris ex- 
trarius terre nove) is the 
giant among Spaniels. He 
is a powerful animal, with 
a large, long head, a some- 
what thickened muzzle, 
drooping, shaggy ears of 
moderate size, large chest, 
stout neck and rather long, 
strong legs; the furis long, 7 === 
dense, shaggy, somewhat Beckman 
curly, and soft, being of an 
almost silky texture. The 
tail is rather long and 
shaggy, and the toes are 
webbed. The color of this Dog is subject to consid: 
erable variations. Many are black, with a vivid rus- 
set spot over each eye, and similar spots on the 
throat and joints of the feet. Less frequently they 
are black and white, or brown and white, or uni- 
formly brownish black and white. 
Traits and Quali: The Newfoundland is deservedly 
ties of the considered one of the handsomest 
Newfoundland Dog. of Dogs, and is much esteemed. 
His mental qualities correspond with his beauty and 
prove the excellence of the stock from which he 
springs. He is affectionate and faithful, intelligent 
and-extremely docile. The Newfoundland is the 


extrarius terre nove.) 


225 


best of all water Dogs, and the water seems to be 
his proper element. He is exceedingly fond of 
swimming, dives like an aquatic animal, and can 
remain in the water a long time. Once one of these 
Dogs was found in a distant bay, miles from the 
shore, and it was evident that he had been swim- 
ming for hours. A Newfoundland Dog is perfectly 
indifferent as to the direction he has to take in swim- 
ming, and makes his way with equal facility against 
the stream and waves as with them. Without any 
preliminary training he will take all kinds of ob- 
jects out of the water with indefatigable zeal, even 
during the severest cold weather, and deliver them to 
his master; in fact, he can be given no greater pleas- 
ure than to be afforded the opportunity of disport- 
ing himself in the water. His pleasure is consid- 
erably enhanced if his master goes into the water 
with him. The Dog seems to be beside himself with 
joy to find that Man is also at home in the water, 
and demonstrates his delight in many ways. The 
Dog swims around his master, dives under him, 
makes believe to support him for a little while, and 
plays around in the water with much glee. When 
finally the master is weary and turns to the shore, 


the Dog tries to invite him to more sport in the 
water. 

This extraordinary fondness of the Newfoundland 
for water makes him avery useful animal. There 
are a great many instances on record where he has 
rescued drowning people. In localities which bor- 
der on deep water, this Dog can not be surpassed 
as a nurse for children. One may boldly confide 
the smallest child to his vigilance and care, and may 
rest assured that as long as the Dog is near by the 
child will not be harmed. Besides all these excel- 
lent qualities, the Newfoundland Dog has a great 
fund of good-nature, gentleness and gratitude for 


226 


benefits received; but his memory of injuries and 
castigations abides for a long time, and he may 
become dangerous to people who intentionally tor- 
ment him. 
The St. Bernard Lhe St. Bernard Dog (Canis familiaris 
Dog, the extrarius st. bernardi) resembles the 
Worthiest of All. Newfoundland. Tschudi says: “The 
St. Bernards are large, remarkably strong animals, 
with long fur, short, wide muzzle, and long ears, 
They are exceedingly intelligent and faithful. Their 
breed was kept pure during four generations, but is 
now no longer so, because so many of these Dogs 


THE ST. BERNARD DOG,.— While other Dogs may have greater capabilities as Beasts of Prey, the St. 
Bernard Dog stands foremost among animals in his deeds of mercy and kindness. 
the text ; and the physical characteristics of the Dog are faithfully depicted by the artist. 
and strong body are needed in the Dog’s work of succor in the deep snows that abound in the Pass of the Great 
St. Bernard, where the Dog lives with his mastets, the good monks whose devoted lives he shares. (Canis famil- 


iaris extrarius st. bernardi.) 


have perished in avalanches encountered in their 
faithful service. A closely allied Dog is now being 
bred, and even young Pups of this breed bring a 
good price. 
Noble Service ‘““Lhe native home of these noble ani- 
of the 8t. mals is the Hospice of St. Bernard, 
Bernard Dog. situated at an elevation of about 
seven thousand five hundred feet above the sea,on a 
desolate mountain crest, in the vicinity of which 
winter lasts for eight or nine months. It is only in 
summer that large snow-flakes fall in this locality; 
in winter dry, small, brittle crystals of ice fall there: 
so fine that the wind drives them through every 
crevice in doors and windows. Near the monastery, 
especially, the wind often piles these crystals in 
loose walls of snow, from thirty to forty feet high, 
covering all roads and the edges of the precipices, 
and falling down into the latter at the slightest 
knock. 
“The journey across this old mountain pass is de- 
void of danger, even in summer, only during clear 
weather. On stormy days, or during the winter 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


months, when the numerous clefts and precipices are 
covered with snow, the passage is fraught with much 
danger and trouble to the stranger. Every year the 
mountain claims a small number of victims. The 
wanderer either falls into a cleft, or is buried under 
an avalanche; or the fog is so dense that he loses 
his way and perishes in the wilderness with hunger 
and weariness, or is overcome by a sleep from which 
there is no awakening. Without the Christian and 
self-sacrificing activity of the noble-monks the Pass 
of St. Bernard would be available but a few weeks or 
months of the year. Ever since the eighth century 
they have devoted them- 
selves to the pious care 
and rescue of travelers. 
The latter are entertained 
at the monastery free of 
cost. The stone buildings 
on the hearths of which the 
fire never goes out, can ac- 
commodate several hun- 
dred people in case of 
necessity. But the most 
peculiar feature is the reg- 
ular rescuing service, 
which is much facilitated 
by these celebrated Dogs. 
Every day two servants of 
the convent go over the 
most dangerous places of 
the pass; one goes from 
the cottage of the Cow- 
keeper of the monastery 
(which is much lower down 
on the mountain) up to the 
Hospice, the other goes 
down. In stormy weather, 
or after an avalanche, the 
number of searchers is 
trebled and several priests 
go with the party, accom- 
panied by the Dogs and 
provided with spades, 
poles, biers and refresh- 
ments. Every suspicious 
track is indefatigably pur- 
sued, signals are being 
given all the time, and the 
Dogs are closely watched, 
They are trained to track a human being, and often 
prowl around all the precipices and roads of the 
mountains for days. If they find a frozen body, they 
run back to the convent by the shortest way, bark 
violently, and lead the ever ready monks to the lost 
one. If they meet an avalanche, they make dili- 
gent search for the track of a human being, and if 
their keen scent discovers one, they immediately 
proceed to dig up the snow-buried unfortunate, their 
strong paws and great strength standing them in 
good stead at this task. They usually carry a small 
basket with restoratives or a flask of wine tied to 
their neck, and sometimes they have woolen blank- 
ets on their back. The number of people rescued 
in this way is very great and their names are in- 
scribed in the historical books of the Hospice. The 
most celebrated Dog was “ Barry,” the indefatigable 
creature who saved more than forty people.” 
Scheitlin’s Account A poem has been written about 
of Barry,the —_ this. Dog and Tschudi gives it in 
Life-Saving Dog. his work; but I know a still finer 
poem on the subject, though it is not written in 


These are eloquently told in 
The thick, shaggy coat 


THE DOG FAMILY—SPANIELS. 


verse: I mean Scheitlin’s description of Barry. He 
says: “The most excellent Dog of which we have 
knowledge is not the one which woke the guard- 
ians of the acropolis of Corinth; it is not Becerillo, 
which tore many hundreds of poor Indians to pieces; 
not the Dog of the hangman, which, at his master’s 
command, guided a stranger safely though a great, 
gloomy forest; not Dryden’s Dracon, which rushed 
at four highwaymen, killed some of them and saved 
his master’s life; not that one which ran home to 
give information that the miller’s little Girl had 
fallen into the river; not the Dog in Warsaw which 
jumped down from the bridge and saved a little 
Girl’s life; not Aubry’s Dog, which seized his mas- 
ter’s murderer and would have torn ‘him to pieces 
before the king; not Benvenuto Cellini’s Dog, which 
woke the goldsmiths when the gems were* about to 
be stolen; but Barry, the saint on the St. Bernard! 
Barry, the highest among Dogs, the highest among 
all animals! You were a great human Dog, Barry, 
with a warm heart for the suffering. You saved the 
lives of more than forty people. With your little 
basket and a flask of sweet, strengthening wine on 
your neck, you left the monastery day after day, in 
snow-storms and in thaw, to 
search for people buried by the 
drifting snow or by an ava- 
lanche, to dig them out, or, if 
you could not do so, to run 
home and bring the monks to 
help you with their spades. You 
were the reverse of a grave- 
digger, for you resurrected peo- 
ple who were buried. Like a 
sympathizing human being, you 
must have been able to show 
your compassion, or else that 
little Boy whom you dug out of 
the snow would not have dared 
to sit on your back and suffer 
himself to be carried to the hos- 
pitable monastery! When you 
arrived with him, you pulled the 
bell, to give the precious found- 
ling into the care of the merciful 
monks, and then you hurried 
back to resume your search! 
Every success made you more 
joyful, more compassionate. 
That is the blessing of a noble 
deed: that it must go on pro- 
ducing more nobility!” r 
Tschudi says that excellent === 
Dogs are also kept on the St. tAGet| 
Gotthard, Simplon, Grimsel and 
Furka passes and in all other 
Alpine hospices. These Dogs 
are possessed of extremely keen 
powers of scent where human beings are concerned, 
and are usually Newfoundland Dogs or cross-breeds 
with Newfoundland blood. The inhabitants of all 
the hospices agree that these Dogs know the ap- 
proach of a storm an hour beforehand, especially in 
winter, and show it by their restlessness. But no 
other Dog has become as celebrated as Barry. 
The Poodle, His Lhe well-known Poodle (Canis famil- 
Character- _—iaris extrarius genuinus) is also a Span- 
istics and Traits. je], It does not seem necessary to 
describe him, as he is so universally known. The 
stout body thickly clothed in long, woolly, shaggy 
hair, forming actual curls on some parts of the body, 


THE POODLE.——E 


227 


and the long, wide ears, distinguish him from his 
relatives. A Poodle, to be accounted a fine speci- 
men of the breed, must be all black or all white, or 
at most may have a white patch on the forehead and 
breast, if the rest of the body is black. 

The Poodle shows his close relations to the Span- 
iels by his fondness for water. He not only swims 
well, but likes to swim, and he may be trained for 
hunting. He is, however, more fit to be a com- 
panion to Man, and such he is to a greater extent 
than any other animal. To describe him I take the 
words of Scheitlin, who is one of the warmest ad- 
mirers of this Dog: ‘ The Poodle has the best built 
body among Dogs. He has the most beautiful head, 
the most symmetrical body, the finest shape, a full, 
wide chest and well-formed limbs; is neither large 
nor small, long nor short, and has the most dignified 
bearing. Physically he is well adapted for all exer- 
cises. He learns to dance of his own accord, for 
his half-human nature incites him to stand. on two 
legs and walk erect. He soon sees that he can do 
it, and does so, whenever he feels like it. His sense 
of taste is delicate; he discriminates between two 
different kinds of food and is fastidious. His scent 


verybody i 
black, but both pert, intelligent, shaggy and curly-coated, although the white Dog has been partly shorn. 
The Poodle is a very sagacious animal, capable of great usefulness if it is not spoiled in training, and a 
very amusing companion. (Canis familiaris extrarius genuinus.) 


is celebrated. If he is given a shoe or any other 
object belonging to a lost child, he can retain the 
memory of the smell and, by means of it, find the 
child. He seldom errs, for his nose is his chief organ 
of sense. His hearing is excellent. He knows a 
voice from afar, distinguishes its inflections, recog- 
nizes the difference between large and small bells, 
and knows the sound of the footsteps of. the differ- 
ent people living in the house. Of his senses, only 
that of sight is defective: he does not see well and 
recognizes his master by sight only when quite near, 
but what he lacks in this respect is more than made 
up by the great acuteness of his other senses. 


228 


Great Sagacity ‘The sense of locality of the Poodle 
Shown is excellent. He finds his way home 

by the Poodle. from places that are hours’ or even 
days’ walking distance away. He roams about at 
will in the city or country, and will visit houses 
where he has been with his master and has been 
made welcome, even if it has happened but once. 
Therefore he can be taught to bring the meat from 
the butcher and the bread from the baker. _ His per- 
ception of time is keen. He knows when Sunday is 


coming, and knows dinner time like a hungry human 
He discriminates between colors, and by 


being. 


THE SKYE TERRIE 


Jamiliaris gryphus hirsutus.) 


their aid distinguishes between objects. 


The im- 
pression which music produces upon him is strange; 


some instruments he likes, some he does not. He 
keenly watches all that goes on around him and 
nothing escapes his notice; therefore people call 
him sagacious. He isa perfect observer and there- 
fore understands not only the words but also the 
facial expressions and glances of his master. His 
memory is exceedingly tenacious. He remembers 
the shape and color of his master for years; and 
retains the knowledge of a road for an equally long 
period. The Dog is called sagacious for his dis- 
criminating scent alone, but how much more he 
deserves the term on account of his memory, for in 
ordinary life a child, and sometimes even a learned 
but stupid Man, gets praise for being clever solely 
because he has a good memory. This faculty is one 
of the principal reasons for the Poodle’s docility, 
but he also requires patience, good nature and 
obedience. He can be taught to drum, shoot off 
pistols, climb ladders, take by assault a hill de- 
fended by other Dogs, and learns to play on the 
stage with others of his kind. We knowthat Horses 
and Elephants have been taught the same tricks. 


—The shaggy, wiry coat, the. short tail, the snub noseand queer little ears of th 
Skye Terrier make it one of the ugliest of Dogs, but it is a very useful animal about premises infested with Rats, is 
good-natured and kind in its demeanor toward its master and friends, but a good watch Dog about a house. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


Two other things are worth mentioning in regard 
to the Poodle; his tendency to imitate and his ambi- 
tion or vanity. He is always looking at his master 
and always wishes to do something for him. Asa 
child thinks that its father is always right and that 
what the father does it can and must do likewise, so 
does the Poodle regard his master. If his master 
takes up a ball, he takes one between his paws and 
tries to bite it and worries if he does not succeed; if 
his master is a geologist and looks for stones in the 
interest of science, the Poodle also looks for stones. 
Ifthe master works with the spade, the Poodle also 
digs up the earth with his 
paws. If the master looks 
out of the window the 
Poodle jumps up on the 
sill, and looks at the 
beautiful view. He also 
likes to carry a stick ora 
basket, because he has 
seen his master and the 
cook do so. He carries 
it carefully, puts it at peo- 
ple’s feet, goes from one 
to another to show off his 
skill, and complacently 
wags his tail. .While he 
carries an object, he pays 
no attention to other 
Dogs; he seems to de- 
spise them as good-for- 
nothings, while they ap- 
pear to esteem him.” . 
Disposition “‘ The Poodle is 
ofthe not the most 

Poodle. feared Dog, but 
he is the most highly val- 
ued and popular one, be-- 
cause he is the best- 
natured of them all. He 
especially endears himself 
to children, as he suffers 
* them to tease him, to ride 
# on him.and worry him in 
every way, without even 
growling, biting or show- 
ing signs of annoyance. 
He is very greedy, but will frequently allow one to 
take his food out of his mouth, a thing very few 
other Dogs will do.. The Poodle remembers all his 
life the person who has once shorn him, and if 
that person enters the house at any future time to 
shear him, he runs away and hides himself, for he 
does. not wish to be shorn. It is very interesting to 
see how he looks for his master. He runs along the 
street, his head held low, then he stops, reflects a 
little, turns around, stops again at another corner, 
reflects again, crosses the street obliquely to save 
time, etc. 

“It is strange, that the better-natured, the more 
sagacious a Poodle is, the less useful he is as a 
watch Dog and the less readily he will attack a Man. 
He loves and venerates all human beings; if one pits 
him against a Man, he only looks at his master and 
his opponent, as if he thinks it quite impossible for 
his master to pit him against his own kind. The 
master might be murdered without his defending 
him. This Dog is always highly obedient, as he 
fears not only blows but his master’s displeasure, 
his words, his threatening finger, and this docility 
makes the Poodle a most amiable companion.” 


(Canis 


THE DOG FAMILY—TERRIER. 229 


THE TERRIERS. 


Let us now turn to another remarkable group, the. 


Terriers (Canis familiaris gryphus). Some natural- 
ists rank them among the preceding group, and in 
fact, a few Terriers much resemble the Poodle in 
their fur, the structure of their muzzle, ears and tail; 
in their good nature, faithfulness, and merry, playful 
disposition; but the structure of skull and skeleton 
is entirely different and entitles them to be ranked 
asa distinct species. There are two main sub-orders 


in this group, the smooth-coated and the rough- - 


coated Terriers. The for- 
mer resemble the Badger- 
Dogs in their structure, but 
differ from them in having 
longer and straight legs, 
and ears that are either 
entirely erect or have only 
their tips hanging down. 
Most Terriers are of a 
dark color, those that are 
spotted being’ less com- 
mon. The body is some- 
what slender, the head is 
stout, the muzzle long and 
blunt. The tail is smooth, 
and is either extended 
straight out behind or 
curved slightly forward. 
The legs are straight and 
of moderate length. The 
ears and tail are usually 
docked in puppyhood and 
the animals are thereby 
made ugly in an unjusti- 


fiable way. 
General All Terriers 
Traits of the are exceed- 

Terriers. 


ingly clever, 
playful creatures, their 
eagerness for a hunt sur- 
passing all bounds. They 
are very fond of catching 
Rats and Mice and digging 
out Moles, and are really 
indefatigable in their pursuit of these small animals. 
They cannot always be recommended ‘as domes- 
tic pets, as their restless temperament sometimes 
makes them very annoying; but on the other hand 
they are admirable companions for people who do 
much riding or driving, for a Terrier is best pleased 
when he is obliged to run fast. But even when 
accompanying his master on the swiftest gallop, he 
finds time to investigate every Mouse-hole and dis- 
turb every Mole which is engaged in throwing up 
its heaps of earth. With his nose high in the air, he 
looks all around him and whenever he hears a rus- 
tling noise he approaches cautiously and softly, stops 
for a moment, then makes a sudden jump, beats the 
earth with his fore-paws and in another moment has 
the subterraneously living creature in his mouth. 
He hunts Mice in exactly the same manner, dis- 
playing such great zeal in hunting them, that, accord- 
ing to Lenz, he will catch from four to five and 
sometimes fourteen or more Mice during a toler- 
ably long walk. He does not eat the Moles, but 
buries them. He eats of Mice until he is satisfied 
and throws the rest away. 

His success in catching Rats has particularly 
attracted the notice of Englishmen, and great Rat 


driving Cattle to market. 


pecuarius.) 


but Cattle, Goats and other domestic quadrupeds. 


fights in which these Dogs were brought to display 
their activity were long a popular form of sport in 
England [but are now rare because these contests 
are inhibited by law]. To add to the interest of 
these Rat fights exceedingly high bets were made 
upon the Dogs which participated, and the contests 
thereby assumed the character of gambling. 

The mental gifts of all Terriers are worthy of 
notice. These exhibit a great sagacity and a con- 
siderable degree of reasoning power. There are 
cases on record where they have known the value 
of money and have procured coins to buy food. 


THE SHEEP DOG.——Upon the score of usefulness no Dog stands higher in the record than the Sheep 
Dog, the companion and faithful servitor of those who ‘have charge of flocks and herds, guarding not only Sheep, 


A variety of. this Dog, known as the Drover’s Dog, is used for 


The pointed muzzle and ears. shaggy coat and tail, rather long and sinewy legs, and 
stout but not bulky body of this Dog have been faithfully reproduced by the artist. 


(Canis familiaris domesticus 


The Skye Ter- One of the queerest of Dogs, the 

rier, Prized for Skye. Terrier ( Canis familiaris gry- 

His Ugliness. phus hirsutus) differs greatly from the 
ordinary Terrier in his outward appearance. His 
ugliness forms his beauty and he is therefore much 
sought after and highly valued by fanciers. He is 
a playful, amusing creature, very affectionate, of 
amiable, winning manners towards his friends, and 
very brave in fights with other Dogs. He is excel- 
lent in hunting Rats, Rabbits and Quail. 


DOMESTIC DOGS PROPER. 


The group of Dogs we will consider last comprises 
those species which serve mankind most faithfully 
and are held in the utmost subjection, namely, the 
domestic Dogs proper (Canis familiaris domesticus). 

To this group belongs the Dog of the Pyrenees, 
the Pomeranian Dog, the Hungarian Wolf Dog, the 
Dog of the Laplanders, of Kamchatka and of the 
Eskimos, as well as of other northern tribes, the Dog 
of the Gypsies, of the Chinese, of Iceland and others. 

The Sheep: Dog, The Sheep Dog (Canis familiaris do- 
Faithful Guardian mesticus pecuarius) deserves special 

of Flocks. mention among these Dogs. He dif- 
fers from the other domestic Dogs in that his ears 


230 


hang over only at the extremities; as a rule he is of 
slender build, endowed with a lean body and long, 
sinewy legs, like those of a Wolf, but he is consid- 
erably smaller than a Wolf in size. The somewhat 
elongated head with its pointed muzzle, the lean, 
straight legs, the moderately long tail which the 
Dog usually carries hanging downward with the tip 
curved upward, and the thick, curly and sometimes 
shaggy fur of gray-brown color, are further distin- 
guishing features that serve to complete his picture. 

The Sheep Dog is generally used as a guardian of 
flocks as early as his first year, but a longer time is 
requisite for him to learn to do his duty perfectly: 
It is by no means a matter of indifference to him 
what kind of animals he has to tend, as he adapts his 
behavior to their different characteristics. The Dog 
of a Cow-keeper must constantly observe his master 
and obey his commands. Cows which do not obey 


> 


< 


te picture, 
lomesticus pomeranus.) 

immediately must be bitten, for otherwise they will 
stand in no fear of him. When he drives the Cow 
before him he must bite only her hind-legs, never 
her tail, flanks or udder. If the Cow kicks, he must 
take care of himself, but still he must bite; if a Bull 
or a Cow tries to resist him by resorting to their 
horns, he will still come out victorious, if he knows 
his business, for he will seize the animal’s mouth, 
and suspend himself from it. Spanish shepherds 
make use of a sling with unfailing security. A Bull 
which has been punished several times by having a 
stone flung at his head must beware of the Dog; 
for the Dog soon picks out the fiercest in the flock 
and allows him a very limited range of movement. 
Strong he-Goats also have to be bitten by the Dog, 
but only on their hind legs. He must never bite 
Lambs or suckling Ewes, however, but must only 
make believe that he will bite. 


THE POMERANIAN DOG, OR SPITZ,——Valuable as a watch Dog, the Pomeranian Dog or Spitz is an 
cspecial favorite in Germany with farmers, and also with carters whom it accompanies on their journeyings. 
Some have short hair, but those most common have a shaggy, coarse fur on the body and tail like those shown in 
They are very intelligent and affectionate, and faithful in the highest degree. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


° 


Like every other Dog, the Sheep Dog is the reflec- 
tion of his master. The Spanish Sheep Dog is as 
fierce, the German Sheep Dog as good-natured as 
his owner. If the latter is a poacher, the Dog will 
soon equal the best of Hounds; if the master tries to 
eke out a livelihood by looking for mushrooms or 
the like, the Dog will help him gather them; if the 
master has to encounter two-legged or four-legged 
robbers, the Dog takes his share in the fray; if 
the Shepherd lives in peace, there is no gentler 
being than his Dog. The two resemble and entertain 
each other. There are Sheep Dogs which really un- 
derstand every word their master says. A credible 
observer once told me that he had himself heard 
one Shepherd tell his Dog to pay special attention 
to the rape-seed. The animal seemed puzzled for 
an instant, probably because he had never heard the 
word before. Wheat and rye, barley and oats, 

2 meadow and field were fa- 
‘=< miliar things to him, but of 
rape-seed he knew nothing. 
After some reflection he 
went around the flock, in- 
vestigated all the fields and 
stopped at the one which 
was grown with something 
different from the seeds he 
knew, thinking that that 
ought to be the rape-seed 
field, and so it was. 


The Pomera- What the 
nian Dog a Good Sheep Dog 
Watch-Dog. is to the 


flocks, the Spitz or Pome- 
ranian Dog (Canis famil- 
taris domesticus pomeranus ) 
is to the house. He is 
small, or at the most of 
medium size, vigorous and 
stout, has a narrow head 
and pointed muzzle, short 
legs and a long tail, me- 
dium-sized ears and keen, 
intelligent eyes; he is 
clothed in either long, 
coarse fur, or short hair of 
fine texture, and his color 
may be pure white, yellow, 
Fox-red, gray, or, very 
rarely, black, sometirnes 
with light marks on the 
forehead and feet. Alto- 
gether it would be difficult 
to mistake him for any other breed of Dog. 

All individuals of this species are very fond of 
their liberty and should not be chained up; but when 
they are allowed to prowl around at will, they can 
not be equaled as watch Dogs, because they are so 
faithful and incorruptible. : 

The Eskimo Dog, Lhe Eskimo Dog (Canis familiaris 

a Very Useful domesticus borealis) which belongs to 

Animal. the same family as the Pomera- 
nian Dog, is not less useful ‘than the two last named 
species and must be regarded as the most impor- 
tant domestic animal of the uncivilized tribes of the 
whole north of the globe. His height at the shoul- 
der is from twenty to twenty-four inches, though in 
some localities the average is higher. He differs 
from the Sheep Dog in having a more Wolf-like as- 
pect, and also because of his erect ears, his thick fur 
(which in winter assumes quite a woolly texture), 


(Canis familiaris 


THE DOG FAMILY—DOMESTIC DOG. 231 


and his cunning expression of countenance. His the journey; and then the whole team is huddled to- 
demeanor indicates a certain degree of independ- gether in inextricable confusion; they are all bark- 
ence and liberty, though he enjoys these privileges ing, biting, growling and rushing together and not 
but temporarily. He has closely allied relatives all even the powerfully wielded whip of the owner of 
over the north of the Old World, and is employed the sled suffices to restore order in the turbulent 


as much for guarding 
Cattle as for drawing 
sleds. 

Nearly the whole life 
of the Eskimo Dog is 
spent under the yoke, 
and is employed either 
in drawing sleds or in 
carrying burdens. In 
arctic America and on 
its islands he is a real 
beast of burden and the 
only one which Man 
has there appropriated. 
Only during the short 
summer does his mas- 
ter give him a limited 
amount of liberty, but 
in winter he is a per- 
fect slave. 

A well-fed Eskimo 
Dog may be termed a 
handsome animal; but 
unfortunately his food, 
if he does not procure 
it himself, is adminis- 
tered to him by his 
master in such scant 
proportions, that for 
many months he re- 
sembles a skeleton 
more than a living be- 
ing. His relation to 
Man is peculiar. He 
knows that he is bound 
by the chains of slay- 
ery, and he tries to 
break these fetters. He 
is Wolf-like in a phys- 
ical as well as mental 
aspect. He resembles 
the arctic Wolf so much 
in his thick fur, his erect 
ears, the width of the 
upper part of the head, 
and the pointed muzzle, 
that from a distance the 
two can not be distin- 
guished from each 
other. The Eskimo 
Dog is an inveterate 
thief, but on the other 
hand is as fawning as 
only a fear- tormented 
slave can be. A rather 
numerous pack is usu- 
ally put before a sled, 
and they follow the 
leadership of an old, 
experienced Dog; there 
is no semblance of hu- 
man guidance accord- 
ing to our ideas. The 


2 j 


ESKIMO DOG.——Servant and slave of the people of the frozen North, the Eskimo Dog is indispensable in those 
regions. Itis the only beast of burden and a valuable assistant in the chase, very Wolf-like in its build and to a large 
extent in its disposition. It is scantily fed and usually hungry, and the picture well depicts its eagerness for the fish 
that is to serve for its dinner. This Dog has a warm, shaggy coat, and needs it in the frozen climate that forms its 
home. When the Dog is too old to work it is killed for its fur, which is used for clothing. (Canis familiaris domesticus 
borealis.) 


Dogs are fastened to a strap ina primitive manner. pack. Finally the entanglement reaches such a 
In the Hudson Bay country the Dogs are sometimes _ stage that free progress is rendered impossible, and 
put in single file. Occasionally a fight ensues during then the journey is interrupted until the driver 


232 


alights, disentangles the animals and harnesses 
them to the sled afresh. 

The arctic nations could not exist without this 
domestic animal, which renders them innumerable 
useful services. Carrying a burden of from twenty 
to thirty pounds, these Dogs accompany ‘their mas- 
ters on their long protracted hunting expeditions. 
From six to ten Dogs draw a sled with a load of 
from six to eight hundred pounds, and they are said 
to cover considerable distances, usually from twenty- 
five to thirty miles a day. If the load is light, 
they may traverse fifty miles. If they scent game 
on their way, they often start,in mad pursuit, after 
it. They also assist in the chase, mount guard, 
defend their owner in case of danger, and render a 
hundred other valuable services. 

Steller’s Account Steller has given us an excellent 

of the Life description of how these Dogs and 
of Eskimo Dogs. their kin are used: ‘Among the 
domesticated animals of Kamchatka the Dogs take 
first rank because of their. remote antiquity as well 
as their usefulness; and besides, they are the only 
domestic animals in that country. 
, “Without Dogs people could not live here, as in 
other countries they could not do without Horses 
and Cattle. The Dogs of Kamchatka are of various 
colors, the white, black and wolfish- gray varieties 
predominating. The fur is very dense and long. 
These Dogs live on fish. From spring till late 
autumn they receive no attention, and prowl around 
at liberty. All day long they lie in wait for fishes 
on river banks, catching them with great dexterity. 
When they have enough fish, they eat only the 
heads, like Bears, and leave the rest. In October 
every Man collects his Dogs and ties them to his 
house. posts. Then the animals are made to go 
hungry for. some time, so as to lose their fat and 
be in condition to run without losing breath, and 
with the first snow-fall their misery begins. They 
are then heard. bewailing their fate, howling and 
lamenting day and night. Their food in winter is of 
two kinds. Asa dessert and stimulant they receive 
utrid fish, which has been stored and soured in pits. 
he principal food is dry, and consists of mouldy 
fish, dried in the air. This they get in the morning, 
to brace them up for running. The strength of 


these Dogs is astonishing. As a usual thing only | 


four Dogs are harnessed to one sled, but they easily 
draw three adult people and a load of fifty pounds. 
The load ordinarily given to four Dogs is from one 
hundred and sixty to two hundred pounds. Although 
traveling with Dogs is very arduous and dangerous, 
and more fatiguing than journeying on foot, and the 
driver becomes thoroughly worn out ‘with the work 
of guiding these Dogs and the discomforts of this 
method of traveling, yet it has many advantages. 
By this means journeys from one place to another 
can be made over the worst roads, upon which no 
progress could be accomplished either with Horses 
or on foot, because of the deep snow.” 


THE FOXES. 


The Foxes (Vulpes) differ to a considerable ex- 
tent from the Wolves.. The long body, the long 
head with its pointed muzzle, the elongated and 
somewhat oblique pupils of the eyes, the short legs 
and the very long, bushy tail or “brush” of the Foxes 
entitle them to rank as a distinct species. In spite of 
the resemblance to the customs and habits of other 
Canide, their behavior and character display many 
peculiar traits and are worthy of special mention. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


The Common Fox, The Common Fox (Vulpes vulgaris) 
the Famous undoubtedly ranks first among 
Reynard. the wild mammals of Germany. 
Scarcely any other animal, except, perhaps, the 
Jackal, enjoys such celebrity and universal indorse- 
ment as friend Reynard, the emblem of cunning, 
slyness, deceit, mischief, and if I may say so, vulgar 
chivalry. He is praised by proverb and tradition, 
he is glorified by poems; that greatest of poets, 
Goethe, thought him a worthy subject of an epic. 
Whether he deserves all this glory is another ques- 
tion. Pechuel-Loesche says: ‘The Fox of tradition 
and poetry and the Fox in real life are really two 
very different animals. Whoever observes him with 
an unprejudiced mind, fails to discover any extraor- 
dinary degree of that much praised presence of mind, 
cleverness, cunning and practical sense, or even an 
unusually keen development of the senses. In my 
opinion he is by no means superior in his endow- 
ments to. other Beasts of Prey, especially the Wolf. 
The most that can be truly said in his praise is to 
admit that, when he is pursued, he knows how to 
adapt himself to the surrounding circumstances, but 
scarcely more so than other sagacious animals, Like 
many other animals, including the harmless species, 
some old Foxes may have their wits unusually sharp- 
ened by experience, but every huntsman who has 
had much to do with Foxes will admit that there 
are a great many which are not ingenious, and some 
which may even be called stupid, and this refers 
not only to young, inexperienced Foxes, but also to 
many old ones. The Fox isa rascal and knows his 
trade, because he has to make a living somehow; he 
is impudent, but only when driven by hunger or 
when he has to provide for his little family; and in 
bad plights he shows neither presence of mind nor 
deliberation, but loses his head completely. He is 
caught in clumsy traps and this even repeatedly. In 
the open country he allows a sled to approach him 
within a ‘gun’s shot; he permits himself to be sur- 
rounded in a hunt in spite of the noise and shots, 
instead of wisely taking to his heels; in short, this 
animal, which is more relentlessly pursued than any 
other inhabitant of the woods, still has not learned 
to see through all the tricks of Men and shape his 
actions accordingly. Master Reynard of tradition 
and the Common Fox of the forest may not very 
well be regarded as the same animal, for the latter 
is by no means remarkably clever.” 
General Descrip- Reynard is the hero of a hundred 
tion of the stories and pictures, and his image is 
Common Fox. well known to everybody. Still he 
deserves to be specially introduced to those who are 
not very conversant with nature. His length is fifty- 
six inches, twenty of which are taken up by the tail; 
the height at the shoulder is fourteen or at the most 
fifteen inches. The head is wide, the forehead flat, 
the muzzle, which tapers abruptly, is long and thin. 
The eyes are oblique, and the triangular ears are 
erect. The body appears stout on account of the 
thick fur, but is in reality remarkably slender, though 
very strong and capable of a great range of move- 
ment. The legs are lean and short, the tail is long 
and bushy, the fur is thick and soft. Reynard and 
all his noble family are clothed in a way which is 
excellently adapted to their predaceous life. The 
color is a pale, grayish red, resembling the color of © 
the ground, and is equally fit for any forest, high or 
low, for the heath, for a field and for a rocky region. 
The coat of. the Fox seems to correspond more 
closely to his surroundings than that of any other 


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234 


animal, for the southern Fox differs considerably 
from the northern one, the Fox of the mountains 
from that of the plains. . Those species living on 
plains and deserts show the similarity of their color 
with that of the ground still more distinctly. When 
we come to examine the fur closely we find the dis- 
tribution of the colors to be somewhat like this: the 
whole upper surface is of a russet or yellowish red 
hue; the forehead, the shoulders and the buttocks, to 
the root of the tail, have a surface tinge of white, as 
the hairs in these parts are tipped with white; the 
lips, cheeks and throat are white. A white stripe 
runs along the legs; the breast and the under por- 
tion are ashy gray; the flanks are whitish gray, the 
fore-legs red, the ears and the paws black; the brush 
is either russet or yellowish red, blackened at the 
surface, and its tip is either of the same color or 
white. All these shades imperceptibly merge into 
each other, none of-them being placed in sharp con- 
trast, and that is the reason why the coat is so well 
adapted for any surroundings. 


WheretheFoxes Reynard inhabits the greater part 
Make Their of the Northern Hemisphere of our 
Homes. 


globe. He ranges throughout Eu- 
rope, northern Africa, western and northern Asia; 
we may include Afghanistan, the western Himalayas 
and Tibet in his range, for the species prevailing 
there can hardly be differentiated as distinct. He is 
nowhere within this wide expanse entirely absent, 
and in some localities is rather common. His 
adaptability aids him in finding habitations where 
other Beasts of Prey cannot find any, and therefore 
cannot exist, and his agility and cunning enable 
him to maintain these habitations with an obstinacy 
and pertinacity which is without parallel. As the 
Wolf opposes him as an enemy he is relatively 
scarce in the genuine Wolf regions; but his numbers 
increase in proportion as the Wolf is being extermi- 
nated. 

He always selects his places of abode with the 
greatest caution. Usually they are deep hollows 
between rocks, covered with branches, or situated 
between roots of trees or other similar favorable 
places, and the end is a spacious chamber. When- 
ever he can avoid doing so, he does not dig out 
these burrows himself, but establishes himself in 
some old, deserted Badger’s hole or shares it with 
the Badger in spite of the latter’s disinclination to 
enter into social relations with other animals. All 
the larger Fox burrows or ‘‘earths,” as they are 
called, have been originally constructed by Badgers. 
If it is possible, the Fox excavates his burrows in 
mountain walls, so that the conduits lead upward, 
without running close to the surface. In perfectly 
level ground, the chamber is often situated quite 
near the surface. During the autumn he likes to 
make his home in heaps. of dead wood or stones, 
especially on plains; and it sometimes happens that 
an old tree or even a mere hollow in the ground 
has to serve as his apartment and as nursery. He 
is always found at home, when the weather is rainy, 
stormy or cold, during the breeding season, in sum- 
mer when the heat is intense or as long as the 
female nurses little ones; but when the weather is 
favorable, he roams about his domain and rests 
wherever he can find a comfortable place, In plains 
devoid of woods, as for instance in the fertile coun- 
try of Lower Egypt, the Foxes excavate real bur- 
rows only for their little ones, while the parents live 
outdoors beneath the mild Egyptian sky all the year 
round. 


‘not infrequently succeeds in doing so. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


The Fox a Per- The Fox prefers to prey at night, 
sistent but in quiet regions he hunts as will- 
Beast of Prey. ingly when the sun shines. During 
the long summer days, in covered places of his do- 
main, he sometimes sallies forth with his family sev- 
eral hours before sunset; during severe, cold weather 
or when the snow is deep, he seems to rest only in 
the morning, for one may then see him roaming in 
the fields as early as ten o’clock in the forenoon, 
Like a Dog, he values warmth very much. In fine 
weather he basks on some old tree or stone and 
spends many an hour in the most comfortable men- 
tal quietude. When he deems himself secure, he 
will sometimes go recklessly to sleep in places that 
are little sheltered or entirely uncovered, snoring like 
a Dog, and slumbers so soundly that an intelligent 
Dog may succeed in warning the sportsman, who can 
then surprise and observe him. At dusk, or earlier 
in the afternoon, he sets out on his predaceous roam- 
ings. Very cautiously and leisurely he saunters 


along, looking and sniffing from time to time, always . 
trying to keep under cover and therefore selecting ~ 


his ways and passages among the most favorable 
situations, between shrubs, stones, high grass or 
similar places. ‘He keeps in the thicket as long as 
he can, and whenever he has to leave it, he takes 
care to select a place where isolated shrubs or simi- 
lar coverings form, so to speak, a bridge to another 
favorable part of the wood. Experienced hunters 
therefore know these passages very well and judge 
of the route Reynard will-take under given circum- 
stances with a considerable degree of certainty. 

The Fox preys on all animals from a young Roe 

to a Beetle, but principally on Mice, which prob- 
ably form the staple ingredient of his repasts. He 
spares neither young nor old, and zealously pursues 
Hares and Rabbits and even attacks young Roes or 
Deer. He not only plunders the nests of all birds 
brooding on the ground, devouring both eggs and 
young, but also tries to overcome the old birds, and 
He swims 
and wades through swamps and moors, in order to 
reach the birds which brood on the water, and there 
are cases on record where he has killed brooding 
Swans. He also attacks tame poultry and effects 
an entrance into isolated farm-yards at night; and if 
he is afforded a good cover, he pursues the poultry 
even in broad daylight. In large orchards and vine- 
yards he is a more frequent visitor than one im- 
agines. There he catches Grasshoppers, May-bugs 
and their grubs, Rain-worms, etc., or gathers sweet 
pears, plums, grapes or berries. At the river-bank 
he tries to surprise a fine Trout or a stupid Crab; at 
the sea-shore he empties the nets of the fishers; in 
the forest he robs the nooses spread by the hunter. 
In this way his larder is always well stocked and he 
becomes straitened in circumstances only when the 
snow is very deep and impairs his opportunities. 
Then he is satisfied with anything edible, not only 
with carcasses, which he will feed upon at any sea- 
son of the year and seems to like, as all Canide do, 
but even with an old, dried-out bone or a piece of 
half-rotten leather. Quite frequently, also, he visits 
the encampments of wood-choppers to pick up the 
remains of their repasts. When his hunger is half 
satisfied, he plays long and cruelly with his prey 
before dispatching it. 

The Fox is Wary, 1n his prowlings he regards his se- 
but Some- curity as paramount to every other 
times Bold. _ consideration. Things he does not 

understand arouse his suspicion, and when once he 


A FAMILY OF FOXES.—Here is a pleasant family re enting a summer d 
little ones have come out of their secluded burrow to enjoy the pleasant air. 
ground are playing with each other after the manner of young Puppie 
just emerging from the burrow, is very intent on the movements of a pretty Butterfly, which he will snap at if it 


y ina quiet European wood. Madame Reynard and her four 
The mother Imly content, but watchful. he two little Foxes in the fore- 
Another, nestling by the mother, finds amusement in biting a twig, and the fourth, 
mes nearer. The mother is a fine specimen 


of the Fox tribe, and her tail is a beautiful “ brush” which many a sportsman would like to own. (Vulpes vulgari. 


236 


has become distrustful, only the pangs of hunger can 
oad him into reckless actions; but when he has been 
ong deprived of food, he becomes downright impu- 
dent. In broad daylight the hungry Fox will put 
in an appearance in a yard, seize upon a Chicken or 
Goose before people’s very eyes, and hasten away 
with his prey. He is much averse to parting with 
the booty so arduously procured, and if he is com- 
pelled to relinquish it, he repeatedly returns to see 
whether * he still cannot make away with it. The 
same boldness is occasionally displayed by him 
under circumstances calling for immediate flight. 
Once a Fox, which was being hunted by Hounds 
and had twice heard the shot buzzing by, seized a 
sick Hare in his flight and carried it with him for 
a considerable distance. Another was surrounded 
in a field; he came out, attacked a wounded Hare, 
killed it before the eyes of the huntsmen, rapidly 
buried it in the snow, and then fled directly through 
the line formed by the sportsmen. 
The Fox Usu- Reynard does not belong to the gre- 
ally Lives garious animals, and in this respect, 
a Lonely Life. also, he differs from the Wolves. It is 
frequently the case, however, that several Foxes are 
found in one thicket or even in the same burrow. 
As arule every Fox goes his own way and pays only 
as much attention to others of his kind as he deems 
to be profitable. Of friendship with other animals 
he knows as little as of companionship with his own 
species. He has been repeatedly observed to be on 
friendly terms even with his deadly foe, the Dog, 
but these cases have certainly been rare exceptions. 
Neither can his relations with his cousin, the Badger, 
be interpreted as friendly, as Reynard by no means 
cares for the Badger, but only for his apartments. 


The Mother Litters of young Foxes are born during 
Foxand theend of April or beginning of May. 
Her Young. Their number varies between three and 


twelve; from four to seven is probably the usual 
count of a litter. The mother treats them with 
great tenderness, does not leave them during the 
first days of their life, and afterwards only for a 
short time during dusk; and appears to be very 
anxious not to betray their place of abode. 

A month or six weeks after birth the pretty little 
robbers, clothed in reddish gray wool, emerge from 
their lair at some quiet hour, to bask in the sun 
and to play with each other and with the obliging 
mother. She brings them food in abundance, accus- 
toming them to a live diet from the very beginning; 
she brings Mice, little birds, Frogs and Beetles and 
teaches her hopeful offspring to catch, torment and 
eat the prey. She is more cautious than ever at 
such a time, scents danger for her brood in the 
most innocent thing, and leads them back into the 
lair at the slightest noise. If she notices pursuit, 
she drags them to another lair in her mouth and 
even when she is hard pressed she still takes one 
young Fox with her and tries to reach a place of 
safety. An experienced person can quite frequently 
succeed in observing the playing family. When the 
little ones have attained a sufficient size they like to 
lie at the opening of the lair mornings and evenings 
and await the mother’s coming; if they have to wait 
too long, they bark and thereby occasionally betray 
themselves. By July they have grown sufficiently 
to either accompany their mother or to hunt alone 
and try to surprise a little Hare, a Mouse, a bird or 
some other animal, if even it be only a Beetle, in the 
daytime or at dusk. At the end of July they leave 
the lair for good and establish themselves with their 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


mother in some corn-field which holds out a promise 
of abundant prey and perfect security. After the 
harvest they go into thick bushes, heather and 
reeds, during this season completing their education 
as worthy hunters and cunning poachers, and sepa- 
rate from the mother in late autumn to begin life 
on their own responsibility. 

How the Fox Foxes taken young can be easily reared, 

Behavesin as they thrive on the ordinary diet of 

Captivity. Pups. If one plays much with them, 
they soon become tame and their lively, playful dis- 
position makes them very amusing. “ 

“Of several Foxes which I reared,” says Lenz, 
‘the last, a female, was the tamest, because she was 
smallest when I received her. She was just begin- 
ning to eat solid food, but had already become so 
vicious and so much addicted to biting that she 
always growled when eating her favorite food and 
bit right and left into straw and wood, even when 
nobody was disturbing her. Kind treatment soon 
made her so tame that she would allow me to take a 
freshly killed Rabbit out of her bloody mouth and 
insert my finger in its stead. Even when grown up 
she liked to play with me, was demonstrative in her 
joy when I visited her, wagged her tail, whined and 
jumped around. She was just as much pleased to 
see any stranger; and she distinguished strangers at. 
a distance of fifty paces, when they were turning the 
corner of the house, and with loud cries would invite 
them to come up to her, an honor which she never 
accorded either to me or my brother, who usually 
fed her, probably because she knew that we would 
go anyway.” : 

The Fox is Relent- Reynard is detested by all. sports- — 
lessly Huntedby men, and is hunted all the year 
Sportsmen. round; there is no season when he 
is spared. He is shot, caught in traps, poisoned, 
dug out of his burrow and killed with a common 
club, baited by Hounds, driven out of the earth with 
prongs, in short, he is being exterminated in every 
possible way. Such relentless and almost inhuman 
persecution may be justified from the point of view 
of a sportsman, in whose eyes the forest exists only 
for game, but from every other point of view it is 
very wrong.. In hunting-grounds the Fox makes 
sad havoc; but in forests and fields he is more useful 
than otherwise; it is therefore easy to understand 
why the sportsman hates and pursues him and why 
the agriculturist, who does not hunt, interferes in 
his behalf. 

Naturally a Fox hunt affords great pleasure to the 
sportsman. Usually Reynard is baited by Hounds; 
sometimes the hunter lies in wait for him and de- 
coys him by imitating the voice of a young Hare 
or a Mouse, or shoots him in broad moonlight near 
a carcass. <A very attractive sport is afforded by 
him in winter on the snow-covered fields. Occa- 
sionally he is hunted in the forest with Beagles, the 
best passages being occupied by sportsmen. A Fox 
wounded by a shot seldom complains; and occasion- 
ally he performs surprising deeds. Winckell had 
crushed a Fox’s foot with a bullet, and the paw | 
hindered the Fox from running, as it kept flapping 
against his head. At last he angrily turned his_ 
head around, bit off the entire paw and proceeded 
on his way as if nothing ailed him. The Fox, in 
general, is extremely tenacious of life. There are 
several instances on record where Foxes, which 
were left as dead, jumped up and made good their 
escape. Hunters of the Fox must exercise vigilance 
if they would secure his “brush” as a trophy. 


THE DOG FAMILY—FOX. 237 


The Fox Has The Fox has a number of enemies 
Other than Human besides Man. Not only does the 
Enemies. Wolf catch and devour him, but 


Dogs also have so great a grudge against him that 
they will tear him to pieces. It is a remarkable 
fact that female Foxes suckling young are often 


1s} wer yt . ty 
er re 1 
fi “i ig 


My 


THE RED FOX.—The animal which in America nearest represents the Master Reynard of 


into villages, where he bit every living thing that 
crossed his path. 
So closely allied to the Common Fox of Europe 
me postion is the Red Fox (Vud/pes fulvus) of North Amer- 
Snant ica, that many naturalists regard it as being 
pecies, FoR et he thes south 
only a variety of the common species. There 
are differences, however, which serve to distinguish the Ameri- 
can from the European animal, for it is 
somewhat larger, has a longer and softer 
fur which is more brilliant in color, has a 
narrower head and a less extended muz- 
zle than the Common Fox. Its total length 
is about forty-eight inches, the tail taking 
up about eighteen inches of this meas- 
urement. This Fox shows much greater 
variation in its coloring than the Euro- 
Ft species. The usual color is a yel- 
owish red over the greater part of the 
body, merging into a grizzly yellow on the 
buttocks, while a narrow white stripe ex- 
tends under the body for almost the entire 
length, and the hairs of the tail are tipped 
with black. But in addition to this plore: 
ing there are others so different as to 
have inclined some writers to separate 
the animals bearing them into distinct 
species, although the better authorities 
regard them as being only varieties of the 
Red Fox. One of these is the Cross Fox, 
with the same yellowish red general color, 
but having black legs and muzzle, and a 
blacker tail than the ordinary type of Red 
Fox; and a still more striking feature is 
the distinct cross formed by two black 
stripes, one between the shoulders and 
the other at right angles with it extending 


tradition is the Red Fox, a very cunning animal and an inveterate Chicken-thief like his European from the neck across the shoulders. The 
cousin. His depredations often get him into trouble, and traps are set for him like that which holds Silver Fox or Black Fox, which is very 


fast the animal shown in the picture. (Vulpes fulvus.) 


spared by male Dogs, or not pursued at all. Other 
mammals can not harm Reynard; but he has several 
very dangerous enemies among the birds. A Hawk 
carries young Foxes away without hesitation, while 
the Eagle will even attack the adult, though it some- 
times fares badly enough in doing so. Tschudi 
relates such a case: ‘A Fox which 
was running over a glacier, was 
seized by an Eagle and lifted high 
up in the air. Soon-the robber be- 
gan to flutter its wings in a strange 
way and was lost from sight be- 
hind a peak of the mountain. The 
observer mounted the summit, 
when, to his surprise, the Fox 
darted past him like an arrow; on 
the other side he found the Eagle 
with a lacerated breast. The Fox 
had succeeded in craning his neck, 
seizing the predaceous bird by the 
throat and biting it through. Con- 
tentedly he limped away, though 
the memory of the fearful voyage 
through the air probably clung to 
him for life.” 

Among other classes of animals 
the Fox has no enemies which 
could be dangerous to him, but he 
has some which greatly annoy him, 
namely, Fleas. There is a story to 
the effect that he takes a careful 


THE KIT FOX.—tThis is an American species of Fox, much smaller in size than either the 
Red or Gray Foxes, and having proportionately longer limbs than either of them. He is known by 


scarce, forms another variety, the overhair 
of which is thick and fine, three inches long, and varying in 
color from pale silver to bluish black, but the tail is tipped 
with white. Usually the fur is given a hoary appearance by 
the admixture of white tipped hairs with those entirely black. 
“The fur of the Silver Fox,” says M. M. Backus, who is an 
excellent authority, “is fine and curly; its beauty places it at 
the head of all fancy furs; the tail is a royal brush. These furs 


—— 


bath with the result of driving several other names, among which are the Swift Fox and the Burrowing Fox. The back is a pure gray 


them to a bundle of moss which 
he carries in his mouth, and then gets rid of the un- 
welcome guests by throwing the bundle away. 

It has been proven that the Fox shares all the 
diseases of the Dog and is also subject to the 
dreaded hydrophobia. Instances are known where 
this fearful disease has driven him in broad daylight 


and the under parts are white. It is an inhabitant of the northwestern states. (Vulpes velox.) 


are used for muffs, boas and linings of robes, and bring from 
fifty to two hundred dollars each.” A large form of the Red 
Fox, found in Utah, has been named the Long-tailed Fox 
(Vulpes macrurus) but is believed tobe only a local variety 
and not a distinct species. In some other sections Red Foxes 
with peculiar markings are sometimes found, but these, bear- 
ing different local names, are similar in structure and habits. 


238 
Rangeand Notwithstanding the diversity in the coloring 
Habits of the Of the fur and other minor differences, these 
Red Fox varieties may all be safely included in the 


species of the Red Fox, which is found all over 
North America except the Pacific coast region, extending 
south to the gulf states and north to the region in which the 
Arctic Fox is found, and, like other fur-bearing animals of a 
similarly wide range, the furs of the northern specimens are 
thicker and more valuable than those procured from the south. 
The close relation of the Red Fox to the Common Fox of 
Europe is especially shown in the similarity of the habits of the 
two, ae even Reynard is not more daring or more cunning 
than his American cousin. Some differences between the two 
have been noted, however, for Sir J. Richardson says: “The 
Red Fox does not possess the wind of its English congenor. 
It runs for about one hundred yards with great swiftness, but 
its strength is exhausted in the first burst, and it is soon over- 
taken by a Wolf or a mounted horseman.” The Red Fox has 
the vulpine appetite for poultry to the fullest extent and is a 
dangerous neighbor to a well stocked barnyard. It is also an 
adept at catching wild fowls, but probably finds its principal 
prey among the Rabbits, Rats and other rodents. his ox 
is also very fond of fish, and when ranging near the seashore 
is said to visit the beach in winter seeking Crabs and finny 
prey. When very hungry it does not disdain Crickets and 
other insects. ara ae ae? 
e Red Fox needs all his cunning, for he is 

The Red Fox persistently hunted, especially in the northern 


Mer art of his range, where the trapping of fur- 
earing 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 bas 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 Fox 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. 

One of the smallest of the Foxes is the Kit Fox 


hp rd (Vulpes velox) which is an inhabitant of the 
be Species northwestern states and of the western Cana- 


dian 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 with which it makes the holes in the ground 
in which it lives. 


The Arctic Fox, In the animal world we find relations 


aNorthern closely allied in a physical respect 
Variety. but 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. 
He is one of the simplest and at the same time most 
importunate, stupidest and yet slyest members of 
the Fox tribe. The Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus) has 
short, rounded ears, short legs—the balls of the feet 
being as thickly grown with hair as the rest of the 
body—a full, bushy 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 
for winter, but preserve their slate or bluish color. 
White mothers are often found with both bluish and 
white young ones, for in the latter the outer coat has 
not yet reached its full 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 
children. A proof that white and blue Arctic Foxes 
are constant varieties, is, according to G. Lomer, 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 
Harnad: 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. 
Lifeand Only before a storm or when he deems 
Habits of Are- himself insecure, the Arctic Fox retires 
tic Foxes. into 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 HH. 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 ina 
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 soonas 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 
tie 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. 


THE ARCTIC FOX.—This inhabitant of the frigid regions of the North is a bold and impudent animal with al] the cunning and slyness 


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 Marmot holes several, or at 
least two, Corsacs are said to be frequently found 
together. The Corsac’s principal food seems to be 


of its relatives. This species of the Foxes is vigorously hunted because the fur which nature has given it to withstand the northern winter is 
dense, warm and beautiful. Some are pure white and others have a darker hue of a bluish tinge, but all are of the same species and are fre- 
quently found in the same pack as shown in the picture. (Vulpes lagopus.) 


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 ( V2dpes 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- 


Hares 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 


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 

Fared 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 ves 
only of beginning their 
day’s or rather night’s 
work. I do not mean 
the abominable Hyznas 
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 Canidz. The slen- 
der body rests on small, 
extremely delicate and 
dainty feet, and ends in 
a thick, long, bushy tail. 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 
valley 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, has made so great 
a noise that the large ears of the Fennec have easily 
heard it; and the graceful creature, impelled more 
by curiosity than hunger, sneaks up stealthily and 
despatches it; or an agile Lizard has moved, and in 


THE FENNEC. Here is a peculiar species of Fox with ears that might 


incite the envy of a lively Hare or a Long Eared Bat. 
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. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. | 


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 
by stones or mounds of 
earth of a similar color, 
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 
made of the sand of the desert. Then—a single 
bound, a flutter of wings—the bird is killed. The 
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. 

Description The Fennec is the smallest of all Foxes. 
of the Including his tail, which measures about 
Fennec. _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 


The Fennec, which is 


(Vulpes zérdo.) 


THE DOG FAMILY—FOX. 


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 


dieses gt, \w/ 


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. 
animals taking a nap, while the other, wide-awake, presents the characteristics of a true Fox, with a dense fur and 


abushy tail. (Vzlfes 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 
One would think 


the body against branches, etc. 
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- 
yellow tinge, and the 
color usually becomes 
lighter with advancing 
age. 

The Long- The Long- 
Eared Fox of eared Fox (Osocyon 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 


night prowling creature. 


7, 


THE LONG-EARED FOX.—T 
r Its proportionately longer legs, larger size and shorter muzzle distinguish it from the Fen- 
nec, which it resembles in other respects. The artist has appropriately pictured it amid the surroundings of a high, 
bushy plain, for it is in such localities in southern Africa that this Fox is principally found. 


241 


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 hol- 

lowed out by the Earth- 
hog; 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 cinereo- 

Species. grgentatus) 
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, 
which 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- 


The picture shows one of these 


== a 


( Otocyon megalotis.) 


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. 


242 


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 is 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 1s 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 
because it is more timid. This species was formerly much more common than it now is in the north, where the Red 
Fox has supplanted it to a great extent, but Gray Foxes are still plentiful in the south. (Vulpes cinereo-argentatus.) 


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 

Foxes 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 
describes 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. “Ona cold, rainy, traveling day,” 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 In Carolina young Gray Foxes are 
Foxesand their born during the last days of March 
Training. or in 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, and 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, 
gnarls 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 Foxis about the hunting and other methods 
Hunted. of extermination of the Comrhon 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 One of the lowest forms of the vulpine family 
Fox aSniaihoe shown in the Coast Fox ( Vulpes /ittoralis), an 
Species, ‘merican species, found along the Pacific coast 
P * 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 Fox, but it is much inferior to the latter in strength 
and agility as well as in size. 


The Bear Family. 


SIXTH FAMILY: Unrsipa@. 


The last family of the order Carnivora consists of 
animals which we knew and loved in the days of our 
childhood. The Bears (Urstd@) 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 Lhe 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 are 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, immovable, tonbroteattile claws, 
which consequently are frequently much blunted at 
their tips. The soles of the feet touch the ground 
for their entire length in walking, and 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 eye-teeth, from two to 
four premolars above and below or two above and 
three below, and lastly two upper and from two to 
three lower molars. The incisors or cutting teeth 
are relatively large, and harmonize with the strong 
canines, which latter are generally provided with 
edges and ridges. The premolars, on the other 
hand, are of plain conical shape or furnished with a 
few insignificant tubercles; the carnassial tooth is 
very weak, and is even absent in some species, while 
with others it is only a strong premolar with an inner 
tubercle. The grinders are flat, those of the lower 
jaw being always longer than they are wide. The 
brain part of the skull is elongated and marked with 
strong ridges; the cervical vertebre are short and 
strong, as also are the nineteen or twenty dorsal 


vertebre, to which fourteen or fifteen pairs of ribs 
are attached. The sacrum consists of from three to 
five vertebre, 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 cecum, or blind process, is absent. 
Where Bearsare Bears existed informer periods. At 
Found—Their present they extend all over Europe, 
Habits. Asia and 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 Bears 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. the full 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 


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. 
Yet even the strongest are, as a rule, dangerous to 
Man only when they are disturbed, frightened or 
wounded; in short, provoked to do so. 

Movementsand 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. 
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 Bearsin 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 voice, 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. and retire into a lair or hiding-place 
at the beginning of winter. But they do not fall 
into an uninterrupted hibernation, but sleep, or 
rather slumber in a half-waking condition, and they 
are awake as soon as anything suspicious occurs 
near them. They very seldom go forth during this 


Some avoid the water, while 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 (Ursine) 
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 lf we accept but one species, the 
Brown Bear. Common or Brown Bear (Ursus are- 
Described. tgs), 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 Europe: the Ursus 
arctos, which has several varieties and is distin- 
guished by long legs, a long body, a high forehead, 
along 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 


5 fs 


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 isa 
typical specimen of the Brown Bear, with the clumsy appearing body and limbs, haggy fur, elongated head and muzzle and high forehead belonging to 


that species. (Ursus arctos.) 


(245) 


246 


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. of 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. 


with 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 
ustially 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 the 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 
attack 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 teaches us that he is an omnivorous 
of Bears. animal and more of a vegetable than 


an animal feeder. He 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 larve or 


| [THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 larve. 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 irda 
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 him to escape. 


(247) 


248 


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 AAS long as, the Bear. has vegetable 
Bear in Search food in abundance he confines him- 
of Prey. self 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. 

At the approach of winter the Bear 
prepares a resting place between 
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 


Hibernation 
of the 
Brown Bear. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


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 thiaks 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- 

Bearand 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 ona 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.” versmann 
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—BROWN BEAR. 


quietly administered to him a box on the ear. This 
enlivened his understanding, and he went back and 
brought one of 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- 


249 
Bear-Hunting A Bear hunt is dangerous sport; 

isaDanger- 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 are 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. 


American animal. 


Grizzly Bear, the monster of the far West, about which more thrilling tales of adventure have been told than any other 


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. 


(Ursus cinereus.) 


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 dén; in Russia, however, the latter 
place is where he is usually sought. As the Bear 


250 


always follows the same daily route, one can count 
on meeting him with tolerable security, 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 opinion, 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 antagonist for any considerable dis- 
tance. I do not wish to assert that the attack, as it 
is usually pictured in hunting accounts and other 
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. 
He never keeps near his victim when Men and 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 reached by intrepidity com- 
bined 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 ina 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 high out of the earth; 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 into the 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, meet the Bear 
armed only with a spear and knife, 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 
is reputed to be an excellent remedy for promoting 
the growth of hair, is much sought after and well 
paid for. Bear-fat is white, never becomes hard, 
rarely gets rancid if kept in closed jars, and the 
repulsive taste it has when fresh disappears on 
steaming the fat with onions. The flesh of a young 
Bear is very palatable, the hams of old Bears are 
considered a dainty, either roasted fresh or cured. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


The paws are esteemed the most savory part by 
gourmands; but one must first get used to their 
appearance, for when they are skinned and prepared 
for cooking they resemble a large human foot toa 
disgusting extent. The head is also said to make 
an excellent dish. The fur is used in different ways; 
that of the smaller animals is hardly considered, 
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 


The Barren 
Ground Bear, an 
Arctic Variety, 


has been classed by some naturalists as a distinct species - 


(Ursus richardsoniz) but 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 
ican Species. UJysus 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, thé 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- 
rises the west of North America. In the United 
Rates 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- 
Grizzly 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 | Former accounts all tend to char- 
Encounters with acterize him as a cruel and formid- 
the Grizzly. able 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. 


of all Men, white or Indian, who heard of him, the 
Jatter praising the killing of a Bear as the highest 
deed of Man. Among all the Indian tribes the 

ossession 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. 


251 


Food and Prey The Grizzly feeds on vegetable mat- 
of theGrizzly 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 


forest. 


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. 


This animal does not often assume the offensive toward Man, but is formidable when attacked. 


The artist has appropriately pictured the animal in a dense 


(Ursus americanus.) 


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 

. . . . 5 . o 
atime. 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 
brought 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 bécome ' 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 ( Ursus cinnamoneus) 
is by some considered as a distinct spe- 
cies,and by others as being only a variety 
: of the Black Bear. while other authori- 
ties class it as a variety of the Grizzly Bear. It is found in 
the Rocky Mountain region and a portion of the Sierra Neva- 
das, occupying a part of its range in common with the Grizzly 
and the Black Bear, but is much more numerous than either of 
these species in southern Utah, Arizona and northern Mexico. 
It inhabits the mountains principally, although sometimes de- 
scending into the valley, and is much more formidable than 
the Black Bear, though hunters and frontiersmen do not regard 
it as being so dangerous an antagonist as the Grizzly Bear. 
The name “Cinnamon” Bear accurately describes the color of 
its fur, which is nearly of a uniform shade all over the animal, 
although the hairs are much paler at the roots than at the tip. 

The Musquaw The best-known American Bear, the 

or American Musquaw or Black Bear (Ursus amer- 

Black Bear. ;canus) is a widely spread and com- 
paratively good-natured animal; at least it is much 
more harmless than the Grizzly or the Brown Bear. 
Its length is at the most six feet, its height at the 
shoulder a little over three feet. It differs from the 
Brown Bear mainly by its narrower head, its more 
pointed snout, very short soles and in the texture 
and color of its fur, which consists of long, wiry, 
smooth hair, which is shorter only on the forehead 
and around the snout. The hue is a brilliant black, 
merging into yellow on both sides of the snout; and 
a patch of the latter color is also often found in 
front of the eyes. More rarely Black Bears are seen 
whose lips have white margins, and which have 
white stripes on the breast and the top of the head. 


The Cinnamon Bear 
of the Rocky 
Mountains. 


The Cubs, which at first are light gray, assume the 
darker hue of their parents at the beginning of the 
second year, but it is much later before their hair 
grows long. 


Differences of color have led many hunters and others to 
distinguish other species of Bears. ‘There is, for instance, a 
Yellow Bear in North and South Carolina, the color of which is- 
yellowish-brown, But this difference of hue is the only one 
that separates it from the ordinary Black Bear, of which it is- 
merely a variety. 


The Black The Musquaw spreads all over North 
Bear's Home and America. He has been found in all 
Haunts. wooded districts, from the eastern 
coast to the Californian boundary, and from high 
latitudes to Mexico. The forest provides for all 
his wants; but he shifts his quarters from one 
locality to another, according to the season and its: 
different products. During spring he is wont to 
look for his food in the fertile river valleys, and 
therefore he prowls in the thickets edging the banks. 
of streams and lakes. In summer he retreats into 
the depths of forests rich in all kinds of fruit; but 
in winter he seeks out a suitable’ den -in some 
secluded place, and either sleeps or really hibernates. 
in it. Opinions differ in- regard to his hibernation. 
Some writers hold that only.a féw of these Bears: 
hide in their den for weeks: and sleep, while the 
majority of them roam from one place to another in 
winter as at other seasons, or even migrate from 
northern regions to more southern ones. . Other 
observers believe that this happens only in. mild 
winters, and that in those that. are more severe all 
Black Bears*hibernate. It is a fact that it is most 
frequently in winter that people sally forth on Bear 
hunts.and find the animal in its den. . . 
Characteristics Notwithstanding his stupid, clumsy and 
of the Black unwieldy appearance, the Black Bear 
Bear. is a watchful, active, vigorous and agile 
animal of great endurance. He can run so swiftly 
that a Man cannot overtake him; he is an excellent. 
swimmer and an adept at climbing. At any rate he 
is more agile than. the European Brown Bear which, 
in other, respects, he resembles. He attacks Man 
very rarely, seeking safety in flight as soon as he 
catches sight of this his worst foe, and does not even 
always turn on him when wounded, though he may 
become dangerous when hemmed in by his enemies. 
His principal food is of a vegetable nature, con- 
sisting chiefly of herbs, leaves, half-ripe and ripe 
grains, berries and fruit of the most varied kinds. 
But he also makes inroads on the live stock of the 
farmers and, like Brown Bruin, even dares to attack 
large Cattle. He is always in the way of the farmer, 
either by damaging the crops or molesting the 
flocks, and therefore he fares like the Brown Bear: 
he is pursued and exterminated whenever he shows. 
himself near human habitations. 
Methods of Hunt- The Black Bear is hunted by vari- 
ing the Black ous methods. Many are caught. 
Bear. in large traps, but more are killed 
with bullets. Good Dogs are of inestimable service 
in rousing the Bear or driving him into a tree, there- 
by giving the sportsman the opportunity to take 
a good, steady aim and send his bullet to the right. 
spot. 
Ueanie kinds of hunting practiced by the Indians: 
are very peculiar, and still more so are the solemn 
ceremonies they go through in order to appease 
the manes of the deceased Bear, the performance 
partaking somewhat of the character of worship. 
Alexander Henry, who traveled in the part of the 
country where fur-producing animals: are most: 


ne 


THE BEAR FAMILY—BLACK BEAR. 253 


abundant, relates how his hosts behaved in the 
presence of a Bear he had just killed. ‘ Directly 
after his death all the Indians approached him, 
especially the woman we called ‘Old Mother.’ 
She took the animal’s head into her hands, patted 
and repeatedly kissed it and asked forgiveness a 
thousand times, assuring the dead Bear that it was 
not the Indians who had killed him, but that an 
Englishman had been guilty of that evil deed. 
This ceremony did not last very long, for soon the 
skinning and dividing of the meat began. Each 
person in the party took his burden of skin, meat 
or fat and we started for home. As soon as we 
arrived, the head of the Bear was adorned with 
silver bracelets and all the gaudy ornaments the 
family possessed. Then ns 
it was put ona stand and 
a quantity of tobacco 
was deposited before its 
nose. On the following 
morning preparations 
for a feast were made. 
The hut was cleaned and 
swept, the head of the 
Bear was put on a high 
place and covered with 
a new handkerchief 
which had never been 
used. After the pipes 
had been put in order, 
the Indian blew tobacco 
smoke into the Bear’s 
nostrils. He asked me 
to do likewise, assuring 
me that I, who had 
killed the animal, would 
certainly appease its ire 
in this way. I tried to 
convince my kindly and 
well-meaning host that 
the Bear did not live, but 
I failed in this attempt. 
Finally my host made a 
speech, in which he en- 
deavored to glorify the 
Bear, and after this the 
repast on the Bear’s 
flesh began.” 

The Black All Black 

Bearin Bears which 

Captivity. [| have ob- 
served differ materially 
from their kin by their 
gentleness and good na- 
ture. They never make 
hostile use of their 
strength in their rela- 
tions with their keepers, but completely acknowl- 
edge human supremacy, and present no difficulties 
in their training. At any rate they fear the keeper 
more than he does them. A small Elephant, which 
was being led past the cages of several Musquaws 
which I took care of, frightened them to such an 
extent that they hurriedly climbed up a tree, as if 
they considered themselves to be safe there. They 
show no desire to fight with other Bears which may 
be brought to them, and even a small individual of 
their own species, if courageous, can acquire the 
supremacy in the cage. 

Captive Black Bears constantly display their 
agility in climbing. Whenever they are frightened 


BLACK HIMALAYAN BEAR.—This species of 


shorter claws than most of the other Bears. 
out the animal’s characteristics, presents the animal amid appropriate surroundings. 


~ 


by anything, they jump up to the first boughs of a 
smooth oak, to the height of about six feet, and then 
ascend to the top with the greatest security and ease. 
Once the keeper tried to drive the old she-Bear into 
her cell, but she jumped over him, right into the 
tree. The voice of the Black Bear resembles that 
of the Brown Bear, but is much weaker and more 
plaintive. Black Bears can be easily spoiled by the 
liberality of well-meaning friends. They soon come 
to know a person who makes a practice of feeding 
them, and when he forgets to give them something, 
they remind him of it with piteous requests. They 


accustom themselves to a’ kind of mendicancy which 
is irresistible; for their attitudes, with outstretched 
arms, are so droll, and their whining so pitiful, as to 


= at ¢ RS SS 


Bear, found in China, Japan and northern India, while 
having many of the characteristics of the other large Bears, has a less clumsy body, larger ears, a shorter snout and 


It is found in forest regions principally, and the picture, which brings 
(Ursus torquatus.) 
move any heart. A few Musquaws in the posses- 
sion of Count Goertz would search people’s pockets 
for dainties, and they made life a burden for those 
who brought them nothing. 

The Black An Asiatic representative of the 

Himalayan Bear family is the Black Himalayan Bear 

Described. ( Ursus torquatus). His body is com- 
paratively slender, the head ends in a pointed snout, 
the forehead and nose forming a nearly straight line, 
the ears are round and relatively large, the legs are 
of medium length; the feet are short, and the toes 
armed with short, vigorous claws. The fur may vary 
greatly in texture and color, if the several accounts 
refer to this animal and not to two distinct species. 


254 


Where the Him- Wallich found this Bear in Nepal; 
alayan Bear =Siebold, in his work on the animal 
Lives. world of Japan, says that the Him- 
alayan Bear, called Cooma by the Japanese, is of 
frequent occurrence not only in China and Japan, 
but also in most mountains of the continent and 
the southern Asiatic islands. In northern India and 
Cashmere he delights in forest -thickets located 
near fields and vineyards, while in southeastern 
Siberia he prefers open forests of tall trees. He 
climbs the highest trees with ease, and Radde says 
that it is believed by the Birar-Tungus people, that 
he rarely comes to the ground; in summer he makes 
himself little bowers in the tops of the trees by 
bending and intertwining branches, and in winter 
he sleeps in some hollow tree in a sitting posture. 
They also,say that he is cowardly and harmless, 
having a small mouth and being able only to bite, 
but not to lacerate those whom he attacks. Adams, 
however, was told the reverse, and affirms that the 
Black Himalayan Bear is feared by the inhabitants 
of the mountains of India for very good reasons. 
Blanford calls him the most carnivorous of all the 
Bears of India, killing not only small Cattle and 
Stags, but also large Cattle and Horses, and occa- 
sionally feeding on carcasses, although his prin- 
cipal food is of a vegetable nature. 
Himalayan Bears 
in the Tame are now seen in all larger zoo- 
State. logical gardens. They resemble 
the Musquaw most in their conduct, having nearly 
all his habits and customs; their intellectual capaci- 
ties are about on the same plane as those of the 
American animal, and the best that can be said of 
them is that they impress one favorably because of 
the gracefulness of their movements. 

The Malayan Bear, Lhe Malayan Bear or Bruang, or as 

Its Habitat and _ Rosenberg gives it more correctly: 

Traits. Biruang (Ursus malayanus) | which 
is by some authorities called the Malayan Sun Bear ] 
differs markedly from the species we have so far 
considéred. 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 anda a5 
in a horseshoe or ring-like form. 

The Biruang inhabits Borneo, Sumatra, Java and 
the Malayan Peninsula. 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. According to Marsden, he causes great devas- 
tations in the cocoa plantations on Sumatra and also 
ascends cocoa palms to feed on the tender shoots. 
He is said to be often kept in captivity in his native 
country, for he may be allowed to play even with 
children, being a good-natured, harmless fellow, 
which may be given the freedom of the yard. Sir 
Stamford Raffles, who possessed an animal of this 
species, 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. He also proved 
to be a consummate gourmand, as the only fruit he 
would eat were mangoes. He was loved and hon- 


Captive Black Himalayan Bears 


ow or light mark on the breast’ 


THE BEASTS OF PREY, 


ored by the whole household and behaved in a 

model way, never harming the smallest animal. He 

often took his meals in company with a Dog, a Cat 
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, stron 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 split 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 
nolashes. 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, ice region of the pole, and is found 
only there where 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 degree of North latitude. He 
belongs to none of the three northern continents 


THE MALAYAN BEAR.—This inhabitant of the Malayan Peninsula and Island 
the pale yellow markings of the face present a decided contrast. These B 
palm trees like the two shown in the picture. 
malayanus.) 


s, sometimes called the Biruang, has a clumsy, black body to which 
s are of arboreal habits, are expert climbers and like to disport themselves on 


They are of playful disposition, and those here depicted appear to be having a pleasant time together. (Ursus 


(255) 


256 


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. but his powers of 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 hard 
pressed, and he allows himself to glide into the 
water in a ludicrous, cautious, nearly anxious way. 
He dives with as‘much ease as he swims on the sur- 
face. He has been observed to bring Salmon out of 
the water, and this is certainly an admirable illustra- 
tion of his diving powers. On the ground, also, he 
is by no means as helpless and unwieldy as he looks, 
His usual pace is slow and deliberate, but when he 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


falls into his seemingly clumsy gallop or trot, he 
proceeds at a surprising pace, even on uneven ice or 
ground, and he knows how to pick out the most 
convenient path with great circumspection. His 
organs of sense are exceedingly acute, especially 
those of sight and smell. Scoresby says that in 
traversing vast ice-fields, he mounts on ice-blocks 
and looks out for prey. He scents a dead Whale or 
a piece of bacon thrown into the fire at remarkable 
distances. 
Food and Forag- The food of the Polar Bear con- 
ing Habitsof sists of nearly all the animals 
Polar Bears. found in the sea or on the unfer- 
tile coasts of his native country. His formidable 
strength (which considerably surpasses that of the 
other ursine Beasts of Prey) and his agility in the 
water greatly facilitate his task of providing food 
for himself. Seals of various kinds are his favorite 
game, and he is sufficiently cunning and agile to 
reach these sagacious and quick creatures. When 
he sees a Seal lying on the shore afar off, he noise- 
lessly enters the water, swims to the Seal against the 
wind, approaching it with the greatest caution and 
then suddenly emerges from the.water near the ani- 
mal, and, as a rule, overpowers it. In those ice- 
bound regions the Seals are wont to lie near holes 
and crevices in the ice, using them as means of com- 
munication with the water. The Polar Bear, swim- 
ming under the surface, finds these apertures with 
unfailing certainty and so the fear-inspiring head of 
the most terrible enemy of the helpless Seals sud- 
denly makes its appearance, so to speak, in their 
own home, blocking the only road by which it is 
possible for them to escape. The Polar’ Bear 
catches fish by diving and swimming after them, 
or driving them into crevices between the ice and 
catching them there. He attacks land animals only 
when deprived of other prey; still Reindeer, Arctic 
Foxes and birds are in no way secure from him. 
Osborne saw a Polar Bear roll away stone-blocks, to 
provide her Cubs with Lemmings, and Brown, as 
well as Kukenthal, noticed that this Bear devours a 
great many eggs of Eider-Ducks. He is wont to 
regularly visit.even those brooding-places of sea- 
birds which are difficult of access, and levy a tribute 
on the surplus of eggs and nestlings, occasionally 
displaying great climbing abilities. He feeds on 
carrion as well as on fresh meat, and is said not even 
to disdain the carcass of another Polar Bear. In 
those regions which are frequented by Seal-hunters 
and Whalers, the carcasses of Seals and Whales de- 
prived of skin and fat constitute a convenient and 
plentiful article of his diet. But he is by no means 
an exclusive animal feeder, and, wherever he can 
procure it, he eats vegetable food, especially berries, 
grass and moss, a fact which is well known to those 
who have often met Polar Bears. With some old 
fellows, vegetable food seems to be the predominant 
if not their only food in summer, in favorable locali- 
ties, the contents of the stomach of animals which 
have been killed giving unmistakable proofs to this 
effect. 
Only Female ‘It is highly probable that most 
Polar Bears Regu- Polar Bears do not hibernate. It 
larly Hibernate. js an established fact that one 
may see and hunt them all through the winter. 
They live on the sea-coast in that season, usually on 
the brink of the ice. The female Bears retreat for 
the winter, however, and the Cubs make their ap- 
re during the coldest months. The female 

ear prepares a den under rocks or projecting ice- 


i 
HUES 


POLAR BEAR AND CUBS,——This presents a scene at sunrise in the frozen regions of the north. The mother Polar Bear and her Cubs are ona 
great ice floe, above which the Sea Gulls hover, envious of the ursine family, which have secured a Seal for breaktast. The mother has begun her voracious 
meal; the little ones are not yet accustomed to a meat diet, but are about to tryit, The picture well brings out the physical characteristics of the animals and 
particularly the shaggy fur covering the body and legs, as well as the powerful paws of the larger animal, (Ursus maritimus.) 


