••^^•^••^w ' ™ ' THE, WILD BEASTS OF THE •WORLD r \ A ioo FRANK FITSTTST F«Z { PLATES IN COLOUR LOUIS SARGENT-CUTHBERT AUSTIN CHIMPANZEE By C. E. Swan THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OE CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID THE WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD THE WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD • Y FRANK FINN. F.Z.S. AVTMOR Or "BIUM Or THE COUHTtYWDE," "FEW, AKD BOW TO KEEP THEM." ETC. ILLUSTRATED WITH 100 REPRODUCTIONS IN FULL COLOURS FROM DRAWINGS BY LOUIS SARGENT, CUTHBERT E. SWAN, AND WINIFRED AUSTIN VOL. ONE LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK 16 HENRIETTA STREET, W.C., AND EDINBURGH 1909 CONTENTS V.I L-\L THE CHIMPANZEE (AntkropopUktcMs trogto- **•) . .... THE GORILLA (AntkropopMtau gorilla) . THE ORANG-UTAN (Simia satyna) . THE HOOLOCK (Hytobalts kooloc*) . THE LUNCOOR (Strnnop^Jktcus tnttlhu) THE GUEREZA (Colobus gutrtta) . . THK BUNDER (.Vacacia rtesus) . . THE DIANA MONKEY (Ctnopittttcus diana) THE MANCABKYS THE MANDRILL (Cynoctpkalus mormon) . THE RED-PACED SPIDER MONKEY (Abbs faniscta) ..... THE BARRIGUDOS . . . . , THE BROWN CAPUCHIN (Ctbtts fatutllus) . THE RED HOWLER (Mytttts seniculus) THE OUAKARIS THE SAKIS THE SQUIRREL MONKEYS . . . THE TEETEES THE DOUROUCOUUS .... THE LION MARMOSET (Midas rosaha) THE RUFFED LEMUR (Lemur varius) THE SIPAKAS ... THE MOUSE LEMURS .... THE GALAGOS THE SLOW LEMURS .... THE TARSIER THE AYE-AYE THE LION (Ftlis Ito) .... THE TIGER (Ftlis tigris) .... THE LEOPARD (Ftlis pardus) . . . THE PUMA (Ftlis conechr) . . . THE OUNCE (Ftlis undo) . . . THE JAGUAR (Ftlis onca) ... THE CLOUDED LEOPARD (Ftlis ntbulosa) . THE OCELOT (Ftlis pardalu) . THE SF.RVAL (FtKs strval) . . . THE WILD CAT (Ftlis catus) . . ; THE LYNX (Ftlis fynx) . THE CARACAL (Ftlis cornea!) . . THE CHEETAH (Cynalums jubatus] . . THE CIVET (Vivtrra dvtiia) . . THE GENETS . i 5 9 '3 '7 ti »5 *9 3» 33 37 39 4i 45 47 47 4« 48 48 49 53 55 55 55 56 56 56 57 61 65 69 73 74 77 78 79 79 81 «3 85 89 90 THE TREE-CIVETS THE BINTURONO (Arttictis THE WATER-CIVET (Cynogalt btumttii) . THE FOSSA (Cryptoprocta ftrox) THE GREY INDIAN MONGOOSE (Htrptstts griseus) THE EGYPTIAN MONGOOSE (Htrptstts ickntutnon) ..... THK MEERKAT (Suricala tttradaclyla) THE STRIPED HY^CNA (Hyena striata) . THE BROWN HYJENA (Hyana bruwtta) . THE SPOTTED HYXNA (Hyama crocuta) . THE AARD-WOLF (Proltlts cristatus) THE WOLF (Cam's lupus) THE COYOTE (Cams latrans) . THE BLACK-BACKED JACKAL (Cants mtso- mtlas) ...... THE INDIAN JACKAL (Cams aurrus) THE DINGO (Cams dingo) . THE MANED WOLF (Cants jttlxiius) . THE Fox (Cants vuipts) . . . .' Tux ARCTIC Fox (Cams lagopus) . THE FENNEC (Cants ctrdo) THE DHOLE (Cyan dultkuntnsis) THE HUNTING-DOG (tycoon pietus) THE RACCOON-DOG (Canis procyonoidts) . THE SABLE (Mttsitla tibtUina) THK MINK THK POLECAT (Afusitla puiorius) THE STOAT OR ERMINE (MusUla trminta) THK WEASEL (Musttla vulgaris) THK GLUTTON (Gulo lusnu) . THK TAYRA (Galiclis barbara) . . ' .' THE GRISON (GalicKs vittato) . . THK BADGER (MtUs taxus) . . THE AMERICAN BADGER (Taxidta amtri- cana) THE HOG-BADGER (Arclonyx collaris) THE RATELS THK SKUNK (Mtpkitis mtpkitica) . . THE SOUTHERN SKUNK (Contpaius mapu- rUo) THK SMALL SKUNK (Sptiogalt putoritu) . THE ZORILLAS 9' 9» 9» 9* 93 95 96 97 98 99 too 101 104 105 106 107 1 08 109 III 112 "3 "5 116 ««7 "9 119 130 110 ISI "3 i»3 "5 117 "7 138 "9 VI CONTENTS THE TELEDU (Mydaus meliceps) . . 132 THE OTTER (Lutra vulgaris) . . .133 THE SEA-OTTER (Latax lutris) . .136 THE WHITE-NOSED COATI (Nasua narica) 137 THE RACCOON (Procyon lotor) . . .138 THE KINKAJOU (Cercoleptes caudivolvulus) 139 THE CACOMISTLE (Bassaris astuta) . .140 THE PANDA (AZlurus fulgens) . . . 140 THE POLAR BEAR (Ursus maritimus) . 141 THE PIED BEAR (&luropus melanoleucus) 144 THE BLUE BEAR (Ursus pruinosus) . ' . 144 THE BROWN BEAR (Ursus arctos) . . 145 THE GRIZZLY BEAR (Ursus Jtorribilis) . 148 THE SLOTH BEAR (Meiursus ursinus) . 149 THE HIMALAYAN BEAR (Ursus tibelanus) 151 THE JAPANESE BEAR (Ursus japonicus) . 151 THE AMERICAN BLACK BEAR (Ursus americanus) . . . . .151 THE MALAYAN BEAR (Ursus malayanus) . 152 THE SPECTACLED BEAR (Urstts omatus) . 152 THE CALIFORNIAN SEA-LION (Otaria cali- fortiiana . . . . . .153 THE WALRUS ( Trichechus rosmarus) . 157 THE COMMON SEAL (Phoca vitulina) . 161 THE GREY SEAL (Halichcerus grypus) . 163 THE RINGED SEAL (Phoca hispida) . .163 THE HARP SEAL (Phoca groenlandica) . 163 THE BLADDERNOSE (Cystophora cristata) . 1 64 THE SEA-ELEPHANT (Macrorhinus leoninus) 164 THE HEDGEHOG (Erinaceus europceus) , 165 THE MOLE (Talpa europcea) . . .167 THE STAR-NOSED MOLE (Concfylura cristata) 168 THE DESMAN (Myogale tnoschata) . .168 THE GOLDEN - TAILED TUPAIA (Tupaia chrysura) . . . . . . 169 THE SHREWS 170 THE COMMON SHREW (Sorex araneus) . 170 THE PIGMY SHREW (Sorex minutus) . 1 70 THK WATER SHREW (Ntomys fodiens) . 171 THE MUSK SHREW (Crocidura carulescens] 171 THE ELEPHANT SHREWS . . .171 THE OTTER SHREW (Potamogate velox) . 171 THE TENREC (Centetes ecaudatus) . . 17 a THE ALMIQUI (Solenodon cubanus) . .172 THE GOLDEN MOLES . . . .17* THE COBEGO (Galeopithecus volans) . . 173 THE INDIAN FLYING - Fox (Ptiropus mtdius) 177 THE VAMPIRK (Dtsmodus ru/us) . . 181 THE INDIAN VAMPIRE (Mtgaderma fyra) . 1 83 PACK THE FISHING BAT (Noctilio leporinus) . 183 THE RAT-TAILED BAT (Rhinopoma micro- phylhtm) tgj THE PIPISTRELLE (Vespewgo pipistrellus) 184 THE NOCTULE (Vesptrugo noctula] . .184 THE LONG-EARED BAT (Plecotus auritus} . 1 84 THE BEAVER (Castor fiber) . , .185 THE INDIAN STRIPED SQUIRREL (Sciurus palmarum) . . . . .189 THE COMMON SQUIRREL (Sciurus vulgaris) 190 THE FLYING-SQUIRRELS . . .191 THE GROUND-SQUIRRELS . . .191 THE MARMOTS ..... 192 THE SCALY-TAILED SQUIRRELS . . 192 THE MUSQUASH (Fiber eibethicus) . .193 THE LEMMING (Myodes lemmus) . .194 THE ARCTIC LEMMING (Cuniculus tor- quatus) . . . . . .195 THE FIELD- VOLE (Arvicola agrestis) . 196 THE WATER-VOLE (Arvicola amphibius) . 196 THE HAMSTER (Cricetus frumentarius) . 197 THE HOUSE- MOUSE (Mus tnusculus) . 1 99 THE WOOD - MOUSE OR LONG-TAILED FIELD-MOUSE (Mus sylvaticus) . . 1 99 THE HARVEST- MOUSE (Mus minutus) . 199 THE HOUSE-RAT (Mus rattus) . .200 THE SEWER-RAT (Mus decumanus) . .200 THE SPRING-HAAS (Pedetes coffer) . .201 THE JERBOAS . . . .202 THE GOPHERS 202 THE KANGAROO-RATS . . . .203 THE MOLE-RATS 203 THE DORMICE 204 THE COYPU (Myopotamus coypus) . .204 THE COMMON PORCUPINE (Hystrix cristata) 205 THE BRUSH-TAILED PORCUPINES . .206 THE CANADIAN PORCUPINE (Erethieon dorsatus) . . . . .207 THE COUENDOU (Synetheres prehensilis') . 208 THE VIZCACHA (Lagostomus trichodactylus') 209 THE CHINCHILLA (Chinchilla lanigera) . 211 THE LONG-TAILED CHINCHILLA (Lagidium cuvieri) . . . . . .212 THE CAPYBARA (Hydrocharus capybara) . 213 THK PATAGONIAN CAVY (DoKchotis pata- ckonica) . . . . . .214 THE GuiNKA-PlG (Cavia porcellus) . . 214 THE AGOUTIS 215 THE PACA (Coclogenys paca) . . . 215 THE TAILED PACA (Dinomys branicki) . 216 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS CHIMPANZEE (Antkrofopilktciu trogbaytts) .... Frotttispitft MALE GORILLA (Antkropopitfncns goriiia) . . . Tofattpagt 4 ORANC.-UTANS (Simia tatyrus) ..... M n 8 HOOLOCKS (Hyhbatis hoolock) ..... „ „ it LUNGOORS (Stmnopilktcus tttttlhts) . . . . „ „ 16 BRUSH-TAILED GUKREZA (Coiobus gmrua) . . . „ „ «o BUNDERS (Macatus rJusus) . . . . . „ „ 24 DIANA MONKEYS (Ctrcopithtcus diana) . . . . „ ,, 28 MANDRILLS (Cyntxtfkalus mormon) . . . . „ „ 3* RED-FACED SPIDER MONKEYS (AUlts painsna) . . . „ „ 3* BROWN CAPUCHINS (Ctbus Jattullus) . . . . „ „ 40 RED HOWLERS (ifycttu ttnicuJus) . . . . „ „ 44 LION MARMOSET (Midas rosolio) . , I . „ „ 48 RUFFED LEMUR (Lmiur voriua) . . ... » „ 5» LION AND LIONESS (Ftiw Uo) . . . . . „ „ 56 TIGER (FtKs tigru) ...... „ „ 60 LEOPARDS (Ftiu ponfus) AND SPOTTED DEER (Ctrvus axis) . „ „ 64 PUMA (Ftlis cotKolor) ...... „ „ 68 OUNCE (FtOs undo) ...... „ „ 71 CLOUDED LEOPARD (Fihs tubutesa) . . . . „ „ 76 LYNXES (Ft/a fynx) ...... „ „ So CHEETAH (Cynalurus jubatus) ..... „ „ 84 AFRICAN CIVET (Vtvtrra civttta) . . . . „ „ 88 INDIAN GREY MONGOOSE (Htrptsbs griseus) . . . ,, ,, 92 STRIPED HY.CNA (Hytma striata) . . . . „ „ 96 WOLVES (Cants lupus) ...... „ „ 100 BLACK- BACKED JACKALS (Cam's nusomttas) . . . „ „ 104 VIXEN AND CUBS (Cams vuifts) .... „ „ 108 DHOLES (Cyo* duklmmtnsis) . . . . . ,,,,11* SABLES (Musttlla tibtlKtta) . . . , . „ „ 116 GLUTTON (Guio luscus) ...... „ „ no BADGER (Miles taxus) . . , . . . „ „ 1 94 SKUNKS (Mtphitu mtphitica) . . . . . „ „ 128 OTTER (Lutra vulgaris) . • , . . . - . „ „ 132 WHITE-NOSED COATIMONDIS (A^astM narico) . . > . „ „ 136 vii viii LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS POLAR BEAR AND CUBS (Ursus maritimus) . . To face page 140 BROWN BEAR (Ursus arctos) ..... MM J44 SLOTH BEAR (Melursus ursinus') ..... » » *48 CALIFORNIAN SEA-LION (Otaria califortiiana) . . . „ „ WALRUS ( Trichechus rosmarus) . . • • • » » SEAL (COMMON) (Phoca vilulina) . . . . on1"0 HEDGEHOG (Erinaceus europ&us) . . . • » » I"4 TUPAIA (Tupaia chrysura) .... » >. l68 COBEGO (Galeopithecus volans) . . . • » » J72 FLYING-FOX (Pleropus tnedius) . . . . • >,.. Z7° VAMPIRE (Desmodus rufus) . » » BEAVER (Castor fiber) ... » » INDIAN STRIPED SQUIRREL (Sciurus palmarum) ... » » MUSQUASH (Fiber zibethiats) . • » » HAMSTER (Cricetus frumentarius) . » * SPRING-HAAS (Pedetes coffer) . » » PORCUPINE (Hystrix cristata) . • • MM VIZCACHA (Lagostomus trichodactylus) . . » » CAPYBARA (Hydrochaerus capybara) .... » » WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD • , THE CHIMPANZEE {AnthropopithtcHS troglodytes) TAKING it all round, from youth to old age, in appearance and behaviour, the Chimpanzee is the most nearly human of all beasts, and, as it is the hardiest of all man-like apes, and therefore the most familiar in captivity, it is the best known of all of them by sight, though hardly rivalling its formidable relative, the Gorilla, in reputation in the popular mind. It will be noticed in the illustration that the arms of the creature, as in all apes, are very long, reaching, indeed, below the knee when it stands erect; but they are shorter, and therefore more human, than in any other ape ; while the legs, though shorter proportionately than in Man and the Gorilla, are longer than in the Orang. The big ears of the Chimpanzee contrast with the small, refined-looking ones of the latter apes ; but as the size of the ears varies much in Man, this is not a very important point. The sex difference in the face of the Chim- panzee is not notable, nor is there much difference in size between the sexes, although the male is the larger, attaining a height of more than four feet. He also has more powerful teeth. There is, however, much diversity in Chimpanzees, both individual and racial ; each seems to have a different face, though all preserve the same general "caricature Irishman" type, and the complexion may vary from dirty flesh-colour to black, many having mottled faces. The coat, though always long and generally black, also shows much diver- sity, some individuals being nearly as shaggy as bears, while others are scantily clad, especially on the head. The celebrated "Sally," formerly at the London Zoological Gardens, belonged to a black-faced, 2 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD bald-headed variety, which has generally been ranked as a distinct species, the Bald Chimpanzee (Anthropopithecus calvus). Local racial distinctions do undoubtedly exist, but, in view of the great amount of variation, it seems best to regard all Chimpanzees as forming members of one species ; none of them, at all events, could be mistaken for any other ape. The home of this animal is the forest region of Tropical Central Africa from Uganda westwards ; most of the specimens seen in Europe, however, have come from Loango and the Gaboon. Here the Chimpanzees live in small bands of from five to ten, and spend much of their time on the ground, though often ascending trees to gather wild fruit, on which, with other vegetable produce, they subsist. As some specimens show a liking for animal food — Sally, for instance, would even kill and eat pigeons and rats — they no doubt, like most of the monkey tribe, are not by any means strict vegetarians. The gait of these apes, although fairly rapid, is awkward-looking ; they go on all fours, doubling under the first two joints of the fingers of the hand, so that in front they rest upon their knuckles. They can stand and walk erect, but do not do so much as a rule, although a little female, Daisy, formerly in the Zoo, was much in the habit of acting the biped, clasping a duster over her stomach with her hands meanwhile. Being powerful animals — even the female being a match for a strong man — they probably have hardly any enemies to flee from, with the exception of the Leopard ; and even he might think twice before attacking an adult, let alone a party of them. The young Chimpanzee at birth clings closely to its mother, and is thus carried about, after the fashion of monkeys generally. At night its mother takes it to bed in a tree, where a nest or platform of twigs, &c., has been built ; for the construction of this a low elevation is preferred, no doubt for the sake of shelter from the wind. Occasionally they are said to associate in large bands, and to indulge in a sort of concert, accompanying their howls and yells by drumming with sticks on hollow logs : this is very probably correct, as many animals take a pleasure in making noises by any means in their power. THE CHIMPANZEE 3 The Chimpanzees exhibited in zoological collections have almost always been brought over as quite young animals ; they are undeniably delicate, but far less so than the other great apes, and I have recently heard of a case in which one has been successfully kept all through the winter in an outdoor house without artificial heat. \\ hat they undoubtedly require, when small at all events, is plenty of petting and attention ; and they prove decidedly more " reasonable," if the expression may be used, than Orangs or Gorillas, not even object- ing to correction when they have deserved it — which is pretty often the case, as they are, as one might expect, full of mischief and often very spiteful. When angry they strike with their hands and bite severely. They have a great variety of notes and calls, one very usually heard being a sort of repeated hoot uttered with protruding lips, and accom- panied by frenzied dancing or jumping. In the wild state the uproar they create is most annoying at times. Of course individuals vary a great deal in disposition and intelli- gence ; Sally was a good example of a clever specimen, while Mickey, an apparently dwarfed male, who is the senior Chimpanzee at the Zoo at the time of writing, having been there for ten years, is a kind, affectionate creature, good to smaller Chimpanzees, and tractable with his keeper, besides having a fair share of brains. The most remarkable Chimpanzee I have seen, however, is one which was recently for some months in the possession of the well- known animal dealer, Mr. J. D. Hamlyn, who has made a specialty of anthropoid apes. This animal, Peter by name, was kept tied up in a living-room, but was often let out, and regularly had his meals with the family; and I have often had the pleasure of sitting at table with him. His behaviour was exactly that of a rather naughty child ; his owners assured me that he understood all that was said to him, and certainly his behaviour went far to bear out this statement. I have seen him, on being told to do so, fetch whisky and soda and pour out a "peg," bring his master's slippers and put them on, set up a chair he had pulled over, and so forth, besides coming at call and kissing. 4 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD He had, moreover, ideas of his own ; when given a note-book and a pencil, he would scribble on one page after another just as a child does, and he would steal any key he could get hold of and try to unlock the padlock of his chain with it. Another original idea of his was to get hold of a whip or a strap, and therewith thrash another Chimpanzee, Pat, of his own size, who, being spiteful, was always tied up. Peter tyrannised over Pat very much, tried to shut him in his box, and always kept him under whenever possible ; yet on occasion he would side with him. Peter had previously been in a private owner's house for some months before he came into Mr. Hamlyn's possession; but a previous specimen Mr. Hamlyn had, Pansy, was trained on his premises throughout, and was as civilised in his behaviour as Peter, though not so widely accomplished. He met his death by taking a fatal chill, owing to a practice he had of taking a sponge and washing the stairs — a proceeding in which, needless to say, he received no encouragement. From instances like these, and other similar ones which have been recorded, it would seem that Chimpanzees when young could be well dealt with in much the same way as children, though their capricious disposition, and strength and ferocity when roused, always make re- straint desirable, and it would be absolutely necessary when the animals became fully adult. MALE By C. GORILLA E. Swan THE GORILLA {Antkropopitkecus gorilla) WERE it not for our own existence on the earth, the Gorilla could claim to be the head of the animal kingdom, for he is by very far the most powerful of all apes, and we do not know that his intelligence is at all inferior to that of the Chimpanzee. In general form he has much resemblance to that animal, but is more heavily built, with longer arms and legs ; the fingers and toes are, on the other hand, much shorter and thicker than the Chimpanzee's, the latter webbed at the base, while the whole hand and foot are broader. The eyebrow-ridges are very prominent in the Gorilla, especially in the male, whose skull also bears great central and lateral crests for the attachment of muscles. The Gorilla has the face and skin all over the body black ; the coat, which is shorter, closer, and of a more woolly nature than the Chim- panzee's, is also black, but with a strong tendency to grey on the back, especially in advancing age, when it also is inclined to disappear on the chest and about the hips altogether. The crown of the head is commonly, but not always, covered with chestnut-red hair. The female Gorilla attains about the same size as the male Chimpanzee, although stouter and more powerful, and chiefly differs in her prominent eyebrows and the other points above described ; but the adult male, as the illustration shows, has a very different and much more animal cast of face, the jaws becoming greatly developed ; in size also this sex far surpasses any other ape, male Gorillas of six feet in height being on record, while in breadth they much surpass a man of the same stature. The teeth, especially the canines, are very powerful. The young Gorilla, however, is more human-looking than the Chimpanzee, distinctly re- calling a badly-developed negro child in appearance, the resemblance being increased by the fact that the Gorilla more readily stands up and 6 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD walks on its hind legs, though its normal gait, like that of the other, is on all fours, with the ends of the fingers similarly bent under. The habit of beating the breast, so characteristic of the Gorilla, is already found in young animals, as is so commonly the case with animal peculiarities of behaviour — thus, the young peacock spreads his little tail when he is only of the size of a partridge. As in the case of the Chimpanzee, there is much local variation in Gorillas, and several races and sub-species have been named and de- scribed, though it is very doubtful if any of these possess full specific value. The Gorilla inhabits part of the same region as the Chimpanzee, the great forest region of West Equatorial Africa ; but its range is not nearly so extensive, being confined to the district between the Cameroons and the Congo, and it is very rarely found near the coast. It is a thoroughly forest-haunting animal, but, although a good climber, lives a good deal on the ground, and often makes its bed there, by breaking down and piling up stalks of plants into a mass about a foot thick. Its food is mainly vegetable, but it is said to be more carnivorous in its tastes than the Chimpanzee. Like that animal, it will raid the cultivated patches of the natives. Gorillas also live in smaller troops than Chimpanzees — a male, female, and one or two young animals being all that are usually found together. The head of the family is said to sleep at the foot of a tree, while the weaker members of it sleep in a nest made in the branches ; for this species also builds nests in trees. The old male Gorilla is, of course, a match for practically any animal, on account of his gigantic strength and huge teeth ; but he appears to avoid an encounter with man, although a terrible adversary when wounded. Old accounts, indeed, say otherwise, and it is quite pos- sible that solitary males, such as are found among most animals, may become fierce and dangerous ; for it is a well-known fact that the monkey tribe in general become morose and spiteful with advancing years, as indeed do a great number of animals, especially of the male sex, from grouse to men! THE GORILLA 7 The Gorilla does not usually frequent the same parts of the forest as its smaller relative, and it is much rarer ; indeed, it has hardly ever been seen wild by Europeans. It also appears not to be very noisy, although the male roars as well as beats his breast when enraged. Alliances between the two great apes are said to occur at times, and it has been suggested that one or two doubtful specimens, notably one " Mafuka," a female exhibited in the Dresden Zoological Gardens in 1875, were hybrids between the Gorilla and Chimpanzee ; and, considering that the lower monkeys frequently produce hybrids in captivity, it would seem that this is quite possible. The Gorilla is not only the most striking in appearance of all apes, but it has been known longer than any other ; that is, if the " Gorillas " described by Hanno the Carthaginian, in his voyage of discovery made in 470 B.C., really were