(257) 


258 THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


blocks or else digs a pit in the snow and suffers 
herself to be snowed in. Considering the large 
amount of snow which falls in those regions, it is 
not long until her winter quarters are provided with 
a thick and rather warm covering. Before retiring 
for the season she lays up a goodly supply of fat, 
and on this she lives during the winter; for she 
leaves her den only when the sun of spring stands 
high above the horizon. During this retirement the 
Cubs make their appearance. They accompany 
their mother on her wanderings much earlier than 
the children of the land Bears. They are most 
carefully and tenderly fed and protected by her. 
Even when they have become half-grown or little 
short of adult age, the mother shares all dangers 
they incur; she teaches them their craft, consisting 
of swimming and the catching of fish, in their 
earliest youth. The pretty little fellows soon know 
how to do both, but they try to arrange things for 
themselves as conveniently as possible, and even 
when they are rather large they comfortably rest on 
the mother’s back when tired. 
Female Polar Explorers and whalers have narrated 
Bears are Good touching stories of the self-sacrificing 
Mothers. and loving spirit of Polar Bear moth- 
ers. Scoresby says: ‘‘A she-Bear, which had two 
Cubs, was pursued by several armed sailors on the 
ice, At first she seemed to incite the Cubs to 
greater speed by hurrying on in advance and look- 
ing back at them, trying to impart to them a sense 
of the danger they were in by peculiar motions and 
a particularly plaintive tone of voice; but when-she 
saw that her pursuers were drawing too close to her, 
she endeavored to drive the Cubs on, pushing and 
shoving them, and thus she succeeded in making 
good her escape.” 
Polar Bears A great many accidents are charged 
Are Dangerous to the fierce attacks of Polar Bears, 
as Foes. and many a whaler is said to have 
lost his life through his foolhardiness in entering 
into a combat with one. Such narratives are usually 
found in travelers’ descriptions of former times, and 
rarely in those of more recent date. In order to 
explain the sharp contradictions, it may be assumed 
that either the dangerousness of the Polar Bear was 
much overrated in the olden times, or that he has 
since changed his grim temper, perhaps in conse- 
quence of a better acquaintance with Man. At any 
rate, the idea of dangerousness, as applying to the 
whole species, is not an accurate one. The average 
experience of those who have hunted and observed 
him a great deal during the last few decades goes 
to prove the reverse. Lamont, who has undertaken 
hunting expeditions to the far north in his own ship, 
writes as follows: ‘I consider the Polar Bear the 
strongest of all Beasts of Prey; but like all other 
wild animals, he does not attack Man so long as he 
can avoid him, with very rare exceptions.” Nor- 
denskidld sums up his own and a great many other 
people’s experiences in the foliowing words: “If ome 
meets a Polar Bear unarmed, a few violent motions 
and shouts suffice to rout him; but if one flees from 
him, one may rest assured that the animal will very 
soon be at his heels. A wounded Bear always flees. 
Often he puts snow on his wound with his paw, and 
sometimes, in his agony, he digs a whole in the snow 
to hide his head. When a ship rides at anchor, a 
Bear sometimes swims up to it, and when a tent is 
pitched in some remote region, the occupant often 
iinds a Bear in the morning, which has sniffed at 
the tent at night, but dared not enter it. Formerly 


the sight of a Polar Bear used to strike terror to the © 


hearts of Arctic explorers, but nowadays hunters, 
armed with their spears, do not hesitate to attack 
even great numbers of Bears. They rely less on 
their guns. Sometimes they have killed as many as 
twelve Bears with their spears in a short time. I 
know of one case only, where a Norwegian hunter 
was severely injured by a Bear.” 
How Polar Bears In eastern Greenland the Bear acts 
Act Toward inthe same way. ‘“ Encounters with 
Man. Polar Bears,” say Copeland and 
Payer, “have the most varied issues. It not in- 
frequently happens that a sleighing party, obliged 


to forego a hunt by lack of time or for other reasons, ~ 
passes by one or several Polar Bears, which often. 


are at a distance of a few paces only, and display 
no other emotion by their demeanor than that of 
curiosity and amazement. Or else they content 
themselves with going around the sleigh, their heads 
constantly turned in its direction. One of our 
sailors, called Klentzer, went through an experience 
as dangerous as it was ludicrous, in our winter 
harbor. He was walking along the decline of the 
Germania mountain, unarmed, and was about two 
thousand paces away from the ship, when he per- 
ceived a Polar Bear close behind him. He was well 
aware of the remarkable speed which these crea- 


tures may attain, and which renders any attempt at - 


escape futile; he also knew about the frequently 
successful trick of distracting the Bear’s attention 


by a continuous dropping of objects, while trying to- 


gain the protecting shelter of the ship at a leisurely 
pace, calling all the while for help. So he gradu- 
ally divested himself of his hood, gloves, stick, etc., 
all of which the Bear pulled to pieces with its teeth. 
Still the animal finally came close up to him and 
sniffed his hand like a Dog. Then the Man, who 
had been incessantly shouting for help, resolved 
upon the desperate and impossible feat of strangling 
his foe with a strap, if it should attack him. His 
piercing cry was heard from the ship. We hurriedly 
armed ourselves, but feared the worst. The great 
distance we had to traverse gave the Bear enough 
time to have destroyed his victim ten times over 
before we could come to the rescue, but he was so 
slow in making up his mind, that our approach, 
shots and shouts drove him away. He made his. 
escape over steep rocky inclines and was gone as 
suddenly as if he had been blown away.” 
Polar Bears Lhe Polar Bear is hunted, wherever 
Are Vigorously he ranges, on account of his flesh, fat 
Hunted. and fur. He is destroyed with gun, 
spear and trap; and according to Seemann, some 
hunters are said also to have recourse to the follow- 
ing trick. They bend a piece of whalebone, about 
four inches wide and twenty-four inches long, in the 
form of a spring, wrap it in seal-fat and let it freeze. 
Then they go in search of a Bear, provoke him with 
an arrow, throw the piece of fat down and flee. The 
Bear sniffs the piece, and discovering that his find 
is eatable, he swallows it and perishes; for in the 
warm temperature of his stomach the fat thaws, the 
whalebone springs apart and tears his intestines. 
I leave it as an open question, whether such sus- 
picious pieces of fat are really swallowed whole by 
these distrustful creatures when they have been 
irritated as described in this story. 
Polar Bears are When they deem themselves secure, 
Very Destrue- however, they devour the most varied 
tive. and remarkable objects and have a 
peculiar and by no means laudable tendency to 


THE 


investigate and appropriate the provisions which 
arctic explorers store away in some part of the ice- 
bound solitudes for future use. Sand has been found 
to be the best protection against their depredations, 
the stores of provisions being covered with this 
substance, and water poured on it until the whole is 
surrounded by a sufficiently thick, frozen covering. 


BEAR FAMILY—POLAR 


SEAR. 259 


but also coffee, sails and the American flag, the 
only thing which they could not grapple being the 
chests, which were made entirely of iron. A Polar 
Bear, which was killéd by McClure’s men in one of 
the expeditions sent out to rescue Sir John Franklin, 
had his stomach stuffed with raisins, corned beef, 
tobacco and court-plaster, a repast which he could 


My 


Wooden houses are broken into by the Bears, piles 
of stone, chests, barrels, etc., are thrown down or 
broken to pieces, and then the animals proceed’ to 
devour every imaginable item of the contents, swal- 
lowing whatever they possibly can. Kane says that 
the plunderers not only ate his meat and biscuits, 


THE POLAR BEAR.—Probably when the North Pole is finally reached by Man, he will find Polar Bears plentiful in the neighborhood. 
The body of this animal is very heavy and clumsy, but the neck and head are longer and more slender than most of the other Bears. 
color of the fur is appropriate to the surroundings of its natural home. 
which some hapless explorers seem to have deserted in its frozen moorings. 


mn ; 
tlk rf 


SS ~ 


The light 
Here we see two of this tamily, which have taken possession of a boat 
(Ursus maritimus.) 

have only found in some devastated storehouse in 
the high north. German explorers had their meas- 
uring apparatus and climbing irons carried away by 
Polar Bears; and when they were away on a sleigh- 
ing trip, the animals devoured their sugar and their 
candles, chewed up their rubber bottles and the 


260 


tobacco-pouches, and pulled the cork out of the 
alcohol bottle; and an important diary had just re- 
ceived the first bites when the mischief was fortu- 
nately discovered and the Bears were driven away. 

Training and Polar Bears taken very young may be 

Taming Young tamed and trained to a certain degree. 

Polar Bears. They allow their owner to visit their 
cage, and may on occasions go to the length of 
romping around with him, but still captivity is never 
to their taste. Even in their native country they 
feel uncomfortable when housed, even during their 
earliest youth, and the greatest pleasure that can be 
given them is to allow them to roll in the snow and 
on the ice. In the spacious compartments provided 
with deep and wide tanks, such as zoological gardens 
nowadays construct for them, a Polar Bear may be 
tolerably content and play with companions for 
hours in the water, or even amuse himself with 
wooden blocks, balls and similar things. As his age 
advances he becomes irritable and violent. Toward 
others of his kind he is sulky and intractable where 
food is concerned, though a real fight seldom breaks 
out between two Bears of equal strength, the mutual 
anger usually venting itself in furious growling. 
With very good care it is possible to keep Polar 
Bears for several years. 

The flesh and fat of the Polar Bear are much es- 
teemed by all inhabitants of high latitudes. Even 
European sailors eat the meat, and, after it has been 
separated from the fat, do not find it unpalatable; but 
they assert that the flesh frequently disagrees with 
those who eat it. The liver is said to be especially 
harmful and some maintain that it is actually poi- 
sonous. The fur of the Polar Bear is foremost in 
value among all Bear skins and brings a price of 
from fifty to one hundred and twenty-five dollars. 


THE SLOTH BEAR. 


The Labiated or Sloth Bear, called ‘Aswal” in 
India (Melursus labiatus), is quite different from the 
Bears proper, which we have so far considered, both 
in shape and habits, and forms a species by itself. 
It is distinguished by a short, thick body; short legs, 
rather large feet, whose toes are armed with im- 
mense scythe-shaped claws; an elongated, truncated 
snout, whose lips may, at will, be very much pro- 
truded, and long, shaggy hair, which forms a mane 
on the neck and falls low down on both sides. All 
these features combine to give the animal so pecu- 
liar an appearance as to entitle it to be ranked as a 
distinct species. How remarkable the animal must 
be is best seen from the fact that it was first de- 
scribed as the Ursine Sloth (Bradypus ursinus) and 
in one book was even styled “the Nameless Ani- 
mal.” In Europe the Sloth Bear first became known 
toward the end of the last century, and in the begin- 
ning of the present century the first living specimens 
were imported. 

The length of the Labiated Bear, including the 
stump-like tail which measures from four to five 
inches, may be as much as seventy-two inches; his 
shoulder height is about thirty-four inches. The 
head is flat, the forehead wide and flat, and ends in 
a long, narrow, tapering snout, partaking of the 
proboscis in character and of very peculiar forma- 
tion. The nostrils are very mobile, and the long 
extensible lips are still more so. Even when at rest 
they project to a considerable degree over the jaw, 
but when circumstances require it, they may be 
elongated, projected, folded and turned to such an 
extent as to form a kind of a tube, partaking of 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


nearly all the qualities of a proboscis. The long, 
flat, narrow tongue, truncated at its extremity, helps 
to form and use this tube and in this way the animal 
is not only capable of seizing and drawing to itself all 
kinds of objects but, so to speak, to suck them in. 
The remainder of the head is furnished with short, 
blunt, erect ears and small, slanting, nearly pig-like 
eyes. Very little of the head is seen, however, as 
even the greater: part of the snout, which is grown 
with short hair, is covered by the strikingly long, 
bristly hair of the top of the head. This kind of 
fur also clothes the tail and some parts of the body, 
especially the neck, and is so long as to form a 
dense, shaggy mane. In the middle of the back 
the tangled mass of hair usually forms two large, 
puffy bumps, giving the Bear the appearance of 
being hump-backed. In this way the front part of 
the animal has a remarkably clumsy appearance, 
which is materially enhanced by the heavy, un- 
wieldy body and the short, stout legs. Even the 
feet are peculiar and the exceedingly long, sharp, 
curved claws are decidedly remarkable and quite 
Sloth-like. The incisor teeth are usually lost very 
early in the animal’s life and the jaw thereby gains 
an aspect which is difficult to describe. The color 
of the coarse hair is a brilliant black; the snout is 
gray or dingy white, and the breast shows a horse- 
shoe-shaped white patch. Sometimes the toes also 
have a light tinge. The claws are usually of a 
whitish, horny hue, and the soles are black. The 
young animals differ from the old ones by a slighter_ 
development of the mane on the head and shoulders, 
the ears therefore protruding and appee Ns rela- 
tively larger; and their claws are darker than those 
of the older animals. The snout is also usually of 
a yellowish-brown hue from the point to the fore- 
head, and the horseshoe-shaped mark on the breast 
is yellowish white. 


Habitat and The native country of the Sloth Bear 
Life of Sloth is India, from near the foot of the 
Bears. Himalayas to its southern extremity, 

and Ceylon. He delights ina hilly country, rich in 


jungles, and though he is much hunted, he is still 
one of the most common of the large animals of 
India, though in some parts he may be considered 
extinct. On Ceylon, according to Tennent, he hides 
in the densest forests, in the hilly country on the 
northern and southeastern coast, and he is found as 
rarely in higher mountains as in the damp valleys. 
In the region of Kurrachee he was so common dur- 
ing a prolonged drought that the women had to 
give up their beloved baths and ablutions in the 
rivers, because Bears crossed their way not only on 
land but in the water also, the latter often uninten- 
tionally, for they had fallen into the water while 
drinking and could not climb back on the shore on 
account of their clumsiness. During the hottest 
hours of the day this Bear lies in caverns, either 
natural or dug out by himself, preferably choosing 
those between rocks on the sloping sides of hills or 
in precipices. In spite of his thick, dark fur he is 
not very sensitive toheat. Usually he spends the hot 
day in a cool hiding-place, however, and goes forth 
at night, though he is also often seen in the morn- 
ing and evening. His senses are not acute, with the 
exception of his smelling faculty. He hears and 
sees so badly that no great difficulties are presented 
in ‘creeping quite close to him. He climbs fairly 
well in the rocks and is wont, after the fashion of 
other Bears, to roll head over heels down some steep 
declivity when frightened or when shot at. 


Ae 


! 


in 


THE LABIATED OR SLOTH BEAR.—One of the m 
tured in company with the wild Sheep of the Himalayan region. The long, flexible, protruding lip, which gives the animal its name of Labiated, or Lipped 
Bear, is the most striking feature of the animal, giving it a comical appearance. Its name of Sloth Bear comes from certain superficial resemblances to the 
Sloth including its long claws, and also because of its slow and clumsy movements. (Melursus labiatus.) 


(261) 


262 


The Sloth Bears’ The food of the Sloth Bear consists 
Foodand How almost exclusively of vegetable sub- 
They Get It. stances and smaller animals, espe- 
cially invertebrates, and he is said to eat eggs and 
small birds only occasionally. All naturalists agree 
in asserting that he never attacks larger animals 
with a view to eating them, except that Sanderson 
and McMaster tell experiences where Bears had 
eaten part of a Stag which had been shot, and 
another time of an Ox killed by a Tiger. Cubs 
reared in captivity willingly eat raw and cooked 
meat, however. Various roots and fruits of all kinds, 
the much prized pulpy buds of the Mohra tree or 
broad-leaved Bassia, Bees’ nests, of which the combs 
and grubs taste as sweet as the honey to him, Cater- 
pillars, Snails and Ants form his principal sustenance, 
and his long curved claws are of great service to 
him in searching for and digging out hidden roots or 
excavating Ant-hills. He even destroys the wonder- 
fully built fastnesses of the White Ants and in such 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


mammals, including Man, in the most cruel way, 
before eating them. He is said to hug his victims 
close with his arms and claws and then to break 
their limbs one after another deliberately and while 
constantly sucking them with his lips. As a rule he 
avoids Man; but his slowness not infrequently pre- 
vents his flight and then, either from fear or with the 
instinct of self-preservation, he assumes the offen- 
sive. His attacks become so dangerous under these 
circumstances that the Cingalese consider him the 
most terrible of animals, Sanderson writes: “Sloth 
Bears are not harmless to unarmed people. Wood 


‘cutters and other people who follow their vocation 


in the forest and the jungle often fare very badly 
in their encounters with these Bears. Like all wild 
animals they are most dangerous when surprised, for 
then, actuated by fright and fear, they may attack a 
Man.” : 

The animal is hunted in various ways. His trail is 
easily recognized in the morning in the dewy grass 


eastern Tibet. It has a clumsy 


The fur is for the greater part white, but the black markings are peculiar, the ears, a ring around 


the eyes and the limbs being black, and a wide strip extending from the front legs up to the shoulders is also black. It is said to feed princi- 
pally on roots, bamboos and other vegetable food. (Ai/uropus melanoleucus.) 


a case plays sad havoc among the young brood. 
Sanderson also relates that in some localities the 
Aswals visit the groves of wild date-trees, where 
palm-wine is manufactured. They climb the trunks 
of the trees, which are from eighteen to twenty-four 
feet high, up to the very tops, upon which are hung 
the vessels which catch the outflowing juice ; they 
tilt the filled vessels with their paws until they can 
drink the contents. A few quarts of the liquid 
might not be begrudged them if they did not break 
so many vessels while making their clumsy thefts. 
People who sustain the loss say that the thieves do 
not go to the trouble of climbing down, but simply 
let themselves fall to the ground, and further state 
that they often get fairly intoxicated with the wine. 
Sloth Bears Lennent’s communications concern- 
Sometimes Very ing the habits of the Sloth Bear are 
Dangerous. not absolutely confirmed by recent 


accounts. In East India the Bear is said to torment 


and shrubs, and may be readily followed, or oné may 
find his den, and there await his return from his noc- 
turnal prowlings; or may systematically search a 
stretch of jungle where Bears are sure or likely to 
be found, and shoot them when they are driven out 
into the open ground. 

Captive Sloth The Sloth Bear has been repeatedly 

Bears Become observed in captivity, in India as well 

Very Docile. as in Europe. In his native country 
his docility is utilized by mountebanks and jugglers, 
and like Bruin he is trained to perform all kinds of 
tricks. He is kept on milk, bread, fruit and meat, 


_and usually comes to the conclusion that he decid-* 


edly prefers bread and fruit to other food. Curled 
up like a sleeping Dog he rolls from one side to 
the other, jumps around, turns somersaults, walks 
erect and makes the queerest faces when food is 
offered him. He also impresses one as being com- 
paratively good-natured, familiar and honest. 


Cal = — 


THE PANDA.— Here is an animal, found'in the Himalaya region of Asia 
body and stout limbs are Bear-like, while its short, broad face, its whisker hai 
nearly as long as its body. It is appropriately pictured in the forest, for it lives much in tr 
(Ailurus fulgens.) 


to be classed as a Cat-like Bear. Its clumsy appearing 
and its large, erect, pointed ears remind one of a Cat. It has a bushy tail 
, and feeds principally on fruits and other vegetable substances 


(263) 


264 


CAT-LIKE BEARS. 


Three remarkable animals of southern Asia consti- 
tute the second suborder of the Bears, whose mem- 
bers we will call Cat-like Bears (Ad/urinz). They are 
a transitional form between the Large Bears and the 
Civets and are distinguished by their somewhat Cat- 
like paws, the soles of which are covered with hair 
and have claws that are slightly retractile. 

The Ailuropus. The first place in this suborder 

of the Tibetan belongs to the Ailuropus (Adluropus 

Forests.  melanoleucus), which was. discovered 
by David about twenty years ago, and which on the 
one hand resembles the Large Bears, on the other 
the Panda. He is of smaller size than the common 
Brown Bear, measuring about sixty inches from the 
tip of his snout to the end of his tail. His feet, 
which have hairy soles, are wide and short. and he 
does not walk on-the entire sole. The snout is 
short, and the head proportionately broader than 
that of any other Beast of Prey. His fur is dense, 
Bear-like and of a uniform white color, with the ex- 
ceptions that a ring around the eyes, the ears, the 
front legs, and a band extending from them up to 
the shoulder, the hind feet and the tip of the tail, 
are black. 

Next to nothing is known about his life in the 
wild state. He inhabits the most inaccessible moun- 
tainous forests of eastern Tibet. 

The Panda,or Lhe representative of the second 

Red Cat-Like species of this suborder, the Panda 

Bear. or Red Cat-like Bear (Azlurus ful- 
gens), in a certain way holds the middle position be- 
tween the Ailuropus and the Binturong. Onaccount 
of his thick, soft fur, his body appears clumsier 
than it is; the head is covered with long hair and is 
very broad and short, and the snout likewise. The 
long tail is pendent and bushy, having the -appear- 
ance of being very thick; the ears are small and 
rounded; the eyes are small; the short legs are 
furnished with soles thickly covered with hair, and 
the walk is semi-plantigrade; the toes are short and 
the claws are strongly curved. The size of the 
Panda is about that of a large Tom-cat. The fur is 
dense and long, of a vivid and lustrous dark red on 
the upper surface, with a light golden tinge on the 
back, where the hairs are tipped with yellow; the 
under surface and the legs are lustrous black, with 
the exception of a dark chestnut transverse band on 
the front and sides; the tail is of a Foxy red, indis- 
tinctly ringed with narrow bands of a lighter hue. 

The Panda is a native of the southeastern parts of 
the Himalayas, where it is found at an‘elevation of 
from six thousand to twelve thousand feet. Little 
is known about the life in the wild ‘state of this 
beautiful, dainty creature. It lives in the woods 
either in couples or in families, mounts on the trees, 
and makes its home in their hollows or. in clefts of 
rocks; it spends much time on the ground in its 
search for food, It is an almost exclusively vege- 
table feeder, but is also said occasionally to plunder 
nests and eat insects. 

The Binturong,a Lhe last species -of the suborder is 

Southern Asiatic the Binturong (Arctitis binturong). 

Species. He exceeds the Panda in size; his 
length is from fifty-four to sixty inches, nearly half 
of this length being taken up by the very long, pre- 
hensile tail. The body is stout, the head thick, the 
snout elongated ; the legs short and thick, the soles 
are naked, five-toed, armed with tolerably strong, 
somewhat retractile claws. The body is clothed in 


v 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


a thick, rather rough, loose fur. The ears are short, 
rounded and surmounted by tufts. Thick, white’ 
whisker-hairs on both sides of the snout surround 
the face as with a halo. The color is a dead black, 
merging into a grayish tinge on the head and into a 
brownish shade on the limbs. 

The Binturong is a native of Borneo, Java, Su-- 
matra, the Malayan Peninsula, Tenasserim, Aracan, 
Assam and Siam. Its life in the wild state is also 
very little known. It is nocturnal in habits, leading 
a principally arboreal life, and is slow in its motions. 
It is omnivorous, disdaining neither small mammals, 
birds, fish, worms, and insects, nor fruit and other 
vegetable food. Living as it does in lonely forests 
and hidden from view, it is seldom seen; its voice is 
said to find utterance in a loud howl. Though wild 
and fierce in disposition, it soon becomes tame when 
taken young and is as gentle as it is playful. 


THE SMALL BEARS. 


In the third suborder we consider the Small Bears, 
animals of a moderate size, which are confined to 
America. 

General Fea. The Raccoons (Procyon) are distin- 

tures of the guished by the following features. 
\ Raccoons. The body is thick-set, the head 
widens considerably in its posterior part, the snout 
is short; the large eyes are close together, the large, — 
rounded ears lie quite close to the side of the head; — 
the legs are relatively long and thin; the feet have — 
naked soles and slender toes of medium size; the _ 
nails are rather strong and compressed from both 
sides ; the tail is long and the fur consists of rich, . 
long, straight hair. Pose 

The Raccoon The: Raccoon (Procyon lotor) attains 

Proper De- _ a length of twenty-six inches exclu-- 

scribed, sive of the tail, which is ten inches. 

long; the height at the shoulders is from twelve to” 
fourteen inches. The fur is yellowish gray with an ~ 
admixture of black. The fore-legs, a tuft near, the — 
ears (which is surrounded by a brownish black patch . 
behind the‘ears), the sides of the snout, and the © 
chin, have a light yellowish-gray, tint. Brownish 
black stripes run from the forehead ‘to the tip of the» 
nose and around the eyes; yellowish white bands — 
run above the eyes to the temples. The fore and - 
hinder paws are of a brownish yellow-gray tint,” 
while the long hair of the lower half of the limbs — 
takes a deep dark brown tinge. The grayish-yellow © 
tail is ringed with brownish black and ends ina tip: 
of dark brown. No one of these colors contrasts 
boldly with the others, and so the general coloring, — 
regarded from even’a slight distance, becomes of a - 
gray hue, difficult to determine and describe, and 
harmonizing as marvelously with the color of tree-- 
bark as with that of the ground, whether grown with | 
fresh or dry grass. 

The Raccoon is Lhe Raccoon is indigenous to North 

a Native America, occurring in the south as 

American. well as in the north. Nowadays the 
number of the Raccoons has been greatly reduced — 
in the more populous districts, in consequence of the | 
relentless pursuit the animals have been compelled © 
to undergo; but they are not quite exterminated © 
even in thickly settled localities. In the interior of 
the continent, especially in the wooded regions, — 
they are still numerous. The favorite haunts of the 
Raccoon are forests bordering on rivers, lakes or 
small streams. As a rule the Raccoon is wont to 
go forth on his hunt at dusk only, and sleep during 
the bright, sunshiny day in hollow trees or on 


Bi) 
Vy 


QV 


Dy, 


wf) 
LD y 


SSS Le 


THE BINTURONG.— This is an animal of such differing characteristics that it is 
partly retractile like those of a Cat, it has a prehensile tail like some of the American Monkey 
with which it is placed by some natu ralists, but is somewhat clumsy and slow, and has many tra 
appropriately pictured in a tropical forest, for it is an arboreal animal and 


difficult to classify. It has ear-tufts like a Lynx, its claws are 


has much in its structure that reminds one of the Civet family, 


its of the Bear family, with which it is generally classed. Itis 
s found in southeastern Asia and on the Malay Islands. 


(Aretictis binturong ) 
(265) 


266 


thick leaf-covered boughs; but in localities where 
he is entirely undisturbed, he has no particular time 
of day for hunting but promenades through his vast 
domain by day as well as by night. 
Some Notable He is a cheerful, handsome fellow 
Traits of the and amusing because of his great 
Raccoon. activity and liveliness. When he 
saunters along undisturbed, he lets his head sink, 
arches his back, permits his tail to droop, and slinks 
on his way rather slowly and with a sidelong move- 
ment; but as soon as he has made a discovery 
worthy of arousing his interest, as for instance when 
he finds the trail of a harmless animal, or perceives 
the animal itself, his demeanor changes entirely. 
Then the rough fur becomes smooth, he pricks up 
his wide ears to listen, stands erect on his hind legs, 
and follows at an agile pace, jumping and running, 
and he climbs with an agility for which one would 
scarcely have given him credit, not only on slanting 
and perpendicular trunks, but also on horizontal 
branches, with his body upward or downward. Fre- 
quently one sees him running ona horizontal branch, 
like a Sloth or a Monkey, his body hanging down- 
ward. He often leaps from one branch to another 
with unfailing security,,and displays a mastery far 
above ordinary skill in the art of climbing. On level 
ground he is also thoroughly at home and knows 
how to proceed at a great pace by executing jumps 
in which he alights upon all four paws at once. 
His 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 Lhe ’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 
great skill in the capture of Grasshoppers, He 
possesses the peculiarity of dipping his food into 
the water and then rubbing it between his forepaws, 
as if to wash it. He does this only when he is not 
very hungry, however; for, when hunger presses, the 
demands of his stomach probably leave him no 
time for the much liked, playful occupation, which 
has caused the Germans to name him, ‘‘ Wash-Bear.” 
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 ina hollow 
tree. 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


Raccoon Hunt- The Raccoon is pursued not only on 
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. His 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 always ready for 
ploy and pranks and testifies his contentment by a 
ittle 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 
Accountof ‘*Coon,” says L. Beckmann, “are his 
the Raccoon. wnlimited 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 


UAW NN) 
HiuA\ 
PAL 
ayn 


BAN 
WK 
WM 


SS f \ [SIAN 
THE RACCOON.—Our American representative of the Small Bears, 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 mothér is enjoying her delicate repast. (Procyon lotor.) 


(267) 


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 
either 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 


It is destructive, raiding cornfields while the corn is green, visiting Hen roosts intent on robbery, and despoiling 


gardens of various kinds of vegetables. Itis therefore much hunted. 
and black, and has several brownish-black rings on its tail. 
and other features of the Raccoons are seen in the picture. (Procyon lotor.) 
can reach a stone wall, he scratches the mortar out 
of the joints with his sharp claws and in a short time 
causes 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 feet 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 


It-has dense gray fur with markings of white 
These markings, the stout body, the pointed muzzle 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. 


steps into the water with evident delight and gropes 
on the ground for some washable object. An old 
pot handle, a piece of porcelain or a snail’s shell are 
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 
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 killéd 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 cancrivorus), 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. 


The Coatisand The Coatis (asua) naturally follow 
Their Long the Raccoon and its companion. 
Noses. They are easily recognized by their 
long, slender, nearly Weasel-like body, their short 
neck and long, pointed head, their tail which equals 


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. (Masua 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 


269 


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. 


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 Wied 
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, sulky 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 Lhe best known of 
oftheRed these species is the 
Coati. Coati or Red Coati, 
called Cuassi in Guiana (WVasua 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 


4 


\ 
\ 


\ 


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 mnarica) 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 Coatis 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. Ata 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 
Lifeofthe their prey; and they seem to regard 
Coati. insects and their larve, 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 nose into the excavated hole 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 
begins to get hot in the forest, the troop looks out 
for a suitable place for a nap. A well-placed tree 
or a convenient bush is picked out and each com- 
fortably stretches itself on a branch and takes its 
ease in sleep. In the afternoon the wandering is 
resumed, until the task of finding a good sleeping- 
place at night interrupts it. If Coatis notice a foe, 


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. 

Hato. The white inhabitants of South Amer- 

the Coatiis 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 
tivity. 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 FAMILYV—KINKAJOU. 


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 


been found as far north as Louisiana. (Cercoleptes caudivolvulus.) 


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 Kinkajoua Some time 

Very Peculiar ago the pos- 

Animal. sessor 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 


\\\aes 
\ ie 


at catching Mice. 


ewe 
THE KINKAJOU.—tThis is an animal which has puzzled the naturalists. 
scientific world it was classed with the Lemurs, then with the Civets, but is now put with the Bear family, to whichit 
is allied by its anatomical structure, its teeth, its food andits plantigrade walk. 
tail which is prehensile like the Monkeys, which are its neighbors, for 1ts home is in South America, although it has 


THE CACOMIXLE.—Long erroneously thought to belong to the Civet family, the Cacomixle is now 
classed with the Raccoon group of the Bear family. 
popular names in the latter state, including ‘‘ Raccoon-Fox” and “‘ Mountain-Cat.” 
the Raccoon, but has a ringed tail as long as the body. 
(Bassaris astuta.) 


271 


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- 
éral 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- 
volvulus), seems to bea 
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 ears 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 
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- 


When first made known to the 


It has a short, Cat-like head, anda 


Sy “f se K,SIARRNARGT 


It is found in Mexico, Texas and California, and has many 
It has a face much like that of 
It can be tamed very successfully and is an excellent adept 


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. 


972 


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 poultry. 
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 


) 
\ 


THE BEASTS OF PREY. \ 


was closed at night, Wawa was put out, and he then 
mounted the bread-trees, cocoanut palms or Avogato 
trees, for he didnot 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, 

Lively Species. according to recent research belongs 
to the American Small Bears. We mean the Civet, 
or as Hernandez called it as early as 1651, the 
Mexican Cacomixle (Sassaris astuta). An adult 
male attains a length of about thirty-eight inches, 
two-fifths of which go to the tail. In shape, the 
pera reminds one of a small Fox; in coloring, of a 

oati. 

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 b 
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 
Squirrel 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. 


es 


a 
. 
J 


— 


| The Seals or Fin=ffooted Mnimals. 


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 
nothigg 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 

ractically 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 vertebre are distinct and furnished 
with well-developed processes. There are fourteen 


or fifteen dorsal ‘and five or six lumbar vertebre ; 


from two to seven united vertebre 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 Distribue Lhe Seals are distributed over all 
tion of the the oceans of the globe, inhabiting 
Seals. the 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. 
Seals on the They live on the mainland only on 
Ground andin 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 difficulty 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 dorsal 
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. 


Hawoke'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 


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 skillfully 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 


THE FIN-FOOTED. ANIMALS. 


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 
It is one of the smallest but best known species of the Seal family, has a fur varying in color with different individuals, but usually brown or brown- 


Seal. 
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, 


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 are 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 


It is found on both sides of the Atlantic and north Pacific, and also in the Mediterranean. 


(Phoca vitulina.) 


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 se 
frightened that they sigh and tremble, and are s_ 
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 strongiy developed. 


: THE ORDINARY SEALS. 


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. 
ut A male always unites himself to 
eals. 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- 


275 


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. 


The Ordinary Seals. 


- FIRST FATMILY: Puocipa&. 


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 In their habits they much resemble 
Oeginary the Eared Seals; in their movements 
eals, 


on the 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 by 
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 Ordinary Though the Seals live in the ocean 
gor “ the for days and weeks and can dispatch 
and, 


all 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 
frontand 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. is no doubt as to their sagacity; but 


frequently they display such stupidity and clumsi- 
ness as to puzzle the observer. Bold in deserted 
localities, they behave with extreme caution where 
they know that they are threatened by deadly 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 


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 os Young they give evidence of special tender- 
eals. 


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 ipcaly 
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. 

To the northern nations the Seals 


/mportance ‘ i 
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 capture 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 
asound. Ifa 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 


of twelve feet. 


Methodsof 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 

e constantly on his guard. 


THE SEA LEOPARD,—This animal forms a distinct group of the 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 ot the southern Pacific. 
The ground color is a silver gray, and yellowish or brown spots are distributed over the body. 


—— tazh 


The large males attain a length 
(Stenorhynchus leptonyx.) 
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. Nota 
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 


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 of sinking. -Therefore this hunt is a 
erilous one in many respects, and many Green- 
anders 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. do, 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 
Greenlanders, is made up out of them and highly 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 


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, asa 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 Common 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 li 
is thick, but very mobile and grown with sti 
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 Lhe 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 (Halicherus grypus) and the 
Ringed Seal (Phoca fetida), *The Monk Seal (Stenor- 
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 (Phoca 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] 
Back Seal. —( Phoca grenlandica) 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. 


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 smalier 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 


— 


polar regions as explorers have yet penetrated. 
in bold contrast to the brownish-black fur surrounding it. 
picture are comfortably resting ona great ice-floe. 
grenilandica.) 
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 (Cystophora 
cristata,) 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 part 
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. 


THE SADDLE-BACK SEAL,——This member of the Seal family is found in the Arctic latitudes extending as far north in the circum- - 
It gets its name ‘* Saddle-Back” trom the large patch of white fur on its upper surface, which is 

The somewhat narrow head is also a distinguishing feature. 
This species is also known by the names of “Harp Seal” and ‘Greenland Seal.” (Phoca 


279 


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 Gteenland 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 animals in the 


living being unprovoked, but it is easily excited and 
then prone to offer resistance. - 
Characteristics The Elephant Seal ( Macrorhinus 
of the leoninus) resembles the other Seals 
Elephant Seal. jin 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 


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. 
very peculiar appearance. 
ous dark spots distributed all over the fur, as shown in the il 
(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 are 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 foré-feet; sometimes they 
look more like heaps of earth than living animals, 
and in this respect resemble Thick-skinned animals. 


When filled with air, the bladder at the end of this animal’s muzzle gives ita 
The body does not differ much in me from that of ordinary Seals, but the numer- 
ustration, give it a distinctive individuality. 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 


Their movements on dry land are exceedingly 
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 climb 
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 oe 
may swim among them wit 
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.” i 
Youthful Life of fen 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—ELEPHANT. 


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- 


281 


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 


2 


THE ELEPHANT SEAL.—This animal, because of its 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. (MJacrorhinus 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 


factured 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. 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 


They can not even, like the Whales, retreat into the 
inaccessible parts of the ocean before their cruel 
enemy: they must endure persecution until the last 
of them shall have succumbed to the destructiveness 
of the insatiable beast of prey called Man. 


The Walrus Family. 


SECOND FAMILY: 


TRICHECHID. 


The second family of the Fin-Footed animals con- 
sists only of one species ( Zvichechus), 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 Strue. 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 
more than those of the male, which are usually blunt. 

Early Accounts For centuries the Walrus has been 

of the Wal- known by pictures and descriptions, 
rus. but 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. _ally 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 


sf i 


THE WALRUS,—tThis extremely ugly animal lives in the region of perpetual ice in the e 
shown in such a locality. The two animals in the f eground are shown in fierce combat, 
growth of horny whiskers.on the upper lip and cheeks. Some writers divide the tamily into two species, the N 
but others, while recognizing slight differences, regard the two kinds as being only local varieties of the s 


reme north, and the group in the picture is appropriately 


and the picture brings out ery plainly the large tusks, and the thick 


orth Atlantic and the North Pacific Walrus S, 
aime species. (Zvichechus rosmarus.) 


(283) 


284 


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.” Atleast 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 with the ice. 
Mode of Life 1t is avery difficult matter to pass 
of the Wal- judgment on the mental qualities of 
rus. this animal from the observations 
that 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; 
their hearing is far better, and their sense of smell is 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS 


extremely keen, as, under favorable conditions, they 
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: 
rusandHer 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. 6 
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. 
banks and cliffs, and another one (Sazicava 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 alga: 
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 unwieldiness 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, Payer 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.—tThe typical animal of the family of the Eared 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 smal] but well defined ear, 
the limbs protruding from the body and peculiar shape of the toes and flippers. (Osaria stelleri.) 


(285) 


286 


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 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 


color to the surrounding sea. The impending dan- 
ger that the boat may be overturned or severely 
damaged by the tusks of a Walrus, may often be 
averted only by mortally injuring the leader of these 
brave and hardy creatures.” 
Uses to Which Europeans [and Americans] use the 
the Walrus _ hide, blubber and tusks of the Wal- 
Is Put. 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. 


The Eared Seals. 


THIRD FAMILY: OrarlIp&. 


The members of the third family of the Fin- 
Footed Animals, the Eared Seals ( Otaniide), differ 


from their other relatives in the following features: 


‘The external ear has a well-developed, though small, 
econch. 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 
Sea Lions. mentions, is the Sea Lion of the sail- 
ors ( Oraria stelleri),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 feet 
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 8an 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 Pesrctina. ven 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- 


=) Bi 


FUR SEAL OR SEA BEAR,—The most valuable of the Seals is that 
as the Sea Bear. This is the species of Seal which 


of the northern Pacific, where it seeks the most inaccessible rocks for its lair. 
slow progress over the rocks, while a mother Seal aids her young one to advan 


which is, on account of its beautiful coat, called the Fur Seal, and is also known 
has been the subject of so much international controversy. Its principal home is now on the Pribyloff Islands 
These Seals live in large herds. The picture illustrates a group of them making 
ce by carrying itin her mouth. (Ofaria ursina.) 


(287) 


288 


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 Lhe Northern Fur Seal, Sea Bear or 
Seal or 8ea Ursine Seal (Ovaria 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- 

and Habitsof 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 
Seals, 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 of several consecutive years show, they 
always return to the same known breeding grounds 
or “rookeries.” When the season of their landing 
draws nigh, one first sees a few old males arrive, 


THE FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. 


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 Fursof animal than any of the other mem- 
Sea Bears. bers of his 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 Europeans. 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 Antarce- 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. 


Che Mnsect=Eating Hnimals. 


SIXTH ORDER: 


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 “a 
a proboscis. The body, 

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 ante 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 Lhe Insettivora are dull, sulky, dis- 
of Insecti- trustful and timid creatures of soli- 
vores: 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 many 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 
VOTER. 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 


INSECTIVORA. 


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 ina 
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 wa e 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 
watery, 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 being active 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 Galeopithecus. 


The thedgebogs. 


FIRST FAMILY: ERINACEIDA. 


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 hay- 
ing five, and exceptionally four. The tail is short 
and the wiry fur consists of short spines above and 
hair below. y 
The family is disseminated over Eu- 


Habitat : : 
and Traitsof 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 


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. hose 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 (Frina- 
Hedgehog De- ceus europeus), the whole body with 
scribed. all its 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 
over 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 entirely absent, in Ireland. 


¢ 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


Peculiarities of The Hedgehog is a queer fellow, but: 
the Hedge- a good-natured, timid one withal, 
hog. and gains its livelihood as best it 

can, by means of hard toil and trouble. Having 
little aptitude for society, it is always found singly, 
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 

lace; but the rest is of fairly regular roundness. 

he indentation leads to the abdomen, and in it lie, 
closely pressed together, the snout, the fore legs and 
the little stub-like tail. 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. aye 4 

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 Lhe Hedgehog is by no theans an 

Seeking for unskilled or clumsy hunter; it knows 
Food. how 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 Grasshoppers, Crickets, Cock- 
roaches, May-bugs, Beetles of all kinds and their 


NAN 
Ay 
erry 


SS, 


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 europeus.) 


(291) 


larve, 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 ot 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- 

eriment that this Snake did not lack poison, as it 

ad 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 and 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. Inthe 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 are 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. 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


But our bristly 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 Cantharides, 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 Traine Young Hedgehogs are born in litters 
ing of Hedge- of from three to six, and in rare cases 
hogs. eight, ina 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 of 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 buildin 
materials are brought there by the Hedgehog itsel 
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 
magnificent appearance. 
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 Lo tame a Hedgehog it is only nec- 
in Captiv- essary to confine it in a convenient 
ity. 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 
hog. beings. Dogs hate it with great in- 
tensity and signify their enmity by a prolonged, 
fierce bark, whenever they discover a edgehane 
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, 


faquite | 
In the same manner it | 


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 


twoanimals. (Za/fa europea.) 
(293) 


294 


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. lar wandering tribes, who have in- 
vented a special mode of cooking it. 
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 
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. 


the United States, 


cousin. (Scalops aquaticus.) 


The Moles. 


SECOND FAMILY: Tarprpa. 


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- Lhe 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 


The “chef”: 


Its habits are in every way similar to those of the Common Mole of Europe, 
although its burrows are not, perhaps, so elaborately constructed as those of its European 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


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 
uponthem. Particularly strong muscles are attached 
to these bones, and from this muscular development 
the remarkable relative strength of the animals’ 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 toa 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, 


ee 


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- 
endent 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 Lhe Common Mole (7alpa europea), 


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. Yellowor "s 
white Moles are 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 designates its haunts by its own 

Mole Digsand 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- 


— — 


this picture. 


like form around the nostrils. 


THE STAR-NOSED MOLE, —— One of the moSt peculiar of 
the Insect-Eating Animals is the American species of Mole shown in 
Its tail is longer than that of any other Mole, but the 
strangest feature is the cartilaginous rays which are placed in star- 
(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 employeda 
means as ingenious as it was 
amusing. Heset up ina 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 
Foesofthe 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. 
The American species of Moles are re- 
rae pg garded as distinct from those of Europe 
Hisaiae because of differences in dentition and other 
ing variations. The Common American Mole 
(Scalops aqguaticus) 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 (Sca/opfs argentatus) is found in Texas 
and Mexico, but shows little to distinguish it from the Common 


296 


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 (Scafanus brewer), and a blackish 
purple variety erga s known as the Oregon Mole (Scapa- 
nus townsendi), both of these animals being found principally 
in the western part of the pit States. ai 

A very peculiar appearance is presente 
a> — the Sar Nosed Mole \Concoriand cristata) : 
oe oi very common species found in all the north- 
reel ack ern part of the United 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 Tupaias. 


THIRD FAMILY: TuparnpD2#&. 


A third family is formed by the Tupaiide. They 
remind one of Squirrels, though the resemblance can 
only be regarded as superficial. The head tapers 


“Baten 2 ZY = 


THE TANA.——A lively species of the Insect-Eaters is the Tana of India, slender and having a long, bushy 
tail, anda tapering muzzle. The picture appropriately represents the Tanas in the trees, for they live on fruit as 
( Tupaia tana.) 


well as insects and seek for food in the trees as well as on the ground. 


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 
four mamme on the abdomen. 

The Tupaiide 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. 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


The Tana Typ- 
ical of the 
Family. 


One of the largest species of the 
family is the Tana (Zupaia tana). 
It is 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. Sy, 

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. 


The Long-eLegged Sbrews. 


FOURTH FAMILY: MacroscELiDID&é. 


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 Macroscelididz 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, anda 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 (Macroscelides 

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 ofa 

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 Macroscelididez, 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, 


c7> 


Ss 


ANY nkcunse. L2s 


THE SPINY HEDGEHOGS—TANREC. 


inaccessible holes under stones and in rocky crevices 
and the burrows of other animals. They are 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 slits 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. 


The Spiny hedgebogs. 
‘FIFTH FAMILY: Crnrerrpa.. 


The members of the fifth family of the order 
under consideration are the Centetidz, or Spiny 
Hedgehogs, taking their appellation from an insect- 
ivorous, Hedgehog-like in- _ eee a 
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 ( Centetes ec- 
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 ‘ts hiding 
place. It is a shy, timid creature, which spends the 
greater part of the day in the utmost retirement and 


boscis-like muzzle, adorned with straggling whisker hairs. They 
roam in the glare of the African sunlight and seek, in the holes and 
crevices of stony hillsides, the insects which form their food. (A/a- 
croscelides typicus.) 2 


297 


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. 


The Sbrews. 


SIXTH FAMILY: Soricripz. 


The Shrews among the Insectivora remind us of 
the Weasels among the beasts of prey. Like them, 
they are possessed of all faculties implied by a true 
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 belong to 
Shrews. the smallest 


of mammals, like the Bats; 
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 tubercles 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 owner, in accomplishing which they resort 


298 


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 


‘THE TANREC.—This animal has its principal home in Madagascar, so famous as the home of strange forms of animal life. 


tailless body and elongated snout are disti 
Hedgehog’s, is a noteworthy peculiarity. (Centetes ecaudatus.) 


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 réa- 


inches, including the naked tail, which is eight inches long. 

and the body is clothed with long coarse hair. 
soning power. They are of a highly predaceous and 
sanguinary disposition and are really formidable 
foes 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 almest defense- 


THE ALMIQUI.—An insectivorous animal living on the Island of Cuba, principally in the high lands. 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


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 


Its long, 


uishing features, while its coat which, besides hair, includes bristles like a Hog’s and spines like a 


animal world; insects and their larve, 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- 


It measures about nineteen 
It has a remarkably long, cylindrical snout, feet well formed for running or digging, 
(Solenodon cubanus.) 


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—SHREIWS PROPER, 


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 most numerous family of 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 
The characteristics of the animal are well shown 
in the picture, and the little insect which is being pursued is evidently doomed. 


Mouse, but is a fierce, sanguinary and voracious little creature. 


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 (Soricing). 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 ‘Lhe Shrews in the narrowest sense 

the Common (Sorex) are distinguished by having 

Shrew. thirty-two teeth, tipped with dark 
brown, feet and toes surrounded on all sides wit 
short, soft hair, and a tail clothed in fur of uniform 
length: Their typical representative is the Common 
Shrew (Sorex 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 Lhe 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 


299 


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- 
osed that the many dead 
hrews 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- | he 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. Lenz says: “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 


NS 

b 

eS 
wae? 


\ 


(Sorex vulgaris.) 


BROAD-NOSED SHREW.——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. (Sorex 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 


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 
beast 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 
Its voice consists of a soft chirping or whist- 


do so. 


te 


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. (Blarina 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 thei: 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 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


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 It is surprising that few animals eat 

Common Shrews. Cats catch them, probably 

Shrew. 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 disgust with 
which the odor given forth by the Shrews excites. 
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 


% Peale peete : it re t 


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. 
(Crocidura aranea.) 


“Shrew-struck,” are expected to fall ill in the near 
future, unless they have recourse to a particular 


remedy. 
‘ The Common Shrew has several American 
sioes of th dip ie relatives, the species which resembles it 
et 5 aha “ most being the Broad-Nosed Shrew (Sorex 
of rew. — platyrhinus) which is found all over the 


eastern portion of the United States. It has conspicuous ears 


THE WATER SHREW.—These animals, w 
proclivities of their kind, and besides insects they eat any fishes they are 
the finny tribe, as is clearly shown by this picture, which was take arly all of Europe and part of Asia and 
is found in abundance in all congenial places. (Crossopus fodiens.) 


hich make their burrows in river banks and lead an emphatically aquatic life, possess all the sanguinary 


able to overcome, and their voracity incites them to attack quite large members of 
n from life. The Water Shrew is distributed over ne: 


(201) 


302 


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 bendirt is the largest known species of the Shrew fam- 
ily, while another, Sorex Personata, is nearly as small as the 
Etruscan Shrew. < r hee 

n eastern American species is the Mole- 

The Mole-Shrew Shrew (B/arina brevicsena which derives 
its Latin name from its extremely short tail. 
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 lacwels upon the chrysalides and larve of insects that are 
always found in such places.” Besides their insectivorous 
food these animals are also said to eat beech nuts. 


an Eastern 
Species. 


—w ‘ 


pally in southern Europe, and has all the sanguinary instincts of its race, 


Characteristics The Field Shrews (Cvocidura) have 
of the Field from twenty-eight’ to thirty white 
Shrews. teeth. In other respects they cor- 
respond with the Common Shrew toa 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- 


THE ETRUSCAN SHREW.—Except one species of Bat, this Shrew is the smallest of known mammals. 
How small it is may be seen from this picture, which shows the animal in its full natural size. 
(Crocidura suaveolens.) 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


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 ( Cvocz- 

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 

N Shrew and its Shrews we 
AS: Habits. —_ will mention 
SO only one more species, the 
Water Shrew (Crossopus 

~, fodiens). It differs from its 
<=; relatives principally in hav- 
‘ ing the under surface of its 
ss 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- 


Itis found princi- 


‘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. 


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 in proportion to its size, the Water 

of the Water Shrew is a really formidable beast 

Shrew. of 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 themselves with shell fish. 
it fulfills the proverb, and 

“fishes in troubled waters.” But the Water Shrew 
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 musky odor which pervades them. 


THE DESMANS. 


The few species of the second sub-family, the 
Beaver Shrews or Desmans (Jyogaline), 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 


THE DESMAN.—This is an aquatic species of the Insect-Eating animals. 
long tail and webbed feet 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 
(Myogale moschata.) + 


303 


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 pyrénaica). 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 


ray 


BAN 
> Z 


It has an elongated snout, a 


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 larvez 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 


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 : 
. close relation of the Desmans of the Old 
sgh eet Ms World, or rather, which may be regarded as 


an intermediate 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 (/Vex- 
rotrichus gibbsit) 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 
inch 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. 


The Colugo, or Raguang. 
SEVENTH FAMILY: GALEOPITHECID. 


The representatives of a distinct family, Galeo- 
pithecidz, 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 
short 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 
each 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- 
lays (Galeopithecus volans), attains a total length of 


ie. Se 


a puzzle to zoologists. 


THE COLUGO.—This animal, also known as the Kaguang, has proven 
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, 


THE INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 


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, 
Rolags ae: which leads a solitary life on the 
serioed, 


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 
es : 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 obliquely 
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 and 
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.” 


(Galeopithecus volans.) 


The Rodents or Gnawing Animals. 


SEVENTH ORDER: RopeEnrviA. 


HE 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 
of Rodents. others, the upper ones being always 


stronger than the lower ones. Both upper and 
lower incisors 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, ina 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 


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 
alloverthe 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. and habits. Nota 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) 


306 


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 life 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. 


The Squirrels. 
FIRST FAMILY: Scrurip&. 


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 (Scturine) 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 
Universal. 


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 are lively, quick and 
and Habitsof nimble in their movements both in 
Squirrels. the trees and 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 SQUIRRELS—SQUIRRELS PROPER. 


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 
Squirrelsand more than oncea 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 
(Sciurus), 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 (Scéurus 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. the 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 


FY i 
fy : ‘ 


a We i vi do 
1 WRAL 
) NY fl, 


ophiomys,” signifying ‘‘a mouse with boar’s 
bristles,” was given it, and a separate family (Lofhiomyide@) was created for it yever, Closely allied to the Mouse family. The muzzle of the rather 
small head is brown and adorned with long whisker hairs, and the general color of the animal is a dark gray, but there are white stripes on the sides and on the 
forehead. The inner toe of each hind foot is opposable, like a human thumb, and the paw is thus converted into a prehensile hand, which the animal treely 
uses:in climbing. After the first specimen was taken to Paris no other was seen in Europe until 1893, when one was secured by the Museum at Stuttgart. 


(Lophiomys imhausii.) 
(307) 


308 


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 py a tuft of 
long hair, the soles of the feet are bare. 


Homeand The Common Squirrel is widely dis- 
Haunts of the tributed throughout all. of Europe 
Squirrel. and across the Caucasus and Ural 


through southern Siberia to the Altai and eastern 
Asia. But it is not equally common everywhere, or 


Whe’. 2 


G 
. 
bs Ped 


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 all who have watched the antics of Squirrels in their arboreal homes. 


(Sciurus vulgaris.) 


every year. Its favorite haunts are dry, shady for- 
ests with high trees; and it is as much adverse 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 asa 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 
open-air nests usually lie ina fork, close to the main 
trunk of the tree; the bottom is built like one of the 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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- 
Ways of the edly one of the principal ornaments 
Squirrels. — of a forest. In quiet, fine weather it 


is incessantly active, keeping as much as possible to 
thé 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 in 
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, out for food on its roamings. Ac- 


cording to the season it eats fruit or seeds, buds, 


THE SQUIRRELS—SQUIRRELS PROPER. 


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- 


and liveliest of the family. 


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 
(Sciurus carolinensis or migratorius.) 


309 


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 fora 
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 ina 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 

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 


Foes are 
Many. 


The Marten is the most formidable 
foe of the Squirrel. The Foxseldom 
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 Furof | 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 
east 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. 


It is especially noteworthy as resembling, more than any other 


American species, the Common Squirrel of Europe. 


GNAWING ANIMALS. 


The Chicka- Very nearly allied to the Common Squirrel 


ree or Red of Europe is the Red Squirrel, or Chickaree, 
Sguirrel (Scturus hudsonius) a small but quite nu- 
q ‘ merous and very handsome 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 
flank 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 eight 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. 
The best known of American Squirrels is. 
the Gray Squirrel, a name given to several 
varieties or species which have been differ- 
entiated by naturalists. The Gray Squirrel 
(Scéurus carolinensis) is larger than the Chickaree, being about 
ten inches long, with a tail that is longer than the body. Those 
of the north are larger than their relatives in the south. The 
backvand flanks of this Squirrel are reddish gray, the under 
portion being white. It is found in all of the Atlantic states, 
north and south, In the southwest its place is taken by 
another Gray Squirrel (Scz#rus arizonensis) found in New and 
Old Mexico and Arizona principally, which is a large variety 
and has a specially prominent 
tail, very bushy nasi longer than 
its body. This Squirrel is some- 
times found at considerable alti- 
tudes, especially among the 
mountain forests of pine, pinon 
and cedar trees in the northern 
part of Arizona. A little farther 
north in the Rocky Mountains 
is found a very beautiful chest- 
nut-backed Gray Squirrel (Sciu- 
rus aberti) which is of a pure 
gray on the upper surface, white 
‘below, has a chestnut band on 
the back and a black stripe on 
the flanks, and which has tufted 
ears like those of the Common 
and Red Squirrels. Another 
and very handsome form is that 
of the California Gray Squirrel 
(Sctiurus fossor) a large variety, 
which is dark gray above and 
white below and which has a 
long and bushy tail. 
There are several varieties of Squirrels in 
American Fo the United States known as Fox Squirrels. 
Saiskrvel the distinguishing characteristics of these 
J Clte de species are that the under portion, which is 
white in all the species of Squirrels heretofore described, is, 
in the Fox Squirrels, always dark, and ranges from a russet 
red through intermediate hues to jet black in different varie- 
ties. These Fox Squirrels have a length of about twelve 
inches exclusive of the tail, which is of about the same length. 
The largest variety of this species is the Black Squirrel (Sczx- 
rus niger) which inhabits the south Atlantic and Gulf states, It 
is about thirteen inches long, has a white nose and white ears. 
These last distinguishing features are not found in the com- 
mon Fox Squirrel (Scéurus cinereus) which ranges from a light 
reddish gray to black in color, although when black it -has not 
the white nose and ears of its southern relative. This variety 
is found through the New England and Middle states, and 
south to Virginia: The Western Fox Squirrel (Sczarus ludovi- 
cianus) is always of a reddish hue, including the feet and ears, 
and its bones are red, but its skin is never jet black. This 
animal inhabits the entire Mississippi Valley region 


Pechuel-Loesche’s Lhe forests of America, Africa and 
Little African India are populated by Squirrels, 
Squirrel. some of which are beautifully col- 
ored, and among these are species which by their 
lively actions sometimes attract observation as much 
as do the Monkeys. Some of them are easily do- 
mesticated besides, and amuse their keeper as much 
as they surprise him by all kinds of peculiar traits, 
which cannot be observed in those which roam in 


Gray Squirrels 
of Several 
Kinds. 


(Sciurus hudsonii.) 


Traits of the 


THE SQUIRRELS—FLYING. 311 


freedom in the wilderness. A relatively diminutive 
African Squirrel, the markings of which differed 
materially from Sctwrus minutus, was for a time in 
the possession and under the observation of Pechuel- 
Loesche in Loango. He writes about it: “A charm- 
ing living Squirrel, with a fur of a rusty red color, 
adorned by two double black and white side bands, 
was once presented to me. The natives called it 
Mkaka. It seemed completely grown, though it 
was only of the size of a large Mouse, so that one 
could conceal it in one’s hand. In a few days it 
was so tame that we could give it the freedom 
of the house. With a constant, cheerful ‘tak tak,’ 


while the lower one shows but a scanty covering. 
A bony spur at the first joint of the fore-legs gives 
especial strength to the membrane. The tail serves 
as an effective rudder and is always vigorous, though 
it is not of the same conformation in the different 
species, one group having it simply bushy, while the 
other has the hair on it arranged in two lateral rows. 
There are also slight differences in the structure of 
the teeth. 
The Taguan or Lhe Taguan (Pteromys petaurista) is 
East Indian Fly- the largest member of the whole 
ing Squirrel. family, nearly equaling a Cat in size. 
The flying membrane begins on the fore-legs, ex- 


THE TAGUAN.——Of the sub-family known as the Flying Squirrels the largest member is the Taguan, and it is one of the most attractive 


denizens of the forests and jungles of Hindostan. 
its long and swift leaps from the tree-tops. 
(Pteromys petaurista.) 
accompanied by a movement of the wide, bushy tail, 
it frolicked about at all hours, but was much more 
active at night than in the daytime.” 


THE FLYING SQUIRRELS, 


The diurnal Tree Squirrels are followed by the 
nocturnal Flying Squirrels (Pteromys). They differ 
from the foregoing mainly in having. their fore and 
hind legs connected by a wide flying membrane. 
This membrane acts as a parachute, and enables the 
Squirrels to execute considerable. leaps with ease, in 
an inclined plane from above downward; it consists 
of a stout skin, extending along both sides of the 
body, thickly grown with hair on. the upper side, 


The very long tail serves as an effective rudder when the animal spreads its membrane to take 
These animals, with the membrane spread and folded, are admirably depicted in the illustration, 


tends down the flanks, and is attached to the hind- 
legs, whence it is prolonged to the tail by a small 
fold of skin. Ina state of repose the membrane is 
folded against the body. On the top of the head, 
the back and the base of the tail, the color of the 
fur isa mixture of gray and black. On the whole 
under surface the fur has a dingy whitish gray tint. 
The membrane is of a brownish black or maroon 
color above, edged with light ashy gray and yellow- 
ish gray below. The tail is black. 

The Taguan is a native of all parts of East India 
and Ceylon, where there are extensive forests. It 
lives either singly or in couples, in the densest parts 
of the woods. and preferably on the highest trees. 


312 


In the daytime it sleeps in hollow trees; by night 
it sallies forth and climbs and jumps about in the 
tree-tops with exceeding rapidity, agility and pre- 
cision, executing very long leaps, but always in the 
obliquely descending line heretofore described. In 
doing so it stretches its feet horizontally and 
spreads the membrane. The tail is used as a rud- 
der, and is said to enable the animal to change its 
course suddenly in the midst of a leap. Sanderson, 
however, contradicts this statement, saying that 
when once the animal is launched it cannot deviate 
from its course, and the natives profit by this inabil- 
ity, as they await the animal at the end of its flight 
and kill it with sticks. The speed of its bounds and 
movements generally is said to be so great that the 
eye can scarcely follow them. 

The Liatuga,a The north harbors Flying Squirrels 

Russian Flying with long, bushy tails on which the 

Squirrel, hair is arranged in two lateral rows. 
One of them, the Russian Liatuga (Preromys volans) 
inhabits the northern part of eastern Europe and 
nearly all Siberia. The animal is considerably 
smaller than the Common Squirrel, its body meas- 
uring only six and one-half inches and its tail four 
inches. The dense fur is of silky softness and of 
a dull brown color in summer in its upper part, the 
flying membrane and the outer face of the limbs 
being darker grayish white and the under surface 
white. In winter the fur becomes longer, denser 
and lighter in color and the upper part and the tail 
have a silvery gray appearance. 

The Liatuga inhabits birch woods or forests in 
which pines, firs and birches commingle. The birch 
tree seems to be a necessity with this animal, and 
the coloring of its fur also seems to indicate this, as 
it generally resembles birch bark as much as the fur 
of the Common Squirrel corresponds to the trunks 
of firs and pines. These Squirrels are decreasing in 
numbers, and they have been nearly exterminated in 
some localities where they were formerly plentiful, 
although it may be that they occur oftener than is 
commonly believed. The food of the Liatuga con- 
sists of nuts and seeds of various trees, principally 
birch seeds, berries, buds and shoots. With the 
advent of the cold weather it becomes dull and 
inactive, sleeping on cold days and running about, 
for several hours at least, on mild ones. 

The Assapan ‘The Assapan, the Flying Squirrel of 

or American Fly- North America (Pteromys or Sciurus 
ing Squirrel. yolucella),is nearly the smallest va- 
riety of the whole species. It is only teninches long, 
inclusive of the tail which measures four inches. Its 
fur is exceedingly soft and delicate, of a yellowish 
or brownish gray color on the upper portion, lighter 
on the sides of the neck, silvery white on the paws 
and yellowish white on the whole of the under sur- 
face. The tail is ashy gray with a surface tinge of 
brown, the flying membrane is edged with-black and 
white, and the eyes are brownish black. The little 
animal lives gregariously in the forests of the tem- 
perate and warm districts of North America, its 
habits being similar to those of the Liatuga. It is 
frequently caught and shipped to foreign lands and 
bears captivity for years without obvious injury, if 
adequate care is bestowed on it, and it breeds freely 
in the cage. 

By day, when in captivity, the Assapans lie curled 
up in their cage, as much hidden from view as possi- 
ble. Overcome with sleep, they suffer the observer 
to gently handle them in any way. There is no 
exhibition of the senseless fury of a disturbed Dor- 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


mouse; one may take them up, turn them over and 
around and examine them without their making use. 
of their sharp teeth. The most they do is to 
attempt to escape, and their silky little fur is so 
sleek and flexible that they slip out of one’s hand 
like quicksilver. 

Lively Move. Some time after sunset, rarely before 

ments ofthe nine o'clock at night, they bestir 

Assapan. _ themselves. On the upper edge of 
the sleeping box, which one must give them as a 
substitute for their nest, a round little head becomes 
visible; the body follows and soon one of the little 
creatures sits on the narrow edge of the box in a 
graceful Squirrel-like attitude, the flying membrane 
half folded against its bedy, half hanging down in 
a soft curve. The small, expanded ears move back 
and forth as does the bewhiskered muzzle, and the 
large, dark eyes inquisitively scan the cage and sur- 
roundings. If nothing suspicious is visible, the 
Assapan ‘glides down like a shadow, no: matter 
whether the plane is inclined or vertical, always 
head first, without any noise, without a perceptible 
movement of the limbs, the greater part of which is 
covered with the membrane. It proceeds on the 
woven ceiling of the cage, back downward, as if it 
walked on level ground in a usual gait; it “rope 
dances” over thin twigs with unsurpassed precision 
and agility at a uniform speed; over the ground it 
trips quicker than a Mouse; spreading its membrane 
to the full, it darts through the whole space of the 
cage like an arrow, and the next instant it seems 
glued to a perch as if it were an excrescence belong- 
ing to the branch, without having made an effort to 
regain its balance. During all this moving about it 
picks up a crumb, a nut,a grain of wheat or a morsel 
of meat from its dish; drinks, sipping more than it 
laps, washes its head with saliva, combs its hair with 
the nails of its fore-feet, smooths it with the soles 
of its small paws, turning, stretching, stooping all 
the while, as if its skin was a bag in which its body 
sat quite loosely. _In the meantime its companions 
also have left the sleeping box and crouch, sit, cling 
to, hang from, run and climb in all imaginable posi- 
tions of a Rodent on the perches, walls, nooks and 
corners of the cage. } 

After hunger and thirst are somewhat appeased, 
and all parts of the fur have been satisfactorily 
dressed, the desire for freer and more playful move- 
ment exhibits itself. For a short time the Assapan 
sits in one place, as if lost in thought. Then it 
rouses itself for a leap with its flying membrane 
spread, traversing the whole length of the cage. It 
only remains for an instant on the spot on which it 
alights; for immediately after reaching it, the Squir- 
rel throws itself backward, making use of any con- 
venient object as a fulcrum; then returning to its 
starting point, it hurries in some other direction. 
Up and down, head upward or inverted, hither and 
thither, along the ceiling or the floor, up one wall, 
down another, through the sleeping box, past the 
dishes for food and water, from one corner into the 
other, running, jumping, gliding, soaring, hanging, sit- 
ting, the incomparably quick little creature changes 
every instant, rushing ahead as if it could move a 
thousand joints at once, and as if there were no such 
thing as gravity to be overcome. A very keen obser- 
vation, prolonged for some time, is necessary to fol- 
low an Assapan at all, to distinguish and understand 
the purport of its different movements, and if there is 
a whole band of these creatures (which far surpass 
all other climbers) running, jumping and soaring 


THE SQUIRRELS—GROUND. 


together, it is entirely impossible to fathom the 
intention of its evolutions. The suddenness of the 
changes from one movement to another is what sur- 
prises one most The Assapan can suddenly end 


the wildest chase at any time it sees fit to do so, and 
therefore the eye of the observer, in trying to follow 


it in taking long leaps from a tree-top through the air. 
the prettiest. A typical group of these animals is shown in the picture. 
Central America. (Pteromys volucella.) 
it, still roams about, while the creature sits on some 
twig, of a pencil’s thickness, as quiet as if it had 
never moved. 
Assapansare The Assapans are very peaceful 
Pugnacious and among their own kind, and appar- 
Plucky. ently inoffensive and good-natured, 
but they never hesitate to 
attack any small animal of 
another species, especially 
small birds, and kill them 
without mercy, Face to 
face with a victim, they 
appear as bloodthirsty as 
beasts of prey, and their 
indescribable agility and 
ferocious disposition prob- 
ably render them quite for- 
midable foes to small ani- 
mals. They show no fear 
of mammals in size equal- 
ing themselves: other Ro- 
dents, for instance. An in- 
truder in their domain is 
first subjected to an exami- 
nation by use of their pow- 
ers of scent; if it be found 
objectionable it is at- 
tacked, and is scratched, 
bitten and otherwise an- 
noyed, and if it is not very 
plucky it is sure to be 
driven away. So we can 
not deny that the Assapans 
are decidedly courageous, besides being bloodthirsty. 
The little animals are so prepossessing in other re- 
spects, however, that one forgets their bad qualities 
in thinking of the good ones and accordingly de- 
clares them to be the most attractive of all Rodents. 


It is found all over the United States and 


is found all over the United States and the greater part of Canada. 
inhabits the wooded regions and also causes havoc on farms. The picture shows a group of Chipmunks seeking for 
acorns, and illustrates with fidelity their appearance and the markings of their fur. 


313 


THE GROUND SQUIRRELS. 

A genus of this family which is worthy of men- 
tion is that of the Ground Squirrels ( Zamias). Their 
possession of cheek-pouches reaching to the back 
of the head, and their more or less subterraneous 
habits, characterize them as intermediate links be- 
tween the true Squirrels 
and the Spermophiles, al- 
though they agree with the 
former more than with the 
latter. The tail of the 
Ground Squirrels is scant- 
ily grown with hair and 
slightly shorter than the 
body; the fur is short and 
not very soft and is usually 
diversified with a few 
sharply defined longitudi- 
nal stripes on the back. 
There are few varieties, 
and they inhabit eastern 
Europe, Siberia and North 
America. 

The Burunduk or Striped 
Siberian Ground Squirrel 
(Tamias striatus), is consid- 
erably smaller than the 
Common Squirrel, but of 
much clumsier build. The 
coloring of the short, rough 
close fur is yellowish, 
mixed with long, white- 
tipped hairs on the head, 
neck and flanks; five black stripes run along the 
back at unequal intervals, the middle band marking 
the spine; the next two run from the shoulders to 
the hind legs, and have a band of pale yellow 
between them. The whole of the under surface is 
grayish white. 


THE CHIPMUNK.——A familiar, lively American animal, which, in some one of its several local varieties, 


Seeds, nuts and grain are its food, and it 


(Zamias lysteri.) 


A large part of northern Asia and a small portion 
of eastern Europe are the native range of the Old 
World Ground Squirrel. It lives in forests of firs 
and pines as well as of birches, but is most fre- 
quently found in woods where the stone-pine tree 


314 


abounds. Under the roots of these trees it exca- 
vates a rather simple burrow which forks, one pass- 
age leading to the nest and the other to the store 
rooms, situated laterally, a long, tortuous passage 
forming the exit. The food of the animal consists 
ot plant seeds and berries, and preferably cereals 
and nuts, of which it may carry from ten to sixteen 
pounds home during a single winter, using its cheek- 
pouches to carry these supplies, and storing them in 
its larder. 
The Familiar The American counterpart of the 
Chipmunk Burunduk is the Chipmunk, Hackee, 
Described. or Chipping Squirrel (Zamias lysteri). 
It is distributed all over the United States. It is of 
about the same dimensions as the Burunduk. The 
face is of a reddish brown tint, with darker spots on 
the forehead and cheeks; the nape of the neck is 
ashen gray, the hind quarters reddish brown, the 
under surface whitish; there is a dark brown stripe 
on the back, a black stripe over the eye, with white 
above and below it, and there is a wide white side- 
streak edged with blackish brown; the upper surface 


THE XERUS,——In Africa there are Squirrels which burrow in the ground, but which differ from the other 
Squirrels in the texture of the fur, which is coarse and bristly, almost equal in roughness to the spines of a Hedge- 
hog. They form a distinct group of which the Abyssinian animal, shown in the picture, is typical. 
twenty inches long, has short ears placed low on the head, and a long tail covered with coarse hair. 


rutilus.) 


of the tail is dark brown, the base being erayish yel- 
low, the tip whitish and the lower surface a ruddy hue. 


Many Different Naturalists, as well as ordinary Seas sgethe 
Varieties of the Tecognize numerous _varieties among the 
Chipniunk Chipmunks of the United States, founded’ 
P : principally on the markings of the fur, for in 
their habits they are all very similar. Thus there are described 
by Elliott Coues four varieties found in this country. The first 
is the Four-Striped Chipmunk (7amdas guadrivittatus) which 
inhabits the central region, north and south, comprising the 
Mississippi Valley in the larger sense. It is the smallest spe- 
cies, being not longer than five inches, and its name is derived 
from four white stripes enclosed within five dark or black ones 
along the back of the animal. Another is the Eastern Chip- 
munk ( Zamias striatus) larger, brighter in color and having on 
its back five black stripes and also having a white streak on 
each side of the body. The Mountain Chipmunk (7Zamias 
lateralis) inhabiting the Rocky Mountains, and the Southwest- 
ern Chipmunk ( Zaméas harrisz) are other local varieties. 


Chipmunks and Late in summer the Chipmunk may 
Their Hiber- be seen running about, its cheek 
nation. pouches filled and its eyes beam- 

ing with the satisfaction which its riches afford it. 
According to the different months in which they 
mature, it gathers its varied stores, for the most part 
consisting of buckwheat, hazel nuts, maple seeds 
and corn. It becomes torpid during the winter, but 
its hibernation is an interrupted one, and it seems 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


to stand in need of food during the whole winter. 
Audubon dug up a burrow in January, and at the 
depth of about four feet he found a large nest of 
leaves and grass in which three Chipmunks were 
ensconced; others seemed to have retreated to the 
lateral passages at the approach of the diggers. 
The animals were overcome with sleep and not very 
active, but they were by no means as torpid as true 
hibernating animals are, and they snapped viciously 
at the naturalist, who tried to handle them. The 
Chipmunk does not become torpid before Novem- 
ber, nor does the Burunduk in central Siberia, where 
the cold begins early, begin its hibernation before 
the middle of October. Neither of these animals 
leaves its subterranean residences during the win- 
ter, but both keep a passage open, and when the 
snow thaws, the Burunduk, at least, may be seen 
very busily occupied in cleaning the entrance of its 
burrow and protecting it from the water. When the 
snow melts, both species begin their activity above 
ground. The young are born in May, and a second 
litter usually in August. The males engage in fierce 
oN combats during the breed- 
ing.season, and it is said 
that more pugnacious little 
creatures than these small, 
active animals are hard to 
find. They display an 
amazing nimbleness and 
dart between and under 
hedges like Wrens. 
Many Foes of The farmer 
the Ground regards the 
Squirrels. Ground 
Squirrels with by no means 
friendly eyes. They enter 
barns, after the fashion of 
Mice, and if backed by 
large numbers they cause 
great devastations. In Si- 
beria the furs of the Bur- 
unduk are put to good ac- 
count and shipped to China 
where they are principally 
used for trimming other 
furs. The Chipmunk is 
hunted to a greater extent than its Siberian cousin. 
A whole army of enemies is constantly engaged in 
its pursuit. Boys utilize it to practice the noble 
sport of hunting; Weasels pursue it both on and 
under the ground; Cats deem it a prey equally 
as good as Rats and Mice, and all larger birds of 
prey carry it off whenever they have a chance. 
One of these birds has even gained for itself the 
name of Squirrel-hawk, because of its attacks on ~ 
these animals. The Rattlesnake, according to the 
observations of Geyer, also follows the poor Chip- 
munk with a great deal of perseverance. Winter 
often causes sad havoc among the numerous young 
brood born in summer. Yet they are very plentiful, 
at least in favorable years, the great fecundity of the 
female making up for the losses. 
The Ground Squir- Lhe pretty color, the gracefulness 
relsasTamed and liveliness of the Ground Squir- 
Pets, rels recommend them as pets. But 
they never become quite tame, always remaining 
timid and addicted to biting. Their predilection for 
gnawing everything must also be contended with. 
They practice this accomplishment with an adept- 
ness equal to that of Rats, and few things in the 
cage or room can escape defacement or destruction. 


It is about 
(Xerus 


THE SQUIRRELS—MARMOT. 


The care of Ground Squirrels presents no difficul- 
ties, and they thrive well on the simplest diet of 
grain and fruit. 


THE MARMOTS. 


The Marmots (Arctomyine), which form the second 
sub-order, differ from the Squirrels proper by having 


tt 
Mii ii li) r Pn 


THE BURUNDUK, — This animal, otherwise known as the 


Striped Siberian Ground Squirrel, is the Old World relative of the 
American Chipmunk. It lives in the woods and subsists on seeds and 
berries, which it conveys to its mouth in true Squirrel-fashion. (Zamias 
striatus.) 


a clumsier, stouter body, and a short tail, and also in 
their dentition. 
The Marmots are found in central 


Range and 
Habits of the Europe, northern Asia and North 
Marmots. 


America, in considerable variety. 
The majority of them inhabit level country, but 
some exist in the very highest mountains of their 
native homes. Their haunts are dry, clayey, sandy 
or rocky localities, grassy plains and steppes, fields 
and gardens, and only the mountain Marmots prefer 
the grazing country beyond the limit of forest- 
growth or isolated ravines and rocky valleys be- 
tween the snow boundary and the forests. All 
species have permanent residences and never mi- 
grate. They build deep, subterranean burrows and 
live there in communities sometimes composed of 
astonishingly great numbers. Some have more than 
one burrow, according to the season or the business 
they have on hand, while others stay in the same 
burrow year after year. They are animals of the 
ground, lively and quick in their movements, but 
slower than the Squirrels; several species of Mar- 
mots, however, impress one as being very clumsy. 
Grass, herbs, tender shoots, young plants, seeds, 
field produce, berries, roots, tubers and bulbs go to 
form their food, and only those few which can, with 
much labor, climb trees or bushes, eat young leaves 
and buds from the trees. Probably they also feed 


815 


plunder the nests of the latter. Some Marmots do 
harm in fields and gardens; but the mischief they 
do is very slight. While eating they sit on their 
haunches like Squirrels and lift the food to the 
mouth with their fore-paws. When the fruit ripens 
they begin to gather treasures and fill their burrows 
with grasses, leaves, seeds and grain. At the be- 
ginning of winter they bury themselves in their bur- 
rows and fall into a deep and uninterrupted lethargy. 

The voice of the Marmots consists of a whistle or 
yelp, louder in some species than in others, and a 
kind of murmur, which, uttered softly, signifies con- 
tent, but otherwise is an expression of wrath. They 
are highly cautious, vigilant, shy and timid and 
many species put out special sentinels, in order to 
enhance the security of the band, and at the slight- 
est apprehension of danger these watchers hurry to 
their subterranean hiding places. The intelligence 
of the Marmots shows itself in the fact that they can 
be tamed to a considerable degree. The majority 
recognize their keeper and become very familiar, 
and some get to be quite obedient and docile. 

They are very prolific. On the average there is 
only one litter of young in a year, but it numbers 
from three'to ten little ones. The fur of some spe- 
cies, and the flesh of others are used; and tamed 


SOUSLIK.—This burrowing animal, found in eastern Europe, delights 


in grassy localities such as that depicted in the illustration. ‘They are socia- 
ble animals, always found in company with others of their kind. (Sfermo- 
philus citillus.) 


Marmots also make attractive pets, but these are 
all the uses to which the animals are put. 

The first group of the Marmots is formed by the 
pouched species known as Spermophilus. 

The Souslik ©The Souslik (Spermophilus citillus), 

a Russian Sper- occurring in central Europe, is a 

mophile. pretty little animal, nearly of the 


on insects, small mammals and awkward birds, and - size of a Hamster, but more slender and having a 


316 


prettier head. Its fur consists of loose, rather wiry 
hair; the upper surface is yellowish gray, diversified 
with irregular waves of russet yellow and small 
spots; the under parts are reddish yellow, and the 
chin and throat are white. 

The Souslik is mainly found in the east of Europe, 
its range taking in the northern provinces of the 
Austro-Hungarian empire and all of southern and 
temperate Russia. In most localities where the 
Souslik is found it is common, and is occasionally 
perceptibly prejudicial to agriculture. It selects 
dry, treeless localities as its haunts; preferring above 
all others firm sand or clay ground, which is princi- 
pally fields and grassy plains. According to Herk- 
lotz, it has recently paid special attention to rail- 
ways, the embankments of which facilitate digging 
and afford a certain shelter from rain showers. The 
Souslik always lives gregariously, but every animal 


OAR 
y % 


fy. 


Riis 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


savory flesh, and he hunts them with nooses, catches 
them in traps, digs them out or drives them out of 
their burrows, flooding their retreats with water, 
and in other ways. In this way the propagation of 
the Souslik is checked. 


Of the Spermophiles proper there are sev- 
eral species inhabiting North America. In 
the high north is found the species nearest 
to the Souslik. It is known as Parry’s Mar- 
mot Squirrel (Spermophilus empetra). (n Mlinois, Indiana and 
south to Kansas, north to Dakota and into Canada, is the species 
variously known as the Gray Prairie Squirrel and the Gray 
Gopher (Sfpermophilus franklint). Auatie? is the Thirteen- 
lined Spermophile, sometimes called “Stars and Stripes” 
(Spermophilus tridecum-lineatus) which has on its dark red- 
dish brown back and sides rows of light spots alternating with 
from six to eight black, longitudinal stripes. — It is found in the 
eastern states. There are other local varietiés in California 
and Mexico. Their life resembles that of the Souslik, the 
northern varieties laying up large stores of provisions for the 
winter, while those further south do not find so large a stock 


Various Species of 
American Sper- 
mophiles. 


PRAIRIE DOGS,——These animals are familiar to al] who have lived in or visited the western plains of the United States, or the elevated 
table-lands of New Mexico. The picture shows these cheerful, harmless little creatures engaged in eating grass or amusing themselves, and brings 


out the characteristics of the animals—the stout body, the large head, the alert, watchful eyes and the small ears. 


digs its own individual burrow, the male a shallow 
one, the female a deeper retreat. 
Tender herbs and 


Food and roots, cereals, 
Foesofthe beans and peas, various berries and 
Souslik. 


vegetables form the usual food of 
the Souslik. Towards autumn it gathers provisions, 
which it carries home in its cheek pouches, Hamster 
fashion. Besides this the Souslik is a dangerous foe 
to Mice and birds having their nests on the ground, 
for it not only plunders the nests, but also attacks 
the animals themselves, if they are not wary. 

The devastation a Souslik perpetrates by its plun- 
derings is noticeable only in places where the ani- 
mal is numerous. Ermines, Weasels, Polecats and 
Martens, Falcons, Crows, Herons, Bustards, even 
Cats, Terriers and other well-known exterminators 
of Rodents, zealously pursue the Souslik. The Bus- 
tard shows great zeal and skill in pursuit, killing 
the animal with one blow of its beak and eating it, 
skin and all. Man also pursues the Sousliks, partly 
on account of their skins, partly on account of their 


(Cynomys ludovicianus.) 


necessary, for the reason that their seclusion is of shorter 
duration. 
The Prairie Dogs' Lhe Prairie Dog ( Cynomys ludovicia- 
Leading Char- nus), living in North America, is ina 
acteristics. certain sense a connecting link be- 
tween the Spermophiles and the true Marmots; for 
though, properly speaking, it belongs to the former, 
it more resembles the latter. The body is stout, the 
head large, the tail short and bushy, the hair of equal 
length above and on the sides; the cheek pouches 
are of inferior development. Adult Prairie Dogs 
attain a total length of about sixteen inches, not 
quite three inches of which belong to the tail. The 
coloring of the upper parts is light reddish brown, 
mixed with blackish gray; the under surface is 
dingy white and the tip of the short tail shows 
brown rings. : 
The appellation of ‘Prairie Dog,” which has been 
adopted more and more generally, derived its origin 
from the first discoverers, the old Canadian trappers 
or hunters who gave the little animal the name on 


THE SQUIRRELS—MARMOT. 317 


account of its barking voice; but the most superficial 
comparison could not find a point of resemblance 
between this animal and a Dog in external appear- 
ance. 
The Prairie Dog The Prairie Dogs’ extensive settle- 
Towns of the mients, which are called “ Dog-towns’”’ 
West. on account of their great size, are, as 
a rule, found on some- 
what low lying prairies, 
where the grass makes a 
beautiful natural lawn 
and at the same time 
affords the animals con- 
venient food. ‘The al- 
most incredible propor- 
tions which the settle- 
ments of these peaceful 
inhabitants assume,” 
says Baldwin Moellhau- 
sen, ‘‘can best be real- 
ized by a person who 
journeys continuously 
for days among little 
hillocks of which every 
one represents the res- 
idence of two or more 
of these animals. These 
dwellings are usually 
from five to six yards 
apart, and each little 
mound rising in front 
of their entrances may 
contain a good cart load 
of earth, which has been 
gradually conveyed 
-from the subterranean 
passages to the surface 
by these inhabitants. 
Some have a single en- 
trance, some have two. 
A well trodden path 
leads from one dwelling 
to another, and fully 
justifies the inference 
that close friendship 
prevails among the live- 
‘ly, little animals. The 
selection of a site for 
their “towns” seems to 
be determined by prox- 
imity to short, crisp 
grass, which generally 
grows on high plains, 
and which, besides one 
species of root, forms 
the only food of the lit- 
tle animals. Even on 
the high plateaux of 
New Mexico, where not 
a drop of water is to be 
found for miles around, 
there are very densely 
populated communities 
of this sort, and as there 
is no rain for months, and it is necessary to dig toa 
depth of one hundred feet in order to reach a water 
vein, there is good reason to believe that Prairie 
Dogs need but very little water, and content them- 
selves with the moisture which a heavy dew tem- 
porarily leaves on the slender grass blades. When 
the Prairie Dog feels the approach of the time for 


the Bobac. 


hibernation, usually in the last days of October, it 
closes all the entrances to its burrow to protect 
itself from the cold and, as the season advances, it 
becomes torpid, not emerging from its hole until the 
warm days of spring awaken it to new, gladsome 
life. According to the accounts of the Indians, it 
sometimes opens the doors of its habitation while 


THE BOBAC,——Very similar in appearance and habits to the American Prairie Dog is its Old World relative, 
In the steppes and valleys of central Asia it throws up mounds at the entrance to its burrows, living in 
large “‘towns’’ with others of its kind, for like the Prairie Dog it is of very sociable disposition. (Arctomys bobac.) 


the days are still cold. This is regarded as a sure 
sign of the near advent of warm weather. 

Appearance of a “Such a settlement affords a remark- 

Prairie Dog able: sight, if one is only lucky 

Village. enough to approach it unperceived 

by the sentinéls. As far as the eye can reach, a 

busy activity prevails: on nearly every mound the 


318 


little, yellow-brown Prairie Dog sits on his haunches 
like a Squirrel; the erect little tail is in constant 
motion and the fine, shrill, yelping little voices of 
many thousands unite to form a peculiar droning 
sound. If the observer comes a few steps nearer, 
he hears and distinguishes the deeper voices of the 
older and more experienced leaders; but as soon as 
the intruder is observed, a sharp note of warning is 
uttered, and, as if by magic, every moving creature 
disappears, plunging head first into its burrow. In 
peer: after a short interval of time, an investigating 

ead, in which is set a pair of eager eyes, protrudes 
from the entrance of a burrow, while a constant bark- 
ing warns its friends of the dangerous proximity of 
Man. If the observer lie down and patiently keep 
quiet and motionless, the sentinel will soon resume 
its post upon the top of its mound, and communi- 
cate the disappearance of danger to its companions 
by incessant yelping. One by one they leave their 
dark burrows, and the harmless activities of the 
sociable little creatures are presently resumed. For 
hours one could look at the ever changing spectacle 
without tiring, and it is no wonder that the observer 
begins to wish that he could understand the lan- 
guage of the animals; could mingle with them and 
listen to their private conversations.” 

It is a remarkable fact, vouched for by various ob- 
servers, that the burrows of Prairie Dogs are shared 
by two dangerous foes of smaller Rodents. Not 
infrequently the Prairie Dogs, Burrowing Owls and 
Rattlesnakes are seen coming and going through 
the same entrance. 

Comments upon this alleged friendliness and good-fellowship 
between Prairie Dogs, Owls and Rattlesnakes appear very 
frequently in accounts of the Prairie Dog, but the belief in the 
existence of such relations is founded on one of those half 
truths which so often lead to erroneous impressions. The Owls 
and Rattlesnakes are inhabitants of the same regions as the 
Prairie Dogs and make use of their burrows, but, as Elliott 
Coues says: “Owls and Snakes are enemies of each other, and 
both of the Marmots. The birds would devour the young 
Marmots if they could get at them, and do devour the young 
Snakes; and the Snakes devour the young Marmots, the Owlets 
and the eggs of the Owls.” 

Prairie Dogs 

Observedin tive Prairie Dogs: ‘There are prob- 

Captivity. ably few animals, the lives of which 
in captivity so readily become assimilated to their 
habits in the free state, as the Prairie Dogs, the 
ingenious habitations of which, together with the 
attractive activity of the animals. themselves, fasci- 
nate many visitors to the zoological garden at Frank- 
fort. Scarcely had we put new tenants in our Prairie 
Dog park, which had been improved the previous 
summer by several new arrangements, when the ani- 
mals commenced their digging. We put them in 
the park in the afternoon, and by the following night 
they were able to sleep in the burrows which they 
had by that time completed. The Prairie Dog works 
with great intelligence when enlarging its burrows. 
It never begins to dig at the lower end of the tun- 
nel to be excavated, for by so doing it would stop 
its exit or at least narrow it to a great extent; so it 
always begins at the upper end. The earth left 
from former diggings is shoved under the abdomen 
by the fore-paws, and the hinder paws fling it out- 
side, and so the animal gradually disappears from 
view, working alternately with its fore and hind 
paws. But its building operations do not stop short 
with the digging of tunnels. An important part 
of its labor is the erection of a dam around the 
mouth of the tunnel, protecting the burrow from 
inundations. For this purpose the earth that has 


Haacke writes as follows about cap-. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


been flung out is collected. What has been thrown 
too far away is flung back near the entrance of the 
burrow by using the hind legs, and then, as the work 
has to be exact, the animal carefully pushes the 
earth with its fore-paws and heaps it around the 
entrance. Then, to make it permanent, able to re- 
sist rain, and form an effective dam, it is thoroughly 
pressed with the nose; and for this work of puddling 
the mound and the walls of the entrance, the Prairie 
Dog selects rainy days as best, and on such days 
the impressions of the animal’s nose can be seen all 
around the entrance. 

“ According to the weather the Prairie Dog makes 
temporary changes in its burrow. When, in Octo- 
ber, the weather became cold, our Prairie Dogs 
closed three of the five entrances of their subter- 
ranean residence. The earth around the mounds 
was utilized, the dams being partially destroyed for 
this purpose. I have seen them do just the opposite 
thing in summer, when the sun would shine warmly 
after rainy days, and the dwelling had to be dried. 
Ventilating tunnels, promoting the evaporation of 
moisture, were then dug. To make the burrow 
habitable the bed is upholstered with hay and simi- 
lar substances. When the weather is dry we throw 
a handful of hay to our Prairie Dogs. Then the 
animals form bundles of the hay with their forepaws 
and muzzle, so thick that they can hardly grasp them 
in their mouths and carry them underground. They 
utilize paper in a similar way; entire sheets of news- 

aper are moulded into balls and carried away. 
hen the hay on the bed has become too damp, it 
is removed and replaced by a fresh supply.” 

The Bobac,an Lhe Bobac (Arctomys bobac) takes 
European _ the place of the Prairie Dog in the 
Species. Old World; and, like it, is an inhab- 

itant of the plains. It has only recently been gener- 
ically distinguished from the Alpine Marmot. Its 
body is fifteen inches long, its tail not quite four; 
the tolerably thick fur is of a pale russet yellow tint. 
The young have a darker color than the mature 
animals. 

The Bobac’s range extends from southern Poland 
and Galicia eastward through part of central Asia to 
the Amoor, and perhaps to Kamchatka, and through 
the Himalayas to Sikkim. It inhabits plains and 
rocky, hilly stretches of country, shunning forests 
as well as sandy localities, which do not admit of 
the burrowing of its deep habitations. Adams 
found it in the wide valleys and table-lands of Cash- 
mere, at elevations of six thousand or even nine 
thousand feet above sea level. There it lives in 
fertile valleys in which a luxuriant but stunted 
vegetation covers the ground during the summer. 
The Bobac is always gregarious, gathering in rather 
numerous bands. Its presence impresses a certain 
peculiar stamp upon the localities it affects. Innu- 
merable mounds, which one notices in the grassy 
steupes of central Asia, owe their existence princi- 
pally to these Marmots, which attract the attention 
of the traveler by their activity, while their flesh ° 
renders them an important article of food to the 
inhabitants of the steppes and to various predaceous 
lower animals. 


Home of the High up in the most elevated rocky 
Alpine Marmot regions of the Alps, where there 
Described. 


grows neither tree nor shrub, where 
no Cow, and scarcely a Goat or a Sheep can pene- 
trate, even on the small, rocky islands in the very 
midst of the huge glaciers, where the warm rays of 
the sun do not melt the snow for more than six 


Marmots. The summers are short in the region inhabited by this Marmot, and the animals in the picture are shown enjoying themselves during 
this period. In the winter they disappear, their hibernation lasting from six to eight months. (Arctomys marmota.) 


820 


weeks of the year, there is the home of a member cf 
this family known from remote ages, the habits of 
which, though resembling those of its previously de- 
scribed relatives in all essentials, still differ in many 
minor respects in consequence of the character of its 
native country. 
Characteristics of Lhe Common or Alpine Marmot 
the Alpine ~ (Arctomys marmota) attains a total 
Marmot. length of nearly twenty-five inches, 
its body measuring not quite twenty and one-half 
inches, its tail four and one-half inches, while its 
height at the shoulders is ten inches. In appearance 
and anatomical peculiarities it resembles its kindred. 
The fur consists of a short woolly under coat and a 
longer outer one; it is close, abundant and rather 
long, its color on the upper surface being a more or 
less brownish black, interspersed with a few whitish 


Aan, § =a 4 are / ‘ Bis 
THE WOODCHUCK.—This is a familiar American animal found 
northern United States and Canada. 


which represents the animal amid appropriate surroundings. 


te 


points on the top and back of the head; the nape 
of the neck, the base of the tail and the whole 
of the under surface are dark reddish brown, the 
tint becoming lighter on the legs, the flanks and 
jowls; the muzzle and feet are rusty yellowish white. 
The eyes and claws are black, the front teeth are 
brownish yellow. One may also find entirely black 
or white individuals, or some that are spotted with 
pearly white. 

Bleak Retreat of Recent investigations have proven 
the Alpine that the Common Marmot is con- 
Marmot. fined to Europe. The high parts of 

the Alps, Pyrenees and Carpathian mountains are 
its favorite homes, and it generally selects the 
meadows close to the line of perpetual snow, its 
lowest point of habitation being the forest belt. It 
selects for its haunts open spots, bounded all around 
by steep, rocky walls, or small, narrow, deep valleys 
between isolated peaks, spots lying as far as pos- 
sible from human presence. The lonelier the moun- 
tain, the more frequently is the Marmot found; and 
where Man has redeemed the country from its orig- 


in woods and. forests of the 
Its stout body and Mouse-like head are well shown in the picture 
(Arctomys monax.) 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


inal wildness the animal has usually become ex- 
tinct. As a rule it chiefly affects the mountain 
plains and slopes facing south, east and west, for, 
like most animals of diurnal habits, it rejoices in the 
rays of the sun. There it digs its burrows, some 
small and simple, others deep and more intricate. 
The former are intended to serve for summer, the 
others for the winter; the first as shelter from tem- 
porary danger and in bad weather, the latter from 
the terribly severe winter, which in those regions 
holds sway for six, eight or even ten months. 
This remarkable creature hibernates and sleeps 
throughout at least two-thirds of the year, and fre- 
quently more; for at the extreme altitudes in which 
it is found, its life and activity in the waking state 
and outside of its burrow last scarcely as much as 
one-sixth part of the year. 
ats Marmots Towards autumn 
and Their Winter the Marmots dig 
Quarters. their winter bur- 
row, which is always situated lower 
down on the mountain than the 
summer retreat, which is sometimes 
built as high as 8,000 feet above sea 
level, while the winter burrow, as 
a rule, lies in the locality of the 
highest meadows, and often even 
in the forest belt. When placed 
low down it is designed to harbor 
the whole family, of from five to 
fifteen members, and is, therefore, 
very spacious. The sagacious ani- 
mals begin in August to bite off 
grass, dry it and carry it to their 
burrow in their mouths. They 
amass such a quantity of grass 
that often one Man cannot carry 
it away at a single load. 
The Marmot’s ‘the movements of 
Peculiar Move- the Marmot are re- 
ments. markable, especial- 
ly the walk, which consists of a pe- 
culiar waddle, with legs wide spread 
and the body nearly or quite drag- 
ging on the ground. I never saw 
any Marmots which I kept in cap- 
tivity jump: they are too clumsy. 
Fresh, juicy, Alpine plants, herbs 
and roots form the food of the 
Marmot. It seldom drinks during early summer; 
when it does do so, it takes a great deal of water, and 
it smacks its lips and lifts its head after every swal- 
low like a Hen or a Goose. : 
Hunting and Cap- The hunting and capture of Mar- 
turing the Alpine mots present manifold difficulties. 
Marmot. The approaching sportsman is nearly 
always detected by a member of the colony, which 
communicates danger signals to its companions by a 
shrill whistle. Traps of various kinds are used to 
catch Marmots and they are also dug out of their 
burrows in the beginning of winter. In many cantons 
of Switzerland the digging out of Marmots is legally 
forbidden; for their complete extermination would 
be accomplished in a short time by this proceeding, 
while simple hunting is not very disastrous to them. 
When pressed very hard, the Marmots defend them- 
selves against their enemies with courage and resolu- 
tion, biting strongly or using their vigorous claws. 
A Marmot captured when young may be trained to 
be so inoffensive and tame that it becomes a source 
of amusement to both young and old, and its cleanli- 


A 


THE DORMICE. 


ness and pretty appearance win, for it a great many 
friends. 
The Woodchuck, 


an American 
Animal. 


Very similar in its bodily structure to the 
Alpine Marmot is its nearest American rela- 
tive, the well-known Woodchuck or Ground 
Hog (Arctomys monax . Its head and body 
measure about fourteen inches, the tail about fourinches The 
body is stout, the head broad and flat, the legs short and thick. 
The fur is blackish or grizzled on the upper portion and of a 
chestnut red on the under surface of the Sod: 

The Woodchuck is found in all parts of the region extend- 
ing from the Carolinas north to Hudson Bay, and from the 
Atlantic coast west to Missouri, lowa and Minnesota. It in- 
habits woods, prairies and meadows, lives on roots, vegetables, 
and herbs and is especially fond of red clover. Its burrows 
are large excavations, and in the early autumn it busies itself 
in storing provisions for its long winter retreat. It is one of 
the first hibernating animals to retire to winter quarters and 
one of the earliest to come forth from its hiding place, the 
length of its hibernation varying with the locality and bein 
shorter in the south than in the north. In the northern Unite 
States it usually retires about the first of October and reap- 
pears about the middle of March. When it begins its hiberna- 
tion it carefully closes the entrance to its burrow. The winter 
retreat usually contains a male and female. Dr. Bachmann, 
who had marked a burrow to which he knew a pair of Wood- 
chucks had retired, caused it to be opened early in November, 
and found the two animals, perfectly dormant, lying coiled up 
close together in a nest of ae grass, twenty-five feet from the 
entrance. : 

The young Woodchucks, of which there are from four to 
six in a litter, are born about the end of April and are tenderly 
cared for by the mother until they are old enough to shift for 
themselves. Woodchucks are vigorously hunted, not only for 
the harm they do, for where numerous they are very destruc- 
tive in fields and gardens, but also because they are an easy 
prey to small boys who, accompanied by Dogs, pursue them 
or dig them out of their burrows. 

Besides the Common Woodchuck there are other American 
species, notably the Rocky Mountain Marmot (Arctomys flavi- 
ventor) which was first described by Audubon and Bachmann 
from a specimen brought from California in 1841. It is con- 
siderably larger than the Woodchuck, the head and body 
attaining a length of eighteen inches and the tail ten inches. 
Still larger is the Hoary Marmot or Whistler (Arctomys prut- 
nosus) which attains = leet of from twenty-three to twenty- 
five inches and has a tail about twelve inches long. It is an 
inhabitant of northwestern America, from the Columbia river 
north to the Arctic circle. 


The Dormice, 
SECOND FAMILY: 


The Squirrels are followed by a group of graceful 
little Rodents, the Dormice (Myoxid@). In appear- 
ance and character they exhibit some affinity to the 
Squirrels, but differ from these latter by peculiarities 
in their anatomical structure. They have a narrow 
head with a more or less pointed snout, rather large 
eyes and large ears, devoid of fur; the body is stout. 
The limbs are of moderate length; the feet are of 
delicate mould and the fore-paws have four toes and 
a flat-nailed thumb mark; the hinder-paws have five 
toes; the tail is moderately long and very bushy and 
its fur is arranged in a double row. The fur is rich 
and soft. 


Life and Traits 


MyoxiIpD&. 


Up to the present time scarcely more 
of the Dor- _ than half a dozen distinct species of 
mice, this family are known, and all these 

are confined to the Old World. Their haunts are in 
hilly and mountainous localities, in forests, groves 
and gardens. They live on and in the trees; more 
rarely in self-dug burrows between roots of trees or 
in clefts of rocks and walls, and they habitually hide 
from view as much as possible. By far the majority 
of these animals sleep through the day and search 
for food only in the dusk of morning and evening, 
and for this reason it is rarely and only by chance 
that they are seen. When they have had enough 


B21 


sleep they are very active animals. They are excel- 
lent runners and still better climbers, but cannot 
leap as far as the Squirrels. 

In temperate climes they become torpid at the 
approach of the cold season and spend the winter 
sleeping in their nests. Some species lay by provis- 
ions for this time and subsist on the stores thus 
hoarded, which they eat at the intervals of their 
hibernation, when they awake temporarily. Others 
do not need even this winter store, as they become 
so fat before retiring to winter quarters that they 
can subsist on this adipose accumulation, 

The food of the Dormice consists of fruit and all 
kinds of seeds; the majority also feed on insects, 
eggs and young birds. While eating, they sit on 


THE LOIR.—Sometimes called the Fat Dormouse. It is the 
largest of the Dormouse family and is found principally in southern Eu- 
rope and ina portion of Asia, It is an arboreal animal, and spends the 
summer and early autumn seeking for food in the woods, as shown in 
the picture, preparatory to its long winter hibernation. (A/yoxus giis.) 

their hind legs, like the Squirrels, and lift the food 

to the mouth with their fore-paws. The Dormice 
are of no use worth mentioning, while their depreda- 
tions in gardens may cause considerable harm. 
The Loir The first species is formed by the 
or Fat Dormouse Loir, or Fat Dormouse (Myoxus giis) 
Described. and an allied variety. The Loir at- 
tains a length of six and one-half inches, exclusive 
of the tail,‘which is five inches long. The soft and 
rather close fur is of a uniform ashen gray on the 
upper surface, with a surface tinge of brownish 
black; the under surface of the body and the inner 
surface of the limbs are milk white and of silvery 
lustre, the line of demarcation being sharply defined. 

The Loir exists all over southern and 

Habits of eastern Europe. Its principal home 
the Loir. is in moderately high mountains, 
preferably forests of oak or beech. It keeps in hid- 


Haunts and 


322 


ing during the day and prowls around every night, 
while the summer lasts, searching for food. It eats 
acorns and nuts, does not despise sweet, juicy fruit, 
and attacks, kills and devours any little animal it 
can overcome. Few Rodents surpass it in voracity, 
and it eats as long as it can do so. During the 
autumnal months it amasses provisions and stores 
them in its hiding place. At this time of the year it 
becomes very fat, and prepares its winter quarters, 
making a nest of tender moss in deep-holes in the 
ground, hollow trees, crannies in rocks or old walls. 
There it curls up, usually in company with several 


THE LEROT,—This animal is sometimes called the Garden 
Dormouse, for it enters gardens: and is very destructive, devour- 


ing fruit, vegetables and cereals. Its markings are admirably 
shown in the picture. (Zdiomys nitela.) 


others of its kind, and falls into a sleep which is per- 
haps the soundest experienced by any of the hiber- 
nating animals. It begins this sleep early in the fall 
and rarely wakes before April. 

The worst persecutors of the Loir are probably 
Martens, Polecats, Wild Cats, Weasels and Owls. 
The little creature defends itself very courageously, 
though vainly, against the strongest enemies. Where 
it is common, the Loir is eagerly pursued by Man 
for its flesh as well as its skin, and is caught in traps 
of various kinds. 

It is seldom seen in captivity, for it is an uninter- 
esting animal, always irritable, and never becomes 
friendly with its keeper. It ferociously growls, with 
a peculiar snoring sound, at every person who ap- 
proaches it. Its only virtue is its cleanliness. 

The Lerotin (Myoxus dryas) is intermediate be- 
tween the Loir and the Lerot. Its length is seven 
inches, about half of which is taken by the tail. 
The body is reddish brown or brownish gray above 
with a sharp line marking the margin of the white 
under surface. A black stripe runs between the 
eyes, broadening out above the eyes $o that it 
reaches the ears. The tail is dark brownish gray 
above, white below. It is a rare species and ranges 
in southern Russia, lower Austria and Silesia. Its 
habits correspond with those of the Loirs and 
Lerots, as far as they are known. 

The Group of Lhe group of the Lerots (Hiomys) 
the Lerots differs from the preceding mainly 
Described. _in dentition. The teeth of the Loir 
are ground flat at the crown, while those of the 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


Lerots become hollow. An external distinguishing 
feature of the Lerots is in the tail, which is short- 
haired at the base and is bushy and of two colors at 
the tip. The upper and under surfaces are of differ- 
ent colors. 

Physical Char- The Lerot (Eviomys nitela) attains a 

acteristics of length of body of nearly six inches, 

Lerots, and a length of tail of nearly four 
inches. The head and upper parts are of a reddish 
gray-brown tint, the under parts are white. 

The Lerot, which was known to the ancient Ro- 
mans under the name of Nitela, belongs chiefly to the 
temperate parts of central and western Europe. Its 
food is the same as that of the Loir. 

Hibernation and For hibernation, the Lerot selects 
Food of the dry, sheltered holes in trees and 
Lerot. walls, or Moles’ burrows, or else it 
invades farms lying near forests, and creeps into 
some hiding place in garden houses, barns, hay-lofts, 
coal men’s shanties, or other dwellings. Usually 
several Lerots sleep in one nest, the entire party 
nestling close together and nearly rolled into a ball. 
Their sleep is unbroken, but not so sound as that of 
other hibernating animals, for whenever the weather 
is mild they wake up, eat a little of their provisions, 
and become torpid again only when the weather 
again becomes cold. 

The Lerot is a detested visitor in gardens, where 
the finer kinds of fruit are grown. A single animal 
is sufficient to ruin an entire crop of peaches or ap- 
ricots. It shows a taste in its depredations which 
does it great credit, for it selects only the best and 
juiciest of fruit to eat although it often gnaws into 
other varieties, to try them, and in this way i 
ruins much more than it really eats. Therefore, as 
it works only destruction and is not of the slightest 
use either for its flesh or its skin, it is zealously pur- 
sued by garden owners. 

Peculiarities of ‘The third species of the family, which 

the Common comprises the Dormice proper (J/us- 

Dormouse. —_cardinns) also differs from the pre- 
ceding mainly in respect to its teeth. The ears are 
also smaller. The fur of the tail is rather short and 
of uniform length throughout. 

A single variety of this species exists in Europe. 
It is the Common Dormouse (Muscardinus avellana- 
vius), one of the prettiest, nimblest and most grace- 
ful creatures among European Rodents, distinguished 
as much by its dainty figure and beautiful coloring 
as by its cleanly habits, pretty ways and gentle 
temper. The little creature is about as large as a 
domestic Mouse; its total length is five and one- 
half inches, about half of this going to the tail. The 
fur is of a uniform yellowish red tint; the under sur- 
face is a little lighter, and the breast and throat are 
white. Central Europe is the native country of the 
little Dormouse, and its haunts are nearly identical 
with those of its family relations. Low bushes and 
hedges, especially thickets of hazel nuts, form its 
preferred places of abode. 

All day long the Dormouse lies somewhere in hid- 
ing and sleeps. At night it looks for food, which 
consists of nuts, acorns, hard seeds, juicy fruits, 
berries and buds; but it is fondest of hazel nuts. 
It lives in small communities, which can not be said 
to be closely united. Either singly or two together 
the Dormice build a soft, warm, ingenious nest 
out of grass, leaves, moss, small roots and hair, in 
some dense bush, and from there they set out on 
their nocturnal prowlings over their domain, nearly 
always in company with others which live in prox- 


THE BEAVER. 323 


imity to them. Being genuine arboreal animals they 
are marvelous climbers, even among the thinnest 
twigs. In August from three to four naked, blind 
young make their appearance in the ball-shaped 
summer nest, which is always built in the thickest of 
bushes and about three feet from the ground. 
Long Hibernae About the middle of October the 
tion of Dore Dormice retire into the hiding-place 
mice. where they have stored their win- 
ter provisions, and prepare a ball-shaped covering 
made of twigs, foliage, fir-needles, moss and grass; 
this they wrap around themselves, curl up into a ball 
and fall into a still deeper torpidity than do their rela- 
tives; for one can take them up and roll them around 
without their giving a sign of life. According to 
whether the winter be mild or severe, they sleep 
through six or seven months in a more or less un- 
broken repose, until the beautiful, warm spring sun 
awakes them to new life. 


The Beaver. 


THIRD FAMILY: CastTorip&. 


Though corresponding with the preceding Rodents 
in many respects, the Beaver differs from them and 
its other relatives in 
such marked degree that 
it must be considered as 
the representative of an 
entirely distinct family 
( Castoride). 

The Beaver has at- 
tracted attention since 
the earliest times and is 
frequently mentioned by 
ancient authors under 
the name of “Castor” 
and “Fiber.” Yet the 
old observers of nature 
impart little knowledge 
in respect to its habits. 
The Beaver is now dis- 
tributed over three con- 
tinents in regions be- # 
tween the thirty-third ; 
and sixty-eighth de- i 

rees of north latitude. 

he European countries 
in which it is most fre- 
quently found are Bos- 
nia, Russia, particularly 
in the northern tributa- 
ries of the Pripet in the 
Government of Minsk, 
and Scandinavia, espe- 
cially Norway. It is 
much more numerous in 
Asia than in Europe. It ardinus avellanarius.) 
is quite plentiful along the great streams of cen- 
tral and northern Siberia, and is also said to exist 
along the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea. It 
is certainly found along the tributaries of the Kooban 
on the northern slope of the Caucasus and in Meso- 
potamia. In America it was formerly common, but its 
numbers have been greatly diminished by relentless 
pursuit. Audubon in 1849 mentions only Labrador, 
Newfoundland, Canada and a few localities in Maine 
and Massachusetts, as still harboring Beavers, but 
adds that isolated specimens were still found in vari- 


the summer months. 


Dormouse to the right is shown in a Squirrel-like, sitting posture which is often assumed by these animals. 


ous thinly populated parts of the United States 
Lsiiee Audubon’s time the fauna of the Rocky 
ountain regions has become better known, and 
Beavers have been plentifully found in the western 
rivers. They still exist in wooded regions on the 
banks of the Platte and also in other like localities 
from the Canadian line to Arizona.] 
Physical Char- Lhe Beaver (Castor fiber) is one of 
acteristics of the largest Rodents. The body of 
Beavers. an adult male is from thirty to thirty- 
eight inches long; the tail measures twelve inches, 
and the height at the shoulders is about twelve 
inches. The weight is from forty to sixty pounds. 
The body is clumsy and strong, the hinder part be- 
ing considerably thicker than the fore part; the back 
is arched, the abdomen pendulous, the neck short 
and thick, the head broad at the skull and narrow in 
front, and having a flat top and a short, blunt snout. 
The legs are short and very sturdy, the hind pair 
being slightly the longest; the feet are five-toed and 
the hind ones are furnished with broad webs to 
the very claws. The tail is round at its root, flat- 


tened above and below, and about eight inches wide 
in the middle, rounded above, and nearly sharp 
edged at the tip. The ears are small and short, fur- 
clad on both sides and can be folded against the 
head so as to close the auditory passage almost com- 


se <—_ _ So Nh " i 
THE COMMON DORMOUSE.——A pretty Rodent famous for its torpidity in the winter and its liveliness in 
The animals shown in the picture are appropriately placed amid arboreal surroundings, and the 


(Mus- 


pletely. The small eyes are furnished with lids; the 
pupil has a vertical position. The nostrils are fleshy 
and may also be closed like the ears. The fur con- 
sists of an exceedingly thick, flaky, woolly coat of 
silky softness and a thin, long outer coat composed 
of strong, stiff, shining hair, short on the head and 
rear part of the back, and over two inches long on 
the rest of the body. The coloring of the upper 
part is a dark maroon, with more or less of a grayish 
tint; the lower surface is lighter; the woolly under 
fur is silvery gray at the root, yellowish brown at 


324 


the tip. The tail is grown with very long hair at the 
base and is naked farther down, being covered with 
small, elliptical, nearly hexagonal, flat pits, between 
which grow a few scattered, short, stiff hairs. The 
prevailing color of the fur is subject to modifica- 
tions. In a few rare instances white or spotted 
Beavers have been found. 

The large, strong gnawing teeth are flat, and 
smooth in front, a cross section appearing nearly 
three-sided; the sides are chisel shaped, and the 
teeth protrude far out of the jaw. Both sexes pos- 
sess two peculiar secretive glands, the castoreum 
bags, in the lower part of the abdomen. The inner 
walls of these glands secrete the so-called castoreum, 
a dark reddish brown, yellowish brown or blackish 
brown salve-like substance, possessed of a pecul- 
iarly pungent, strong odor, which strikes few people 
as agreeable, and is of a bitter, balsamic taste. In 
former times it was extensively used as a sedative 
and as a remedy for convulsions, but has come more 
and more into disuse. 

The Canadian The Canadian Beaver (Castor cana- 
Beaver, the Ameri- densis or Castor americanus) differs 

can Species. from the European species by hav- 
ing the line of its face more arched; its head is nar- 
rower, and the skull also shows other peculiarities; 
the fur is darker and the “scent bags” are differ- 
ently situated. According to Blasius, its independ- 
ence as a species can not be doubted. 
Homeand Inthe majority of cases the Beavers 
General Habitsof now live in couples, forming more 
Beavers. or less numerous families only in 
the most solitary localities. In all populous coun- 
tries the Beaver lives like the Otter, in simple, sub- 
terranean tunnels, and never thinks of building its 
so-called “‘lodges’ or strongholds. Still some of the 
latter were found ‘not very long ago on the banks of 
the Nuthe, near the Elbe, in a lonely spot grown 
with willow trees, and traversed by the little river, 
which measures but six to eight paces in width, and 
- has been known under the name of Beaver’s Pool 
since the oldest times. 

From the accounts of observers we extract the 
following: After mature deliberation the animals 
select a stream or pool, the banks of which afford 
them ample provender, and seem specially adapted 
for the construction of their “lodges.” Those which 
live singly dwell in simple subterranean burrows, 
after the manner of Otters; societies, which gener- 
ally consist of families, as a rule construct houses, 
and, if there should be a necessity for it, dams, in 
order to hold back the water and preserve it ata 
uniform height. Some of these dams are from four 
hundred and fifty to six hundred feet long, from six 
to nine feet high, from twelve to eighteen feet thick 
at the base, and from three to six feet at the top. 
They consist of logs varying in size from the thick- 
ness of an arm to that of a thigh, and from three to 
six feet long. One end of the log or stake is thrust 
in the ground, the other stands upright in the water; 
the logs are fastened together by means of thin twigs 
and made tight with reeds, mud and earth, in sucha 
way that one side presents a nearly vertical, firm 
wall to the stream, while the other side is sloped. 
From the ponds rising above the dams, canals are 
constructed to facilitate the carrying or floating of 
the necessary construction materials and food. 

Beavers do not forsake a settlement they have 
founded unless the direst necessity compels them 
to do so. Beavers’ lodges, the origin of which dates 
very far back, are often found in lonely woods. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


How Beavers 
Work and Fell 
Trees. 


The working methods of the Beavers 
are so closely allied to their general 
habits that one pictures their life in 
describing them at work. Like most Rodents they 
are active at night, and roam about by day only in 
remote regions, where they have not for a long time 
encountered any human being. “Shortly after sun- 
set they leave the tunnels, give a loud whistle and 
drop into the water with loud splashes. For a time 
they swim near the lodge, going as rapidly against 
as with the stream and occasionally come to the sur- 
face, showing either the nose and forehead or the 
head and back, according to whether they deem 
themselves secure or not. When they have taken 
their bearings, they come to the bank and go as far 
as fifty paces or more, to fell trees for their food 
and for their building processes.” Branches of the 
thickness of an inch the Beaver bites off with 
apparent ease, and it fells trees by gnawing the 
trunk all around and then more on the side near the 
river, until the tree. inclines to that side and falls 
into the water. Its work may be traced by innumer- 
able flat, shell-shaped incisions, which appear as 
smooth and clear-cut as if they had been chopped 
out with a slightly curved chisel. It is known that 
the Beaver fells trees thicker than a man’s body. 
Sprigs with plenty of branches are carefully exam- 
ined before being carried away; occasionally the 
are split, troublesome stubs of branches are cut off, 
but all pieces of wood are carried into the water and 
there the bark is peeled off and stored away for 
future use. It is not until after a log has been 
stripped of its bark that the Beaver uses it for con- 
struction. purposes; takes it out of the water, carries 
it to the nearest “lodge” and makes use of it there. 
No regular arrangement of the logs can be traced. 
The requirements are met in a deliberate way, but a 
regular, orderly arrangement of the building mate- 
rials does not appear to be thought of. Some stakes 
lie horizontally, some are oblique, some vertical; 
some protrude to some distance over the walls of 
the lodge, others are entirely covered with earth; 
and something is continually being changed or en- 
larged or improved. All the substances required 
for stopping the interstices, such as earth, sand, loam 
or mud, are moved in various ways, but only by 
means of the mouth and fore-paws; they are worked 
only with the paws. The tail is, at the most, only 
used to preserve the animal’s balance, and is never 
made to serve as a trowel, as was formerly believed. 

As is the case with most animals, the female is 
the real architect, the male being only a helper and 
understrapper. Both work all the year through, but 
not always with the same zeal. In summer and the 
beginning of autumn they play more than they ad- 
vance their work; but just before the cold weather 
sets in they devote the nights uninterruptedly to 
their work. They are possessed of a keen presenti- 
ment of impending change of temperature and en- 
deavor to prepare for it as much as possible. 

Food and Move: 


ments of the 
Beaver. 


barks and leaves of various trees, 
Among all branches, which I threw 
to my captive Beavers, the first selection always fell 
on willows; and it was only when these were lacking 
that they would take poplars, black poplars, aspens, 
ash trees and birches—alder trees and oaks always 
being the least liked. Harder branches, which they 
take in their forepaws and keep turning around, they 
strip with consummate skill and adroitness; they 
peel them so neatly that a stripped branch shows no 


The principal food of Beavers is the . 


Beavers are famous as the 
not only because of their well constructed ‘‘lodges,” but especially because they build with 


These they construct of logs, tree branches, 


most skillful architects amongst the mammals below Man, 
great engineering skill, strong dams in order to secure for themselves a sufficient depth of water in all seasons. 
mud and stones, and the picture shows a party of Beavers engaged in a work of this character. ( Castor fiber.) 


(325) 


326 


trace of their teeth. They soon get used to bread 
and ship biscuit, apples and carrots, and ultimately 
become very partial to fruit. 

The attitudes assumed by Beavers vary, but on the 
whole not very much. While sitting, the animal 
looks like a large, clumsy Mouse. When walking, 
one leg is moved after another, for the abdomen, 
which nearly touches the ground, does not admit of 
rapid, uniform movement. When in a very great 
hurry the Beaver executes leaps, which in point of 
clumsiness and awkwardness exceed those of all 
terrestrial mammals with which I am acquainted. 
These jumps comprise an alternating throwing up of 
the fore and hind quarters, but in spite of all this 
they are well directed to accomplish their purpose. 
In swimming, the Beaver dips its hind quarters 
so deeply into the water that only the nostrils, 
eyes, ears and middle of the back remain above the 
water, the root of the tail being submerged. It pro- 
ceeds by simultaneous, rarely by alternate, strokes 
of the hind paws; the tail acts as rudder and often 
moves in vigorous jerks, but the fore-paws take no 
part in the swimming. The animal can stay sub- 
merged for about two minutes, before the want of 
breath compels it to rise to the surface. 

The voice of the Beaver is ‘a weak 


Voice and A i 
Senses of the sound which might most appropri- 
Beavers. ately be styled a moan. This sound 


is made whenever the animal is excited. And an 
observer soon learns to understand the different 
meanings of the various sounds made by these ani- 
mals. Of their senses, hearing and smell seem to 
rank first; the small eyes look rather dull, yet the 
sight is as keen as the taste; neither can some acute- 
ness of sensibility be denied in the animal. As to 
the degree of reasoning power of a Beaver there 
may reasonably be different opinions; it must be 
acknowledged, however, that it ranks high among 
Rodents. It submits more easily to altered circum- 
stances than other Rodents and learns how best to 
profit by them; and more than any of the other 
Gnawing Animals it reflects before acting, deliber- 
ates and draws conclusions. Its constructions are 
not more ingenious than those’of other Rodents, 
but they are always built in conformity with the 
locality, and any damages to them are always 
repaired with a careful consideration of the sur- 
roundings. 

How the Beaver The behavior of captive Beavers is 

Acts in Cap- sullen towards other animals and at 

tivity. least reserved towards human beings. 
Those which are well treated finally allow them- 
selves to be caressed, and they may go up to their 
keeper and offer a formal greeting, but they resist 
any violence. Beavers living in zoological gardens 
soon find out that women and children are gifted 
with gentle hearts, and therefore they not only ap- 
pear earlier than is their custom in front of their 
house, but also, standing up before passing women 
and children, beg. for apples, nuts, sugar and bread. 
They dexterously take such gifts with their hands 
and begin to eat; but people who make pretensé to 
give and do not do so, or who tease them, they strike 
on the fingers. 

Beavers caught young may become very tame. 
Those authors who deal with the American species 
tell of Beavers which they found in Indian villages, 
installed, so to speak, as domestic animals, or which 
they kept themselves. La Hontan says: “I saw 
nothing more remarkable in these villages than 
Beavers, as tame as Dogs, in the river as well as 


‘various kinds. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


running about unmolested in the hedges.” Hearne 
had tamed several Beavers to such an extent that 
they responded to his call, ran after him like Dogs 
and received his caresses with joy. They seemed 
to feel quite comfortable in the society of the Indian 
women and children; they grew restless in their 
absence and showed much pleasure on their return. 

A litter of Beavers consists of from two to three 
fur clad, but blind, young, which are born in a dry 
“lodge.” Eight days later they open their eyes and 
then, or sometimes not until the tenth day, the 
mother takes her offspring along with her into the 
water. 

Breeding Beavers E:xcept Prince Schwarzenberg, who 
as an Ocoupa- exhibited a couple of Beavers at the 
tion. World’s Exposition at Vienna, no- 
body is nowadays engaged in the breeding of Bea- 
vers though it is both an attractive and remunerative 
occupation; neither is it attended by any special 
difficulties. A couple of Beavers which had settled 
in Rothenhof in 1773 had increased to fourteen six 
years later and to twenty-five after a lapse of ten 
years; then the breeding was restricted, as the Bea- 
vers were allowed free range and they caused too 
great devastations. In Nymphenburg, in Bavaria, 
where Beavers were also kept, it was found that some 
of these animals endured captivity for fifty years. 
Methods of | The Beaver in the free state has few 
Catching and Kill. enemies other than Man. Its wari- 
ing Beavers. ness frequently baffles even a skill- 
ful sportsman. After it has once been alarmed the 
slightest danger will drive the Beaver into the water, 
which protects it with tolerable safety.. The North 
American trappers assert that in regions where it is 
plentiful, it puts out sentinels which are said to 
apprise their companions of an approaching danger 
by loudly slapping the surface of the water with their 
tail. This account may be taken to mean that in 
a community of cautious animals, like the Beavers, a 
number is more likely to notice a foe than a single 
one, and every member of the community becomes 
asentinel in this way. As the clapping noise is pro- 
duced only whena Beaver suddenly dives into the 
water, and the latter, as a rule, happens when the 
animal believes itself menaced, of course the otners 
notice the loud noise and disappear from the sur- 
face whenever they hear it. In America, the Beaver 
is hunted with guns, but is also caught in traps of 
In winter holes are cut in the ice 
and the Beavers which come to them to breathe are 
killed; or sometimes the ice is removed from part of 
the river, a strong net is spread over it, the “lodges” 
are broken into and the frightened animals are 
driven into the net. 
Usefulness and The usefulness of a Beaver nearly 
Value of the compensates for the damage it works. 
Beaver. One must keep in mind that it prin- 
cipally inhabits deserted localities and preferably 
fells young shoots of trees, which soon grow again. 
On the other hand the skin and flesh; and still more 
the castoreum, very amply repay not only the 
destruction wrought, but also all pains and trouble 
taken in hunting it. About 150,000 pelts, valued at 
nearly three-quarters of a million dollars, are taken 
annually. According to its grade a pelt commands 
a price of from four to thirteen dollars. 

The American Indian tribes hold the Beaver in 
high esteem. They believe it to be nearly as intel- 
ligent as a human being and they affirm that this 
excellent animal is undoubtedly possessed of an im- 
mortal soul. 


THE JERBOAS. 


The Jerboas. 


FOURTH FAMILY: Drropip#. 


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 


y uae Sw: So Waawe ryt / 2 
JUMPING MOUSE.—This North American Rodent is famous for its 
ability to make flying leaps of from eight to ten feet at a bound, although 


its size is only about that of the Common Mouse. The picture gives a good 
idea of its jumping ability. (/aculus hudsonius.) 


x 


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 Dipodide differs materially from that of 
the Kangaroos. It is very thick and adorned with 
mustaches, which, pro- 2s 

portionately to the size 4; 

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 prepossess- 
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. 


SVEN EN 


Ba 


(Dipus egypticus.) 


General The Jerboas principally inhabit 
— ofthe Africa and Asia; some species, how- 
erooas. 


ever, reach over into southern Eu- 
rope, and one species or sub-family is indigenous to 
North America. They all inhabit dry, open fields, 
grassy plains or arid deserts of sand. On clayey 


=% = =e 

EGYPTIAN JERBOA.——One of the strangest of Kodents is the Jerboa, with its elongated hind legs, its long, 
tufted tail and its large ears. he Egyptian species inhabits the deserts of northern Africa and Arabia. The artist 
has pictured these animals amid such desert surroundings, with no living neighbors save a bevy of Desert Larks. 


827 


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 many 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 ina 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 
poaion supported by their hind quarters and tail, 
ifting the food to their mouths with their fore-paws. 
Their movements are of a peculiar 
character. Their usual gait differs: 
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 
crossed 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 body 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 their fore-paws, with 


Peculiar Move- 
ments of the 
Jerboas. 


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 
Senses ofthe All species of this family are en- 
Jerboas are dowed with acute senses, their hear- 
Acute. ing and 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 (/aculus 
hudsonius) 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 (Dipoding) we regard as types 
of the whole family, showing all the peculiarities in 


‘THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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 anda 
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 1 select the Egyptian Jerboa (Dipus 
Jerboa, the Typ- @gypticus) 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—ALACTAGAS. © 


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 1n 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. No 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 hg ie 

n the 


the native children of that elevated region. 
other hand the Jerboa is 
highly sensitive to cold 
and moisture, and there- 
fore always keeps in hid- 
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 propaga- 
tion of the Jerboa. The 
Arabs hunt it diligently, 
for its flesh is much es- 
teemed by them; 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- 
ActinCap- _ ters and living in Egypt and Algeria, 
tivity. often keep Jerboas. I can assert 
from my own experience that the animal affords 
great pleasure when kept ina cage or room. Dur- 
ing my sojourn in Africa I was often given from ten 
to twelve Jerboas at atime. 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- 


rapid than that of the Jerboas. 


329 


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) 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 


« > - 


re -_ + . : 
THE ALACTAGA.—This inhabitant of the steppes of Asia and southeastern Europe resembles the Jer- 
boas in many respects, but the stronger thigh bones enable it to‘ run on its two hind legs at a pace even more 
(Scirtetes jaculus.) 


The hind legs are nearly four times as long as the 
fore-legs. 


Rangeand Though the Alactaga is found also 
Habits of the in southeastern Europe, especially 
Alactaga. in the steppes of the Don and in the 


Crimea, Asia 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 


Horse, 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 
ofaCaptive 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 Dipodidez 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 
curved claws. The hinder limbs are long, vigorous 
and formed for jumping. The hind feet have four 
toes attached to distinct metatarsal bones, and pro- 
vided with strong, broad nails, which are rather 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


short and nearly hoof-like. The middle toe sur- 
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. It is 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 auinhers 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 long time 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. 


The Mice. 
FIFTH FAMILY: Murip&. 


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 MICE. 


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. 


331 


with but scanty supply of grass and shrubs, furnish 
them subsistence. Some shun the proximity of 
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 
rite of the Man, their characteristics appearing 
ice, 


to fit them in an unusual degree for 
the infliction of damage upon his possessions. Quick 


=F ee = 
THE JUMPING HARE,— While resembling the Jerb 


Jumping Hare is a much larger and stronger animal. 


Mice now Distrib- Mice are cosmopolitan, but unfortu- 

uted in all Coun- nately not ina goodsense. A\ll 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, 


oa in the remarkable elongation of its h 
It creeps on all fours when searching for food, but when it wishes to travel rapidly it uses the 
hind legs alone, making enormous leaps after the manner of the animals pictured here. 


=o 


ind legs as compared with its fore limbs, the 
(Pedetes caffer.) 


of movement, they are excellent runners, jumpers, 
climbers and swimmers; they know how to insinu- 
ate themselves into the smallest apertures or, if 
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 to 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 
are 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. They construct the most ingen- 
ious nests of any of the inferior mammals and do not 
annoy Man 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. Mice 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 (Merionidine) 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- 
onidinz 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, Lhe Sand Rat (Psammomys obesus) 

Commonin 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 Rat is one of the prettiest of the 
Rodents. It can easily be domesticated and be- 
comes very tame, leaves its cage, runs fearlessiy 
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 
(Murine), 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. the 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 Aflian. 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 alexandrinus). 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 (us or Cricetomys gam- 
dianus), 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 
European Rats together. If that animal should elect 
to visit us, then truly would we know what mischief 
a Rat can accomplish! 


~~ = Os ee ee 


——_— se 


Fs 
a 


~~ ==" 


i 


ae a he 


THE MICE—MICE PROPER. 


It is sufficient for the present to describe the two 
best known species, the Black and the Brown Rat. 
The Black Rat (Mus rattus) attains a 
length of body of six and one-half 
inches, and a length of tail of seven 
and one-half inches, or a total length of fourteen 


The Black Rat— 
its Origin and 
Peculiarities. 


the Brown Rat the most formidable. 
parts of the world. 


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 stiil 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. 


dently been despoiling the poultry yard. 


ts in Europe and until the invasion of 
It is still found, not only in Europe, but also in Asia, America and nearly all 
Its vicious head, coarse fur and scaly, hairless tail are well depicted here. 


THE BLACK RAT.—This was formerly the most common of the Ra 


_ THE BROWN RAT. —The animal shown in the picture is only too familiar. S 
during the past two centuries overrun all lands, driving out the weaker Black Rat. The animal in the picture has evi- 
Rats of this species are the most destructive of all Rodents. 


998 
O09 


It is still distributed sparsely over nearly all parts of 
the globe, however. It rarely occurs in Europe 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 nearly 
extinct; but there are yet a few places infested by 
it, such as Bremen and 
Luneburg in northwest- 
ern Germany, 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—its origin, Rat (Mus 
ete. 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 body, the upper 
parts being a brownish gray; the under parts grayish 


| Hil ia 


MN 


(Mus rattus.) 


AMRIT TT AOR 


i 


Originally a native of India, he has, 


(Mus decumanus.) 


white, the line of demarcation being quite sharply 
defined. The tail has, approximately, two hundred 
and ten scaly rings. The upper surface of the fore- 
feet sometimes shows short, fine brownish hairs; 


ost 


black specimens, white ones with red eyes (true albi- 
nos), dull or pied individuals, also occur. The lat- 
ter 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 Brown Rata It is very probable that the Brown 
Formidable Rat came to us from some portion 
Pest. of Asia, namely, India or Persia. 
Pallas is the first to describe the Brown Rat as a 
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 England 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 
about 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. the 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. of and 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. 
Were they to become drunk on alcoholic liquors 
they could be charged with helping to consume all 
articles of food and drink of which mankind makes 
use. Not contented with so multifarious a bill of 
fare, the Rats greedily attack other substances, not 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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. 
Hagenback, the dealer in animals, had three young 
African Elephants 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 they 
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 every 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,—Among the native species of Rats found in this country is the Cotton 
at, its numbers are diminishing as those of the 


Rat, found in the southern states. Like the Black 
Brown Ratincrease. (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 in 1880, witnessed by himself: “In 
the cellar of a house at Innsbruck, eggs, which were 
kept there, were repeatedly found missing this win- 
ter. Suspicion pointed to the servant girl, who did 
all she could to prove her innocence, but in vain. 
In this plight she bethought herself of watching for 
the thief and by this means she wit- 
nessed the cunning with which the 
Rats got at the eggs. The eggs 
lay piled up in a loose heap, and a 
greedy Rat emerged from a hole, 
soon followed by another. The 
first seized an egg with its fore- 
aws, and with the aid of the other 
at, pushed it to one side as far as 
a few gentle shoves would carry it. 
Then the first Rat hugged it with 
its fore-limbs, after the method 
by which Spiders carry their egg 
pouches. Of course this Rat could 
move himself no further, his fore- 
legs being employed in holding the 
egg. Then the second Rat seized 
the tail of the first with its mouth 
and with apparent ease quickly pulled its compan- 
ion toward the hole whence they had issued. The 
whole proceeding, which, concluding from the num- 
ber of missing eggs, was the result of considerable 
practice, lasted barely two minutes; one hour after 
the thievish couple had first appeared on the scene, 
they reappeared, undoubtedly with the same inten- 
tion, By the kindness of the family, in whose 
house the incident happened, I had the opportunity 
of being an eye-witness to this mode of theft, which, 


the south is distributed over nearly all parts of the country east of the Rocky Mountains. 
Rat, yellowish brown above, white below. 


according to the assurances of the servant girl, was 
always accomplished in the same manner.” 
Birth and Devel. Rats are exceedingly prolific ani- 
opment of Young mals. The female gives birth to 
Rats. from five to twenty-two young Rats, 
which are charming little creatures, and would 
please anybody if they did not happen to be Rats. 
“On the ist of March, 1852,” says Dehne, ‘ta white 
Rat in my possession had seven young. She had 
built a snug nest of straw in her wire cage. The 
young were as large as May Bugs and of a blood- 
red color. At every movement of the mother they 
uttered a shrill, piping, squeaking 
sound. * On the 8th their color had 
already become tolerably white; 
from the 13th to the 16th they 
ceased to be blind. On the night 
of the 18th they came out for the 
first time; but when the mother 
saw that they were observed, she 
took one after another into her 
mouth and carried them into the 
nest. Some of them emerged from 
another hole, however. Charming 
little animals they were, of the 
size of a Harvest Mouse and with 
tails about three inches long. On 
the 21st they had already attained 
the size of Common Mice, and on 
the 28th that of Wood Mice. They 
were still occasionally suckled by 
the mother, played and romped in the most enter- 
taining manner, sitting on their mother’s back and 
letting her carry them about. They were a great 
deal more amusing to watch than white Mice.” 
Rats Easily | Rats which are closely confined and 
Domesticated and well cared for become so tame that 
Tamed. they not only suffer themselves to be 
touched or used as playthings by children, but be- 
come accustomed to come and go in house, yard 
and garden, follow their keepers about like Dogs, 
respond to calls, in short, become domestic animals 
in the true sense of the word. 


FLORIDA WOOD RAT.— An indigenous species of Rat which, while especially numerous in 


Itis a large 
(Neotoma floridana.) 

Rats Subjectto In the natural state Rats are some- 
Peculiar Disease— times subject to a peculiar disease 

the “King Rat.” which causes the tails of several Rats 
to grow together and then they form the so-called 
“King Rat,’ which was formerly imagined to be 
something quite different from what it is now known 
to be. One can occasionally see it in some of the 
museums. In olden times it was popularly believed 
that the King Rat, adorned with a golden crown, sat 
enthroned on a group of Rats thus grown together, 


336 


and thence ruled over a kingdom of Rats. It is true 
that one sometimes encounters a group of Rats the 
tails of which are permanently joined together and 
which, being unable to move, are fed by compassion- 
ate individuals of their own kind. It is believed 
that a contagious disease causes an exudation of 
serum on the surface of the tails, and, in conse- 
quence of the change of this serum into organized 
cell (or muscle) tissue, the tails coalesce and grow 
together; but nothing definite has yet been estab- 
lished on this score. In Altenburg, Germany, the 
remains of a King Rat which is formed of twenty- 
seven Rats is preserved in a collection of curiosities; 
others have been found in other portions of Ger- 
many, notably at Bonn, near Schnepfenthal, in 
Frankfort, Erfurt and Lindenau near Leipzig. 
Means Used to Lhe means used for the extermina- 
Exterminate tion of Rats are innumerable. Traps 
Rats. of many kinds are set for them, and 
sometimes persistent Rat hunting may bring tem- 
porary relief from the annoyance of their presence. 
If the animals perceive that they are the objects of 
determined pursuit, it not infrequently happens that 
they retire from the scene of conflict, returning, how- 
ever, when the vigilance of their persecutors be- 
comes lax. 
Poison to The destroyers oftenest employed 
be Given With Ex- against them are various kinds of 
treme Caution. poison, food being impregnated 
therewith and deposited near their favorite haunts. 
But this method of extermination is to be repro- 
bated, for, not to speak of the fact that the poisoned 
creatures are tortured to death in the most cruel 
manner, this administration of poison is always dan- 
gerous for the reason that the Rats are prone to 
vomit part of what they have eaten, in this way be- 
ing likely to poison corn or potatoes, and thus the 
lives of domestic animals or even of human beings 
are put in jeopardy. It is less dangerous, though 
scarcely less cruel, ta give them a mixture of malt 
and unslaked lime; when they have partaken of this 
they become thirsty and death is brought about as 
soon as they have drunk the water required for the 
slaking of the lime. This method must cause the 
victims intense agony, by reason of both the genera- 
tion of heat and the liberation of the carbonic acid 
gas of the lime, which inflates the animals to the 
point of bursting. 
Best Extermina- Lhe best exterminators of Rats under 
torsofthe all circumstances are their natural 
Rats. enemies, particularly Owls, Ravens, 
Weasels, Cats and Terriers. As among all domestic 
animals there are particular strains of blood espe- 
cially fitted for some special use or function, so 
among Cats there also are families the members of 
which are passionately fond of Rat-hunting, though 
at first they have much difficulty in acquiring the 
art of properly seizing and overcoming the biting 
Rodents. However, it is not really necessary that a 
Cat should catch the Rats; it drives them away by 
merely prowling about in stable and barn, cellar 
and pantry. The presence of such an arch enem 
is highly distasteful to the Rats, for they are wou 
aware that they have not a moment of safety. 
Noiselessly the Cat creeps upon them in the dead of 
night, no sound and hardly a movement betraying 
its approach; its greenish eyes with their uncanny 
lustre look into all their holes, and it sits in waiting 
near their most frequented passages; before they 
know it, it pounces on them and the grasp of the 
pointed claws and sharp teeth is so firm that escape 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


is well-nigh impossible. Even Rats, audacious as 
they are, cannot stand this; they are fain to emigrate 
to places where they can dwell unmolested. In 
this way the Cat always proves the best helper of 
Man when Rats or other such annoying vermin have 
to be driven away. Not less valuable are the ser- 
vices of the Polecat and Weasel, the former working 
in houses, the latter in gardens and about stables, 
barns or granaries. 


The Black, Brown and Egyptian Rats, al- 
Species of ready described, have invaded America 
, Rats from the Old World, and here, as well as 

3 there, the Brown Rat has succeeded in 
driving away other species of its own family. 

Besides these there are numerous species which are indige- 
nous to the United States. One which forms a separate sub- 
family (Sigmodon) is the well known Cotton Rat, or Rice Rat 
(Sigmodon hispidus). It is widely distributed through the 
southern states. It has a stout body four inches in length, a 
tail over two inches long, a coarse fur of blackish yellow-gray 
above and grayish-white on the under portion. 

Still another American sub-family is that of the Wood Rats 
(eotoma), which includes many large, handsome species. 
Especially numerous is the Florida Wood Rat (Weotoma flori- 
dana) which, while especially plentiful in the southern states, 
is found in nearly all parts of the country. These Rats when 
young are of a bluish gray color, but the fur of the mature 
animal is yellowish brown on the Re ed portion and white on 
the under parts and the feet. The Florida Wood Rat is over 
nbte inches long, exclusive of the tail, which is about six inches 
ong. 

Another species of the same sub-family is the California 
Wood Rat (Veotoma fuscipes), which resembles the Florida 
Nig Rat in many respects, but has a longer tail and dark 

eet. : 

Occupying a region between those which form the homes of 
the two last named species, is the Gray Wood Rat (Veotoma 
cinereus) of the Rocky Mountain country, which is distin- 
guished from the others by the possession of a bushy tail. The 
Indians of the West find the flesh of this animal an acceptable 
article of food. 


Mice Much Better Much more graceful, good-looking 
Looking Than ‘and dainty than these ugly, long- 
Rats. tailed domestic thieves, are the Mice, 
though they too are great pests to mankind, in spite 
of their pretty looks and lively, prepossessing ways, 
and they are pursued with nearly the same relent- 
less hatred that falls to the lot of their larger, uglier 
relatives. We may affirm that anybody will find a 
Mouse in a cage charming, and that even ladies, 
who are usually seized by a great, although un- 
founded terror, when a Mouse crosses their. path in 
kitchen or cellar, will declare it to be a pretty crea- 
ture when they make its closer acquaintance. The 


Several American 


_ possession of pointed gnawing-teeth and the fond- 


ness for good things to eat are attributes, however, 
adapted to inspire wrath and revengeful feelings 
against them even in the gentle heart of woman. 
The Com- The Common Mouse (Mus miusculus) 
mon Mouse andits shows some resemblance to the 
Appearance. Black Rat in its appearance, but its 
structure is much more delicate and symmetrical 
and it is much smaller. Its total length amounts 
to about seven and one-half inches, of which three. 
and one-half inches is occupied by the body. The 
tail shows one hundred and eighty scaly dermal 
rings. Its color is nearly uniform: the dark yellow- 
ish-gray hue of the upper part of the body and tail 
gradually merges into the slightly lighter tint of the 
lower surface; feet and toes are yellowish-gray. 
The Wood, or Lhe Wood or Long-tailed Field 
Long-tailed Field Mouse (Mus sylvaticus) attains a 
Mouse. length of eight inches; the tail which 
has about one hundred and fifty scaly dermal rings 
measures nearly four and one-half inches. It is 
parti-colored, the upper surface of the body and 
tail being brownish yellow-gray, the under parts and 


. THE MICE—MICE PROPER. 


the feet and toes being white; the line of demarca- 
tion between the two colors is sharply defined. 

Both the foregoing species may be easily distin- 
guished from the third mentioned (the Old World 
Meadow Mouse) by the much longer ears. In the 
latter species the ear attains a size equaling only 
about one-third of the head and, if deflected forward 
and folded against the sides of the head, they do not 
reach the eyes, while the ears of the others attain 


THE COMMON MOUSE, — These little animals which have fol- 
lowed Man all over the globe are pretty, but pestiferous, and are well 
known to all. Those in the picture are in mischief, as usual, and will 
make short work of the piece of candle which attracts their attention. 
(Mus musculus.) . 

half the length of the head and reach the eye if 

pressed, in the manner described,to the sides of the 

head. 

The Old World Lhe Old World Meadow Mouse 
Meadow (Mus agrarius) is seven inches long; 
Mouse. the tail three inches. Its fur is tri- 

colored: the upper part of the body is brownish 
red, diversified on the back with black longitudinal 
stripes; the sharply defined color of the under sur- 
face and feet is white. The tail has about one hun- 
dred and twenty scaly dermal rings. 

Similarity of All these species of Mice display 

Tastes and Habits many common characteristics in 

Among Mice. their selection of haunts, their dis- 

position and their habits, though each may have its 

individual peculiarities. All three agree in one 
respect: they show a great predilection for the 
proximity of human beings, at least at certain inter- 
vals. All species, the Common Mouse oftener than 
the others, are, especially in winter, frequently found 
in all portions of houses, from the cellar to the gar- 
tet. None of them is exclusively confined to the 
localities which its name would indicate as its 

abode; the Wood Mouse temporarily lives in a 

barn or a house as well as in the field, and the 

Meadow Mouse is as little confined to fields as the 


337 


Common Mouse to houses, so that one may occasion- 
ally see all three species together. 
Range and Char- The Common Mouse is said to have 
acteristics ofthe been the most tenacious compan- 

Common Mouse. ion of Man from the earliest ages. 
Aristotle and Pliny mention it and Albertus Magnus 
was familiar with it. At present it is distributed all 
over the globe. It has followed Man in his migra- 
tions to the farthest north and to the highest cot- 
tages on the Alps. There are but few localities at 
present from which it is absent, and even where it is 
supposed to be wanting, the supposition is probably 
founded on the fact that it has escaped observation. 
On the Sunda Islands, for instance, it is said that 
there are no Mice, but their advent even there is 
but a matter of time. 

The Mouse takes up its abode in all parts of a 
human dwelling. In the country it may temporarily 
live ina garden or ina field or grove; in the city it 
confines itself to dwellings and outhouses. Every 
crevice, every hole, in a word, every cranny where it 
can hide, affords it sufficient shelter and a base of 
operations from which it sallies forth on its forays. 


Physical It runs with great rapidity, climbs 
Powers of the remarkably well, jumps considerable 
Mouse. distances and sometimes performs 
journeys of no small magnitude, proceeding on its 
How agile it is in 


way by a series of short leaps. 


See 


THE BARBARY MOUSE,——This species of Mouse, which is a native 
of northern Africa, is larger than the Common Mouse, but smaller than the 
Rats. Its principal distinction is in the markings of whitish-yellow stripes 
on a dark brown ground color, becoming lighter on the under portion than 
onthe back. (Mzs barbarus.) 


all its movements can be seen by observing a tame 
Mouse. Even when it sits quiet, it produces the 
pleasing impression on the mind always awakened 
by the sight of a pretty animal; but when it sits on 
its haunches, Rodent fashion, and washes and dresses 
its fur, it is a really fascinating little creature. It 
can stand up on its hind legs, like a human being, 


338 


and can even walk a few steps while thus erect, 
occasionally supporting itself a little with its tail as 
it moves. It can also swim, though it enters the 
water only under compulsion. It is good-natured, 
not treacherous, and does not resemble its vicious, 
deceitful, biting relatives, the Rats, in the least; it is 
inquisitive and investigates everything very care- 
fully; it is cunning and intelligent, soon perceiving 


where it is tolerated, and in such places becomes so’ 


used to Man that it runs about its business in human 
resence, as if nothing menaced or frightened it. 
|e octrenc Meer sounds please and attract it and cause 
it to forget all timidity and oftentimes to leave its 
retreat, in order to approach nearer the source of its 
enjoyment. It appears in broad daylight in rooms 
in which instruments are played, and rooms regularly 
devoted to music are favorite haunts with it. 

Several periodicals have published articles about 
so-called singing Mice, and I also have received 
a few accounts of such specimens. All reports 
agree in that in some places a Common Mouse may 
be found which utters its natural chirping note in 
a way which resembles the song of a bird. Some 
people speak of the song of the Mouse with enthu- 
siasm, and compare it to that of a Canary or even of 
a Nightingale; others judge less enthusiastically and 
are probably more nearly right. Herr Schacht, a 
well-known educator and reliable and well-informed 
observer, possessed such a singing Mouse for some 
time. It usually sang at dusk but often only at 
night. Its song did not bear the slightest resem- 
blance to the bright song of a Canary or the deep 
trills of a Nightingale. It was nothing but “a twit- 
tering, a mixture of long-drawn, squeaking, piping 
sounds,” which in the quiet of night could be heard 
at a distance of twenty paces. The song of another 
Mouse, observed. by ‘Herr Mueller, another tutor, 
consisted of ‘soft, whistling sounds, uttered slowly 
or ina more lively manner, in the latter case remind- 
ing one distinctly of a bird’s song, but being much 
weaker.” This Mouse was. excited by music and 
when listening to it in the daytime would some- 
times whistle. Both singing Mice which I observed 
were males, and it therefore appears not improbable 
that in this caSe also the sweet gift of song has been 
bestowed on the male sex. alone. 
simultaneously and for months observed two singing 
Mice living at liberty in a kitchen. One of ‘them 
produced only an irregular chirping and trills, mixed 
with a low snarling, smacking and occasional deeper 
murmuring sounds; the other had softer tones at its 
command, some of which it could prolong for some 
time, so that it really produced an effect which was 
melodious in a certain way. It certainly would be 
more congruous to speak of ‘twittering’ Mice than 
of “singing” ones. 


Partiality All agreeable qualities of our do- 
of Mice for mestic companion are unfortunately 
Dainties. more than counterbalanced by its 


fondness for choice and delicate food. One can 
hardly imagine a daintier feeder than a Mouse 
which can range at will in a well filled larder. It 
proves in the most unequivocal way that its sense 
of taste is highly developed. It gives preference 
to sweetmeats of all kinds, milk, meat, cheese, fats, 
fruit'and grains, and where it has to choose it 
takes the best among the. good things. Water it 
does not drink at all if it can procure food contain- 
ing liquid enough to meet its physical necessities, 
and even when its diet is dry, it rarely drinks un- 
mixed water, but it sips sweet beverages of all kinds. 


Pechuel-Loesche * 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 3 


Destructive- The damage the Common Mouse en- 
8 of tails by the eating of provisions is 
ice. 


slight, on the whole; its principal 
harmfulness arises from its abominable habit of 
gnawing all kinds of objects. Mice sometimes work 
dire destruction among valuable collections of tex- 
tiles, rare fabrics, books or natural curiosities; if 
their propensities are not checked by all possible 
means, they can do incalculable damage. 


Fecund- The Common Mouse is exceedingly 
ity of the prolific. Litters of young Mice in- 
ouse. clude from four to six and often 


eight young, and each female gives birth to five or 
six litters a year, so that the immediate progeny 
from one mother number at least thirty in one year. 
The young are exceedingly small at birth and quite 
translucent; their growth is rapid, however; between 
the seventh and eighth day their hair begins to ap- 
pear, but their eyes are not opened until the thir- 
teenth day. They remain in the nest but a few days 
longer, and then proceed to earn their living on 
their own account. 

The Mouse has become a domestic animal in the 
true, sense of the word with the inhabitants of 
China and Japan, who attain wonderful results in 
the breeding of animals and the culture of plants. 
Haacke writes as follows concerning the Mice which 
of recent years have been exported from these two 
countries: ‘‘ From time to time a Hamburg dealer 
in animals sends me two breeds of Common Mice, 
which he calls Chinese Climbing Mice and Japanese 
Dancing Mice. ‘It is true that.the first are distin- 
guished only by their differing colors, for their 
climbing accomplishments are not greater than 
those of other Mice. The color, however, is sub- 
ject to many variations. Besides individuals of uni- 
form gray, light yellow and white color, I have had 
specimens mottled with gray and white, black and 
white, yellow and white, and blue and white. Tri- 
colored Mice seem to be very rare. It isa known 
fact that we also have white, black and yellow Mice 
and occasionally also pied ones, and the Chinese 
have profited by the variations of the Common 
Mouse also, to satisfy their fancy in breeding ani- 
mals. The Japanese, however, who are no less 
enthusiasts on this point, know how to transform 
the Common Mouse into a really admirable animal. 
The Japanese Dancing Mice, which perfectly justify 
their appellation, also occur in all the described 
colors. But what distinguishes them most is their 
innate habit of running around, describing greater 
or smaller circles, or more frequently whirling 
around on the same spot with incredible rapidity. 
Sometimes two or, more rarely, three Mice join in 
such a dance, which usually begins at dusk and is at 
intervals resumed during the night, but it is usually 
executed by a single individual.” 


The Natural Whatever one may say, the direst 
Enemiesof foe of the Mouse is a Cat. In old 
Mice. ruins the Owl is the Cat’s faithful 


ally in its warfare against Mice, and in the country, 
Polecats, Weasels, Hedgehogs and Shrews render 
good service in the same direction: better aid than 
any kind of trap, at any rate. 

The Wood Mouse and the Meadow 


The Wood 
Mouse and its Mouse possess most of the charac- 
Range. teristics of the Common Mouse. The 


first named is distributed all over Europe and cen- 
tral Asia, with the exception of very high latitudes, - 
and in mountainous regions it is found at an altitude 
of 6,000 feet above the sea. It lives in the depths or 


THE MICE—MICE PROPER. 


on the edges of forests, in gardens, and more rarely 
in wide, treeless fields; in winter it enters houses, at 
first confining itself to cellars and larders, but soon 
climbs higher and finds its favorite haunts in attics 
and under roofs. It rivals the Common Mouse in 
agility, if it does not surpass it, but differs from it 
in its mode of locomotion—proceeding mostly by 
jumps. Outdoors it feeds on insects and worms or 


even small birds or fruit, cherry kernels, nuts, acorns, 


WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE,——The Common Mouse is thoroughly at 
home in America, but there are other species which belong to a distinctively 
American sub-family. They are especially represented by the White-footed 
Mouse, the pretty graceful animal shown in the picture. 


(Hesperomys leu- 
copus.) : 


beech seeds, and in times of scarcity probably also’ 


the bark of young trees. It lays up for winter use 
a store of provisions, but does not hibernate, and 
draws its sustenance from its gathered treasures 
only on gloomy or stormy days. 

The Range Lhe Meadow Mouse (Mus agrarius) 
of the Old World has a more restricted distribution 
Meadow Mouse. than its allied species: it lives be- 

tween the Rhine and 
western Siberia, between 
northern Holstein and 
Lombardy. It is com- 
mon in nearly all parts 
of central Germany and 
is absent on high moun- 
tains. It delights in 
cultivated fields, forest 
edges, light shrubbery, 
and in winter makes its 
home in granaries, grain. 
stacks or barns and sta- 
bles. When the grain is 
being carried from the 
stacks one sees the little 
animals scampering 
through the stubbles in 
troops. The Meadow 
Mouse is less agile and 
much more indolent, 
passive and better na- 
tured than its relatives, 
Its food. mainly consists 
of corn, seeds, plants, tu- 
bers, insects and worms. 
It also lays up winter 
stores of provisions. 
Characteristics of Pretty and neat as all small Mice may 
the Harvest be, and charmingly as they conduct 
Mouse. themselves in captivity, the smallest 
member of the family, the Harvest Mouse (Mus 
minutus OY messorius), surpasses all the others in these 


339 


respects. It is livelier, nimbler, in short, a much 
more prepossessing creature than any other Mouse. 
Its length is about five inches, one-half of which is 
included in the tail. The color of the fur is subject 
to variations. Usually it is parti-colored, the upper 
parts and the tail being yelbowish or brownish red, 
the under surface and the feet being white; the line 
of demarcation is sharply defined. 

The Harvest Mouse has perplexed naturalists 
from the earliest ages of zoological research. | Pallas 
discovered it in western Siberia and gave a detailed 
description and a fairly good picture of it; but nearly 
every naturalist after him classified it as a new spe- 
cies, and each believed his theory to be right. Con- 
tinued investigation only gave as a result the irre- 
fragable truth, that the diminutive creature really 
ranges from Siberia throughout Russia, Hungary, 
Poland and Germany to France, England and Italy 
and is absent in only a few regions. It lives in all 
localities where agriculture is pursued, and by no 
means always in fields, but preferably in swamps 
among reeds, rushes, etc. During the summer the 
pretty little creature is found in the fields in the 
society of the Wood and Field Mouse; in winter it 
exists in great numbers’in ricks or in barns into 
which it is conveyed from the field along with the 
grain. When it spends the winter in the open 
country, it sleeps through part of the season, but 
never really hibernates or becomes torpid and there- 
fore lays by stores for winter during the summer. 

Peculiarities of The Harvest Mouse is distinguished 

the Harvest by its movements from all other 

Mouse. species of the family. In spite of 
its diminutive size, it runs with great fleetness, and 
climbs with exceeding agility and grace. It climbs 


the smallest twigs of bushes, grass blades so weak 
and pliable that they bend to the ground under its 
weight; it ascends nearly as quickly on the trunks 


TWO MICE.—This picture presents a view of two Mice of different species. That on the left is the Meadow 
Mouse of central Europe (M/us agrarius), while on the right is the pretty; white-breasted Wood Mouse, or Long- 
tailed Field Mouse. (A/us sy/vaticus,) Both delight in outdoor life in summer, but invade dwellings or barns in winter. 


and amid the branches of trees, and the dainty little 
tail is skillfully used in this latter operation, being 
in some degree prehensile. It is also an expert 
swimmer and proficient in the art of diving, and all 
its movements are lively and graceful. 