animals of this species. What he says is, that in a bay called " The Horn of the South," on the West African Coast, he found an island containing a lake, in which was yet another island full of " hairy men and women," which his interpreters called Gorillas. These creatures were very active, and defended themselves by throwing stones ; three females were, however, captured, and, as they " refused to go quietly," were killed, and their skins brought to Carthage, where they were to be seen for centuries afterwards, for Pliny records that Roman invaders saw two of them at Carthage in the temple of Astarte, in 146 B.C. Doubt has been thrown on this account, and it has been suggested that the animals in question were Baboons, who are well known to defend themselves by stone-throwing. But, as a matter of fact, any of the more intelligent monkeys will use missiles. Chimpanzees certainly do so in captivity; and the ancients, who knew the tailless monkey of North Africa, the so-called " Barbary Ape," quite well, were not likely to mistake the far less human-looking Baboons for hairy people ; while this is just the sort of mistake which is actually made by young children and primitive people about anthropoid apes to-day. At the same time, it must be admitted that Chimpanzees may be meant. The next recorder of the Gorilla was an English sailor, Andrew 8 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Battel, whose adventures in West Africa were given in " Purchas his Pilgrims," published in 1625; here are described two "monsters" found in the West African forests, as the "Pongo" and " Enjocko." His " Pongo" was evidently the Gorilla, the other ape being the Chimpanzee, still called '"Ntschego" by the natives, while the Gorilla is known as M'pungu. The Gorilla is still a very little-known animal, however, and its delicacy has so far prevented us from gaining much knowledge of its habits even in captivity, for it is difficult to keep alive even in its own country, and the few individuals, all young, which have been exhibited in Europe have seldom lived even for a year. Several have been exhibited in our own Zoological Gardens, but the first one brought to England was one for some time exhibited in a travelling menagerie as a Chimpanzee 1 The Gorilla which so far has done best in captivity is one which lived in the Berlin Aquarium, and had been carefully looked after in West Africa for some time before he reached that institution. He was allowed a good deal of liberty, had his meals at table and behaved well, and showed much affection for his human friends, though rather mischievous. In fact, his manners appear to have been much the same as those of the Chimpanzees treated in the same way, which I have been able, as previously remarked, to observe. The Gorilla is, however, undoubtedly not only more delicate than the Chimpanzee, but is generally, at any rate, quite different in temperament, being fiercer, and at the same time more nervous and sensitive, so that it is always likely to require greater care in its management. I was par- ticularly struck by the human way in which a female imported by Mr. Harnlyn — the largest which has reached England alive so far — covered her face with handfuls of hay held up to it when looked at in her travel- ling cage, and then struck the bars furiously if the inspection were perse- vered in. Such an animal as this needs very considerate handling, but the obstacles to its successful treatment ought not to be insuperable. ORANG-UTANS By Louii A. Sargent THE ORANG-UTAN (Simia sa/yrus) THIS, the third and last of the great man-like apes, is found far away from the African home of the Gorilla and Chimpanzee — in Borneo and Sumatra ; where, by the way, there occur other animals with near African relatives. It differs from the other two not only in the red colour of its hair, but equally remarkably in its shape, which departs much further from the human form ; the arms in the Orang being so long as to reach the ground when the creature stands erect, and the legs being very short, while the body is also very short and round. The fingers and toes are very long, with the exception of the thumb and great toe, which are very small indeed, and often minus the last joint. The colour of the coat, the hair of which is particularly long and lank, varies from almost chocolate to a bright auburn, and, as in the Chimpanzee, there is a great amount of variation in its abundance and in the colour of the skin, many Orangs being but scantily furnished with hair, and dark in the face and skin, while in the ordinary type the face is mostly dirty flesh-colour, and the hair abundant. There is as great a difference in the sexes as in the case of the Gorilla, the male, which is much the larger, having particularly big canine teeth, and, in many instances, developing a fatty expansion of the cheeks which makes the face peculiarly broad. Such individuals, however, occur side by side with those of the ordinary type. The goitred appearance of the neck is due to a large vocal sac. The ears of the Orang are small and delicate, and its general expression much more pleasing and refined — if one can apply the term to any of these creatures — than in the other two. In height the male reaches four or five feet, when erect, but this animal very seldom stands upright on the ground, and indeed seldom comes there at all ; when it does, it walks, like the others, on the knuckles and feet. It is, however, essenti- * B 10 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD ally a tree animal ; and, although very slow in its movements compared to the Chimpanzee, and not given to jumping, gets along at such a pace by swinging itself with its long powerful arms, that it is often all a man can do to follow it on the ground. Like the Chimpanzee, it builds a platform nest of boughs to rest and sleep in, constructing a fresh one every two or three nights. Its food consists of wild fruits, leaves, and so forth, and it is especi- ally fond of the large spiny fruit of the Durian (Durio zibethimis), that East Indian fruit which has long been celebrated for the unequalled delightfulness of its flavour and the singular and penetrating vileness of its smell. In search of this it will at times approach human habitations, but usually lives far away from these, and often in flooded forests, which is the more remarkable, as it is quite unable to swim — at least this was the case with a specimen observed by Mr. W. Hornaday. In its native haunts it has but few enemies; it is said to be occa- sionally attacked by the Crocodile or the Python, but to be able to give a good account of itself with either of them, jumping on the. back of the former and wrenching its jaws asunder, and disabling the great snake with its powerful bite. Against man it also makes a vigorous defence, seizing its adversary and biting him severely ; cases have been known in which the victim has escaped with the loss of the ends of his fingers, which were bitten off by the infuriated ape. In this manner also they attack each other, and specimens with mutilated fingers are frequently met with. The Orang, although not a ferocious animal, is less sociable than the Gorilla and Chimpanzee, being usually found alone in the case of the male, though a female is commonly found accompanied by her young — a baby in arms, and an elder one which is more or less inde- pendent. The infant Orang clings tightly to its mother's long hair, as usual in creatures of this kind. I have more than once seen quite small specimens which had been imported to Calcutta, and these little things clung gladly to one ; it was pitiful to hear them cry when they were taken away. In the ordinary way the Orang is a rather silent animal, its whole THE ORANG-UTAN 11 character being quiet and self-contained compared with that of the Chimpanzee ; the adult, however, has a grunting note. It has long been known in captivity, and in my time was often brought to Cal- cutta, as it had been long previously, being a great object of interest to the natives of Bengal, who call it " Bun manus " — jungle man, almost the same name as the Malay " Orang-utan " — wild man. I have, indeed, been asked by a native woman at the Calcutta Zoo whether an Orang she and her husband were looking at was not a man, just as I have heard a little child hail Mickey, the Chimpanzee at the London Zoo, as " boy." The Dyak name of the animal is " Mias." Even in the East, the Orang is a delicate animal in confinement, and it is, now at all events, less often to be met with in captivity than the Chimpanzee in Europe. It is a much less energetic and lively creature than that species, and this is, no doubt, one reason why it is not so easy to keep. It is also more sensitive ; when disappointed in anything — as when food is offered and not given, or when its keeper leaves it, or it is put back into a cage after being out — it will often roll about on the floor and scream with passion. There is, however, something very attractive about this animal, with its quiet, gentle ways, and humorous intellectual expression ; and it is undoubtedly capable of great attachment to its own kind, as was shown many years ago in the case of three specimens, a male, a female, and a young one, which were allowed liberty in India. After some time the female fell ill and died, and her two companions showed the most touching grief; the young one wished to follow the body as it was carried away, and when prevented showed its vexation in the manner described above. The sorrow of the male, although they had never been very intimate, was deeper : he mounted to the top of their house, and remained for days gazing fixedly in the direc- tion in which he had seen the corpse of his companion taken away. Ultimately he came down dizzy and staggering with sunstroke, and before long he died also. A good-sized female in the Calcutta Zoo in my time was very friendly with me, and would affectionately put her arm round my neck 12 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD through the cage bars, paying no attention to food offered her at the time by other visitors ; yet she took a malicious pleasure in grabbing little boys by the leg as they passed, and moped when part of the cage was wired up to prevent this amusement. I have seen her tear off about half of a native woman's linen shawl, and promptly cover her own head with it, to the great edification of its former owner, who laughed till she had to lean against a lady friend for support. This specimen did not live very long, and was found on her death to be grossly fat, but after this an outdoor extension was made to the Orang cage in this house, and when I left Calcutta a young pair had been thriving in it for some time. The male of these was decidedly inclined to be mischievous, and when exhibited in a climate like that of Calcutta, where temperature allows fresh air to be given, the Orang is certainly more cheerful and energetic than it appears over here, though, as above remarked, it cannot be called hardy even in the East. The instinct of covering its head is very marked, and in the wild state the animal is said to cover itself over with large leaves when sleeping in its nest, should the weather be wet or chilly ; it is not an early riser, and goes to bed betimes, in conformity with its generally sluggish nature. HOOLOCKS By Louii A. Sargent THE HOOLOCK (Hyiobates hoolock) THE Hoolock is the best known of the group of small long-armed apes, known as Gibbons, which range through the hilly forest regions of Eastern Asia from Bhutan to Hainan and Java ; the present species, which is the most westerly in its range, extending east to Arracan. The form of this creature is slender and graceful ; the bodily shape generally much resembles that of man, except for the great length of the arms, which allow the finger-tips to touch the ground when the animal stands erect ; the thumb and great toe are much larger than in the other apes. The Hoolock, however, approaches the lower monkeys in several anatomical characters, and in having, though only to a small extent, the bare callous patches on the seat so commonly found in them, but absent in the great anthropoid apes before dealt with. The canine teeth are long and slender in both sexes. The coat is also composed of fur like a monkey's, rather than what \ve more usually distinguish as hair. It varies very remarkably in colour, the normal hue being black with a white band across the brow ; females, however, are usually brownish-black, and often not black at all, but pale straw colour, or pale above and brown below. The face, palms, and soles, however, are always black. In size the creature is small, only reaching a little over two feet in height. The Hoolock resembles man very markedly in one particular, in that it is a true biped, running and walking on the hinder limbs alone, just like a human being; the long arms are often stated to be held up or forward when walking, but as I have seen the animal, it has done just as a man would do if his arms were of such great length — slightly bent them so as to keep the hands clear of the ground. Although the gait is flat-footed and awkward, the creature is nimble enough, and gets along nearly as fast as a human being equally small could do. 14 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD In its natural state, however, the Gibbon can seldom come to the ground, as it is a thoroughly arboreal animal, travelling among the trees and bamboos by swinging itself along with its great arms. The beauty of its movements must be seen to be realised ; it is the champion gymnast of the animal kingdom, and one never tires of admiring the grace of its swinging leaps and the sureness of its hold, even in the confined limits of a menagerie. "Taking off" from one hand, it will throw itself half- a-dozen yards — merely touch, as it seems, with the other hand, swing off again, and so on for an hour at a time. Its powers are seen at their best when a troop is descending a hill-side clothed with bamboos, and it flings itself from one bending stem to another lower down, thus getting down-hill at a marvellous pace. They also ascend very rapidly, and from the hilly nature of their haunts have to go up and down a great deal, especially as, in many cases, they retire to the low warm valleys to sleep, and come uphill in the morning to feed. They do not build nests like the great apes, simply roosting on the boughs like ordinary monkeys, none of which have any notion of nest-building. Their food consists not only of leaves, shoots, wild fruit, and so forth, but also to a great extent of insects, spiders, the eggs of small birds, and even the birds themselves. These may be even captured on the wing at times, for a specimen of the allied Silvery Gibbon (Hylobates leuciscus) in captivity has been seen to take a flying bird with one hand as she swung from one perch to another, her landing not being in the least disturbed by the feat performed en route. Water is drunk by the Hoolock in rather a peculiar way; it dips its hand in, and licks off the drops, often sliding down a bough to do this. This way of drinking is characteristic of Gibbons generally ; but the animal also drinks by putting down its mouth in the ordinary way. An early observer records, by the way, that he has seen the female of some Gibbon take her young one to the water and wash its face, in spite of its fractious objections to the process. The young are habitually carried clinging to the parent, maintaining their hold securely during all its gymnastic performances. The Hoolock appears to be quite unable to swim ; when in deep THE HOOLOCK 15 water it throws its arms up and struggles helplessly, just like a human being who has no knowledge of swimming. As the Orang is also no swimmer, it is possible that the inability to swim applies to all these man-like apes. It may have something to do with the biped attitude, for many of the lower monkeys swim instinctively like other quadru- peds, using the "dog-stroke" like them. One of the most notable peculiarities of the Hoolock is its call, which is a fine loud, clear, two-syllabled whoop, like "Whooko, Whooko," frequently repeated. It is generally ready to respond to an imitation of this note in captivity, and one we had in the Calcutta Zoo used to practise duets with a cock Argus pheasant (Argnsianus argus), whose call is very similar in character. Hoolocks are very fond of the sound of their own voices, and the noise a troop can make has been described as "a storm of sound." They are particularly noisy in the morning and evening, when, as has been humorously remarked, they perform " regular oratorios " ; thus their calls are some of the characteristic sounds of jungle life wherever they are found. They are delicate creatures, having been found suffering from chest complaints even in the wild state, and they are hard to keep in cap- tivity even in India, although a specimen once survived nine years in the Calcutta Zoo. Animals with such active habits need a great deal of space for exercise ; and it seems to me also that a more varied diet, and one consisting more of substances they would be likely to obtain in a wild state, would be better for them than what is usually given to monkeys. Delicate animals can generally be kept if due attention is given to this point of dietary, \vhich is usually the main difficulty. When Hoolocks are allowed to go at large and find much of their own food, they do well ; and they are so tameable that this liberty can be permitted them in about a month after they are acquired. We had a male loose in the Calcutta Zoo in my time, and they are often so kept by planters in Assam. When thus living near the native haunts of his species, it has been observed that the tame Hoolock cannot obtain admission to their society, and the like has been noticed with a Javanese Gibbon which was released after being kept confined for a time. 16 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Hoolocks are thoroughly nice animals, quite different from ordinary monkeys, and most people like them in consequence ; they become very affectionate, and are little inclined to mischief; they may, however, ultimately become spiteful, especially to human beings of their own sex ; and for this reason those allowed liberty in Calcutta had to be shut up in the end. The proper way to treat them would be to give them a large warm indoor house, with a structure like a big aviary outside, in which they could pass their time in fine weather. There are several other species of Gibbons, but all have a very close resemblance to the Hoolock in appearance and general habits, with the exception of the Siamang of Sumatra (Hylobates syndactylus), which is more distinct. The colour variation seen in the Hoolock is repeated in other species ; and an example of the Hainan Gibbon (Hylobates hainanus) in the London Zoological Gardens actually changed from sooty to straw colour. This creatur^ had a stiff arm, but one had to look closely to notice this, as it swung itself about so freely with the sound limb that the defect was not at all obvious. The Siamang is the largest of the Gibbons, reaching three feet in height, and the most stoutly built ; it is always black all over, and has an enlargement of the throat, formed by the presence of a vocal sac ; its note is loud and powerful, and must be very different from the whoop of the Hoolock, as it is described as a loud barking howl. The Siamang is rare in captivity, and has been credited with a morose disposition by several observers ; but this was not the case with a young specimen possessed by Dr. H. O. Forbes when in Sumatra, whose character was the height of amiability. It even bore him no grudge for pain inflicted on it in lancing boils and extracting teeth while it was teething, and it much appreciated the use of an umbrella as a sunshade, crying for this to be given it if there was any sign of its being forgotten. Such intelligence shows that the creature has a reasonable idea of what is for its welfare, and ranks the Siamang high among the lower animals in mental power. en *• *Z O 0< O z = 3 o x 00 THE LUNGOOR (Sentnopitkecus entellus) THE Lungoor is one of the most familiar and striking animals of India, being very abundant and widely spread, and enjoying parti- cular immunity from molestation as the incarnation of the monkey- god Hanuman, by whose name, indeed, the species is sometimes known. It is a large monkey, about equalling a greyhound in size, and somewhat resembling one in form, owing to its light and long-limbed build ; the tail is very long, more than equalling the head and body in length. The colour is very constant, being alike in both sexes, while the young are very similar to the adult animals. Males, how- ever, are larger than females, and have more powerful canines, as is usual with monkeys. The Lungoor is essentially a tree-monkey, being an active and powerful climber, and a remarkable leaper. On the ground it is also an agile animal, its bounding gallop being remarkable for grace, while a touch of grotesqueness is given by the curving of the long tail over the back. The monkey, however, cannot long hold his own against a horse ; when the experiment was tried the poor beast was soon run to a standstill, and could only lie and gaze imploringly at his pursuer, who of course spared him. The creature, however, has not much occasion to come to the ground except when travelling over a treeless space, for its ordinary food consists of the leaves of trees ; of these it devours a great variety, and probably eats some poisonous kinds, for it is found to be able to take with impunity doses of strychnine which prove fatal to the common brown monkey or Bunder (Macacus r/tesus). Fruit and grain also form part of this animal's food, and it makes no scruple of levying tithes upon its worshippers' property, not only in 18 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD the orchards and the corn-fields, but from the shops in the bazaar, for where it is under Hindu protection it comes about human dwellings, perching on the roofs, and making itself generally as great a nuisance as a monkey living in the odour of sanctity might be expected to become. It is a