840 


The Harvest The greatest skill of the Harvest 
Mouse an Mouse is displayed in another direc- 
Artist. tion, however. It is an architect, 
such an one as has few equals among the lower 
mammals—an artist which emulates the most ac- 
complished of birds, for it builds a nest which far 
surpasses all other mammalian nests in point of 
beauty. The neat construction is so peculiar that it 
would seem as if the Mouse had been taught its art 
by a reed Snipe. According to the requirements of 
the locality, the nest either stands on from twenty to 
thirty blades of reed grass, the extremities of which 
are split and intertwined so as to surround the nest 
from all sides, or it is suspended from the branches 
of a bush, or from a reed at a height of two or three 
feet, looking as if it soared in the air. Its shape 
most resembles a blunt egg—as, for instance, a par- 
ticularly round Goose egg—which it also equals in 
size. The outer covering usually consists of split 
leaves of the reeds or of reed grass, the stems of 
which form the foundation of the structure. The 
Mouse takes every leaf between its teeth and pulls 
it several times across their points which are sharp 
as needles, until each leaf has been separated into 
six, eight or ten parts, or, so to speak, into several 
distinct threads; then these threads are intertwined 
and interwoven with utmost care. The inside is 
lined with various soft substances of woolly or mossy 
texture, which are supplied by both the vegetable 
and animal kingdoms, the animal sometimes using 
hair or wool of beasts and sometimes buds and 
leaves of trees, flowers, etc. A small opening leads 
into the nest at one side, and if one puts his hand 
into it he may feel how uniformly smooth and ex- 
tremely soft the nest is above as well as below. 
The component parts are so closely interwoven that 
the nest has a very firm support. If the observer 
compares the much less serviceable equipment of 
the Mice for such work with the more useful and 
available beak of the artist birds, he can not but 
regard the nest with admiration, and will award the 
work of the Harvest Mouse the palm for superiority 
over the architecture of many a bird. The outside 
of the nest is always formed from the leaves of the 
plants upon which it is built. Asa consequence of 
this the nest is concealed from all but the closest 
observation for the reason that its exterior assimi- 
lates very closely the color of the foliage by which 
it is surrounded. 

Maternal Affec- If one is fortunate enough to be 
tion inthe present the first time the mother 
Species. takes her little ones out, he has the 

opportunity of witnessing one of the most attractive 
family pictures in mammalian life. Agile as the 
members of the little crowd may be they have to 
receive some instruction, and they are also a great 
deal too much attached to the mother to wish for 
immediate independence or to rush out into the dan- 
gerous world. Therefore one little creature climbs 
up this grass stem, another is suspended from the 
next; again another chirps after the mother, while 
one may still require lacteal sustenance from her; one 
washes itself and dresses its fur, another has found a 
little grain which it daintily holds between its fore- 
paws and cracks open; the weakling restricts its 
exploits to the inside of the nest, while the most 
vigorous and courageous male has gone away farth- 
est, and perhaps is already swimming in the water 
below; in short, the entire family is actively engaged 
and the mother is the central figure of it all, helping, 
calling, leading, and protecting the whole society. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


Tractable to One can observe this graceful pic- 


Captiv- ture at ease if he takes the whole 

"ity. nest home and puts it in a close wire 
cage. Harvest Mice are easily maintained on hemp 
seed, oats, pears, sweet apples, meat and Flies, and 
the trouble one takes is repaid a thousand times by 
their many amusing traits. They make a pretty pic- 
ture when one holds out a Fly to them. Ait pounce 
upon it in great bounds, endeavor to seize it with 
their paws, and lift it to their mouths; and the ani- 
mal which succeeds in capturing it kills it with all 
the ferocity of a Lion slaughtering an Ox. Captive 
young Mice become very tame, but with advancing 
age their shyness returns, if their owner does not 
very frequently fondle them, and thus keep a sense 
of companionship constantly alive in them. 


INDIGENOUS AMERICAN MICE. 


The Mouse family, with the two hundred and fifty or more 
species, has a number of American representatives in addition 
to the immigrant Common Mouse, which has gained a very 
strong foothold, and is now distributed all over this country. 
The indigenous American Mice compose a distinct sub-family 
(Hlesperomys) in which are very many distinct species. The 
typical representative of this family is the White-footed Mouse: 
(Hesperomys leucopus). It is about three or four inches long, 
has a fawn colored fur above and is white on the under portion 
and on the feet; has large eyes with circular pupils, large 
rounded ears, graceful limbs, cheek pouches to carry its food,. 
and a well shaped head and muzzle on which is a luxuriant. 
growth of long whisker hairs. The movements of this pretty 
animal are quick and full of grace, befitting the woodland life: 
it leads, but it sometimes invades dwellings and especially out- _ 
houses. There are several local varieties of this Mouse. ~ 

An especially handsome species is that of the Golden Mouse: 
(Hesperomys aureolus) with its striking fur of a oo brown 
above and yellowish white on the under part. This animal is 
only found in the central and southern states. Many other 
igo te are known including the dark colored Michigan Mouse 
(Hesperomys michiganensis); the large Californian Mouse (/es- 
peromys californicus) with nearly naked tail and ears, which is 
a large species; and the Missouri Mole Mouse (Hesferomys 
leucogaster), a short-tailed variety. The Rice-field Mouse 
(Hesperomys oryzomys) is the largest of American Mice, large: 
specimens of which attain a length of five inches. It has a 

ark grizzly color on the back and sides, but the under portion 
and the feet are snow-white. There are numerous other spe- 
cies of American Mice, but those named are the best known. 
As to habits, the description of those of the Common Mouse is- 
about equally applicable to the indigenous American animals. 


THE HAMSTERS. 


The Hamsters comprise the last sub-family ( C7-- 
cetine). They are Mice of more or less. clumsy form 
and sometimes of large size; their upper lips are cleft. 
and they are provided with large cheek pouches and. 
three molars in each jaw. ! 

The principal anatomic characteristics of the best 
known species ( Cvicetus) are: a clumsy, sturdy. body, — 
a very short tail scantily covered with hair, and 
short limbs. There are sixteen teeth and two pairs 
of remarkably large gnawing teeth. The species 
usually dwell in corn fields in the fertile parts of 
temperate Europe, Asia and America. They dig 
deep burrows composed of several compartments in 
which they store provisions in autumn, and in these 
burrows they spend their lives, the joys and sorrows 
of which we can best ascertain by investigating the 
habits and occupations of the Common Hamster. 

The Common Hamster (Cyicetus frumentarius or 
vulgaris) is rather good looking in appearance, but. 
its temper is ugly, sulky and irritable; it is also very 
pugnacious. The animal attains a total length of 
about twelve inches, about two of which are in- 
cluded in the tail. The color of the upper parts is 
usually a light brownish yellow, with a surface tinge 
of gray. The under parts, the inner and outer sur- 


HARVEST MICE ATTACKED BY SNAKE,—Prettiest of all the Mouse family is the little Harvest Mouse. It is also noteworthy for the great 
cleverness it shows in the construction of its nest, which in compactness and neatnes building birds. Such a nest is shown 
in the picture as the center of a scene of panic and terror. A great Snake has attacked a colony of Harvest Mice, and the little Rodents are doing their best 
to escape the monster. (M/s minutus.) 


(341) 


342 


faces of the fore legs down to the feet, the inner 
surface of the hind legs, and a band over the fore- 
head are black, while the feet are white. There are, 
in point of coloration, a great many varieties, how- 
ever: some are quite black, others are black witha 
white throat and a gray scalp; others again are pale 
above and light gray below, with whitish shoulders; 
completely white individuals are also found occa- 
sionally. 
The Burrow of ts burrows consist of a large living 
the Ham- chamber, from three to six feet deep, 
ster. a sloping tunnel, termed a ‘creeping 
hole,” and a perpendicular entrance tunnel. The 
chamber communicates with the store-room by pas- 
sages. A Hamster’s burrow is easily recognized by 
the heap of earth in front of the creeping hole, 
which is usually strewn with chaff and pods, the ref- 
use of its food. The entrance tunnel is always per- 
pendicular, sometimes being so straight that one can 
thrust a long stick into it; it does not lead straight 
to the sleeping chamber, however, but diverges from 
a right line either horizontally or obliquely. The 
secondary tunnel, on the other hand, seldom runs 
straight, usually describing a curve. One can easily 
see by the appearance of the tunnels whether a bur- 
row is inhabited or not. If moss, mould or grass be 
found in them, or if they have a rough, unbeaten 
appearance, it is certain that they are deserted; for 
every Hamster keeps his house and its doorway 
remarkably clean and in order. Of the chambers, 
the smooth-walled living room is the smaller and it 
is always filled with very fine straw, usually the 
sheaths of grass blades, which form a soft bedding. 
Three tunnels converge in it: the one from the en- 
trance tunnel, the other from the creeping hole, and 
the third leading from the store-room. The store- 
room bears a complete resemblance to the first 
chamber, and is usually filled with the winter store 
of corn toward autumn. Young Hamsters have 
only one store-room, but old ones dig from three to 
five store-rooms, and in each at least a peck of grain 
may be found. 
Formerly it was erroneously believed and asserted 


that the Hamster piled up different kinds of grain 


in separate heaps. The fact is that it brings in the 
grains as it finds them and the depositing of these 
grains in separate stores is not due to the sense of 
order in the Hamster but it is because it finds only 
one certain kind of grain at a certain time.. The 
burrow of the female differs in some respects from 
the one we have described; it has only one creeping 
hole, but from two to eight perpendicular entrances, 
though only one of them is in constant use as long 
as her progeny are still young. 
Physical Pecule The Hamster is a comparatively 
jarities of the agile animal in spite of its apparent 
Hamster. clumsiness. Its gait is of a creeping 
character and resembles that of the Hedgehog, the 
abdomen nearly trailing on the ground; the length of 
its steps is short. When it is excited or aroused its 
movements are more violent and it may then make 
fairly long and high leaps. It isan expert in digging. 
If put into a barrel containing earth it immediately 
sets to work. It usually breaks the ground with its 
fore-feet, but when the soil is hard it uses its teeth 
also; the earth is first thrown under the abdomen; 
from there the hind legs fling it backward. When 
it reaches a depth too great to thus cast out the loose 
earth it walks backward and pushes out quite a 
quantity at once; but it never conveys earth in its 
mouth or fills its cheek pouches with it, as has been 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


erroneously asserted. Its movements when swim- 
ming are not awkward, though it sedulously shuns 
water. If it is thrown into a vessel filled with a 
liquid it swims briskly around, growling furiously 
all the time and generally showing that it feels 
highly indignant and uncomfortable. When taken 
by surprise by an enemy it immediately rises upon 
its hind legs and lets its fore-paws hang down, one 
usually being a little lower than the other. In this 
position it glares at the object of its resentment, 
evidently quite ready for an opportunity of rushing . 
at it and using its teeth on it. 

The perceptive faculties of the Hamster seem to 
be developed pretty uniformly; at least one does 
not perceive any one of them to be specially keen. 
Its intellectual endowments are not such as to make 
ita favorite of Man. The feeling of vicious pug- 
nacity is exhibited by it to an extent unknown 
among other Rodents of this size, with perhaps the 
exception of Rats and Lemmings. At the slightest 
provocation it assumes a defiant attitude, utters a 
deep, hollow growl, grinds its teeth and opens and 
shuts them with exceeding rapidity and violence. 
Its courage equals the violence of its temper. It _ 
defends itself against any animal that attacks it as 
long as it can. It often foils unskilled Dogs; only 
the cleverest Terriers know how to seize it and then 
to escape injury themselves they must almost in- 
stantly shake it’ to death. All Dogs detest the 
Hamster nearly as much as the Hedgehog, because 
it vexes them that they cannot force so small an 
animal to acknowledge their supremacy. The Ham- 
ster defends itself, not only against Dogs, but boldly 
attacks Man even if the latter does not take the ini- 
tiative in the combat. It happens not infrequently 
that a person in quietly passing by a Hamster’s bur- 
row suddenly has the ferocious animal hanging from 
his clothes by its teeth. It also flies at Horses, and 
if a bird of prey lifts it from the ground it continues 
to defend itself in the air. Once it has fastened 
upon something it retains so firm a hold that it must 
be killed before it lets go. 

The Vicious Dis. 1t is easily understood that so vicious 

position of the .an animal is not of a sociable disposi- 

Hamster, tion. In captivity Hamsters seldom 


live in peace with each other: ‘old ones probably — 


never do. Young individuals, less than a year old, 
agree somewhat better. I have kept three in a box 
for some time; they never quarreled, but, on the con- 
trary, huddled together in a quite friendly manner, 
one usually sitting upon the other. Young Hamsters 
from different litters attack each other immediately, 
however, and the fight is a deadly one. An amus- 
ing spectacle is afforded when a Hamster is given a 
Hedgehog as a companion. At first it looks with 
curiosity at the queer looking animal, which pays no 
attention to it, but calmly goes about its business. 
The quiet is soon disturbed, however. The Hedge- 
hog happens to come near its fellow-prisoner, an 
angry growl greets it and the frightened creature 
rolls up into a ball. Then the Hamster goes on an 
exploring tour. It sniffs at the bristly ball and a 
bloody nose teaches it an impressive lesson about 
the formidable exterior of the Hedgehog. Fiercely 
it pushes the ball away—alas! the paw is also 
wounded! Then it gnashes its teeth in rage, hisses, 
squeaks, jumps on the ball, hops down in anguish, 
then tries to push the spiny mass with its back and 
pricks its shoulder; its fury waxes hotter with every 
fruitless effort to rid itself of the monster; it only 
reaps new pricks in its feet and lips and finally, 


THE MICE—HAMSTER. 343 


partly subdued—more amazed than furious — it 
stands up on its hind legs in front of its bristly 
antagonist and regards it with a thoroughly ludi- 
crous mixture of trepidation and grim fury, or else 
it vents its rage on some other object, such as an 
innocent Hamster fellow-prisoner, upon which it 
inflicts the bites originally intended for the Hedge- 
hog. Whenever the Hedgehog stirs the perform- 
ance is repeated, to the intense amusement of the 
spectator. 

With other smaller animals it naturally agrees 
still less and even hunts them; for it is predaceous 
and its food in a great measure consists of living 
creatures. It is more partial to a diet of small 
birds, Mice, Lizards, Blindworms, Ringed Snakes, 
and insects than to vegetable food. 


Food As soon as the vegetables and greens 
of the Ham- in the fields are mature, the Ham- 
sters. 


sters are very busy with the harvest. 
Husks of linseed, lima beans and peas seem to be 


Hamsters in 
Winter Quar- 
ters. 


In the beginning of October, when 
the weather becomes cold and the 
fields are bare, the Hamster begins 
earnestly to prepare for winter. Its bed is very 
small and is closely lined with the finest straw. 
Then the half torpid animal eats its fill and curls up 
and goes to sleep. Its circulation is so diminished 
that its limbs when touched feel ice cold and are so 
rigid that the joints can only be moved with great 
effort, and if forcibly bent they immediately re- 
sume their former position, like those of animals 
which have only recently died. The eyes are closed. 
Respiration and heart beat are imperceptible. Usu- 
ally the heart beats fourteen or fifteen times a min- 
ute. The first symptom of returning animation 
before the animal awakes is a diminution of the 
rigidity. Then respiration increases in activity and 
the animal stirs; it yawns, uttering a rattling sound, 
stretches itself, opens its eyes, staggers like a 
drunken animal, tries to sit up and falls, gets on 


HAMSTERS,—Tiese Rodents, though nearly related to the Mice, have special characteristics, among which the possession of capacious 


cheek pouches is noteworthy. They are lively, alert animals which steal grain and store it in large quantities. 
enemy assumes the position shown by the sitting animal on the right hand side of the picture. 


given the preference for winter storage. The Ham- 
ster works at its harvesting in the daytime only in 
those thinly peopled localities where it is entirely 
undisturbed; its usual working time are the first half 
of the night and the early morning before sunrise. 
It bends the high blades of grain with its fore-paws, 
detaches the ear with one bite, seizes it in its paws 
and by dint of turning it around a few times, takes 
all the grains off, and collects them in its cheek 
pouches. In this way the capacious pouches are 
stored to plethoric fullness, and some Hamsters may 
carry a weight of fifty grains home at one time. An 
animal so heavily loaded has an extremely ludicrous 
appearance and is one of the clumsiest creatures in 
the world. One can pick it up without fear, for the 
crowded pouches prevent its biting; but one must 
be quick and not give it time, else it empties the 
pouches and assumes the defensive, and it can then 
inflict a painful wound. 


The animal when approached by an 
(Cricetus frumentarius.) 


its feet, reflects a little and finally moves slowly 
about; if food be given it, it devours it immediately, 
washes and strokes its fur and awakes completely. 

The Enemies It is really fortunate for humanity 

of the Ham- that the Hamster, the rapid increase 

sters. of which gives it a prodigious power 
for evil, has so many enemies. Owls, Ravens and 
other birds, and even more Polecats and Weasels, 
are on its trail unceasingly and kill it wherever and 
whenever they encounter it, and many of these pests 
are thus destroyed. 

In some regions Man wages a relentless war 
against the Hamster. The principal profit of the 
chase accrues from the provisions which this singu- 
lar quarry lays up; the people simply wash the 
grains, dry and then grind them like other grain. 
The skins are also put to account; experience has 
shown that they yield an excellent, light and dura- 
ble fur. In some localities the flesh is also eaten. 


344 
The Woles. 


SIXTH FAMILY: ArviIcoLip2. 


The family of the Voles (Arvicolide) comprises a 
considerable number of small Rodents, very similar 
to each other and showing an affinity to the Mice 
in many respects, for which reason they were for- 
merly counted to bea sub-family of them. Exter- 
nally they differ chiefly in their clumsy shape, thick 
head, ears which are entirely hidden in the fur or 
protrude to a very slight extent, and a short tail 
which attains a length equal at the most to two- 
thirds of the length of the body. 

The Arvicolide inhabit the north of the Old and 
New Worlds. They frequent plains and mountains, 
cultivated and rather thinly populated regions, fields, 
meadows, gardens, banks of rivers, lakes and ponds, 
and live in holes and burrows dug by themselves. 
Nearly all shun the proximity of Man and but few 
occasionally enter stables, barns or even gardens. 
Their burrows usually consist of single or branching 
tunnels of varying lengths, which often differ from 
those of others of their genus by reason of their 
great shallowness; some of them build dome-shaped 
habitations or other more or less intricately and art- 
fully constructed residences. The majority of the 
family live singly or in couples; occasionally, how- 
ever, they herd together in considerable numbers. 
They take their food mostly from the vegetable 
kingdom but do not disdain animal substances. 
Many lay up winter provisions, though they do not 
hibernate. In nearly all other respects they are 
similar to the true Mice. 

Habits and Pecul- Their habits are nearly identical 
iarities of the with those of the Mice; their move- 
Voles. ments are comparatively quick, 
though not as nimble and agile as those of the true 
Mice. Few species can climb, but nearly all swim 
in a masterly way; some live entirely in the water, 
others at least for months in the snow, where they 
excavate long tunnels and build -complicated nests. 
Some species undertake long migrations, probably 
impelled by scarcity of food, and it is owing to these 
migrations that several species, which formerly were 
confined to Asia, have become implanted in Europe. 
Among their perceptive senses those of smell and 
sight rank first. heir intellectual capacities are 
slight. All the species are very prolific, the fecund- 
ity of some being well-nigh incredible. Nearly all 
species are very harmful to Man and have no good 
qualities compensating for their vices, and are there- 
fore rightly detested and pursued to extermination 
in every possible manner. 


THE MUSKRAT. 


The Muskrat, Musquash or Ondatra (Fiber zibethi- 
cus) is the only useful species of the family. One 
may term it a large Water-vole with a long tail, 
broad hind paws, a blunt snout and short, hair-cov- 
ered ears which may be closed to exclude water. 
The tail is rounded only near the base, being near 
the extremity vertically compressed; the tip is two- 
edged and scaly. The fur is close, smooth, soft and 
lustrous, the woolly under fur being extremely deli- 
cate, fine and short; the outer coat has a strong lus- 
tre and is double the length of the former. The 
upper surface is either of a brown, or of a yellow- 
ish hue; the under surface is gray, with an occasional 
reddish glint; the tail is black. Adult males attain 
a total length of twenty-three inches, the tail occupy- 
ing about half of this. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


Range and Habi- The Muskrat inhabits that part of 
tations of the North America which is included 
Muskrat. between the thirtieth and _ sixtieth 
parallels of north latitude. It is most numerous in 
Alaska and Canada which are so rich in lakes and 
rivers. This animal yields a fur which is of consid- 
erable use and value. Its favorite haunts are grassy 
banks of large lakes or wide, slowly flowing streams, 
quiet rivers and swamps, but it delights most in 
rather large ponds, grown with reeds and aquatic 
plants; and there it erects a permanent habitation 
and dwells either in small colonies or in communi- 
ties of considerable numbers which form tolerably 
stable settlements. Its mode of life is in many 
respects similar to that of the Beaver; for this reason 
the Indians call the two animals brothers and affirm 
that the Beaver is the older and more intelligent 
one, while the Muskrat is the younger and more 
stupid one. The burrows of the Muskrat are like 
those of the Beaver, consisting of either plain un- 
derground chambers provided with several tunnels, 
all terminating under water, or of strongholds or 
“lodges” above ground, The latter predominate in 
the north and are of a round and spherical or dome 
shape; they stand ona heap of mud and rise above 
the surface of the water. The walls are composed 
of reeds, reed grass and sedge, cemented with mud; 
some observers, however, assert that the whole hut 
originally consisted only of mud and _ gradually 
became covered with a thin layer of drifting grass 
and sedge. The interior of the “lodge” contains a 
single chamber from sixteen to twenty-four inches 
in diameter. A tunnel which opens ‘beneath the 
water leads to it. Other tunnels, without any open- 


‘ing, run from it for some distance under the ground, 


being more or less prolonged according to circum- 
stances, their only use being for storage of the roots 
of aquatic plants. In winter the Ondatra lines its 
chambers softly with water lilies, leaves, grasses and 
reeds and provides for ventilation by loosely cover- 
ing the centre of the dome-shaped roof with plants, 
which admit a sufficient quantity of fresh air and let. 
the vitiated air out. As long as the pond or swamp 
does not freeze to the very bottom it leads a highly 
comfortable existence in its warm habitation which 
is additionally protected by a covering of snow. 


The Food of | The food consists almost wholly of 
the Musk- aquatic plants, though the empty 
rat. shells of bivalves have been found 


in some of their lodges. Audubon saw captive 
Muskrats which were very fond of Mussels. The 
species are very lively, playful creatures when in the 
water, which is their proper element. Sometimes. 
on a calm night many of them may be seen in a mill 
pond or some other deep, sequestered pool, dis- 
porting themselves, crossing and recrossing in every 
direction, leaving long, glittering ripples in their 
wake as they swim, while others stand for a few 
moments on little tufts of grass, or on stones or 
logs, from which they can reach their food floating 
on the water; others sit on the banks of the pond, 
and then plunge one after the other into the water 
like Frogs. Should a fowling piece be fired while 
the Muskrats are thus occupied, a terrible fright and 
quick dispersion ensues; dozens dive at the flash or 
disappear in their holes with frantic haste. 
The Progeny of About the reproduction of:the Musk- 
the Musk- _— rat but little is known. From three 
rat, to six young are born in the burrow ~ 
or ina hole. If they are caught young, they are 
easily tamed, this species being distinguished by a 


THE VOLES—VOLES PROPER. 


remarkably gentle and equable disposition. Old 
specimens remain vicious and intractable and can 
only be kept in boxes which are lined throughout 
with some metal which can withstand their teeth. 
They are pursued not so much on account of the 
damage they cause as owing to the profit they 
bring. Notwithstanding that some people dislike 


the fur on account of the odor of musk which clings 
to it for a long time, it is often used for trimming 
clothing, or in the manufacture of collars and muffs, 
especially in America and China. The best pelts 
are deprived of the long outer fur, dyed a dark 
brown color and used as a trimming which resembles 
the true Sealskin. The 
flesh is eaten only by In- 
dians to whom the odor, 
which pervades it to such 
a degree as to render it 
wholly unpalatable to Eu- 
ropeans, does not seem to 
be disagreeable. 
Methods of The Muskrat 
Trapping the is caught in 
uskrat. traps baited 
with apples; steel traps are 
put in front of the holes, or 
they are sometimes killed 
in their burrows. The In- 
dians know exactly which 
“lodges” are inhabited; 
they noiselessly creep up 
to those in which the ani- 
mals remain and with all 
their might drive a sharp 
spear through the walls, 
usually transfixing the in- 
habitants. 


tled Alps. (Arvicola nivalis.) 


THE VOLES PROPER. 


After the Muskrats we may consider the Voles 
Proper (Arvicola) and their allies. 
Description of None of the species renders itself so 
the Water conspicuous and obnoxious as the 
Vole. Water Vole (Arvicola amphibius), 
which is one of the most harmful of Rodents, well 
known to naturalists, among whom it has repeatedly 
been the object of dissension. 


THE MUSKRAT.—Among the Vole family of Rodents the most useful is the Muskrat, the American 
animal shown in the picture. The furis very much sought after and is one of the warmest and softest. Muskrats 
live in burrows near the water’s edge for their food consists of aquatic plants. (Fiver sidethicus.) 


345 


The Water Vole is from eight and one-nalf to 
nearly ten. inches long, the tail measuring from two 
and one-half to rather more than three inches. The 
color of thg fur may be said to be uniform; for 
the grayish brown or brownish black of the upper 
surface gradually merges into the lighter whitish or 
gray, black or brownish black hue of the under 
parts. The Water Vole 
may be readily distin- 
guished from the Domes- 
tic or Black Rat by its 
thick, round, short head, 
with strikingly short. ears 
covered with fur and not 
attaining a quarter of the 
length of the head, and its 
short tail. The color is 
variable, three variations 
of the typical form being 
particularly distinguish- 
2,.able: the Water Rat or 
Water Vole, the Italian 
Water Rat and the Ger- 
man Schermouse, the lat- 
ter a variety often found 
some distance from water. 

The Water Vole is widely 
distributed and is really no- 
where absent within its 
range, which extends from 
the Atlantic Ocean to the 
Sea of Okhotsk, from the White Sea to the Mediter- 
ranean, and it frequents alike plains and mountain- 
ous regions, occurring even in high mountains. 

Water Voles resemble Moles, Muskrats and other 
aquatic Rodents, in many respects in their habits. 
The burrows dug by the Vole near the water are al- 


oN RONG! SSS SS 


SNOW MOUSE.——Up inthe mountains, feeding on the vegetation which grows so sparsely at such lofty 
elevations, live the animals which the picture appropriately shows seeking for herbs and grass on the snow-man- 


ways simpler than those it excavates in dry gardens 
and fields. In the former a sloping tunnel leads to 
the chamber which is lined very warmly at times; 
while the Schermice variety of the species construct 
tunnels, which may be many hundred paces long, 
throwing up hillocks after the fashion of Moles and 
building the chamber in one of the larger hillocks. 
The long tunnels usually run close to the surface of 
the ground, sometimes being so nearly superficial 


346 


that the soil seems to be raised in the digging proc- 
ess, and the upper covering of the tunnel consists 
of a layer of earth only about an inch thick. Such 
tunnels are very often destroyed by accident and 
made impassable; but the Vole is tireless in its work 
of repairing, even if it has to do the same work over 
several times a day. The tunnels may easily be 
distinguished from those of the Mole, as the hills 
are more irregular, are composed of larger lumps of 
earth, do not lie in straight lines relatively to one 
another and are never open at the apex. In these 


burrows the Schermice live in couples, but these 
couples exhibit a tendency to seek locations in the 
vicinity of others thus mated. The Schermouse is 
not possessed of great running powers, but it is an 
excellent digger and swims remarkably well, though ° 
In secluded local- 


not so well as the Water Shrew. 
ities one sees it active by 
day and night; it is a wary 
creature, however, and re- 
tires into its hole when it 
notices the presence of an 
observer. It can be easily 
watched only when it roams 
among the reeds. In the 
park in Leipzig, the Water 
Voles have become so ac- 
customed to human pres- 
ence, however, that one can 
observe them with the 
greatest ease at any hour of 
the day, if he brings food 
for them. A bridge has 
been built over the narrow- 
est part of the park pond 
and under this bridge they 
have taken up their abode; 
they swim back and forth 
quite fearlessly, approach- 
ing when the children pass- 
ing or standing on the 
bridge, throw pieces of 
bread to them.” Probably 
these morsels were origi- 
nally intended for fish and 
Swans, but they attracted 
the Water Voles; the nim- 
ble swimmers, however, us- 
ually succeeded in catching = 
them, and now they receive 
them on their own account. 

Among the perceptive 
faculties of the Water Vole 
sight and hearing ‘seem to be the senses most ex- 
cellently developed. Its intellectual attributes are 
superior to those of the Rats. It is inquisitive but 
rather impassive and fairly good-natured. 

Its food is largely of a vegetable nature, and from 
this fact its presence sometimes becomes extremely 
harmful to Man especially if it takes up its abode in 
gardens. In ponds the Water Voles are much less 
destructive, except for the fact that they dig through 
dams and in this way inadvertently give the water 
an outlet. In the water they feed mainly on reed 
stems. But while preferring a vegetable diet they 
do not refuse animal food. In the water, insects and 
their larve, small Frogs, fish and Shrimps form the 
principal portions of their meals; on the ground 
they prey upon the various species of smaller Mice, 
steal the eggs of birds hatching in the grass, and 
sometimes eat large pieces off animal skins, put out 


dams, and in gardens, 


WATER VOLE.—This animal, which is usually known in Eng- 
land as the Water Rat, is found over a very large part of Europe and 
Asia, and is very mischievous both in the water, where it destroys 
(Arvicola amphibia.) 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


to soak by tanners, etc. In autumn they enlarge 
their habitations by building a store-room which is 
connected with the old nest by tunnels. The store- 
room is filled with peas, beans, onions and potatoes 
from the neighboring fields and gardens and on this 
they subsist during late autumn and spring or as 
long as the weather is mild. It is only when the 
cold is intense that they fall asleep without becom- 
ing algid, however. 

The fecundity of the Water Voles and Schermice 
is considerable. Three or four times a year from 
two to seven young are to be found in the under- 
ground warm and soft nest, individuals of various 
colors sometimes forming one litter. Sometimes 
their nests are built in a thick shrub, immediately 
above the surface of the earth and sometimes they 
are placed on the ground between reeds. 

Water Voles The Water 

Incapable of Do- Vole is not 

mestication. syited for 
confinement. It is rather 
delicate in its constitution 
and therefore requires care- 
ful attention and its dispo- 
sition is such that it never 
becomes really tame. 

The Snow Mouse High up in 

an Inhabitant the Alps, far 

of the Alps. . beyond the 
limits of other animal life, 
there exists a second vari- 
ety of this species, defying 
the severity of all seasons 
and never even temporarily 
seeking shelter in openings 
in the earth after the fash- 
ion of other Rodents in win- 
ter. We know as yet noth- 
ing of a reliable nature 
about it, and notwithstand- 
ing the fact that the ablest 
naturalists have tried to ob- 
tain an insight into its life, 
the inhospitable climate of 
its native country puts too 
many obstacles in the way 
of observation. 

Physical Charac- The Snow 

teristics of the Mouse (Ar 

Snow Mouse. wicola niva- 
dis) is a rather small crea- 
ture, the total length being 
seven inches, of which the 
body occupies nearly five inches, the tail not quite 
two and one-half. Its fur is parti-colored; the upper 
surface is light brownish gray, the middle of the 
back being darker than the flanks. The under parts 
are grayish white and the line of demarcation is 
fairly sharp. _ Well-defined variations also occur. 

The Bank Vole— The Bank Vole (Arvicola glareolus) 

Its Home and is a small animal, the body of which 

Habits, is two inches in length, while its tail 
is nearly two inches long. It is parti-colored, the 
upper surface being brownish red, dashed with gray 
at the hips and the under parts and feet are white, 
the colors being separated by a sharp line of de- 
marcation. 

It is generally found in forests or on their out- 
skirts, among shrubbery or in groves or park-like 
gardens. It is known in Hungary, Croatia, Molda- 
via and Russia. Its diet is more of an animal than 


THE VOLES—FIELD MICE. B47 


of a vegetable character, as it mainly subsists on in- 
sects and worms and in a wild state may occasion- 
ally catch a small bird. When in a state of captivity 
it is partial to an animal diet. It also eats corn, 
seeds and bulbous roots and the bark of young trees, 
especially in winter. When the species is numerous 
in a forest it can cause untold damage by gnawing 
the bark of young shoots and it sometimes com- 
pletely destroys an immense number of newly 
planted trees. It rarely wanders far away from its 
forest home but will occasionally visit neighboring 
fields and there causes great damage after the man- 
ner of others of 
its family. 

It bears con- 
finement and be- 
comes tolerably 
ame in a short 
= time. It gener- 
>. ally lives peace- 
ably when asso- 
ciated with oth- 
ers of its own or 
: allied species. 

The Red-backed Meadow Mouse (Evotomys gapperi) is the 
representative of a distinct sub-family of the Voles distin- 
guished from all the other Arvicoles by peculiarities of denti- 
tion and cranial development. It is the American congener 
of the Bank Vole to which it is closely allied. In fact, it is held 
by several authorities that the Red-backed Meadow Mouse and 
the Bank Vole are both southern climatic offshoots of a still 


more northern species, the Red Vole (Arvicola rutilus) which is 
an inhabitant of northern Europe, Siberia and arctic America. 


Field Vole or Lhe Field Vole or Short Tailed Field 

Short Tailed Field Mouse ( Arvicola agrestis) is the rep- 

Mouse. resentative of a distinct sub-species. 

Its fur is two-colored; the upper parts are dark 

brownish gray, the flanks somewhat lighter, the 

abdomen and feet grayish white; the tail is also dark 
brown above and grayish white below. 

The Field Vole inhabits the northern portions of 

the Old World: Scandinavia, Denmark, Great Brit- 
ain, northern Germany and France; it usually lives 
in shrubs, woods, edges of woods, ditches, on dams, 
etc., but only in localities where there is plenty of 
water, sometimes co-existing with allied species, 
Its diet is mainly vegetable. Its movements are so 
slow and clumsy that one can easily catch it.» It is 
not shy or timorous, but often appears at the en- 
trance of its hole in broad daylight. Its round nest 
is constructed just below the surface of the earth 
but is strongly protected from collapse or caving 
from above by thick tufts of grass and similar ma- 
terials. Three or four times a year litters containing 
from four to seven young are born. The offspring 
grow rapidly and from their birth greatly resem- 
ble their parents in appearance and characteristics. 
They can easily be kept in confinement. 
In the United States are very many species 
of this family of Rodents related to the 
Field Voles, and the Meadow Mice of North 
America are as destructive on the farms of 
this country as are the Voles in Europe. All of the American 
Arvicolide, 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 rifarius) 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 
of the southern states is a near relative of the northern Meadow 
Mouse, but has a smoother coat and is more highly colored. 


me. % ¥ ~ 
RED-BACKED MEADOW MOUSE. 
(Evotomys gapperi.) 


American Species 
of the Field 
Voles. 


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 being yellowish 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, } T 
crossing moun- / | 
tain ridges and 
wide rivers. It is 
a good runner : 
and an excellent ¢ 
swimmer, but 
climbs little and 
awkwardly. In 
digging it is an 
expert. It bur- 
rows more quick- 
ly than any other £7! 
Mouse and seems 
to. be tireless in 
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. 


AMERICAN MEADOW MouskE. (Arvicola riparius.) 


The Diet of | \t 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 


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. Inthe 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. of extermination, which have so far 


been devised, appear insufficient in the face of the 
enormous multiplication of those voracious hordes; 
only epidemics, breaking out among them and toa 
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, 
Hares 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 In Siberia, from the Ob to the Onon, 
Vole A Si- there exists an Arvicole, which is 
beria. 


also worthy of notice, though for 
reasons different from those entitling the Campagnol 
to notice; it is the Root Vole (Arvicola wconomus). 
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. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


Habits The Root Vole is sometimes found 
of ve Root in great numbers in plains and is 
ole. 


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 toa 
large, round nest, twelve inches in diameter. The 
nest does not lie very deep underground and is con- 
nected with several very spacious siore-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 asatea. 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 

ness for species of Arvicolide is their fond- 

Travel. 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 and Sables which 
always accompany these armies. 


THE LEMMINGS. 


The Lemmings (Myodes) 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 ‘Lhe typical form of the variety, the 

the Lem- Lemming (MZyodes lemmus, Lemmus 
ming. norwegicus), 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. and 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 1518, the 


THE VOLES—LEMMING. 349 


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 


large part of the crops. (Arvicola arvalis.) 


produced in the clouds, was not known. Other 
authors simply copy the account of the bishop, and 
Linnzus 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 
1860 especially on the 
Dovenfjeld, and so have 
been able to become fa- 
miliar with them by my 
own experience. 

The Lemming a The ani- 
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 


= 


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 


: aes, 
THE LEMMINGS. Overrunning northern E 
companies, the Lemmings are among the most interesting of Rodents. They are shown in the picture engaged on 
one of their journeys, although those in the foreground are picking up a meal on their way, 


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 Lemmings on one 


a ~ 


aking great migrations in large 
(Myodes lemmus.) 


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 


and every creature in a foolhardy way. Many are 
run over in the streets by carriages, as they defiantly 
ut themselves in the roadway and do not move. 
he 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. Linnzus 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 ‘Lhe 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 
mings. of food, brought about by a peculiar 
combination of circumstances, as happens some- 
times with other Arvicolida. 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 Arvicolide, 
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 after hundreds of 
thousands have.perished from hunger, disease and 
the fatigue and casualties of traveling, the survivors 
again try to gain those heights which are 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 
Arvicolide. 
The Migration It certainly is fortunate that the 
Fortunate creatures have so many natural foes 
for Man. and perish in such immense num- 
bers on their journeys; else they would overrun the 
whole country, and devour everything eatable. The 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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. pares 5 ‘ 
; A little animal of the United States an 
oe ae tae Canada, extending from the Ohio Valley to 
inact Alaska, is the Lemming Vole or Cooper's 
HC. 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. 


The Mole Rats. 


SEVENTH FAMILY: SpaLacip&. 


The family of the Mole Rats (Spa/acid@) 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. 


. aj 

THE MOLE RAT,—The clumsy, almost blind creature, shown 
sentative of a peculiar deep burrowing family of Rodents. 
name, it makes mounds at the mouth of its burrow. 
protruding gnawing teeth are shown here. (Spalax typhlus.) 


The Common 
Mole Rat or 
Slepez. 


The best known species of the fam- 
ily is the Common Mole Rat or 
Slepez (Spalax typhlus). The head 
terminates ina 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 


Mice. 


form almost the sole vegetation. 


in the picture, is the repre- 
Like the Mole, from which it derives its 
Its strong claws for digging and its powerful 


ORD’S POCKET MOUSE,-— } 
Its long hind legs, 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. 


(Difodomys philippii.) 


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 
digging, gnawing through roots and 
pulverizing the earth between them. 

Physical Char- Lhe 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 


he typical animal of the exclusively. American family of the Pocket 


Ms 1S 


Itis appropriately depicted in a desert spot where cacti 


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. 


352 THE RODENTS OR 


The Pocket Mice. 
EIGHTH FAMILY: SaccomyID&. 


Leaving the Mole Rats we may pass to the con- 
sideration of a family, indigenous to North and Cen- 
tral America, the Pocket Mice (Saccomyide). 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 
cheek 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 (Saccomyine ;) 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. cies, Ord’s Pocket Mouse (Dipodo- 
mys philippii) 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 
from 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 which 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. 


GNAWING ANIMALS. 


Other Species 
of Pocket 
Mice. 


This family of Mice with cheek pouches 
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 Ro- 
dents are called Pocket Mice, Kangaroo Rats and various 
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 New Mexico, Arizona and adjoining states, is about 
the size of the Common Mouse, but has a long, tufted tail. A 
much larger a (Perognathus fasciatus) is about the size 
of a Chipmunk, 1 

tuftless tail. The thitd species (Perognathus hispidus) is in 


size intermediate between the other two species and. has 


coarser hair than either of them. 
The third genera of this sub-family com- 


Least Pocket . r 
; ‘minutiye Prises what have been appropriately called 
an Sncclga the Least Pocket Mice ic vicetodipus). 


These little animals are not quite two inches 
long, 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 (//eteromys) 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 (Geomys) 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 ‘Lhe Pouched Gopher ( Geomys bursa- 
Gophera —vius), 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 


is of more ponderous build and has a shorter, 


ad x 


THE POCKET MICE—GOPHER. 


the Mississippi, between the thirty-fourth and fifty- 
second parallel of north latitude. It leads an under- 
ground life, exactly similar to that of the Mole, dig- 
ging numerous, complicated tunnels in various and 
most erratic directions and throwing up heaps of 
earth, resembling Mole’s hills. 

Tunnels of old standing are packed hard and firm 
from constant use, while newer ones are not. Lat- 
eral passages branch off at intervals. The main 
chamber is situated under the roots of a tree at a 
depth of about four and one-half feet; the entrance 
tunnel is sunk down to it with a spiral direction. 

i This chamber is of 

Fo great dimensions, lined 

throughout with soft 
grass, not unlike a 
_ Squirrel’s nest, and 
serves the animal asa 
resting and sleeping 
place. The nest in 
ee, _which the young, num- 
; .. “< “bering from five to 

Least Pocket Mouse. seven in each litter, are 
Sees mi merer) born about the end of 

March or beginning of April, is much like the de- 
scribed chamber, but it is lined with the hair of the 
mother. Like the Mole’s nest, it is also surrounded 
by circular passages from which the tunnels radiate. 
Gesner found that a passage leads from the nest to 
a larger hole, the store-room, which is usually filled 
with roots, potatoes, nuts and seeds. The Gopher 
works most diligently at the excavation and enlarg- 
ing of its habitation in the morning hours from four 
to ten, undoubtedly with the intention of obtaining 
roots. If the locality has an abundant supply of 
food, from three to five yards of burrow may be ex- 


cavated in this time and ee a 


from two to five mounds 
are thrown up, but if food 
be scanty the animal digs 
for a greater distance and 
works for a longer time. 
Sometimes it suspends its 
work for weeks, apparently 
subsisting on its stored-up 
provisions at such times. 
When throwing up the 
earth, which it does in a 
manner resembling that of 
the Mole, the Gopher ex- 
poses itself to view as little = 
as possible and immediate- Se 
ly after accomplishing its ig 
purpose, plunges back into 
the hole. It appears above 
ground to gather dry grass 
for its living-room or nest, aoe 
and also, according to Au- 
dubon, to bask in the sun. 
Its acute sense of hearing 
and excellent power of scent protect it from sur- 
prises; when it apprehends danger it instantly rushes 
underground, even if it has to secure its retreat by 
sinking a new shaft. 


eee ae 


Peculiari- On the surface of the ground the 
ties of the Gopher hobbles along in a clumsy 
Gopher. way, proceeding at a pace about as 


fast as a Man’s walk. While eating it often sits on 
its haunches and uses its fore-paws after the manner 
of Squirrels. When sleeping, it curls up and reposes 
its head on the chest, between its fore legs. It fills 


A, : ; Sern : ~ 
PUM am! Yalu 


almost bare tail are all well depicted here. 


353 


its cheek pouches, which are of dimensions to excite 
astonishment in the mind of one unacquainted with 
the animal, by using its tongue in the process of 
deposition while grazing, and empties them with its 
fore paws. As is the case with other Rodents, when 
they become obese their increase of bulk is alto- 
gether lateral, and they become broad, measured 
across the back; in this condition they assume an 
oblong ovoid shape, never having hanging-down 
sacks on the sides of the snout nor the body drag- 
ging on the earth. The assertion that they use their 
cheek pouches to remove the excavated earth from 
their burrows is based wholly on imagination. 


The Gopher The damage done by a Gopher may 
an Exeny of assume considerable proportions. It 
an, 


sometimes destroys hundreds of 
valuable trees in a few days, by gnawing their roots, 
and sometimes destroys entire plots of bulbous or 
tuberous plants. For this reason Man is arrayed 
against it and is really its most dangerous enemy, 
the only other foes it has to fear besides the agricul- 
turist being water and Snakes. 
Audubon’s Obser- Audubon kept several Gophers in 
vationsof —_ captivity for weeks, feeding them on 
Gophers. potatoes. They exhibited an ex- 
ceedingly voracious appetite, but refrained from 
drinking, though he offered them not only water 
but also milk. Their efforts to regain their liberty 
were incessant, consisting in gnawing their way 
through boxes and doors. They exhibited an 
extremely acquisitive disposition, and constantly 
dragged clothing and all kinds of similar objects 
together, utilizing them as bedding, suiting them to 
such purpose by gnawing them to pieces. One of 
them, straying into a boot, instead of turning back, 
simply gnawed its way through the tip. This habit 


i; “ 


Se . ae 
ae My ge a, ne a 
: en ee SSS 


(Geomys bursarius.) 


of constantly gnawing, and the noise thereby pro- 
duced, made the animals unbearable, even to so de- 
voted and self-denying a naturalist as Audubon. 
Si bical animal jus scri 
Other Gophers fren ce the Seuthern Gopher or Salamen- 
wor lng der (Geomys tuza) which is very much like 


tail and feet entirely bare and shows some differences in den- 
tition. It is found in the southern Atlantic states. “Sala- 
mander” is its common name in that section, and, curiously 
enough, the name “Gopher” jis there applied to a species of 
turtle, and in some of the western states various kinds of 
Spermophiles, or Ground Squirrels, are also erroneously called 


the ordinary Pouched Gopher but has its _ 


3o4 


“Gophers.” The Chestnut-Cheeked Gopher ( Geomys casta- 
nops) is a small species, about ten inches long, found in Texas 
and New Mexico. The fur of this species is soft and glossy. 
In striking contrast is the harsh, lustreless fur of the Quachil 
(Geomys hispidus) of Central America, and the closely allied 
Mexican Gopher (Geomys mexicanus) both of which are large 
species about equal in size to thé common Pouched Gopher. 
Belonging to the same sub-family as the Gophers are the 

animals known as Pocket Rats ( 7omomys), which differ from 
the Gophers in having smooth-edged incisors, ears shetuy 
more developed, smaller claws, and relatively larger chee! 
pouches. The common Pocket Rat (Zhomomys talpotdes) is 
about eight inches long, the upper part of the fur varying in 
color from a gray toa brown or reddish hue, The lower por- 
tion is always of lighter tint and quite often white. From the 
Mississippi valley west to California from the Gulf of Mexico 
to Hudson’s Bay these Rodents may be found. Like the Go- 
yhers, they are burrowing animals. “Other species of Pocket 
tats are known, one being the Rocky Mountain Pocket Rat 
| Thomomys clusius), six inches long, with a tail about one and a 
quarter inches, 


~The Porcupines. 


NINTH FAMILY: HystTRIcHIDA&, 


The Porcupines (Hystrichide) show a much greater 
development of a defensive coat (its armor being 
composed of quills) than do other mammals which 
are simply equipped with bristles. The entire group 
takes its name from its best known member, and to 
enable one to recognize any individual, there is not 
needed a lengthy descrip- j 
tion of the anatomical 
peculiarities which char- 
acterize the species. The 
quills are a common attri- 
bute of all animals belong- 
ing to the group, though 
the different species ex- 
hibit a great diversity in 
form. 

Range and Habits All Porcu- 
of the Porcu- pines are 
pines, natives of the temperate and warm 
countries of the Old and New Worlds. In the West- 
ern Hemisphere one finds the climbing species, in 
the Eastern the burrowing species predominate. 
The Old World Porcupines are confined to a life on 
the ground, and those of the New World to an ex- 
istence on trees. In accordance with these condi- 
tions the former live in thinly grown forests and 
steppes, hidden during the day in tunnels and holes 
dug in the hard, compact soil; the latter inhabit ex- 
tensive forests and pass their hours of retirement 
curled up in a fork of the branches of a thick tree- 
top, or sitting in a hollow tree trunk. The move- 
ments of the species during the day are slow, meas- 
ured, sluggish. With the advent of night, however, 
when they have become thoroughly awake, some 
run along very nimbly on the ground and at a con- 
siderable pace, while others climb up and down the 
branches with considerable agility, although in this 
respect they do not equal Squirrels. Those inhab- 
iting the ground are most skillful burrowers, and 
know how to remove all obstructions that the hard- 
ness of the ground may occasion. Among their 
perceptive senses that of the organ of smell seems 
to be most efficient, the sense of touch being devel- 
oped to a high degree in the climbing Porcupines; 
sight and hearing are more or less deficient in all 
the species. Their intellectual capacities are on a 
low plane of intelligence, They are stupid, forget- 
ful, deficient in resources, malicious, violent, shy and 


. (Thomomys talpoides.) 


THE RODENTS OK GNAWING ANIMALS. 


timid, though when confronted by an enemy all of 
them try to intimidate their opponents by erecting 
their quills and some by producing a rattling noise 
with the spines on their tails. They are as little in- 
clined to live on amicable terms with creatures of 
other species as with individuals of their own kind; 
a choice morsel may provoke a serious quarrel be- 
tween even male and female. One never sees two 
Porcupines playing together or engaged in friendly 
intercourse with each other. They never evince 


friendship for the keeper who cares for them and ~ 


apparently never know how to distinguish him from 
other persons, Their vocal expressions are a dull 
grunt, a snort, a low moan, or a squeal which is diffi- 
cult to describe. $i 

The food of the Porcupines consists 


Food 
of the Poreu- of all vegetable substances, from 
pines. roots up to fruit. Nearly all Por- 


cupines seem to be able to abstain from water for a 
considerable time; probably the dew which is de- 
posited on the leaves, which they eat, is sufficient 
for their needs. 


THE PORCUPINES PROPER. 


The Porcupines proper (//ystvix) are easily recog- 
nized by their short, stoutly formed body, their 
heavy blunt muzzled head set ona stout neck, their 
short tail thickly studded with quills, as is the 
remainder of the body, which is thus incased in a 
defensive armor of spines 
developed out of all pro- 
portion to the size of the 
body. Their further char- 
acteristics are the small, 
roundish ears, the wide 
upper lips and the cleft 
between the nostrils. 

The Common The Common 

Porcupine Porcupine 
a Type. ( Hystrix cris- 
zata) is of stouter propor- 
tions, though not longer than a European Badger, 
and appears to be much larger than it really is, 
owing to its quills. 
six inches; the tail measures four and one-half 
inches, and the height at the shoulder is nine and 
one-half inches; the weight ‘ranges between thirty 
and forty pounds. The short, blunt muzzle and the 
nose are adorned with only a few. hairs; the thick 
upper lip is covered with several rows of lustrous 
black whisker-hairs and similar bristles grow on 
small protuberances above and behind the eyes. 


Along the neck there is a mane composed of very 


long, strong, curved quills, slanting when at rest in 
a backward direction; these may be erected or de- 
pressed at will. They are thin and flexible, in part 
white, in part gray and usually tipped with white. 
The remainder of the upper surface of the body is 
overgrown with smooth and sharply pointed. bristles 
of varying lengths, alternately of dark or blackish 
and white color, implanted but loosely in the skin 
and therefore easily pulled out and intermingled in 
all parts with bristly hairs. On the sides of the 
body, on the shoulders and near the tail the quills 
are shorter and blunter than those in the middle of 
the back. The long and flexible quills attain a 
length of sixteen inches, while the short, stout ones 
are only from six to twelve inches long and may be 
one-fifth of an inch thick. They are all hollow in 
the middle or else théy are filled with a sponge- 
like marrow, the base and tip being mostly white. 


Its length amounts to twenty- 


# 


ra. 


Bed: 


a 


y- 


THE COMMON PORCUPINE.—The long spines that clothe this animal have made it known all over the world, although only found in 
northern Africa and southern Europe. The picture shows a Porcupine with spines erect ready to defend itself. It is very properly shown in 
arboreal surroundings, and its fighting attitude is doubtless assumed because of the threatening appearance of the Snake in’ the foreground, 
(Aystrix cristata.) 


356 


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, 
cupine. low 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 remains in it 
sleeping for several days at a time. It does not 
really hibernate. 
The Porcupine’s If a Porcupine be taken 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 Poreu- 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 
spines grow rapidly and soon harden, though they 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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 Porcue 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 (Cervcolabine) 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 Inthe northern half of America the 
or Canadian Por- Tree Porcupines are represented by 
cupine. the Urson or Canadian Porcupine 
(Ervithizon dorsatum). It, as well as its only known 
kinsman, differs from the South American Cercola- 
binz 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 bya 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 PORCUPINES—TREE OR CLIMBING. 


tucky, 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 Ur- 


son,” says Cartwright, “is an accomplished climber 
and probably never descends a tree in winter, before 


\ 


which an admirable illustration is here given. 


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- ehens 
dom of the garden, they colabes nove hispania.) 
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 


marked physical peculiarities. 


rmerly plentiful in the northern United States but now quite 
rare in this country, although not so scarce in Canada is the Urson, otherwise called the Canadian Porcupine, of 
The strange, blunt head, the long, erectile hair interspersed with 
spines, the four strong claws of the fore feet are shown in the animals here portrayed. 


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 Dog 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 of Por- 


4 ‘= 


(Erithizon dorsatum.) 


eh een” 
i: Mewe® 


The long curly hair, concealing to great extent the quills with which the animal 
bristles, the prehensile tail, the strong claws and queer bewhiskered muzzle are all shown in the picture. 


(Cer- 


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.” 


858 
The Urson Indians alone know how to utilize 
Eaten byIn- 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 atter 
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- Lhe Cercolabes proper comprise the 
acteristics of the species furnished with 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 


4 


deep groove which extends along its entire length. The tail is the most characteristic feature, the tuft consisting of a 
bunch of spines so flattened that Buffon compares their appearance to narrow, irregular strips 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 eastern coast of Mexico is. in- 
habited by the Mexican Porcupine 
( Cercolabes nove hispanie@), a crea- 
ture of thirty-eight inches total length, the tail occu- 
pying about one-third of this. The glossy hair is 
very thick. and soft, slightly curly and so long as 
to completely cover many of the spines, The under 
parts are deficient in spines with the exception of 
the lower portions of the throat, the inner surfaces 
of the limbs, the muzzle and the outer half of the 
tail. This latter organ toward the end is devoid of 
any covering ‘above, while below it is thickly set 
with black bristles. Along its flanks the animal dis- 
plays a yellow coloration. The muzzle is equipped 
with very long whiskers. The quills are sulphur 
yellow, tipped with black; thin at the base, of. uni- 
form thickness along their middle portions, and then 
again taper suddenly; the middle part is smooth and 
polished and the point is sharp as a needle and pro- 
vided with a barbed hook. So long as the creature 
is peacefully reposing but very little of the quills is 
exhibited with the exception of those implanted 
around the eyes and ears. When it is excited by 
the presence of an enemy and its blood is up, it 
erects all its quills so that they stand out in all 
directions, and if one strokes the fur with one’s 
hand he feels them everywhere. These quills are 


The Mexican 
Porcu- 
pine. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


set so loosely in the skin that they fall out at the 
slightest touch, and if a person strokes the fur but 
once, dozens of them are pulled out, some of them 
invariably sticking to the hand. 
The Couiya Accurate information concerning the 
South American life in the free state of this and all 
Species. other species of the Cercolabinz is 
very meager. We know most about a closely allied 
species, the Couiy (Cercolabes villosus), of which 
Azara, Rengger, Prince von Wied and Burmeister 
have written the results of their observations. It is 
thinly distributed all over Brazil and the country 
south of it as far as Paraguay, being known every- 
where but common nowhere. It usually selects 
dense forests of high 
trees as its habitations. 
The greater part of the 
year it lives solitary in 
a fixed location, always 
keeping to the trees, in 
the branches of which it 
moves about with con- 
siderable agility. Dur- 
ing the day it rests, 
sleeping in a curled up 
attitude in its nest in the 
fork of a limb; during 
the night it prowls about, 
climbing slowly and with 
great circumspection. 
Hensel lays stress on the 
fact that it is protected 
by what Mr. Darwin and 
other eminent naturalists 
term ‘natural imitation,” 
in that it corresponds to 
its surroundings with re- 
gard to shape and color- 
ing. ‘ Nature,” says he, 
“seems to specially favor 
this Porcupine, for she did not content herself with 
protecting it from foes among the inferior animals 
and beasts of prey, but also made provision against 
the attack of birds of prey. A quantity of long, fine 
hairs project beyond the quills. When the animal 
sits quietly and half curled up on the branches of a 
tree, these long hairs give it a striking and most 
deceptive resemblance to a lump of a certain kind 
of gray moss (beard moss), and even a keen-sighted 
sportsman often readily passes it by, deceived by the 
long hair flowing in the wind, or occasionally shoots 
into a piece of that parasitic plant, not being able 
to exhibit a trophy of his prowess or boast much of 
his deed afterwards.” The attitude assumed by the 
Cercolabes on trees is peculiar. It sits on its hind 
legs, keeps its fore-feet close to them, sometimes 
inverting them so as to support itself on the backs 
of the fore-paws, instead of the soles; the head is 
kept to one side, the tail is extended and curved 
upwards, forming a hook. Usually it assures its 
holds by coiling its tail round a branch, It sits very 
securely without this help, however, even on the 
smallest twigs, as the wide fore-feet, with their in- 
ward curve, afford a firm hold. In climbing it 
presses the broad, fleshy soles of the feet close to 
the branches and grasps them with the toes which 
have a prehensile power analogous to that of human 
fingers. 
The food of the Cercolabes consists mainly of 
fruit, buds, leaves and roots, which it carries to its 
mouth with its hands. 


THE GUINEA PIG FAMILY. 


The Couly To describe its life in captivity I will 
in Captiv- quote Azara’s observations: “I had 
ity. a specimen in my possession which 
had been captured when fully matured; I permitted 
it to range my room at will and left it a year without 
water; for it does not drink. When frightened by 
anything it ran with comparative agility; I could 
always overtake it, however, by following at a lei- 
surely pace. All its movements are more or less 
clumsy; but it readily climbs up and downa stick and 
grasps it so firmly that it requires considerable effort 
to loosen its hold. The back of a chair, the point of 
a perpendicular stake afford it a sufficiently good 
resting-place upon which to sleep and even recu- 
perate. It is slow-witted and of so quiet and lazy 
a disposition that it sometimes does not change 
its place or attitude for twenty-four or forty-eight 
hours. My prisoner never moved except when it 
was feeding. Once only did I see it running about 
at night, nevertheless I believe it to be a nocturnal 
animal. In the first days of its captivity my Cerco- 
labes would sit down onthe back of a chair, but 
never on anything having a plane surface; one day, 
however, it climbed up a window and discovered the 
edge of the window-shutter; it sought no further for 
a retreat after this. On the shutter it spent all its 
time, sitting like a statue in its extraordinary posi- 
tion, without the slightest movement. It held on 
only with its hinder feet, using neither fore feet nor 
tail to secure its position, crossed its fore legs and 
ut its muzzle into them, as if it wished to kiss its 
ands. Thus it sat, without moving, without look- 
ing about even, till the 
hour of its meal arrived. 
It ate very little of the 
proffered bread, maize, 
manioc roots, herbs, leaves 
and flowers, but showed a 
tendency to vary its diet. 
It never exhibited vicious 
tendencies, never bit nor 
scratched, and never did 
anybody any harm. 
Physical Senses “The sense 
and Appearance of smell is 
of the Couiy. the acutest 
among its senses of per- 
ception. I observed my 
pet raise its head when I 
drank chocolate or entered 
the room carrying flowers, 
so I could safely infer that 
it perceived odors at con- 
siderable distances. Never 
did I see it exhibit intel- 
lectual emotion or signify 
its grief or pleasure. 
Sometimes it would recog- 
nize the voice of its famil- 
jars and turn its head when its name was called.” 
The external appearance of this species presents 
so few inviting features that it is but rarely caught 
and reared by the savage tribes inhabiting the coun- 
tries of which it is a native. These tribes eat its 
flesh, however, which is disdained by Europeans on 
account of its unpleasant odor. 
The Coendou Lhe Coendou (Cercolabes prehensilis) 
a South Ameri- is very similar in appearance to the 
can Species. Couiy, so far as relates to its 
general shape, but is of a perceptibly stronger 
and larger build. Its length amounts to forty-four 


359 


inches, eighteen of which are included in the tail. 
The surface covered by quills begins with the face, 
continues throughout the entire upper surface, 
clothes the legs to the ankle-joints, and includes the 
upper half of the tail and all the lower part of 
the body. The quills are not habitually depressed, 
and do not lie close to the body. A few hairs, which 
intermingle with them, are concealed from view and 
become visible only when the quills are removed to 
one side. . 
The Coendou in Little is known about the life of the 
aStateof | Coendou in its natural condition. 
Nature. The animal is distributed over a con- 
siderable part of southern and Central America and 
is quite plentiful in some localities. After the habit 
of its relatives it sleeps through the day, perched on 
the top of a tree in the curled-up attitude already 
described in connection with the accounts of its kin 
heretofore given; at night it runs among the branches 
slowly, but with considerable skill and great sure- 
footedness. Leaves of all kinds constitute its nour- 
ishment. The flesh is in great demand with the 
natives as an article of food and the quills are also 
put to manifold uses. 


The Cavies or Guinea Pig Family. 


TENTH FAMILY: Cavirp. 


The external distinguishing features of the Cavies 
( Caviide) to which our well-known Guinea Pig be- 


-~ 


THE COENDOU.— One of the most common of the South American Tree Porcupines is the Coendou. It 
is completely covered with quills which conceal the hair, and its long tail possesses a prehensile quality equal to 
that of the Monkeys inhabiting the same region. It is a distinctly arboreal animal and the artist has placed 
the two in the picture amid appropriate surroundings. 


(Cercolabes prehensilis.) 


longs, and which occupy an intermediate position 
between the murine and leponine families, consists 
of a more or less elongated body, supported by long 
legs, four-toed fore-feet, and from three to five-toed 
hind feet, provided with large, hoof-like, triangular 
nails (resembling those of an Ox or Goat), and 
with naked soles; a stub-like tail, ears of varying 
size and a coarse fur. The teeth consist of four 
molars in each row of about uniform size and large, 
broad gnawing teeth, the external surfaces of which 
are generally of a white color. All Cavies are re- 
stricted in habitat to southern and Central America. 


360 


THE GUINEA PIG. 


Our universally known Guinea Pig (Cavia porcel- 
dus) has so far, in point of pedigree, shared the fate 
of many domestic animals; its progenitors can not 
be traced with accuracy. The record of its geneal- 
ogy is lost in antiquity. As far as known the little 
creature was introduced into Europe by the Dutch, 
soon after the discovery of America, that is, in the 
sixteenth century. Gesner had even at his early 
day become acquainted with it, and from that time 
it has been bred continuously, but until recently the 
original stock from which it descended was quite 
commonly (and probably erroneously) thought to 
be the Brazilian Aperea or Restless Cavy (Cavia 
aperea). Nehring’s investigations,, however, have 


proved that it springs from the Peruvian Cavy 
(Cavia cutleri),a species closely allied to the Rest- 
less Cavy, and kept in that country in a domesti- 
cated state as early as the times of the Incas, 


As 


GUINEA PIG 


domestic pet in Europe. 


are very docile in captivity. (Cavia porcellus.) 


A. Stubel told Nehring, it is even to-day bred and 
used as an article of diet by the Indians of Peru, 
Ecuador and Columbia; but it has never been found 
with the isolated and uncivilized aborigines of Brazil. 
Color of the Besides uniformly colored Guinea 
Guinea Piga Re- Pigs, among which the white ones 
sult of Breeding. predominate, one usually sees them 
of three colors: spotted with white, tawny yellow 
and black. As a result of Nehring’s investigations 
of the Guinea Pig mummies in the.cemetery of 
Ancon in Peru, it is claimed that the Inca Guinea 
Pigs showed no black spots. They were either all 
white, or reddish brown, or, if piebald, spotted re- 
spectively with tawny or yellowish white. Accord- 
ing to Haacke’s observations, tri-colored specimens, 
with spots of ashy gray instead of black, are not 
uncommon; the eyes of such individuals are always 
red. Lately the long-haired Guinea Pig has become 
very popular; it is a breed which has a long fur, 
exhibiting peculiar convolutions on different parts 
of the body. 


Cultivation has developed many variations in their color. 
ably a corruption of “Guiana Pig.” As will be seen by the picture, they are plump, intelligent, pretty animals, and 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


The Guinea Pig is one of the most popular domes- 
tic animals in the entire order of the Rodents, as 
much on account of the small cost of its mainte- 
nance as because of its inoffensive, good-natured dis- 
position. If it has an airy, dry hutch or cage, it is 
easily kept anywhere. It feeds on the most multi- 
farious vegetable diet, ranging from roots to leaves, 
on grains as well as fresh juicy plants and requires 
only a little variety in its food. If it is given juicy 
fruit it can thrive without drinking water at all, 
though it is exceedingly fond of milk occasion- 
ally. It is naturally very hardy and bears even ill- 
treatment without apparent ill results. For this 
reason it is a very pleasant pet for children, which 
are generally the ones that most enjoy the keeping 
of Guinea Pigs. In its habits and disposition it 
shows an approximation to the Rabbits in some 
respects, and to the Mice in others. Its manner of 
vocal expression is a grunt, which probably gives 
rise to the appellation of “Pig,” and a peculiar 
murmur, or Cat-like 
purr and squeal. The 
murmur seems to be an 
expression of comfort, 
while the squeal always 
signifies excitement. 


Domestic Guinea 
Habits of the Pigs live 
Guinea Pig. in pai rs 


and the male and female 
of the species keep to- 
gether and treat each 
other with marital affec- 
tion and tender consid- 
eration. Cleanly, like 
most Rodents, one mate 
often licks the other, 
and sometimes uses its 
fore -feet to comb the 
other’s fur. While one 
of the couple sleeps, the 
other mounts guard; if 
it finds the time tedious 
and becomes weary 
itself, it awakes its mate, 
licking and stroking it, 
and as soon as it sees it 
thoroughly awake it lies 
down to sleep while its 
mate keeps watch. 
Propagation of Few mammals are as prolific as the 
the Guinea = Guinea Pig. In Germany from two 
Pigs. to three, sometimes four or five 
young are born two or three times a year; in hot 
countries the fecundity of the female is greater and 
the young number six or seven. The little ones are 
highly developed at birth, their eyes are open and 
a few hours after they are born they are able to run 
about with the mother. At the age of five or six 
months they are capable of breeding themselves, 
and at eight or nine months old they have attained 
their full size. With good case they may attain an 
age of six or eight years. 
Susceptibility to 1f one pays much attention to the 
Domestication of Guinea Pigs, he can render them very 
Guinea Pigs. tame, though they never lose all 
their timidity and rarely acquire sufficient intelli- 
gence to distinguish their keeper from other people, 
owing to their slender mental capacities. There are 
exceptions to this rule, however. ‘A Guinea Pig 
belonging to my children,” writes Friedel, “greets 


The term ‘‘ Guinea Pig ”’ is prob- 


Li 


CHE 


ZF 


PZ 


\ 
\ 


— 
St WN 


y 


“4 NI N , ~~ 
Ay, \ : i ‘ 


\\ (h, inl nye 
Ai Yt 


MARA OR PATAGONIAN CAVY.—Inhabiting the most unproductive regions of a desolate country, living in holes in the barren earth and fleeing 
at the slightest sound, these animals are seldom seen by investigators. As a usual thing these queer, long-eared, long-legged Rodents are very peaceably 
disposed and friendly with others of their kind. Occasionally disputes wil e between two male Maras, however, and then they stand on their hind legs 


and fight with their fore-paws, as depicted by the artist. (Dolichotis patagonica.) 


(361) 


362 


my son with a loud, excited squeal whenever it 
hears his steps; when he gives it food it utters a 
loud grateful purring sound; my little daughter is 
not greeted with a squeal, but with a low murmur; 
my wife and myself are never saluted with the purr- 
ing noise. When my wife passes the nest of the ani- 
mal late at night, a plaintive squeal invariably greets 
her, while the animal is always silent when I go by, 
for it knows that I never give it anything so late. 
The creature is then capable of distinguishing be- 
tween four persons. It also performs tricks, feigns 
death and: jumps up at a word of command.” 
Guinea Pigs are very sensitive to a cold and damp 
temperature; they become sick when exposed to 
rough weather and are then likely to die. 
Services of . The Guinea Pigs have rendered good 
the Guinea Pig services to science, though, it is true, 
to Science. ~ against their will. Bischoff has used 
them in his investigations of. animal development 
and thereby secured them an honorable place in the 
literature of science. 
vestigations of the rabies bacillus, has made good 
use of the species in the propagation of the germs 
of hydrophobia. Thus, taking all things into con- 
sideration, aside from the mere amusement which 
Guinea Pigs have afforded Man, they have played a 
not unimportant part in.advancement of scientific 
knowledge. | 


THE MARA OR PATAGONIAN CAVY. 


An uncommonly queer animal ‘of the desert, the . 


Mara (Dolichotis patagonica), represents the second 
species of Cavies. Resembling the Hare in many 
respects, it differs from them very greatly in_ its 
long legs and the greater shortness and bluntness 
of the ears. 
inches, the stub-like tail occupying about two inches 
of this total; the shoulder height in some individuals 


may amount to as much as eighteen inches, thus at» 


a first glance giving the animal -the appearance of a 
small Ruminant rather than of a Rodent. 


TheRange Lhe Mara is not found north of the 
of the thirty-seventh parallel of, south lati- 
Mara. tude. Thestony, arid desert of Pata- 


gonia is its native country, and at the point where 
the Sierra Tapalquen bounds this desert, and the soil 
becomes damper and more fertile, it disappears. To 
the west it ranges nearly to Mendoza; reaching then 
the thirty-third parallel of south latitude. A. few 
decades ago it was much commoner than now, being 
at present found only where the inhospitable char- 
acter of the country protects it most from the pres- 
ence of its enemies. Despite .thé fact that. it is 
fairly numerous it is not generally easy to obtain.a 
specimen of the animal, for the simple reason that 
its shy and retiring habits render it difficult to catch. 
Either it is hidden in its hole, or lies closely.and 
flatly against the ground where it is easily. over- 
looked by reason of the close assimilation to the 
ground in the earthy color of its fur. Its timidity 
also protects it from capture. The Mara. flees at 
the slightest alarm, It is. entirely diurnal in its 
habits, though it takes refuge in its hole during the 
noon heat. Its food consists of plants, and .their 
roots and bark, substances usually of a character 
refused by other mammals. In some parts.of Pata- 
gonia, where but few dry, thorny shrubs lead a mis- 
erable existence on the stony ground, it is the only 
living animal to be perceived. 

Goering observed an adult Mara for a considerable 
time in confinement in Mendoza. It was an amiable, 


[ Pasteur, likewise, in his in- - 


furnished with small, flat nails. 


An adult specimen measures twenty - 


’ Brazil. 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


good-natured, inoffensive creature. From the first 
day it showed great confidence in its master, unhesi- » 
tatingly took the food he proffered out of his hands, 
and suffered itself to be touched and stroked with- 
out exhibiting any sign of uneasiness. It was very 
responsive to caresses; when one petted it, it arched 
its back, put its head to one side as if it wished to 
see the friendly hand, and uttered a highly gratified 
but indescribable squeal or grunt. Indians and 
Gauchos are passionately fond of hunting it, espe- 
cially on account of the skin, of which exceedingly 
pretty, soft rugs and blankets may be made. 


THE AGOUTIS. 


The Agoutis (Dasyprocte) show a striking resem-. 
blance to the little Musk-Deer in their shape; they, 
are long-legged, strongly built Rodents, with long 
heads and pointed muzzles, small, round ears, bare, 
rudimentary tails, and hind legs which are percepti- 
bly longer than the fore pair. The fore paws have. 
four toes and a small rudimentary thumb, while the 
hind ‘feet possess only three very long and com-. 
pletely separated toes. All their toes are armed 
with strong, broad, slightly curved, hoof-like nails, 
those of the hinder feet being especially developed;. 
the thumb-like protuberances on the fore paws are 
On the whole, the 
build of the Agoutis is light and elegant, and makes: 
upon the observer an agreeable impression. The. 
teeth are strong; the flat gnawing teeth are espe- 
cially prominent, and would be conspicuous by. rea-. 
son of their color alone, the upper pair being of a 
tolerably bright red, the under pair yellowish _ 

The Agoutis are generally found in couples or. 
small communities in’ wooded. plains, the thickest. 
forests of river valleys being particularly favored by 
them; some of them, however, range in mountainous 
districts as high as 6,000 feet above the sea. 

The Common The Common Agouti, sometimes, 

Agouti, or Gold called Gold Hare on account of the 

Hare. golden color of its pretty fur (Dasy-, 
procta aguti), is one of the handsomest members of 
the whole family. It has a thick, heavy, close-set 
fur; the wiry, coarse, bristle-like hair is very lus-. 
trous and is of a reddish lemon-yellow tint, dashed 
with blackish brown. The general coloring is sub-. 
ject to modifications according to the season, being. 
lighter in summer, darker in winter. The length of 
the body of an adult male is sixteen inches, while 
the tail measures only about half an inch. 

Native Country The Agouti is a native of Guiana, 

of the Spee Surinam, Brazil and northern -Peru.’ 
cles. It is tolerably common in most local- 

ities, especially near the low-lying river valleys in. 
There, as in other places, it inhabits wood- 
lands, frequenting alike the damp unbroken forests 
and the drier ones of the interior country; it roams in 


_the.adjacent grassy plains, however, taking the place 


of the Hare in those regions.. It does not exist in 
cultivated regions. Usually it is found above the 
ground, in hollow trees near the ground, and more 
often solitary than in company with others of its spe- 
cies. By day it quietly lies in its lair and it prowls 
about only in such localities as afford it security 
from interruption At sunset, it sallies forth to seek 
food and spends the whole night in feeding if the 
weather is good. It is in the habit of leaving and 
returning to its habitation by a uniform route, and 
this repeated travel to and fro causes the wearing of 
a narrow footpath, sometimes one hundred yards 
long, which betrays the situation of its abode. If a 


THE GUINEA PIG FAMILY—PACA. 


Dog be set on the trail, and the lair of the animal is 
not in the thicket, the hunter nearly always succeeds 
in catching it. The Dogs give tongue when the 

ame is run to earth, and one can then pull it out of 
its hole or dig it out. If, however, the Agouti per- 
ceives its pursuers in good time, it makes off imme- 
diately, and its agility and speed soon put it out of 
the reach of danger. 

Characteristics, Lhe Agouti is an inoffensive, timid 

Food, ete., of the little animal surrounded by many 
Agouti. perils, so that only its extraordinary 
agility and keen organs of sense can save it from 
death. In jumping it reminds one of a small Ante- 
lope and the little Musk-deer. Its food consists of 
the greatest variety of vegetation, from roots to 
buds or the grain. No vegetable substance can 
resist the sharp gnawing teeth, which easily crack 
the hardest nuts. In cultivated portions of country 
to which it sometimes 
makes incursions, the 
Agouti becomes annoy- 
ing by reason of its vis- 
its to the sugar-cane 
plantations and or- 
chards. 

About the propaga- 
tion of the Agoutis ina 
state of nature we still 
lack exact accounts. It 
is known that the ani- 
mal is rather prolific, the 
breeding not being re- 
stricted to a special sea- 
son of the year, and that 
the litters number sev- 
eral young. 

Rengger says that 
when an Agouti is taken 
young and reared with 
care, it may become al- 
most completely domes- 
ticated. “I have seen 
several Agoutis,” says 
he, ‘that could be per- 
mitted to run about pro- 
miscuously, never at- 
tempting to escape. 
When once*tamed they 
do not yield to tempta- 
tion to abscond, even 
when liberated in large 
woods, which are their 
abode in the free state. 
In the forests of northern Paraguay, in the huts of 
natives, 1 saw two tame Agoutis which spent the 
morning and evening in the forest, noon and night 
with the Indians. Their yearning for liberty is sub- 
dued, not so much by their attachment to people as 
by their growing accustomed to one place. They 
are but little devoted to human beings, do not dis- 
tinguish their keeper from other people, seldom re- 
spond to the calls of their keeper and look for him 
only when pressed by hunger. Neither do they like 
to be fondled by him; they tolerate no restriction, 
live entirely according to their own wishes and the 
most they can be trained to do is to look for their 
food in one particular place. They are fed on every- 
thing that is eaten in their owner’s house. They are 
not so fond of meat, however, as Azara has alleged 
them to be, eating it only when their proper food is 
wanting. They like to eat roses, and whenever one 


THE COMMON AGOUTI,.—This long-legged Rodent, sometimes called 
the Gold Hare, is an inhabitant of South America. 
yellow, and the tail is a very short naked stump. The hind legs are considerably 
longer than the fore limbs and the feet have strong claws. 


363 


is brought near their domiciles they scent it imme- 
diately, and assiduously search for it. Their food is 
usually taken up with the incisor teeth; then they 
seize it between the rudimentary thumbs of the fore- 
feet, sitting on their haunches like Squirrels. Some- 
times they also eat after the manner of Rats in a 
crouching position, usually when the morsels are 
very small or too small to be effectively handled by 
the fore-paws. I never saw them drink, but they 
are said to occasionally drink water, lapping it after 
the manner of a Cat or Dog.” 
The Agoutian Bodinus justly remarks that the 
Eligible dainty form, beautiful appearance 
Pet. and cleanly habits of the animal 
recommend the Agoutis to fanciers of animal pets, 
and that their only drawback is their great gnaw- 
ing propensities. Those kept by Bodinus became, 
in course of time, so tame as to take proffered dain- 
ties from people’s hands 
and eat them, giving the 
donor a really grateful 
look. Others are partic- 
ularly interesting by rea- 
son of one trait, which I 
have as yet never seen 
mentioned. They are 
wont to bury a goodly 
portion of their food, 
storing it up to insure 
against want in hard 
times. As soon as their 
food is given them, they 
begin to eat eagerly if 
not greedily; then they 
select small pieces of 
carrot or certain kinds 
of imperishable fruit, 
carry them away in their 
mouths, dig little holes 
in the earth and put their 
treasures into them. 
Then they put the earth 
back and press and pack 
it closely with their fore- 
aws. It is extremely 
udicrous to see how 
carefully they look 
around all the while, en- 
deavoring to escape ob- 
servation while burying 
their treasures. They 
thus continue in captiv- 
ity the habits natural to 
them in the wild state, of retaining food until such 
time as they need it. 


THE PACA. 


The Paca (Calogenys paca) is distinguished by a 
peculiarly thick head, large eyes and small ears, a 
rudimentary tail, five-toed feet, coarse, stiff hair and 
especially by the remarkably expanded cheek bone, 
the expansion being due. to an internal molar cavity 
or hollow. The fur consists of short, thickly set 
hairs of a yellowish brown color on the upper parts 
and yellowish white on the under surface of the 
body and inner portions of the legs. Five rows of 
yellowish white spots of a circular or ovoid shape 
extend along both sides from the shoulder to the 
hinder portion of the thigh. Adult males attain a 
length of twenty-eight inches, are about fourteen 
inches high and weigh as much as eighteen pounds. 


Its coarse hair is of a bright 


(Dasyprocta aguti.) 


864 


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 


ee we 


the species. 


picture. (Calogenys 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 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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 tail is lacking, the head thick and the coarse hair is marked by five rows of spots as shown in the 


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 Pact Of late years the animal has been 
Well Known to carried to Europe quite frequently. 
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 
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 (Aydrocherus 
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 are 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. 


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 from 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- 


So — 


= 5 - cia t= a - —— — 
THE CAPYBARA OR WATER PIG.—This is the largest of all the Rodents. 


i 


365 


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 canes, 
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. From 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 


REAR 


It isa heavy clumsy animal which inhabits low-lying 


ae sient 


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. 

well illustrated in the picture. (Hydrocherus 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 Dogs. 

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 


The extremely coarse hair, heavy body and hoof-like toes of these animals are 


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 
ity. took care of one of them for some 
time. It was very much attached to me, knew my 


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 


of his body between its teeth. It could not be 
called obedient, anyway; it obeyed only when it 
elected so to do. 
Characteristic 1 can not characterize the move- 
Movements 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 
abound. 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 
atall. 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 


don, shown in this picture. 
especially, being Rat-like. 
age tovegetation. (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.Fleah According to the accounts of travel- 
of the Capybara ers only Indians partake of its flesh; 

Unpalatable. it 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 Capybara: 


THE OCTODON.— A true Rodent with sharp gnawing teeth which are always ready for business, is the Octo- 
The form of the animal is suggestive of both the Rat and the Squirrel, the tufted tail, 
These animals live in South America where their gnawing propensities cause great dam- 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


The Octodons. 


ELEVENTH FAMILY: OcropontTID#. 


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 Octodontide 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 Octodontide 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, are 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. 


The Deguand The Degu (Octodon cummingit) is 
its Peculiari- brownish gray upon its upper sur- 
ties. 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, 


\\ Gj \ 5S 


/ 
\ {\ 


aN : , 
ee i <a 


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. 
foot, the innermost toe being much shorter than the other four. 
of which about two and a half inches belong to the tail, 
and lighter on the under portion. 
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 
gardens and orchards, 
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 branches 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- 
porting coypu) also be- * rt 

ongs to this family. Its AS ; 
body is stout and plump, ag rer spe p ey 
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 


ae — : ”, 
ee IT vad. 40 


It inhabits the plains of Patagonia north of the Rio Colorado, where 


Rodent of the Octodon fam 
attaining a length of from fourteen to sixteen inches exclusive of the tail. 
real in its habits, makes its home in the hollows and clefts of trees and feeds on leaves and fruits, 
eaten, but its flesh is insipid to the taste. 


367 


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, 
é ‘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 coler 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. 


Rangeand ‘This important fur- 
* It hes five et a Habits of the producing animal 
measures abou en inches, Pe . 2 : 
The fur is brownish gray tinged with yellow, Coypu. 1S 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 forty- 


= ded ti + 
s the largest indigenous animal of Cuba and Hayti, 
Its fur is ofa dull black color, Itis arbo- 
It is sometimes 
(Capromys pilorides.) 
third parallel of south latitude. It lives in couples 
on the banks of lakes and rivers, especially 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 


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 onthe ground; the 
animal therefore proceeds by land only when it is 
crossing the intervening country from one body of 
When alarmed it instantly rushes 


water to another. 


—a oe 


_ 
THE COYPU OR NUTRIA.—This Rodent, inhabiting the temperate regions of South America, is aquatic in 
As shown by the picture, it has a bare, Rat-like tail and 
such short legs that its body nearly touches the ground. It1s awkward on land but at home in the water. (Myofota- 


its habits, frequenting interior streams and bodies of water. 


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. Ifa 
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 RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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 those 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 Soca 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 feedin 
easy and cheap, and their breeding presents no dif- 
ficulties, so that their keeping may be recommended 
to any person fond of 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. of its fur. In 1827 the 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. 


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 eee 
spine-like bristles with a 
fiexible 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, 3. 
distributed throughout /J\\)) 
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 Pesaiet in cultivated 
portions of the country. 

The Ground Piga 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. 


for its ravages when living. 


The Chinchillas. 


TWELFTH FAMILY: Lacostomip&. 


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 (Lagostomide) 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- 
Re te CA ica exclusively, for the greater part 
eniilas. 


dwelling on mountains at a consider- 
able altitude, among the barren rocks below the line 


369 


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 considetable 
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 


.) y /) {See SS 


yh SN 


i) 


PW bs | We Py SN) 


rS 


wa iN 


THE AFRICAN GROUND PIG. —tThe Rodent an es. in this ‘etude | is a short, ‘hubby animal witha 
bristly but smooth coat, small ears and a Rat-like tail. 
unwelcome guest for the damage it does, but its flesh is palatable and its usefulness dead somewhat compensates 
(Aulacodus swinderianus.) 


In the cornfields and sugar plantations of Africa it is an 


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 (Zviomys) 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 lamina Only two varieties of this 
animal are known: The Common Chinchilla (Eviomys 
chinchilla) and the Smaller Chinchilla (Z7iomys lant- 
gera). The former attains a size of twelve inches, 
its tail being five 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 Chinchilia 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 


870 THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


pelts were shipped to Europe by way of Spain and 
were esteemed extremely valuabie 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 
by 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 timé 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 
Decreasingin 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 
proceed in the same manner as the European does 
when hunting with Ferrets. 


The Smaller In northern and central Chile the 


Chinchilla Smaller Chinchilla (Zriomys lani- 

Described. _—_— ger) 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 1829 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- 
ean: 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. and 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 (Lagidium) 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 are definitely known, both living on 


i 


THE CHINCHILLAS—VISCACHA, 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.— Sitting in the shadow of a rockin 
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.. (Zviomys chinchilla.) 

The former is the Cuvier’s Lagoti (Lagidium cuvt- 
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 (Lagostomus trichodactylus) 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 lhe Viscacha takes up its abode in 
the Vis- arid plains covered with a scant 
eacha. 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- 


Set Sans 3 = 


THE SMALLER CHINCHILLA. —This species of Chinchilla is 
smaller than the Common Chinchilla but 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. (Aviomys lanigera.) 


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 


aro 
oe 


whether or not everything is quiet and safe, and for 
some time stay near their holes, before they set out 
in search of food. 

The movements of the Viscachas re- 
semble those of Rabbits; but they 
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 


Physical Pecul- 
iarities of the 
Viscacha. 


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. 


bushy tail, long whiskers that Puss might envy, and very long ears. 
fore here correctly depicted among the boulders of its native Cordilleras. 


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 reproduc- 
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 


CUVIER’S LAGOTI,—This member of the Chinchilla family is about the size of a Rabbit, but has along 
It isa denizen of the mountains and is there- 
(Lagidium cuvieri.) 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


The Viscachaan 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 extremely 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 
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 
j those of the before men- 
M tioned kindred species. 


The hares, 
THIRTEENTH FASILY: 


LEPORIDE. 


As the last family of 
this. order we consider 
the Hares (Leporide), a 
family with characteristics so distinctive that one 
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 lamine. 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 


= ~- a 


THE HARES. 


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 


ee 


= as 


THE VISCACHA,—In the pampas of 
mon of Rodents. 
are gregarious animals. 


for food. Strictly speaking, when in thinly popu- 
lated districts they rest only during the noon hours 
and run about in broad uaylight 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- 


the Argentine Republic the Viscacha, an animal related t 
The picture appropriately depicts this species in the high, coarse grass of its native plains, and shows them in company for they 
Its actions resemble a Rabbit’s but it is not so timid nor so fleet of foot as the latter. 


373 


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 


SS 


S 
o the Chinchillas, is one of the most com- 
(Lagostomus trichodactylus.) 


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 
Linnzeus 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. of 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 ina 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, 


874 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 
(Zepus) 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. is 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 by 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 of 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 
aNocturnal 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. Sucha 
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- 
aHareinkun- ning is chiefly due to the fact that 
ning. its 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 c 
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 beaks 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. “a 

Propagation of ‘The first litter in a family of Hares 

the Hare Spe- is generally born between the middle 

cies. and the end of 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. of 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 


SO 


THE HARES—HARES PROPER. 


are few, but where there are a great many Hares, 
coursing in this manner becomes a mere butchery. 
Shooting a Haye 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 
they 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 
rarely 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 


THE COMMON HARE.—The typical animal of its family, inhabiting the centr 
Its long ears are a prominent feature and its shape and general structure fit it for running, and it is known as one of the fleetest of mammals. The 
animals are admirably drawn in this picture, which represents one of the species moving rapidly over the snowy ground, (Lefus veelgaris.) 


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 Alpineand It is still an undecided question 

the Polar 
Hares. and 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 country. Their fur accommodates 


whether the Varying or Alpine Hare 


375 


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 
(Lepus hibernicus) 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 
(Lepus 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 


portion of the European Continent and Great Britain. 


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- timidus or Lepus 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 in 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- 


—S 


THE ALPINE HARE,—This animal 


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 Alpine 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- 
culus) 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 


SSS 


with its white winter coat is a very appropriate inhabitant of the snowy into white on the under 


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. surface, the throat and 


These are very pretty creatures, agile, easily frightened, and always active. 


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 Propagation “‘ The female gives birth to from two 
of Alpine to five young, which are no larger 
Hares. than Mice and have a white spot on 
the forehead. The first litter usually appears in 
April or May, the second in July or August; there 
are 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 


(Lefus timidus.) 


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- 
Range of the tributed throughout southern and 
habbit. 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 Lhe Rabbit requires for its domicile 
the Rabbit's a hilly and sandy country, broken 
Domicile. by ravines, rocks and shrubbery, in 
short, offering sheltered spots where it can hide it- 


a 


THE HARES—HARES PROPER. 


self.. There in suitable locations it establishes rather 
inconspicuous burrows, if possible, with a sunny ex- 
posure. The animals congregate generally in colo- 
nies 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- ieee 
suit of its enemies. The s <= 
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 


= 
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. 
family of these animals enjoying themselves in fancied security. 


377 


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- in warm countries the young are 
ityof Rab- capable of reproduction in their 
bits. fifth 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 
bit. 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. 


The picture shows a happy 
(Lefus cuniculus.) 


The Rabbit an 
Undesirable 
Tenant. 


Rabbits also drive away other :game 
by their restless activity, and Hares 
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 


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 Oftena In localities favorable to their mul- 
Menace to Agri- tiplication, Rabbits may become a 
culture. real 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 


—=—— 17 A be = nome : — 
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. (Lefus americanus 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 The tame Rabbit undoubtedly owes 
of ies Teens its parentage to the wild one; for 
abbit. 


while the latter may be tamed ina 
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 
ones. Tame Rabbits are usually kept in a hutch 
having 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 Varieties of The Silver-colored, the Russian and 
the Domestic the Angora or Silky Rabbit are vari- 
Rabbit. eties of the domestic Rabbit. The 
first is larger than the Common species and usually 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


of a bluish gray hue with a silvery or dark tint. 
The Russian Rabbit is gray, with brown head and 
ears, and it is distinguished by a dewlap under the 
throat. The Angora Rabbit has shorter ears and 
thickset, soft fur; its long, wavy hair often reaches 
to the ground and is of a silky lustre. Unfortu- 
nately it is of very delicate constitution and requires 
great care. Attempts to introduce it into other por- 
tions of Europe have failed. 


. The Hare family has its greatest develop- 
ae eure af ment in North America, which contains 
Wares more than twenty species and varieties. 
5) 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” ye Bearoe conceal them from view. 
ecause of its close resemblance to th+ 
ie: le Sar Mountain or Alpine Hare the Polar Haic 
Variet (Lepus glacialis) is considered as the near- 
Y- 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 (Lefus 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 oung composing i 
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 Grinnell Land, and by 
observing its footprints in the snow obtained evidence of its 


NORTHERN PRAIRIE HARE,—This is the most northern sbecies: 
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. (Lepus campestris.) 


existence in latitude 83° 10’, 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 sient wh) valleys.” 

A species which has an especially wide dis- 
ibaten is the ee ae Be 
4 (Lepus americanus) which is found in a 

Wide Range. the regions from the arctic barren grounds. 
to New Mexico. This species differs from the Mountain Hare. 
of Europe 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 American 
Varying Hare's 


THE HARES—CRYING. 


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 high north, but there are other varieties of the same spe- 
cies which have been named Lefus americanus virginianus, 
inhabiting the eastern United States; Lepus americanus wash- 
ingtoniz, found in Oregon and Washington, and Lepus amert- 
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 marketssin winter. The fur is used by furriers 


— ; 
SSS SS ee eS! 


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. (Lefus sylvaticus.) 


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 a e numbers of these Hares. 
Py. n American common parlance there is no 
The ye emai such distinction between the term “Hare” 
Rabbits.” 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 eountey no well defined distinction exists. The 
several species popularly known as Jack Rabbits have none of 
the distinctive features of the Rabbit (Lepus cuniculus) of 
Europe. Of these so-called Jack Rabbits the Northern Prairie 
Hare (Lefus 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 donot change their fur with the seasons and their tails 
are black on the uppersurface. 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 gs they make in arg, § 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. 

Two ogra sto: both = ale ise are 
aquatic in their habits, are found in the 
uate pte southern states. These are the Swam 
“Hare (Lepus aguaticus) and the Marsh 
Hare, often called the Marsh Rabbit (Lepus palustris). These 


Swamp Hare 


379 


. 


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 subsist 
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. i eat ech ‘ 
: ost abundant of all American species o' 
Loe vie feat e this family is the Wood Rabbit (Lepus syd- 
‘Onanlaa vaticus) or Cotton-tail, also called the Gray 
P te 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 
eneral form and habits it much resembles the Rabbit of the 
ld 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 aballone excavation, by a root or fallen tree serving its pur- 
ose. Further north it digs out its refuge to greater depth. 
t 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. 
In the prairies of the west and particular] 


ee segs Soe in the valleys and sage brush plains whic 
Species. stretch between the Rocky Mountain and 


Sierra Nevada ranges, is the Sage Rabbit 
ag oid 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 


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. . ee ea 
: A single species of this sub-family is found 

fer hearer in has It is known as the ecnercan 
Wiha. Pika or the Rocky 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 


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 
grizzlyhue. 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 rem mnentaey tail. Jas 
+. In the Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada 
gars pee ad ranges from Arizona and New Mexico north 
Pikas. into British Columbia and the Canadian 
4 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 enlnien 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. 


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 fitter 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 Pig, by reason of both its 


shape and physical proportions. The rough, thick, 


_THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 


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 are 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. “aye 

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. 


>> 


= ——— ‘ste 
Sie ae MENDT BOY 


(Lagomys alpinus.) 


The Toothless Hnimals. 


EIGHTH ORDER: EDENTATA. 


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 The Edentata show little of the har- 
a Variable mony exhibited by other orders. 
Group. The striking peculiarity of dentition 


exhibited by 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 1n contradistinction to the teeth, the 
of the Edentates claws show a peculiar development 
Peculiar. — in 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. 
External Cover- hese two features exhaust the cata- 
ings of Edentates logue of general characteristics; for 
Much Varied. in the 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 havea 
thick, soft fur, others a dry, wiry hair; some are 
covered with bristles, others with scales, and some 
are enveloped ina 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. and South American zones, South 
America showing the greatest number of species. 
Asia harbors only Manididze, 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. 


The Sloths. 


FIRST FAMILY: Brapypopip&. 


At the head of the order we place the family of 
the Sloths (4radypodide), 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. Lheir 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 
“orain” 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 (chlorococcus) which grows on their hides. The 
structure of the vertebral column is quite remarkable 
and unparalleled among mammals. Instead of the 
seven cervical vertebrz 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 vertebra varies between 
fourteen and twenty-four. The teeth consist of five 


(381) 


382 
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. 


The Two-Toed 
Sloths De-. 


I regard the Two-toed Sloths ( Cho- 
lepus) as standing among all the 
scribed. Sloth family on the plane of highest 
development. 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 smalf number of the 
cervical vertebre. 

The Unau or Two- 
toed Sloth (Cholapus 
didactylus), a native of 
Guiana and Surinam, 
attains a length of 
about twenty-eight 
inches. The long hair 
onthe 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, laterally-com- 
pressed tail, and rather 
short, stout limbs, the paws of which are furnished 
both in front and behind with three flatly-com- 
pressed, scythe-shaped claws. The hair shows a 
parting on te head, and is directed downward; on 
the rest of the body its line of direction is upward; 
the soles of the feet are 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 ofa 
fine, 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 


tree limb with perfect security. 


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 neck, and above all its toes, two each on the fore and’ three each 
on the hind feet, with their long strong claws. 
(Cholepus didactylus.) 


THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. 


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 
anes ats of America. Those extensive forests 
e@ Al. 


in 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 are 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. They appear lazier than they 
really are, however, Being of nocturnal habits they 
may spend entire days without stirring; but when 
dusk comes 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 eo ake 
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. 


With these hooks it can hang to a 


SSS 


GREW EAC Phe ™ 


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.) 


384 


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. 

Movementsand 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. bs 

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. Thecry 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. 


- prove this general rule. 


THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. 


The Mother Only a single young Sloth appears: 
Sloth and = at 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 lon 
hair of the mother by its claws, clasping her nec 
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 
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 ata first glance. They are 
difficult to overcome on the tree and if they are 
taken by surprise and attacked on the ground, ey. 
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 
tivity, 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 opportunit 
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- 


——— ~ = SS SSS 


GREAT ANT-EATER OR ANT-BEAR.—One of the strangest appearing of mammals is the Ant-Bear, of which a characteristic picture is here 
given, depicting the long slender head, the coarse long fur which incr s in length toward the flanks and tail, and the heavy, short limbs. It lives on Ants 
and their larve . (AMbrmecophaga jubata.) 


386 


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. Hewas 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 
ease daytime, the only thing to be seen in 
loths. 


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 Theeconomic 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. 
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. 


The Hnt-eaters. 
SECOND FAMILY: MyrMECOPHAGIDA. 


The Ant-eaters, which are comprised in the sec- 
ond family, bear but a slight external resemblance 
tothe 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 


On the other hand the animals inflict but very ~ 


. THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. 


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 
eateror Ant- the Great Ant-eater, or Ant-bear, 
Bear. called Yurumi in Paraguay and Tam- 


~anoa in Surinam (Myrmecophaga jubata). 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 ramp 
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 larve 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 atime. It 

is a quiet, peaceable animal, which annoys neither 
Man nor other mammals in any way, unless it be 
much provoked. 

Uses to Which Lhe flesh and skin of the Yurumi 

Ant-eaters are utilized 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 


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 
onthe head. These animals ought to be protected 
rather than persecuted, however; instead of being 


THE TAMANDUA.—This repulsive looking creature, 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. 
snout and long, prehensile tail are notable features of the animal here depicted. 


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 prave 
very much larger,than it is.7° 
Modern observers have found Seeger 4 
not only Ants and Termites in = 73 
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 principa 


hind paws, both of which 


worms, when these latter are not too large. 


Adaptability of Captive Ant-Bears have repeated ee 


Ant-Bears to 
Captivity. 


for years. 


been taken to Europe and have beefy 


The captive specimens of the Lon 


LITTLE ANT-EATER.—Thi 
equipped for holding on to 4 tree as a‘fi 
age curved s 
which he can take hold, as’ own in the piew 


& tetradacthh 
food, is fond of devouring chrysallids, millipeds and 


jon its hind 
}It?inhabits 
by dint of adequate care, kept liviligy 
Oitttanging westw 


387 


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 prewailed 
among the'inmates of the 
house; the Monkeys cre- 
ated such a noise that their cages had to beycov- 
ered and even a Chimpanzee hid itself in the straw. 


THE TREE-CLIMBING ANT-EATERS® 


a 


aa < ec 
‘7 WENDT F 


(Tamandua tetradactyla.) 


Among the other Ant-eaters which: are of arbo-fe 


real. habits, the —Tamandua or Caguare ( Zamariegy 


+ we 


eer little animal, about the size of a squirrel, is about as well 

can well be. Besides his two-toed fore-feet and five-toed 

make the held secure, the animal has a prehensile tail by 
yclotu didactylus.)~ ~ 


Sembles the species already de- 
scribed; s*it is classified as a distinct 


species, as 


‘game_country as the species just 
sd over a great area of territory 


déscribed, b 


wy 


y 


ur’toes on its fore-feet and five __. 
; and possesses a prehensile tail. 


*Peru. Its length is about thyte 


388 THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS, 


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 Haunts SO 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- Lhe 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 ina 
not exactly pleasant manner. As it became more 
tame, whenever a visitor approached, the Ant-eater 
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 ofthe 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 (TYamandua bivittata) and the other the 
Yellow Tamandua ( Zamandua 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-eater 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 toth parallel of south 
and the 6th parallel of north latitude. In moun- 
tainous districts it sometimes ascends as high as 
1,800 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 help of its tail. Ants, Termites, Bees, 
Wasps and their grubs constitute its food. 


The Hrmadillos. 


THIRD FAMILY: Dasyropip&. 


The Armadillos (Dasypodid@) are, like the Sloths, 
the survivors of a once larger family. In compari- 
son to some of their extinct relations they 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 scute 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. 


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 

rowth of the animals is so slow, and they are so 
ittle 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 

rocesses of the body. There are six or more mo- 
Bite 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. 


389 


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.—tThe animal with the natural coat of mail, of which this is a picture, is especially endowed for a bur- 


rowing, insect-hunting life. 


Termites, etc., which form its food. (Dasypfus 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 villosus), 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 


Its long strong claws enableit to dig with great agility, not only for purposes of retreat, but also to secure the Ants, 


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 their grubs, Caterpillars, Locusts and Earth- 
worms. It is also established beyond doubt, that 
the Armadillos feed on plants, for these latter have 


390 


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. (To/ypeutes tricinctus.) 


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 
burrow 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 no 
more for her offspring. 


_trailing with Dogs. 


THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. 


Methodof The Tatu is usually hunted on moon- 
Hunting the lit nights. The sportsman arms him- 
Armadillo. 


self with a stout club of hard wood, 
pointed or conical at the end and hunts the Tatu by 
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 
inastrange 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- 
fore 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 Felidz, the Bra- 
zilian Wolf and the Jackal 
Fox. 

Armadililos Un- Tatus are rarely domesticated and 

Jit for Domes- reared in Paraguay. They are much 

tication. 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 
Europe 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. 


THE ARMADILLOS—THREE-BANDED. 


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 (7olypeutes tricinctus), is the repre- 
sentative of another species, the first appellation of 
which was said to-refer to a shell which had been 


BETAS 2 2) 


THE GIANT TATU,—This large member of the Armadillo 


family has other peculiarities besides its great size. 


391 


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 Bolitaa Fa- Lhe children play with it, roll it 
vorite 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. 
as well as by night. 


It slept by day 
When sleeping, it would stretch 


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. 


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- 
pats or lita from San Luis in western Argen- 
ataco. 


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 


(Priodon gigas.) 


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 (Priedon) 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 forests 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 
aMonster Giant Tatu (/riodon 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. Fora 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 Lhe Bichociego shows the most er- 

an Abnormal atic deviation of shape and belongs 

Species. to the 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 jaws, 
are composed of pulp encased ina layer of enamel, 
devoid of roots and hollow in the lower half; they 


are of cylindrical wie 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 bya horny shield, some- 


Bichociego. what resémbling 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 puneipaltt 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 
vertebre; 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 perfectiy 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 1n 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 


Me an oe 


THE PANGOLINS. 


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. also in 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. 


soft, silky hair. 


The Pangolins. 


FOURTH FAMILY: Manipip2. 


The Pangolins (Manidide) 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- 


THE BICHOCIEGO.—tThis queer animal was first discovered by Dr. 
has a coat of armor on its back but the sides under the shield as well as the under surface and limbs are clothed with 
It is essentially a burrowing animal. 


393 


teristic 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 


———, 


Richard Harlan, of Philadelphia. It 


(Chlamydophorus 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- Lheir movements are not nearly so 
count of the Giant slow and lazy as was formerly be- 
Pangolin. lieved, Buttikofer says, in speaking 
of a species, the Giant Pangolin (Manis gigantea), 


394 


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- 


rowing and insect-eating life. (Alanis pentadactyla.) 


vory; the shields are used by several tribes as orna- 
ments of various kinds, 
Characteristicsof The Long-tailed Pangolin (Manis 
the Long-tailed longicaudata) has a total length of 
Pangolin. 
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 
scaleless 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 are 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’ Desmarchais gives the. first details 
Account of this concerning its habits. ‘In Guinea 
Pangolin. one finds 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 


three or four feet, nearly two-thirds — 


THE TCOTHLESS ANIMALS. 


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 


nhabitants o 
irably fitted fora bur- 


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 (Manis pentadactyla) 
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 Lhe Pangolin proper differs from 
Characteristics of the other Manididz, excepting the 
the Pangolin. Temminck’s Pangolin (Manis tem- 
minckit), 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 ob- 


THE AARD-VARK.—Here is 
although the animal is very widely different from that w 
hair. long tail. elongated head and ears, strong claw: 


one of the most clumsy, odd looking animals in the world. 


The name, which is Dutch, signifies “‘ Ground-hog,”’ 
hich we know by the same name. It lives in southern and central Africa. Its coarse, bristle-like 
s, and long tongue make a Strange picture. * (Orycteropus capen 


(395) 


396 


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. 


ZOE. —Spitta_> 
S PANGOLIN.—A very queer 
mal’s chief characteristics, are brought out in accurate completeness. 


Peculiaritiesof A proportionately short, broad tail, 
the Temminck’s bluntly rounded at the tip, charac- 
Pangolin. —_ terizes Temminck’s Pangolin (Manis 
zemmincki). 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-Khirfa 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 


ife is shown here in this African crea ure, 
strength of the armor, the strong legs and claws, and above all the remarkably long and heavy tail which are the ani- 
(Manis temminckii.) 


THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. 


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. 


The Hardz-varks. 


FIFTH FAMILY: OrycTrEeROPopDID#. 


The last family comprises the Aard-varks, clumsy 
animals, endowed with a stout, short’ body, sparsely 
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 ( Orye- 
teropus 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; at 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 Lhe Aard-vark is a native of south- 
of the Aard- ern and central Africa, ranging from 
vark, 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 
few moments being sufficient for it to completely 
bury itself in the ground. 


BSS 


ws 


Che Elepbants. 


NINTH ORDER: PROBOSCIDEA. 


7 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 (Z/ephas), the only 
of the Elephant living representatives of the family 
Tribe. Elephantidez, 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. be 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 (2/ephas asiat- 
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 over- 
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 frequently 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 1o1 inches. The weight of the heaviest 
may amount to eight thousand pounds, or perhaps 
slightly more. 

The Hindoo Classi. Lhe 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-' 


(397) 


398 


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 
and 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 are 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. it 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 anda 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 pe aes 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 of 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 (Zlephas africanus) from 
the Asiatic species. It exceeds its Asiatic kins- 
man in size, but its shape is, on the whole, less sym- 


THE ELEPHANTS, 


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 body is shorter, but the legs are 
longer than those of its relative; its flat head with 
its thin trunk, large tusks and enormous ears, 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 Ngami 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. early 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 see 
some Elephants 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 etiquett 
and decorum, and had learned other tricks. i 
The Chosen Dom- In their native countries Elephants 
icile of Elee 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- 


iatic Elephant is still found wild in various parts of Asia, but is also largely domesticated and 
used as an animal of state by rajahs, princes, etc., and is also trained for purposes of sport, more particularly for hunting the Tiger. The herd in the illus- 
tration with the female Elephant and her young one in the foreground is a characteristic group. The small ears and less powerful tusks which distinguish 
this from the African species will be noted. (Zlephas asiaticus.) 


(399) 


400 


Njaro, and Hans Meyer saw them at an elevation of 

even 12,000 feet above the sea. 

also give evidence of great skill and untiring endur- 
ance in the ascent of high mountains. ; 

The Elephanta 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 

Elephantson 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- 
Activity 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 inan 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 greater 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 does 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 ap vane gets a bad fall in the 
course of its nocturnal wanderings. 


Tamed Elephants 


THE ELEPHANTS. 


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 does 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 Lhe 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. 


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 Every 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. Von 
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 onthe 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- 

of the Elee 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 


401 


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 until 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 


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 | Inthe 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 
ing. 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 ina rage the sight of it produces 
an indelible impression, even aside from that left by 
the swift movements of its huge bulk which make 


THE ELEPHANTS. 


the ground tremble. With trunk rolled up, and ears 
slightly extended on each side, swinging its tail ina 
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. and 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, until 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 are 
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 Man, 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 Elephant’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. (A/ephas africanus.) 


(403) 


404 


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. 


_men, are sent into the Khedda. 


garden. 


THE ELEPHANTS. 


phants, together with their trainers and the hunts- 
Here the operation 
of individually securing the wild Elephants, one b 
one, is slowly pursued. As each animal is suff- 
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 amore 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 Captiv- 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 
The amount of food it consumes is very 
large. Haacke 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 
Elephantsasan 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. —_ of 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 1,696,000 pounds, 


The Odd=Toed Hnimals. 


TENTH ORDER: 


/KE 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 Perissodactyla 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 Horses, the Tapirs with four toes in 
front and three behind, the three-toed Rhinoceroses 
and the Hyracide or Coney family, possessing four 
toes on their fore-feet and 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. 


ES 
a 


F 
abi 
i 


The horses, 


FIRST FAMILY: Equip. 


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 (Zguus) 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 body 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 


PERISSODACTYLA. 


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. 


Native We must regard the greater part of 
Country of _ the northern hemisphere as the orig- 
the Horse. 


inal 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 Locusts. 


All Horses are lively, active, intelli- 
butes of the gent animals; their gait is graceful 
Horse, and 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. History 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. of 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 unregenerated 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- 


General Attri- 


(405) 


406 


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- 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


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 bDifi- 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 


Ta =] 


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. (Zguus 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. 


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 


egret 
eoergy> 


407 


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 


IHE ARABIAN STEED.—The Horse has been the most prized of animals with the Arabs from an early period. The Arabian Horse, though not 


very tall in stature, is of beautiful form. 


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 
and defends against strange Horses. The colts live 


It is fleet, docile and of great endurance and is treated with great consideration by the Arabs: 


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- 
ménts of their ears show that they hear the slight- 


408 


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 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


devoid of danger; for one often sees animals which 
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 During 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 yerdure. 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 
Fs ee 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. 


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. i 

A The Horses in the United States and Can- 

sae ed sbted ada are all the descendants of imported 
mario varieties, there being no species of Horse 

DSTO as indigenous to this continent. In Texas, 

Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and California, the descendants 

of various Spanish breeds, as well as the Mustang proper, are 

kept in large numbers; and being allowed to range at large 

over guarnely 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 

a! Horse owner may brand it. 
he breaking of these Horses 

to harness is usually a very dif- 

ficult feat. Most of them are 
iven to what is popularly 
nown as “bucking.” The 

Horse pulls vigorously at the 

bridle, plants its four feet near] 

together, and with its bac 

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 careful training. 

The Arabian Horse Lhe Arab steed ranks first among 
the Typeof the Horses. “The thoroughbred 
Excellence. Horse,” says Count Wrangel, “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 


409 


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 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 Engiand 
within the past century. 


The Training At eighteen months the training of 
ofan 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 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. 
gold. 


It is pure as 
Its eye is clear and so keen that it sees a 


PERCHERON HORSE.—<An especially fine breed of draft Horses, of great strength and endurance. 
The picture shows the strong and well developed muscles and powerful limbs of this animal which has become 


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 vou! 
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.” 


A. 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


The English Thor- The noblest relative of the Arab in 
oughbred Europe is the English thoroughbred 
Racer. racer. Many experts are of the 
opinion that the difference between these two breeds 
lies only in the diversifications caused by altered 
environment of climate and system of breeding, 
and that consequently the English racer has pure 
oriental blood in his veins. The genealogy of: the 
racer, however, furnishes an irrefragable proof that 
there is no one thoroughbred, the pedigree of which 
can be traced to exclusively oriental ancestors, 
either on the father’s or mother’s side. At the 
present day the English thoroughbred is nothing 
but a product of the racer, its selection, breeding, 
feeding and training, being all rendered subservient 
to the production of the two indispensable attributes 
of speed and-endurance. The race Horses of to- 
day surpass their ancestors 
in every respect, in shape 
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 half-bloods. 
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 term 
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- 
Half-Breed many, in Hanover, Oldenburg, 
Horses. Mecklenburg and Holstein. 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 


— > 
- 


THE HORSES—HORSES PROPER. 


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. 1 P 
5 Although allied by ties of close relationship 

A heeds hae to the English thoroughbred, the American 
ths Cost 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 pote 
against Horse racing, and Horses were encouraged to trot. 


411 


The Shetland Horses of the largest breeds often 
Pony the Smallest attain a height of seventy-two inches 
of the Horses. and over at the 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 


THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE,—This is a portrait of ‘George Wilkes” the famous American trotter. He was foaled in 1856 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 1818 a 
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 2:0334 at Galesburg, Ill., September 19, 1894. 

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 Percheron, 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 hardy, 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 conducted 
under the strictest supervision of Man. 


Reprodue- Lhe mare usually gives birth to a 
hap of the single colt, which has its eyes open, 
orse. 


is 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 


412 


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 1s 

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. 

Scheitlin'sEulogy 1 leave to Scheitlin the pleasant 
of the Horse's task of speaking of qualities, habits 
Endowments. and peculiarities, in short, of the 

mental characteristics of Horses: “The Horse,” says 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


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?’ si: 

“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. Asa 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. 
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 ata 
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 


He | 


THE HORSES—ASSES. 


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 


EN 


“7 


—_! 


413 


THE ASSES. 


The second sub-species of the Horses is formed 
by the Asses and Zebras (Asinus). 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 (Zguus | Asinus] 
Koulan. Tomiecie} 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 are 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 tight yellowish brown; the nose 
and inner faces of the limbs are of a pale yellow 
color; the mane and the tail are blackish, anda 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 Range »- The Dziggetai or Koulan is a child 
of the Kou- of 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 


ATT TIT Pt se 9 


ome emo 


—=— —— 


THE KOULAN.——The largest and one of 


= 


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. 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


Traits and Habits A fondness for the society of its kind 
of the Kou- —_ or even of other species of animals, 
lan. 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 wildest and swiftest of the wild Asses of Asia is this animal, which is here appropriately 


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. 


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 Onageran 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- 


able that the wild Ass of the deserts of India does 
not differ from the Onager. Thus it would range 
te Syria, across Arabia, Persia and Beluchistan to 
ndia. 

The Onager (Equus [ Asinus] onager) 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 


415 


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, 


It has a short, stiff mane, has great speed and 


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 salty water than to fresh, but the liquid must be 
clear; it never drinks muddy or turbid water. 
Varieties and Char-Lhe progenitors of our Ass (#guus 
acteristics of [ Asinus | asinus) live in Africa, repre- 
the Ass. __ sented by two sub-species. The first 
of these, the Ass of the Plains (Aguinus asinus afri- 
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 
long and stout. 


416 


The Appearance The Somal Ass (Equus asinus somal- 
and Habits of the zeus) differs from the Ass of the 
Somali 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 
Its range extends to the coast 


eful, the Donkey, while not 
much used in the northern and eastern parts of the United States, is a principal beast of burdenin 
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 
danger. 


(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 Europe that 
the tame Ass has degenerated into a mere cripple 
through constant neglect. 

Asses of Northern lf we compare the German Ass, con- 
Europe Sadly veying the flour to the mill or drag- 
Deteriorated. ging the milk-cart, with his southern 

brothers, we are sometimes almost tempted to regard 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


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 
~ and gentle gallop of the Ass render 
it an animal unsurpassed in good 
qualities for riding. 
The Arabian Ass Lhe Arabian Asses, 
the Finest especially those bred 
Variety. in 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 dfag 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. 


left 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 
Africa, 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- 
Donkey 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. 

“* Took, sir,’ says one, ‘see this 
locomotive of a Donkey, which I % 
offer you, and compare it with wy 
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 Von 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, 


shown in the picture. 


nus africanus.) 


the marked black stripes placed along the back and transversely across the shoulders. 


417 


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 avery 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- 


MSS AY 
Ny CY 


/ 


Aj 
i) 


u 


M7 


kf 


iii 
“py Dh 
See, We 
ema 


ApS = 
tor ~ 
AV hl tt, 2S at 
AFRICAN WILD ASS.—In the northern part of Africa is found, in its wild state, the animal 


= 


It isa symmetrical, active animal of a uniform reddish cream tinge except for 
(Equus asi- 


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 


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. 


g 


African plains. 


Propagation of The young of the Ass are generally 


(Equus quagga.) 


Assesand _ born one, very rarely two, at a time, 

Hybrids. and 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 along 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 are 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. Both 
partake more of their mother’s form than of their 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


father’s, while their traits resemble those of the 
male progenitor. 

The Muleand The Mule (Aguus mulus) attains 

the Hin- nearly the physical proportions of 

ny. the Horse, and resembles it some- 

what in appearance also, but differs from it by the 

shape of the head, the length of the ears, the tail cov- 

ered with short hair at its root, the thin, but power- 

ful thighs, and the narrower hoofs, which show an 

affinity to the Ass. The coloring, as a rule, is that 
of the mother. It brays like its father. 

The Hinny (Zguus hinnus) conserves the insignifi- 
cant form, the small size and the long ears of its 
mother, showing only the thinner and lexus head, 
the fuller thighs, the hairy tail and the neighing 
voice of the Horse. From the mother it also in- 
herits its laziness, besides its external appearance. 

The newborn Mule foal is stronger and stands on 
its legs much sooner than a young 
Horse does; on the other hand the 
period of its growth is much more 
protracted. No Mule ought to be put 
to work before it is four years old; 
but to compensate for this delay, its 
strength lasts into its twentieth and 
thirtieth and sometimes to its fortieth 
year. 

On account of their greater useful- 
ness Mules are nearly exclusively 
bred. Only in Spain and Abyssinia 
did I see Hinnies; there seemed to be 
no Mules there. The Mule combines 
the good qualities of both parents. 
Its frugality and endurance, its gentle, 
sure pace are inherited from the Ass; 
its strength and courage can be traced 
to its mother. In all mountainous 
countries Mules are regarded as indis~ 
pensable; in South America they are 
as important as the Camel to the 
Arab. A good Mule carries a burden 

- of three hundred pounds and covers 

a distance of from twelve and one-. 
half to seventeen and one-half miles 
daily. At this rate of progress one 
hardly perceives a decrease of power 
after a quite prolonged journey, even 
when its food is but scarce and so bad 
that a Horse would not eat it at all. 

Even in the most recent times it has repeatedly 
been asserted that Mules or Hinnies are sterile. This 
is not always the case, however. Instances are on 
record dating from the remotest antiquity, where 
crosses between Ass and Horse gave birth to young 
in their turn. Several observations of more recent 
times also put the capability of reproduction of the 
Mule beyond doubt; thus Mules have propagated 
themselves to the second generation in the Jardin 
d’ acclimation in Paris, within the last two decades. 


STRIPED HORSE OR ZEBRA GROUP. 


An old Latin author relates how in the year 211 
Caracalla, besides fighting with a Tiger, Elephant 
and Rhinoceros, also had a Hippotigris brought for- 
ward, which he killed with his own hands. There is 
hardly a doubt that the author meant by “Tiger- 
Horse” one kind of the striped African wild Horses. 
Five species of striped Horses have been classified, 
but whether this classification has a justifiable foun- 
dation is an open question, for the points of differ- 
ence are, in some cases, very slight. 


THE HORSES—ZEBRA GROUP. © 


Characteris- The Quagga (Equus quagga) shows a 
ties of the —_ greater similitude to the Horse than 
Quagga. to the Ass in its outward appear- 


ance, though it is much inferior in beauty to the 
Dauw. The body is. of very pleasing outline, the 
head is moderately large and graceful, the ears are 
short, the legs strong. A short, erect mane adorns 
the whole length of the neck; the tail is hairy from 
the root and longer than that of the other varieties of 
the Zebras, though considerably shorter than that of 
the Horse. In respect to the rest of its hairy cover- 
ing the Quagga resembles the latter—the hair is short 
and lies close to the body. The ground-color is a 
brown tint, dark on the head, lighter on the back, 
the crupper and the flanks; the abdomen, the inner 
face of the thighs, and the hair of the tail are pure 


419 


The Dauw Nearest Burchell’s Zebra, or the Dauw 
Kinsman of the (Equus burchellii), is undoubtedly the 
Horse. noblest member of the whole family, 
because it shows the greatest resemblance to the 
Horse in appearance, being scarcely smaller than the 
Quagga. The soft, sleek coat.is of a sorrel color 
above, and white underneath. Fourteen small black 
stripes commence at the nostrils. Along the spine 
runs a black band edged with white; the neck is 
marked by ten broad, black and sometimes forked 
stripes; the legs are usually of a plain white color. 


Peculiarities The Zebra (Eguus zebra) has‘ much 
of the Ze- the same physical proportions as the 
bra. Dauw, but is striped all over the 


body, and thereby readily distinguished from that 
animal. Its conformation is approximate to that of 


THE ZEBRA,—This species of the Horse family, once common in south Africa, is now found there in much decreased numbers. 
most perfectly striped of all the family, not only being marked on the body but also on the legs, down to the hoofs. The group in the picture is 


shown running, rolling and romping in true Horse fashion. 


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 
hind quarters. 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. 


(Equus zebra.) 


It is the 


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 are not found within the 
narrower equatorial regions of the western half of 


420 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- Lhe Zebras are not very fastidious 
bilities of | in the choice of their food; yet they 
Zebras. are more 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 difficulty 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 arich 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- 
tivity. 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. 


The Tapirs, 


SECOND FASIILY: Tapiripa&. 


We regard the Tapirs (7apiride) 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 BURCHELL’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. (Aguws burchellii.) 


(421) 


422 


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 fora 
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 Lhe Malayan Tapir (Zapirus 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 Tenasserim 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 1819, when the animal 
was introduced to the notice of the western world 
through the publication of the researches of Cuvier. 
In 1820 the first skin, skeleton and various internal 
parts of the yet very little’known creature arrived in 
Furope. 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- 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


terizes it as a shy animal, living in seclusion, which, 
if taken young, can be easily tamed and is’ capable 
of great affection. é 
Description of the A short mane on the neck and a 
American skin of one color characterize the 
Tapir. American Tapir oe apirus americanus 
or Zapirus terrestris) 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 tales of a large animal, which 
they believed to be a Hippopotamus, and the Euro- 
pean naturalists therefore bestowed the appellation 
of Hippopotamus terrestris on it. The famous Marc- 
grav of Liebstad 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 eh 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 bréast; 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 are ~ 


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 


— ST ere 


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pany 


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THE TAPIRS. 


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- Lhe Tapirs are mainly animals of 
ments ofthe 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 
they seem to remain concealed in the dense brush- 
wood, in cool, shady places, affecting the proximity 
of 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 
Prince Wied says: 


almost unbearable.” “Tf one 


423 


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 rear 


portion of the back and sides, as indicated in this picture. 


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. No 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. 


(Tapirus indicus.) 


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 rule 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 bya sportsman. Then they brave any dan- 


424 


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 ina 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.” y 

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- 
Natives. 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 ina 
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. Irineo 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 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


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- 
elles 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.” 


The Rbinoceroses, 
THIRD FAMILY: RHINOCEROTIDA. 


Even purely superficial conside1ation 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- Lhe Rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotida@) 

istics of Rhi- are.stout, unwieldy animals of rather 

noceroses. —_ hulky 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 RHINOCEROSES. 


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 overlap each other at these 
furrows, which are composed of a thinner and much 
more flexible skin than that which forms thé 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 


AMERICAN TAPIRS,—Here is a group of these South American animals luxuriating in the native swamps which furnish them plentifully 


425 


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 


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 are also portrayed. These markings disappear with maturity. (Zafirus americanus.) 


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 varicties 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 


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. 
Flower's Classifica- Our knowledge of the existing spe- 
tion of the Rhi- cies has been materially extended 
MOETOGER: 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 


426 


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 ana surround shield-like areas, characterize the 
Shielded Rhinoceroses (X/inoceros), represented by 
two living varieties. 

Description of the The Rhinoceros or Unicorn, usually 
Indian Rhi- — called the Indian Rhinoceros (A/z- 
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 (A/z- 
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 (Ave/odus) 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 Lhe 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 Lhe 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- 


“pean countries. 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


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 1513 the King of 
Portugal received a living Rhinoceros from the East - 
Indies. Its fame resounded throughout the Euro- 
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 (R/inoceros 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 Lhe favorite haunts of the Rhinoc- 
of the Rhi- eros are watery localities such as. 
noceros, marshy districts, rivers which over- 
flow the country adjacent to their banks toa 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. F 

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 Flies, Gnats and Mosquitoes, and 
obtain some degree of relief only by incasing them- 


be a wf ‘ fe 


BE wy 


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.) 


(427) 


425 


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, reeds, 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 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


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; these 
it is able to obtain with great skill and ease. When 


‘in a playful humor, it amuses itself by digging a 


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. Lhe character of the Rhinoceros is 
istics of Rhi- not very attractive. Its entire time 
noceroses. —_ig passed in eating and sleeping, and 
it seems to be unaware of the existence of the rest 
ot 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 areso. 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 


TWO-HORNED 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 bicornis.) 


(429) 


430 


haphazard, perhaps venting its rage on another and 
innocent object which it may chance to meet. 
Reproduction and Lhe female Rhinoceros gives birth 
rowth 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. and 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 Cumming 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 peradventure, 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 
its 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 most dan- 
my of the Rhi- gerous foe. The people of nations 
noceros. within whose domain the unwieldy 
creature lives, as well as European sportsmen, pur- 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


sue it most diligently. It was formerly erroneously 
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 to 
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 day, 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 Dog. The hot 


THE CONIES. 


sun 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- 
roached by Man or 
og 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 Hyzena, 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. 


—_ 


— 


The Conies, 
THIRD FAMILY: Hyracip2. 


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 


431 


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 
laced them in his order of “ Many-toed animals.” 
ately 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 (Hyracide) 
are as follows: the body is of elongated, cylindrical 


_—:,... "7 
RO ee 


THE SQUARE-MOUTHED RHINOCEROS, — This species, sometimes called the White or Burchell’s 
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 
mal of Ancient writers as well-known animals in days 
Prestige. of remotest antiquity. The variety 
inhabiting Syria and Palestine seems to be referred 


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 high table-lands of northeastern Africa. 


Asia. (Hyrax abyssinicus.) 


The Abyssinian For the purpose of our description 
Cony, orAsh- we select ‘the Abyssinian Cony, or 
koko. 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 are 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 


25 1 Sees 


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 make 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 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. 


life, all flee with an agility like that usual among 
rodents, and almost instantly disappear. In the 
neighborhood of villages, where they are also to be 
found, sometimes in immediate proximity to houses, 
they show scarcely any fear of the natives, and boldly 
attend to their various affairs as if they understood 
that nobody thinks of molesting them; but when ap- 
proached by people whose color or attire differs 
from that of their usual human neighbors, they im- 
mediately retreat to their holes inthe rocks. A Dog 
or other animal of the lower orders inspires them 
with much greater fear than does a human being. 
When startled by a canine foe, even after they have 
become hidden, safe from pursuit, in their rocky 
crevices, they continue to give utterance to their 
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 (Herpestes ze- 
bra). A Lizard, prob- 
ably one of the species 
of the Star Lizard (Ste/- 
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 the 
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, Reprodue- In regard to their movements and 

tion and Hunt- mental characteristics, the Conies 

ing of Conies. 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. 


SA ated 


The Cloven=Hoofed Hnimals. 


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 
vertebrze 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 Many- 
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- 
losed, forming in each foot a solid bone. 


Ruminants or Twozthoofed Animals. 
FIRST SUBORDER: BrpactTyLa. 


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- 
vertebrze 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 papilla 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 


cesophagus, 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 Lhe horns or antlers possessed by 

Classification of many Ruminants are of some im- 

Ruminants. portance in the grouping and clas- 
sification of species. In isnt 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. Asa 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 inflict upon his posses- 
sions, whether we consider the species that have 
been domesticated or those yet ina 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- 
rials for the manufacture of the greater part of our 
clothing, is well known. As domestic animals they 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 of 
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 are identical with those now in 
existence. 

Division of the We divide the Ruminants into seven 

Order of Ru- families: the Giraffes ( Cameloparda- 
minants. lide), the Camels (Camelide), the 
Horned Animals (ovide), the Prong-horns (Azntilo- 
capride), the Deer ( Cervide), the Musk Deer, (Mos- 
chide), and the Chevrotains (Zrvagulid@), of the char- 
acteristics of each of which we will speak when we 
reach their respective divisions. 


The Giraffes, 
FIRST FAMILY: CAMELOPARDALIDE, 


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 Cesar 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 cf 

the Giraffe’ a distinct family (Camelopardalide) 
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” 
(Camelopardalis 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 andlimbs. The group in this picture 
is shown with its native surroundings, among the mimosa trees df 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 and elastic tongue. (Camelopardalis giraffa.) 


(435) 


436 


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 beaut 
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 isa 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 ona 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 ears are white in front and at the base, 
and brownish behind, and the hair-tuft is of a deep 
black tint. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


The Distribution The present range of the Giraffe ex- ~ 
of Existing tends in a wide curve over the east- 
Giraffes. ern half of Africa, from about the 
sixteenth parallel of north latitude to the twenty-— 
third parallel of south latitude; in the Kalahari alone 
it may extend somewhat farther southward, but by 
no means as far as the Orange River. In the whole 
of the Congo region the Giraffe seems to be absent, 
being also unknown in Upper and Lower Guinea and 
the country further to the interior. In former times 
its range extended to the coasts of the Atlantic 
ocean in southwestern Africa. It was exterminated, 
however, all along the coast more than a generation 
ago. 
ote its native woods the Giraffe certainly produces 
a different impression from that made by it when con- 
fined within the narrow enclosure of a zoological gar- 
den. The curious but frequent correspondence of the 
shape and general appearance of an animal with the 
other natural objects of the locality in which it lives, 
is also. seen in this case. Gordon Cumming says: 
“When a herd of Giraffes is seen dispersed in a 
grove of the picturesque, umbrella-shaped mimosas, 
which adorn their native plains, and on the topmost 
branches of which their immense height enables 
them to browse, the observer would be really defi- 
cient in appreciation of natural beauty, if he failed 
to find the sight a very attractive one.” The Giraffe 
is frequently encountered in stretches of country 
abounding in old, half-decayed, weather-beaten trees, 
the branches of which sometimes, owing to the moss 
covering them, strikingly resemble the long necks 
of Giraffes. The above-mentioned sportsman says: 
“T was often in doubt as to the presence of a whole 
troop of Giraffes, until I had recourse to my spy- 
glass. Even my half-savage companions had to 
acknowledge that their keen, experienced eyes were 
deceived sometimes; either they mistook those 
weather-beaten trunks for Giraffes, or else they con- 
founded the real Giraffes with the old trees.” 
Habits and Mode Giraffes are most often seen in groups 
of Lifeof of from six to eight. Where they 

' Giraffes. are undisturbed, however, they fre- 
quently congregate in greater numbers. Cumming 
mentions herds of thirty and forty, but believes six- 
teen to be the average number. 

All the movements of the Giraffe are curious. It 
looks best when proceeding at a quiet walk, as it 
then presents a dignified and graceful appearance. 
Its usual gait is a slow, measured amble, and both 
legs of one side move simultaneously, after the man- 
ner of a pacing Horse. Its running gait is a remark- 
ably uncouth, halting and ponderous gallop rendered 
ludicrous by the striking disproportion between its 
height in front and that behind, as well as between 
its height and length. Still, as every individual leap 
is very long, the animal is enabled to traverse dis- 
tances at a very rapid rate. The great size and 
weight of the fore part of the body render it impos- 
sible for the animal to clear the ground of its fore 
feet by mere muscular strength. It is therefore nec- 
essary for it to arch backward its long neck and 
thus shift the centre of gravity of the body farther 
toward its hind quarters, in order to make it pos- 
sible for the animal to raise its fore quarters from the 
earth and leap. . The Giraffe leaps without bending 
the fore-legs, lifting them stiffly, with a simultaneous 
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, “the 
neck of a leaping Giraffe moves steadily, swinging 


THE CAMELS. 


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. s 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. and 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 
pee diet of the Giraffe; but it is also fond of 
rowsing 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 isa 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 | Lhe hunting of the Giraffe is a pas- 

Hunting the time of which the African natives as 

Giraffe. well as Europeans are passionately 
fond. The former hunt it with the aid of a Camel 
or 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- 


437 


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 

lace it came several times daily to be caressed. 

he 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. 


The Camels, 
SECOND FAMILY: Cametips. 


The family of the Camels (Cameld@) 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 Charace- 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 


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 yoke 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- Lhe Dromedary is doubtless the most 
acteristicof 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 
dromedarius), called Djemmel in Arabia, is a very 
large Rumindant, 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, are clumsy, heavy animals. Between 
a “Bisharin,” that is, a Came] 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 are 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- 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


fications in size at different seasons of the year. 
The more abundant the nourishment of the Camel, 
the larger the hump; the more its fare is restricted 
the more the hump shrinks. With fat, well nour- 
ished animals it is conical in shape and covers at 
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 circum- 
stances it can diminish to four or six pounds. The 
legs are awkwardly placed, and the hinder thighs, 
especially, 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 
and on the hump, 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 sandy 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. 

At present the Dromedary is known 


The Range of 4 ‘ LOW] 
the Drome- only as a domestic animal; it is 
dary. found in all African countries from 


the Mediterranean to about the twelfth parallel of 
north latitude, in the Somal country to the fifth 
arallel, and in southwestern Asia. It ranges from 
okhara and Turcomania, in the extreme east, where 
the Two-humped Camel begins, throughout Persia, 
Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia and northern Africa to 
the Atlantic Ocean. 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 Meyer 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 Amalekites 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- 
ern Africa, being probably introduced by the Arabs. 
Its domestication took place in prehistoric times. 
Wild Camels, or such as have reverted to savagery, 
are nowhere to be found at present. 
The Camela 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 of the Camel tribe is sometimes called the Arabian Camel, because found in its greatest per- 
fection in Arabia. It is an ungainly animal, but is indispensable where 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.) 


(439) 


440 


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 
amels 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 
Ingo 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. One 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 the estimates as to the total number of the animals, made 
by the prospectors 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 CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


The Dromedary All over the north and east of Africa 
Bred Extensively the Dromedary is bred in great 
in 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 is, 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- Lhe Camel chooses its sustenance 
clusively Vegeta- exclusively from the vegetable world © 
ble Feeder. and is 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 heamily 
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 aCamel’s In 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. 


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 


441 


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 very 
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 


== 


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. 

Dromedariesas 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 


THE BACTRIAN CAMEL,——The two-humped species of Camel is found in Asia in the region to the north and east of that occupied by the 


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 


442 


hour, carrying a load of three hundred pounds, and 
is able to march for twelve hours, or even longer, 
without a rest. 

Requisites fora 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 ina 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 ata 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 Characteris- dary is indescribable. Gurgling 

tics of Camels. and 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. He 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, after the creature has 
vexed him hourly for days and weeks with inex- 
haustible perseverance, and after all means of im- 
provement and castigation have been in vain applied 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 does the nose by 
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, 1 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, and 
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 pea report those of southwestern Asia, the 
Somal 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 sliows 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. eae 
The Two Humped The part which the Dromedary 
or Bactrian plays within its range is almost sim- 
Camel. ilar to that of the Bactrian Camel 
(Camelus bactrianus) 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 


i. ae 


ee ee ee eee eee ee 


THE CAMELS—LLAMA. 443 


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 range 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 may be asserted that the 
sede Bactrian Camel shows in its char- 
‘amel. 


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 are 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 
apanic. 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 fheipless during 
the first few days of its life, but soon becomes strong 
enough to follow the mother about, and 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 fully 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 fable to the con- 
tingencies arising from the ever changing sand drifts, 
it even takes the place of Horses in the mail service. 

Nothwithstanding 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 
smaller 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 lacking, 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- 


t44 


apes to acknowledge the Llamas and Alpacas to 
e anything but the domesticated offspring of the 
Guanaco. 

The Guanaco and Vicugna have remained untamea 
to the present day, 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 
1541, 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. 
Homeand 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. 
The Guanaco (Auchenia huanaco) 
claims, together with the Llama, the 
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 are quick and 
lively, though the animal is not as swift in flight 
as one might suppose. Over level ground a good 


Description 
of the Guan- 
aco. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 Bir 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 ‘Lhe 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 aré 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 
despised. 

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 (Auchenia lama), is found principally 

Species, in Peru, and there thrives best on the 
table-lands. Its physical proportions are slightly 


THE CAMELS—LLAMA. 


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 


ee eon 


oe 


THE LLAMA. 


7 = ie ieee pie pre 
—lIn southern Peru the Llama is one of the most common of the domesticated animals, and is now no longer known in a wild state. 


445 


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 


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 asa 
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 islong 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.” 


446 


The Llamaof Meyen estimates, the importance of 
Great Value to the the Llama to the Peruvians as equal 

Peruvians. to that of the Reindeer to the Lap- 
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 

Llama. is kept in company with others of its 
kind, it seems to be much more amiable than when 


THE ALP 
and of a fine quality. 
beshorn. (Auchenia paco.) 

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 
attached to each other. They learn to know their 
keeper and act tolerably well toward him, but toward 
strangers they exhibit the ugly disposition of true 

Camels, being constantly in an ill humor, and ex- 

ceedingly irritable. In the Berlin Tiergarten there 

was a Llama which was endowed with an especially 
unpleasant temper; a placard was attached to its 
cage, asking visitors to refrain from provoking the 

Llama, the natural result being that everybody did 

his best to irritate the animal. Consequently it was 

in a state of perpetual agitation. Whenever a visitor 
approached, its comfortable rumination instantly 
ceased; it laid its ears back, stared at the stranger, 
then suddenly walked up and spit at him. The other 

Llamas, which I have seen, or have had under my 

charge, behaved in a similar manner, and I can truly 


otherwise resembles, the Alpaca is distinguished for its heavy coat of wool which is lustrous 
Alpacas congregate in herds in the high mountains of Peru in a semi-domesticated condition, being only driven into villages to 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


say that I never knew one to be gentle or good- 
natured. 

Characteristics The third form of the group, the 

ef the Al- Paco or Alpaca (Auchenia pacos), 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. There 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 


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 the Indians have manufactured blankets 
and cloaks out of the wool of the Alpacas and 
Llamas. 
Value of the The attempt to transplant Alpacas 
Alpaca to in Europe has been repeatedly made, 
Man. 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. 
Besides being valuable for their wool, which sells 
for about seventy dollars per hundred weight on the 
western coast of South America, the flesh of the Al- 


THE HORNED ANIMALS. 


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 
curly 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 still 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 they some- 
times number from twenty to thirty.” 

The Vicugna Wicugnas caught young are easily 

Easily Domes- tamed and become very familiar, at- 

tiated, taching themselves to their keeper 
and following him like well-bred domestic animals. 
With advancing age, however, they become vicious, 


i 
SS 
& . 


a ae 


request for making fine fabrics. 


} the most elevated localities of Bolivia and northern Chili, the Vicugnas live in 
herds. This animal is the smallest of the American species of the Camel family, is very wild, and has resisted all 
attempts to reduce it to a state of domestication. 


THE VICUGNA,—Inhabiting 


447 


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. 


AZ = = fie 


They are pretty animals with a soft, silky fur which is much in 


The horned Animals. 


THIRD FAMILY: 


(Auchenia vicugna.) 


BoviD&. 


The third main section of the Ruminants contains 
the Horned Animals (Bovide), 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 


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 Bovide 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 toMan 10 Man the Bovide 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 
we 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 
Bovide, we will call Caprinz, comprising the Goats 
and Sheep; Ovibovine, or Musk Oxen; Bovine, or 
the Ox tribe; Aplocerine, or Mountain Goats, and 
Antilopina, or Antelope tribe. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


THE SHEEP AND GOAT TRIBE. 


The two kinds of Caprinz, 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 
toa 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 (Capra), to 
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 sotthern 
Asia, Europe and northern Africa. Domesticated 
species are distributed over the entire globe. They 
are 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 


rk; 


Wetee: 
- 


woITge 


== " a 


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 faciJity, They live in small herds and the picture shows them as they 
appear in their Alpine home. (Capra ibex.) 


(449) 


450 


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 
agationof 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. 
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 are several va- 
rieties among them, of which we will now consider 
the Ibex and the Goats proper. 


Nearly every portion of the carcass of the- 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


The Ibex, and its The Ibex or Steinbock (/bex) inhab- 
Peouliari- 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 (Capra /bex), inhabits the 
Alps, the second, the Pyranean Ibex ( Capra pyrena- 
ica), dwells among the Pyrenees and other Spanish 
mountains, the third, the Caucasan Ibex (Capra 
caucasica), 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 (Capra 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. 


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- Lhe Bouquetins form herds of vari- 
iarities of the ous sizes, the old males joining them 
Steinbock. 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 
ofan 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- 
jent 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- 


inaccessible to Man, 


guished fromits Alpine relative by a more graceful form and by differently shaped and twisted horns. 
the snowy heights of the Pyrenees, andis very difficult to hunt because at the slightest alarm it retreats to places 
(Capra pyrenaica.) 


‘ bounds. 


451 


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- 


It inhabits 


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 
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 
Attributes of resembles the whistle of the 
lbexes. 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 


452 


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 
ex. 


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. Inthe event of the most favorable result 
he must shun all frequented paths with his dearly 
bought prize, in order to avoid detection by the 
forest 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 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED. ANIMALS. 


of his game, not to speak of the fact that he daily 
runs the risk of falling into an abyss and being - 
dashed to pieces, or of ending his life by the bullet 
of a guard. 
Ibexes Very Sus- Bouquetins taken young, as a rule, 
ceptible of Do- thrive well, if they are given a Goat 
mestication. as wet-nurse. They soon become 
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 
vioience, 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 [here are some difficulties and un- 
Halfbred leasant consequences in the way of 
Ibex. - fetting 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 acloser 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. Healso 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 


is 


OT SAntreiee 


—s see 


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 
air ina bold curve. He defiantly put himself in the 


THE EGAGRUS GOAT.—The wild Goat, called Paseng by the Persians, is believed by many natur 


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. Lhe 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- 


alists 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. (Capra egagrus.) : 


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 pyrenaica) 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 A?gagrus more than any other wild spe- 
cies of Goat is due the honor of having enriched us 
with so useful a domestic animal. The A®gagrus 
and the domestic Goat are alike in all physical es- 
sentials except in the direction and twist of their 
horns. 

Description of the The A°gagrus or Paseng (Capra egag- 
Agagrusor 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 


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 


hoor, or Markhor, popularly, but erroneously, called the Serpent-eater. 
Poy I 


of darker hue, and has strange, triangular, spiral horns which are sometimes as much as five feet long in the large males. 
(Capra falconeri.) 


bred several times in the gardens of the Zoological Society, London. 


from ten to twelve in old individuals. A‘gragus 
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 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


defined black-brown stripe runs along the course of 
the backbone to the black tail. 


Range and The Atgagrus is a native of an exten- 
Habits of the sive portion of western and central 
Agagrus. Asia. It is found on the southern 


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- 


It is rather larger than the Ibex, is of a slaty gray color with a long beard 
Markhoors have 


peninsula. Investigation has demonstrated, almost 
to a certainty, that the A‘gagrus 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 A2gagrus 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 HORNED ANIMALS—GOATS. 


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 rapidand they 
are always inclined to play and caper. 

There are but few living specimens of the A‘gag- 
rus Goat now to be found in zoological gardens, 
though the transportation of animals of this kind, 
tamed from infancy, would present few difficulties. 


of Asia Minor of which the town of Angora is the principal market. 
fabrics. The horns of the male are spirally twisted, as shown in the picture. 


Vigorous Pursuit A superstitious belief is still widely 
of the Agag- 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 Aigagrus 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 exceedingly savory and tender, 


THE ANGORA GOAT. —-< 0/ tue most valuable varieties of the domestic Goat is the Angora Goat, so called because it inhabits the section 
Its long fleece furnishes the textile staple known as mohair, used in making fine 


455 


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 accourt in a’good many ways. 
The Evolution of Neither tradition nor history furnish 
the Domestic us any aid in the attempt to solve 
Goat. the problem of the descent of our 
domestic Goat (Capra jircus) 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 


(Capra hircus angorensis.) 


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 angorensis) 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 


456 


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 Aradoli 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 Lhe number of these Goats kept in 

of Angora Goat's Anadoli is estimated at half a mil- 
Hair. lion, and 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 Lhe Cashmere Goat (Capra hircus 
Goat and its Value Janiger) 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. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 


Successfully Ac- 
climated in Europe. 


Naturally, the idea of introducing 
this profitable animal into 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 1818, 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 hundfed 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, treublesome 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 Egyptian or Nile Goat 
(Capra hircus egyptica), 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. 


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 (Capra hircus 
of Northern vreversa), 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 

butes of the mountain life. The wilder a mount- 

Goats. ain is, and the 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 


THE TAHR.—Livin; 


g in the mountains of Simla, Nepau! 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 (Hemitragus). Itis 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. 


457 


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.” 

Likes and Dis- 


likes of the 
Goat. 


caresses. 


The Goat has a natural affection for 
human beings, and it is of a vain 
nature and highly susceptible to 
In the high mountains it importunately 


(Capra or Hemitragus jemlaica.) 


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 isa 
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- 


458 THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


swers to propounded questions, without having been 
previously trained to doso. 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 
cry; if they were satisfied, they remained silent. 

Uses and Care Onthe 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- Obseryation shows that in Germany 
nivorous 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 isa 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. and 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 
ear. ; 
Besides'the milk and the cheese, as well as th 
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 ( Ovzs) 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 iean 
body, long legs, a short tail, a head the facial por- 
tion of which tapers sharply, moderately large eyes 
and ears, 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 


ee ee ee ee oe ee 


THE HORNED ANIMALS—SHEEP. 


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 


v 


eat mountain ranges of north Africa is found the Aoudad, the wild variety of Sheep nearest resembling 
It ascends to lofty elevations and avoids Manas much as possible. 


Goats. 


breast are distinctive features of this animal. (Ovis tragelaphus.) 


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 


. but little is offered them. 


459 


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 
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. tion of 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 ot 


the 
Its broad, curved horns, and the mane-like growth of the hair on the 


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 
Wild Sheep —_ Nearly all wild species may be tamed 
Easily Domes- without special trouble, and retain 
ticated. 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 


os P) 2 = 
= A ES 


THE MOUFFLON.-——Inhabiting the mountains of Corsica and Sardinia is the Mouf- 
: It is a very agile, timid animal, an 
excellent climber, sure-footed and climbing to great heights inaccessible to Man, The male has 


flon, a species of wild Sheep now much reduced in numbers. 


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 ( Ovts tragela- 

its Range and phus) 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 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 Arui 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 fora 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 Mouffion 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 in 

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 HORNED ANIMALS—SHEEP. 


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 Mouffion 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 


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. 


461 


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 Mouffons In April or May one or two young 
and Their Char- ones make their appearance. After 
acteristics. 4 few days they follow their mother 
about on the most dangerous break-neck paths with 


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. 


polii.) 


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 Mouffiona 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 other gregarious Rumi- 
nants, a few individuals keep a careful lookout, and 


(Ovis 


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. 


Methods of | Men have recourse to various means 
Hunting the to enable them to obtain this valua- 
Mouffion. ble quarry. It issaid 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 shvot with a rifle, 
though it rarely gives favorable results. 

Strong, fully developed Moufflons are probably 
never caught, and young ones can be captured only 


462 


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 | observed in them. 
The Argai 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 (Ovs argali) isa 
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- 

Habitat of the 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 seés, 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 acertain 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. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


Argali Sheep a Notwithstanding such devices the 
FavoriteGame 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 (Ovis nivicola), is thought 

the Big Horn. to 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. d 
Range and Habits The Big Horn inhabits the Rocky 

of Rocky Mount- Mountains and the country west of 

_ ain Sheep. it, 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. 

n 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 HORNED ANIMALS—SHEEP. 463 


their mothers into the most inaccessible spots. The In the light of recent investigations, the opinion 
attempt has recently met with success, however, and seems justified that the different breeds of Sheep 
in the west young rams have not only been tamed are nothing but artificial products of the efforts of 
to such an extent that they could be safely left to Man, variable in shape and size, formation of horns 
run free with the domestic flocks, but they have also and fleece, habits, behavior and all other qualities. 
been successfully crossed with the common Sheep. The varieties of the domestic Sheep are numerous, 
The flesh of the mixed breed is said to be excellent. but from the naturalist’s standpoint are much alike. 
Origin of the We have as little definite knowledge The Merino Sheep The Merino Sheep (Ovis aries his- 
Domestic about the origin of the domestic a Profitable  panica) is at present by some au- 
Sheep. Sheep ( Ovis aries) as about the de- Variety. thorities considered to be the most 
scent of other Ruminants that have entered our profitable of all domestic Sheep. It has been proven 
service and have become completely domesticated. that it acquired its peculiar character in Spain and 
Opinions of naturalists concerning this subject di-' it has gradually been used for the improvement of 


verge widely. Some believe that all breeds of Sheep nearly all European breeds. Of moderate size and 
spring from one common wild parent species, which plump, stout build, it is distinguished by a large 
presumably became entirely extinct in prehistoric head with a flat forehead, arched nose and blunt 
times or else was completely exhausted by the com- muzzle, small eyes and large tear-pits and moder- 
plete domestication of all the individuals compris- ately long, acutely pointed ears. The horns are 


SSS 


THE BIG HORN. —A species of wild Sheep indigenous to North America is the Big Horn, found in the Rocky Mountains, often called the mount- 
ainSheep. It is the only native Sheep found in America, is of 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 strong and curve laterally and backward from their 
found in a state of nature at the present time. base; then they turn forward and upward in a double 
Others, however, hold that several species of wild spiral curve. As a rule horns grow only on the 
Sheep must certainly be considered as factors in head of the ram. The neck is short and thick, the 
this evolution, and that the almost numberless skin usually lying on it loosely and being deeply 
breeds of domestic Sheep must be regarded as prod- wrinkled and furrowed, and a dewlap usually de- 
ucts of continued interbreeding of those species pends from its lower portion, while the muscular 
and their offspring. Some regard the Moufflon as and fatty tissue about the upper part of the throat 
the original stock, others the Argali; some the Aou- proper bulges out in a goitre-like fashion. The 
dad, a few the Sha (Ovis vignei) of Little Tibet; legs are comparatively short, but strong and stout, 
some, whose ranks I join, admit their ignorance and the hoofs are obtusely pointed. The fleece is a 
frankly and honestly, and justly emphasize the fact short, soft, fine wool, which is quite uniformly curly. 
that mere suppositions cannot aid in the solution of Merino sheep have been introduced with great suc- 
the question. The difference between the breeds cess into Cape Colony, North and South America 
consists mainly in the convolutions or twistings of and Australia, in some of these countries being 
the substance of the horns, the length and anatom- raised as separate herds and in others they have 
ical structure of the tail and texture of the fleece. been used to improve native breeds. 


464 


The Persian 
Sheep a Pecul- 
iar Species. 


Besides the Merino Sheep I will also 
mention the Persian Sheep ( Ovts 
aries steatopyga). This is a fat-but- 
tocked breed of Sheep which in several varieties 
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 


MERINO SHEEP. — A famous species of the domestic. Sheep, which is found in its greatest purity in 
It is valuable for the quality of its wool. and it has been used very largely to improve many breeds of 
It has the mild, inoffensive qualities of domestic Sheep in general. 


Spain. 
Sheep in Europe, Australia and America. 
( Ovies aries 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 Lhe 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 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 they 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 
sheepfold, 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. 

Toa 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 Linnzeus 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 are shed during the fifth year only and 


‘ 


THE HORNED ANIMALS—MUSK-OX. 


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 

tie 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 (7@nia cenurus) 
in the brain. Other intes- 
tinal worms, the so-called 
Flukeworms (D¢stoma hep- 
aticum), 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 Hippoboscide@) 
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 4 
loses most of its teeth as *R 
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. 


root of the tail. 


465 


‘ 


Physical Pecul- The Musk-ox (Ovibos moschatus), 
jarities of the called Umingarok by the Eskimos, 
Mush-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 mamnz: 
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- 


oe ee 
———— 


ob 
Tee KA a YSAMnnn® 


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 
(Ovis aries steatopyga persica.) 


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 


466. 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 

Ox. 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 finda range affording 
for the time being sufficient pasturage. Their ex- 
treme hardiness and frugality alone enable them to 
endure the terribly severe winter. Ina 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. 


only by the Wolf or Polar Bear. 


The Musk-Ox an Notwithstanding their awkward look- 
Agile, Active jing 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 
Recognizing the 
menacing danger arising from the presence of Man, 
they take timely refuge in flight. 


Methods of | If several hunters stealthily approach _ 
arp gs a quietly grazing herd of Musk-oxen 
USH-UX, 


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. 
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 Economie Lhe flesh of the Musk-ox is always 
Value of the permeated with a palpable odor of 
Musk-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 (Bovine), 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: miore 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. 


Under these conditions the hunting of the 


THE HORNED ANIMALS—OX TRIBE. 


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 may be 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 


467 


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 


brown hair, nearly a yard in length, covering the thick, woolly under fur. 


THE MUSK-0X.——\This inhabitant of the arctic regions of America is an intervening gen 


us between the Sheep and the Ox. It is clothed with 


@ 


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 Attri- 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 
ribe. 


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. 


Prepagation of tke The cow gives birth usually to a 
Species ofthe 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 grun- 
iarities of the _mtens) 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 

Bulls 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. 
Rangeand The plateaus and mountain ranges of 
Habits of the Tibet and adjacent countries harbor 
Yak. 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. f 

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. 


Yak Huntinga The pursuit of the Yak is as attract- 
Dangerous ive toa bold and well armed hunter 
Sport. as itis 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 avoidit. 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 Yak In all those countries which harbor 

/s 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. 


THE YAK.—The wild variety of the Yak roams in the high plateaus and mountains of Tibet near the line of perpetual snow. The anima! 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 which it bears a general resemblance, 
but it has a remarkable covering of long, silky hair. (Bos grunniens.) 


(469) 


470 


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 handied, 
groomed and led bya rope secured to a ring put 
through its nose. Towards strangers it behaves dif- 
ferently, as a rule: it expresses unéasiness, 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. 

Yaks 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 on the Caucasus and in the woods of Mezer- 
zitz in Silesia; on the remainder of the globe, if we 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 found 
only in small numbers in the Caucasus. 

In former times this was different; for the Bison 
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 (Sonassus) are considered the repre- 
sentatives of a distinct sub-genus of the Oxen and 
are characterized by small, round horns, which are 
placed well to the front and curve upwards; a ve 
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 (Sos bison or 
Bison. Bonassus bison) has diminished in 
size, it is still a huge animal. A specimen of the 
species slain in Prussia in 1555 was seven feet high 
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 ina 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 sides 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.) 


(471) 


472 


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- Lhe 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 
mal of Speed beholder the impression of heavy and 
and Endurance. |ymbering 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 withage. 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. 
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 
sae the born singly, generally in May or 
18on. 


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 


In summer — 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 
Bisona 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 1860 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 may be 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 Bison and 
domestic Cattle, and even where young Bison calves 
and tame Cattle are kept together, as his been done 
in the forest of Bialowitch, their relations are any- 
thing but friendly. 
The American Lhe same tate 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 
shoulders and a shaggy mane. It is pictured here as it formerly lived in large herds on the great plains. (Bos americanus.) 


(473) 


474 


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 William T. Hornaday gives 
the number of the survivors on January 1, 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 principaily 
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 o 


the American 
Bison. 


When the first Europeans settled in 
North America the range of the 
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 Lhe American Bison or Buffalo, 

the American (os americanus) 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 are 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 are 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, 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


neck, shoulders, fore-parts of body and upper parts 
of the fore-legs, the fore-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 Ry 320 
of the throat. The horns and hoofs, as well as the 
naked muzzle, are of a lustrous black hue. 
Range and Habits Incontradistinction to the European 
_ of American Bison, which is invariably a forest- 
Bisons. dweller, the Buffalo must, at least 
since its range 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 
orherds. 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, Eaglesand 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 1851 Moellhausen saw hundreds 
ersandthe of thousands of Bisons in the prairies 
Buffalo. to the west of the Missouri; in 1858 
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 HORNED ANIMALS—OX TRIBE. 


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 1875, 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 
existence; but now the Buffalo has per- 


year of its 


THE GAYAL.——A noble handsome species 


of Oxen found b 


oth wild and domesticated in the mount: 


475 


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 Lhe Bison moves with considerable 
and Character- agility in spite of its clumsy appear- 
istics of the 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 


ez 


10us regions of / m and all the country 


from eastern Bengal east to Burmah. The figure, well shown in the picture, suggests strength, and besides the massive body the broad forehead and thick 


horns are especially noteworthy features of the animal. (Bos frontalis.) 


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 awav by others. The 
calves, one and not infrequently two, at a birth, make 
their appearance from March to July, 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 wild ones, that their 


476 


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 toa 
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. \Ninter, which is usually severe in 
the prairie, destroys hundreds of its tribe after first 
starving and weakening them. Their end 1s 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. of its tribe. 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, ina 
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.” 


’ Cattle. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS 


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. ast 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 
Nevertheless, the American Bisons in the 
European zoological gardens are also becoming ex- 
tinct. 

The Oxen proper (os), 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, anda 
comparatively thick, short covering of fur; they are 
also anatomically characterized by thirteen or four- 
teen rib-bearing vertebra, six not ee ees 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—OX TRIBE. 


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, 


477 


milk of the Gayal is said to be very rich and the 
flesh of the animal is excellent. 
The Gaur a Near Lhe Gaur or Gour (Bos gaurus) ex- 
Kinsman of the hibits a great affinity to the Gayal, 
Gayal. but 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 


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 


THE GAUR.—Inhabiting India, Burmah and the Malay Peninsuia, the Gaur is one of the handsomest and largest of the Ox tribe. 
head, stout figure and strong horns are prominent physical characteristics of the animal. 


The broad fore- 


(Bos gaurus.) 


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 EI- 
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 Domicile 
of the 
Gaur. 


The range of the Gaur is greatly ex- 
tended. Wherever the country is of 
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. 


eS SSS 


horns. It likes to forage in swampy or marshy ground. (Bos danteng.) 


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 
turnalinits 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 


THE BANTENG.— The most handsome of the wild Oxen is the Banteng, found on the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra and Borneo. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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. the case with large quarry. It is 


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 


vine 


= SS 


The picture 
siiows 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 


bull brought to bay may prove himself to be a far 
from despicable antagonist. 
The Banteng, 1 must award to the Banteng of the 
Handsomest of Malayan peninsula (Bos banteng) the 
the Ox Tribe. 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 HORNED ANIMALS—DOMESTIC OXEN. 


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 
little fear of the sportsman, 
not infrequently turning on 
him and using its pointed 
horns with great skill and 
effect. ‘ 

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 


from other domestic Cattle. 