highly social animal, living in troops of several dozen individuals, including both sexes ; the leading male of the troop, how- ever, is credited with exercising despotic authority, and is also said, when becoming enfeebled with age, to be hunted to death if possible by his rivals. This is probable enough ; and at any rate old solitary males — no doubt deposed monarchs — may be met with at times. Although Lungoors are more grave and composed in demeanour than the common monkeys, they will fight most desperately at times, and a quite Homeric combat was once witnessed by Mr. T. Hughes, formerly of the Geological Survey of India. In this case, two troops, a small and a large one, looked on while the leader of the former — an unusually large specimen — heroically engaged two males from the latter. He had mortally wounded one by ripping open his throat, when two females of the opposing party attacked and injured him so terribly that he shortly died, whereupon his followers were cruelly perse- cuted by the winning side, who even shook down from a tree one of his females carrying her young, so that she died also. It has been noticed as a curious fact, that even in the remotest jungles these creatures appear instinctively to recognise man as an ally against the Tiger, whom they follow about in the trees overhead, abusing him lustily. The Leopard, however, is a far worse enemy to them, and they also fall victims to Pythons, which will attack even large male specimens. Lungoors possess a considerable variety of notes, the harsh guttural alarm-note being strongly contrasted with the loud musical whoop or call given as they bound from tree to tree. This note is seldom heard in captivity, and the species does not do very well in that condition even in India, though it has not unfrequently reproduced when caged. It needs a good supply of its natural diet of leaves, its stomach being THE LUNGOOR 19 especially adapted for the digestion of such food, being large and divided into compartments. The active habits of this monkey also render a larger cage than is needed for other species of the same size a matter of necessity. A good many, however, are captured and exported, so that this is the most familiar of its group in captivity in Europe, and has often been exhibited in the London Zoological Gardens. The range of the Lungoor is wide, from the Deccan to the southern bank of the Ganges ; it is a denizen of the hot plains, being represented in the northern hills by a nearly allied species or local race, the Himalayan Lungoor (Semnopithecus schistaceiis), a larger animal, with a longer coat and smaller ears. This animal, although in the ordinary way moving up and down the mountains according to the temperature, may sometimes be seen sporting in the trees among the snow, as high up as 1 1,000 feet, in the neighbourhood of Simla. Common as is the ordinary Lungoor, its range has not yet been com- pletely mapped out to the north-west, west and south, but a different species, the Madras Lungoor (Semnopithecus priamus} occupies the Coromandel Coast and the north of Ceylon, and another, the Malabar Lungoor {Semnopithecus hypoleucus) lives on the Malabar side. In the Nilgiri Hills is found a very handsome species {Semnopithecus johni), with long glossy-black hair and a light-brown head, while in south and west Ceylon there is a species peculiar to the island, the true Wanderoo (Semnopithecus cephaloptems\ a brown animal with a ruff of white whiskers ; this is remarkable for producing a completely white variety, in which, however, the face and eyes remain dark. Altogether there are about thirty species of these leaf-eating monkeys or Lungoors, extending east to Java in one direction and Tibet in the other. They resemble the subject of this article in general form and habits, but often have markedly different colours. None are common in captivity. Two species, however, are so remarkable as to deserve special mention. The Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis farvatus) of Borneo, a chestnut and buff animal of large size, in which the old male has a huge long, flattened, drooping nose — an absurd caricature of our 20 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD prominent feature. The local natives know it by the — to Europeans — uncomplimentary title of "White Man." In the female the nose is less well developed, and in the young it is short and turned up. This is a very delicate animal, but has been kept in captivity both in Calcutta and London. It has been observed in its wild state to keep among boughs overhanging the water. The other kind, the Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellance) of Moupin in North-eastern China, which extends to Kokonoor, is equally extraordinary in its way. It is also a large animal, and power- fully built, with an absurd-looking small turned-up nose, set in a green face. Its fur is thick and very gaily coloured, chiefly grey above and yellow below, becoming bright orange on the fur around the bare face and on the neck and chest. This monkey is a true cold-climate species, living permanently in mountain forests where snow lies more than half the year — a very strange contrast to the tropical haunts of most of this group. Such a hardy and quaint-looking animal would be a great acquisition to any European Zoological Garden ; but, so far as I am aware, no such institution has ever exhibited it. THE GUEREZA (Colobns giureza) THE Lungoors are an exclusively Asiatic group of monkeys, but they have allies in Africa in the shape of the Colobus Monkeys, of which the Abyssinian species, or typical Guereza, may be considered a characteristic sample. It is a slender, long-limbed, long-tailed monkey, though not so long and slim as a Lungoor; and while it agrees with that group in only having small seat-pads, it differs in possessing cheek-pouches, though these are but small. A marked point of difference is the absence of a thumb in the hand, though the great toe of the foot is sufficiently well developed. These monkeys are, like the Lungoors, essentially tree-animals and leaf-feeders ; they seldom come to the ground, and have the large, parti- tioned stomach characteristic of a leaf-eating monkey. They also eat insects, and, of course, they partake of fruit as well, but they appear not to rob gardens ; at any rate Sir H. H. Johnston speaks of the Guereza as avoiding human cultivations. They go in small companies, and do not appear to be noisy animals. Both sexes of the animal have the beautiful black-and-white coat, with snowy side-flounces and brush-tip to the tail ; the size about equals that of a terrier. In Abyssinia and East Africa this monkey has only the tip of the tail white ; but on the slopes of Kilimanjaro it is replaced by a very beautiful long-haired race (Colobus guereza caudatus\ in which the side-fringes hang down as far as the middle of the legs, and the tail is clothed from the tip to nearly the root with long drooping hairs, form- ing a beautiful brush like that of a collie. This handsome creature, perhaps the most beautiful of all monkeys, is also found on Mount Kenia, where it ranges to a great height. One would expect such a strikingly 22 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD coloured animal to be very conspicuous in the forest trees ; but this is said not to be the case, as the long white hair is deceptively like the tresses of grey lichen which clothe the boughs. This, however, does not apply to the lowland form with shorter hair, which I have seen myself in trees at Wasin on the East African Coast, and noticed it was as conspicuous as a black-and-white cat would have been in a similar situation. The fact is, that after studying the colouration of monkeys in general, and the African ones in particular, one is inclined to suppose that it does not much matter what colour these active tree-haunting creatures wear, and it is probable that the long coat of the mountain Guereza is destined as a protection from the cold rather than for concealment from possible enemies. The Guereza is described as a gentle, harmless creature, and this character was well borne out by specimens recently exhibited in the London Zoological Gardens, though it must be admitted that both of these were young. One was confined along with a specimen of the Angolan Guereza (Colobus angolensis), which is not unlike the typical Guereza in general colour, but has very long drooping white whiskers, and the white hair of the body forming a mantle on the shoulders. These inhabited one of the side cages in the monkey-house, and on one occasion I saw one of them, after playing for some time with the tail of his companion as it hung down through the barred floor of their sleeping box, actually go up to the bedroom, and, holding up the brush of his tail to the other, offer it to him, as if to say, "One good turn deserves another." Another specimen of the common Guereza arrived along with a White-tailed Mongoose (Herpestes albicauda], with which it had been living previously ; the two incongruous associates were the most devoted of friends, and always close together. The Mongoose, like the monkey, was a young animal, but was the bigger of the two — the White-tailed species being one of the largest of the Mongooses — and could easily have disposed of his companion had he wished. He treated him, how- THE GUEREZA 23 ever, with the greatest consideration, and would even allow him to take away food. The monkey, for his part, would often sit beside the Mongoose with his arm round it, in which position they reminded one most comically of those pictures of a little child and a big dog which are so popular. Unfortunately, although the Mongoose, now full-grown, survives at the time of writing, the monkey is now dead. The Guerezas, like the Lungoors, are delicate animals in captivity, and, as in their case, special arrangements will have to be made if they are ever to be kept success- fully. The beautiful brush-tailed Alpine variety, although not so far imported alive, would probably be the best for European menageries, as it ought to be suitable for out-door treatment. All the Guerezas are rare in captivity, and the Abyssinian and Angolan species, mentioned above, have only been exhibited in the Zoological Gardens quite lately. There are about a dozen species altogether in this group, and of these half are either black-and-white or all black. The beautiful silky fur of these creatures is in great request for ornament, not only among African savages, who delight in making war head-dresses of it, but also among civilised people, who ought to know better, for these monkeys are not in any way noxious or objectionable animals, and deserve protection rather than persecution at the hands of humanity. The largest kind, and one of the best known, is the black Guereza (Colobus satanas) of the West Coast of Africa, which measures more than a yard long in the body, and has a tail also of great length. As its name implies, it is black all over, both in fur and face. Kirk's Guereza (Colobus kirki), of the island of Zanzibar, which ex- hibits brown as well as black-and-white in its colouration, has a peculiar and melancholy interest as the only monkey which has become extinct by human agency. It was confined to the island, and Sir John Kirk, its discoverer, finding that in 1884 it had nearly disappeared owing to the destruction of the forest, sent his native hunters to a wood where it was believed to linger, to report upon it. The wretched negroes discovered a dozen specimens, and killed them all ! 24 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Of course, the proper thing to have done would have been to have transported two or three pairs to some suitable island unoccupied by other monkeys, where the species might have had a new lease of life if properly protected, while any undue increase could be restricted by the occasional sacrifice of a few specimens for museum purposes, or their capture for Zoological Gardens. o; c/} lil Z ., « j 00 THE BUNDER (Mcucuus rhesus) THE common Brown Monkey of India is one of the most abundant of its tribe, ranging in the wild state from Chitral to China, and being an abundant species all over Northern India, though below Bombay and the Godavery River it is replaced by the allied Bonnet Monkey (Macacus sinicns), a long-tailed species with the hair of the crown radiating, not regularly inclined backwards. The common Rhesus varies a good deal in length of tail, which is, however, never much more than half as long as the rest of the animal ; there is also some variation in form, certain individuals being stouter built than others, while the brown fur may be more or less richly tinted ; in any case it is generally inclined to tawny in the hind- quarters. Some individuals are very red about the face and hinder- parts, which have a considerable naked area around the callosities on which the animal sits. The cheek-pouches are also large, these points being characteristic of the Macaque group as a whole. In size the Bunder, when adult, about equals a big terrier, the males being stouter and more powerful than their mates, and with a bolder and more virile type of feature. Young ones are coloured much like their parents, but have the most comical little wizened faces ; they cling to the fur of the parent's chest for about a fortnight, but then begin to venture abroad under her supervision, which is certainly needed, as in India at all events it would be difficult to find a spot on which some bird of prey or other had not fixed its eye, to say nothing of enemies without wings, in the shape of Leopards, wild Cats, Snakes, and so forth. Possibly Crocodiles account for some of them, as these monkeys are rather fond of water, and some young individuals allowed to go free in the Calcutta Zoo have been observed D 26 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD to jump into it off boughs purely for the fun of the thing, just like a party of schoolboys bathing. Although very active, these monkeys cannot compare with the Lungoor in gymnastic feats, and they are more inclined to come to the ground, as they are most omnivorous feeders, eating not only leaves, fruit, and grain, but also insects, lizards, and so forth. Like their sacred relative, they come about cultivation and houses, and commit various depredations ; for the respect in which the Lungoor is held appears to be extended to his lay relatives to some extent, and in any case the Indian native is very tolerant of animals even when noxious — a character- istic which, although it occasionally allows of a good deal of annoyance from the creatures, makes India perhaps the best country in the world for the naturalist, wild animals being so astonishingly confiding there. The Bunder is not only widely distributed in the plains, but ascends the hills in places, as in Kashmir and about Simla, where a colony in- habits Jacko Hill. Its existence in Chitral, in a decidedly cold climate, has only been recently ascertained by Captain Macmahon, and a speci- men received from him is, at the time of writing, in our Zoological Gardens ; it has a thick silky coat, somewhat like that of the Tcheli Monkey (Macacus tcheliensis) of North China, which is itself doubtfully distinct from the present species. These monkeys are sociable animals, like most of their kind, but they are continually quarrelling amongst themselves, teasing each other and striking ; when enraged their faces become quite red, as Darwin pointed out long ago. Although they have no call, unlike Lungoors or Hoolocks, their vocabulary is fairly extensive, but the expressions are not musical by any means. Even the mother will snatch food from her young one when it is weaned and begins to feed itself, and, of course, there is always unpleasantness between the leading male and his would-be rivals. Bunders are captured in large numbers for export, and in England, at all events, this is far the commonest monkey kept in captivity now- adays ; it is the usual companion of the organ-grinder. Most of those seen for sale are quite young, and I was told in India that they were THE BUNDER 27 caught by the simple device of placing food under a basket propped up by a stick with a string attached — much like the familiar sieve-trap for sparrows. The species, being a hardy and omnivorous one, bears captivity well, and will winter out-of-doors in England ; it has also bred here as well as in captivity in its own country. Old females often get very obese, and they seem long-lived ; I have known cases of specimens over fifteen years old in India, and they seemed still healthy. One of these was a very fine male of the yellow variety; for now and then individuals of this species are found of a golden-buff tint, with very fair skin on the face and paws — monkey blondes in fact. It would be interest- ing to isolate pairs of these, and see if the colour proved to be hereditary. The group of Macaque Monkeys, of which this animal is a good typical example, is purely Asiatic, except for the tailless Barbary Ape (Macacus t'nuus), which is found in North Africa; to this species the well-known monkeys on Gibraltar belong. It was by dissecting this monkey that the ancient Greek doctors acquired the knowledge of anatomy which they applied to the human subject. There are nearly a score of these Macaque Monkeys, as far as is known very similar in voice and habits, and not showing much differ- ence in size, though they vary most remarkably in the matter of tail. They all seem also to bear captivity well, and hence the common ones are very familiar, not only the Bunder, but the above-mentioned Bonnet Monkey and the Crab-eating Macaque (Macacus cynoinolgus} being freely imported. This last is a short-limbed and long-tailed species, typically much darker in colour than the Bunder, with the ears and paws black. Its swollen muzzle gives it a decidedly brutal appearance, and it is a coarse, hardy animal, with a decided appetite for animal food. Ranging from Burma through the East Indies even to Timor, it frequents estuarine forests and mangrove swamps, coming down into the tidal mud to catch shrimps and crabs. The ways of the old females with their young are said to be very amusing, the vagrant propensities of the youthful 28 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD monkey being restrained by a jerk of the tail and a cuff on the head, followed by maternal cuddling to appease his fractious shrieks. In the case of a little Japanese monkey recently reared at the Zoo, one could often see him hauled away from the public or the interested occupants of the next cage in this way, but his mother never seemed to think it necessary to correct him. This species (Macacus speciosns) is, by the way, interesting as the most northerly in its range of all monkeys. It has a stump tail and thick greyish fur, set off by a brilliantly red face, brightest in the female. The most remarkable-looking of the Macaques is the so-called Wanderoo — this name really belonging to a Ceylonese Lungoor — or Lion-tailed Monkey (Macacus silenus). This animal, which comes from Southern India, is black all over, with a rather short tail tufted at the end, and a full ruff of grey hair round its black face. The young one has no ruff, and its face is like fair human skin, so that the contrast between the infant, so like a tiny wizened child, and its black-faced whiskered mother is more than ordinarily comic. It is not a common species, but one that always attracts attention by its appearance, and so has long been well known in captivity. >• c x. /. < * — OQ Q THE DIANA MONKEY (Cercopithecus diatta) THE Diana Monkey is one of the most notable species in the world, and always attracts attention in menageries, from its showy pied colouration and quaint "goatee" beard. The sexes are alike, and the young animal much resembles the older ones, being already bearded even when quite small. There is, however, a certain amount of individual difference, the bright colour at the region of the thighs varying from light yellowish buff to bright bay. This monkey would appear to be very proud of its btfard, as it is said to carefully hold it out of the way with its hand when drinking. According to some recent authorities, the monkey here called the Diana, which has for a long time borne that name, is not the true Diana of Linnaeus originally described, but the Roloway (Cerco- pithecus roloway). The real animal is very similar, but has a quite short beard, partly black in colour, and the abdomen black. Until, however, some book on Mammals similar to the British Museum Catalogues of Birds and Reptiles is published, it does not seem advisable to alter a generally accepted name, and, in any case, popular names cannot be changed like scientific ones, once they have found general acceptance. The Diana is not only a pretty and graceful monkey, but a very lively and playful one ; as it grows old, however, it loses this amiability and becomes more reserved and disagreeable. It is chiefly known from menagerie specimens, for, as with most of these African monkeys, there is little on record about its wild life ; it comes from the West Coast, and is well known in Liberia. The group of Guenons, to which it belongs, are the common and characteristic monkeys of Africa, and as they do fairly well in captivity, and some are especially hardy, they are the best known monkeys in captivity here also, with the exception of two or three of the com- 30 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD monest Asiatic Macaques. These Guenons, of which there are at least forty species, making the group the most numerous among the monkeys, are very easily recognised, in spite of the great variation in colour between different species. They are all long-tailed monkeys, and of very much the same shape, well-proportioned and long-tailed, with short faces ; their cheek-pouches are large, but the seat-pads small. Their fur is thick and short, and, whatever its colour, is of a grizzled or pepper-and-salt type over much of the body, the individual hairs being marked with light and dark rings. In the Diana these rings are white and black, producing an iron-grey effect, and this colour is found in a few others ; but the commonest tint is olive-green — a very curious hue for a furred quadruped — produced by rings of black and yellow on the hairs. Only two, the Patas and the Nisnas (Cercofothecus patas and C. Pyrrhonotus) are chiefly red in colour, and these have peculiarly long limbs, and appear to live more on the ground than the others. As a rule, the Guenons are essentially tree-monkeys, and most of them come from the great forest regions of West and Central Africa. They are extremely active among the boughs, and feed on fruit and leaves, with the addition of insects and birds' eggs, &c. ; in fact, they are, like the Macaques, omnivorous. They live in troops, under the direction of a leading male, who acts as sentinel or commander-in-chief, having different notes or expressions which he uses in giving his orders. The Guenons, however, do not appear to be very noisy monkeys. Of course, there is much quarrelling among them ; but they will, like the tribe in general, unite against a common enemy, and carefully attend to each other's fur, cleaning it and freeing it from thorns, burrs, and parasites. Monkeys, by the way, are popularly supposed to be always flea- hunting; but, as a matter of fact, parasites have little chance of existence on a monkey, unless it is kept alone with no friends to look after its coat ; the constant picking and scratching that goes on is really more a sort of curry-combing, and is the means by which the fur is kept neat and in good order. What monkeys find and eat on each other are little lumps of secretion from the skin. The young of these monkeys are carried at first clinging below the body, but after- wards mount on to their mother's back. THE DIANA MONKEY 31 The Guenons are well known to the natives of Africa as very destructive animals ; they constantly raid cultivated plots, and not only destroy more than they eat, but carry off all they possibly can in their cheek-pouches and their hands ; a monkey has been seen to go off with five ears of maize at once. In their turn they are used for food by men, and sometimes their skins are made into furs ; while among other enemies they have to dread Leopards, large Snakes, and Eagles. Although the Diana has been selected for illustration on account of its beauty and conspicuous appearance, and is a well-known animal in captivity, it is not by any means the best known of the group, that distinction belonging to the Green Monkey {Cercojrithecus callitrichus), also West African. This species is olive-green, with a black face and yellow whiskers; it is a hardy animal, will live outdoors in England with proper shelter, and has produced young in captivity. In spite of its scientific name, it appears not to be the Callithrix (beautiful- furred) of the ancients, which was more probably the splendid Guereza Monkey. The Green Monkey is said to present the curious peculiarity of having no voice. This monkey has been introduced into St. Kitts and Barbadoes in the West Indies. In South and East Africa a very common species is the Vervet (Ccrcopithccus Pygerythrus), which is very much like the Green Monkey, but has the whiskers white instead of yellow, is greyer in tinge of coat, and has black hands and feet instead of grey, and the tip of the tail black instead of yellow, while it also has a reddish patch just under the tail instead of a yellow one. Sir H. H. Johnston observed that the monkey frequented native gardens on Kilimanjaro, at a height of 5000 feet; he also says that he ate it frequently, and found it went very well in a stew. In the case of a specimen born in the London Zoological Gardens in 1893, it was noticed that the young animal had a curious habit of sucking both its mother's nipples at once. Most of the monkeys of this group are about the size of a light terrier, but one of them, the Talapoin (Cercopitkecus tatapoiri) is only about as large as a cat, and is thus the smallest monkey in the Old World, though quite a giant compared to some of those in the New. The Talapoin is a very quaint-looking little monkey, with a round head and large eyes surrounded by yellow rings, a black nose and 32 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD large black ears, and yellow whiskers. The general colour of the coat is olive-green above and white below. This pretty little animal is unfortunately scarce, though a fair number have been imported of late ; it comes from West Africa. THE MANGABEYS THE Mangabeys (Cercocebus) are a small group of monkeys which are considered to be intermediate between the Guenons and the Macaques. They are large monkeys of slender form, with long tails, and dark- coloured fur as a rule, which is not grizzled. Their faces have a very pleasing expression as a rule; the skin is light-coloured, and their upper eyelids are conspicuously white. They all inhabit Africa, and seem to have much the same habits as the Guenons ; in captivity they live well, and are very active and good-natured. Those most frequently seen are the Sooty Mangabey (Cercocebus fitliginosus), which is dull black shading into slaty below, which is said to keep much on the ground in the wild state ; and the White-collared Mangabey (C. collaris), which is slate-coloured above and has a white collar and under-parts, with the crown of the head bright red-brown, whence the name of " Cherry-crown " Monkey given it by animal dealers. Both of these species are West African. There are less than a dozen species of Mangabeys altogether, but these two are among the best known of imported monkeys. There is at the time of writing a very curious white Mangabey at the Zoo, which has been described as a new species under the name of Jamrach's Mangabey (C. jamrachi) ; it is not a complete albino, as its eyes are brown, though its face and hands are flesh-colour ; but it will very possibly turn out to be only a variety after all, since albino varieties do not necessarily always show complete albinism by having pink eyes, as we see with white dogs and cats, and with the White Lungoor of Ceylon above mentioned. MANDRILLS By Louit A. Sargent THE MANDRILL (Cynocephalus mormon] BOTH in strength and in the attention it attracts the Mandrill comes next to the great man-like apes, and, indeed, its very name would seem really to belong to the Chimpanzee, for an old Dictionary of 1681 says that " Drill " means a " large overgrown ape or baboon, so-called," while an early woodcut of the " Mandrill," in William Smith's " Voyage to Guinea" (1744), is certainly intended for the superior animal; to say nothing of the accompanying description, which is that of an undoubted Chimpanzee. Anything in the shape of a monkey less man-like than the old male Mandrill can scarcely be imagined, and, indeed, the Baboons, of which he is the chief, depart further from human form and feature than any other monkeys. In the Mandrill the difference is accentuated by the great size of the head, with its long, swollen, ridged muzzle, so brilliantly decorated with blue and scarlet. Like all the typical monkeys the Mandrill is a true quadruped, habitually going on all fours, the hind-feet being flat on the ground, and the fore-feet only touching it by the under surface of the fingers. The body is remarkably short and stout, and the limbs also short and robust ; the hands and feet are small and neat-looking for so huge and burly an animal, and the former look particularly human. The tail is a ridiculous two-inch stump, carried erect and set on very high ; the hind-quarters are very thinly haired, the skin here being really beautifully coloured with scarlet, azure, lilac, and pink. The coat generally is thick and rather long, of an olive colour, the hairs being ringed with yellow and black much as in the Guenons. The male reaches the size of a very large dog when adult, and stands five feet high when on his hind-legs ; he does not attain his full face-colour till he cuts his great canines — which are as big and formidable as a Leopard's — at nine years old. Till then his face lacks the red tints, as the female's always does. 34 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD She has also a much smaller head and less swollen muzzle, and is much smaller altogether ; the immature male resembles her. The infant Mandrill, of about the size of a cat, is a most comical little being, large-eyed and short-faced, though already showing the furrowed cheeks and yellow beard, and is absurdly playful, the very antithesis of his beetle-browed, glowering, sullen-looking father. The old Mandrill is credited with great ferocity, and with about every other bad quality an animal can possess ; and in its wild state, in West Africa, little else is known about it except that the natives hold it in great dread. It is omnivorous and sociable, and frequents rocks and trees indifferently. As a menagerie inmate, it has long been well known and borne a very bad character. Dangerous it is no doubt, its savage temper and great strength rendering it as terrible an antagonist as a Leopard would be; but after being acquainted with several adult male specimens, I must say that they seemed to me rather reserved and dignified animals, and certainly no worse-behaved than any other Baboons. They have a very curious habit of turning round so as to show their bright-hued hind-quarters ; but this is well meant, the animal instinctively displaying his decorations behind as well as before. The beautiful colours of the face have been observed to fade when the animal is unwell, much as may be seen with the comb of the cock under similar circumstances. The Mandrill is not a noisy animal, though it occasionally gives vent to a grunt. The Mandrill in captivity not only relishes animal food, which is natural and desirable for all omnivorous monkeys, but has a strong taste for alcohol ; the late Mr. W. Rutledge, in his day the leading animal dealer in Calcutta, always maintained that a daily drink of beer or whisky-and-water was good for Mandrills, and certainly I never saw specimens in finer condition than those he had bought young and cared for well for years — for Mandrills seem always to be exported young. One of his specimens had the interesting trick of refusing to drink from a bottle of beer unless he saw the label ; this animal I never saw, and the story would be incredible, only that Rutledge explained to me that, though the appreciation of the beer was instinctive, the scrutiny of the label was an acquired detail ; no doubt the animal had been trained to it by giving him water in an unlabelled bottle. THE MANDRILL 35 A Mandrill which was in the old Surrey Zoological Gardens a century ago has become quite historical ; his name was " Happy Jerry," and he not only drank grog, but smoked a pipe with apparent enjoy- ment. This was the animal which was once invited to dine with George IV. at Windsor, and apparently behaved quite respectably— for that occasion, at all events. The name Drill is still used in its original signification, being applied to the only other baboon closely resembling the Mandrill, and also coming from West Africa, and better known in menageries than at large. This species (Cynocephalus leucophtzMs) is slightly smaller and less powerfully built than the Mandrill, and has a more soberly coloured coat, and a black face, only the lips being red. The cheeks are less swollen than in the other species, and have only two furrows, but the hind-quarters are nearly as brilliant. The female and young differ from the old male much as in the Mandrill. Both these species are hardy in captivity, and will live in outdoor dens in England ; the fine male Drill in the Belle Vue Gardens at Manchester has, at the time of writing, been there for twelve years. The same hardiness characterises the Baboons generally ; indeed, except for their very short tails, heavier build, and conspicuous sexual colouration, the Drill and Mandrill fairly typify the group. Most Baboons, however, have a tail of fair length, which is carried in a peculiar way, rising an inch or two from the root, and then hanging straight down. They are all found in Africa or Arabia, and generally prefer rocks to trees. They are highly gregarious, and feed much on insects and lizards, and do not fear to devour scorpions, first seizing them by the tail and pinching off the sting from it. Such prey they hunt by turning over stones. Several will unite to do this if the stone is too big for one, and in general they show a strong idea of co- operation— so much so, that on account of the great size and powerful canine teeth of the males, they are much feared by other animals. F.ven the Leopard only attacks stragglers, and they will show a bold front, or even assume the aggressive, to man himself. They have a particularly disagreeable habit of rolling stones down on their enemies. Indeed, in spite of the brutish look produced by their long dog-like muzzles and active quadruped gait on the ground, these large ugly 36 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD monkeys undoubtedly come nearer to humanity in their mental faculties than any other creatures but the great man-like apes. Their usual note is a kind of bark, and they have a curious habit of gibbering silently with the lips when they mean to be pleasant. There are about a dozen species of the typical Baboons, of which the best-known are the Sacred Baboon (Cynocephalus hamadryas) of Arabia and Abyssinia and the Chacma (C. porcarius) of South Africa. The former is a grizzly-grey animal with a tufted tail ; the male is adorned with a cloak of long hair, and is a statuesque and majestic animal when seen seated ; the ancient Egyptians worshipped it as the incarnation of the god Thoth, and trained it to work for them. The Chacma (Cynocephalus porcaritts], which is as big, though not as heavily built, as the Mandrill, is an olive-coloured animal, with a black face. It is a great deal too well known at the Cape, committing depredations not only on crops, but on sheep, for it tears open young lambs, drinking the milk in their stomachs, and eating the flesh. It is a terrible antagonist to dogs, very hard to shoot, and will take doses of poison which will kill anything else — is, in fact, a serious all- round pest. Yet it can be trained to be most useful ; the most remark- able case of this is one which was authentically reported and became widely known, some years back ; a signalman at the Cape, who had lost his legs, taught one of these Baboons to work the points for him, and it also propelled his trolley, and indeed was an indispensable assistant in his employment. The Gelada Baboons (Theropithecus\ .Q{ which there are two species, both large, maned, and dark-coloured, connect the Baboons with the Macaques to some extent, having the nostrils not at the end of the snout, as in Baboons generally, but some distance back. A further link is found in the Black Baboon of Celebes (Cynopithecus niger). This animal, found at the extreme limit of the range of monkeys in the East Indies, is, like the Macaques, of moderate size, about equalling a spaniel, and has a face intermediate in length, and the position of the nostrils, between Baboons and ordinary monkeys. It is black all over, both in hair and skin, and is practically tailless, the tail being only a rudiment about an inch long. Although not a common monkey, it has often been exhibited at the Zoological Gardens. RED-FACED SPI DER-MONKEYS By Loui» A. Sargent THE RED-FACED SPIDER MONKEY (A teles pattisfus) IN this animal and its allies we find the highest type of the New World monkeys, which are readily distinguished from those of the Old World by the broad partition between the nostrils, which open sideways, those of the Old World apes and monkeys being separated by a narrow partition as in man, and looking forwards. The New World monkeys never have seat-pads or cheek-pouches, but it is only among some of them that one finds the prehensile tail, which attains its greatest per- fection in the Spider Monkeys. It is bare for a considerable distance on the under-surface at the end, and is very sensitive, and amusingly independent in its action, often being raised in front of the monkey's head, and taking hold before the hands, in a way which irresistibly reminds one of the proverbial tail which tried to wag the dog. It seems, indeed, that one of these monkeys whose tail is injured loses its nerve to a great extent, thus showing the great dependence it places on its "fifth hand," which is not only useful to swing by, but will grasp and bring to hand objects a little distance off. The actual hands of the monkey are somewhat imperfect, as the thumb is wanting, as in the Guerezas of the Old World; the great toe, however, is well developed, but not opposable to the other toes as in Old World monkeys, a peculiarity which runs through the family. All the typical New World monkeys also have four more teeth than the Old World ones, there being an extra pre-molar on each side of both jaws. The Spider Monkey, like all American monkeys, is a forest animal ; it frequents the tops of high trees, where it moves about in an erect position, in this, as in its slender form, recalling the Gibbons of the Old World. Its food consists chiefly of fruit, and it does not appear 38 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD to display the strong appetite for animal food which is so characteristic of the small American monkeys. It is a sociable creature, and usually found in large troops, sometimes numbering as many as a hundred. This is about the largest of the American monkeys as far as dimensions go, being two feet long in the body, with the tail six inches more, though some other species con- siderably exceed it in weight. The black coat is common to both sexes, and is constant in colour, but there is a certain amount of variation in the hands, which sometimes have a tiny rudimentary thumb ; this may be present on one of them and not the other. Like other Spider Monkeys this species is esteemed as human food, being eaten not only by the Indians, but also by Europeans, though naturally, in the case of the latter, with reluctance, owing to the human aspect of the animal. The meat itself would appear to be good enough, as Bates says of an allied species, the White-whiskered Spider Monkey (A teles marginatus\ that it was the best-flavoured he ever tasted, being like beef, but with a richer and sweeter taste. It is very lean and dry, and will keep well for a long time if smoke-dried. This Spider Monkey probably often finds an enemy also in the great Harpy Eagle (Thrasaetus harpyia), which is known to prey on monkeys of this kind. Many of these Red-faced Spider Monkeys are captured as pets, in which capacity none of their kind are superior. The creature's face is a singularly pleasing one for a monkey's, being very human and pathetic in expression, and its disposition is remarkably gentle and affectionate, so that it readily learns to accompany its owner. Bates gives an amusing account of an old female, which was very sensitive to language ; its owner, a Portuguese, would sometimes roundly abuse the poor monkey, which would thereupon exhibit all the symptoms of extreme sorrow, rocking itself to and fro and wailing pitifully, while it rubbed its long arms backwards and forwards over its head. When, however, its owner changed his abusive expressions for terms of endearment, its grief was soon appeased, and it came and sat beside him. Although not a common monkey in Europe, the species is still no RED-FACED SPIDER MONKEY— BARRIGUDOS 39 rarity, and has often been exhibited in our Zoological Gardens. Its range extends from Northern Brazil to Eastern Peru ; but it does not range to the south beyond the limits of the great Amazonian plains, its place there being taken by the White-whiskered Spider Monkey above mentioned. This is slightly smaller, and grey in colour below, with the face mostly black, but diversified by white on the surrounding fur. Altogether there are about a dozen species of these typical Spider Monkeys, with long straight fur and slender bodies ; they range from Peru northwards to Mexico, the species found there (Ateles vellerosus) being remarkable for its long coat, which is variable in colour, but usually black or brown above and cream-colour below. In South America these monkeys are known as Coaitas. In South-western Brazil is found a monkey of a peculiar type which connects the Spider Monkeys with the Woolly Monkeys or Barrigudos, next to be noticed. This Woolly Spider Monkey resembles the typical kind in its long limbs and tail, but has a stouter and heavier body, clothed with short dense woolly fur of a brown colour. There appears to be but the one species (Brachyteles arachnoides), but this is so variable in the development of the thumbs that two or three forms have been described ; sometimes it may have a small nailed thumb on both hands, sometimes only a wart, and sometimes this on one hand and the little thumb on the other ; or, as is usually the case, no thumb at all. This monkey is smaller than the typical Spider Monkeys, but seems to resemble them in general habits ; it is, however, a rare animal, and not much is known about it. THE BARRIGUDOS THE true Barrigudos or Woolly Monkeys (Lagothrix) are very peculiar- looking animals. Their limbs are of moderate length, with well- developed thumbs, and their tails fully prehensile; their heads are round, and their bodies heavy and bulky, showing a "corporation" which fully accounts for their Portuguese nickname of "Barrigudo" 40 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD — paunchy or big-bellied. Their fur is short, but very thick and close and of a woolly texture. Their range extends from Ecuador to Vene- zuela, but there are only two species, of which Humboldt's Barrigudo, or the Negro Monkey (Lagothrix humboldtt), is the best known. This is a large animal, much heavier than the Red-faced Spider-Monkey, and clothed in iron-grey fur, with the head and extremities black. It is not a very active animal, and lives on fruit, which it devours in great quantities, as might be expected from its corpulent appearance. Its portly carcase is in great request for food among the natives, by whom it is greatly persecuted in consequence. It is also frequently kept as a pet, in which condition