479 


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- 


SS ==> 
= aS = 


THE SANGA,—This Abyssinian variety of. domestic Ox has a well developed hump and long and pecul- 
iarly shaped horns, but is otherwise a well shaped animal. 
(Bos africanus.) 


Its limbs and tail are long. In habits it does not differ 


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 


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 Sangaand 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 


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 Lhe solution of the question as to 
of Humpless _ the origin of the humpless Euro- 
Cattle. pean breeds seems to be somewhat 
easier, though in this case also we can not hope to 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 longifrons and the Sos 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, 


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. 


The Park Ox, or The Park Ox (Bos scoticus) is of mid- 
Wild Ox of — dle 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 


THE PARK 0X.—-The wild Cattle of britain are still preserved in several British parks, and are believe 


431 


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 friburgensis) 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, 


proach 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. 


olden times, and they are preserved ata 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- 
in 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 


(Bos scoticus.) 


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 Lhe 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 


D 


4 


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 taurus dunelmensis) 
horn. may be 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, 


Se ln 


Alpine Cattle. 
ground color of its sides shows several dark spots. 


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 toa Wild a wild Ox is tamed and reduced toa 
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 


Ry 
on 


FREIBURG OR SWISS 0X,—A well developed, sturdy animal is the Freiburg Ox, which is typical of the 
It is a short-horned variety, has a thick neck with a prominent dewlap, a small head and the white 
(Bos taurus friburgensis.) 


2 THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 
discovery of Domingo 
herds of four thousand 
head were of common 
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 the tame and wild Dogs and 
of the Vultures. Such indiscriminate slaughter soon 
thinned the numbers of evén 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. ; 
; - In Texas, California and some of the west- 
gsi! yo ay ” ern states and territories there are immense 
States. 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 isa 
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 rebranded. 


THE HORNED ANIMALS—DOMESTIC OXEN. 


. 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 esmunes 
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 isa 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 “~& RAG A 
the heights of the Cordilleras. Can 
Manner of Life of A glimpse at 

Cattle in Vari- the manner of 

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 


Syma 
ane 
i 4 ekg! r 


, -< - Wage 
x as 


DUTCH COW.—The breed of Dutch Ox 
been bred’ in Holland for hundreds of years, and is especially adapted to marshy regions. 
some animal, easily fattened, and the cows yield milk abundantly. 


483 


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 salty 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. _ 


hy Peri, 
DH NEAR, es aR 
athe sith y, aetay 4 Wen, 
VAM WO aan WWW 2 
OL PRB. “ken 
“eer le aan \ 
“Sesh ssc ie samme ee Rar 
en, of which the female is depicted in the illustration, has 
It is a rather hand- 


igen ty 
be wee Be, 


(Bos taurus hollandicus.) 


Cattle Life in Tem- 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 


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 


pias 


vile Pree 

Mais dary, 1 RSE ay WY-<8 
5 may we ‘ 
Ug wes Cesaann oa Ae 


DURHAM OR SHORT-HORN COW.—The Durham breed of Cattle isa famous English variety now com- 
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 beefit furnishes. (Bos taurus dunelmensis.) 


mon also in the United States. 


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 aré 
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 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 neat herds- 
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 
mountain. Cows left in 
the valley often escape 
' the vigilance of their 
owners and follow their 
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, alge 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 


THE HORNED ANIMALS— BUFFALOES. 


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- 


485 


ever, they may again slightly turn forward or de- 
scribe a gentle curve downward, and assume a 
slightly outward direction. 
The Fierceand Among the animals belonging to 
Powerful Cape this group, we assign to the Cape 
Buffalo. Buffalo (Bos or Bubalns 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.,—tThe Hereford breed is one especially favored by graziers because of its large size, its sturdy constitution, the ease 


with which itis fattened and the large yield and excellent quality of its beef. 


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 (Bubalus) 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- 


It leads among. the heavy English breeds and has become a favorite 


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. 


456 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 eyen- 
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. Apparentl 
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 does 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. did 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 receive 
during their struggle. 
The Cape Buffalo The first living Cape Buffaloes were 
Capable of Do- taken to Europe by Th von Heug- 
mestication. Jin, 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 are 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 thé 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 
eee, but an animal still living in southeastern 
sia. 

‘The Indian Buffalo (Bos or Bubalus arnt) 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 


wT 


tern Africa from Abyssinia to Cape Colony. Where they are little disturbed 
s, and are very formidable and dan- 


THE CAPE BUFFALO.—These wild and ferocious animals inhabit eas 


they are found in hundreds or even thousands, but usually in smaller herds. ‘They are sturdy animals with stout horn 


gerous antagonists of the sportsman who huntsthem. (Bos caffer.) 


485 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, whichas arule 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 the€ 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 
which 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 molestation 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 
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. ae 

The Buffalo's One cannot sufficiently admire the 

Actionsand mastery by the Buffaloes of the art 

Movements. of 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. 

Propagationand in the more northern regions, in 
Economic Value of February or March, the Buffalo cow 

the Buffaloes. ysually 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. 


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. 


THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT,.——With its home in the highest parts of the Rocky Mountains this animal isnot much molested. 
shaped much like that of a domestic Goat, but the two differ in their horns so much that they are placed in distinct sub-families. 


are very lively, agile and wary animals. (Af/ocerus montanus.) 


The Natural Ene- The Buffalo has enemies which 
mies ofthe 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 
enemy 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 
its horns, that we recognize in it the representative 
of a distinct sub-family, the Aplocerine. It was 


489 


formerly sometimes classified with the Antelopes, 
sometimes with the Goats. 
Description of the Lhe Rocky Mountain Goat,. called 
Rocky Mountain Nane by the Canadians‘ ( Aplocerus 
Goat. montanus or americanus), 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 


Its body is 
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 


fore-legs, leaving only about one-third of those 
members bare. A similar appendage covers the fore- 
art of the hind-legs. The tail is decorated with a 
ong, 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 
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 


Wied 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 
(Pinus contorta) 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 
of 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; 


The range of this animal is re-. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 (Anitlopine) 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 arule 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. 


Foodand ‘Their food consists exclusively of 
Usesof 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. 


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. 


I will begin the descrip- 
tion of the series of ani- 
mals thus classified with 
an account of the Ante- 
lopes proper (Axzilope). 
The group comprised un- 
der this name is charac- 
terized by physical propor- : 
tions approaching the Roe- .~s 
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- 

of the Sasin tilope cervica- 

Antelope. pra) 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- 


te 


491 


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 onsome 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- 


WENDT st 


if j) if ~ . 
f Vp 


— ee 


THE SASIN.—tThis species of Antelope is a graceful. beautiful animal which lives in India in the opem 
country. The horns, which are borne only by the males, are long and spiral. 
are useless to hunt it, and Cheetahs and Falcons are employed for that purpose. 


The Sasin is so fleet that Hounds 
(Antilope cervicapra.\ 

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 mammez. 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 ina state of liberty, can understand why 
it is that they appear to the Oriental the personifi- 
cation of grace and lovelisess; 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 vearning 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 (Antilope dorcas) is rather 
‘iarities of the smaller than the: European Roe, but 
Gazelle. is of 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 1s 
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 Rangeand The range of the Gazelle extends 
Food of the from Barbary to Arabia and Syria, 
Gazelle. and 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. Inthe 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. a 

The Gazelle at Lhe 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 ita 
pears much easier to goaroundthem. 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 ina 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 Lhe Gazelle is, in its native country, 
Esteemed asa 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 HORNED ANIMALS—ANTELOPES PROPER. 


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 
If the Falcon is a good one, it can stop any 


Horses. 


493 


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 


mAs _ . 


THE GAZELLE.—Long the favorite theme of Oriental poets, the Gazelle, or Barbary Antelope, is one of the most graceful and agile of animals, 


oo ~~ 


The slender, black horns surmount a beautiful head which is further adorned by long but symmetrical ears, and the entire contour of the animal is delicate 


and shapely. (Amntilope dorcas.) 


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. 


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 


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 Lhe Springboks (Antdorcas) 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 


2g: ~ ag : 
oe Actpel, LE hae =, SER OS 


THE SPRINGBOK.——In southern Africa these beautiful members of the Antelope family live on the plains, 
but frequently undertake migrations when seasons of drought and scarcity make their accustomed range undesirable 
They are very fleet and agile. 


On these occasions they assemble in bands of thousands. 


soles to the ankles, the ears long and pointed, the 
eyes very large, lustrous and long-lashed, the tear- 
pits small and obscure. 

The only representative of this sub-genus is the 
Springbok (Antilope euchore),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 Cape Colony, espe- 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 ina 
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 ina 
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. J 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 


So “S77: 
ee pn Wen? 


(Antilope euchore.) 


THE HORNED ANIMALS--OX-ANTELOPES. 


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 aridge 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 


shaped horns, which are well illustrated inthis picture. (Budbalis 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, 
apie by Lions, Leopards and Hvyeenas, and E. 
retschmar 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 


LG, / 


THE HARTEBEEST.—This species of Antelope, existing in large 
because of the larger development of the fore quarters as compared with the hinder ones. 


495 


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 


NS whe Z Z ee = 
in central and southern Africa, is of somewhat ungainly form, 
The most striking peculiarity of the animal is its peculiarly 


numbers 


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 (Buéalis), as they, in a certain sense, are 
transitional forms between the true Antelopes and 


496 


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 —Lhe south African Hartebeest of the 
of South Africa Boers, called Kama by the Bechuanas 
Described. ( Bubalis caama), 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 


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 CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 


S F sents for reed-grown 
(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 (Redunca), like the preceding 
species, also resemble both the Gazelles and the 
Oxen in some respects. They have large or medium- 


THE HORNED ANIMALS—WATER-BUCKS. 


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 (Redunca 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 


‘THE WATER BUCK, 


of frequenting rivers and its abilities as a swimmer. 


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 inan upward 
and outward direction. The muzzle is moderately 


————— = meer aac aae 


ne of the best known of the ‘African species of Antelopes is the Water-buck, which has been given its name from its habit 


The large curved horns are borne only by the male. 
one male and two females, in a damp African forest amid aquatic vegetation and with the companionship of water fowl. 


developed, and the animals have glands between the 
digits of their hoofs and are ornamented with a long 
tail-tuft. 
The. Water-buck’s Lhe Water-buck (Kobus ellipsiprym- 
Rangeand 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- 


The picture appropriately shows these animals, 
(Kobus ellipsiprymnus.) 

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 ata frenzied 


49 


(oe) 


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, 
heing 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 Lhe Passan, called. ‘‘Gemsbok” by 
or Gemsbok of the Dutch and Kukama by the Bech- 
South Africa. wanas (Oryx capensis) 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 leucoryx), 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 CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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. the company frequently consisting 
of only a mother with her young. Their walk is 
light, their trotting uneven and hard, their gallo 
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 pae 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 Cumming 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. . B. 
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. ca 

The skin and flesh of the Oryx Antelopes are 
utilized for food and leather. The straight horns of 
the Passan and the Beisa are 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. 5 


THE ADDAX. 


The Addax Antelopes are most nearly allied to 
the Oryx, as their horns, which are well developed in 
both sexes, form the sole distinctive feature. hese 
members are light, twisted either spirally or in a 


— 


SS ee ee a 


PASSAN PURSUED BY HYZNA DOGS.—The Passan is a strong, active and peculiarly marked Antelope having its home in southern Africa 
In the same region live the Hyena Dogs or Cape Hunting Dogs (Canis pictus), and the is Passan frequently picked out by these fierce canine animals asa 


victim. The pack of Dogs pursues the Antelope, which flees with utmost speed but is finally overcome by superior numbers, although 1t may kill several of 
its pursuers with its sharp horns before it is finally conquered. A full account of such a scene as here depicted will be found on page 199.. (Oryx capensis.) 


(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 (Addax nasomaculatus) 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 isa tuft hang- 
ing over the forehead; a strip of rather long hair 
extends from the ear to the back of the head; the 


THE ADDAX,—A heavy and rather ungainly species of Antelope is ‘the Addax 


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. 


SS tan — 


, which is an inhabitant of northern Africa. Besides the peculiar 


twist of the horns this animal is specially marked by a tuft of long dark hair on the forehead and a lighter one on the neck. (Addax nasomaculatus.) 


fore part of the neck is adorned bya 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 


SPIRAL HORNED ANTELOPES. 

The Spiral Horned Antelopes (St#epsiceros) 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 Koodooa 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 


ral-Horned Antelopes, is large, symmetrical and prettily marked, the white stripes on 
he male except that the latter bears on his head a magnificent pair of spirally twisted 
(Strepsiceros kudu.) 


THE KO00D00,—This animal, belonging to the group of Spi 
its sides being a specially prominent feature. The female resembles t 


horns, over three feet in length. It ranges through all of eastern Africa, from the Nile to Cape Colony. 


502 


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 in number. The horns area 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 onthe 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. 
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 (Buselaphus) 
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 seam produced by the union at acute angles of 
the three sides. 

The ElandaFa- The Eland (Buselaphus 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 | 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 light 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 cne-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 Lhe 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 
tivity—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 pictus) has frequently been taken 


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 


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 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 
of 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 


The fore part of, 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


whole family, nay, of all Ruminants, the Four-horned 
Antelope (7etraceros quadricornis). 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 (Cor 
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 Duyker or Diver ( Cephalolophus 
or Diver An- mergens) is one of the largest species 
telope. of 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. 


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, however. 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 


Fate 
Gy 


i 


iN 
\ 
~\ 


ae 


y 
Vib dside 


We; 


=z 


THE FOUR-HORNED ANTELOPE,—One of the most peculiar of 
the Antelopes is the Four-hortied 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. (Tetraceros guadricornis.) 


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 (Veotragus). 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 


505 


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 Lhe Greyhound Antelope (Veotra- 
Antelope of gus hemprichit), called Beni Israel 
East Africa. bythe 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. 


Poi Oe < ——— 

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 ot 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 


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 Wery 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. the 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 Felidz 
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 and its relations. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


THE MOUNTAIN ANTELOPES. 

All the Mountain Antelopes are to be distin-- 
guished from the others of their family by their 
stout, bulky, 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 Gom- 
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 Habitsof longing to the genus Nemorhcedus, 
the Goral. is 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 (Nemorhedus 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 ( Capella rupicapra), 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 td 
the line of perpetual snow. The picture shows a family of these animals amid characteristic surroundings, (Capella rupicapra.) 


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. 


Rangeand 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 doesascend 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- 
bers. 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- 

Mountains. —_ 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 fear is aroused and it takes to 
flight, the animal changes completely. It then. 
impresses one as 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 Wolten 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 Lhe senses of the Chamois are un- 
Senses of 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. 
e 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. 


‘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. 
ike 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 Chamoisa LOowards 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 does only one. 
Infancy and Traine The young kids are lovely little 
ing of Cham- _ creatures with a thick woolly coat 
ois Kids. of a pale 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 


509 


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 licking 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 atfgmented 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 Lhe hunting of the Chamois has 

Favorite Game ever been held to be a sport worthy 

Animal. of 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 CLOVEN-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 Huntingthe 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. Ifthe atmosphere is 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. 

“As 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.” 


Chamoisin 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 bya 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 varyin 
traditions and fables are intertwined with its natura 
history, so far as it has become known to the com- 
mon people. 

The Chamois Chamois taken young are capable of 

ina Stateof 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 
and 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, Schoepff 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 (Colus 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 


large herds. Its 


nin the picture is very common, frequently assembling in 
rsue it over the arid stretches of its native region. Only the male 


s, the large projecting nose which gives these animals so odd an 


SSS = 
THE SAIGA,—On the Russian and Siberian steppes the animal show 
gait is speedy but awkward as it endeavors to escape from the Kirghiz Tartars who pu 
Saiga has horns, but both sexes are marked with the distinguishing feature of the specie: 
appearance. (Colus tartaricus.) 
(511) 


512 


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 well-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. ing from 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 (Cavfoblepas) 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 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


and graceful members of their families. When one. 
sees a Gnu for the first time, he is uncertain what 
kind of a creature he really confronts. The animal 
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 Feae The genus of the Gnus is poor in 
surge ofthe species and its distinctive features 
nus. 


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. 


Habitatand The Gnu is a native of South Africa; 
Maples of ie it has been exterminated in Cape 
nu. 


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 PRONGHORNED ANIMALS. 


apparently loves it tenderly and perils her life in 
defense of it without hesitation. 
Difficulty and The pursuit of adult Gnus is rendered 
Profit ofaG@nu 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. 


GNU.—This species of the Antelope, which is an inhabitant of south Africa, has many peculiarities, among which the shape of the horns, the 


513 


Horns of Prong- This Ruminant, the Pronghorned 
horns Not Those of Antelope, differs from all its rela- 

an Antelope. _tives of 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 


‘bristles around the strangely formed snout, the manes on the neck and withers and the horse-like tail, are some of the most noteworthy. (Catoblepas gnu.) 


The Prongborned Animals, 


FOURTH FAMILY: AntiLocaprip&. 

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 ofthe called the Pronghorned Antelope, 
Pronghorn. —Prongbuck, Cabree or Cabrit (Ayéi- 
locapra americana or Antilope 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. 


d14 


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 inthe 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 we Prong- well as the modifications which they 
orns. 


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 Facultiesof mainly of the short succulent herb- 
Pronghorns. age of the 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. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 PRONGHORNED ANIMALS. 


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 


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- 


d15 


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 
Behaviorin 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 


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 twenty 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 


two or three months longer, then fall ill of pyzmic 
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 
Coyote 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 Difi- 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. e 

There are, 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. 


The Deer. 
FIFTH FAMILY: CEervip2. 


No other group of the order is so easily distin- 
guished as the family of the Deer (Cervide). They 
are Ruminants with antlers. These words describe 
them sufficiently; for everything else appears to be 
of minor consideration when contrasted with this 
peculiarity. 

The antlers are generally borne only by the males. 
They are a double, bony, branching development of 
horns, which is deciduous, that is, cast annually and 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


renewed. At the sixth or eighth month of age a 
bony projection makes itself apparent, attended by 
an elevation of the outer table of the frontal bone, 
this projection being retained through life, and the 
antlers being attached to it. At first they are 
straight and pointed; later they branch more and 
more, the branches sprouting from each main shaft 
and sometimes numbering as many as twelve. 
Process of Growth Blasius says: “As the age of Deer 
of Deer's Ant- increases, the antlers undergo a great 
lers. modification. The first and gener- 
ally very striking change that takes place is that in 
the bony projections at the bases, which expand 
every year to a greater extent and approach a junc- 
tion with each other in the middle of the forehead. 
They seem to appropriate the osseous matter of the 
head, for other portions of the skull annually dimin- 
ish in size, as the thickness of the frontal ridge in- 
creases. The changes in the shape of the antlers 
and the number of branches are still more striking. 
The young horns, in the incipient development of 
which lies the reason for the casting of the old ones, 
are at first surrounded by a hairy integument, abun- 
dantly supplied with blood-vessels and glandular, 
and soft and flexible to the touch. The lower spurs 
sprout first from the main horn, then the higher ones 
follow, and after all have attained their ultimate pro- 
portions the circulation of blood ceases and the ani- 
mal feels the need of rubbing off the skin or ‘velvet’ 
which then begins to peel off of its own accord.” 
The further development of the antlers then pro- 
ceeds in the following manner: Before the Deer com- 
pletes its first year, horns (which are the immediate 
continuation of the bony projections on the frontal 
ridge) are formed. These may be shed by some 
species of the family, but they are always replaced 
in the same manner, while the antlers succeeding 
these horns and: constituting the decoration of the 
head during the second year, show one or two 
branches in most of the Deer. In the spring of the 
third year the same process is repeated; but the 
new horn contains one more spur than that of the 
preceding year, and so it goes on until the greatest 
possible development of the animal has been at- 
tained. Diseases, or insufficient nutrition, sometimes 
cause a retrogression, the new horns numbering one 
or two spurs less than those of the preceding year, 
and, on the other hand, the formation of the antlers 
may be accelerated by abundant nourishment anda 
quiet manner of life, devoid of trouble or hardship. 
The antlers are fastened to the bony projections at 
their bases by articulation, that is, by having smaller 
or larger projections of the roots of the horns inter- 
locking and fitting into corresponding depressions on 
the upper surface of the bony projection, and vice 
versa. A few days before casting their antlers most 
Deer show a swelling of the edges of the skin sur- 
rounding the projections and the roots of the antlers; 
the animal takes care not to strike its antlers so as to 
hurt them and thereby proves that it experiences an 
unusual sensitiveness at this place. 

The casting itself is occasioned either by the 
weight of the horns themselves or by a slight exter- 
nal collision. It happens very rarely that both ant- 
lers are cast simultaneously; there is usually an in- 
terval ranging from a few minutes to several days, 
between the casting of the first and second horn. 
At this period the whole demeanor of the Deer, 
especially the carriage of the head and the droop- 
ing of the ears, is expressive if not of pain, yet of 
an uncomfortable feeling. A few days previously 


Old World, is of sturdy form, has long legs with 


species of the Deer family in the 
The Elk, notwithstanding the great expanse of these antlers. manages to 
a way as to avoid entanglement with vines and branches. The female is 


THE ELK.—This animal, which is the largest of the existing 
stout hoofs and the male is crowned with antlers which attain an enormous size. 
go through the woods without much inconvenience, carrying the horns in such 


without horns. (Adces palmatus.) 


(517) 


518 THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


it ceases thrusting with its horns, and defends itself 
by striking with its forelegs, after the manner of 
the doe. When one horn has been cast, the un- 
balanced weight of the remaining horn causes the 
animal to carry its head inclined to one side, and to 
frequently shake it, as if to hasten the casting of the 
annoying member. 

Distribution and Lhe Deer were originally distributed 

General Traits over a large part of the globe. At 

of Deer. present they inhabit all continents, 
with the exception of the Ethiopian belt and Aus- 
tralia; they exist in nearly all climates, in plains and 
in mountains, in the open country and in woods. 
All Deer are lively, timid and fleet creatures, quick 
and agile of movement and keen of sense, but 
endowed rather poorly mentally. The method of 
vocal expression consists of short, dull grunting or 
roaring sounds in the male and a shrill bleating in 
the female. 

The food of the Deer is of an exclusively vege- 
table nature; at least it has never been proven 
whether or not, as has been affirmed, the Reindeer 
eat Lemmings. Herbage, buds, leaves, the needles 
of the fir and pine, blossoms, cereals, fruit, berries, 
young shoots and branches, bark, moss, lichens and 
mushrooms are their main articles of food. They 
are very fond of salt and require water. 

The young Deer make their appearance,-one or 
two, or in rare cases three at a birth, perfectly de- 
veloped, and they follow their mother about within 
a few days after birth. With a few species the 
father as well as the mother shows a kind regard for 
the offspring. The fawns take great pleasure in re- 
ceiving the caresses which their mothers bestow on 
them, and the mothers take the utmost care of the 
fawns and valiantly defend them when in danger. 

In localities where agriculture and forestry are 
pursued according to the requirements of modern 
times, Deer can not be tolerated. The damage 
wrought by these beautiful animals exceeds the 
slight use which they are to. Man. Unquestion- 
ably they are inimical to the cultivation of the 
ground and the proper keeping of the forest. If it 
were not for the chase, which is justly considered to 
be one of the noblest and manliest of sports, all Deer 
would long ago have been exterminated in every 
densely peopled agricultural country. This point 
has not yet been reached; but all the members of 
this family, distinguished as it is in so many respects, 
are nearly everywhere approaching their doom and 

robably will soon be seen only in parks and zoo- 
ogical gardens. 

Domestication of Lhe taming of Deer is not as easy as 

Deer Somewhat is usually supposed. Those which 

Difficult. have been from early times in pos- 
session of Man, and have become accustomed to 
him, exhibit an amiable, trustful and affectionate 
temper when they are young. As age increases, 
however, all these qualities gradually disappear and 
nearly all old Deer are cross, vicious and pugnacious 
creatures. Even the one species that has been 
domesticated for a great length of time, the Rein- 
deer, is no exception to this rule. Its domestica- 
tion is by no means a perfect one, such as we see in 
other Ruminants, but is only partially successful. 


THE ELKS. 


We will place the giants of the family at the 
head. The Elks (Alces) at present have only one 
representative, or, if the American Moose is re- 
garded as a distinct species, two. They are huge, 


clumsy, long-legged animals; their antlers broadly 
expand, somewhat like spades, and are marked by 
finger-like indentations with many spurs; they have 
small tear-pits, hair tufts on the inner side of the 
tarsus and glands between the toes, but no canine 
teeth. The head is ugly, the hairy upper lip pro- 
jects over the lower; the eyes are small, the ears 
long and broad; the tail is very short. 
The European Elk The Elk (Alces palmatus or Cervus 
Known in Early alces) has enjoyed a wide celebrity 
Ages. from early ages. The origin of the 

name is.not quite clear: some hold that it has been 
corrupted from the old word “elent,”’ which sig- 
nifies strong; others believe it to come from the 
Sclavic word “jelen” (Deer). The old Roman au- 
thors speak of the Elk as a German animal. Julius 
Cesar said: ‘‘There are Alces in the Hircynian for- 
est, animals resembling Goats in shape and variety 
of color, but larger, devoid of horns and with joint- 
less feet. Never do they lie down to rest, nor can 
they get up, when once they have fallen. They lean 
against trees, when sleeping; therefore the hunter 
undermines the trees or chops them nearly in two 
so that they fall down, along with the animals, 
which lean against them.’’ In writings of the mid- 
dle ages the animal is mentioned quite frequently, 
also in the song of the Nibelungen, in which it is 
called Elk. 
Diminished Range Within the last few hundred years 

oftheEuropean the number of Elks in Europe has 

Elk. undergone a very rapid and consider- 

able decrease. Elks are now kept in small herds 
in Germany in forest preserves, under the strictest 
supervision; and the Elk is found in the free state in 
the higher latitudes of all wooded countries of Eu- 
rope and Asia. In Europe it is confined to the low- 
lands about the Baltic, meaning Lithuania, Corland 
and Livonia, except eastern Prussia, as well as in 
Sweden, Norway and a few regions of Russia. In 
Asia the Elk is much more common; it spreads there 
north of the fiftieth parallel over the entire north to 
the Amoor and occurs wherever there are extensive 
forests. 

The Elk is a powerful animal. The length of 
body of an adult Elk ranges between eight feet eight 
inches and nine feet eight inches; the tail is about 
four inches long and the height at the withers aver- 
ages six feet four inches. Very old animals may 
weigh as much as one thousand pounds; the average 
weight, however, varies between six hundred and 


eight hundred pounds. The body of the Elk is 


comparatively short and stout, broad in the chest; 
high, with an incipient hump on the withers; straight 
along the back, low at the croup. It is supported 
by very long, vigorous legs of equal length, terminat- 
ing in narrow, straight, deeply-cloven hoofs, which 
are joined to one another by an elastic connecting 
membrane; the rudimentary toes slightly touch the 
ground. The short, stout, strong neck supports a 
large, elongated head, narrowing in front of the eyes 
and terminating in a long, thick, bulbous snout, 
abruptly flattened in front. The antlers of the male 
each consists of a large, plain, expanded, triangular, 
flat, spade-shaped and furrowed blade, serrated with 
numerous spurs along its outer edge, and supported 
by a short, thick, rounded shaft; both these shafts 
are marked with small knob-like protuberances, and 
are set on short, bony prominences at the upper ex- 
terior angles of the skull, and curve laterally from 
their bases. The antlers may weigh as much as forty 
pounds. The hair of the Elk is long, thick and 


Se oe ee ee se 


ee 


THE DEER—ELKS. 


straight. The color is a rather uniform reddish 
brown, deepening into a brilliant black-brown on the 
crest of the neck and sides of the head, and fading 
into gray at the extremity of the snout; the legs are 
whitish ashy-gray, the rings around the eyes gray. 
The doe is of slightly smaller proportions, but has 
no antlers. 
The Domicile, Hab- The Elk delights in wild, lonely 
its and Dietof forests, abounding in grassy swamps 
the Elk, and inaccessible marshes, especially 
those grown with willows, birches, aspens and other 
thickly leaved woods. Bogs and marshes seem to 
be essential to its well-being and comfort. The 
awkward, stupid-looking creature confines itself to 
the lower, watery situa- 
tions in summer, and in 
winter to the higher ones, 
which are not exposed to 
inundations and are not 
covered with ice. In se- 
rene weather it prefers 
forests of ordinary leaved 
trees; in rain, snow and 
fog, thick growths of trees 
with needle-like foliage, 
such as pines and firs. It 
readily changes its place 
of abode if disturbed or 
urged by want of food. 

In its habits the Elk 
differs from the ordinary 
Deer in many respects. 
Like the latter it gathers 
into troops of variable 
numbers and it is only 
towards the time that the 
young are born that the 
old males separate from 
these herds and consort 
in societies of their own. 

The Elk dislikes being 
disturbed in any way, 
even more than do other 
Deer. It requires abso- 
lute freedom from moles- 
tation and forsakes the 
locality in which it has 
been annoyed. Wherever 
it knows that it is secure, 
it rests only in the morn- 
ing and afternoon hours, 
except, perhaps, a few 
short intervals, and roams 
about in quest ofits food 
from four o’clock in the 
afternoon, and during the 
early night and early morning; under different cir- 


forests of that region. 


cumstances it sometimes chooses the night for its: 


search for food. The Elk’s principal diet in the 
forest uplands consists of leaves and shoots of the 
swamp-willow, birch, ash, aspen, mountain ash, ma- 
ple, linden, oak and pine; on the heath of young 
reeds and sedge, supplemented with sprouting corn 
and flax. When taking its food from the tree it 
drives its incisor teeth in like a chisel, peels a piece 
of bark a little distance, seizes the loosened end 
with its teeth and lips and then tears long strips off 
in an upward direction. Trees of medium growth it 
bends down with its head and breaks off their tops; 
as is easily explained, it prefers trees and shrubs, 
the bark of which contains a large amount of sap, 


THE MOOSE.——The Moose o 
they can scarcely be regarded as more than varieties of the same species. 
horns and fur from the Elk, and is restricted in its habitat to British America, and is most plentiful in the northern 
(Alces americana or malchis.) 


519 


such as the aspen, ash, willow and poplar, some- 
times completely stripping very stout aspen trees. 
Peculiar Modes of Lhe movements of the Elk are much 
Locomotion of less uniform and lighter than those 
the Elk. of the Stags or Red Deer. It is not 
possessed of great powers of endurance, but is capa- 
ble of trotting along rather rapidly for a long time; 
some authorities aver that it can at this gait travel 
thirty miles a day. 
Wangenheim describes a very queer mode of loco- 
motion of the Elks over swampy districts. Where 


the soil will not bear a running Elk, the animal 
crouches down on its body, flexing the strong ten- 
dons of its hind legs; then it stretches out its fore- 


— = a~k 
orth America and the Elk of Europe and Asia are so nearly related that 
The Moose shows slight variations in 


legs, hooks its. hoofs on some point of resistance, 
such as a grass tuft or partly submerged log or 
branch, pushes with its hind legs and pulls with its 
fore feet, and thus glides over the muddy surface; 
where the ground is quite quaky, it sometimes lies 
down on its side and works its way along by kicking 
and beating the mud with its legs. In the art of 
swimming the Elk is an adept. It enters the water 
not only from necessity, but, like many of the bovine 
species, for its own comfort and pleasure, to bathe 
and cool itself. In eastern Siberia it seeks the deeper 
gorges in the mountains, in which the snow lies for 
a long time, and there wallows in the cooling ele- 
ment. It can not long proceed on smooth ice, un- 
covered by snow, and if it once falls on the slippery 


20 


or 


surface, it is very difficult for it to rise. When it 
runs, one hears distinctly a clicking, rattling noise 
produced by the clattering of the rudimentary toes 
against the heel of the hoof. An Elk which has 
started to run can not be made to swerve from a 
direct course, but proceeds straight through the 
thickest of the wood, through lakes, rivers, and 
bogs, which may lie before it. 
Physical and Men- The sense of hearing of the Elk is 
tal Faculties of acute, while its faculties of sight and 
the Elk. smell are inferior. In regard to 
mental capacity it does not seem to belie the indica- 
tions of its lumpish, stupid appearance. Its actions 
indicate very little intelligence. It possesses little 
shyness and still less caution, and hardly learns to 
discriminate between real and imaginary danger. A 
firm bond of union between the members of a herd 
does not seem to exist, but each individual acts 
according to its own judgment. It is true that the 
fawn follows its mother, but the herd does not inva- 
riably follow its leader, as is the case with other 
Deer. During the mating season the males are very 
much excited, challenging each other and fighting 
with great obstinacy and ferocity. They readily 
attack Man at this time and continually wander 
around, day and night, apparently possessed of a 
feeling of vague disquiet and unrest. The affec- 
tion of the Elk mother for her fawn is very great. 
She defends even her slain young one, and if her 
infant be taken from her she roams about the place 
of its capture searching for it for days. 


The Elk’s In spite of the Elk’s strength, it has 
Enemies and to fear other enemies besides Man, 
Uses. especially the Wolf, Lynx, Bear and 
Glutton. The Wolf usually tears an Elk down in 


winter in deep snow; the Bear is prone to sneakingly 
approach only solitary animals and refrains from 
attacking a troop; the Lynx and occasionally the 
Glutton spring on an Elk passing under the tree 
which shelters them, fasten their claws into its neck 
and bite through its arteries. They are the most 
dangerous enemies of the strong Elks. Wolves and 
Bears, however, need to proceed cautiously in at- 
tacking an Elk, for the latter knows how to ward off 
an attack successfully, even when deprived of its 
vigorous antlers, using the hard, sharp hoofs of its 
forelegs with much skill and vigor. 

Elks taken young may be tamed and even allowed 
to wander about at liberty; in Germany, however, 
they rarely survive captivity for a long time. In 
Sweden they are said to have been trained to draw 
sleds, but a law was passed prohibiting this practice, 
“ for the speed and endurance of the Elks would have 
rendered the pursuit of criminals impossible.” Later 
attempts to domesticate the Elk have failed. The 
young appear to thrive at first, but subsequently they 
become reduced in condition and die. 

The profit to Man of the carcass of an Elk is con- 
siderable. Venison, hide and antlers are all put to 
account, like those of the other Deer. The flesh is 
tougher, but the hide is firmer and better than that 
of the Red Deer. Elk hide was highly esteemed 
and brought a high price, in the middle ages espe- 
cially. But all the profit of the Elk is far from 
compensating for the damage it inflicts. The ani- 
mal is most destructive to the trees in woods which 
it inhabits and is so great a menace to the exist- 
ence of well kept forests that it ought not to be 
cared for or protected in those regions in which 
there is any attempt made to practice forestry after 
modern and improved methods. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


Difference Between The Moose or Moose Deer of Eng- 
the Moose and Eu- lish-speaking Americans, and called. 
ropean Elk. = Orignal by French Canadians (Adces 
americanus, or alces malchis) differs from its Old 
World relative in the deeply indented blades of its 
antlers, with separate spur sprouts, its dewlap scantily 
grown with hair and its darker color. Opinions about 
this animal are as yet by no means settled, though 
some naturalists have claimed to find point of dis- 
tinction not only in the texture of the fur but also 
in its darker color, particularly on the hams of the 
animal. I have seen living animals of both hemi- 
spheres beside each other, and have not been able 
to find any considerable difference, so that I hardly 
believe that they can be considered distinct species. 
The antlers of the Moose are stronger and heavier 
than those of the European Elk and may attain a 
weight of sixty to eighty pounds. Hamilton Smith 
gives the following description: ‘‘The Moose Deer 
is the largest species of Deer, for it is taller than a 
Horse at the withers. If one were to deny the 
grand impression this animal produces on the spec- 
tator, it would be probable that he had seen only 
stuffed females or young individuals. We had the 
opportunity of beholding Moose Deer in the prime 
of their development, with completed antlers and in 
their wild state, and we must confess that no animal 
makes a more magnificent appearance. The head is 
over two feet long, but has a clumsy appearance; 
the eye is proportionately small and deep-sunken; 
the ears resemble those of a Donkey and are long 
and hairy; the spurs of the antlers may sometimes 
number as many as twenty-eight.” 
The Range of the The Moose Deer is still found in 
Moose and Method the northern portions of North 
of Hunting it. America, especially in Canada, New 
Brunswick and on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. 
Franklin found it at the mouth of the Mackenzie 
and eastward along the Coppermine river at the 
sixty-fifth parallel. . Mackenzie also found it on the 
heights of the Rocky Mountains and along the 
sources of Elk River. The Moose Deer casts its 
antlers later than does the European Elk, usually in 
January and February, and in severe winters as late 
as March. The food of the Moose is probably iden- 
tical with that of the Elk. 

The northern Indians hunt the Moose extensively 
and in various ways. One of their principal devices 
consists in driving the animal into the water, where 
they approach it in their canoes and slay it without 
difficulty. These people affirm that after partaking 
of the flesh of the Elk, they can travel three times as 
far as after a meal consisting of other meat. They 
make large spoons out of the antlers and utilize the 
hide for covering their canoes. Young Moose Deer 
can easily be tamed, for they learn to know and 
trust their keeper after a few days captivity. But 
with increasing age they, like their relatives, become 
savage, hasty-tempered and dangerous. 


THE REINDEER. 


Among the Reindeer (Rangifer) both sexes have 
antlers, which rise from a short bony protuberance 
on the frontal ridge, describe first a backward and 
then a forward curve, expand in a blade-like manner 
at their extremities, have finger-shaped indentations 
and are slightly furrowed. Very broad hoofs and 
rather long, bluntly pointed rudimentary toes distin- 
guish this species of Deer. Their shape is rather 
cumberous, the head being specially ungainly; the 
legs are relatively short; the tail is very short. The 


THE DEER—REINDEER. 


old males sometimes, but not uniformly, have small 
canine teeth in the upper jaw; the females never 
have them. 

The Reindeer may be styled the most useful of 
Deer. Entire nations owe their existence to it; for 
they would cease to be did they not possess this 
strangely chosen domestic animal. To the Lap- 
lander or Finlander the Reindeer is much more of 
a necessity than the Ox or Horse is to us, or the 
Camel and Goat to the Arab; for it must perform 
the aggregated services of nearly all other domestic 
animals. The tame Reindeer yields flesh and skin, 
bones and tendons, to furnish its master with food 
and raiment; it yields its milk, it serves as beast of 
burden and drags the family and the household 
goods from one place to another on a light sled; in 
short, the Reindeer renders the nomad life of the 
northern tribes possible. 


I know of no other animal in the life and treat- . 


ment of which the burden of servitude, the curse of 
slavery, is expressed so clearly as in the case of the 
Reindeer.. There is no doubt that the wild Scandi- 
navian Reindeer. is the ancestor of the domestic ani- 
mal of that country. Tame ones, released from the 


restraint and protection of Man, revert to savagery . 


in a very short time and become entirely assimilated 
to the wild ones after a few generations. Yet there 
hardly exist two creatures differing so very widely 
in shape and temper as the tame and wild Reindeer. 
The former is a miserable slave of a poor, miserable 
master, the latter a proud monarch of the lofty 
mountains, a Chamois-like Deer, possessing all the 
noble qualities pertaining to so beautiful a creature. 
He who has seen free Reindeer in troops and tame 
ones in herds and compared them, can hardly be- 
lieve that both are children of the same ancestor. 


Description The Reindeer (Xangifer tarandus) is 

_ of the Rein- a stately creature of Stag-like pro- 
deer. portions, though not of a Stag’s 
height. Its length varies between five feet eight 


inches and six feet eight inches; the tail measures 
five inches, the height at the withers is three feet 
seven inches. The antlers are inferior in size and 
still more in beauty to those of the Stag, yet consti- 
tute a stately ornament. The body of the Reindeer 
differs from that of the Stag, perhaps only by the 
greater breadth of the hinder quarters; but the neck 
and head are much clumsier and less beautiful, the 
legs considerably shorter and the hoofs much more 
unsightly than those of the Red Deer. The Reindeer 
also lacks the proud bearing of the Stag: it carries 
itself much less haughtily than that noble animal. 
The neck has about the same length as the head; it 
is sturdy and laterally compressed and barely curves 
upwards; the head is slightly narrower in front, with 
a blunt, bulbous snout, straight along the nasal 
ridge. The ears are shorter than those of the Stag, 
but of similar formation; the eyes are large and 
beautiful; the tear-pits small and covered with tufts 
of hair. The thighs are thick, the legs stout and 
short, the hoofs very large, broad, flatly compressed 
and deeply cloven; the rudimentary toes reach to 
the ground. In tame Reindeer the hoofs increase 
so much in width that one would have to separate 
the wild and tame ones into different species, if he 
considered the structure of the hoofs alone. The 
wild Reindeer are generally of a much more dainty 
and attractive appearance than the tame ones, which 
by contrast seem deformed and plain. : 

The coat is closer than that of any other Deer. 
The lower portion of the neck is adorned with a 


521 


mane, which sometimes reaches to the chest, and the 
hair on the cheeks is also longer than on other parts 
of the body. In winter the hair is nearly three 
inches long all over, and as the hairs lie very close 
together they form a coat of over one and a half 
inches in thickness, which explains the fact that the 
Reindeer can easily bear an exceedingly cold tem- 
perature. The general color varies in the different 
individuals and also according to the season. The 
wild Reindeer change their coat and its hue, rather 
regularly, twice a year. In spring the copious winter 
hair is shed and is replaced by a short, gray coat; 
then other hair gradually mingles with it, its white 
tips entirely overshadowing the gray hair, until the 
whole animal appears whitish gray, strikingly re- 
sembling the tint of melting, dirty snow. The tame 
Reindeer is of a dark brown hue in summer. In 
winter the brown color disappears, and the white 
hair predominates; but there are many Reindeer 
which are characterized in winter only by a greater 
length of hair, the hue remaining unchanged. The 
antlers of the female are smaller and have fewer 
spurs than those of the male. 
Early History and Some naturalists regard the Ameri- 
Present Range of can Reindeer as a distinct species, 
the Reindeer, and base their opinion on the fact 
that the European Reindeer is also found on the 
American continent and differs from the other in 
dimensions, hue and habits. The Caribou ( Rangifer 
cavibu) is said to be larger than the Reindeer, to 
have smaller antlers and a darker color and live 
more solitarily, and mainly in woods. 

The high north latitudes of the Old World, and 
if the American Caribou is counted as belonging 
to the same species, also the northmost habitable 
regions of the New, are the native country of the 
Reindeer. It is generally found, north of the six- 


_tieth parallel in all countries; in some localities 


descending as far south as the fifty-second parallel 
and ranging northward invariably beyond the eight- 
ieth parallel. One finds it wild in the glacial moun- 
tains of Scandinavia and Lapland, in Finland, in the 
whole of northern Siberia, in Greenland and on 
the northmost mountains of continental America, 
and it also lives on Spitzbergen. It was introduced 
into Iceland over a century ago, and it has com- 
pletely reverted to the wild state on that island and 
has spread in considerable numbers over all of its 
mountains. In Norway I found it in considerable 
numbers on the Dovrefjeld. It also occurs on the 
lofty mountains of Bergen and certainly descends 
there as far south as to the sixtieth parallel of north 
latitude. 
The Domicile and Lhe Reindeer is a genuine mountain 
Habits of the child, like the Chamois, and is found 
Reindeer, only on the broad, treeless ridges of 
the northern mountains, called by the natives fjelds, 
and overgrown with moss and a few mountain plants. 
“In Norway the belt between three and six thou- 
sand feet of altitude forms its usual place of abode. 
It never descends in those regions to the forest belt, 
anxiously avoiding woods in general. The barren 
table-lands and slopes, between the rocks of which 
grow some straggling plants, or those vast elevated 
plains, which are thinly covered with reindeer-moss, 
must be regarded as the home of these animals, and 
it is only in migrating from one range of mountains 
to another, that they traverse the boggy, morass- 
like, low plains; and even during such changes of 
location do they anxiously shun the forest. Pallas 
states that the Reindeer is occasionally to be found 


522 


in the woods of northern Siberia, and Von Wrangel 
confirms this statement. Both these writers inform 
us that it undertakes extensive and regular migra- 
tions in Siberia. ‘Towards the end of May,” says 
Von Wrangel, “the wild Reindeer leaves the woods 
in large herds, having sought shelter there against 
the severe cold during the winter; it wends its way 
towards the northern plains, partly because it finds 
there on the surface more abundant nourishment of 
moss, but partly, also, to escape the Gnats and Flies, 
which abound in such enormous swarms at the com- 
mencement of spring as to darken the air. The 


migration in spring is not profitable to the native 


—=—= ial 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


defined, beaten roads. In crossing a river, they 
select a spot where a firm, stable road from the 
valley leads to the point of entrance on one bank 
and a hard sandy bottom facilitates their landing 
on the opposite shore. Each separate herd crowds 
closely together and the whole surface is covered 
with swimming animals.” On the continent of Amer- 
ica the animals migrate, as do their kin in Siberia, 
from the mountains to the coast and back. Sir John 
Franklin says that they leave the lowlands with their 
young (which have been born there) in July and 
August; in October they have reached the boundary 
of the cold tracts of country and seek shelter and 


ee ao . 


THE REINDEER.—The most useful of al! species of the Deer family is the Reindeer, which, in the countries of the frozen north, is the principal 


draught anima). 


The tame breed is somewhat deteriorated in size, but the number of the wild species is much diminished on account of the manner in 


which they are trapped and domesticated by the natives. The antlers, which are borne by both sexes, grow to great size and branch in a peculiar manner, 


as shown in the picture. (Rangifer tarandus.) 


tribes; for at that season the animals are lean and 
quite covered with lumps and wounds from the 
poisonous stings of insects. In August and Sep- 
tember, however, when the Reindeer again returns 
from the plain to the forest, they are sound and 
well nourished and their venison is palatable and 
wholesome. In favorable years the herds consist of 
several thousand in number, which may be resolved 
into smaller flocks of two and three hundred each, 
keeping rather close together, however, so that the 
whole makes up one immense, tolerably compact 
mass. In their migrations they always travel over 
the same route, making in their wanderings well- 


sustenance in the forests in winter. As soon as the 
snow begins to melt on the mountains, they again 
leave the elevated woodiands and gradually descend 
to the plains. Packs of Wolves, which seize many a 
victim, follow their footsteps, and bands of Indians 
lie in wait for them along their established “runs,” 
which the animals traverse with the greatest regu- 
larity. i 
Physical and Men- Lhe Reindeer are admirably adapt- 
tal Development of ed to inhabit those northern regions, 
the Reindeer. which in summer are really only one 
stretch of morass and in winter only one continuous 
snow-field. Their broad hoofs enable them to trav- 


THE DEER—REINDEER. 


erse the fenland and the surface of snow as well 
as to climb up the slopes. The gait of the Reindeer 
is a rather quick pace or a rapid trot, and nearly 
every step is attended bya peculiar crackling sound, 
comparable to that produced by an electric spark. 
When walking slowly over a marshy surface the 
Reindeer expands its hoofs to such an extent that 
the footprint resembles that of an Ox much more 
than that of a Deer, and walks over the snow in a 
similar manner, not sinking into it after the snow 
has settled down in any measure. Swimming comes 
very easily to a Reindeer. 

All the perceptive senses of the Reindeer are ex- 
cellent. Its power of smell is extremely acute, being 
efficient at a distance of five or six hundred paces, as 
I have personally convinced myself. Its hearing is 
at the least as sensitive as that of the Stag, and its 
sight is so quick that a huntsman, if he wishes to be 
successful, has every reason to hide most carefully, 
even if he approaches against the wind. 

In summer the wild Reindeer feeds on juicy moun- 
tain plants, especially on the leaves and flowers of 
the snow-ranunculus, the Reindeer sorrel, the com- 
mon crowsfoot, and the fescul-grass, in winter on 
lichens. 

Reproduction, In Norway the little ones make their 
Chase and Value of appearance towards the middle of 

the Reindeer. April. Wild Reindeer are said never 
to give birth to more than one fawn, which is a trim 
little creature, and the mother apparently loves it 
tenderly and suckles it a long time. 

The chase of the wild Reindeer requires a sports- 
man passionately fond of it or a true naturalist who 
does not mind hardships and privations. The first 
shot throws a troop into such confusion that the 
Reindeers stand still in utter astonishment, and flee 
only after they have descried the hunter. The Nor- 
wegian hunters are aware of this peculiarity of the 
animal, and like to hunt alone or in small parties. 
They cautiously approach a troop, take aim at some 
particular animals, and one of them fires first; then 
the others shoot also. The chase of the Reindeer is 
of the utmost importance to many Siberian tribes. 
“The Yukaghirs and the other inhabitants of the 
country along the Anyui river in Siberia,” says Von 
Wrangel, “depend entirely on the Reindeer, which 
furnishes them almost exclusively with food, rai- 
ment, means of locomotion and houses, just as it 
does for the people of Lapland. The results of the 
Reindeer chase determine whether famine or com- 
fort shall prevail, and the season of the Reindeer 
migration is the most important part of the year. 
When the animals reach the rivers in their period- 
ical migration, and prepare to swim over, the hunters, 
who have been skulking behind bushes and rocks, 
dart forward in their little boats, surround the herd 
and endeavor to stop it, while two or three of the 
most skillful row among the swimming crowd and 
succeed, in an incredibly short time, in slaying, or 
severely injuring, a great number of animals that, as 

‘a result of their wounds, are scarcely able to reach 
the shore where they fall into the hands of the 
women, girls and children. The hunt is exceedingly 
perilous, however, for the small, light boat easily 
capsizes in the midst of the enormous throng of 
animals swimming, one closely beside another, and 
moreover the pursued animals defend themselves in 
every possible way: the males with their antlers and 
teeth, the females with their forelegs with which 
they are wont to jump on the gunwale of the boat. 
If the boat capsizes the hunter is usually lost, for it 


523 


is well-nigh impossible for him to work his way out 
of the throng.” 

The Indians of the extreme northern parts of 
North America hunt the Reindeer in a similar man- 
ner, King says. These people are also almost entirely 
dependent on this animal for everything which con- 
tributes to their comfort or permits their existence. 
Vast herds—many thousands in number—migrate 
northward to the Arctic Ocean in spring and south- 
ward again in the fall. At the time of this last mi- 
gration.they have a layer of fat from three to five 
inches in thickness under the skin of the back and 
croup and therefore they are the main object of 
the chase. They are shot with fire-arms, caught in 
snares or killed with spears while crossing rivers; 
deep pitfalls are dug for them, or the trapper con- 
structs two fences of branches and shrubs, and 
leaves narrow gaps in each, provided with snares; 
the herd is driven between the fences and the peo- 
ple capture those which try to break through, or 
stab them when they come out. 

Economie Value Lhe Indians make similar uses of 


of the Rein- the carcasses of the wild Reindeer as 
deer. do the Laplanders of those of their 
tame herds. The antlers and bones are made into 


fish-spears and hooks; the meat, fat and hair are 
scraped off the hides with the split shin bones; the 
skin is rubbed with the brains, to render it pliant; the 
leather is tanned by being smoked with rotten wood 
and is then hung around the tent-poles; the raw 
hides are made into bow-strings and nets; the ten- 
dons of the back are split into fine thread; the soft, 
fur-like skins of the fawns must provide the Indians 
with clothing. They wrap themselves in Reindeer 
skins from head to foot, throw a soft tanned skin on 
the snow, cover themselves with another, and thus 
are enabled to bid defiance to the severest cold. No 
part of the Reindeer is left unutilized, not even the 
partly digested food found in the stomach, which 
when it has lain for some time and undergone a cer- 
tain fermentation, is reckoned to be a very dainty 
dish. 

The wild Reindeer has many enemies besides 
Man. The most dangerous of all is the Wolf. This 
beast of prey always hangs on the outskirts of the 
herds, but is most dangerous in winter. In Norway 
the attempts at Reindeer breeding which were made 
in the southern mountains had to be abandoned on 
account of the Wolves. The Wolverine, Lynx and 
Bear also prey on the Reindeer. Next to these 
large predaceous animals, small and apparently in- 
significant insects must be counted their most an- 
noying if not their worst foes. 

Reindeer taken young become tame very soon; 
but one would err greatly if he were to place Rein- 
deer, in regard to tractability, on a level with other 
animals reduced to a state of domesticity. Not 
even the descendants of those which have been in 
captivity from time immemorial, are as tame as our 
common domestic animals, but they always remain 
in a half savage condition. Only Laplanders and 
their Dogs are able to guide and rule such herds. 
Characteristics and Laplanders are not the only race 

Habits of Domes- to occupy themselves with Reindeer 
tic Reindeer. —_ breeding, in which pursuit the Fin- 
landers and many Siberian tribes also engage. The 
tame Reindeer is the support and the pride of the 
Laplander; it is alike his pleasure and wealth, his 
burden and his torment. In his opinion he who 
numbers his Reindeer by the hundred, has reached 
the pinnacle of human bliss. Some few Laplanders 


524 


possess from two to three thousand, but the majority 
do not exceed five hundred. The fjeld Laplander, 
who is the genuine Reindeer breeder, looks proudly 
down on all other members of his tribe, who have 
given up nomad life and have either settled on the 
shore as fishermen or gone out in service among the 
Scandinavians; he believes himself alone to be truly 
independent and he knows nothing more desirable 
than his Reindeer herd. 

Such a herd presents a curious and highly inter- 
esting spectacle. It really resembles a wandering 
forest—assuming of course the forest to have been 
deprived of its leaves for the time being. The Rein- 
deer proceed in close ranks like Sheep, but at a brisk, 
even pace, skimming over the ground more rapidly 
indeed than any of our domestic animals. The 
keeper with his Dogs walks on one side, busily 
engaged in keeping the herd together. 

If there is good pasturage near, the Laplanders 
build a penfold, to facilitate milking, and drive the 
animals into it every evening. Reindeer remind one 
of Sheep by their restlessness and their continual 
bleating, though the sounds which they utter are 
more like the grunting of swine. The great majority 
of those kept in herds are very small: one sees but 
a few large animals among hundreds. The irregu- 
larity of the size of the antlers also impresses one 
disagreeably. In approaching the penfold, one first 
hears the constant bleating and then a sharp, crack- 
ling noise, as if hundreds of electric batteries were 
active, due to the perpetual moving to and fro of 
the animals and the castanet-like action of their 
hoofs. In the middle of the penfold lie several large 
trunks of trees, to which the Reindeer are fastened 
while they are being milked. No Reindeer suffers 
itself to be robbed of its milk without being first 
secured with a lasso, and therefore every Laplander 
of either sex always carries a long strap or a rope. 
In use as a lasso this is lightly coiled, held by both 
ends and thrown so as to fall around the neck or 
antlers of the animal; then the milker gradually 
pulls it nearer until he has drawn it up quite close; 
a sailor-knot is next hitched and put around the 
animal’s mouth, thus securely bridling it and com- 
pelling complete obedience. Then the end of the 
lasso is fastened to the tree trunk and the business of 
milking begins. While this lasts, the Reindeer makes 
various efforts to run away; but the Laplanders 
know how to foil them and draw the noose around 
the nose of especially refractory animals so close as 
to compel them to stand still. The milker ap- 
proaches the Reindeer from behind, and gives the 
udder a few slaps with the hand, which empties it. 
The milk has a pleasing sweetish taste and is as rich 
as cow’s cream. As soon as the milking is accom- 
plished, the penfold is opened and the animals go 
out to pasture, no matter whether they have been 
collected in the early morning or late at night, for 
they graze both day and night. 

The Great Useful. The entire value of tame Reindeer 
ness and Value of to their owners can not be estimated 

the Reindeer. at all, when we reflect that it fur- 
nishes to them almost every necessity of life. Every 
thing the animal produces is put to account, not 
only the milk and the palatable cheese made from 
it, but also the flesh, the blood and every single part 
of the body. The horns in their early cartilagenous 
state are eaten with as much gusto as are those of 
the Elk when in the same condition. The soft skins 
of the fawns are made into garments; the woolly 
hair is spun and woven; the bones furnish materials 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


for various tools; the tendons are utilized as thread. 
Then the animal must supply the motive power for 
conveying the entire family with all their chattels 
from one place to another, especially in winter. In 
Lapland the Reindeer is mainly used for purposes of 
draught and less for carrying burdens on its body, 
as the latter mode of conveyance is very hard upon 
it on account of its weak back and loins. The Tun- 
gus and Koryak tribes in Siberia, however, ride on 
the strongest male Reindeer, placing a saddle over — 
the shoulder blades, and sitting astride of the queer 
looking saddle animal. In Lapland nobody rides 
on Reindeer and it is only the strongest males or 
“oxen” as the Norwegians say, that are employed 
for driving. Good beasts of draught easily bring a 
price of from eight to twelve dollars, while the ordi- 
nary Reindeer costs from three to four and a half 
dollars at the most. A Reindeer is never previously 
trained or broken; but a strong animal is selected 
out of the herd and harnessed to a sled, which 
is highly suitable for the purpose, being perfectly 
adapted to the nature of the country and to the 
powers of draught of the Reindeer. It is very dif- 
ferent from the sleighs in use elsewhere and resem- 
bles a boat. It consists of very thin birch boards 
which are nailed to each other, curved in boat shape, — 
beginning at a broad keel, thus forming a trough, © 
the front part of which is covered. Naturally only 
a single person can sit in such a boat-like sled. 
For luggage or merchandise the traveler employs 
sleds which can be covered on top with slidin 
lids, but are similar to the passenger sleds in al 
other respects. A good Reindeer travels about six 
miles an hour, dragging a load of from two hun- 
dred and forty to two hundred and eighty pounds; 
but usually the load is much lighter. In summer it 
is not used in the capacity of a beast of draught in 
Norway. If one is careful with strong, well-fed 
Reindeer—that is, if the beasts are permitted to work 
only a few hours in the morning and evening, and are 
allowed to graze at noon and night—he can travel 
over astonishingly great distances with them, with- 
out overtaxing their strength. 

Close captivity is very distasteful to a Reindeer; 
yet it thrives fairly well in zoological. gardens if 
tended with proper care, and it usually Pa war 
in captivity. The warm temperature of the low 
country in summer does not agree with its health, 
while it is perfectly indifferent to the severest winter 
cold. Correspondingly it would be more adapted 
than any other Deer for introduction into for- 
eign countries on woodless high table-lands amon 
mountains where the Reindeer-lichen grows. It 
would be very comfortable there, would soon be- 
come used to its surroundings, propagate its species 
and become an object of the chase. I mentioned 
this fact years ago, and tried to demonstrate that it 
must necessarily thrive on the high mountains of 
Germany. The attempts that have been made have — 
fulfilled my predictions if not my desires. It is only 
necessary now to proceed to further experiments. 
with due earnestness and the proper knowledge, and 
consequent success cannot fail to follow. 


THE FALLOW DEER. 


The Reindeer are naturally followed by the Fallow 
Deer (Dama). The genus is known by their horns, 
which are round and furnished with two spurs on 
their lower portion and expand above into an elon- 
gated blade with spurs on the margins, directed up- 
ward and backward. 


: . 

3 
. D < 
’ , 4 
cae +e . 


> Ye, ; 
aie, “ S, Se 


WAL HHA 
\ PHBE YD GFP ARN 


bs i Aiea a + My 


FALLOW DEER.—This is a very handsome species of Deer, formerly wild in all northern and central Europe, but now only found in those 


countries in parks and preserves, although it still occurs wild in western Asia. The picture presents an exciting forest scene. The family has been dis- 
turbed by a feline intruder intent on making a meal of the fawn, but the antlered buck is showing his objection in a vigorous way and the Wild Cat will 
probably be glad to escape, (Dama vulgaris.) 


(525) 


526 


Range and History The Fallow Deer affects temperate 
of the Fallow climes more than cold ones and 
Deer. therefore has always been frequent 
along the Mediterranean. Its range extends south- 
ward to the northern margin of the Sahara, north- 
ward to the southern portions of Sweden and Nor- 
way. It is probably most plentiful in England, 
where it is bred in great numbers in the parks of the 
large land-owners. It especially delights in a rolling 
country where gentle slopes alternate with low hills, 
groves, underbrush and forest trees and where the 
soil is grown with short grass. It seems created for 
parks and one can hardly imagine a better ornament 
for large pleasure-grounds than the Fallow Deer. 
Physical Pecul- The Fallow Deer (Dama vulgaris) is 
iarities of the Fal- greatly the inferior of its noble kins- 
low Deer. man, the Stag, in size. Inclusive of 
the tail, which is from six to eight inches long, it 
measures about five feet four inches in length; its 
height at the shoulders varies between thirty-four 
and thirty-six inches and the height at the croup be- 
tween thirty-six and thirty-eight inches; its weight 
probably seldom exceeds from two hundred to two 
hundred and forty ‘pounds. The doe is smaller. 
But few of the other Deer show such modifications 
in color as the Fallow Deer, according to the season 
and the age. In summer the upper surface, the 
thighs and the tip of the tail are reddish brown, the 
under parts and inner sides of the legs being white; 
blackish rings surround the mouth and the eyes; the 
hair of the back is whitish at the base, reddish brown 
in the middle and black at the tip.. In winter the 
head, neck and ears are brownish gray, the back and 
sides blackish, the lower surface ashy gray, some- 
times tinged with red. White individuals are not 
very uncommon. They do not change their color at 
any season and are distinguished in winter only by 
the greater length of their hair. Some Deer also 
have a yellowish coat in youth; black specimens are 
rarer. 
Habits and Mental Lhe Fallow Deer is less shy and 
Attributes of Fal- cautious than the Stag, neither can 
low Deer. it by its sense of smell detect the 
presence of Man at so great a distance, but only for 
about three hundred paces. It often roams about in 
clear spots in the woods in bright daylight, but does 
not undertake its journeys so regularly or for so 
great a distance as its relative. It is inferior to the 
Stag in fleetness, leaping power and agility; it lifts 
its legs higher in trotting and jumps in bounds, after 
the manner of Goats, clearing the ground simulta- 
neously with all four feet. If not engaged in full 
flight the tail is lifted when running. It can clear 
obstacles of over six feet in height, swims fairly 
well, but never wallows like the:Stag. The food of 
both Deer is the same; but*the Fallow Deer does 
more stripping of bark and thereby renders itself a 
nuisance. It is a surprising fact that this Deer 
sometimes eats poisonous plants, which cause its 
death. 
Reproduction and The doe gives birth to one or, more 
Development of the rarely, two fawns, generally in June. 
Fallow Deer. ‘The little one is very helpless in the 
first days of its life and receives from its mother 
careful protection and shelter. Smaller predaceous 
animals that may exhibit intentions inimical to the 
bright colored little fawn ate driven off by the 
mother by striking them with her fore-legs; larger 
and more dangerous beasts she decoys away from 
the place where her infant rests by walking slowly 
away, inducing the beast of prey to follow her as 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


an intended victim; when she has accomplished this 
object, she completes the stratagem by fleeing rap- 
idly from the presence of the enemy and returning 
to the spot where the young one lies, after innumer- 
able detours and doubles. When the fawn is six 
months old an elevation can be noticed on the bony 
projections of the frontal ridge of the skull in the 
male, out of which the horns sprout by the end of 
February and go on developing till August, when 
they are shed. It is not until the fifth year that the 
blades of the antlers begin to develop, and they 
increase with time in size and in the number of mar- 
ginal spurs. The old Deer shed their horns in May, 
the young ones in June, usually not both antlers. 
simultaneously, but with an interval of two or three’ 
days between the periods of denudation. The new 
antlers are developed by August or September. 

The Fallow Deer Lhe Fallow Deer is either ‘‘stalked” 

asaGame and shot with a rifle, or hunted with 
Animal. a great number of hounds; some- 

times Men are employed as beaters to rouse the 
game. Success generally rewards one who has pa- 
tience to. lie in wait for it, as it invariably passes 
along its regular “runs,” as its paths are technically 
called. The skin is valued more than that of Red 
Deer on account of its softness and pliability. The 
venison is very savory, especially when the animal is 
killed during the season, from July to the middle of 
September, the Deer accumulating much fat during 
that period. , 

This Deer is better adapted for parks than any 
other species; it readily becomes familiar with man- 
kind, frequents spots cleared of trees in the day, 
thus allowing itself to be seen, and is of a playful 
or even mischievous disposition. In one respect 
it can also be considered a weather prophet: when 
it is especially restless and capricious, unpleasant 
or stormy weather may be looked for with a con- 
siderable degree of confidence. The Fallow Deer 
preserve their cheerful temper in closer confinement 
also, easily becoming accustomed to it. They seem 
to be especially fond of music; even those in the 
free state approach to listen when they hear the 
sounds of a bugle. : 


THE RED DEER. 


Among the Deer in the narrowest sense, are the 
Red Deer (Cervus) which belong to both northern 
belts; the males alone have antlers, with round 
branches. Of the more or less numerous spurs, at 
least three are directed forward. The outer face of 
the hinder ankles are furnished with hair tufts. The 
tear-pits are distinct. In old males, and more rarely 
with very old females, the canines in the upper jaw 
protrude far beyond the others, 

Description of One of the stateliest and noblest 

the Stag or Red forms of this sub-genus is the Stag 

Deer. or Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). Not- 
withstanding its slenderness it is of vigorous and 
handsome organization, and its bearing is noble and 
proud, Its physical proportions vary considerably, 
according to the country in which it is indigenous. — 
It attains a total length of from six feet two inches 
to seven feet two inches, some six inches of this 
being included in the tail. The height at the 
shoulders varies between four and five feet and the 
weight between three hundred and twenty and five 
hundred and forty pounds; but there also occur un- 
commonly large specimens, which may weigh six 
hundred pounds and upwards The female is consid- 
erably smaller and is differently colored, In respect 


rthern Asia. It is largely preserved in 
»” This number is, however, frequently 
o the antlered male of the Red Deer. 


found in the temperate regions of Europe and no 
tines on its antlers is known as a“ Royal Stag. 
“stag” properly applying t 


STAG OR RED DEER, This isa noble species of Deer, 


ch has more than twelve points or 


forests in Scotland, where a Stag whi 
“hind,” and has no horns, the term 


exceeded. The female of this species is known as a 
(Cervus elephas.) 


528 


to size the Stag is inferior only to the Wapiti and 
the Persian Deer, exceeding the other known spe- 
cies of its genus. It has an elongated body, re- 
tracted in the flanks, with a broad chest and strongly 
projecting shoulders, a straight, flat back, which is 
somewhat high at the withers and rounded on the 
croup, and a long, slender, laterally compressed 
neck. It has a long head, high and broad at the 
back, strongly tapering in front, with a flat fore- 
head and with depressions between the eyes and 
along the nasal region from the eyes to the muzzle. 
The eyes are of moderate size, and are bright and 
animated .in expression, with long, round pupils. 
The tear-pits are placed obliquely towards the cor- 
ner of the mouth; they are rather long and forma 
narrow, oblong depression, the walls of which 
secrete a fatty mucous matter, which the animal 
presses out by rubbing against trees. The body 
is supported on slender legs of moderate length, 
and the toes are encased in straight, pointed, narrow 
and slender hoof-like nails; the rudimentary digits 
are rounded and long, cut off squarely at the extrem- 
ity and hang straight down, without touching the 
ground, however. The tail is of conical shape, 
tapering towards the tip. A fine woolly coat and a 
coarse outer-fur cover the body and lie rather 
smooth and close, becoming considerably longer at 
the throat. The stiff upper lip, which does not 
hang over, is beset with three rows of thin, .long 
bristles; similar hairs stand out above the eyes. 
The color -of the animal is subject to modification 
according to the season, sex and age. In winter the 
outer-fur has more of a grayish brown tint, in sum- 
mer more of a reddish brown; the woolly coat is 
ashy gray with a brownish tip. The fawns alone 
show white spots on a red-brown ground color, dur- 
ing the first months of their lives. 

The antlers of the Stag are set on short shafts, 
and are very pronounced in their branching, bearing 
many spurs and standing erect. They curve from 
the base in a strongly arched outline, directed, in 
relation to the plane of the forehead, backward and 
outward; toward the upper extremities they again 
curve inward and turn their tips slightly towards 
each other. There is a spur at the base in front, 
directed up and forward; above this is another, and 
others spring from the middle of the horns; the 
extremities form the crown, the spurs of which 

-differ in position and size according to the age 
of the Stag, varying in different individuals. The 
horns are round, rough and more or less burred, 
especially in the lower parts, and have numerous 
straight or convoluted longitudinal furrows. The 
tips of the spurs are smooth, polished, of a dingy 
white or yellowish color, while the color of the 
main portions of the antlers themselves ranges from 
a light tan to blackish brown, according to the color- 
ing effects of the juices of the plants which have 
stained them. Large antlers weigh from ten to six- 
teen pounds, and may in exceptional cases attain a 
weight of from twenty to twenty-four pounds, or 
even more. The horns may measure from thirty- 
two to forty-eight inches along the curvature, or 
even more in some rare cases. 

In the language of hunters, especially as expressed 
in the ancient “art of venery,” the fawn of the Red 
Deer is called a “ hind-calf;” in its second year it is 
called a “pricket,” in its third a “brocket,” in the 
fourth a “stagon,” in the fifth a “stag,” and from 
its sixth year the name of “hart,” is applied. Other 
authorities use the term “brocket” for the second 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


year, “spay” for the third and “staggard” for the 
fourth year. The female is known as a “hind.” 
Range and Move- The Stag still inhabits nearly all Eu- 
ments of the rope, with the exception of the high- 
Stag. 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 ee 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 isa 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 nota 
sound 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. 529 


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. Asa usual thing the 
spurs of the antlers increase in number annually, but 
antlers with over twenty regularly shaped spurs have 
probably beert 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 
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- 


Kg 
. A 
Seip a ele w 


THE WAPITI.—The Wapiti is an American species of Deer nearly re- 
"lated to the Stag of the Old World, but larger. Its sturdy form and its large and 
well developed antlers are effectively illustrated here. (Cervus canadensis.) 


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. 
oe The American representative of the genus 
ae cries Cervus, to which the Sta also belongs, is 
ieee the Wapiti (Cervus canadensis), sometimes, 
f 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 
f . no more noble species in the 
entire Deer family than this 
fi ¥ animal, which is larger than 
i , 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- 
ous. Its former range in- 
cluded 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 made by the Stag under 
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 totwo. 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 


i 


530 


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, 


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- Lhe 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 


THE AXIS DEER.— One of the most beautiful of the many species of the Deer family is the Axis Deer, found in India. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. ‘ 


plentiful and collects in great herds, which graze in 
the open places during the night, and seek the shade 
of the forest inthe 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 
thrives 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 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. (Cervus axis.) 


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, asa 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 hippelaphus) 
Its Physical Propor- is little inferior to the Stag and 
tions, Range, ete: Sambhar in size,and measures fully 
six feet eight inches, twelve inches of which are in- 


THE DEER—AMEKICAN DEER. 


cluded 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- 
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 


the fact that it is mentioned by Aristotle. 
hair under the neck, 


531 


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, 


THE SAMBHAR,.——This is an Indian species of Deer which derives its scientific name from 


Its antlers are heavy and it has a mane-like growth of 
(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 Lhe best known species is the Vir- 
Range of the Vir- ginia Deer or Carjacou (Cavriacus 
ginia Deer. —_yiyginianus) 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 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 ofa 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 


IME A 
Dis 


[77 a0 


beautiful of the entire family. 
River, and all the southern states including Texas. 
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 
the 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. 


VIRGINIA DEER.—Here is our common American Deer, famous as one of the most 
Its range includes all of the United States east of the Missouri 
In the far western region it is replaced by 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


Audubon's Account Audubon says: “The Deer has a 
of the Virginia —_ strong attachment to the locality it 
Deer. has 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. 


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. 


lax 


THE PAMPAS DEER,—In the ext 


than the Virginia Deer, but, like the latter, is a graceful and agile animal. 


“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.” 


ensive grassy plains of South America ranges the species of Deer shown in the picture. 


533 
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. 
’ a poreces ie the waateers — partic- 
: ularly in the regions known as > “piney- 
for yr eatin the woods” of Cesreha, Aleta Missidsipp 
\ 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- 


“Fire-Hunting’ 


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 


= 


It is smaller 


(Cariacus or Blastocerus campestris.) 


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, includin 
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- 


534 


pan, but this method of hunting et bessie eines opeeite 
. ~» The nearest relative of the Virginia Deer is 
din the White-tailed Deer (Carzacus leucurus). 
West In size it is very much 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 sufficiently wary usually to keep out of 
range of any but long-distance shooting. 
Another species quite common in the far 


B dere bpp west is the Black-tailed Deer (Cariacus co- 
Deearit od.  lémbianus). The upper surface of the tail 


is black, the under 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. 


The Mule Deer, 
a Large Spe- 
cies. 


neighbor of the two last mentioned species, 
as it inhabits the 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 

ive the animal its name. The color of the coat is a dingy 

rown, 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 fora 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. 

A small species, inhabiting Mexico, Central 


The Mexi fi ; 
red Patra: America and a part of Texas is known as 
Dear the Mexican 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 antnat hae 
a short tail, broad and short hoofs and its coat is of a grayish- 
brown color, resembling the winter 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 Blastocerus 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 
anterior 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 campestris) is of moder- 
ate proportions compared with other members of 


he Mule Deer (Cariacus macrotis) is a 


.with quite broad 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 (Cafreolus caprea) 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 
dong. 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 
rotuberances, 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, isthe 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. (Capriolus caprea.) 


‘ 


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 Habitsof itsmovements. 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 shotguns 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- 
closures, 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 (Cervudus), 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 (Cervulus muntjac), 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. well as of 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 


—_ 


i 


THE DEER—AMERICAN DEER. 


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. 


The Musk Deer. 


SIXTH FAMILY: 


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 (Moschide) 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 (Moschus moschiferus). 
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. 


MOoscHID. 


‘height. 


“ay Fe hw gre, 


537 


Desoription of the The musk pouch lies in the hinder 

Pouch of the part of 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 
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 


ay 


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. 
of the pedestals which connect the antlers of the male with the frontal bones. 


Their most notable peculiarity is the length 
(Cervulus muntjac.) 

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 
butes of the the region from the Amoor to the 
Musk 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 


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 
astures only at dusk or in the early morning hours. 
ts 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 atrace. 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 
suitand Valueof two brightly mottled young ones, 
the Musk Deer. and guards them faithfully till the 

next pairing season, at which time she casts them 

off. Atthe 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 hdd 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. 


The Chevrotains. 
SEVENTH FAMILY: TrRAGULID&. 


The last family of the Ruminants comprises the 
Chevrotains or Pigmy Musks (7vagulide), 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 (77a- 


abitat of the ulus kanchil or Tragulus py, a 


Kanchil. is 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 3 


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. and 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. 


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, 


SS SS a 


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. 


Clovenzthoofed Mon-Ruminants. 


SECOND SUBORDER: SuIn«. 


The second suborder of the Artiodactyla com- 
prises the non-ruminating Swine and Hippopotami, 
which may be collected into two families. 


The Swine. 


EIGHTH FAMILY: Suip#. 


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- 


ox Sy 
doo 


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 mammz 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, 


z a i> easy 
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 
ofits flesh. (Zragulus 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 
duction ofthe 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 larve, 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 aré 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- 
wine. garded as enemies to the cultivation 

of the 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 Felidz 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 mammz on the abdo 
men of the female, elongated oval hairy ears anda 
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 scrofa). 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 Europe, 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, 


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542 


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 (Sus cristatus), the Andamanese 
Hog of the Andamans (Sus andamanensis), the 
Bearded Hog of Borneo (Sus barbatus), the Striped 
Hog (Sus vittatus) of Java, Amboina and Bangka, 
the Javan Wild Hog (Sus verrucosus) of Java and 
Ceram, the Celebes Hog, found on Celebes (Sms 
celebensis), the Timor Hog on Timor (Sus timorensis), 
the New Guinea Hog (Sus papuensis) and the Black 
Hog (Sus niger) on New Guinea, the White-bearded 
Hog (Sus deucomystax) in Japan and Formosa, and 
finally the Sennaar Hog (Sus sennarensis) 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 Uamp 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. 

Omnivorous Pro. Being very gregarious, the Wild 
pensities of | Hogs are wont to gather into herds, 
Wild Hogs. the 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- 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 the 

the Wild Hog. can depend on their own irene 
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 oldef. — 

Birth and Infancy The weaker sows give birth to from 
of Wild four to six, the stronger ones to 
Pigs. eleven or twelve Pigs at a litter, tn 
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 SWINE—SWINE PROPER. 


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- 


THE BERKSHIRE HOG.—This is a favorite English breed of domestic Swine, dis- 
tinguished by a stout body, pointed, erect ears, comparatively short limbs 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. 
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- Lhe 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 


So it goes all night: and even by - 


THE HARRISSON HOG.—A variety of domestic Swine with pointed, seni.- 
pendent ears, short legs, and tapering muzzle. It becomes excessively fat and is valuable 
for pork purposes. 


543 


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- 
Hog. 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 


= 


(Sus scrofa.) 


forms or species: the European Wild Boar and one 
south Asiatic species (Sus cristatus). This, however, 
does not preclude the fact that other Indo-Malay- 
Chinese species have also taken part in the evolution 
of the domestic species. Great as the difference be- 


544 


tween these breeds may be, their existence as well 
as the origin and dying out of forms bred under the 
influence of Man are 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-_ tributed all over the globe. As far 
tic 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 


which breed 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 plicipleps.) 


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 
color 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 are very rare in the north. 
Method of Life Swine are kept and fattened either 
of Domestic in stables or folds, or are kept out- 
Hogs. doors for a great part of the year. 

The animals which are penned in become larger and 
fatter, but are weaker and more subject to diseases 


= = oe a = 
——— - 
nod Ze SSS 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 I 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. 


Pigs were brought to him; they were attired in 
queer clothing and danced to the music of a bag- 
pipe. Other 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, England, 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 


545 


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 TUFTED 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. 


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 Hogs 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. There 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 


It is a native of west Africa, where it runs wild in the forests. 


(Potamocherus porcus.) 


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 
young. 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 long time 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 away and 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. 


546 THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


I need say nothing about the utilization of the car- 
cass of 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 (Potamocherus), 
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 mamme in the female. 

Description of The Tufted Hog (Potamocherus por- 

the Tufted cus) the most beautiful of all Swine, 
Hog. 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 
lively 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 (Pofamo- 

Eastern Africa. cherus africanus), 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 are 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, Man- 


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 babyrussa) is an 
the Babi- animal of comparatively large phys- 
rusa. ical 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- 


! 
i 


ae - 
a oe 


THE SWINE—WART HOGS. 


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. 

The 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. 


poe eee 


THE BABIRUSA.——A peculiar species of the Swine family found in some of the islands of the Malay Archipelago. 


Markus, the Dutch governor of the Moluccas; 
made a present of a couple of Babirusas to the 
French naturalists, Quoy 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 


547 


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 ( Potamocherus), Africa 
harbors genuine monsters of the same family, the 
Wart Hogs (Phacocherus). 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 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. (Porcus babyrussa.) 