it is found to be gentle and affectionate, while its very quaint appearance — its face being absurdly like that of a negro — is an additional recommendation. It has frequently been exhibited in our Zoological Gardens. BROWN CAPUCHINS By C. E. S w a a THE BROWN CAPUCHIN (Ccbus fat**llus) THE Brown Capuchin, being the species most commonly brought to Europe, is much the most familiar of the South American Monkeys, of which it may be said to exemplify the typical or average type. In size about as large as a cat, it is a well-proportioned animal, with limbs of moderate length and well-developed thumbs and great-toes, which cannot, however, be opposed to the other fingers, so that the hands, both fore and hind, are so far less perfect than those of the Old World Monkeys. The tail is prehensile, but has not the extreme sensitiveness and independence of action found in the Spider Monkey's, and, in con- formity with this less degree of delicacy, it is hairy all over, and shows no bald surface below at the tip. The coat, which is short, thick, and glossy, shows no sex difference in colour, but it is extremely variable in shade, some specimens being much lighter in colour than the typical hue shown in the picture, even ranging to a pale yellow. There is much variability, too, in the hair of the crown, some writers considering the so-called Horned Capuchin (Cebus apella), which has it rather long and parted in the centre so as to form two horn-like crests, as only a variety of this species, while the Smooth-headed Capuchin (C. monachus) is also very like the present species. In fact, although about sixteen kinds of Capuchins, ranging from Costa Rica in Central America southwards down to Paraguay, have been described, it is doubtful how many are really distinct, as they are so similar in general appearance and so variable in detail. One, however, which is that most frequently seen in captivity after the Brown Capuchin, appears to be really distinct, and certainly looks very different. This is the White-throated Capuchin (Cebus hypoleucus\ which is a smaller, slighter, and more delicately-formed animal, especi- 42 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD ally about the head. Its face is very naked, and of a flesh-colour just like human skin ; its neck and shoulders are straw-colour, contrasting with the dark hue of the rest of its body ; and on the crown is a patch of very short black fur, like a little cap. It is more gentle and delicate than the Brown species. The Capuchins are to America what the Guenons are to Africa, the common and characteristic monkeys of the country, found all over the forest regions, and often approaching and pilfering from the cultivations of men. They live in troops, which travel from tree to tree under the direction of leaders, springing from bough to bough and swinging themselves by their tails, the young being of course carried clinging to their mothers according to the usual monkey custom. They seldom come to the ground, and when there do not move so actively as the common monkeys of the Old World. In walking they place the flat of the whole hand on the ground, and do not support themselves on the fingers only. Some will make great leaps in the air, from one tree to another fifty feet below, their tails being of course of great assistance in righting themselves after such a leap. Their food, as with other monkeys, consists partly of fruit, and when they visit a plantation to steal, they will carry away all they can ; but they have a very strong propensity for animal food, devouring all sorts of insects, even the largest beetles, and harrying the nests of birds. Indeed, as in captivity they have been known to kill such large and powerful species as Macaws and Toucans, few of their feathered neigh- bours can be safe from their attacks. They have a great variety of notes, though not given to uttering loud cries, and their common expression is a kind of tittering or twitter- ing sound ; when pleased they smile in a very human manner. The intelligence of these monkeys is undoubtedly very great, as shown by their actions in captivity, and they need all of it to escape such foes as Jaguars, Eagles, and Boas, which they are liable to fall victims to in the forests. In many works will be found the statement that the Capuchins are the monkeys most commonly seen in captivity ; but, what- ever may have been the case some decades back, it is not so now, and THE BROWN CAPUCHIN 43 even the Brown species is a scarce animal compared with the ordinary Asiatic Macaques and African Guenons. It is also more delicate, though this may be partly due to the fact that people into whose hands it falls do not allow for its carnivorous propensities, so that it is kept on too low a diet. \Yith a great deal of the ordinary monkey malice and mischief, the Capuchin displays a great capacity for affection to people to whom it takes a fancy, and its great intelligence makes it about the most attrac- tive of all pets for people who like an interesting animal. A very excellent account of the ways of a tame Brown Capuchin is given by Romanes in his book "Animal Intelligence," he having borrowed a male of this species from the Zoological Gardens for the express purpose of study. A diary of the monkey's proceedings was kept by the late professor's sister, who had the chief charge of the creature, which, nevertheless, did not show any fondness for her, much preferring the lady's mother, an invalid. His tenderness with her was touching to witness; he was always happy when on her bed, and would let her take anything away from him, though in such a case he would often vent his dissatisfaction on any one else, especially if he were laughed at. If unable to bite people through being chained up, he would throw anything at them which he could manipulate, and, when he found that throwing things at their feet did not annoy them particularly, would climb up wherever he could and launch his missiles at their heads. He had a great idea of the use of tools, used a hammer quite naturally for breaking his nuts, and often tried to open the trunk in which they were kept with a key, while he would use a cane to drive away the dog with. When confined away from his chief friend, he was more amiable to his younger protectress, and would put pieces of his food into her hand, and submit to be robbed of his treasures. Towards Professor Romanes himself he exhibited the very greatest affection, rather un- accountably, as that gentleman had very little to do with him. This account of the intelligence of the Brown Capuchin is paralleled by Belt's remarks on the Nicaraguan kind which he kept tied up in his verandah. This monkey would bring otherwise inaccessible articles 44 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD within his reach by launching a swing, which hung near, in their direction ; and when there were young ducklings about he would lure them to their destruction by holding out a piece of bread to them with one hand, while keeping ready to seize them with the other. His notes were extremely varied, and one could tell, his master found, by the noise he was making, whether he was hungry or in the enjoyment of food, angry or frightened ; so that he could be said to have a language. On one occasion he was seen to be making off with a milk-jug, walk- ing on his hind-legs ; and when he saw he was found out in the theft, he put it down without spilling any, uttering an apologetic note which he always used on such occasions. From these accounts it would seem that the intelligence of the Capuchins cannot be much below that of the Chimpanzee and other higher apes; a sufficiently remarkable fact, as the American monkeys are always considered to be on a lower grade than those of the Old World. RED HOWLERS By Louit A. Sargent THE RED HOWLER (Mycetcs senicutus) ALTHOUGH not so familiar in its habits as the Capuchins, and but rarely seen in captivity, the Red Howler is perhaps the most generally familiar of the American monkeys, owing to its qualifications and propensity for making a noise in the world, and the consequent im- portance it has always assumed in the narratives of travellers, who sometimes allude to it, very incorrectly, as a " baboon." Although a large animal for one of the New World species, it does not equal the Spider Monkey in size, being more shortly and stoutly built. Its tail is thoroughly prehensile, being bald at the tip beneath, and it has normal thumbs on the hands. The face has a brutish expression, owing to the large development of the jaws at the expense of the brain-case, and the throat is swollen by the presence of a curious bony drum caused by an enlargement of the larynx, a structure which assists in the production of the remarkable voice of the monkey. To accommodate this organ the sides of the lower jaw are greatly expanded in depth, so that a Howler's skull is easily known from that of any other monkey. The red colour of the coat is common to both sexes, but there is a certain amount of individual variation in the extent of the yellow tinge. The Red Howler is widely spread over the northern portions of South America, living in large bands in the tops of the forest trees, under the leadership of a male, whose movements are followed by the rest of the troop with remarkable uniformity, "taking off" with a swing from their tails from the same branch as he has last vacated. The females carry their young on their backs, and the Indians accuse them of sometimes throwing their young down to facilitate their own escape when threatened by the hunters. Humboldt suggests that this is merely 46 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD accidental, and that the Indians, who do not admire the Howler's looks, and likewise object to its dismal vocalisations, carry their dis- like so far as to cast aspersions on its character, just as, one may remark, Europeans revile the donkey because its figure and voice do not appeal to them in comparison with those of the horse. At the same time, it may be remarked that native accounts of the habits of animals have a way of turning out to be correct, and it is possible that the Howler, whose character is morose and stupid, has really less affection for its young than monkeys generally. The voice of the Howler is extraordinarily powerful for the size of the animal, and its roars are so modulated that one would think that a number of animals were engaged, and that a terrible fight was being carried through from start to finish. Nevertheless, it would appear to be the case that the whole of the apparent concert can be the result of the efforts of one animal, generally an adult male. The howling is mostly to be heard before dawn and after sunset, and the creatures are also especially noisy before rain, like so many other animals. Whatever objections the Indians may have to the Howler in life, they keenly appreciate its flesh as food, and it is one of the most valued items on their game list. If killed, however, it does not come to hand at once, but hangs on to the tree even in death, and not till the muscles of the feet and tail relax does it drop from its perch aloft. As a pet the Howler is not in any estimation, being surly and showing no particular intelligence; neither does it usually live very long in captivity. Specimens of it have, however, occasionally been on view at our Zoological Gardens, as well as of the Brown Howler (Mycetes fuscus), which is black when young, and of the Black Howler (M. carayd). In the last species the adult males only are black, the females and young being straw-coloured. This is the most southerly in its range of the Howlers, being found as far south as Paraguay. The most northern species is the Guatemalan Howler (M. villosus), which is black at all ages in both sexes. This species is only found in small bands of about half-a-dozen, and is one of the very few American RED HOWLER— OUAKARIS— SAKIS 47 monkeys found in a cool climate, as it lives in the mountains of Chilasco at an elevation of 6000 feet, where the climate is cold and damp. There are only half-a-dozen species of Howlers altogether. Most of the other South American monkeys are little known, with the exception of the distinct family of the Marmosets, next to be noticed, but it is convenient here to pass them in review. THE OUAKARIS THE monkeys of this genus (Brachyurus) are of moderate size, but larger than the Capuchins, and they are remarkable among New World monkeys for their short tails, which are non-prehensile, and not half as long as the body. Unlike the short-tailed monkeys of the Old World, however, they display no tendency to come to the ground. They are fruit-eaters, gentle in disposition, and tender in constitution ; but all the three kinds have been exhibited in the Zoological Gardens. These are the Red Ouakari (Brachyurus rubuundus), which has a coat much like the Orang's and a bright red face; the Bald Ouakari (B. calvus), which has also a red face, but a white coat; and the Black-headed Ouakari (B. melanocephalus), which is black in the face and on most of its fur. They are all South American, and each inhabits a separate small area. THE SAKIS THE Sakis (Pitlitcia) are closely allied to the Ouakaris, but have long tails, which are very bushy and not prehensile Their whole coat is long and thick, and mainly black in colour; and they are well bearded, the most conspicuous in this respect being the Red-backed Saki (Pilhecia ckirofiotts), at any rate in the male sex, the female having no beard. The male is said to drink from its hands, for fear of wetting this appendage. It is a fierce, unsocial animal, and hard to tame, but has been exhibited at the Zoological Gardens, as have all the other S.ikis, four in number. The Hairy Saki (P. mottatkus) is said by Bates to be, although not a lively animal, remarkable for its affectionate disposition when tamed, at any rate to its owner. It is, however, vely delicate ; and none of the Sakis are common in captivity. All are found in South America only. 48 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD THE SQUIRREL MONKEYS THE common Squirrel Monkey (Chrysothrix sciurea) is frequently brought to Europe, and so is a quite familiar species. It is of a very different type from any of those previously mentioned, being a very small animal, not much larger than a squirrel, with a greyish-yellow coat of short close fur, and a black patch on its flesh-coloured face. The back part of the skull is much enlarged, as in man, and, indeed, the brain of this little monkey is larger in proportion than our own. The long tail is not prehensile. This monkey is highly insectivorous in its habits, and makes a most charming pet. It is widely spread in northern South America ; other species are found there, and some range to Central America, but there are only four or five in all. THE TEETEES THE Teetees or Whaiapu-Sais (Callithrix) are, like the Squirrel Monkeys, soft- furred animals, with non-prehensile tails ; but they are not quite so small, and less remarkable in the shape of their heads, which are small and rounded. They have a wide range over South America, and, being noisy and sociable, are con- spicuous in their own country ; but they are very uncommon in captivity here, although feeding in much the same way as the Squirrel Monkeys and Capuchins. There are about a dozen species, but not more than half the number have been exhibited at the Zoological Gardens. THE DOUROUCOULIS X THESE small monkeys {Nyctipithecus) bear a general resemblance to the last two groups, and are similarly not prehensile-tailed. They differ much, however, from all other monkeys, in their very large eyes and short inconspicuous ears, and in being nocturnal in habits. Their fur is grey and tan, and their faces curiously streaked with black and white. By day they sleep in little companies in hollow trees, and at night come out to feed on insects, small birds, and fruit ; at this time they also indulge in howls and caterwaulings. They are found in both Central and South America, but there are only five species, and none are common in captivity; but three of them have been exhibited by the Zoological Society, and the first live specimen of the group I ever saw I met with in Calcutta, a curious place in which to find a rare animal from South America. LION MARMOSET By Louit Sargent THE LION MARMOSET (Midas rosalia) THIS little Monkey, whose extreme beauty attracts the admiration of every one, whether in the ordinary way they like Monkeys or not, is not very much larger than an English Squirrel, and resembles that animal in having the feet in the form of "paws," furnished with sharp curved claws, and with the thumb and great toe not opposable, so that they do not in the least resemble the hands — fore and hind— of ordinary monkeys, except with regard to the great toe — really small in this animal — which has the nail usual in monkeys. There are no seat-pads or cheek-pouches, and the teeth are only thirty-two in number. This is the same as that found in the Old World monkeys, but the arrangement is not quite identical, these animals having two pre-molars and three molars on each side of each jaw, whereas in the Marmosets the reverse is the case. The tail in the Lion Marmoset is long and inclined to be bushy, but is not prehensile. The ordinary name of the animal is derived from the long mane which surrounds its quaint little face, but it is also known as the Silky Tamarin, owing to the glossy texture of its fur. The beautiful colour of the coat is common to both sexes, but varies a good deal individually, some being much more brilliant than others. I have seen one specimen which was quite orange all over, though as a rule the darker shade is confined to the under-parts. The present species is one of the most widely-ranging of the Marmosets, being found from the Isthmus of Panama to South-eastern Brazil and New Granada. It is a forest animal, and keeps to the tops of the highest trees, where it lives in small troops. Its food consists of fruit, insects, and such small birdu as it can capture. As, in captivity, it likes to have a box to retire into, it presumably sleeps 50 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD in hollows in trees. Its cry is a rather bird-like twitter. It is not very commonly seen in confinement, but it makes a most charming pet, its chief drawback being that it is so very shy and difficult to tame, although it is said to be very intelligent. As a general rule it has been the custom to treat these as animals requiring much warmth, but lately that well-known amateur, Mrs. Johnstone, who has been particularly successful with rare and re- markable birds, such as Birds of Paradise, has recorded that she keeps these little Monkeys with great success in a place like an aviary, with a warmed indoor compartment, and a netted outdoor one, to which they have access at will during the day. The animals here are in beautiful condition and full coat, but their home is situated in the south of England and has a southerly exposure. Wherever such creatures are kept, it is important to bear in mind that they are to a great extent animal feeders, and to treat them accordingly. The Lion Marmoset has bred in captivity, but I do not know of any case in which the young have been reared successfully as yet. They are two in number, this being the rule among Marmosets, and forming one of the distinctions between them and the higher Monkeys. The present species is about the largest of the Marmoset group, which, as a rule, do not exceed our Squirrel in size, and are sometimes even smaller, as in the case of the Pigmy Marmoset (Hapale pygmcea), which is not so big as a Rat, and is thus the smallest monkey known. It has also the widest range of all the American monkeys, ranging from Brazil up into Mexico, whereas most of the Marmosets, about a score in number, are found in Central and Southern America. The Pigmy is a soberly-coloured little creature, being simply light-brown, with the tail ringed with black — the latter a common marking among Marmosets, though never found in any other Monkeys. In general form, appearance, and habits, the Marmosets are very similar, being all small animals with squirrel-like paws, and often very squirrel-like actions, for in most cases they prefer to run along and round the large branches and trunks instead of climbing about in the THE LION MARMOSET 51 ordinary monkey fashion. Those of them which are known as Mar- mosets proper (Hapale), as opposed to Tamarins (Midas), are char- acterised by their long and protruding incisor teeth, and by the lower canines not being longer than the incisors, but the distinction is not of much importance, and some Tamarins are commonly called Mar- mosets. The Lion " Marmoset," for instance, is a " Tamarin." The commonest of them in captivity are the Brazilian White-eared and Black-eared Marmosets (Hapale jacchus and H. penicillata\ which are of a sort of tabby-grey colour, with long tufts in front of the ears, white in the former and black in the latter species. There is also a white spot on the forehead. These miniature Monkeys are very freely imported, but it is to be feared that their lives in captivity are too often shortened by their being treated too exclusively as fruit-eaters, whereas, as above remarked, they need plenty of animal food, and no doubt if this were duly supplied, they would not be found to be so delicate as is commonly supposed. Young of the common Marmoset have been successfully reared, and it has been noticed that the male takes his turn at carrying them as well as the female. Indeed, the gentle, affectionate nature of these little things is one of their greatest charms, and they do not display the ill-conditioned spitefulness of ordinary Monkeys, though they will bite sharply enough on occasion. The Pinchd (Midas adipus) is a fairly common Marmoset, remark- able for its crest of long snow-white hair ; the under-parts are also white, and the upper surface brown. The Red-handed Tamarin (Midas rufimanus) is black, with tan- coloured paws; and the Black Tamarin (M. ursulus), has black paws. All these three are fairly familiar in captivity, though, like the Lion Marmoset, very scarce indeed compared to the ordinary grey kinds. Several rarer ones have, however, been exhibited at the Zoological Gardens, including the Pigmy Marmoset above mentioned. The rest are the Golden-headed Marmoset (Midas chrysomelas}, which is very like the Lion Marmoset, only black instead of golden-yellow, except on the head and paws. Very possibly this was the original form, and the 52 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD yellow animal is a variety which has become a permanent race, begin- ning as a sport, like the yellow variety of the common Rhesus Monkey. Geoffrey's Marmoset (Midas geoffroyt] of Panama is somewhat like the Pinche', but has merely a white spot on top of the head, not a long bushy crest ; and the Moustached Tamarin (M. mystax) is much like the Black Tamarin, but has white fur on the lips. Then there are two beautiful white species, the Silky and the Black-tailed Marmosets (Hapale chrysoleucus and H, melanura), the latter with a black tail, and the former with a brown one ; these beautiful little things almost rival the Lion Marmoset in beauty, but have not its ornamental mane. The most remarkable of all the Marmosets has, however, never been exhibited here, and has, indeed, only been described in 1907. This is the Emperor Marmoset (Midas imperator), in which the male is decorated with a long white moustache, fiercely curled at the ends, which gives him a most absurd appearance, especially as the Marmosets are, except for their pretty little faces, much less human in appearance than any other of the Monkey tribe. THE RUFFED LEMUR (Lemur varius) THIS beautiful animal is the largest of the typical Lemurs, and is exceeded in size by but few species in the family to which it belongs ; it about equals a terrier in dimensions. In the face it presents no human semblance whatsoever, the long muzzle being much like that of a fox, and the play of feature, so usual in monkeys, being quite absent. The teeth are remarkable for the forward projection and narrowness of the incisors of the lower jaw, and for the fact that the canines are very similar and lie on each side of them, though there is an erect tusk-like tooth in this jaw, in the form of the first grinder, which is sharp and pointed. In the upper jaw the canines have the usual tusk- like form and downward direction. The paws, however, are more like human hands than those of many monkeys, the thumb being large and well developed ; the feet are similar in structure, with a large opposable great toe ; all the fingers and toes have flat nails, except the second toe, which has a sharp curved claw, with which the animal scratches itself. The limbs are also particularly human in that the fore are distinctly shorter than the hind ; this renders the Lemur's gait on all fours less agile than a monkey's, especially as it places the whole palm on the ground as well as the sole ; on the trees, however, it bounds about with great agility. The tail is often carried raised and curved, so as to look like a note of interrogation ; when the beast is at rest it wraps its tail round its body. The habits of the typical Lemurs are very similar ; they are nearly all tree-animals, and they live upon much the same food as most monkeys — leaves, fruit, and any small creatures they can capture. They are sociable in habits, and are said to be very noisy, the Ruffed species in particular giving vent to harsh roars, chiefly in the morning and even- ing ; they are not, however, nocturnal, unlike most of the Lemur tribe. 54 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD The young Lemur or Lemurs — for there are often twins — are carried by the mother for some time, like a young monkey, but not quite in the same way. The little monkey clings lengthways to its mother's chest, while the infant Lemur lies across her stomach, passing its long tail round her waist behind and wrapping the end round its own neck, thus fairly tying itself to her. When older it often rides on her back, as monkeys do under similar circumstances. The Ruffed Lemur is remarkable among its relatives not only for its size, but for the length of its fur, and its remarkable variety of colouring, in which it is not exceeded by any animal, and equalled only by few. The types usually seen are the black-and-white and the red ; the latter, however, always has some black on the face and limbs and some white on the back of the neck. Intermediate speci- mens between these types also occur. This species is found in the north-east of Madagascar ; it is not so common in captivity as some of the smaller kinds, and in confine- ment does not seem so lively, nor does it breed in that condition. Its relations are more readily reconciled to captive life, and some of them breed more freely than any of the monkeys, especially the Black Lemurs (Lemur macaco). In this the male only is black, the female being brown with white whiskers ; and he is black from birth, unlike many animals in which this colour is confined to the male sex. The note of this animal is a grunt. A very commonly imported Lemur is the Ring-tailed species (Lemur cat fa}. This is very distinct in appearance and habits. In size it is about equal to a Cat, and its fur is short and close, and very constant in colour, which is the same in both sexes. The general hue is silver-grey, with the face and feet white and a black patch round each eye; the tail is white, with numerous rings of black. This very beautiful animal comes from the Betsileo district of Madagascar, and, unlike all other Lemurine animals, is usually found away from trees, frequenting rocks, which it traverses with great agility. All the typical Lemurs are confined to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. THE SIFAKAS— THE GALAGOS 55 THE SIFAKAS THE Sifakas (Propit foots), of which there are three species, all very variable in colour, and all confined to Madagascar, resemble the true Lemurs in general form and size, but have shorter muzzles, more like a Cat's than a Fox's. They are tree animals for the most part, but when they come to the ground do not go on all fours, but jump along on their hind feet They are more purely vegetarian than any others of the Lemur family, and are very delicate in captivity. Only one kind, the Diademed Sifaka (P. diadema) has been exhibited at Regent's Park, and this quite recently ; it only lived a few days. The Avahi (AvaJtis laniger), a closely allied animal of small size and brown colour, has, however, been several times in that collection. Another relative of the Sifakas is the Endrina or Babakoto (fndris brr.'ifaudaius), the largest of all Lemurs, and remarkable in having but a rudi- mentary stump of a tail. It is pied like the Ruffed Lemur, but is also a very variable animal. It is well known in Madagascar from the dismal howls it con- stantly utters, and is reverenced by the natives, but seems never to have been brought to Europe alive. THE MOUSE LEMURS THE Mouse Lemurs (Chirogak), Dwarf Lemurs (Aficrocelms), and Fat-tailed Lemurs (Opolemur) are all Madagascar animals of small size and nocturnal habits. Several sleep during the dry season, having previously got very fat, especially about the root of the tail. They are usually about as big as Rats, and are inhabitants of the tree-tops, where they build nests and feed on fruit and insects ; they are marvellously active, jumping about as quickly as birds. In colour they are brown or grey. THE GALAGOS THE Galagos (Galago) are the only large group of Lemurs found outside Mada- gascar; they are confined to Africa, but widely spread there. They vary in size from that of a Cat to that of a Rat, and have soft grey or brown fur, long bushy tails, and large eyes. Their ears, however, are their most remarkable peculiarity, being capable of folding up till ihey are hardly noticeable, although usually large and conspicuous ; in this point the Galagos are unique among beasts. They are nocturnal and extremely active, bounding for yards on their hind feet They have a strong appetite for animal food, and do well in captivity, so that some are gener- ally on view in Zoological collections. 56 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD THE SLOW LEMURS THE few species of this group are also found outside Madagascar ; the Potto and Awantibo (Perodicticus potto and P. calabarensis) in West Africa, and the Slow Loris (Nycticebus tardigradus) in Eastern Asia. They are slow-moving, omnivo- rous, nocturnal animals, about as big as Guinea-pigs, and much like miniature Bears in shape ; the Slow Loris has no tail, and the other two very short ones. In these African forms, too, the forefinger is reduced to a mere stump. The Slender Loris (Loris gracilis) of South India and Ceylon, is a little tailless creature about as big as a Rat, with huge eyes and peculiarly slender limbs, painfully like those of a human being when wasted by disease or privation. All have been frequently kept in captivity. Two Lemur-like animals, the Tarsier and the Aye-aye, are so distinct from all the rest, that each is put in a family of its own. THE TARSIER THIS extraordinary little animal (Tarsius spectrum) is found in the East Indies from Sumatra to the Philippines, and is nocturnal and insectivorous. It is barely as big as a Rat, with large eyes and ears and a small pointed snout. Its tail is long and bare, though tufted at the end, and its body-fur thick. The feet are peculiarly long from hock to toes, and the tips of these and the fingers are expanded as in Tree-frogs ; like these creatures, also, the Tarsier hops about the trees by means of its powerful hind-legs. It seems never to have been brought to Europe alive. THE AYE-AYE THE Aye-aye (Chiromys madagascariensis) is the most remarkable in appearance of all its tribe, and would certainly not be taken for a Lemur at first sight. It is as big as a Cat, dark-brown in colour, with a long bushy tail, and all its fingers and toes are clawed, except the great toe, which has a nail. The middle finger of the hand is as thin as a wire, and the creature uses this to clean itself with, and also for a pick and probe in seeking wood-boring grubs. It gnaws down to the tunnels of these with its powerful teeth, which are just like those of rodents, the incisors being only two in each jaw, enamel-faced and continually growing, while, as in rodents, there are no canines. The first set of teeth, however, are more like those of other Lemurs. Besides insects, the Aye-aye feeds on fruit It is a nocturnal animal, regarded with superstitious fear by the inhabitants of Madagascar, where alone it is found ; but nevertheless a good many specimens have reached Europe, especially of late years, and several have been exhibited in the London Zoological Gardens, where the habits of this strange creature were carefully studied by the late Mr. A. Bartlett. THE LION (Fclis Ico) THE Lion is the acknowledged king, not only of the Cat family and the order of carnivora, but of the beasts at large, and it cannot be denied that he deserves his position on account of his imposing presence and the thunderous majesty of his voice. The mane, the special insignia of the feline monarch, is, however, as every one knows, absent in his consort, and is not developed in the young male before his third year; while it varies much in colour and development, like the beard in man, being mostly black in some speci- mens and all yellow in others, while it may be absent altogether. The variation is purely individual, for a lion with a fine long black mane may be own brother to an animal with a scanty yellow one. The colour of the coat is also rather variable, some specimens having more of the reddish or yellowish tinge, and others being rather greyer ; but extreme variations, like black and white, seem to be unknown in the Lion. The form and expression of the face are also noticeably different in different specimens, some having a much nobler aspect than others. The black tuft at the end of the tail is a most constant point ; it often conceals a short claw-like horny appendage, which used in ancient times to be considered the instrument by which the animal goaded himself into frenzy when enraged. As a matter of fact, it is too small to be of any importance, and a similar tail-claw is found in such mild creatures as some of the smaller Kangaroos or Wallabies. Lion cubs, which are born, unlike kittens, with their eyes open, are closely but indistinctly spotted, and traces of this marking often last throughout life on the legs and under-parts of some specimens, especially Lionesses. The pupil of the eye in the Lion, as in all the great Cats, is always circular, not contracting slit-wise as in the common Cat. In 58 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD all essential details of structure, however, the King of Beasts agrees with this familiar creature, as he does also in most of his habits and attitudes. In connection with this, it may be mentioned that while the Lion often, like the Cat, tucks in his fore-paws when lying down, he often also extends them in front like a Dog, and thus any adverse criticism of sculptured lions represented in this, undoubtedly the most majestic, position, is quite misplaced. The Lion differs from most Cats in not climbing trees, though it is possible that young and light individuals might not find this feat impracticable. Although characteristically an African animal, the Lion also ranges through Western Asia into North-west India, where a few specimens linger in the Gir Forest in Kattywar. The idea that the Indian Lion is maneless is, by the way, quite an erroneous one. The range of the Lion has been contracting during all the time which the animal has been under human observation — and few wild creatures can have been observed more thoroughly. In Herodotus' time, between 400 and 500 B.C., Lions inhabited Europe, being found in Thrace, but by the beginning of the Christian era they had disappeared. There is evidence that they once ranged into Central India, and in Africa, their main home, they have now become much reduced in numbers both in the north and south of the continent. They are naturally absent from the damp dark forests of the equatorial region, for the Lion is generally an animal of open dry country, although he likes cover, such as reeds, bushes, or long grass. Like most Cats, he is nocturnal, and is bold and dangerous by night, though little to be feared by day. He captures his prey by surprise, and, seizing it with his powerful claws, kills it by a bite or two on the neck or head. Sometimes the death-stroke may, indeed, be dealt with the paw, as there is a case on record of a man having been killed inside a tent by a lion which thrust in its fore-leg for the purpose, and then noiselessly hooked out his victim. Human beings, however, are not the normal prey of the Lion, which generally feeds on large wild animals, such as the larger Antelopes and Zebras, or on domestic cattle. When the animal does take to man-eating, he is a terrible scourge, and is apparently THE LION 59 worse than the Tiger, displaying greater boldness. The case of the two man-eaters of Tsavo, in East Africa, who devoured more than a score of human beings before being themselves accounted for, is fresh in the memory, and has been the subject of a most interesting work. It is therefore obvious that the terrors of the Lion have not been exaggerated by early writers, but that where he has come into contact with well-armed and resolute natives or with Europeans, his courage has naturally suffered by the elimination of the fiercer individuals, a result certain to occur with all such dangerous animals. The Lion, in spite of the ancient ideas about his magnanimity, is quite willing to sink his dignity and eat dead and even putrid meat, if he finds a convenient carcase; the Zebra is said to be his favourite food. His own kill he often conceals, and watches it to keep off carrion-animals. In feeding, he begins by disembowelling the prey and burying its entrails ; he then eats the internal organs and the flesh from the hind-quarters. He hunts for his Lioness, to whom he is much attached, when they have a family, and indeed is a remark- ably sociable animal, unlike most wild animals of this family; troops of as many as a dozen or even a score of Lions have been seen. When these roar in concert, the effect is indescribably grand, if rather terrifying; and when an animal is attacked by several Lions at once, its end is very painful, as all fall upon it without system, and mangle it terribly. The male animals naturally often fight for a mate, and in such a case the Lioness, as appears usually to happen with her sex among animals, calmly awaits the victory of the strongest. She has usually two or three cubs at a birth, and goes with young only four months. Many cubs appear to die during the period of teething, the males especially. Otherwise there are few causes for Lion mortality; some, however, must perish from conflicts with each other, and others meet death on the horns of some of their more formidable prey, such as the Oryx Antelopes, while they are said to fear the Spotted Hunting- dog (Lycaon pictus) so much that an imitation of its cry will keep them at a distance. Old Lions have been found living on Mice and 60 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Rats, and even devouring grass to stay their hunger, so that the end of the King of Beasts, if it comes naturally, must be a sad one. In captivity the Lion thrives well, and breeds freely; in fact, if the beast were sufficiently in demand, it would have been domesticated by this time, and as it is, many of the finest specimens shown in menageries have been tame-bred. Such an one was Hannibal II. of the Clifton Zoological Gardens, a magnificent black-maned animal, and certainly the finest Lion I ever saw. Captive Lions in Europe, at any rate, grow finer manes than wild ones, and also assume a fringe of long hair along the under-parts, whereas the wild animal has only a bunch behind the arm-pit. Many accounts show that the Lion in captivity is susceptible of much attachment, and has a better disposition than most of the Cats, though of course it is unwise to rely too much on such an animal ; and the sad fate which overtakes so many of the "tamers" is notorious, though the nature of their exhibitions is certainly such as to afford some excuse for the unfortunate animals compelled to take part in them. By TIGER C. E . S w a o THE TIGER (Ft/is tigris) THE Tiger is not only the most brilliantly coloured of the Cats, but the largest and most powerful; for he is more evenly developed than the Lion, whose hind-quarters are less massive than his fore-parts, and he also attains to a larger size and greater weight. A fine Tiger measures about ten feet in total length, and few exceed this measurement The Tigress is very similar to her mate in general appearance, but is rather smaller and less stoutly built, especially about the head, and she lacks the long hair which forms the whiskers at the side of the face in the old male. Young cubs are striped just like their parents, so that stripes form the characteristic livery of the beast under all circumstances. There is, however, much individual variation in the development of these markings; it would hardly be an exaggeration to say that the fine animal in the illustration — the best Indian male in the London Zoological Gardens at the time — has twice as many stripes as either of two Nepal specimens also in the collection. In some Tigers, too, the individual stripes are to a great extent double, and the variation in details of pattern is almost endless. Extreme varieties, however, are rare in the Tiger; a black one has once been seen, but though it was found dead its skin was not pre- served. White specimens sometimes occur, and I have myself seen two skins of such ; one, which was exhibited some years ago at a scientific meeting of our Zoological Society, showed the characteristic stripes in a pale fawn tint, while the other, which was fished, for my inspection, out of the pickling-tub in which it was being cured, in Calcutta, appeared to have no stripes at all on the hair, though they were to be seen on the underlying skin ; much like the dark spots so common on the under-parts of white Dogs. 62 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Tigers inhabiting climates with a cold winter assume a thick long coat at that time of year; this fur is, however, less brilliant in colour, and naturally does not show the stripes so well. In summer, judging from the Zoological Society's pair, the Siberian Tiger is indistinguishable from the Indian animal. The fact that Tigers inhabit Siberia at all comes as a surprise to most people; but as a matter of fact the Tiger is essentially Asiatic, not merely Indian. He is found in the West on the southern shores of the Caspian, the ancient Hyrcania, and he extends through Persia and Central Asia, India and Burma, up to Saghalien in one direction and Java in the other, so that he must be able to bear great ex- tremes of climate. In India his distribution is curious ; he has never reached Ceylon, and he does not range high up in the Himalayas, in spite of his power of enduring cold. He has no aversion to wet low- lying localities, and, indeed, is never found far away from any water. He wallows in hot weather, and will swim long distances. As ancient classical literature chiefly knows the Tiger as a Hyrcanian animal, and in consideration of the evidence afforded by the beast's distribution to-day, it would seem that he is a comparatively recent immigrant into India, or at any rate that he was formerly far less common there. The recession of the Lion in that country may have been caused by the invasion of this rival, for the two animals would certainly not live in peace side by side. One often reads of "Tigers" in Africa and America; but in this case the name is wrongly applied. In South Africa the Leopard is commonly called Tiger, while the Tiger of America is really the Jaguar. The Tiger is, though it hardly ever climbs trees, a forest animal, and, like most Cats, nocturnal in habit and generally solitary, though a pair may be found together, or a Tigress with cubs. His food, like that of the Lion, consists of large animals as a rule, but in case