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 (Phacocherus 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 [and 
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 Lhe second species of the genus, the 
Peccary De- Whitelipped Peccary (Dicotyles labi- 
scribed. 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 trom which it derives its name being the fleshy warts which disfigure 
its face. It is avery strong animal and its back is surmounted by long bristles forming a mane. (Phacocherus africanus.) 


THE PECCARIES. 

Among the distinctive characteristics of the Pec- 
caries (Dicotyles) 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 ears; by the lack of an outer digit 
on each hind foot, the rudimentary tail, the cutane- 
ous gland opening near the loins, and the mamme 
of the female, which are two in number. 

Description of The Collared Peccary (Dicotyles 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 into yellow- 


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 are 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. 


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 
halfan hour to doso. 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 t6 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 =\y¥{ 
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 .tc¥ 
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. 


ONT bis Wp e eesiead 
VY, SM e7 ye 


ay yi 
3 ll 
: BI ye NN j 
, GZ es c Bk 
7 oD Bs fi rb, ss Ny WY 
~ 
THE COLLARED PECCARY.—Though placed with¢ethe 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. 


549 


The Hhippopotami. 


NINTH FAMILY: HuiprororTaMip#. 


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 (//7p- 
popotamide). 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. thing 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- 


OES ¢g 


Se = may el Pa! 


IZ 


: 
~~ 


(Dicotyles 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 


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 Rangeof 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 
descend much lower towards the coast than in the 
northern half of the continent, and not infrequently 


’ 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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. o5c5 

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 Dayand selves free from danger of molesta- 
Night. tion the 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 


ee 


ae iat), 
WEP aA 
“Se er re 3 


able animals known to natural history is the Hippopotamus or River Horse. Its 
ad is one of the most peculiar and repulsive possessed by any animal; the neck is 
The native home of the Hippopotamus is in the large rivers of 


THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.—One of the largest and most formid 
short clumsy legs bear a body of great bulk and a tough hide, and its he 
short and very thick. The expression of ferocity in its face is a true index to its character. 


the northern part of central Africa. (Hippopotamus amphibius.) 


552 


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 surfaces 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 Hyzena, 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 laying 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. ing 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. Ruppell 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 are 
not feared when on land, but only in the water. 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 


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 ‘Mtrieae 
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. 

potami. It is only 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 we 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. 


nite 


SS y SES ; == 


ATTACK ON A HIPPOPOTAMUS.—The hunting of the Hippopotamus aught with great danger, and the scene depicted here represen 
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) 


dd4 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. = the 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 
the 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 ina 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 moderntimes. 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 
urope and Aniericn| 
Age and Develop- Behemoth hardly has another enemy 
ment of the Hip- besides Man that could seriously im- 
popotamus. neril 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 ol 
it may become in the free state. 5 
The Liberian Hippo- Lhe second existing representative 
potamus a Smaller of the family, the Liberian Hippo- 
Species. potamus, or, as it might be termed 
also, the Dwarf Hippopotamus (//ippopotamus or 
Cheropsts liberiensis) is very much smaller than the 
preceding species, and is apparently restricted toa 
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. 


ee ee 


The Sea Cows. 


“TWELFTH ORDER: SIRENIA. 


TUDENTS 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.. _ rior 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 
Jatter 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 pecyliar 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 mamme 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. 


The Manatees. 


SOLE FAMILY: ManarTip#, 

This order has only one family (J/anatide), 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 (Hai- 
icore) and the Manatees (MJanatus). 

Habitat and The Sirenia inhabit shallow banks 

Habits of the and gulfs of tropical countries, estu- 

Sirenia. 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 Attri. The food of the Sirenia is composed 
butes of the of marine plants, alge 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 areneither - 
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) 


06 


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 toa 
high degree of docility. 

Their flesh, fat, hide and teeth are used; but, so 
far as known, 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 


a blunt, truncated muzzle. 
(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 
Ocean between the twentieth parallel of north lat- 
itude and the tenth parallel of south latitude. 

The Lamantin The Lamantin, called Ox-fish by the 


and Other Portuguese (Manatus latirostris), is 
Species. the species that has been observed 


most closely. It attains a length of about ten feet 


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. 


THE SEA COWS. 


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 larget 
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- 


Its head is of moderate size, oblong, with 


It has only one pair of limbs, which are flattened, oval paddles, and it has a flat, horizontal tail, with rounded edges. 


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 ] (M/anatus 
inunguis) 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- 


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 
estuary of the Cano del Manati, which derives its 
name from the enormous number of Lamantins or 
Manatis which are annually caught there. They are 

lentiful 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- 
edly refuted this. It browses only on the grass 


THE MANATEES. 557 


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 (Halicore dujong). 


THE DUGONG.—In the Red Sea and on the eastern coast of Africa and all coasts of southern Asia, the Indo-Malayan Archipelago and 


Australia, the Dugong is numerously found, living on seaweed in shallow harbors, bays and mouths of rivers. The tail is fish-like, but the head 


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 cesophagus, 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. 
Hunting and Lhe method of hunting this animal 
Taming the La- is rather simple. The hunter ap- 
mantin. proaches the grazing-place of the 
Lamantins in a boat and waits until one of them 
comes up to breathe. He either shoots it with 


(Halicore dugong.) 


Description of The Dugong attains a length of from 
the Du- ten feet to sixteen feet eight inches. 
gong. 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. the 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 them 
for food as presenting an easy way out of our diffi- 
culty, 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, 1741, 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 stellerit). 
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.” 


Allured by the accounts of . 


— 


Che Whales. 


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 Lhe inner anatomical structure of 

Structureof 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 vertebre 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 vertebrze the Whales possess from eleven to 
fourteen dorsal, from ten to twenty-four lumbar and 
from twenty-two to twenty-four caudal vertebre. 
It must be remarked, however, that strictly speak- 
ing, one may talk only of pectoral or dorsal verte- 
bree, 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 laminz 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. 


($59) 


560 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. Ina 
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. fitted 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 toa 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 bythe 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 
fine 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 Dietand 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 Lhe Whales also have their enemies, 
Pursuit of — especially during the early portion 
Whales. of 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. 


+ ha 


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Poe. ee 


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THE WHALES. 


During the period from 1835 to 1872, 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. . 
Methodsof | 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 toa 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 shisienase about three hundred 
and fifty fathoms in length and made out of the best 
uality of hemp. It is coiled in spiral form in two 
at 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 richt. 


561 


“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), the 
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 ona 
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, asa fish does the light piece of cork 
which forms the float of a fishing line. If the animal 
dives 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 


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 ina 
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 ora 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.” 
lf 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 bya 
strong chain around the root of 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. Lhe enormous strips of blubber let 
ing Sperm down into the hold are there cut 
Oil. with short spades into small, oblong 
pieces, which are thrown back on the upper deck 


THE WHALES. 


and are deeply incised by a machine provided witha 
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 
intobarrels. ‘‘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 Divis- 
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. 


The Whalebone Whales. 
FIRST SUBORDER: 


The Whales belonging to the suborder of the 
Whalebone Whales (J/ysticete) 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 inthe 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 or, 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- 


MYSTICETE, 


The Whales are naturally divided 


~ —< 


THE WHALEBONE WHALES. 


ose the extremity of the plate. Curved layers of 
hoen 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. 


D63 


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 Lhe food of this largest animal 
Whalebone * on earth consists of small, insignifi- 
Whale. 5 


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 


s the Razorback, which makes its home in the north Atlantic and 


Arctic Oceans. 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. 


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 vertebre. 
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- 


(Physalus antiquorum.) 


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 Inthe 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 


564 


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 formidablé 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 fora 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. 


Rorguals or Furrowed Whales. 
FIRST FAMILY: BAL@&NOPTERIDZ. 


The Furrowed Whales or Rorquals (Balenopteride) 
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 (Megap- 
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 (Megap- 
tera longimana). 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 hasa 
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 
ofthe Hump- __ oftener or in greater numbers than 
Back Whale. the Hump-back, occurring as it 

does 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. 


THE WHALES. 


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 oii 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 (PAy- 
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- Lhe Fin-fish or Razorback, called 
tat and Habits of Sildror in Norway and Tunnolilk in 

the Razorback. Greenland (Physalus antiquorum), 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 Lhe capture of the Razorback is 

Diffcultof 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 $75 repre- 
sents the value of the short whalebone. 


4 


ee ee eee 


THE SMOOTH-SKINNED WHALES—GREENLAND. 565 


THE BEAKED WHALES. 

The last genus of the family comprises the Beaked 
Whales erengers) which are, as far as is now 
known, the smallest and most gracefully built of all 
Whalebone Whales. 

The Pike Whale the Lhe best known representative of 

Smallest of its this genus is the Pike Whale (a/e- 

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 
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 

ursuit and in many cases 
oses its life in this way. 

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. 


3 ¥- Fit GA 2 
i Lf) AJIT A. 


(Balenofptera rostrata.) 


The SmootheSkinned Whales. 


SECOND FAMILY: BaLa&nip&. 


The Smooth-skinned Whales (Balenide), 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 (Balena 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. 


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. 


= 
~~ 
i} 


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 Lhe 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 Attributesof 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 bottom, 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 may be 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. 


_ to themselves. 


Economic Value of The value of the carcass of a 
the Greenland slain 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. only other foe 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. 


The Toothed Whales. 
SECOND SUBORDER: DENTICETE. 


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 
The other suborder is known, by 
contradistinction, as that of the Toothed Whales 
(Denticete), including four families: the Dolphins 


(Delphinide), the Narwhals (Monodontide), the Bot- — 
tle-nosed Whales (Hyperoodontide), and the Sperm 
_ Whales ( Catodontide). 


The Dolphins, 
FOURTH FAMILY: DELpPHINIDA, 


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 Traitsof 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. In 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.’”? (Balena mysticetus.) 


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 (Ovca), 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 Lhe Grampus or Killer Whale (Orca 

Range of the gladiator) may 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 GRAMPUS,——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 
ailow it to lead them to disaster on the treacherous 
shore: 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 are 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. 


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 bya 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 


569 


and placed in the middle of the body, and the teeth 
are numerous and sharp-edged. 
The Porpoise and The Porpoise (Phocena communis) 
its Habits De- attains a length of five feet to six 
scribed, feet eight 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 Justre 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. 


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 
ferocity 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 PORPOISES. 


The commonest Dolphin of the northern Atlantic 
seas is the Porpoise or Sea Hog, a representative of 
the genus Phocena, so poor in species. Its body is 
short and spindle-shaped, the forehead gently slop- 
ing, the dorsal fin is low, broad-rooted, triangular 


It has a broad tail, a short, dorsal fin and a short body. 


(Phocena communis.) 


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 1671, as a 
barber on board a whaler, and gave an account of 
northern marine animals, first mentions:one of the 


Jt 


70 


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 (JBe- 
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 may stray into southern seas, having 


THE WHALES. 


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 often 
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. 


it in the vicinity of aniceberg. (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 are 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- joy, as they see in it the precursor 
tic Dwellers. — of the large Whale, and they often 
sail on in its company, without molesting it. Under 
these circumstances this Dolphin comes close to 


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, i 


As it ranges in polar seas, the artist has appropriately depicted 
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, 1 mean the Ca’ing or Pilot Whale 
its Haunts and (Globiocephalus melas), a representa- 
Habits. tive of the genus of the Roundheaded 
Whales (Globiocephalus). 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 (Delphinus delphis) at- 
scribed —Its 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 above, 
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. 


Arctic and the northern portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 


shape. These animals often pursue their prey to the shore and get lost on the shallow banks. 


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 (De/phinus). 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- 


CA’ING OR PILOT WHALE.—Belonging to the genus of the Round-headed Whales is the Ca’ing or Pilot Whale which inhabits the 
The head is almost round and its dorsal fin is rather large and of crescent 


(Globiocephalus melas.) 


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 


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 toa 
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 1831, but the final account is due to 
the Frenchman, D’ Orbigny. 


—S —— eee 


THE DOLPHIN.—The smooth-skinned, lively and voracious D 
shore, is a familiar sight to all who go to sea, for it follows in the wake of vessels sometimes for days. 
(Delphinus delphus.) 


and its muzzle is elongated into a beak-like projection. 


The Inia,or The Inia or Bonto (Jnia amazonica) 
Bonto, of South represents the genus of the Long- 
America. —_ beaked Dolphins (Jmiaz). 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 far 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, 


olphin which finds itself just as much at home in the deep ocean as near 


THE WHALES. 


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 


=> SS = S 


= 


It isa smooth-skinned, compact animal, 


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 gangetica) 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. 


The Warwhal. 


FOURTH FAMILY: Monopontip2. 


Important distinctions separate the Narwhal or 
Sea Unicorn (MJonodon monoceros), the representative 
of the genus of the same name, so widely from the 


into a beak and its flippers are long. 


lively. It lives on fish and is very voracious. (/nia 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 


THE INIA,—This animal, sometimes called the Bonto, is quite common in the larger rivers of South America. 
It is especially prominent in the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers. 


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. Inthe 
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. ing the 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 


Its muzzle is elongated 
Its movements in the water are quite 


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 Foesof the 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 had 
them made into rods, adorned with the daintiest 
carvings, for the purpose of being carried behind 
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 $100,000, 


2 


THE 800800.—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. (Platanista 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 In former times very large sums 
the Narwhal Highly were paid for the tusks, All kinds 

Valued. of occult powers were ascribed to 
them, and they were put to far more varied uses 


The BottleeWosed Whales. 


FIFTH FAMILY: HyPpeROODONTIDA. 


For the sake of completeness I will briefly men- 
tion the third family of the suborder, which com- 
prises the Bottle-nosed Whales (Hyperoodontide) 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 
tle-Nosed Dolphin. Tolphin (Hyperoodon 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. 


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 
Kuekenthal affirms that its div- 


captured specimen. 


ot 


75 


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 


= salts 


rate genus. 
mark its sides. 


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. 


The Sperm Whales. 


SIXTH FAMILY: CatToponTID&. 


The fourth family of the Toothed Whales ( Cavo- 
dontide) is represented by the Cachalot, Spermaceti 
Whale or Sperm Whale (Catodon or Physeter macro- 
cephalus), the type of the genus of the same name 
( Catodon), 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; by 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 


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- 
Its most characteristic feature is found in the long tusks which project from six to ten feet; and another is the numerous spots which 
It is plentiful in all the seas of the north, but is rarely seen south of the Arctic circle. 


(Monodon monocerus.) 


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- 
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 slit‘of from eight to twelve inches, 
and curved somewhat like the letter S; in contra- 


576 


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 inrange. 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 
as its haunts. It is fond of prowling near those 
coasts washed by deep 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 


THE WHALES. 


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. ieee 

The Sperm Whale The Sperm Whale has been hunted 
an Object of Vigi- from remote times, but more exten- 
fant 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 1831 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 sucha 
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. 4 

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 ofits 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. 


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 may be exaggerated or invented; 
but others have been thoroughly proven. 
Adventure of Whal- The ship Nantucket was made a 
ers with Sperm complete wreck, in the year 1807, 
Whales. by a Sperm Whale, off the coast 
of Massachusetts. In 
1820 the boats of the 
ship Essex hunted a 
school of Sperm Whales 
in the South Sea, while 
the ship was following 
under shortened sail. A 
gigantic bull appeared 
in proximity to the ship 
and leisurely swimming 
up to it, struck itself 
against it, as it seemed, 
quite accidentally. The 
ship was severely shaken 
and the Whale also ap- 
peared to be seriously 
injured, for it rolled 
furiously about in the 
water; soon, however, it 
recovered and made off 
—at least such was the 
belief of the crew, who 
were working 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 


577 


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 


THE SPERM WHALE.—This great monster, which frequently exceeds seventy feet in length, has a heavy, 
log-like head which is flattened at the extremity, and the blow-holes are placed in front of the head. This Whale is 
extensively hunted, principally for its oil, which is a valuable article of commerce. 


(Catodnmacrocephalus.) 


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 oné 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. 


i 

vit 

PNY d 

THE GIANT KANGAROO. One of the most interesting of mammals is the Kangaroo, a typical Pouched Animal, which is also noteworthy for 
sroportionate size and strength of its hind limbs. When moving about on all fours, grazing, it presents an awkward appearance, but it makes rapid 


progression by great bounds, using its powerful hind limbs only, after the manner of a Jerboa, When the Kangaroo is at rest it often assumes a perfectly 
upright position; the tai! aiding the two hind legs to form a sort of supporting tripod for the body. When two of these animals fight, which sometimes 


happens, tt k fore paws prove only ineffective weapons, but the Kangaroo can inflict severe wounds with the sharp claws of its powerful hind feet, 
staining itself meanwhile uponits tail. (Macropus giganteus.) 


(578) 


Che Pouched Hnimals. 


FOURTEENTH ORDER: MARSUPIALIA. 


#AMMALIA, except those of 
R the Apes, the Whales and 
fy the Momotremes, includes 

no order which is equally 

important, or more roid 

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 forms. 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. The various members of the order, 
as to physical characteristics, differ more from one 


I 
2 


4 
| 
7 
4 


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 
mamme, 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 Devel- 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 mammez. There 
they remain until the organs of sense and the limbs 
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 Attri: The Marsupials at present inhabit 
butes of the Australia and a few adjacent islands; 
Marsupials. South and North America. In 

America the members of one family only are found, 

and the majority of species exist in the southern 


(579) 


580 THE POUCHED ANIMALS. 


parts. In accordance with their great diversity in 

hysical 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. 


DHerbivorous Pouched Animals, 


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. 


Leaping Pouched Animals. 
: FIRST FAMILY: Macropopipé&, 


The first family of the vegetable feeders comprises 
the Leaping Pouched ‘Animals (Macropodide), dis- 
tinguished by their dentition and by their peculiari- 
ties of form, which in most species are very markea, 
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 (JJacropodine) 
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 hav- 
ing a huge, hoof-like nail. The number of toes is 
only four, as the thumb is lacking. The tail is pro- 
portionately thicker and longer than that of any 
other mammal, and extremely muscular. The fore 
feet of the Kangaroo, which have five toes, each fur- 
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- 
ort itself on its tail, as else it could~ not lift its 
ong 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. Even captive specimens take leaps of 
twenty-six feet, if chased back and forth ina large 
enclosure. It takes quite an excellent Dog to keep 
pace with a Kangaroo, and indeed there are few 


>t ae 


LEAPING POUCHED ANIMALS—KANGAROOS. 


Hounds that can do so. When there is any 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. 


EE 


YELLOW-LEGGED KANGAR00,.—The Mountain or Rock Kanga- 
roos make their retreat in caverns and crevices and leap with agility from 
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. (Petrogale 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 young one at a time. When the young 
one is born the mother takes it up with her mouth, 
opens the pouch with both fore feet, and attaches 
the insignificant little creature to the breast. Twelve 


581 


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, soft 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. 


THE BEAR KANGARO00,—This animal, which is one of the Tree 
Kangaroos, has 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 are 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 thisspecies of Kan- 
Giant Kan- aroo in 1770 on the coast of New 
garov, 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; foie have lived in Europe from 
ten to twenty-five years. 


MOUNTAIN KANGAROOS, 


The Mountain Kangaroos (Petrogale) are animals 
fitted for a life in mountainous regions; to them 
belong the Yellow-legged Kangaroo ( Petrogale xan- 
thopus) and the South Australian Rock Kangaroo 
( Petrogale penicillata): 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 toa 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 Macropodine are 
brought to the highest point of development in the 
four species constituting the Tree Kangaroos (Den- 
adrolagus), 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 
ursinus) 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 
(Potoroine). 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 (Bettongia penicillata), 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. 


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 


of the rat-like appearance of its head and tail. 
formed like those of the Kangaroos. 


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 


The other portions of the body are 
(Potorous tridactylus.) 


OPOSSUM RAT,—This animal belongs to the sub-family of the Kangaroo Rats. 
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 penicillata.) 


583, 


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 rocts 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. 


The Climbing Marsupials. 


SECOND FAMILY: PHALANGERIDE. 


In the family of the Climbing Pouched Animals 
(Phalangeride) we range three sub-families, the mem- 
bers of which are mostly herbivorous, and seldom 


It has a short, somewhat 


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 (Phascolarctus cinereus). 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 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 
(Phalangerine), 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 


THE SPOTTED CUSCUS.——One of the handsomest of the Marsupials is the warts. : 


Spotted Cuscus, which makes its home in the northern part of Australia, New Guinea and 
the islands north to the Celebes. The prehensile tail is long and is naked and scaly for its 
terminal half. The animal is a tree-dweller and lives on vegetable food and also on such 


birds and mammals as it can overcome. (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 
part of the body is reddish ashy gray, the under sur- 
face is yellowish white; the outer sides of the ears 
are blackish gray. 


The Spotted The Spotted Cuscus, known 
Cuscus 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, Valentyn, for the first 
accounts of the life and habits of these animals. He 
relates that the Cuscus or Kusus, as the Malays call 


Se a aes ee ee 


a 


ee 


THE CLIMBING MARSUPIALS—COOSOOS. 


them, are among the queerest members of the Weasel 
tribe on Amboina. “The head bears 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 


He YA ie OS, 
SN Ws 


KOALA OR AUSTRALIAN POUCHED BEAR,——Combining many 
characteristics of the Bear and tue Sloth, although a true Marsupual, the 
Koala, with its short, thickset body, short.snout and large lead is one of the 
most singular and interesting arboreal animals of Australia and Tasmania. 
(Phascolarctus cinereus.) 
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 fixedly at it 
when it is suspended by its 
tail; this will cause it to let 
go 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 
hinaer 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. 
They are slow, quiet, sleepy and peevish; they eat 
greedily and drink very much. They do not live at 
peace with each other, but often strike one another, 
accompanying the blows with growls and yelling 
cries; they spit like Cats, hiss and pull one another 
about. During the day their large carmine-red eyes, 
the pupils of which contract into narrow slits, look 


pecula.) 


STR 


THE VULPINE PHALANGER OR C00800.—This animal, which looks like a relative both of the Fox 
and the Squirrel, is one of the most common of the tree-inhabiting Marsupials of Australia. 
day but is lively at night, although its food is principally vegetable, with a preference for fruit. (Z7ichosurus vul- 


585 


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 (7vichosurus) are seen mich more 
commonly in Europe; they are nearly allicd 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 ui.der sur- 
face of the tip. 

The Vulpine Pha- One of the best-known species of 
langer —/ts Habits, this genus is the Vulpine Phalanger 

Range, eto. (Zrichosurus vulpecula or Phalangista 
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- 


It sleeps during the 


sess several. Captive specimens are gentle and 
peaceable: that is, they do not bite; but they are so 
stupid, listless and lazy that they afford the ob- 
server but little pleasure. The natives pursue the 
animal diligently and consider its flesh an excellent 
delicacy, in spite of the repulsive odor which it gives 
forth, and they also find many uses for its skin. 


586 


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 (Petauroides) 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 rodents. 


SUGAR SQUIRREL.—Tnis pretty, agile animal makes its home in eastern Australia in the dense for- 
ests of eucalyptus trees, tne bark of which 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. (Petaurus sciureus.) 


The Pouched Squir- The single species of the genus, the 

rel, its Haunts Pouched Squirrel (Petauroides vo- 

and Habits. = /ans), possesses a flying membrane 
extending from the top of the fore leg to the base 
of the large toe of the hind foot. 
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 Moreton 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- 
ception of the ever-hungry and ever-watchful Aus- 
tralian native. It is said to fight desperately when 


It attains a length. 


THE POUCHED ANIMALS. 


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 
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 sciureus), 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- Lhe 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 RODENT-LIKE MARSUPIALS. 


able portion of its food. 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. In 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 (Acrobates pygm@us), which is prop- 
ake 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 mistakeri 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 of the tail. 
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 inacage. It is lively 
and good-natured, and soon 
becomes tractable in captiv- 
ity, but likes freedom and will escape if possible. 


Wombats or Rodentelike Marsupials. 


THIRD FAIULY: PHAscoLomyip~. 


The third family of the herbivorous Pouched Ani- 
mals comprises the Wombats (Phascolomyide) 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 


The 


lar to that of the Assapan or Taguan. 


587 


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 together. 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 (Phascolo- 
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 (Phascolomys 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.—This small animal, about the size of a common Mouse, is a pretty little crea~ 
ture with a head much like that of a Mouse, but a long tail, bushy like a Squirrel’s and a flying membrane simi- 


(Acrobates pygmeus.) 


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. 


or 
io 6) 
CO 


The Carnivorous Marsupials, 
SECOND SUBORDER: PoLYPROTODONTIA. 


The second suborder of the Pouched Animals is 
constituted by the carnivorous forms (Polyprotodon- 
#ia), 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. 


The Bandicoots. 


FOURTH FAMILY: PERAMELIDA. 


Even an inexperienced, amateur naturalist will 
readily recognize the members of the first family of 
the Carnivorous Marsupials, namely the Bandicoots 
The considerably lengthened hinder 


( Peramelide). 


THE POUCHED ANIMALS. 


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 eles nasuta) 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 
ReneS, including the tail, which is nearly five inches 
ong. 


The Predaceous Marsupials, 
FIFTH FAMILY: 


The predaceous Pouched Animals (Dasyuride) 
form the second family of their suborder. Fore and 


DASYURID. 


# 


THE BROAD-FRONTED WOMBAT.—This inhabitant of the forests ot South Australia subsists on grass, herbage and roots. It lives in deep 


burrows which it makes for itself andis a persistent digger, and when it is not scooping out a home it is generally busy digging for roots. 


latifrons.) 


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 are 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 
usually 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 they repair in great haste on the slightest 
alarm. Occasionally they are found in the vicinity 
of plantations or settlements, but generally they 
keep aloof from the arch-enemy of all animals: Man. 
Most species seem to be gregarious and to have ex- 
clusively nocturnal habits. Their movements are 


(Phascolomys 


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 (Dasyurine) 
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 

ter of the Dasy- well as rocky localities or the shores 

UENO of the 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-WOLEF. 


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 birds 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 Zebra-wolf or 
Pouched Dog (7hylacinus 
cynocephalus), the only liv- 
ing representative of a dis- 
tinct genus, did not come. 
by its name wrongfully, for 
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 carnivorous 
Pouched Animals. Its body is over forty inches 
long, the tail measures twenty inches and old males 
are said 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 
Dog. 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 


(Perameles nasuta.) 


on each foot, especially the middle toe of the hind foot. 


589 


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 (Sarcophilus ursinus), is very much 
uglier, and is repulsive and filthy in the highest de- 


LONG-NOSED BANDICOOT.—This peculiar animal with ears like a Rabbit, muzzle like a Shrew, tail 
like a Rat and hind quarters like a Kangaroo, is also distinguished by the queer elongation of two or three toes 


It belongs to the suborder of 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. 

Destructivenesg In 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 


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. 


a 


ZEBRA-WOLF OR POUCHED DOG,——This animal, the largest of the Carnivorous Marsupials, makes its home in the interior of Tas- 


THE POUCHED ANIMALS. 


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 prowls 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 


mania, mostly in the mountain districts. It bears a great resemblance, superficially, to the Dog, but differs in dentition and the stripings of the 


coat and is a typical Pouched Animal. (7hylacinus cynocephalus.) 


THE DASYURES. 

The Dasyures, sometimes called the Brush-tailed 
(possums (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 are separated and armed with 
strong, curved, pointed claws. 

Habitat and Char- One of the best known species, the 
acter of the Spotted Spotted Dasyure (Dasyurus viverri- 
Dasyure. nus), is usually of a fallow brown 


hue, although some individuals are lighter; the lower - 


parts of the body are white. The entire upper sur- 
face is studded with irregular, white spots, smaller 


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 (JZyrmecobius fasciatus) is 
the only representative of the second sub-family of 
the predaceous Pouched Animals (Myrmecobiine). 
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 


ina tila oe 


THE POUCHED RATS—COMMON OPOSSUM. 5Y1 


of the Marsupials. Its proportions are 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 Ant-eater is implied by its name. Hence, it is 
mainly 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 


The principal food of, 


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 
trees, 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 any kind of trap. 
Their food consists of small mammals, birds and 


live. 


retreats in the interior of the island. (Sarcophilus urisinus.) 


the necessary food is procured with difficulty in 
sufficient quantities, The number of young at a 
birth is said to range between. five and eight. 


The Pouched Rats. 


SIXTH FAMILY: DipeLpuyip#. 


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- 


TASMANIAN DEVIL.— This animal of diabolical name is ugly enough to deserve it, is savage and untamable, ferocious and destruc- 
It became so formidable an enemy in the poultry yards of the Tasmanian colonists that they have nearly exterminated it, except in a few 


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 


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- 


count of the 
Opossum. 


Andubon says: ‘Methinks I see one 
at this moment slowly and cautiously 
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 ata 
loss in which direction to go, for the object of its 
pursuit has either taken a considerable leap or has 


studded with white spots on a groundwork of soft brown. 
rion. (Dasyurus viverrinus.) 

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 ‘Lhe 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 


THE POUCHED ANIMALS. 


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.” 
Life and Habits The Opossum is an arboreal animal, 
of the Opos- _as is shown by its entire equipment, 
sum, and on the ground it is rather slow 
and awkward. 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 


SPOTTED DASYURE.—tThis animal, which is quite common in Australia and Tasmania, has a fox-like head, a stout body the coat of which is 
It is a burrowing animal, hiding by day, 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 CHIPMUNK.——The only American Marsupial is a carnivorous animal, always hungry and untiring in pursuit of prey. It pos- 
é s acute powers of scent, and is very persistent in following the trail of any smaller animal. In the picture 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 the manner in which it holds on to limbs by its tail 
and is an excellent portrait of this predaceous Marsupial. (Dide/phys marsupialis.) 


(593) 


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 
Martens 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 Expertin an Opossum is very tenacious of life, 

Deceit. and 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 mamme. 

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. 
The 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. 


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. 


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 andDo- Lhe 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. 


Its tail is prehensile and entirely naked, - 
aiding it in climbing. On the ground it proceeds — 


They are completely naked at birth, but | 
when they are sufficiently developed to leave the ~ 


The Egg-Laying Mammals. 


FIFTEENTH ORDER: MoNoOTREMATA 


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 

uestion has been settled. 
he opinion of older zo- 
ologists, who saw a dis- 
tinct class of the animal 
world in the Monotremes, 
had certainiy, 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 of 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 
male 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, 
laminz 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- 
dz and the Duck-moles, 


(595) 


or 
Le) 
oO 


The Anteaters. 
FIRST FAMILY: EcHIDNID&. 


The family of the Ant-eaters (Zchidnide) 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 bempenanle 
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 aculeata typica), 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 
cheek 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, are 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, 


THE EGG-LAYING MAMMALS. 


and also occurs on Kangaroo Island, off the southern 
coast of Australia. 

The Papuan and The Papuan Porcupine Ant-eater 
Tasmanian Porcu- (Echidna aculeata lawest) 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 Port Moresby in southeastern New Guinea. 

The Tasmanian Porcupine Ant-eater (Echidna acu- 
leata setosa) 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 Lhe 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- 

tions of the nz in Australia and made observa- 
Echidne. tions, especially concerning their 
climbing ability, endurance of hunger and method of 


THE DUCK-MOLES. 


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 itin vain. At last, to my great surprise, I found 
itin another box about sixteen inches high, which 
was open above and half filled 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 

lace 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 
Echidnide 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. 


The second genus, with its one species, of the 
Echidnidz is constituted by a recently discovered 
animal of New Guinea, which we will call Woolly 
Echidna (Proechidna bruijnit), in contradistinction 
to the Porcupine Ant-eater. The genus can not be 
sharply differentiated from the preceding and is 
principally distinguished from it by the number of 
toes, there being only three on each foot. The 
beak, which is curved downward, is nearly double 
as long as the remainder of the head. The animal 
is about twenty inches long and is covered on head, 
body and limbs by a dense, coarse dark brown or 
black woolly fur, with which a few bristles are mixed 
and scattering spines are hidden in the hair. 


aculeata.) 


yielded a savory flesh and laid eggs. 


597 


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. 


The Duck-emoles, 
SECOND FAMILY: ORNITHORHYNCHID. 


The Duck-mole ( Ornithorhynchus 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 discovery. 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 
The assertion 


THE PORCUPINE ANT-EATER.—Belonging to the last and strangest order of mam- 
mals, the Porcupine Ant-eater has many physical peculiarities. 
bristly fur beset with spines, a rudimentary tail, and many other odd characteristics. 


It has a bird-like head and beak; a 
(Echidna 


of the latter fact was considered untrue until Cald- 
well reported his discovery of its eggs in 1884. 
Description of The Duck-mole is somewhat larger 
the Duck- _—‘ than the Echidna, being about two 
mole. feet in length, six inches of which 
are included inthe 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 very short; the nails are all curved backward and 


59S | THE EGG-LAVYING MAMMALS. 


are longer and sharperthan 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 toa 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 
icile 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 sprin 
and summer, and the question has been roaoueaal 
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 a. 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 
redilection of the Duck-mole for the hour of dusk, 
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 diy- 
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 bea 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 | 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. 


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 
oie out. It seemed to 

€ 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. 


rhynchus anatinus.) 


DUCK-MOLE.——Last among the known mammals is the strange and aptly named Duck-mole. 
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. 


599 


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 


It is web- 


(Ornitho- 


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- 
of Young Duck- ed in discovering a burrow contain- 
moles. ing 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. 


600 


“T 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 ina 
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- 
Development of the shelled eggs, in which, according to 

Duck-mole. — Caldwell’s discoveries, the embryos 
before being hatched, are developed to about the 


THE EGG-LAYING MAMMALS. 


same stage of growth as are those in a Hen’s ege 
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, unfertunately, 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. 
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. 


It has been | 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


Tutroductory Preface 8 oa. ws 


First OrpDErR: 


PAGE 


frrst Famity: The Narrow-Nosed 
Apes (Catarrhint) 
MAN-SHAPED APES (Anthropomorpha.) 
1.—Genus: Gorillas(Gorilila) ... 9 
Gorilla (G. gina) 


9 
2.—Genus: Chimpanzees (Simia) . 16 
Chimpanzee (S. troglodytes) . 16 


3.—Genus: Orang-utans (Pithecus) 18 
Orang-Utan (P. satyrus) . 18 
4.—Genus: Gibbons (Hylobates) . 23 


Siamang (/7. syndactylus) . . 23 
Hoolock (H7. hulock) . 2 
Lar or White-handed Gibbon 
(A. lar 
Ungko (7. rafflesit). . . .. 2 
Wau-wau or Oa (17. variegatus) 23 


POG-SHAPED MONKEYS (Cynopithecini), 
5.—Genus : Slender or Sacred Monk- 


eys “dae gic Pata Oe 
Hoonumian (5. entellus) . . . 25 
Budeng (S. maurus)..... 27 
6.—Genus : Proboscis Monkeys (Va- . 
SUPPER Mies cele) shh tates 28 
Proboscis Monkey or Kahau 
(XN. larvatus) .. 1... 28 
7.—Genus: Thumbless Monkeys 
LEOLOOIES) = SMe inrs \ceuc al dienes 28 
Guerezas(C. guereza). ... 28 


Ursine Colobus (C. ursinus). 30 
Black Colobus (C. satanas). . 30 
8.—Genus : Guenons: (Cercopithecus) 30 
Green Monkey (C. sabeus). . 32 
Diana Monkey (C. diana). . 34 
Blue-faced Guenon (C. cephus) 34 
*Red or Patas Monkey (C. ruber) 34 
*Sooty Mangabey (C. fulig- 
PROS Nate one SY ey Norm 35 
g.—Genus: Macaques (Macacus). . 36 
Common Macaque (JZ, cyno- 


SD(OUSY. FRO RA eee Ce 36 
Bhunder, or Rhesus ey aiaiid 
(M1, rhesus) . 38 


Srconp ORDER: 


PAGE 

Frrst Famity: The Lemurs (Lemur 
RRs MAA TERR a le 65 
3 —Genus: Indris (Lahanotus). . . 67 
Babacoto (Z. ens 67 
2.—Genus: Makis (Lemur) .... 67 


Ruffed Lemur (Z. varius) . aAGz 


Catt L. Cara) sore ke 67 
Mongoose (L. mongoz). 3 5O7 
Black was (Z, macaco) — St ST 
3.—Genus: Loris (Stenops) . . 68 


Slender Loris (.S. gracilis), . . 68 

Slow Loris (S. tardigradus). 69 
4.—Genus: Gentle Lemurs (Hapa- 

lemur) . . 

*Gray Lemur (H. griseus) . . 69 


MAMMALS. 


PAGE 
*Bonnet Monkey (J. sinicus) 36 
*Pig-tailed Macaques (J7. ne- 


IPSIPABUSY is o's 5 WS oes ae 39 
Magot or Barbary Ape (JZ. sy/- 
PREG N ee re Meee Sen oem 39 


10,—Genus : Baboons (Cynocephalus) 41 
Black Baboon (C. viger) . 43 
Common Baboon (C. babuin) 44 
Chacma Baboon (C. porcarius) 44 
Sphinx (C. sphinx) 
Hamadryas or Sacred Baboon 

(C. hamadryas) 6 
Gelada Baboon (C. gelada). . 48 


Mandrill (C. mormon)... . 49 
Drill (C. deucopheus) .... 49 
Wanderoo (C. silenus). . . . 50 


SECOND FAmILy: American or Broad- 
Nosed Monkeys. (Platyrrhini) . . 50 


PREHENSILE-TAILED MONKEYS (Cebide). 


1.—Genus: Howlers (J/ycetes). . . 52 
Aluate or Red Howler (J/. sini 
iculus) 
Caraya or Black Howler iar 
HOTA we td ay al shasta 
2,—Genus : Spider Monkeys (AZe/es) = 
Coatic | A PANPSCUS). 2 4. 
Marimonda or Aru (A. beelze- 
buth) 55 
Chameck (A. pentadactylus) . 55 
Miriki (4. hypoxanthus). . . 55 
Gold-Faced Monkey (A. bart- 
FUBD es de Nei i 55 
3-—Genus: Woolly Monkeys (Lago- 
RIPE eed cap ts aches 
*Humboldt’s Lagothrix Monk- 
ey (L. huméboldtii) ‘ee SS 
4.—Genus: Capuchins (Cebus) . . 56 
Cai or Sai (C. capucinus). . . 56 
Apella or Brown Cena 
(Giiahella): os; scene 
*White-Bearded Capuchin cr 
leucogenyS) .. ++. 58 


PAGE 
5.—Genus: Prehensile-Handed Le- 
mur (Chivogaleus). .... 
*Fork-Crowned Lemur (C. fur- 
74 ROR Mere eer bie er oe 69 
6.—-Genus: Large- Eared Makis 
(OLGORUSY: » os a4 Soe dee 7oO 
Common Galago (0. galego) . 71 
Comba (0. agisymbanus). 71 
7-—Genus: Stump-fingered Lemurs 
(FeErOMicHieus) 5 me ws 72 
*Potto Lemur (P. potto) ... 72 
8.—Genus : Bear-like Lemurs (Arcto- 
EEOES Ee PEON «cca ae 72 
*Angwantibo Lemur(4. cali a- 
rensts) Saleh te Seco a ee 72 


*Not mentioned in text except in description accompanying illustrafion. 


ROD whens eerK tals iii The Life of Animals—Preliminary Noteson Mammals .. .¥v 


THE APES AND MONKEYS. Pitheci. 1. 


PAGE 
*White-Faced Capuchin (C. hy- 
GOLENLUS\) Seca Wea 
*Green Capuchin (C. olivaceus) 3 


NON-PREHENSILE ‘TAILED AMERICAN 
MONKEYS (Pithecid@) 


5.—Genus: Sakis (Pithecia)... . 58 
Cuxio (P. safanas) ..... 58 
White-headed Saki (7. /euco- 

COON GIBY. i Tea ahah ieee 58 

*Hairy Saki (P. Airvsuia) . . . 59 
6.—Genus: Short-tailed Monkeys 
(Brachyurus) ....... 
Black-headed Saki (2. melano- 

CEDROUUSY, 605 STG 59 
*Short-tailed Monkey (2. cal- 

DUS) cas ee keen ea are 61 


7.—Genus; Callithrix (Callithrix). 59 
Widow Monkey (C. dugens) . 59 

*Lovely-Haired Monkey (C. per- 
sonata) 61 
8.—Genus : Saimaris (Chrysothrix) . 59 
Squirrel Monkey (C. sciurea). 60 

9.—Genus: Owl ene se aie 
ecus) 


GUUS) Ws, santa ey ai ah Gators 
THIRD Famity: The Marmosets, (Arc: 
SCOR BOEEY 323 oe ak eT 62 


1.—Genus: Marmosets(Hapale). . “ 
*Silky Tamarin (H. rosalia) . 
Silver Monkey (H. argentata) Ga 
Lion-like Monkey (H. /eonina) 63 
Silky Monkey 7. pygme@a). 63 
Common Marmosets (H. jac- 
CHS s,s a0 see, 63 
Tufted Marmoset (1/7. penicil- 
tata) 64 
Pinche Marmoset (//, wdipus) 64 
Golden Marmoset (4. chryso- 
FEMGHS) 0) ORCS. aR a es 64 


THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROIDS. Prosimii. 65. 


PAGE 
9 Os Dwarf Lemurs (M7icro- 


MEGS <.'\e ( 8:9: eee 73 


SECOND Famixy : The Tarsiers ( Zar- 
Cy irae ge, ee ee - 72 


1.—Genus : Tarsier (7arsius) . . . 72 
Spectre Tarsier (7. spectrum), 72 


THIRD Famity: The Bare-fingered An- 


imals (Leptodactyla) . ... 73 
1.—Genus: Queer-Handed Animals 
(Chivomys). eae lens 73 


Aye-Aye (C. madagascariensis) 73 


602 
Turrp ORDER: 
PAGE 
First Division: Flying Dogs (Péer- 
opina) 4, 7s, elites Cath? oe8 wd & Lek 79 


1.—Genus: Flying Dogs (Pteropus) 79 
The Kalong (P. edulis)... 
2.—Genus: Night- Dogs (G y monycteris) = 
Egyptian Flying-Dog (C. CEN 

tiacus) EOP Gas naggile) MRPs 


SECOND Division: The Schaal 


Bats (Gymmnorhina)........ 81 
I. —Genus: Long-eared Bats (Pleco- 82 
MSc oh ya’ yee doh a ee 


Long-eared Bat (P. auritus) . 82 
2.—Genus: Night-Flyers (Vesper- 
S910)! oc, koe eax are 82 


FourtH ORDER: 


PAGE 

First Famity: The Cat Family (7e- 
ye Wat ees, ie Chery eee 88 
1.—Genus : Cats Pro age (Felis) . 92 
Royal Tiger (/._¢igris) . g2 


Clouded Tiger (F. nebulosa) . 99 
Common Wild Cat (7. calus) . 99 
*Marbled Cat (7. marmorata). 99 
Egyptian Cat (/. maniculata). 102 
Domestic Cat (/. maniculata 
GOMESICE) 5.06. 5 Ns. yoo 105 
Angora Cat (7. maniculata do- 
mestica angorensis) oh tee AOS 
Barbary Lion (¥. leo barbarus). 106 
Senegal Lion (/. leo senegal- 


CREE BS <) w cS es a a 106 
South African Lion (F. leo ca- 
Di) ae eo eS 106 


Persian Lion (F. leo persicus) . 106 
Guzerat Lion (F/. /eo guzeraten- 


SES) GR Pets. PE Sete a me 106 
Leopard (7. pardus). .... 112 
Panther (F. panthera) .. . 112 
Long-tailed Panther (/. va- 

he 2A eee Se Agr 114 
Black Panther (/. melas)... . 114 
Snow Leopard or Ounce (7. 

WEEE 6. 4,8 bere heise 11g 


Viverrine Cat (Ff. viverrina) . 119 
Leopard Cat (/. bengalensis) . 119 
Serval (/. serval). . .. «. 119 
Cougar or Puma (/. concolor) . 120 
Yaguarundi (/. yaguarundt) . 122 


Jaguar (F. onz@) =... 2. 124 
Ocelot (¥. pardalis). . .. . 128 
Pampas Cat (/. pajeros). . . 128 
Marguay (F figrinis) . . 129 
Long-tailed Tiger Cat (fF ma- 
TUITE), A ee see Oe 129 
2.—Genus: Lynxes(Zymx) .. . . 129 


Common Lynx(L. vulgaris) . 130 
Pardine Lynx (L. pardinus) . 133 
Peeshoo or Canadian Lynx (Z. 
GOREGUS) aie eke Cakes ets 133 
Red or Bay Lynx (L. rufus) . 133 
Texas Lynx (ZL. maculata) . 133 
Oregon Lynx (ZL. fasciata). . 134 
Florida Lynx (L. floridanus) . 134 
Carolina Lynx (ZL. carolinen- 
SES). 5. os Via mari geist cas he Pas so 
Caracal (ZL. caracal) ree fate, is 
Common Jungle Cat (Z. chaus). ie 
3-—Genus : Cheetahs (Cynailurus) . 135 
Asiatic Cheetah (C. jubatus) . 135 


Fahhad (C. guttatus)..... 135 
Spotted Cheetah (C. soemmer- 
FINQEL) ere ire iki ah eatoyeea) 135 


Woolly Cheetah (C. daneus) . . 135 
4.—Genus: Cryptoprocta (Cryfpto- 

PIOUS. adi day Srde fe 138 

Bodusea(C. Pee et 138 


Szeconp Faminy: Civet Family 


(Viverridz). . . 
CAT-FOOTED CIVETS. (Atluropoda) . 1 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
*Daubenton’s Bat (V. dauden- 
COMES)! 2 Arr se sea ee 
Mouse-Colored or Common Bat 

(CH. pauses): i, settee 82 
3.—Genus: Noctules (Vesperugo) 


*Pipistrelle (V. pipistrellus). . 79. 


Noctule or Great Bat (V. noc- 
Nilay OOS tat Pech eas. 82 
4.—Genus : Pug-Dog Bats (Synotus) 82 
Barbastelle or Pug-Dog Bat (.S. 


DAP OASIELY ONG ea 82 
THIRD Division: Leaf-Nosed or Blood- 
sucking Bats (/stiophora). ... . 83 


1.—Genus : Vampires (Phydlostoma). 84 


THE Bid be OF PREY. 


PAGE 
1.—Genus : Civets Pro i Are ba 139 
African Civet (V. ctvetta) 140 
Asiatic Civet (V. zibetha) . . 140 
Lesser Civet (V. malaccensis) 141 
Common Genette (V. genetta) 141 
2.—Genus: Palm Cats (Paradoxurus) 142 
Indian Paradoxure (P. niger) . 142 
Common Paradoxure (P. her- 


maphroditus) . : . 142 
Masked Paradoxure ee Jai va- 
tS). Corn is shes 144 


DOG-FOOTED CIVETS. (Cynopoda). . 144 


3.—Genus: Mungooses (HHerpestes) Fy 
Ichneumon (A. ichneumon) . 

Mungo (HZ. mungo) es ae a 

Meloncillo (1, widdringlonit) 148 
Banded Mungoos (7, /ascia- 

tus) . . 150 

Crab Mungoos (A. “urva) . . 150 
4.—Genus: Dog-like Mungooses 

(Cynictus) . 150 

Foxy Mungoos (C. penicillata) 150 

5.—Genus: Mangues (Crossarchus) a8 

Mangue (C obscurus). .. 146 

6.—Genus: Suricates (Suricata) . . 150 

Suricate (S. ¢etradactyla) . . 150 


The Marten Family 


THIRD FAMILY: 


(MMastelidg). se es aoe na tee h ches 150 

THE MARTENS. (Marlide).... 152 

1.—Genus ;: Martens Proper (J/ustela) 152 

Pine Marten (4/7. martes). . . 152 

» Stone Marten (J7, foina) . . 153 

The Sable (J/. zibellina). . . 154 
American Sable (J/. america- 


BE) resents, Me ee eee Tk 156 
Fisher Marten (17. pennanti?) 156 
2—Genus: Foul Martens (Putorius) 156 


Polecat (P. fetidus). .... 156 
Tiger Polecat (P. sarmaticus) 156 
Rerret CP f7oy 6 als stie oa 158 
Weasel (P. vulgaris)... . . 159 
Ermine (P. erminea) . . 162 


Mink or Nerz (P. lutreola) . . 164 
American Mink (P. vison). . 164 


3.—Genus: Gluttons(Gu/o). . . . 166 
Glutton (G. ahoind ee! 166 
4.—Genus: Grisons (Galictis). . . 168 
Tyra (G: Barbara) oie 168 
Grison (G, vittata). ..... 168 
THE BADGERS. (Melidz) ..... 168 
5.—Genus : Badgers (eles) . . 168 


Common Badger (J/, laxus) . 169 


6.—Genus: New World Badgers 
(Taxided) o 3, Gus I7I 
American Badger (7. ‘Ameri- 
CONG): 6) 9's FP 0= RA TR 171 
Mexican Badger (7. berban- 
QUERY) — has dae OR 172 
7.—Genus: Honey Badgers (Me/li- 
WIR oo cls See 172 
Ratel (M7. capensis)... .. 172 


THE WING-HANDED ANIMALS. Chiroptera. 75. 


PAGE 
Vampire Bat (P. spectrum). . 84 
2.—Genus : Horseshoe Bats (Rhino- 


LOPHUSY Je eee a ea 85 
Lesser Horseshoe Bat (2. hip- 
POCreEes) seattle eee 8. 
Greater Horseshoe Bat (2. fer- 
rum-equUinum)... 1.4. 86 
3.—Genus: Nose-leaf Bats a 


dermay os kk deta vata 3 


4.—Genus: Rhinopomes (Rhino mt = 
Rayeuas rn aE a ( 
crophyllum). .... 

5-—Genus : Scotophiles (.Sco, hilus) Se 

Welwitch’s Bat (S. welwitchii 86 


Carnivora. 87. 


; PAGE 
Indian Ratel (J/. indica). . . 173 
8.—Genus: Stinking Badgers (J/y- 


ABUS) SOG ee ee 173 
Teledu (JZ, meliceps) . . 173 
g.—Genus : Skunks (Mephitis) . 3 E75 
Surilho (AZ, suffocans) . - 174 
Skunk (MZ. varians)..... 174 


10o.—Genus: Zorillas (Rhkabdogale) . 175 
Cape Zorilla (R. mustelina) . 175 


THE oTTERS. (Lutride). ... .176 


11.—Genus: Otters (Zutra). . . 176 
Common Otter (Z. vulgaris) . 8 
American Otter (ZL. canaden- 

S28). «eg Vases LAL 179 
Mexian Otter (ZL. californica) . 179 
Peruvian Otter (Z. felina) . . 179 
Brazilian Otter (Z. vasilienis) 179 

12.--Genus : Sea Otters (Euhydris) . 179 
Sea Otter (Z. lutris). ... .. 179 


FouRTH Same The Hyena Family 
(Avenid@) so. see oe pee . 182 


1.—Genus: aie (Hyena) . . 182 
Spotted Hyzena (H. crocuta) . 184 
Brown Hyzena (/7, brunnea) . 185 
Striped Hyzena (HZ. striata) . 186 

2.—Genus: Aard-Wolfs bn: 187 


Aard-Wolf (P. dalandiz) . . . 187 
FirtH Famity: The Dog Family 
(Cantda).chiccles | oatpen> Setar 187 
1.—Genus : Wolves (Camis) . . . . 188 
Wolf (C, lupus). . . 1. a. 190 
Guara (C. jubatus) Paria, Manas aed 19 
North Awierieen Wolf Ned occi- 
dentalis). . 2 . 194 
Jackal Wolf (C ‘anthus) a 
Striped Wolf (C. adustus) . . 19) 
Jackal(C. aureus). ..... 196 


*Cape Jackal(C. mesomelas) . re 
Coyote (C. datrans) ..... 
Raccoon Dog (CG. PringeRe ees), 198 


ae Dog (C. cancri- 
UOPUS) iv reas ae cree 198 
Aguara (C. vetulus) . F . 198 
Hyena Dog (C. pictus) . . 199 
Kolsun (C, dukhunensis) . . 200 
Adjag (C. rutilans) . . 200 
*Alpine Wolf (C. alpinus) . . 203 
Dingo (C. dingo) . ; +. 204 
Paridh Dog vssh 5 «es See 206 


DOMESTIC DOGS (Canis familiaris) 207 
1.—Group: Userene pee: SJ. gvajus).215 


Greyhound) \2..05) 6" ibe 215 
Greyhound of the Desert | | 216 
*Scotch Greyhound ,.. . . 217 
Italian Greyhound. . 2tF 
African Naked Dog (Cf afri- . 
CONUS). | iikad a SAX ee Rs 218 
2.—Group: Mastiffs (C. Jee mo- 
LOSSUS) 5, oie eee . 218 
Danish Dog. . . . ee 


PAGE 
German Mastiff. . ..... 218 
BUN GOR, eat yan, (iste! tes) 5 220 
— F 221 

ARES id cea 221 
Dog of Tibet . . 221 


Drees Badger Dogs (Canis fam- 
a 


vis vertlagus).... ++ 221 
English a eg sty 222 
Otter-Hound , eee 7 o: 
4.—Group: Hounds (Canis fam. Sa- 
LEX) oe va ns Awe 
Pointers . . 223 
*Retriever . . eet 
German Bloodhound . . . 224 
Staghound . A . 224 
Foxhound . . 224 
Beagle . irr 224 
5.—Group: Spaniels (Canis fam. exe 
PERPSIS) cr ING cae ee ° 224 
Feit CORALION trea sje! +) a 225 
PUCTH AS CA ar sel 225 
Newfoundland . 225 
RSG MORMON sw ac serkig ajc +! > 226 
POOCIE c 85. sia. 2 . 227 
6.—Group: Terriers (Canis fam. 
POV OO) hoo. anak yee a 229 
RIV WOTTISE gcse. 6 229 


7.—Group: Domestic Dogs Proper— 
(Canis familiaris domesticus)229 
Sheep dog . - . 229 


Firru Orper: 


PAGE 

Frrst Famity: Ordinary Seals 
(Phocide) 275 
1.—Genus : Common Seals (Phoca) 278 
Common Seal (P. vitulina) . 278 
Caspian Seal (P. caspica) . . . 278 
Saddle-Back Seal (P. gran- 
CIACB I Sich, Sescs ac hes 
2.—Genus: Hooded Seals (Cysto- 
PROMRE A N od Mien cds vt 279 


THE 


PAGE 
First Famity: Hedgehogs (Zrina- 
CTA inka ith ea nk a Ri ee ee 289 


278 


SixtH OrpER: 


Genus: Hedgehogs (Zrinaceus) . 
Common’ seigetog (2. europe 
@us) . 5 


SECOND FAMILY: Moles eae 


1.—Genus: Moles ( 7a/, 
one Mole ( 


Lees 
4.—Genus: Star-Nosed Moles (Condy. 

CHIR 8 Om os 8s a 296 

Star-Nosed Mole (C. cristata) . pon 


THIRD FAMILy; Tupaias (7upazide) 296 


Genus: Tupaias (71, wah: i2 
Tana (7. tana). . es ome gre 


SEvENTH ORDER: 


PAGE 
First FAMILy: Squirrels (Sciurid@) 306 


THE TRUE SQUIRRELS (Sciurine) . . 306 


1.—Genus : Tree Squirrels (Sciurus) 306 
Common Squirrel (.S. vulgaris) 306 
Chickaree Squirrel (.S. Audson- 

ius) . 310 

Gray Squirrel (S. carolinensis) 310 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
Ep ees eerie’ ss wie 230 
PORATION Ss Bike(s tt ome aes 230 

CORE Tera 2 Me ie ae ier Oran Sar 232 

2,—Genus : Foxes (Vulpes) 232 
Common Fox (V. vulgaris) . . 232 
Red Fox (V. fulvus)) . rast 
Long-tailed Fox (V. macrurus) 237 
Kit Fox(V.velow) . 0... 238 
Arctic Fox (V. lagopus). . . 238 
Corsac (V.corsac)...... 239 
Fennec (Vl. zerdod) . . 240 


Gray Fox—( V. cinereo- argen- 
FOES a. thst a. Gado bee. Ft 241 
Coast Fox (V. littoralis) . . . 243 
3-—Genus: Long-eared Foxes oe 
cyon) 
Long-eared Fox (O. megalotis) or 


SrxtH Faminy: Bear Family (U7si- 
RR AR Pons on sap arte beady nla. 


243 
THE LARGE BEARS (Ursin@) . 244 


1.—Genus: Bears Proper (Ursus) . 244 
Brown Bear (UV. arctos) . 244 
Barren Ground Bear (U. rich- 

ardsonit) . . . 250 
Grizzly Bear (U. cinereus) . 250 


Cinnamon Bear (U/. cinnamon- 
BUS) Sree Soe eae 252 
Black Bear.(U. americanus). . 252 


THE SEALS OR FIN-FOOTED ANIMALS. Pinnipedia. 


PAGE 
Crested or Bladder-Nose Seal 
CGS SPESHIEE coe ucisigh tLe 279 


3.—Genus: Elephant Seals (Macro- 
PUANGS) 5) Tig’ are sens sae 279 
Elephant Seal (MZ. leoninus) . 279 
4.—Genus: Narrow-nosed Seals 
(Stenorhynchus) ...... 277 
*Sea Leopard (.S. /epionyx) . . 277 
Monk Seal (S. albtventer) . . 278 


INSECT=-EATING ANIIMALS. Jnsectivora. 


PAGE 
FourtxH Famiiy: Long-Legged Shrews 
(Macroscelidide) Reha. pee 296 


Genus; Elephant Shrews aot 
celides) 
Elephant Shrew (J/. typicus) . 2 


FIFTH FAMILY: 


Spiny Hedgehogs 


(Cenletida) . . itt ogee oh aes 297 
Genus: Spiny Hedgehogs (Cen- 
PETES on cue eae ts ero 297 

Tanrec (C. ecaudatus) . . . . 2097 
Sixtu Famity: Shrews (Sovicide) . 297 
SHREWS PROPER (Soricin@). . . . 299 
1.—Genus : Shrews (Sorex) . . . . 299 


Common Shrew (5. vulgaris) . 299 
Broad-Nosed Shrew (.S. p/aty- 


FRIAS. Wee ete «Satis 300 

Marsh Shrew(S. fey: . 302 

Giant Shrew (.S. bendiri) . 302 

Dwarf Shrew (.S. personata) . . 302 
2.—Genus: West Indian Shrews (Sol- 

BUOUOR) Sc eke ee eed 298 


THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. Rodentia. 


PAGE 
Arizona Gray Squirrel (S. a7?- 
SOME ers cas ses esse » 310 
Chestnut-backed Gray Squir- 


FEVUE GOES) SS ds au 310 
California Gray oi sa & 

fossor) : . 310 
Black Squirrel (S. niger) . 310 
Fox Squirrel (S. cinereus) . . 310 


603 

PAGE 
Black Himalayan Bear—(U. 
Torquatus) .. . + 253 


Malayan Bear(U. malayanus) 254 


Polar Bear (U. maritimus) . . 254 
2.—Genus : Sloth Bears (A7elursus) . 260 
Sloth Bear (17. /abiatus).. . . 260 
CAT-LIKE BEARS (Ailuring) . 264 


3.—Genus : Cat-Pawed Bears (4i/ur- 
OPUS Te tints ooh 8 . 264 
Ailuropus (4. melanoleucus) | 264 

4.--Genus : Cat-Bears Proper (A7z/u- 


TUS In ee a a. ses ga 264 

Panda (A. fulgems) ..... 64 
5.—Genus: Binturongs (Arctilis) 264 
Binturong (A. dinturong) . . 264 


THE SMALL BEARS (/rocyoning), 264 


6.—Genus: Raccoons (Procyon) . . 264 
Raccoon (P. lofor). . ..... 64 
Crab-eating Raccoon (P. cancri- 


WIPES) Ve eet 268 
7.—Genus: Long-nosed Bears (Na- 

SUA) OA ree ae ee 269 

Coata (NV. rufays ww ves 269 

Narica(N. marica) ..... 270 


8.—Genus: Kinkajous (Cercoleples) 271 
Kinkajou (C. caudivolvulus) . 271 
9.—Genus: Cacomixles (assaris) . 272 
Cacomixle (B.astuta) . . . .272 


273. 
PAGE 
SECOND FamILy: Walruses ( 77iche- 
day a SS EOS 


Genus: Walruses Felis cy! . 
Walrus (7. rosmarus) . 


THIRD Fami.y: Eared Seals (Otar- 
SRY eo ean Pe ec na 286 
Genus: Eared Seals (Ofaria) 
Sea Lion AS stelleri) 
Sea Bear: (O. ursina) ... 
Southern Sea Lion (0. jubata) 388 


282 


282 
. 282 


pe 


289. 


P&GE 
Almiqui (S. cubanus) . . 298 
3-—Genus : Mole Shrews (Barina) . 300 
Short-tailed Mole Shrew (2, 
OVEUCRMMR) 2g soo rea 300 
4.—Genus: Field Shrews ( Crocidura) 302 
Domestic Shrew (C. avanea) . 302 
Etruscan Shrew (C. suaveolens) 302 


5.—Genus: Water Shrews (Crosso- 
POTN Rp sob ysatet FN al acy 02 
Water Shrew (C. fodiens)... . 302 
THE DESMANS (Myogaling)..... 303 
6.—Genus: Beaver Shrews (J/yo- 
OLE) 5 rhein PCS Bete she Mie iee 303 
Almizilero (47, pyrenaica) . . 303 
Desman (17. moschata).. . . 303 
7.-—Genus: Neurotrichus (NVeuro- 
trichus\rotperic« (seit. = 
Neurotrichus (VV. gibdsiz) . 
SEVENTH Famity : Colugos besa 
PACER Oui.» «ea aa acuabon «Ve 304 


Genus : Colugos (Galeopithecus) 304 


Colugo (G. volams)...... 304 
305. 
PAGE 
Western Fox Squirrel (S. Zu- 
DOVWHARUS) kw angst 310 
Little African Squirrel (S._ 
INININGS) 5 eee ee coe 311 
2.—Genus: Flying Squirrels (Pter- 
GINYS) 3 EER Bas gir 
Taguan (P. petaurista). . . . 311 
Liatuga (‘P. volans) .... . 312 


604 
PAGE 
Assapan (P. volucella) . . . . 312 
3-—Genus: Ground Squirrels (7z. 
MME Cece ees ce os a SIS 
Burunduk (7. striatus). . . . 313 
Chipmunk (7. dysteri). . . . 314 
Four-striped Chipmunk (7. 
quadrivitiatus) ...... 314 
Mountain Chipmunk (7. /a- 
ed 1: 1) OR eee eae 314 
Southwestern Chipmunk (7° 
ee. Rae 314 
4.—Genus: Xerus(Xerus)..... 314 
Merus (X. vutilus) . 2... 314 
THE MARMOTS (Arclomying). . . . 315 
5.—Genus : Pouched Marmots (.Sper- 
WODRSIES)! iS e55-05 5 es 315 
Souslik (S. cttillus) . 2... 315 
Parry’s Marmot Squirrel (S. 
Fa a hd OREO Tat 316 
Gray Prairie Squirrel (5, 
Srankhiei) oss se 5 5 316 
Thirteen-lined | Spermophile 
(S.. tridecum-lineatus) . . 316 


6.—Genus: Prairie i Cynomys) 316 

Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus) 316 
7-—Genus: Marmots Proper (Arc- 

tomys) 

Bobac (4, bobac) ...... 318 

Alpine Marmot (4. marmota) 320 

Woodchuck (4. monax) . . 321 
Rocky Mountain Marmot (4. 

PAUDEROV YS ee BOE 

Hoary Marmot (A. pruinosus) 321 


SECOND Fairy: Dormice (Myoxide). 
1.—Genus : Fat Dormice(J/yoxus) 321 


TONG CIM, BUS) 3s Sond 321 
Lerotin (M/Z. dryas)..... 322 
2.—Genus : Lerots (Eliomys). . . 322 
Lerot (Z. nifela) ...... 322 
3-—Genus: Dormice Proper (J/us- 
COVEIRES). 6 5 Ss. 8 322 
Common Dormouse (J/, avel- 
FONASENS) oS OP ae tok, a ee 322 


THIRD FamILy: Beavers (Castorida) 323 
Genus: Beavers (Castor) . . . 323 
Beaver (C. fiber)... 5.5 5s 32, 

Canadian Beaver (C. canaden- 

SEB) eae ots eh ekg 324 

FoyrtH FAMILy: Jerboas (Dipodidz)327 

JUMPING MICE (Jaculing)...... 328 
1.—Genus : Jumping Mice (Jaculus) 

Jumping Mouse (/. hudsonius) 328 

TRUE JERBOAS (Dipoding) .. . . 328 
2.—Genus: Jerboas Proper (Dipus) 

Egyptian Jerboa (D.agypttcus)328 

3.—Genus: Alactagas (Scirtetes) . 329 


Alactaga(S.jaculus)..... 329 
JUMPING HARES (Pedeting)..... 28 
4.—Genus: Jumping Hares (Pedetes} 

Jumping Hare (P. caffer). . . 330 
Firta Famity: Mice (Muridez) . . 330 
RUNNING MICE (Merioniding) . . . 332 
1,—Genus : Sand Rats(Psammomys) 332 

Sand Rat (P.obesus). . . . . 332 
THE MICE PROPER (Murine)... . 332 
2.—Genus: Mice(Mus)...... 332 

Egyptian Rat (M7. alexandri- 

BIESD SFr ns tes Hon rad ates Se ee 332 
Hamster Rat (7. gambianus) 332 
Black Rat(M. rattus) . . . . 333 


Brown Rat (7. decumanus) . 333 
Common Mouse (J/. musculus) 336 
Wood Mouse (M7. sylvaticus). 336 
Old World Meadow Mouse (J/, 
OLVAVIUS) o.oo fos 337 
Harvest Mouse (7. minutus). 339 
*Barbary Mouse (MM. barbarus) 337 
3-—Genus : Cotton Rats (.Sigmodon) 336 
Cotton or Rice Rat (S. hispi- 
ARS) Ae Oe 336 
4.—Genus : Wood Rats (Neofoma) . 336 
Florida Wood Rat (NM. flori- 
EO ow wen Weds ies ae 336 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
California Wood Rat (NV. fusci- 
$68) Ss thous phi ge EE iSO 
Gray Wood Rat (XV. cinereus) 336 
INDIGENOUS AMERICAN MICE . . . 340 
5.—Genus : A hy iy Mice (Hespero- 
WSS cos Genet eee A 


RABENSES) FOSS ee 40 
California Mouse (/. californi- 

CUS) Se ts 340 
Missouri Mole Mouse (H. /eu- 

CORGSEP) | rots ic a Rina 340 
Rice-field Mouse (A. oryzo- 

YS). 4. beh eig, te Gey eee 340 

THE HAMSTERS (Criceling). ... . 340 


6.—Genus: Hamsters (Cricetus) . . 340 
Common Hamster ( C. frumen- 


PAVEBS)) (OS BSA a fe Nh geoses 340 
SrxtH Famiiy: Voles (Arvicolide) 344 
1.—Genus;: Muskrats (Fiber) . . . 344 


Muskrat (7. zibethicus) . . . 344 
2.—Genus: Voles Proper (Arvicola) 345 
Water Vole (A. amphibius) . . 345 
Snow Mouse (A. nivalis) . 346 


Bank Vole (4 glareolus) . . . 346 
Field Vole (A. agrestis) . . . 347 
Red Vole (A. rutilus) . . . . 347 
American Meadow Mouse (A. 
PtPAPiUS) 7 ME 347 
Campagnol (4. arvalis) . . . 347 


Root Vole (4. @conomus) . . 348 
3.-—Genus: Lemmin (Myodes) . 348 
Lemming (J/, mus) . . . 348 
4.—Genus: Lemming Voles (Sym- 
GPLOMYS) ORF ee lin a ss 350 
Lemming Vole (S. cooperi) . 350 
SEVENTH Famity: Mole Rats (.Spa-’ 
chi): 7%: 
Genus: Mole Rats (Spalax) . . . . 351 
Common Mole Rat (.S. ¢yphlus) 351 


EIGHTH Famity: Pocket Mice (Sac- 
COMYIAA)" APRN g Beek 352 
POCKET MICE PROPER (Saccomying). 
1.—Genus: Leaping Pocket Mice 


(Dipodomys).... . . . . . 352 
Ord’s Pocket Mouse (D. phi- 
Upptt) PR a 352 
2.—Genus : Kangaroo Rats (Perogna- 
UA) es ate SU ae 352 
Brush Tailed Pocket Mouse (P. 
penicillatus) oo ee ene 352 
Greater Pocket Mouse (P. fas- 
CHRLUS) 10 ay eh ee aw 5S 
Coarse-haired Pocket Mouse 
(P. hispidus). . . 2. . .352 
3.—Genus : Least Pocket Mice ((ri- 
CELOMIPURY. 5 Ci Peirce 352 
Hopping Mouse(C. flavus). . 352 
Little Hopping Mouse (C. par- 
VUE) os. SEAR oe 352 
THE GOPHERS (Geomid@) ..... 352 


4.—Genus: Gophers (Geomys). . . 352 
Pouched Gopher (G. bursarius)352 
Southern Gopher (G. ¢uza). . 353 
Chestnut-Cheeked Gopher (G. 

CUSLAMOPS) oa: 5-0 in) A a BBA 
Quachil (G. hispidus).. . . . 354 
Mexican Gopher (G. mexica- 

WUS\iEie sa aa eT ae es 354 

5-—Genus : Pocket Rats ( Thomomys)354 
Common Pocket Rat (7. éal- 


POUES\ a. 9 Veet we, 7 aSe 
Rocky Mountain Pocket Rat 
(Zi elastase); 5 Sane en 354 
NintH Famity: Porcupines (Hys- 
WITTE) site a PN are 
1.—Genus: Porcupines Proper (Hys- 
LIER) 5. ia sh 4 eGR ee get ae 
Common Porcupine (H. Cris- 
LRG)» 09 de hed gl aE SG WR 354 


PrAGE 
2.—Genus: Brush-tailed Poreupines 
(Athertiva)® OLE 358 
*Brush-tailed Porcupine (4. 
Ofricana) 6s SRS 358 
TREE OR CLIMBING PORCUPINES (Cer- 
ODN) 55 ata ic ae 356 
3.—Genus: Climbing Porcupines 
(Zrethizon) ... 0... 356 
._ Urson (2. dorsatum).. . . . 356 
4.—Prehensile-tailed Porcupines 
(Cercolabes) 6 0% Sone 
Mexican Porcupine (C. nove- 
hispania) 0. ee ws 358 
Couiy (C. villosus). ... .. 358 


Coendou (C. prehensilis)... . 359 
TENTH Faminy: Cayvies, or Guinea 
Pig Family (Caviidz).. ..... 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 (Dasyprocte) . 362 
Common Agouti (D. aguti) . . 362 


4.—Genus: Pacas (Celogenys). . . 363 

Paca (6. Poca)". </2..5 sn. ae 363 
5.—Genus i Water Pigs (Hydroche- 
TUS) ois: bet Ree 

Water Pig(H. capybara) . . . 364 


ELEVENTH FAMILY: Octodons (Oco- 
dontide) 
I.—Genus: Octodons Proper (Océo- 
LORY 0. ska be > eT 
Degu (O. cummingii) . . . . 367 
2.—Genus: Nutrias (J/yopotamus) . 367 
Coypu (17, 1) OE 367 
3.—Genus: Ground Pigs (Au/acodus) 369 
Ground Pig (A. swinderianus) 369 


TWELFTH Famity : Chinchillas (Za- 


LORIMER) Se nc Re 369 
1,—Genus: Chinchillas Proper (Z77- 
OUYS) pig ick Ohne | BUS 
Common Chinchilla (Z. chin- 
CULaY AS Re ee 3 
Smaller Chinchilla (Z. lani- 


BOWE) or ons! athe. lel al SOS 
2.—Genus : Lagotis (Lagidium) . . 370 
Cuvier’s Lagoti(Z. cuvieri) . 371 
3.—Genus: Viscachas (Lagostomus)37t 
Viscacha (Z. trichodactylus) . 371 
THIRTEENTH FamIxy : Hares (Lepor- 
$22). iF uci Speedos Tue 372 
1.—Genus: Hares(Zepus). . ... 374 
Common Hare (Z, vulgaris) . 374 
Alpine Hare (ZL. timidus) . . 375 
Irish Hare (L. hibernicus) . . 375 


Polar Hare (ZL. g/acialis). . . 378 

Rabbit (Z. cuniculus) 58 

American Varying Hare (Z. 
QMEVICAMUS) 6 6 i oe os 378: 


Virginian Varying Hare (Z. 
amer. virginianus) .. . . 379 
Washington Varying Hare (Z. 
amer, washingtonti). . . . 379 
grins: Prairie Hare (Z. cam- 
SEV ES) 03 nes cinta ue a tee 379 
neces Hare (Z. callotis) . . . 379 
Californian Hare (LZ. californi- 
7) Win ery ee 379 
Swamp Hare ee aguaticus) . 379 
Marsh Hare (LZ. palustris) . 379 
Cotton Tail (Z. sylvaticus) . 379 
Sage Rabbit (Z. artemesia) . . 379 
THE CRYING HARES OR PIKAS. 
2.—Genus : Crying Hares (Lagomys) 379 
American Pika (L. princeps) . 379 
Alpine Crying Hare (Z. al- 
LIMES) ) Geta ae suey 
FOURTEENTH Famity: Bristled 
Mice (Lophiomyidz) ....... 307 
Genus: Bristled Mice (Lophi- 
OMS) 6 5g) Sa 307 
*Skull-cap (LZ. imhausii) . . . 307 


ee 
—oS 


Ereutu ORpeER: 


PAGE 
First Famity: Sloths (2radypo- 
MRUPVAS is Ss aay WA se ies 381 


lapis 

Unau te: ‘didactylus) . 82 

2.—Genus : Three-toed Sloths (Bra- 

dypus) . . Sets ae 

Ai (2B. tridactylus) ee A 382 
SECOND FAMILY: See Paes (MWyr- 

GROCODNO TTP Wows Mex: tah yhone os 386 
1.—Genus: Ant “Bears Re 

PEOED) SAI bas the ese S00 


Nintu Orperr: 


PAGE 


' Famgiy: Elephants (Zvephantide.) 
Genus: Elephants (Z/ephas) . . 397 
TrentH ORDER: 


PAGE 
Frrst Famiiy: Horses (Zguide@) . . 405 


Genus: Horses (Zguus) . 405 
DORA Ci rect sta ee 406 
UIMASTOOERE io SO as 406 
WO dl ik 51 of Ya ile: 2-42 409 
ORAIMAID ES iy sete ete Ce 409 
EERE MMOLG ova) 5) oe alwid hss ite) 
English Thoroughbred. . ..410 
Anglo- ERE Ary Seka ks lay ge 410 
American Trotting Horse. . . 411 
PPROCHOEOM sbi ate 4 os 8h ae 411 
Shetisnd Pony... 0.0... 6) he 41I 
Koulan (Z. hemionus) . 413 
Onager (Z. onager) Scary 
Domestic Ass (£. asinus) . ..415 
African Wild Ass (£2. asinus 

DIFTUMMSY fai eins Ne 415 


ELeventu OrpER: 


PAGE 
Frrst SUBORDER: Ruminants or 
Two-hoofed Animals (2idactyla) . 433 


First FAMILY : Giraffes (Camelopar- 
DREMEL net a. rs eek os Naw » 434 
Genus: Giraffes (Camelopardalis) . 434 

Giraffe (C. giraffa)..... 434 


SECOND Famizy: Camels (Camelid@) 437 


1.—Genus: Camels (Camelus). . . 438 
nc arene (C. dromedarius) 438 
Bactrian Camel (C. dactrianus) 442 


2.—Genus: Llamas ana aaa - 443 
Guanaco » of huanaco) . - 444 
Llama (4. Jama). ..... 444 
Alpaca (Ad. paco)...... 446 
Vicugna (A. vicugna) . . 447 


THIRD Famity: Horned Kubieals 


EPI ee ae ee a ean « 447 
GOATS AND SHEEP (Caprin@) . 448 
1.—Genus : Goats (Capra)... .. 458 
Alpine Ibex (C. z6e2) . 450 


Pyrenean Ibex (C. pyrenaica) 450 
Caucasian Ibex (C.caucasica) . 450 


JEgagrus (C. egagrus) . - 453 
*Markhoor (C. falconeri) 454 
Domestic Goat (C. hircus). . 455 


Angora Goat (CA. angorensis) 455 
Cashmere Goat (C. A. laniger) 456 
Svrian Goat (C. 2. mambrica) 456 
Egyptian Goat (C.h. egvplica) 456 


Dwarf Goat (C. 2. reversa). . 457 
*Tahr(C. jemlaica). .... 457 
2.—Genus: Sheep (Ovis). .... 458 
Aoudad (O. tragelaphus). . . 459 
Moufflon (O. musimon). . . 460 
*Kratschkar (O. polit). . . . 461 
Argali (O. argali) ..... 462 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


THE TOOTHLESS ANIMALS. Ldentata. 


PAGE 
Great Ant-Eater. (17, jubata)386 
2,—Genus: Tree-Climbing Ant-Eat- 


ers (Zumandua) . . 387 
Tamandua (7. tetradactyla) . 387 
3.—Genus.—Little Ant-Eaters (G- 
cloturus) . 
Two-toed Ant- “Hater (C. didac- 
tylus) . - 388 
‘THIRD FAMILY: ‘Aeaidstlen Dasy- 
podide) . . 388 
1.—Genus : Armadillos Proper (Da- 
Sypus) . CNR, Potted 389 


THE ELEPHANTS. Proboscidea. 


PAGE 
Asiatic Elephant (£. asiati- 
CME iis Sas) SRL Reece 397 


THE ODD-TOED ANIMALS. Perissodactyla. 


PAGE 
Somal Ass (Z, asinus somali- 
METS ae ac Oe Beets Os 416 
Mule (Z£. mulus): . 2... 418 
Hinny(Z.hinnus). ..... 418 
Quagga (L.quagga) ... 419 
Burchell’s Zebra (Z. édurchel- 
MEAT tinct diate bY ex ecatan tee 4 419 
Zebra (Z. zebra)... 2... 419 
SEconpD Famity: Tapirs ( Zapiride) 420 
Genus: ‘Tapirs obey Spat a ob 492 
Malayan Tapir (7. indicus . . 422 
American Tapir (7. america- 
MUS) eg awe 5) Ale Spd are 422 
THIRD FAMILY: Rhinoceroses (7?/i- 
WUICOPOTAD EY ers) ene oe le 424 


THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. Artiodactyla. 