of need he will devour almost anything living, down to frogs and locusts, and has no aversion to making a meal of carrion. Like the Lion, he attacks the neck of his prey, and begins his meal on the carcase at the hind-quarters. In the ordinary way he does not HIE TIGER 63 attack man, and is not feared by the forest-living primitive tribes of India ; but, as is well known, Tigers often take to man-eating, and such an animal becomes a terrible scourge. The ordinary game-killing Tiger is not only harmless, but a beneficial animal, as the Deer, wild Pigs, Nilghai, &c., on which he preys, are very destructive to the crops of the native farmers. But when he takes to feeding on cattle he becomes a great nuisance himself, and is always liable to end as a man-eater, owing to the likelihood of collisions with the aggrieved owners of his prey. There is, however, a case, recorded by Sanderson, of a notorious cattle-killer which haunted a district for twenty years, and during that time only killed one man ; this un- fortunate individual had got in the tiger's way during a beat, and it was generally felt that his death was due to misadventure rather than malignity on the part of the animal. The amount which such an animal may cost a district may, however, be estimated when one considers that a Tiger will kill two Bullocks a week, and naturally does not choose the worst. Exceptionally, a young Elephant may fall a prey to the tiger, and there is even a case known in which an adult was killed by the great Cat, though it did not die at the time, but some days afterwards, having been terribly lacerated along the back-bone. One original Tiger has even been known to specialise as a Bear-eater, and cases of Tiger cannibalism have occurred ; indeed, the Tiger is not a " family man," like the Lion, and cannot be trusted with his own cubs. He is not only much less sociable than the Lion, but also much less noisy, though his roar, when heard, can hardly be distinguished from that of his rival. The Tiger is a very esteemed sporting animal in India, and, except in the case of a man-eater, any unsportsmanlike method of destroying it is indignantly scouted by Europeans. It has, indeed, been suggested that the rewards now paid by the Government for the destruction of Tigers should be done away with, except, of course, for man-eaters. Tigers are seldom pursued on foot, as Lions are in Africa; the sportsman more usually rides on an Elephant, or sits upon a platform or " machan " constructed in a tree near the animal's 64 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD last victim, or a live bait — usually a Bullock or young Buffalo — tied up to entice it, and waits for a chance of a shot. The skin, as every one knows, is a valued fur for rugs, but is not nearly so expensive as the Lion's, except in the case of the heavily- furred Siberian skins. The Tiger has long been a familiar exhibit in menageries, but is scarcer and more expensive than the Lion. In my time, a good adult Tiger was worth between ^£30 and ^40 even in Calcutta. This is due to the fact that the Tiger does not breed at all freely in captivity, even in its own country, so that the supply has to be obtained by capturing the wild animals, preferably when young. The Tiger has, however, on more than one occasion produced hybrids with the Lion in menageries ; these animals are large and fine, but inferior in beauty to the parent species, the males having but a short mane, and the coat being but scantily striped. The captive Tiger, though to some extent amenable to kindness, is less reliable than the Lion in its temper, though not so treacherous as the Leopard. LEOPARDS AND SPOTTED By Louis Sargcnl D K F. R THE LEOPARD (Ff /is fart/us) THE Leopard is the third largest of the Old World Cats, but it is a remarkably variable animal, so that it was long believed, and probably is still by many people, that the big spotted Cats, at any rate in India, belonged to two species, the Leopard and the Panther. It is now pretty well established, however, that "Panther" is only a courtesy title applied to a big finely-developed Leopard, approaching a Tigress in build, and nearly equalling a small one in size, such animals being naturally more inclined to attack large prey than the smaller and more cat-like individuals which are the typical Leopards. A big " Panther " will measure eight feet from nose to tail-tip, whereas a small " Leopard " may be as much as a yard less in length. In addition to showing such great differences in size, Leopards show much variety in colour, though their proverbial inability to change their spots still holds good as a rule. Thus, I have seen a skin in which the black colour of the spots was replaced by fawn, and the well-known Black Leopards owe their colour to a darkening of the ground-tint, on which the spots can still be seen in certain lights. These Black Leopards are not uncommon in certain localities, especially in the Malay Peninsula ; they are mere "freaks," as one may occur in the same litter as a spotted one, but a pair of Black Leopards in captivity will produce black cubs. The Leopard has much the widest range of any Old World Cat, being found over Africa generally, including the heavy forests of the west, where the Lion does not venture, and over a large part of Asia also, from Manchuria to Ceylon (where it is called the Cheetah), and from Asia Minor to Sumatra. It ascends the Himalayas to a much greater height than the Tiger. Leopards from colder climates, at any 66 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD rate the West Asiatic race, have paler colouring and thicker fur than the tropical type, thus somewhat approaching the Ounce; and African Leopards have smaller and closer spots than Asiatic ones, many more of the spots being solid instead of rosette-like. Black Leopards are very rare in Africa, and when they occur seem to owe their hue to the confluence of the spots rather than the darkening of the ground- colour. The wide distribution of the Leopard can easily be explained by his great adaptability; for he can exist and pick up a living where a Lion or Tiger would starve, and can and does live alongside these beasts. He frequents either rocks or forest, and is a fine climber, like an ordinary Cat; his variegated coat is well adapted for concealment in the woods, and at a distance, when seen in the open, is not more conspicuous than the Lion's is, as it then appears uniform ; he is in- different to water, and can do without it for days. As to food, no creature, from small birds to Bullocks, is safe from him ; he is a deadly enemy of the monkey tribe, and has a peculiar fancy for the flesh of Dogs, which he will venture to steal even from a verandah, for he is a much bolder animal than the Tiger. This attribute makes him far more terrible when he takes to killing human beings, which occasion- ally happens; indeed, almost the worst man-eater on record was the celebrated Leopard of Seeonee in India, which killed a couple of hundred people before it was brought to book itself. It may be mentioned here that the name " Panther," which is of genuine classical Greek derivation, means "the hunter of everything," and shows that the ancients were well acquainted with this audacious plunderer. Being much commoner than the Tiger, and, owing to his cunning and versatility, remarkably difficult to circumvent by sports- men, the Leopard, in India at all events, is regarded more as vermin than as a game animal. He is generally solitary in habits, and has a most peculiar call, very like the sound produced by cutting wood with a coarse saw. In eating his prey, it is observed that a Leopard begins, unlike the Lion and Tiger, at the fore instead of the hind quarter, and by this THE LEOPARD 67 his " kill " may be easily identified. He often prudently takes the remains of a partly eaten carcase up a tree, and thus is less likely to be robbed of food than are the Lion and Tiger. Leopard cubs are not so distinctly spotted as the old animals ; they are often taken and reared, but as pets they are very objectionable, being peculiarly treacherous and dangerous as a rule. The animal is, of course, a well-known exhibit in Zoological Gardens; it breeds fairly well in captivity, and is so easily procured in India that in my time an adult specimen was not worth more than three or four pounds in Calcutta. The Black variety is, of course, always comparatively scarce and expensive, and it is a curious fact that individuals oC this colour almost invariably show a more savage temper than the spotted ones. Of several specimens I have seen, all bore out this commonly received opinion except perhaps one ; but this I only saw once. That different colours accompany differences of disposition and con- stitution is well known to every one who has to do with Horses, and it would be interesting if this correlation were to be worked out in connection with all animals which present well-marked colour variations. The greater ferocity of the Black Leopard may account for its com- parative scarcity, since an undue degree of this quality in any animal is liable to lead it into conflicts which may prove fatal, even in the case of such a powerful and active creature as is the Leopard. An interesting exception to the general untrustworthiness of the captive Leopard's disposition was furnished by a West African individual kept many years ago at Coomassie, which was allowed to go about loose, and even to associate with children, along with whom he would stand looking out of a window. It is even recorded that on one occasion his playfellows pulled him down by the tail, as he was in their way, so that he must have been as gentle as large dogs so often are in juvenile company. This very amiable animal, however, did not long survive after arrival in England, and it is possible that his disposition might have become less pleasant when he grew older. 68 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD A reward is paid by the Indian Government for the destruction of Leopards, and as the skin is also in demand for rugs, &c., there is considerable inducement for the destruction of the animal on the part of native huntsmen, who kill more of these animals than are brought to book by Europeans. THE PUMA (Fc/is contotor) THE Puma, the only other large self-coloured Cat besides the Lion, usurps the name of that animal in many parts of America, to which continent, like the Jaguar, it is restricted. It is an animal of many aliases, being sometimes known — in North America at any rate— as the Cougar, and more frequently as the "Painter," a corruption of " Panther." Although, of course, quite a distinct animal from the Panther or Leopard, it is better compared with that animal than with the Lion, which it only resembles in colour, whereas in size, form, and general habits its resemblance to the Leopard is very great. The average length of the Puma is that of an ordinary-sized Leopard, but there appears to be at least one individual on record as big as a Lioness. On the whole, however, Pumas do not vary in size so much as Leopards do, nor are they so diversified in colour. Their range of colour-variation is much like that of the Lion, some individuals being redder and others greyer, while absolutely black and white varieties seem to be unknown. In Patagonia the Pumas are particularly grey, though a reddish variety, with a shorter tail, is also found there. There is no sex-difference in Pumas, but the young cubs are very unlike the old animals, being strongly spotted with black, and having black rings on the tail — which seems to point to the fact that the Puma was once a spotted animal in a previous stage of its evolution. The Puma has such a wide range in the New World that it may well be considered the characteristic beast of that continent, for it ranges from Canada in the north right down to the extremity of South America. It is not at all particular about climate or situation, living on mountain- tops near the snow-line, in forests, or on open plains; it is an active climber among either trees or rocks, and will make its lair in a cave or a swamp, or under the giant grasses of the Pampas. On the whole, 70 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD though a much more widely-ranging animal than the Jaguar, it is perhaps less attached to forests and water-side haunts than that animal. It preys on a great variety of creatures, attacking, like the Leopard, anything it is quick enough to capture and powerful enough to kill, and even adult Horses do not always escape it, though it is more particularly destructive to colts, as well as to calves. It is a deadly foe of the Rhea, or American "Ostrich," and of the Guanaco or wild Llama, while that curious social burrowing rodent, the Vizcacha, is keenly hunted by it. When attacking domestic animals, it gives the preference to Horses, at any rate when young, but in default of horse- flesh, it can very well put up with mutton. To the unfortunate Sheep it is a most deadly foe, for it is a bloodthirsty creature, and, if it can get access to a fold, will think nothing of killing half-a-hundred sheep in a night. In North America it is a merciless enemy of the Deer, and even its own relative, the Lynx, falls a victim to it at times. It is also reported to be on bad terms with the Jaguar, which is some- times found in the same localities, and, what is much more remark- able, to get the better of that animal in the fights which naturally ensue. It is true that the Jaguar is much stronger and heavier, but the Puma has the advantage in lightness and agility, and by virtue of these qualities it is said also to grievously annoy the huge Grizzly Bear in the northern parts of its home. With all these awe-inspiring attributes, it is curious that the Puma should be a kittenish and playful creature, always ready for a game, and that it is hardly to be regarded as a serious foe to man. A regular man-eater seems to be an unknown creature among Pumas, nor are they nearly so dangerous when brought to bay as Leopards are, though there are not wanting instances of men being injured by them with or without provocation. They will also follow people in a way which is, to say the least of it, uncomfortable, though Mr. W. H. Hudson regards this interest as merely friendly curiosity, and states that the Gauchos consider the Puma as man's only friend among the wild animals. He even cites instances in which a Puma has not only refrained from attacking human beings whom circumstances had placed THE PUMA 71 in its power, but even defended them against other wild animals. The fact that the Puma in captivity is undoubtedly less dangerous and more tractable than almost any other large Cat, goes a good way towards substantiating these ideas as to its natural disposition towards humanity, with whom it may have some instinctive inclination to friendship, such as, in the Dog, has made the latter animal domestic- able. A similar case would be the natural attachment which that curious little animal, the South African Meerkat (Suricata tetradactyla) shows, when tamed, to the Dog itself. In spite of this amiability — or at any rate comparative inoffensiveness — towards man's person, the Puma is, by its inroads on his live-stock, one of the most noxious animals he has to deal with, and is consequently persecuted by him wherever it is found. In consequence of this, it has been exterminated in all anciently settled districts, and is now rare over most of the United States, for instance. In compensation it supplies a useful skin, which is employed by the Patagonian Indians for their mantles and boots, though for the latter the hind-leg of a large specimen only will serve. These people also eat and appreciate the flesh of the Puma, which is generally pretty fat even in spring, when Guanacos and Rheas are lean. Captain Musters, living with the Indians and faring as they did, as described in his very inte- resting book "At Home in Patagonia," says that Puma "goes better" boiled than roasted, and that it tastes like pork. Compared with the Lion and Leopard, the Puma, like the Tiger, is a remarkably silent animal ; in the breeding season, however, it expresses its feelings in a kind of magnified caterwauling, and tame well-disposed specimens in captivity purr like cats. The Puma does well in this condition, and sometimes breeds, having one or two cubs in a litter, though in a wild state twice as many are produced. It is not, however, so commonly kept as the Leopard, being a less attractive exhibit; indeed, our leading dealer in India, the late W. Rutledge, once told me that the native rajahs — formerly great amateurs of animals — did not care about it, regarding it as "only a Cat." As might be expected, it stands the climate of Bengal as well as that of England. 72 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Its remarkable inoffensiveness, compared with that of most other large Cats, has been alluded to, and is especially shown by the fact that specimens have been allowed to go about outdoors among people ; but the Puma does not hold with the proverb " Love me, love my dog," and is generally roused to fury at the sight of this hated animal. That caged Pumas should not always be amiable is not surprising, seeing that Dogs themselves notoriously become surly if tied up too much, so that there seems good reason for regarding the Puma as being as much unlike the Leopard in nature as it is in colour of coat. OUNCE By C. IL. Swan THE OUNCE (Ft/is undo) THE Snow-Leopard, as the Ounce is often called, is noteworthy as being the only one of the " Great Cats " which is confined to temperate and cold climates. It is only found in the heights of the Himalayas and the Central Asiatic ranges, and is seldom seen below eight thousand feet. Its range, however, is a wide one, as it is found from Turkestan to China. In accordance with the bleak nature of its haunts, its fur is peculiarly thick and full, especially on the tail, which member is very long. In size the Ounce about equals an ordinary specimen of the Leopard, the pale mountain form of which, as above remarked, some- what approaches it. The true Snow-Leopard, however, has hardly any yellow tinge at all in its fur, and the rings of spots are much larger and wider than those of the Leopard proper ; the face in the present animal, also, is much shorter, and has more of the mild character of that of the domestic Cat. In disposition, indeed, the Snow-Leopard appears harmless enough from our point of view, as it has never been known to attack human beings, but with regard to other animals it appears to be as fierce and indiscriminate a foe as is the ordinary Leopard; its ordinary prey are the wild Goats and Sheep found in its haunts, especially the Burrhel or Blue Sheep (Ovis na/iura); indeed, in consequence of this it is known in the Simla district as Bharal-hay (Burrhel-tiger) according to Mr. Lydekker. It is also a destructive foe to tame Goats and Sheep, and even Ponies fall victims to it ; probably, also, it preys on the mountain- haunting Game-birds, such as the great Partridges known as Ramchukors or Snow-Cocks (Tetraogallus), which also frequent high elevations in the mountains of Asia. Being a little-known animal even in the wild state, it is not surprising that the Ounce is seldom to be found in captivity; indeed, till the year 1891 it had not been exhibited at our 74 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD Zoological Gardens, nor have any of the few specimens which have lived there survived very long. It may be thought that the foggy atmosphere of London, so different from the pure clear mountain air of the Ounce's natural haunts, may be accountable for this, but in that case it is curious that the animal's frequent prey, the Burrhel, stands the same conditions so well, for this Sheep thrives and breeds well in the Regent's Park Gardens. The Ounce appears to be fairly tameable, and Captain Baldwin, in his work "The Large and Small Game of Bengal and the North-Western Provinces of India," gives an interesting account of a young one which came into his possession when he was in Tibet, in a rather curious way. He found that one of the local Tibetans had killed a female Ounce by rolling a big stone down on the unfortunate beast as she lay asleep in the sun outside her den, and some days later came across one of her cubs, being led to the discovery by a pair of large birds which were mobbing it. The poor creature was nearly starved, being evidently unable to pro- vide for itself, although about as big as a Lynx, and was not captured without some difficulty, and at the cost of a good many scratches. However, in ten days, although much stronger, it had become accustomed to sleeping on the bed of its owner, who considered that it would have in time become quite tame ; but unfortunately it died quite suddenly, and was suspected to have been poisoned by his native servants to avoid the trouble it gave them. THE JAGUAR (Fetis onca) ALTHOUGH living at the other side of the world, and not next door to the Leopard, as it were, as the Ounce does, this great American Cat is so like the former animal that at the first glance it is likely to be passed over as the same species. Closer comparison, however, shows that the Jaguar's rosettes of spots have for the most part an extra dot in the centre, which is wanting in those of the Leopard ; the American animal THE JAGUAR 75 is also more heavily built, especially about the head and paws, and it is, indeed, the most strongly framed of all the Cats. In size it equals the largest Leopards, and indeed often exceeds them, being the third most powerful of its family. In some cases it is said almost to rival the Tiger in size, and, as remarked above, usurps the name of that animal in South America, Black Jaguars occur, just as black Leopards do, as casual sports, and they are similarly credited with being especially ferocious in disposition. The Jaguar is chiefly confined to the forest regions of America, and to warm climates, not ranging farther north than Mexico; it used, however, to inhabit the Pampas of Argentina, though never so numerous there as the Puma, and now almost extinct. Although such a heavy animal, it is a skilful climber, and