PAGE 
Kamchatkan Wild (0. 2ivicola)462 
Big Horn (O. montana). . . . 462 
Merino (O. aries hispanica). . 463 
Persian (O. aries steatopyga) . 464 


THE MUSK-OXEN (Oviboving). . . . 465 
3.-—Genus: Musk-Oxen (Ovzbos). . 465 
Musk-Ox (0. moschatus). . . 465 
THE OX TRIBE (Bovine). . rs ore ae 
4.—Genus; Oxen (Bos). ..... 468 
Yak (B. grunniens). .. . . 468 


European Bison (2. bison) . 470 


American Bison (2. ameri- 
MAUS) os es . Re 474 
Gayal (B. frontalis). .... 476 
Gaur (B. gaurus). ..... 477 
Banteng (4. banteng).. . . . 478 
Sanga(B.africanus). .... 479 
Zebu (B. indicus). ..... 480 
Park Ox (B. scoticus) . . . 481 
Freiburg Ox (&. faurus fri- ; 
ee ce a 481 


Dutch Ox (2B. 7. hollandicus ) at 
Short - Horn (2. ¢. dunelmen- 


RES) CVA ie edgee arcane en 482 
United States Wild Cattle. . 482 
ORB ONT ores! oo oS be ute 483 
Bocce BIAS cated ay jae bo 485 
e Buffalo (2. caffer) . 485 
fedien Buffalo (B. arnt) . 486 
MOUNTAIN Goats (Aplocering). . . 489 
5.--Genus : Mountain Goats (A4p/o- 
GOPME pe or eitec h <0 wipes: 489 
Rocky Mountain Goat (4. 
IOUIGHUSY. ere SP BS 489 


605 


381. 


PAGE 
Tatupoyu (D, villosus) . 
Six-banded Armadillos (D. 389 


sexcinclus) . - 389 
2.—Genus ; ‘Three-banded Avinadil- 
los (Tolypeutes)...... 391 
Three-banded Armadillo (7. 
tricinctus) .. . oe at Se 
3-—Genus : Priodons’ (Priodon) . . 391 


Giant Tatu (P. gigas) . « 392 


4.—Genus: Cloaked Reviadiitos 
(Chlamydophorus)..... 392 


Bichociego (C. truncatus) .. . 392 
397. 
PAGE 
African Elephant (2. a/rica- 
OMB). 6 a. sat ahen eh my ote etd 398 
405. 
PAGE 
Genus: Rhinoceroses (Rhinoc- 
CLOGS in. ee Rs ae ee ie 424 
Indian Rhinoceros (7. unicor- 
MES) Cg tes HES te te ae 426 


Wara Rhinoceros (2. sondat- 


OOS ES PRON 426 

Two-horned Rhinoceros (2. bi- 
CNRS) Ss, Tee eS . 426 

~ Sumatran Rhinoceros (R. ‘Sul 
matrensis) . . 426 

*Square - mouthed "Rhitioceros 
CR: SEIMS) ae vis 2 kena 431 
FourTH FAMILY: Conies (//yracid@) 431 
Genus : Conies (Hyrax). . . . 432 

Abyssinian Cony (17, abyssini- 
EMS PEs a0 >a nhs 432 

433. 
PAGE. 
ANTELOPE TRIBE (Antilopine), 

6.—Genus: Antelopes ar 8 491 
Sisan (A. cervicapra). « 491 
Gazelles (A. dorcas). .... 492 


Springbok (A. euchore) . . . 494 
7.—Genus : Ox-Antelopes (Bubalis) 495 
Hartebeest (2. caama). . . 496 


8.—Genus: Reed Antelopes (Re- 
LN IE et vam 496 
Riet-bok (2. eleotragus) . . . 497 
g.—Genus : Water- -bucks (Kobus) . 497 


Water-buck (XK. erie 
MUS rere h AS lh LANG Oh eee 2 
1o.—Genus: Oryx Antelopes (Ory). ish 
Passan (O. capensis). 2... . 
Beisa (O; Beisa). . . . .. 
Algazel (O. leucoryx) . 


r1.—Genus: Addax Antelopes. (4a 
Gea) a Fe 
Addax (A. nasomaculatus) . . 500 
12,—Genus : Spiral Horned Aatabinien 
(SivepstcerosWaee an. 605 68 50cO 
Koodoo (S. kudu).. ». . . . 500 
13.—Genus : Bovine Antelopes (Ause- 
A. wi yb ge 502 
Eland (B. oreas)) . 2... 502 
14.—Genus : Nylghaus (Fortax).. . 502 
Nylghau (P. pictus)... .. 502 


15.—Genus: Four-Horned Antelopes 
; UTetwacevan;. s. ails: 504 
Four-Horned( 7. guadricornis) 504 


16.—Genus: Bush-Bucks (Cepha/olo- 
DAMS) ies... Reiser cme . . 504 
Duyker (C. mergens). 4 «504. 
17.—Genus: Dwarf Antelopes (Neo- 
SPAR US)! ola arn 50. 
Greyhound Antelope (VV. hem- 
PRIGHES) \o one e os REI Ae | « 505 


606 


PAGE 
18.—Genus: Mountain Antelopes 
(Nemorhedus). . . .. . 506 
Goral (NV. goral) ...... 506 
ig9.—Genus: Chamois (Capella). . 506 
Chamois (C. rupicapra).. . . 506 
ner Saigas (Colus). .... 510 
ga(C. tataricus). .. .510 
ay. eee Gnus (Catoblepas) . . 512 
GH (Ce PRR) os) sig ch 512 
FourtTH Famity: Prong-horned 
Animals (4ntilocapridz). .... 513 


Genus: Pip datas (Antiloca- 
WER) ce ee ssw 8h Ae ct 513 
Pronghorn (A. americana). . 513 


FietH FamiLy: Deer (Cervid@) . . 516 


1.—Genus: Elks (dices) .. 1... 518 
Elk (A. palmatus). . 1... 518 
Moose (A. americana). . . . 520 

2.—Genus: Reindeer (Rangtfer) . . 520 
Reindeer (2. ¢arandus) . . . 221 
Caribou (XR. carvibu) . . ... 521 


3.—Geuus : Fallow Deer (Dama) . 524 
Fallow Deer (D. vulgaris). . 526 
4.—Genus :-Red Deer (Cervus). . . 526 
Stag (C. elaphus) 
Barbary Deer (C. ant tae . 529 


Wapiti (C. canadensis) . . 529 
5-—Genus: Axis Deer (Aris) . . . 530 
Axis Deer (Ad. axis)... .. 530 


6.—Genus: Rusine Deer (Rusa) . . 530 
Great Rusa (XR. hippelaphus) . 530 
Sambhar (2. aristotelis). . . 531 
Hog Deer (2. porcinus) . . . 531 


TWELFTH ORDER: 


PAGE 


First Famity: Manatees (J/ana- 


BG te So abst teen ee toe 555 
1.—Genus : Manatees (M/anatus). . 556 


THIRTEENTH 


PAGE 
Frrst FAMILy : Furrowed Whales (Za/- 
NODIATIAG) | 9. Woe er ees oe ace 564 


1,—Genus : Hump-back Whales (Me- 


PRDIEPEY i eal A Nias Acute cs 564 © 


Hump-back Whale (//, longi- 
RAMEY 2. Vets cegits ia Re Bade 564 
2.—Genus: Razorback Whales (Phy- 
SQLUS): a, Ga . 564 
Razorback Whale (P. ‘anti- 
GQUOPUTN): 5 Ryda Gaels fs 564 
3.—Genus : Beaked Whales (Balen- 
oplera) 5 
Pike Whale (2. rostrata) . . 565 


SECOND FAMILY: Smooth-Skinned 


Whales (Balenidz) ....... 565 
Genus : Greenland Whales (Bal- 
LOUD 8 cai apt ig ta st tet alee 565 


FourtEENTH ORDER: 


PAOE 
First SvuBoRDER: Herbivorous 
Pouched Animals (Diprolodontia) 579 


First Famity: Leaping Pouched Ani- 


mals (Mfacropodidz) ....... 580 

THE KANGAROOS (Macropoding) . . 580 
1.—Genus: Giant Kangaroos (Macro- 

PUS) sv ee ae 582 

Giant Kangaroo (M.giganteus) 382 
2.—Genus: Mountain Kangaroo 

CREIFOR OIL), aia 5 tes wiisng Se 582 
Yellow-legged Kangaroo (P. 

RAIOPUS) aks. ase Fee 582 


Rock Kangaroo (P penicillata) 582 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

7.—Genus: North American Deer 
(COVIACHS) ins ig eh a 531 
Virginia Deer (C. virginianus) 531 

baa a sag Deer (C. deucu- 

GUS) Fede emer Bee Vee 

Black-Tailed Deer (C. colum- 
OLGBNSD co Tat kya eae 534 
Mule Deer (C. macrotis) . . . 534 
Mexican Deer (C. meaicanus) 534 

8.—Genus: Pampas Deer (A/asto- 
COMES), a ele SRT nal We es > 534 
Pampas Deer (2. campestris) . 534 


9.—Genus : Roe Deer (Capreolus) . 534 
Roe Deer (C. Capr@a). . . .534 

10.—Genus: Muntjak Deer (Cervu- 
VAS) coat et aieaters 536 


Muntjak Deer (C. muntjac) a6 


SrxtH Famiry: Musk Deer (J/os- 
chid@)...°... ple one oe 537 


Genus: Musk Deer (Moschus) . 537 
Musk Deer (V7. moschiferus . 537 


ly er a ae rer yar rey ek er 547 
sae a i Chevrotains ; Wast Hog (P. africanus) | 548 
vagulid@).. 12.6 ees 535 5.—Genus : Peccaries (Dicotyles) . er 
Genus: Chevrotains (7ragu/us) 538 Collared Peccary (D. torqua- . 
Kanchil (7. kanchil). . 1... 538 BES) bearded aes ketene 
SEconD SuBoRDER: Cloven-hoofed White-lipped (D-seiataan: - $48 , 
Non-ruminants (Swing) .... . 539 NINTH FAMILY: Hippreri ue. 

F » Swine (Suid. popotamide) . 549 
EIGHTH FaMILy: Swine (Swid@) . 539 Genus: Hippeosiaal (Hippopo- 
1.—Genus : Swine(Sus) ...... 539 tamws): 3 Fain nie 

Maned Hog (.S. cristatus). . . 542 Hippopotamus (7, aiaphiboash 
Andamanese Hog (.S. andaman- Liberian Reh eis: (A. 
CBSES) Biron teens. SUssce 542 PEDEVIERSIS OS eas - « 554 
THE SEA COWS. Sirenia. 555. 
PAGE : PAGE 
Lamantin (J. datirostris) . . 556 Dugong (47. dugong) . - 557 
Amazonian (17, inunguis. .556 Sea Cow (HZ. stelleriz) . - 558 
2.—Genus: Dugongs (Halicore) . . 507 
ORDER: THE WHALES. VCetacea. 559. 
: PAGE PAGE 
Greenland Whale (&. mysti- Soosoo (P. gangetica) . . 572 
CELES) Rests eas a 565 


THIRD FaMILy: Dolphins (De/phin- 
id@) 


1,—Genus: Grampus (Orca) . . ce 
Grampus (0. gladiator) . 
2.—Genus:.Porpoises (Phocena) . . 
Porpoise (P. communis) . . . 569 
3.—Genus : White Whales (Beluga) 569 
Beluga (B. leucas). ..... 570 
Round-headed Whales 


4.—Genus: 
(Globiocephalus). ..... 570 
Pilot Whale (G. melas) . . .570 
5.—Genus: Dol hing (Delphinus) . 571 
Dolphin (D. delphis) Spr ss 
6.—Genus : Long-beaked Dolphins 
LRA GP Aa), CT Sg 6 
Inia (/. amazonica) ..... 72 


7.—Genus: Soosoos (Platanista) . sie 


THE POUCHED ANIMALS. JMarsupialia. 


PPGE 
3.—Genus: Tree Kangaroos (Den- 

drolag as) \, seas Soc eee 582 

Bear Kangaroo (D. ursinus) . 582 


KANGAROO RATS (oloroing) . . . . 582 


bie Opossum Rats Sian 


arcane Rat (2. penicillata) 582 
5.—Genus: Kangaroo Rats (Fo/or- . 


Kangarvo Rat (P. tridactylus) aie 


SEconpD Famiy : Climbing Marsup- 
ials Ra abd sade tee 583 


ere 
Bearded Hog ee barbatus) . 
Striped Hog (S. vitlatus) . oe 
Javan er Wild Ho 0g (S. verrucosus) 542 


Celebes Hog . eorennte tog 4a 
Timor Hog (S. ¢imorensis) . . 542 
Sex Guinea Hog (S, papuen- 
Black Hog (S. niger) | . ; 5 
White-bearded Hog (5S. 


COMYSAB)! Ge eas nee" 
Sennaar Ho pee ors aaa 542. 
Wild Hog (S. scrofa) ... . 542 
Berkshire Hogs! 7-0 Sacer 543 
Harrisson Hog. ....... Bey 
Masked Hog (.S. bt gt 

2.—Genus: Humped Hogs (fo. 
INOCHLEPUS) 55 Fa RS aaa 
* Tufted Hog (P. porcus) . . . 546 
Bush Hog (P. africanus) . . 546 
3-—Genus: Babirusa (Porcus) . . . 546 
Babirusa (P. dabyiussa) . . . 546 


Bee Wart Hogs (Phacocher- 


FourTH Famity: Narwhal (Mons: 
dontide@) 


Genus : Narwhals (Monodon) . . 573 


Narwhal (17. monoceros). . . 573 

FrrtH FAMILY : . tetas Whales 

(Hyperoodontide) . aR a AS 

Genus: Bottle- ies Whales — 

(Hyperoodon) . 574 
Bottle-nosed Dolphin (H. ae 

GENS). IR ae eee 574 


StxtH Famity: Sperm Whales (Caéo- 
dontide) 


Genus: Sperm Whales (Catodon) 575 
Sperm Whales (C. macroceph- 
QNES). 5) 5. aly eae ee 575 


579. 


"AGE 
AUSTRALIAN BEARS (Phascolarcli- . 
RE) ie cs 6 gi pte aha Jeong 584 


1.—Genus : Pouched Bears (Phascol- 
arctus. 


SMALL POUCHED ANIMALS (Phalang- 
CVENMB) av 5 ep sShton 584 


2.—Genus: Cuscus (Phalanger). . 584 

Spotted Cuscus (P. maculatus) 584 

3.—Genus: Coosoos (7richosurus) . 585 
Vulpine bees? of vulpe- 

Guha) aes a 585 


St 
‘3 
ia 

} 


sf sat. egal eam 575 


a 


PAGE 
4.—Genus: Pouched Squirrels (/e- 
VURPURUES) 58 Pig To Sate ge te 8 586 
Pouched Squirrel (P. volans) . 586 
re hight Sugar Squirrels (Petau- "86 
Piet Squirrel (P. sciureus) . : 286 
ater ee ts coasts Mouse (Acro- ve 
Opossum Mouse (A. Siemaawels 33) 
THIRD FAMILY: Wombats or Rodent- 
like Marsupials (Phascolomyide). 
Genus: Wombats (/ascolomys) 587 
La mag Wombat (?. ne 


Broad “fronted Wombat (P. Pky 


ifrons). Sipe ete Rtn 587 
SECOND {See Carnivorous 
Marsupials (Polyprotodontia) . . 588 


FirreentH ORDER: 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
FourTH FaMILy: Bandicoots (/er- 
amelid@) 


Genus: Bandicoots (Perameles) 588 
Long-nosed Bandicoots (P. na- 
ee, et Need a Ree 588 


FirtH FamMity: Predaceous Marsu- 
pials (Dasyuride) 


THE DASYURINES (Dasyufine). 


1.—Genus: Zebra-wolves (7) sere 
EUS Yolh 5a. UR eT et 
Zebra-wolf (7. cynocephalus) og 
2.—Genus: Tasmanian Devil (.Savco- 
POLS): Paria te ewe auc tails 89 
Tasmanian Devil(S. ursinus. . 589 
3.—Genus: Dasyures (Dasyurus) . . 590 
Spotted Dasyure (DV. viverri- 


MUS lf si ae at oes al 590 


EGG=-LAYING MATMIIALS. 


607 
PAGE 

THE BANDED ANT-EATERS (Myr- 
MADOUNE), 6. Sg boca) cs 590 


4.—Genus : Banded Ant- pues er 
INECOTAUS) 6c 5 ce tacks, 
Banded Ant-eater (//, ‘Risin tisha 


SrxtH Famity: Pouched Rats (Di- 
GEOR VGEY Gor Sea ge 6 ibe ma 591 


1.—Genus: Pouched Rats (Didel- 
phys) 5 
Common Opossum (D. eras 
PHAN ae kk ei a 
2.—Geuus : Philanders (Philander) . 7 
Crab-eating Opossum (P. phi- 
PCF FC) eee eam ae eye) (oe 
3-—Genus : Water Opossums (Chiro- 
BECLISIG ss Eade aes 594 
Water Opossum (C. minimus). 594 


Monotremata. 595. 


PAGE- PAGE PAGE 

First Famity: Ant-eaters (Zchid- Papuan Porcupine Ant-eater . Woolly Echidna (P. bruijniz) 597 
MINE Neer Pas othe Bat yy ats 596 (2. aculeata lawest) . -596 SEconp Faminy: Duck-moles (Or- 

1.—Genus: Porcupine Ant-eaters Tasmanian Porcupine “ Ant- nithorhynchid@) ......... 597 
RESLIAGNG) Giihiy se es .596 | eater (Z. aculeata setosa) . 596 Genus: Duck- moles (Ornitho- 

Australia Porcupine Ant-eater 2.--Genus* Woolly Echidna eae FRYRCWUS otic cs tint ok 8 597 

(2. aculeata typica) , . . .596 echidna). 5... cole SOT Duck-mole (QO. anatinus) , . 597 

Addenda to the Table of Contents (revised edition.) 

American Long-eared Bats (Plecotus mocrotus) .......... 82 Serotine Bats (Vesperugo Seronitus) .cccce cece sescee eens 82 

Common Brown Bat ( Vespertilio subulatus) ........4...4- 82 (Vesperugo hesperus) .......cccceceecteeees 82 

(Vespertilio lucifugus) .....0. e000. 82 t Vesperugo LCOVZIANUS) 0.06. sec evens coesee 82 

(Vespertilio nitidus) .........06..45. 82 (Vesperugo noctivagams) .... 0... ceeseeeeees 82 

(Vespertilio evotis) ...cec.ccceceevess 82 Red or New York Bat (atalapha noveboracensis)......... 82 


Aard-vark, 396 
Aard-Wolf, 137 
Abyssinian Cony or 
Ashkoko, 432 
Abyssinian Lion, 106 
Acrobates, 587 
Ms, pygmeeus, 587 
Addax, 498 
*« antelopes, 498 
** nasomaculatus, 500 
Adjag, 200 
us 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, 41 
Agoutis, 362 : 
Aguara or Azoras Fox, 198 
Ailuropoda, 139 
Ailuropus, 264 
Ailurinze, 264 
Ailurus, 264 
“  fulgens, 264 
Alactagas, 329 
Albinos, 398 
Alces, 518 
“americana, 520 
‘«  palmatus, 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 
Aluate or 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 Otter, 179 
American Sable, 156 
. American Skunk, 174 
American Spermophiles, 316 
American Tapir, 422 
American Trotting Horse, 411 
American Varying Hare, 378 
American Wild Cat, 133 
Audamanese Hog, 542 
Angora Cat, 105 
Angora Goat, 455 
AngwAantibo Lemur, 72 
Ant-bear, 386 
_Ant-eaters, 386 
Ant-eaters, 596 
Antelopes, 490 
Antilocapra, 513 
by americana, 513 
Antilocapride, 513 
Antilope, 491 
‘hee cervicapra, 491 
e dorcas, 472 — 
ss euchore, 494 
Antilopinz, 490 
Anthropomorpha, 8 
Aoudad, 460 


INDEX TO TEXT. 


Apella or Brown Capuchin, 57 
Apes and Monkeys, 1 
Aplocerinz, 489 
Aplocerus, 489 

ss montanus, 489 
Arabian Ass, 416 
Arabian Horse, 409 
Arctic Fox, 238 
Arctitis, 264 

a binturong, 264 
Arctocebus, 72 
Arctocebus calabarensis, 72 
Arctomyinz, 315 
Arctomys, 315 

ae bobac, 318 

ne flaviventor, 321 

“6 monax, 321 

a marmota, 320 

‘« _ pruinosus, 321 
Arctopitheci, 62 
Argali, 462 
Armadillos, 388 
Artiodactyla, 433 
Aru, 55 
Arvicola, 345 

+: agrestis, 347 

i amphibius, 345 


sf arvalis, 347 
ar glareolus, 346 
4s nivalis, 346 


ceconomus, 348 
“¢  riparius, 347 
s$ rutilus, 347 
Arvicolide, 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 
“* hypoxanthus, 55 
z bp 55 
pentadactylus, 
Atherura, 358 - 
Atherura africana, 358 
Auchenia, 443 
sf huanaco, 444 
ES lama, 444 
ss pacos, 446 
us vicugna 
AngwiAntibo, aa as 
Aulacodus, 369 
sf 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 
Balenide, 565 
Balzena, 565 

‘« “mysticetus, 565 
Balzenoptera, 565 

sf rostrata, 565 

Balenopteride, 564 
Bauded Ant-eater, 590 


Banded Mungoos, 150 
Bandicoots, 588 
Bank Vole, 34° 
Banteng, 47 
Barbary Ape, 39 
Barbary Deer, 529 
Barbary Lion, 106 
Barbastelle or Pug-Dog Bat, 82 
Barren Ground Bear, 250 
Bashful Billy, 69 
Bassaris, 272 

ef astuta, 272 
Bay Lynx, 133 
Beagle Dogs, 224 
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 
ef leucas, 570 


Bettongia, 582 
gs penicillata, 582 
Bhunder, or Rhesus Monkey, 
38 
Bichociego, 392 
Big Horn Rocky Mountain 
Sheep, 462 
Binturong, 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 Squirrel, 310 
Black-tailed Deer, 534 
Bladder-nose Seal, 279 
Blarina, 300 
“* brevicauda, 300 
Blastocerus, 534 f 
ss campestris, 534 
Blenheim Spaniels, 225 
Blood-sucking Bats, 83 
Blue-faced Guenon, 34 
Brachyurus, 59 
af calvus, 61° 
xe melanocephalus, 59 
Bradypodide, 381 
Bradypus, 382 
‘S tridactylus, 382 
Brazilian Otter, 179 
Broad-fronted Wombat, 587 
Broad-nosed Monkey, 50 
Broad-nosed Shrew, 300 
Brown Bear, 244 
Brown Capuchin, 57 
Brown Hyzena, 185 
Brown Rat, 333 
Brush-tailed Opossum, 590 
Brush tailed Porcupine, 358 


Bobac, 318 
Bonnet Monkey, 36 
Bos, 468 
“africanus, 479 
** americanus, 474 
“ arni, 486 
*« banteng, 478 
‘* bison, 470 


(609) 


Bos, caffer, 485 

‘*  frontalis, 476 

gaurus, 477 

a nniens, 468 

ee eines 480 

** ‘scoticns, 481 

‘* taurus friburgensis, 48r 

x ‘*  dunelmensis, 482 

“ J hollandicus, 481 
Bottle-nosed Dolphin, 574 
Bottle-nosed Whales, 574 
Bouquetins, 450 
Bovidee, 447 
Bovine, 466 
Bovine Antelopes, 502 
Boxer, 221 
Bubalis, 495 
* & caama, 496 

udeng or Negro Monkey, 2 
Buffaloes, rg Ada 
Bulldog, 220 
Burchell’s Zebra, 419 
Burunduk, or Striped Siberian 

Ground Squirrel, 313 
Bush-bucks, 504 
Bush Hog, 546 
Buselaphus, 502 

a oreas, 502 


Cacajao, 59 
Cachalot, 575 
Cacomixle, 272 
Ca’ing Whale, 570 
Cai or Sai Monkey, 56 
California Gray Squirrel, 31a 
California Wood Rat, 336 
Californian Mouse, 340 
Californian Hare, 379 
Callithrix, 59 
“ lugens, 59 
t personata, 61 
Camelidze, 437 
Camels, 437 
Camelus, 438 
of bactrianus, 442 
$6 dromedarius, 438 
Camelopardalida, 434 
Camelopardalis, 434 
it giraffa, 434 
Campagnol, 347 
Canadian Beaver, 324 
Canadian Lynx, 133 
Canadian Porcupine, 356 
Canidae, 187 
Canis, 188 
‘« adustus, 196 
‘* alpinus, 203 
“« anthus, 194 
** aureus, 196 
‘** cancrivorus, 198 
‘* dingo, 204 
‘* dukhunensis, 200 
“*  familiaris, 207 
‘Ss sabatne, IQI 
atrans, 197 
** lupus, 190 
** mesomelas, 196 
** occidentalis, 194 
‘ pictus, 199 
‘*  procyonoides, 198 
‘*  rutilans, 200 
**  vetulus, 198 
Cape Buffalo, 485 
Cape Hunting Dog, 199 
Cape Zorilla, 175 
Capella, 506 
is rupicapra, 50u 
Capra, 448 
‘¢  egagrus, 453 


610 


Capra, caucasica, 450 
falconeri, 454 
‘* hireus, 455 
“* _h, egyptica, 456 
aes Se angorensis, 455 
seg laniger, 456 
** “h. mambrica, 456 
** sh. reversa, 457 
*« ibex, 450 
‘*  jemlaica, 457 
**  pyrenaica, 450 
Capreolus, 534 
‘¥ capraea, 534 
Caprinze, 448 
Capybara, 364 
Capuchins, 56 
Caracal, 134 
Caraya or Black Howler, 53 
Cariacus, 531 
columbianus, 534 
SS leucurus, 534 
* macrotis, 534 
mexicanus, 534 
*4 virginianus, 531 
Carjacou, 531 
Carnivora, 87 
Carnivorous Marsupials, 588 
Carolina Lynx, 134 
Cashmere Goat, 456 
Caspian Seal, 278 


Castor, 323 
** canadensis, 324 
“fiber, 323 


Castoride, 323 
Catarrhini, 8 
Cat Family, 88 
Cat-Footed Civets, 139 
Cat-like Bears, 264 
Catoblepas, 512 
gpu, 512 

Catodon, 575 

se ‘macrocephalus, 575 
Catodontide, 575 
Cats Proper, 92 
Catta Lemur, 67 


Cavia, 360 
‘€ aperea, 360 
**  cutleri, 360 


“  porcellus, 360 
Cavies or Guinea Pig Family, 
359 
Caviide, 359 
Lebide, 52 
Cebus, 56 
“« apella, 57 
**  capucinus, 56 
«  leucogenys, 58 
** hypoleucus, 58 
“  olivaceus, 58 
Celebes Hog, 542 
Centetes, 297 
ae ecaudatus, 297 
Centelidz, 297 
Cephalolophus, 504 
mergens, 504 
Cercopithecus, 30 
Cercolabes, 358 
¥e nove hispanie, 358 
$f prehensilis, 359 
- villosus, 358 
Cercolabinz, 356 
Cercoleptes, 271 
Cercoleptes caudivolvulus, 271 
Cercopithecus diana, 34 
ce hus, 34 
fuliginosus, 35 
ruber, 34 
sabzeus, 32 


“ 
“ 


Cervidz, 516 
Cervus, 526 
‘« barbarus, 529 
«canadensis, 529 
«« elaphus, 526 
Cervntus, 536 
id: muntjac, 536 
Cetacea, 559 
Chacma, 44 
Chameck, 55 


INDEX TO TEXT. 


Chamois, 506 

Cheetah, 135 

Chestnut-backed Gray Squir- 
rel, 310 

Chestnut-Cheeked Gopher, 


354 
Chesreaias, 538 
Chickaree or Red Squirrel, 
310 
Chimpanzee, 16 
Chipmunk, 314 
Chinchillas, 369 
Chirogaleus, 69 
_furcifer, 69 
Chiromys, 73 
madagascariensis, 73 
Chironectes, 594 
as mimimus, 594 
Chiroptera, 75. 
Chlamydophorus, 329 
truncatus, 392 
Cholcepus, 382 
ee 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 Non - Rumi- 
nants, 539 
Coaita, 55 
Coast Fox, 243 
Coatis, 269 
Ccelogenys, 363 
“4 paca, 363 
Ccendou, 359 
Collared Peccary, 548 
Colobus, 28 
uF guereza, 28 
ss satanas, 30 
4 lursinus, 30 
Colugo or Kaguang, 304 
Colus, 510 
“ “ tataricus, 510 
Comba, 71 
Common Agouti, 362 
Common Baboon, 44 
Common Badger, 169 
Common Bat, 82 
Common Brown Bear, 
Common Chinchilla, 369 
Common Dormouse, 322 
Commion Fox, 232 
Common Fox Squirrel, 310 
Common Galago, 71 
Common Genette, 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 


bs cristata, 296 
Conies, 431 
Cooper’s Mouse, 350 
Coosoo, 585 


Corsac or Fox of the Steppes, 


239 : 
Cotton or Rice Rat, 236 


Cotton-tail or Wood Rabbit, 
379 
Cougar or Puma, 120 
Couty, 355 
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 
Cricetinze, 340 
Cricetodipus, 352 
. flavus, 352 
af parvus, 352 
Cricetus, 340 
ss frumentarius, 430 
Crocidura, 302 
rae aranea, 302 
se 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 
Hf: guttatus, 135 
ui jubatus, 135 
ee laneus, 135 
=F scemmerringli, 135 
Cynictus, 150 
nicillata, 150 
Cynocephalas 8, 41 
labuin, 44 
t gelada, 48 
a hamadryas, 46 
sy leucophzeus, 49 
mormon, 49 
a niger, 43 
porcarius, 44 
Ze silenus, 50 
i sphinx, 44 
Cynomys, 316 
3) ludovicianus, 316 
Cynopithecini, 25 
Cynopoda, 144 
Cynonycteris, 79 
sf egyptiacus, 81 
Cyon, 200 
Cystophora, 279 
cristata, 279 


Dachshunds, 221 
Dama, 524 
vulgaris, 526 


_ Danish Dog, 218 


Dasypodidz, 388 
Dasyproctex, 362 
aguti, 362 
Dasypus, 389 
sexcinctus, 389 
villosus, 389 
Dasyuridz, 588 
Dasyurine, 588 
Dasyurines, 588 
Dasyurus, 590 
Be viverrinus, 590 
Daubenton’s Bat, 79 
Dauw, 419 
Deer, 516 
Degu, 367 
De phinide, 566 
Delphinus, 571 
delphis, 571 
Dendrolagus, 582 
ursinus, 582 
Desmans, 303 
Diana Monkey, 34 
Dicotyles, 548 
a labiatus, 548 


ae 


Dicotyles torquatus, 
Didelphyide, sot” ite 
Didelphys, 591 

marsupialis, 591 
Dingo, 204 
Dipodide, 327 
Dipodine, 327 
Dipodomys, 352 

philippii, 352. 


“is esypticus, 328 
Dog, The, 187 
Dog-footed Civets, 144 
Dog-shaped Monkeys, 25 
Dor of Thibet, 221 
Dolphin, 571 
Dolphins, 566 
Dolphins Proper, 571 
Dolichotis, 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, 4 
Dromeden? 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 

se acu setosa, ne : 

‘ aculeata typica. 
Echidnide, 596 : tom 
Edentata, 381 _ 
Egg-laying Mammals, 595 _ 
Egyptian Cat, 102 
Egyptian Flying-Do; g Bat, 87 
Egyptian Jerboa, 32 
Egyptian or Nile Goat, 456 im 
E ae Rhinopome, '86 . 
Eland, 502 ; 
Elephantide, 397 a 
Elephants, 397 
Elephas, 397 ua 

on ricanus, 398 7. 

a asiaticus, 397 : 
Elephant Seal, 279 

Shrew, 296 F. 
Eliomys, 322 d 

sf nitela, 322 
Elks, 518 ™ 
oe Thoroughbred Horse, 


English Turnspit, 222 
Enhydris, 179 
* — Jutris, 179 
Equide, 405 
Equus, 405 
asinus, 415 
“« —asinus africanus, 415 
“  asinus somalicus, 416 
«burchellii, 419 
“«« hemionus, 413 
** hinnus, 418 
« mulus, 418 
‘*  onager, 415 
‘© quagga, 419 
‘* zebra, 419 
Erethizon, 35 356 
orsatum, 356 
Erinaceidz, 289 


i. 


Erinaceus, 290 
europzeus, 290 


omys, 369 
et "chinchilla, 369 
¥8 lanigera, 369 
Ermine or Stoat, 162 
Eskimo Dog, 230 

Etruscan Shrew, 302 - 
European ia 410 
European Elk, 518 
European Mink or ‘Nerz, 164 
European Porcupine, 356 


Fahhad or African Cheetah, 


135 
Fallow ete, 524 
Felide, 88 
Felis, 92 
bengalensis, 319 
** catus, 99 
** concolor, 120 
** leo barbarus, 106 
** leo capensis, 106 
** leo guzeratensis, 106 
*€ leo persicus, 106 
** leo senegalensis, 106 
*« macrura, 129 
«« maniculata, 102 
** maniculata domestica, 
105 
** maniculata domestica 
augorenesis, 105 
** marmorata, 99 
** maniculata, 102 
** melas, 114 
** nebulosa, 99 
*€ onza, 124 
** pajeros, 128 
«« panthera, 112 
** pardalis, 128 
*« pardus, 112 
** serval, 119 
“ tigrinis, 129 
**  tigris, 92 
“© uncia, I19 
“ variegata, 114 
“* viverrina, I19 
“  yaguarundi, 122 


’ Fennec, 240 


Ferret, 158 
Fiber, 
es bethicus, 344 
Field Shrew, 302 
Field Vole or Short Tailed 
Field Mouse, 347 
Fisher Marten, 156 
Florida Lynx, 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, 481 
Fruit-eating Bats, 79 


Galagos, 70 
Galeopithecidee, 304 
Galeopithecus, 304 
volans, 304 
Galictis, 168 
‘* barbara, 168 
“ vittata, 168 
Gaur, 477 
Gayal, 476 
Gazelle, 491 
Gelada Baboon, 48 
Genettes, 141 
Gentle Lemurs, 69 
Geomys, 352 
bursarius, 352 
castanops, 354 


INDEX TO TEXT, 


Geomys hispidus, 354 
mexicanus, 354 
ss tuza, 353 
German Bloodhound, 224 
German Mastiff, 218 
Giant Kangaroo, 582 
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 
Gophers, 352 
Goral, 506 
Gorilla, 9 

“ gina, 9 
Grampus, 568 
Gray Fox, 241 
Gray or Gentle Lemur, 69 
Gray Gopher, 316 
Gray Lemur, 69 
Gray 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 Antelope, 505 
Grisons, 168 
Grizzly Bear, 250 
Ground Squirrels, 313 
Grunting Ox, 468 
Guanaco, 444 
Guara, I9gI 
Guenons, 30 
Guereza, 28 , 
Guinea Pigs, 360 
Gulo, 166 

«borealis, 166 
Guzerat Lion, 106 
Gymoporhina, 81 


Hairy Saki, 59 
Hairy-tailed Mole, 296 
Halforonkeye or Lemuroids, 
) 
Halicore, 557 
ic dugong, 557 
ee stellerii, 558 
Hamadryas, 46 
Hamsters, 340 
Hapale, 62 
argentata, 63 
$¢ chrysoleucus, 64 
et jacchus, 63 
re eonina, 63 
ss cedipus, 64 
‘« penicillata, 64 
“ pygmeea, 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 


Fe ichneumon, 144 
“ mungo, 147 
Se urva, I50 


% widdringtonii, 148 
Hesperomys, 340 


Hesperomys aureolus, 340 
californicus, 340 
leucogaster, 340 
leucopus, 340 
michiganensis, 
340 
oryzomlys, 340 
Hinny, 418 be aon 
Hippopotami, 549 
Hippopotamidze, 549 
Hippopotamus, 549 
amphibius, 549 
liberiensis, 554 
Hoary Marmot, 321 
Hog Deer, 531 
Honey Badgers, 172 
Hooded Seal, 278 
Hoolock, 23 
Hoonuman, 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 
Hump ed Hogs, 546 
Huntin Leopard, 135 
Hutia Tonga, 367 
Hyena, 182 
3: brunnea, 185 
Hy crocuta, 184 
as striata, 186 
Hyena Dogs, 198 
Hyena Family, 182 
Hyznide, 182 
Hydrocheerus, 364 
te capybara, 364 
Hylobates, 23 
hulock, 23 
ee lar, 23 
sf rafflesii, 23 
<: syndactylus, 23 
a variegatus, 23 
Hyperoodon, 574 
bidens, 574 
Hyperoodontide, 574 
Hyrax, 432 
‘* ~ abyssinicus, 432 
Hyracide, 431 
Hystrichidee, 354 
Hystrix, 354 
“« cristata, 354 


Ibex or Steinbock, 450 
[chneumon, 144 

Indian Buffalo, 486 
Indian -Paradoxure, 142 
Indian Ratel, 173 
Indian Rhinoceros, 426 
Indian Wild Dog, 200 
Indris, 67 

Inia or Bonto, 572 

Inia amazonica, 572 
Insect-Eating Animals, 289 
Insectivora, 289 
Introductory Preface, iii 
Irish Hares, 375 
Istiophora, 83 

Italian Greyhound, 217 


Jackal, 196 
Jackal Wolf, 194 
Jack Rabbit, 379 
Jaculinz, 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 


611 


Kalan, 179 
Kalong, 80 
Kamchatkan Wild Sheep, 462 
Kanchil, 538 
Kangaroos, 580 
Kangaroo Rats, 583 
King Charles Spaniels, 225 
Kin Rat, 335 
Kinkajou, 271 
Kit Fox, 238 
Koala or Australian Bear, 584 
Kobus, 497 
‘«  ellipsiprymnus, 497 
Kolsun, 200 
Koodoo, 500 
Koulan, 413 


Labiated or Sloth Bear, 260 
Lagidium, 370 
cuvieri, 371 
Lagomys, 379 
alpinus, 380 
ee rinceps, 379 
Tapsstoucee ae 
Lagostomus, 271 
‘«  trichodactylus, 37% 
Lagothrix, 55 
ef humboldtii, 55 
Lagotis, 370 
Lamantin, 556 
Lar, 23 
Large-eared Foxes, 240 
pes -eared Makis, 70 
nosed Bats, 83 
— Pouched Animals, 


tee Pocket Mice, 352 
Lemming Vole, 350 
Lemmings, 348 
Lemur, 65 
catta, 67 

“ macaco, 67 

««  mongoz, 67 

‘« varius, 67 
Lemuride, 65 
Lemuroids, 65 
Leopard Cat, 119 
Leopards, 112 
Leporide, 372 
Leptodactyla, 73 
Lepus, 374 

** americanus, 378 


‘* americanus _—-virgin- 
ianus, 379 

** americanus washing- 
tonii, 379 


** aquaticus, 379 
“« artemesia, 379 
** californicus, 379 
* callotis, 379 
** campestris, 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, 554 
Lichanotus, 67 

. brevicaudatus, 67 
Lion, 105 
Lion-like Monkeys, 63 
Little or Two-Toed ant-eater, 

388 

Little African Squirrel, 310 
Little Galago Lémur, 73 
Llamas, 443 
Loir or Fat Dormouse, 321 
Long-eared Bat, 82 
Long-eared Fox, 241 
Long-legged Shrews, Sid 


$12 


Long-nosed Bandicoot, 588 
Long-nosed or Proboscis 
Monkey, 28 

Long-tailed Fox, 237 
Long-tailed Pangolin, 394 
Long-tailed Panther, 114 
Long-tailed Tiger Cat, 129 
Lophiomyide, 307 
Lophiomys, 307 

imhausii, 307 
Loris, 68 


Lovely-Haired Monkey, 61 
Lupus, 190 
Lutra, 176 
brasilienis, 179 
“ californica, 1 179 
“« canadensis, 179 
“*  felina, 179 
“« vulgaris, 176 
Lutridz, 176 
Lycaon, 198 
Lynx, 129 
borealis, 133 
“* caracal, 134 
gs carolinensis, 134 
“« chaus, 134 
**  fasciata, 134 
‘*  floridanus, 134 
‘maculata, 133 
“*  pardinus, 133 
“© rufus, 133 
‘© vulgaris, 130 
Lynxes, 129 
Lyre Bat, 86 


Macaco, 67 
Macacus, 36 
cynomolgus, 36 
" nemestrinus, 39 
* rhesus, 38 
? sinicus, 36 
sylvanus, 39 
Macaques, 36 
Macropodidz, 580 
Macropodine, 580 
Macrorhinus, 279 
leoninus, 279 
Macroscelides, 296 ; 
.y typicus, 296 
Macroscelididz, 296 
Macropus, 582 
giganteus, 582 
Magot tia 39 
Makis, 67 
Malay Wild Dog or Adjag, 200 
Malayan Bear, 254 
Malayan Tapir, 422 
Manatees, 555 
Manatide, 555 
Manatus, 556 
‘« —inunguis, 556 
‘« — latirostris, 556 
Mandrill, 49 
Maned Cheetah, 135 
Maned Hog, 542 
Maneless Lion, 106 
Mangue or Kusimanse, 146 
Manidide, 393 
Manis, 393 _ - 
“gigantea, 393 
“*  longicaudata, 394 
‘*  pentadactyla, 394 
“  temminckii, 394 
Man-shaped Apes, 8 
Mara or Patagonian Cavy, 362 
Marbled Cat, 99 
Marguay, 129 
Marimonda or Aru, 55 
Markat Monkey, 38 
Markhoor, 454 
Marmiosets, 62 
Marm ots, 31 
Marsh Rabbit, 379 
“Marsh Shrew, 302 
Marsupialia, 579 
Marten Family, 150 
Marten Group, 152 
Martide, 152 


; Meles, 168 


INDEX TO TEXT. 


Masked Hog, 544 
Masked Paradoxure, 144 
Mastiffs, 218 
Mazama Deer, 531 
Megaderma, 86 

lyra, 86 
Megaptera, 564 
longimana, 564 


““ taxus, 169 

Melidz, 168 
Mellivora, 172 

se capensis, 172 

“ indica, 173 
Meloncillo, 148 
Melursus, 260 

a labiatus, 260 
Mephitis, 173 

as suffocans, 174 
varians, 174 
Merionidinz, 332 
Merino Sheep, 463 
Mexican Badger, 172 
Mexican Cacomixle, 272 
Mexican Gopher, 354 
Mexican Otter, 179 
Mexican Porcupine, 358 
Mexican Deer, 534 
Micé, 330 
Michigan Mouse, 340 
Microcebus, 73 . 

re myoxinus, 73 


om 


Mink, 164 
Miriki, 55 
Mirikina Monkey, 61 
Missouri Mole Mouse, 340 
Mole Rats, 350 
Mole Shrew, 302 
Moles, 294 
Moose, 520 
ey ety Lemur, 67_ 
Monk Seal, 278 
Monkeys, 1 
Monodon, 573 

fF monoceros, 573 
Monodontide, 573 
Monotremata, 595 
Monotremes, 595 
Moschide, 537 
Moschus, 537 

“¢ moschiferus, 537 
Mouffion, 460 
Mountain Antelopes, 506 
Mountain Chipmunk, 314 
Mountain Kangaroos, 582 
Mouse-colored Bat, 82 
Mule, 418 
Mule Deer, 534 
Mungo, 147 
Mungooses, 144 
Muntjak Deer, 536 
Muridz, 330 
Murine, 332 
Mus, 332 

agrarius, 337 

“ alexandrinus, 332 

‘* parbarus, 337 

“ decumanus, 333 
gambianus, 332 

* minutus, 339 

“« musculus, 336 

‘* rattus, 333 : 

‘* sylvaticus, 336 
Musang, 142 
Muscardinus, 322 

Ly avellanarius, 322 
Musk Deer, 537 
Musk-Oxen, 465 


Muskrat, 344 

Musquaw, 252 

Mustela, 152 
Ne americana, 156 
ts foina, 153 
Hy martes, 152 


es pennantil, 156 

es zibellina, 154 
Mustelidz, 150 
Mycetes, 52 


Mycetes niger, 53 


a seniculus, 52 
Mydaus, 173 
meliceps, 173 
Myodes, 348 


Myodes lemmus, 348 
Myogale, 303 
a moschata, 303 
“ pyrenaica, 303 
Myogalinz, 303 
Myoxide, 321 
Myoxus, 321 
‘«  dryas, 322 
e glis, 321 
Myoptamus, 367 
coypu, 367 
Myrmecobiinz, 590 
Myrmecobinus, 590 
fasciatus, 590 
Myrmecophaga, 386 
jubata, 386 
Myrmecophagide, 386 


Naked Dog, 218 
Narica, 270 . 
Narrow-nosed Apes, 8 
Narwhal, 573 
Nasalis, 28 
4s larvatus, 28 
Nasua, 269 
‘* narica, 270 
«* rufa, 269 
Negro Monkey, 27 
Nemorhcedus, 506 
goral, 506 
Neotoma, 336 
us cinereus, 336 
sf floridana, 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 
Bs trivirgatus, 61 
Nylghau, 502 


Ocelot, 128 
Octodon, 367 ‘ 

“ cummingii, 367 
Octodontide, en : 
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, 35 
Oregon Lynx, 134 
Oregon Mole, 2: 
Ornithorhynchidee, 597 
Ornithorhynchus, 597. 

anatinus, 597 


‘“*  beisa, 498 


‘* capensis, 498 
*« ~ leucoryx, 498 


_ Oryx Antelopes, 498 


Orycteropodide, 396 
Orycteropus, 396 

capensis, 396 
Otaria, 286 


‘ jubata, 288 


? ‘Phacochcerus, 547 


Otaria stelleri, 286 
“ ursina, 288 ; 
Otariidz, 286 i 
Otocyon, 241 
fe megalotis, 241 
Otolicnus, 7O a 
a agisymbanus, 7I 
“e : ago, 71 ts a oy 5 
Otter Hound, 222 
Otters, 176 
Ounce, 119 
Ovibos, 465 
« moschatus, 465 
Crimes 465 
Ovis, 458 
argali, 462 
‘* aries hispanica, 463 4 
fs sia steeann persici és 
4 ’ 


‘* montana, 462 
‘¢ musimon, 460. 
‘*  nivicola, 462 
4 pall, 461 


= laphus, 
Owl Mon ia 60 ye 


Ownerless or Pariah Dogs, 206 
Ox Antelopes, 495 Bye 
Oxen, 476 

Ox Tribe, 466 


Paca, 363 

Paco or Alpaca, 446 

Palm Gata sae i 4 

goa. Cat, 128 ee 

as Deer, 534 

Pant a or Red Catlike Bear, 
264 

Pangolins, 393 

Panthers, 112 - ; 

Papuan Porcupine Anteater, ' 
596 

Paradoxurus, 142 a 


‘hs larvatus, 144 

niger, 142 
Pardine Lynx, 3 133 ; 
Pariah Dogs, 206 
Park Ox, 481 e 
Parry's Marmot Squirrel, 316 
Paseng, 453 Ww 
Passan, 498 
Patagonian Cavy, 362 
Patas Monkey, 34 


Pedetinz, 330 4 
Peeshoo or Canadian — 


133 
Pekan, 156 
Pennant’s Marten, 156 
Perameles, 588 
= nasuta, 588 : 
Peramelide, 588  - c 
Percheron Horse, 410 
Perissodactyla, 405 
Perodicticus, 72 
ee potto, 72 
Perognathus, 352 
fasciatus, 352 
« ecFe 352 X 
ss penicillatus, 33, 
Persian Lion, 106 * ~= 
Persian Sheep, 464 
Peruvian Otter, 179 
Petauroides, 586 
€s volans, 586 


Petrogale, 582 
« penicillata, 582 
“«  xanthopus, 582 


: sor 548 
Pha anger, 5 

ss _ maculatus, 584 
Phalangeridee, 583 


Phalangeride, 584 
Pharaoh’s Rat, 144 
Phascolarctinz, 583 
Phascolarctus, 584 
as cinereus, 584 
Phascolomyide, 587 
Phascolomys, 587 
latifrons, 587 
«  ursinus, 587 
Philander, 594 
as philander, 594 
Phoca, 278 
‘« caspica, 278 
ae groenlandica, 278 
“ vitulina, 278 
Phoczena, 569 
* communis, 569 
Phocide, 275 
Phyllostoma, 84 
spectrum, 84 
Physalus, 564 
$ antiquorum, 564 


Stee ss Musk, 538 


Pike Whale, 565 
Pilot Whale, 570 
Pinche Marmoset, 64 
Pine Marten, 152 
Pinnipedia, 273 
Pipistrelle Bat, 79 
Pitheci, 1 ' 
Pithecia, 58 
i hirsuta, 59 
««  leucocephaia, 58 
aS satanas, 58 
Pithecide, 58 
Pithecus, 18 : 
« satyrus, 18 
Platanista, 572 : 
Ue gangetica, 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 
Portax, 502 
‘pictus, 502 
Potamochcerus 546 
as africanus, 546 
Potamochcerus porcus, 546 
Potorous, 583 
we tridactylus, 583 
Potto 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 Wolf, 197 
Predaceous Marsupials, 588 
Priamus monkey, 25 
Prickly pocket mice, 352 
Priodon, 391 
gigas, 392 
chats, 397 
Procyon, 264 
« cancrivorus, 268 
“e lotor, 264 
Procyoninz, 264 
Proechidna, 597 
Mg bruijnii, 597 
Proteles, 187 
O « ‘lalandii, 187 
Pronghorned Animals, 513 


INDEX TO TEXT. 


Prosimii, 65 
Psammomys, 332 


obesus, 332 
Pteromys, 311 
* petaurista, 311 
ay volans, 312 
sf volucella, 312 


Pteropina, 95 
Pteropus, 79 
edulis, 80 
Pug Dog, 221 
Pug-Dog Bat, 82 
Puma, 120 
Putorius, 156. 
erminea, 162 
‘*  foetidus, 156 
3 furo, 158 
« —lutreola, 164 
*« sarmaticus, 156 
‘* vison, 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 Honey 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 

zy eleotragus, 497 
Reed Antelopes, 496 


- Reindeer, 520 


Rhabdogale, 175 
mustelina, 175 
Rhesus Monkey, 38 
Rhinoceros, 424 
bicornis, 426 
ie simus, 431 
sf sondaicus, 426 
sg sumatrensis, 426 
bi unicornis, 426 
Rhinocerotide, 424 


Rhinolophus, 85 

ferrum - equin - 

v um, 86 

ippocrepis, 8, 

Rhinopoma, 86 eta 
es 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, 
395 

Roe, 534 

Root Vole, 348 

oe oe: 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 
Rusine Group, 530 


Sable, 154 
Saccomyidze, 352 
Saccomyine, 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 
Ms aquaticus, 295 
Scapanus, 296 
breweri, 296 
~ townsendi, 296 
Scirtetes, 329 
3 jaculus, 329 
Sciuridz, 306 
Sciurinz, 306 
Sciurus, 306 
aberti, 310 
ss arizonensis, 310 
«carolinensis, 310 
se cinereus, 510 
Oy fossor, 310 
sf hudsonius, 310 
‘© ludovicianus, 310 
es minutus, 311 
$f niger, 310 
Sf 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 
Me entellus, 25 
ss maurus, 27 
Senegal Lion, 106 
Sennaar Hog, 542 
Serval, 119 
Sharmindi Billi, 69 
Sheep, ae 


Seer 

and Go Goat Tribe, 448 
Shel ana 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 Mole, 295 
Simia, 16 
me troglodytes, 16 

Sirenia, 555 
six-handed Armadillo, 389 


6138 


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 
Solenodon, 298 
cubanus, 298 

Somal Ass, 416 
Soosoo, 572 
Sooty Mangabey, 35 
Sorex, 299 

«*  bendiri, 302 

“«« palustris, 302 - 

‘«  personata, 302 

««  platyrhinus, 300 

«« _vulgarus, 299 
Soricide, 297 
Soricinee, 299 
Souslik, 315 
South African Lion, 106 
South American Deer, 534 
South Australian Rock Kan- 

garoo, 582 
Southern Gopher, 353 
Southern Sea Lion, 288 
Southwestern Chipmunk, 314 
Spalacide, 350 
Spalax, 351 

“ typhlus, 351 

Spaniels, 224 
Spectre Tarsier, 72 
Spermophilus, 315 
citillus, 315 
empetra, 316 
franklini, 316 
tridecum-linea- 


ae 
“ 
“ 


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 Hyzena, 185 

Springbok, 494 

Square-mouthed Rhinoceros, 
431 

Squirrel-Monkey, 60 

Squirrels, 306 

Stag or Red Deer, 526 

Staghound, 224 

Star-nosed Mole, 296 

Steinbock, 450 


Stenops, 68 


«gracilis, 68 
‘*  tardigradus, 69 
Stenorhynchus, 277 


albiventer,278 
se leptonyx, 277 
Stinking Badger, 173 
Stoat, 162 


Stone or Beech Marten, 153 
Strepsiceros, 500 

kudu, 500 
Striped Hog, 542 
Striped Horse orZebra Group, 


418 
Striped Hyzena, 186 
Striped Siberian 

Squirrel, 313 
Striped Wolf, 196 
Suricata, 150 

a tetradactyla, 150 

Suricate, 150 
Suidee, 539 


Ground 


614 


Sugar Squirrel, 586 
Surilho, 174 
Sus, 539 
andamanensis, 542 
** barbatus, 542 
** celebensis, 542 
“ cristatus, 542 
ade leucomystax, 542 
* niger, 542 
“* papuensis, 542 
pope. 544 
scrofa, 542 
** sennarensis, 542 
** yerrucosus, 542 
“© timorensis, 542 
“ vittatus, 542 
Swamp Hare, 379 
Swine, 539 
Swiss Ox, 481 
Synaptomys, 35° 


cooperi, 350 
Synotus, 82 
barbastellus, 82 
Syrian Goat, 456 


Taguan Squirrel, 311 
Tahr, 457 
Tailless Ape, 39 
Talpa, 295 

“europa, 295 
Talpidz, 294 
Tamandua or Caguare, 387 
Tamandua, 387 

tetradactyla, 387 

Tamarins, 63 


Tamias, 313 
«striatus, 313 
a harrisi, 314 


“ —-lysteri, 314 
‘“«  quadrivittatus, 314 
< lateralis, 314 
Tana, 296 
Tanrec, 297 
Tapiride, 420 
Tapirs, 420 
Tapirus, 422 
ad americanus, 422 
*- indicus, 422 
Tarpan, 406 
Tarside, 72 
Tarsier, 72 
Tarsius, 72 
“« spectrum, 72 | 
Tatupoyu, 389 
Tasmanian Devil, 589 
Tasmanian Wombat, 587 


INDEX TO TEXT. 


Tasmanian Porcupine Ant- 
eater, 596 
Taxel, 171 
Taxidea, 171 
sf americana, 171 


3. berlandieri, 172 
Tayra, 168 
Teledu or Stinking Badger, 


173 
Temminck’s Pangolin, 394 
Terriers, 229 
Tetraceros, 504 
quadricornis, 504 
Texas Hare, td 
Texas Lynx, 13. 
Thirteen-lined: Spenndehille, 
31 
Thomomys, 354 
clusius, 354 
¥ talpoides, 354 
Three-banded Armadillo, 391 
Three-toed Sloths, 382 
Thumbless Monkeys, 28 
Thylacinus, 589 
fp cynocephalus, 589 
Tiger, 92 
Tiger Polecat, 1:6 
Timor Hog, 542 
Tolypeutes, 391 
tricinctus, 391 
Toothed Whales, 566 
Toothless Animals, 381 
Tragulide, 538 
Tragulus, 538 
kanchil, 538 
Trakehnen Horse, 408 
Tree-Climbing Ant Eaters, 


387 Sm ; 
Tee ue Climbing Porcupine, 


35 
Tree Kangaroos, 582 
Tree Squirrel, 311 
Trichechide, 282 
Trichechus, 282 
$6 rosmarus, 282 
Trichosurus, 585 
Je vulpecula, 585 
True Jerboas, oat 
Tuco-Tuco, 367 
Tufted Hog, 546 
Tupaia, 29 
- tana, 296 © 
Tupaias, 296 
Tupaiide, 2 


Two-Horned Rhinoceros, 426 


Two Humped Camel, 442 
Two-toed Ant-eater, 388 
Two-toed Sloth, 382 

om 


Ulmer Mastiff, 218 
Unau or Two-Toed Sloth, 382 
Ungko, 23 
Ursidee, 243 
Ursine, 244 
Ursine Colobus, 30 
Ursine Seal, 288 
Urson or Canadian Porcupine, 
356 
Ursus, 244 
americanus, 252 
** —arctos, 244 
«* cinereus, 250 
*« Cinnamoneus, 252 
«« malayanus, 254 
«¢ maritimus, 254 
‘*  richardsonii, 250 
“*  torquatus, 253 
Urva, I50 


Vampire Bat, 84 
Vari or Ruffed Lemur, 67 
Varying Hare, 375 
Vespertilio, 82 
aa daubentonii, 79 
JJ murinus, 82 
Vesperugo, 82 
e pipistrellus, 79 
de noctula, 82 
Vicugna, 447 
Virginia Deer, 531 
Virginian Opossum, 591 
Viscacha, 371 
Viverra, 139 
«¢  civetta, I40 
««  genetta, 141 
**  malaccensis, 141 
««  zibetha, 140 
Viverride, 139 
Viverrine Cat, 119 
Voles, 344 
Vulpes, 232 
cinereo-argentatus, 241 
** corsac, 239 
“¢ fulvus, 2375 
** lagopus, 238 
“  littoralis, 243 
«« -macrurus, 237 
‘¢ velox, 238 
“vulgaris, 232 
“«  zerdo, 240 


—— ‘Phalanger, 585 
rus Family, 282 
Wanderoo Monkey, 50 
Wapiti, 529 


’ Wara Rhinoceros, 426 


Wart Hogs, 547 
Water-buck, 497 

Water Opossum, 594 
Water Pig or Capybara, 364 
Water Shrew, 302 

Water Vole, 345 

Wau-wan, 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 Tipped Peccary, 548 
White-Tailed Deer, 534 
White Whale, 569 

Widow Monkey, 59 

Wild Boar, 540 

Wild Cat, 99 

Wild 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, 583 | 


Zebra, 419 
Zebra-wolf, 589 
Zebu, 480 
Zorillas, 175 


INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Lion and Lioness, Frontispiece . . 
OS a ge SS a cern 
Family of Gorillas 
The Gorilla andthe Leopard .. . 
Face of aChimpanzee. ......- 
Profile of a Chimpanzee. ..... 
The Gorilla . 
ae BESPAN Iso pashics <).)e).)=) Ses) 0) ate 
y of Chimpanzees. ..... 
tham> anzees atSchool...... 
Female Orang-utan and Child 
Young Orang-utan .......-. 
Baboons (colored) opp 
White-handed Gibbons 
The Wau-Wau 
Pee COIODUS, ee 
Black Colobus 
Hoonuman Monkeys 
Budeng or Negro Monkey... . . 
Hoonuman Monkeys 
Long-nosed Monkeys:...... - 
Diana Monkeys . r 
Guereza Monkeys ee Pac ae watt 
iGreen Monkeys... 0. 6 uw 
Red or Patas Monkey. ...... 
Sooty Mangabey.......... 
Bonnet Monkey 
Common Macaque 


' Bhunder or Rhesus Monkey . 


Pig-tailed Macaques... ..... 
BPC BADOON. ve ew 
Magot,Barbary or Tailless Ape. . . 
Common Baboon. ......... 
Mhacmia Baboon... . . ss: 
Sacred Baboon or Hamadryas.- . 
Gelada Baboon. .........-. 


At eet et we ee et eee 


memperowlers Wi) sc ee 
Black Howler Monkeys. ..... 
Miriki Spider Monkey ALT ah: 
CoaitaSpider Monkey. ...... 
Chameck Spider Monkey . dare 
Gold-Faced Monkey... . et 
Humboldt’s Lagothrix Monkey roa 
Cai Weeper Capuchin Monkeys . . 
AGroupofCapuchins....... 
‘Cuxio Monkey 
Hairy Saki 
White Headed Saki Monkey. . 
Short-tailed Monkey .... 
Lovely Haired Monkey. ...... 
at uirrel Monkeys. \....... 
Pee y LAMALIN 8 a es 
Pere He MONKEYS: . 6. if. ese 
Common Marmosets........ 
Pinche Marmoset.... .... 
Vari, or Ruffed Lemur....... 
Short-tailed Indris Lemur. .... 
MSA OTNTT ees e, a oie) oe 
Mongoose Lemur. ........ 
Macaco or Black Lemur...... 
Gray or Gentle Lemur... .... 
Fork-Crowned Lemur. ...... 
RPERE LOTUS yl i muteticuieince) 3h oe. « 
Slender Loris Lemur... ..... 
Slow Loris Lemur......... 
PenRRE RPOTNUT on1s fod olay ore cre el sie 
Angwdntibo Lemur. ....... 
Little Galago Lemur........ 
Large-eared GalagoLemur .... 
EDO Se oe sinh Bis) «le ame eye 
Barbastelle or haha Bass sor fe 
PeMUGU DAS cles os cle ee 
1 Se i rn eet 
RPIMERE MO DAG a nes sie bee ey 
WypmventOn Bat, 6 65S ein 5-' 
Long-eared Bat... ... et 


Be eae ate 0! 1686 send 


Woctule Bat 0 i, og ie wk es 
Egyptian Rhinopome “eee: Gane 
Wanripire Bat 2.5. Ws |. mee + 


Greater Horseshoe Bat 
Greater Horseshoe Bat 
Welwitsch’s Bat 
Royal Tiger... -s. rae > 
RoyalTiger . ee ee 
Tigress and Cu 
An Interrupted Meal . . 
Tiger Attackinga Buffalo. . . 
GSR ae Seis pee 
Marbled Cat 
Common Wild 


Female Wild Cat and Young 

The Egyptian Gat. ........ 
The Domestic@t......... 
Bue ANsore Cae. via ns es a 5s 


Head of the Barbary Lion. .... 
Phe Barbary Leet 6 2 sixes « 
sk yer Panther and Young A st 


ee” ste tea een Ge * ei 


The Long-tailed Panther 
NES OUNCE HE ba: c.g res tylu dts 
The Leopard Cat 
EUG SOPEVAL SIMs soo Syne kets ort 
Puma Attacking an Aut Bear. 

The Cougar orPuma.. . tha 
BS Par al . Oa ae ee eens 


Jaguar Attac SBSpIe Sw 3. ows 
Ocelot and oth Sh sabe arses, fe ewe 
The Pampesicat Ga erent nieces 
The Marguay or Tiger Cat . 

‘The Long-tailed TigerCat. .... 
The Commofilynx........ 
The Pardin@iijyaz. ....... 
Leopardan pir (colored) opp 
The Caracalynx........ 
Peeshoo or adian Lynx 
Common JumgleCat........ 
The Fakh African Chectah. . 
Cheetah or Hunting Leopard . 

The Foussa or Cryptoprocta . 

The AfricamCivet........ 
The Lesser We Rasse.. 2. 
The Common Genette...... 
The Asiatiomyees ........ 
Indian P; ure or Palm Cat 
The Common Paradoxure or Musang 
The Masked Paradoxure.... ; 


Diem 6, 0 hs se, 8 ee 
oe) wh eh oe hoes. © 


RUS PSrretme .- ode de oes 
Weasel attacking a Brown Rat. 

The Ermin@or Stoat....... 
The European Mink. ...... 
The Glutton or Wolverine. . ... 
SHG LAYTOMED . .. slattiece ees 
The Common Badger. ...... 
The American Badger or Taxel . 

The Ratel or Honey-Badger . : 
The Teledu or Stinking Badger, . . 
AAC USM 5.58%. -dhranis tony 00-8 
SHO SENUMBBD 0 oc. dee ee 


The Common Otter. ....... 177 
The American Otter. ....... 178 
Sea Otter or Kalan’. ....... 179 
Combat between an Otter and a 
Stone Martet.").) 0 ..>.ocata 5 + 181 
Spotted Hyenas ......... 183 
Brown Hysenas. 2.9. ss shes ele 184 
Striped Hycenas... .: 5. »» 185 
PNG AG?d= WOOL. Ooc. te. css Pebelieee 186 
ERO WOlE acy, coeaita i: Gi ohana ner ans 188 
& Pack of Wolves). '5. si ysewsite cs 189 
The Jackal Wolf. .... files apt BOO 
SSH.) ch easttie.'s og GATE eae ee 
Aguara or Brazilian Hox «5 0 aes 192 
The Striped Wolf. Pe Vt tecieren ee 193 
PLARO [QCM Reve vee.) orice. vol au nln oom 194 
AVG WOMEN Gf ek Cn “6 uss arene iat 195 
Cape Jackal. . . hk ia deny REG 
Coyote or Prairie Wolf ; 197 
RAGCDOT DOR TH Fes 8s ote ee, CaN 198 
The Crab-eating Dog ....... 199 
Mysna Dar.) ein cals ba. «be ng eee 
Indian Wild Dog or Kolsun . . . . 201 
Malay Wild Dog or Adjag .... . 201 
Alpine Wolf. .... 203 
Prize Dogs of the International Dog 
Show in Hanover. ......-: 205 
Dingo . Feet AL) ok eT IRS bra ace 207 
Prize Dogs of the International Prize 
Show at Cleve . . . 209 
The Greyhound . 211 
Italian Greyhound . 212 
Scotch Greyhound . 213 
Danish Dog. . 214 
‘The German Mastiff . 215 
Pie Butld ows 92s, <icooiel connie 216 
Os PSE Gis one ie 8 ia ep eed 217 
he Dor OSiDet esis) osreb eter g 218 
Badger Dog or Dachshund... . . 219 
MOUER eo Cat atts co) a's oso 219 
RGLIIOVERY cifere rs te sats) aun! os akie 220 
The Schweiszhund or German Blood- 
hound. . . Sn,” ats bes be 221 
The Staghound Fee te nth drtere apni 222 
Pie HOSHONRG .\-."Ss.5ahs. ames eae 223 
EDO DCAGIG®..5) =. eva ete ein Meee 224 
The Newfoundland Dog. .... . 225 
TheSt.BernardDog........ 226 
EBS POOGIO 6.0: o).svaetn et «ie cee s 227 
The Skye Terrier . . BS seas yp eS 
The Sheep Dog. ......... 229 
The Pomeranian Dog or ioe . . 230 
Eskimo Dog, . . é yan eat 
A Fox Family Dining toe 233 
A Family of Foxes . 235 
The Red Fox. . 237 
The Kit Fox. . o, “isl, .« Ge MpoRoeen 
The Archie Hoe. i... iz. cee 239 
The Fennec ; . 240 
COras®.. tee eet ee 241 
Long-eared Fox 241 
The Gray Fox. . 242 
Bear and cae, Bathing» «<a 245 
Grizzly Bear MBONE D5. oe ects 247 
The Grizzly Beat eee. + us oe 249 
The Black Bearieemeee els 8 251 
Black Himalayan Bear ...... 253 
Malayan Beary .iepenee ms! + 255 
Polar BearandCubs ....... 257 
The Polat Beare)... 5 smeee +) 55« 259 
Labiated orSloth Bear ...... 261 
Ailuropus: oy 3 55. '0-aeu alae ie 262 
Pandan). o<fs Jers 0) 5) etme eeneeeeae 263 
Binturong 6.063 ed ee ee 265 
RGECCOOM Wie ois" aa Free whee atten x 267 
RAGCOOMIR '6 60 oc Jere o's us, Setharta oy 268 
Conte Pies oo) ai sdveeare pease kee 269 
KIB AjOU 67a yesers eee ie aie fete 271 
Cacomixle . BAS cath actor tuk Onde 271 


O/s 


616 
Roemmon:Seal’). sci «ta 274 
The Sea Leopard ......... 277 
Saddle-Back Seal... ...... 279 
Crested or Bladder-Nose Seal 280 
Elephant Seal = . weve ss 281 
Waitt fie vi ee eS 283 
Sem Lee ae. 5S ask SB! 285 
FurSealorSeaBear ....... 287 
The Hedgehog ........-..5 291 
Common Mole... . .....4+->+ 293 
Common American Mole ..... 294 
Star-Nosed Mole... ....4.--. 295 
RUMEREMED *.. tavid ss or Suleaee at esa st 296 
Elephant Shrew... ....5- 297 
APA Se Se sRee rer 298 
fee Almas sr) .4.' o's sos 298 
Common Shrew .-:.....-, 299 
Broad-Nosed Shrew. ....... 299 
Og SE Oe ha ee 300 
Domestic Shrew... .-....-., 300 
Wvaver snrew'. 4 3 <a 3uI 
Htrnscan Shrew’ 3s 5. fee 302 
ROOMS sf ces he nk oe ois 303 
URS ni Me a ens kt cae te 304 
Skull-Caps or Lophiomys .... . 307 
Common Squirtel. ......-. 308 
Gray Squirrels ....-. +--+. 309 
Chickaree or Red Squirrel. . .. . 310 
EMUROMAL, 9h Cano se EO 311 
Assapans or American Flying Squir- 
EE, Soa tae audasleuest ony ee oa 313 
Ce ETE LS A oe boa aapd ate, 313 
OUD ao) in, SST Se ete. < Us) sci 314 
Pert Se. As tienes feeeee 315 
SOME ee) a. Se is eee 315 
Pe PS OR Re AL Sm 316 
SO ane te et vtech es ue Cee 317 
PIED MEALISOE 2 3 Sis co a eee 319 
SMISCNORL oh serpy porate 320 
Res Ohh ams gi Breet a ete gs 321 
a lire So ea al See) pana ee 322 
Common Dormouse........ 323 
TREAWOR ar) Se eel de anti. Lael wes 325 
Jumping MOUSES .°R Mees ae ss 327 
Egyptian Jerboa . 327 
Mlactaga’. js Side cls Ss 329 
Fumping ' Hare ot. oy. 8. Ses e 331 
ee At | te ee mies sc) 2 ty 333 
Brown ‘Rat... Fey nidin ats ss 333 
Colton Ratt ese stoct ae et onan 4 335 
Florida Wood Rat. ........ 335 
Common Mouse. ......... 337 
Barbary Monse.:.-.-. . 22.5. % 337 


White-Footed Mouse. ....... 
Meadow Mouse.......... 9 
Wood Mouse or Long-tailed Field 


CN ctl! We ool tae tage 39 
Harvest Mice Attacked by Snake: 341 
Feemscera., .. st ts". PS Es 343 
Brumeret 3 fe 3 een eS 345 
SRW Mouse. Sn et 345 
NMIRE NENG, fs So at cen Serta 346 
Red-Backed Meadow Mouse. . . . 347 
American Meadow Mouse. ...-: 347 
Field Mouse or Campagnol. . . . 349 
Demiminge.. = Res ee 349 
MG Hat. ht 2 ao 351 
Ord’s PocketMouse . -.-..... 351 
Least Pocket Mouse’. .'... .... 353 
Pouched Gopher. ......... 353 
Common Pocket Rat. ... ..... 354 
Common Porcupine S ea ea te 355 
Urson or Canadian Porcupine. . . . 357 
Mexican Porcupine .....%.. 357 
Brush-tailed Porcupine’... ... 358 
Coendon* 4 33), "Sars 7 359 
Guines Pigs. fi yes fae. ae 8 360 
Mara or Patagonian Cavy...... 361 
Common Agouti'.,........ 363, 
Paca Mike ae a Lb a ene re 364 


INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Capybara or Water — ae 365 
Octodon .....-+ 366 
Tnco-lucd *... -feeaees- eae 367 
Hutia Topgo..),) shu. RB 367 
Coypuor Nutria... 2... 2.5. 368 
African Ground Pig ......... 369 
CommonChinchilla........ 371 
Smaller Chinchilla ........ 371 
Gnviere Dagoti. i 8.8 oi ae 372 
Wiscaene’ oS oy). es ee 373 
Commion Hare... 8 .. ko. es 375 
Alping Hate 2) ff 26 cen 376 
European Rabbit. ........ 377 
American Varying Hare. .... . 378 
Northern Prairie Hare. ..... 378 
Wood Rabbit or Cotton-tail . 379 
American Pika. .... ies ooo 
Alpine Crying Hares....... 380 
Unau or Two-toed Sloth. .... 382 
Ai or Three-toed Sloth . Ss 3 see 
Great Ant-eater or Ant-bear . 385 
MERIT "3h ROE «degen a. Sis 387 
TAlttie, wnt-eater=*. og). Seva = 387 
Six-banded Armadillo ...... 389 
Bolita or Three-banded Armadillo . 390 
CBOE EOL i3 Meee, «Ween pe 391 
Bichoctego.\./.7.ie hs. 8's. 393 
PANO cs tac cee + | Stiee Sess 394 
Rave 5 RO. ee ae 395 
Temminck's Pangolin. ...... 396 
Indian’ Elephant : 2-5. 366. 399 
African Elephant. ........ 403 
RAYNER eects Tf eer in.) stack ts be 406 
Arnbiat! St@a@@anote ais. . soa ses 407 
Trakhenen Horse......... 408 
English Thoroughbred Horse. . . 409 
Percheron Horse... .. 4... 410 
American Trotting Horse. ... . 41 
Shetland; Pony soa. . leagetes 413 
TeOU Ta Sitios teenies» ios nee 414 
ONAGGR Ve orie? aske oaks | Sea eee 415 
Domestic ias: ime |. wee 416 
African “Wild Asa sUo-o'. (os ..09 417 
DURGEA ss ss E> +) ok SU 418 
RAL D 5, as OS Ne MEL) + Cte gs ee 419 
Dauw or Burchell’s Zebra. . . . . 421 
Malayan Tapir inde eee 423 
American Tapir ek Om ee 425 
Indian Rhinoceros......... 427 
Two-horned Rhinoceros... . .. . 429 
4 ee id Rhinoceros.. 431 
COny ee a” oS CoA Vee ce 432 
trate 211 Ses 435 
Dromedary .-.-.” .\ cue » (elec ys 439 
BactrianCamet “ee. . ee 441 
PAGING GA s,s ey. (ene reee 445 
AIDACR tea str ee. « eoremeres 446 
VaCUPat 7). ," 5° 1 een. (eee 447 
Pbex or Steinbeck: .(e . S. , 449 
Ferenean Ibex: > . 028. A... 451 
Afgagrus Goat .......... 453 
Muarknoot: .. ° josey . Seeoee: 454 
NGOIRSSURL. sap aes « OR os 455 

Serio ae vos 457 
MOUGAG S583 RE.» Gest 459 
Monitor 3. 6.5 ee. oe 460 
Kratschkar or Wild Sheep... . . 461 
Big Hort. °3 4°. ee. ee ae 463 
Merino Sheep: . - me - Maen: 464 
Persian DomesticSheep. .... . 465 
Musk-Ox * oS ee |. (eee 467 
European ‘Bison. . 37, . 05... 471 
Wak: So 2 2. eee |. a 469 
American Bison | 22,0506). Wieeees 473 
GOV essere et Pita. |. pageants 475 
MOONEE eS RS es |. (ene 477 
Benten et so a ceeietas 1+ ences 478 
Sauget. eae. he Sao ger 479 
CR ie eee tae: FN oe 480 
ge Eo ea ets | ate}. eames 481 


Freiburg or SwissOx ....... 482 
Jersey Cow. oe Py ee 483 
Dutch. Caw. 6-7, ‘> sce se ee 483, 
Durham or Short-horn Cow... . 484 
Hereford, Bull) 22>: A> cae oe 485 
Cape Buffalo: 3c oo saan +o ae 
Rocky Mountain Goat”. rae 489 
Sasin 5°." 25 eine eee eee 491 
Gazene:. acs. limt us eee + + 493 
Springhok *. oy svar AEs oo 
Hlartebeest: ..°. "28 ee te «+ » 495 
Rietbok or Reed Antelope... . . 496 
Water-Buck oss sn eee 497 
Passan Pursued by Hyzena Dogs. . 499° 
Addasx.* NEE Ts eel es 500 
Keodod 327) 60" 555.75". See 50r 
BTC ER ee AI er) ys sty 503, 
Four-horned Antelope... . - 505 
Bush-Buck ....... ; . 505 
Chamois cnr ess re od . 507 
Seige 3 7 ee 511 
oT ele He Meg 2 a eee ae 
Pronghorn 2°)". Vi seca 6 ae . 51 
Se 6. seatia oar as Oe Ary 
Modes 0.) <5, seer Perse i 
Reindeer... 0 ieee > he ae 
Fallow Deer (colored) opp. o 6 eye 
Fallow Deer ...... \ a i 
Stag or Red Deer. ..... hs: 
Wapiti. . : oe 
Axis Déey.(. . . 5 ae 53° 
Sambhar <i 2 : eee 
Virginia Deer. °°. seunaee one BOs 
Campus Deer... ..: 5 eee 
Roe Deer... Ss et + 535 
Muntijale 0) 3). deosnee «+ S37 
Musk Deer =. -..). 0) 5:6, paeoteen 539 
Kanchil oo. 5... & js. sane 539 
Female Wild Boar and Young. . . 541 
Berkshire Hog |.,)./.) 5 wile + 543 
Harrisson Hog . s » + \* “one leneeen 543 
Masked Hogs. ..:, << sane - «+ 544 
Tufted Hogs. :< scu: t  ee ~» 545 
Babirusa .. 1.343 6.6 54 
Wart Hog. 5. i... «2 i pele 4 
Collared: Peccary .: ji 4) eee + 549 
Hippopotamus ........ se oe 


Attack on a Hippopotamus .. . < 
Lamantin or American Manatee . 


Dugong os lee ae 
Dasar-bavk Whale « 3) 3.4 5a 3 
Pike Whale)... sla oul » 0595 
Greenland Whale. ........ 567 
Grampus.0 0... 44 5% 2 563 
Porpoise: (5.96) isha Seo .. 569 
White Whale .. 2... Ge. 3a 57° 
Ca’ing or PilotWhale....... 571 
Dolphin: ©.) 3) :84) s+ s- =o . 572 
FOIA... 545.5 eee . eae 573 
SOOS00: is ys 10 cs he ane 3 574 
Narwhal. .....2..)}0.! 0! 5 eee 575 
Sperm Whale... ..... 3 ee 
Giant Kangaroo : +e 
Yellow-legged Kangaroo. . «(er 
Bear Kangaroo..... eae 581 
Kangaroo Rat 33°32) sue 583 
@possum: Rat.) o-  o  e ey ; 
Spotted Cuscns 7 <1). 2 eee 84 
Koala or Australian Pouched Bear. 585 — 
Vulpine ck pry or Coosoo. 5 
Sugar Squirrel . ‘ . 5 
Opossum Mouse or 
Long-nosed Bandicoct....... 589 
Zebra-wolf or Pouched Deas. oe 
Tasmanian Devil . z <3 «ls Soa 
Spotted Dasyure .. . | J 
Opossum and Chipmunk . ) SENS, eee 
Porcupine Ant-Eater ......+ + 597 
Duck-mole . 6... e eee + + SOD 


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—  SBINUING Biot AUG A Wut” 


Brehm, Alfred Edmund 
The animals of the world 


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BioMed 


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