is sometimes found in such impene- trable parts of the Amazonian forests that it has perforce to hunt monkeys and such-like prey in the trees, being unable to get about on the ground. It has a strong liking for the vicinity of water, and not only takes to that element quite readily, but preys on aquatic animals more than any other large Cat, lying in wait for large fish, fresh-water Porpoises, and Otters, and being a deadly foe of the great fresh-water Tortoise (Podocnemis expansa\ whose meat it skilfully scrapes out of the shell with its paw. One of its most common victims is the Capybara (Hydrocluxrus capybara}, but even the American Tapir does not escape it, and it will overcome full-grown cattle and horses also. Besides this, it attacks birds, and is altogether even more versatile in its hunting than the Leopard in the Old World. Some- times man falls a victim to it, and the anecdote related by Danvin, of the Jaguar which found its way, being driven from its haunts by a flood, into a church at Santa Fd in Paraguay, and killed two of the officiating priests one after another, is well known. The note of the Jaguar is unlike that of the Leopard, being a sort of repeated short grunting roar, much like the concluding short notes of the roar of the Lion ; it is most frequently to be heard in the breeding season. As in the case of the Leopard, the cubs have rougher fur with less well-defined markings than the adults; they seem to be 76 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD precocious, following their mother when only a fortnight old and not larger than Cats. The Jaguar, although not a positively rare animal in captivity, is not nearly so common in menageries even as the Tiger, and very much rarer than its own compatriot and reputed rival and enemy, the Puma. It lives well, however, in the captive condition, and has not only reproduced its own species in confinement, but has produced a hybrid with the Leopard. CLOUDED LEOPARD By C. E. Swan THE CLOUDED LEOPARD (Fefo Htbubsa) IT is a pity that this remarkable animal has not a special name of its own, for its alternative title of Clouded Tiger is as unfortunate as that given above, the beast being neither Leopard nor Tiger, but as distinct from both of these as are the Ounce, Jaguar, or Puma. Indeed it differs markedly from all the other great Cats in its shape, which is long and low, the legs being unusually short for the size of the animal. The tail is usually very long, and the head is also of an elongated shape, while, owing to the eyes being dark brown, the expression con- trasts strikingly with the pale-eyed savagery of the ordinary Leopard. Yet the creature is remarkably well armed, its canine teeth being longer in proportion than those of any other living Cat. The closeness of the coat, and the distribution of the markings in great patches bordered with a darker tint, make the general effect of the colour much like that of the great Pythons found in the same countries, and this pattern no doubt in both cases tends to conceal the creatures by breaking up the outline. The colour-variation is simply in tone, some specimens being redder and others greyer ; but there is a good deal of difference in size. The first specimen I ever saw, a splendid male acquired years ago by the Calcutta Zoological Garden, was quite as big as any ordinary Leopard, but generally this Cat is only the size of a small-sized individual of that species, and so is the smallest of the six species distinguished as " Great Cats." It inhabits South-Eastern Asia, ranging from Assam down the Malay Peninsula and islands into Sumatra, and in another direction to Formosa, in which island it docs not possess so long a tail as it does elsewhere. It is always a forest animal, being a remarkably good climber, and spending much of its time in the trees, where it is wont to rest lying in the boughs, whence its Malay name of A ' rimau-dahan tt 78 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD (Tiger of the branches). Its ordinary food consists of birds and the smaller beasts, and although from its lithe activity and long fangs it would be a deadly foe to man if so disposed, it appears never to attack him, and is not considered in any way an objectionable animal except for its attacks on poultry. Very little, however, is known of the creature's habits, and it is not at all common in captivity, although occasional specimens have reached Europe during many years past, and several have been ex- hibited at our Zoological Gardens. The last shown there was a female, and was a charmingly tame animal, as affectionate with her keeper as the most confidential ordinary Cat. This amiable disposition has been repeatedly noticed in these animals, and, in some cases at all events, they have proved friendly even with children, which is not by any means always the case with wild beasts, even when they are safe with adults. In captivity heavy meat like beef and horse-flesh is unsuitable to this creature, and it is always best to give it goat's flesh or mutton, or preferably rabbits, pigeons, and such-like light and tender articles of food. It also needs a large cage fitted up with branches for climb- ing, so as to be able to exercise its remarkable agility, which is almost equal to that of a Squirrel. THE OCELOT (Felis pardalis) IN the marbled character of its coat, and in having dark eyes and a pink nose, the Ocelot of South America somewhat resembles the Clouded Leopard, but it is a very differently-built animal, having much the proportions of an ordinary Cat, though it is particularly stout and heavy in build. Although considerably smaller than any of the big Cats, it is a good-sized animal, about equalling a medium-sized Dog. Its colour and pattern are astonishingly variable, some speci- mens being brown and others grey, while the precise size and pattern of the colour-markings vary enormously, this being the most variable in colour of coat of all the Cats, as far as details of marking are concerned, though extremes like black and white do not occur. In general, however, the markings take the form THE SERVAL— THE WILD CAT 79 of rather large elongated patches, enclosed in black borders, of a colour darker than the general ground-tint, while the head and limbs have small solid black spots. The bodily size of the animal also varies a good deal, from about a yard in total length to nearly a foot longer. In one or other of its numerous varieties the Ocelot has a wide range, reaching Arkansas in North America, and ranging south to Patagonia; but wherever it is found it is an inhabitant of wooded country. Like the smaller Cats generally, it preys on small beasts and on birds, and is credited with being very fierce. It is. however, not uncommon in captivity, and appears to be fairly easy to tame, though its temper is not by any means to be implicitly trusted. THE SERVAL (Felis servat) THE Serval, which is found all over Africa, is another Cat of medium size, measur- ing about four feet in length. It is peculiarly built, very slender, standing high on its legs, with a rather short tail and decidedly large ears, the more noticeable .count of the small size of the head. The coat is close and of a tawny colour, marked with bold solid black spots. A form in which the spots are very numerous and small is distinguished as the Servaline Cat (/•". strvalina), but there seems to be no difference between this and the type except these markings. The Serval frequents bushy country, and feeds on game-birds and Antelope fawns ; it is a good runner, and seems to approximate to the Cheetah — presently to be noticed — to some extent in its hunting-habits, as it certainly does, very markedly, in colour and length of limb. It is not rare in captivity, and may become very tame; in East Africa, in 1892, I got a kitten of this species which bade fair to make a very nice pet, but unfortunately it died on the voyage home. One peculiar thing about it was that it showed no desire to attack some guinea-fowls I also had on board, though these form pan of the natural prey of the species. It has been observed that an other- wise tame Serval is roused to ferocity by the sight of a negro, just as the really formidable Lion, Tiger, and Leopard sometimes are. THE WILD CAT (Fc/is caius) IT is, of course, out of the question here to go into the subject of all the various species of small felines known as "Wild Cats," found almost all over the world where Cats are found at all — i.e., except in Madagascar and the Australian region. 80 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD But the Wild Cat of Europe and Western Asia, although now nearly extinct in these islands, and only lingering in the Western Highlands, deserves notice. It is rather larger and more powerful than any tame Cat, and has thick close fur, the length of which makes the tail appear blunt and round at the tip instead of pointed. The colour is just like that of some tame Cats, a rusty grey with dark streaks down the sides and face, and a ringed tail ; in fact, it is a poorly-marked, un- attractive, striped tabby. Its expression is surly and ferocious, and its disposition corresponding; it is a deadly enemy to all furred and feathered game, and will attack poultry and lambs, while when cornered it is a dangerous antagonist even to man. It usually frequents mountain forests, where it makes night hideous at times with its dreary caterwaulings. None of the Cats are so untameable as this apparently, even the Tiger being docile and contented in comparison, judging from those usually on view at the Zoo. It is therefore not surprising to find that our tame Cats appear to be the descendant of another species, although a closely allied one, the Wild Cat of Africa (Felis maniculata). This animal, although generally less fully striped than English Cats, is practically indistinguishable from the more uniform-coloured specimens one often sees in India, and would not be noticed as anything peculiar if seen roaming about our streets. It was apparently domesticated first by the ancient Egyptians, and seems not to have reached Europe till only a few centuries before the Christian era, as the Greeks employed the Beech-Marten (Mustela foina) as the domestic mouser. The Tame Cat was evidently, judging from the laws for its protection, a scarce and valued animal in Britain at the time of the Conquest, when the Wild Cat was still common in the South. There has probably been some crossing between the two, and a kitten bred in the Zoological Gardens between a male Wild Cat from Scotland and an African female, was well striped and just like an ordinary tame kitten, though showing a ferocious temper; this, however, my pet Serval did at first. There seems to be no reason to suppose that the variously coloured coat or long fur of some domestic Cats are due to anything else than ordinary variation, and, indeed, the Cat has varied less than most animals which have been as long under human protection — no doubt because, until of late years, it has not been selectively bred. (/) v. z .: CO THE LYNX (Felts lynx) THE Lynx, the only large feline animal now found wild in Europe, is an imposing-looking beast, though it does not grow large enough to rank as one of the great Cats — not exceeding a moderate-sized Dog. Its characteristic points are its remarkably short tail and the long tufts of hair at the ends of its ears; it is also a short-bodied, leggy animal compared with most of the Cats. The eyes have a circular pupil, and are light in colour. The coat of the Northern Lynx is heavy and thick, especially in winter, when it is less spotted and greyer in colour than in summer, but Lynxes vary a good deal both in tint and spotting, both individually and locally; the Himalayan Lynx, for instance, is almost without spots at all in winter. As there seems good reason to consider the unspotted Canadian Lynx or "Lucivee" as a mere local race of the Northern Lynx of Europe and Asia, this Cat may be said to range all round the world, a distinction unique in the family. Indeed, it would not be straining matters much to include the Spotted Lynx (Fclis pardina) of Southern Europe and the Bay Lynx (Felts rufa) of the United States as local races also; they chiefly differ from the Northern Lynx, as might be expected in more southern races, in being shorter-coated and having redder fur with more distinct spots. The former is the animal which the ancients regarded as sacred to Bacchus, and the latter is the "bobcat" or "wild cat" of American writers. The Lynx inhabits forests or mountainous districts ; it is an animal of considerable all-round abilities — in spite of its leggy build, it is a good climber, and often lies in wait for its prey in a tree, springing on it from some distance with great rapidity, so that it can capture even birds so active as Pigeons, while the clumsier Game-birds, such as Grouse, naturally fall an easy prey. It travels fast and far on the L 82 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD ground, and swims powerfully in case of need, while its strength is such that, though it preys usually on the larger birds and smaller beasts such as Hares and fawns, it will on occasion attack Deer and even cattle — a case has even been recorded in which a Lynx, in Scandinavia, killed a Horse. To Goats and Sheep it is a deadly enemy ; wild, it has been found killing the Burrhel or Blue Sheep in Tibet, and its ravages on tame creatures are very severe, so that it has been exterminated over a large part of Europe, and is now chiefly to be found in Northern Scandinavia, Russia, and eastwards through Northern Asia ; a few, how- ever, still inhabit the mountains of Central Europe. The Lynx, although it is a really formidable beast, has apparently never been known to attack man unprovoked ; and, when taken young, it can be easily tamed. This is the more remarkable, as it is a very bloodthirsty animal, killing for killing's sake, so that if it gets access to a sheepfold it destroys a large number of the inmates. It dislikes tame Cats, and they reciprocate the feeling; while, in America, it sometimes, as remarked in dealing with the Puma, falls a victim to a larger feline relative. So it does, at times, to the Wolf; but it will itself kill the Fox, and, in America, the Raccoon. The female Lynx conceals her young in a cave or hollow of a tree, or some such sheltered hiding-place ; she usually produces two or three kittens. This animal is of course often hunted, both on account of its valuable fur and to keep it down ; it fights bravely against Dogs, uttering loud yells of defiance. One of the uses to which the fur is put is the manufacture of the well-known "busbies" worn by our Hussar officers. For these the skin is dyed, a " black Lynx " having so far only occurred in the poet Browning's imagination, apparently. The flesh of the Lynx has often been used as food, and is said to be white and palatable, not unlike that of the Rabbit. Lynxes are fairly common in captivity, but not nearly so well known in that condition as the more " sensational " Cats. It is of interest here to note that a specimen of the Tibetan variety was once kept for two years in good health in so unnatural a climate as that of Calcutta ; but it was treated with great care, being always tied up in the shade, and THE CARACAL 83 bathed with soap and cold water every morning, being afterwards rubbed dry with a towel. This gives a good idea of the lameness to which the creature will sometimes attain ; as a contrast, may be mentioned an individual from the Caucasus at present in the London Zoological Gardens, which is so shy that it is difficult to get even a sight of it THE CARACAL (Fetis caracaf) THIS handsome Cat, though undoubtedly a near relative of the Lynxes, is very distinct from any form of these. Its general shape is similar, but it is more slenderly built, and has a much longer tail, though this is still shorter than that of Cats generally, only reaching down to the hocks. The long ear-tufts so characteristic of Lynxes, however, are particularly well developed in this species, whereas in the Bay Lynx they are hardly noticeable. The coat of the Caracal is very close, and it has not the neck-ruff of the Lynx ; the beast is self-coloured, being of some shade of reddish- brown, from chocolate to fawn. The ears are either jet-black, or grizzled black and white. In size the Caracal is not equal to the largest Lynxes, but exceeds most of the other minor Cats. The Caracal is found both in Africa, where it ranges all over the continent, and through Western Asia into India, where it is found chiefly in the west. It is an animal of open, dry country, keeping to bush- and grass-jungle, and feeding on small Antelopes, Hares, and birds, especially large species, such as Bustards, Cranes, and Peafowl. It has a great advantage over such quarry as these big birds, which " get under way " heavily and comparatively slowly, as it will make bounds of a couple of yards into the air to bring down its victim, when it is literally " all over it" in an instant Its speed of foot is also very great, for it is said to be even swifter for its size than the Cheetah, and apparently runs down much of its prey in the same way. In South Africa, where it is known as the 84 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD "Rooi-Kat" (Red Cat), it has been found a dangerous antagonist when robbed of its cubs, and in India a famished specimen has been known to make an unprovoked attack on a native. It is, in fact, a thoroughly savage animal, and in menageries its continual grin and snarl are a strange contrast to the usual amiability of the Lynx ; but some Caracals can be made tame enough, and there is one such in the London Zoo- logical Gardens at the time of writing. Here, also, the young have recently been born for the first time in that institution ; the kittens were two in number, and already brown, with black ears like their parents. In former times, at all events, the Caracal used to be captured and employed in hunting like the Cheetah ; and a cruel amusement was, and very likely still is, derived from letting a couple loose among a flock of tame Pigeons feeding on the ground, in order to see which could kill the most before they got away. It is said that the almost incredible number of a dozen might be cut down before the flock got clear. One curious use of the animal is worth mention : the fur is in any case a handsome one, and the Boers in South Africa are firmly convinced that a rug of Caracal skins is a preventive of rheumatism, and Messrs. Nicholls and Eglington, who mention this, state that the fur even of the dead animal is highly electrical, as that of the living tame Cat is so well known to be. UJ UJ UJ . U x m THE CHEETAH (Cytuflttrus jubatus) ALTHOUGH the term "Cheetah" is simply the Indian word "chita" written according to pronunciation, and is applied in India to the Leopard as well as the present animal, in accordance with its signification of " spotted," it is a better name than " Hunting Leopard," as well as a more familiar one. For the Cheetah stands apart, not only from the true Leopard, but from all other Cats, in certain points of structure which are correlated with a somewhat different way of getting a living. Of these the most important is the fact that the claws are only slightly retractile, and are thus always visible, and get worn at the tips as in the case of a Dog, whereas in all the other Cats, as every one may see for himself in the case of our domestic animal, the claws when not in use are completely drawn back and invisible, and always retain their sharpness. In size the Cheetah about equals the ordinary Leopard, but is different in form, being much higher on the legs and slenderer in the body — it is, in fact, the Greyhound idea carried out in a Cat. The coat is com- paratively coarse, and varies but little in colour, though a woolly-furred variety, with pale brown instead of black spots, was once procured from the Cape, and at first ranked as a distinct species, under the name of Felts lanea. The cubs have particularly long fur, which is grey in colour and unspotted, but, curiously enough, if this coat be clipped the spots can be seen underneath. It will be noted in the illustration that the spots are solid and single, not arranged in rosettes like those of the Leopard. The Cheetah is an animal with a very wide range, being one of the few wild beasts common to Africa and Asia ; in the latter country it is confined to the South-Western portion, and does not range east of 86 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD India. Neither is it found in the Malabar Coast of that country, or in Ceylon— the " Cheetah " of that island being the true Leopard. It is not found in heavy forest, although it is able, in spite of its blunt claws, to climb trees on occasion ; for its method of hunting is such as can only be practised successfully in the open, and accordingly it lives in districts where bush and rocks are the only cover; it is especially characteristic of dry districts, and does not ascend high mountains. Its food is such animals as it may come across in the districts it inhabits— chiefly the smaller kinds, such as Hares, Gazelles, and large ground-birds. It seldom attacks tame animals, and has never been known to make an assault on man ; but that it can master animals of considerable size and strength is shown by its preying on the Nilgai in India, though its more common quarry is the Blackbuck ; in Africa also a pair have been seen to pull down so large and powerful a beast as the bull Koodoo. The Cheetah's methods are a modification of those of the ordinary Cats — it begins by stalking its intended victim, but is not dependent on a mere short rush when it gets within its range, but pursues its prey for some distance and captures it by sheer speed, the chase sometimes lasting for nearly a quarter of a mile. The animal's fleetness is agreed by all observers to be something astonishing, and far superior to that of the Greyhound, for the Dog cannot fairly pull down the female Black- buck, for instance, at all, whereas the Cheetah will often run up to her in a couple of hundred yards, though she may have a start for that distance ; for the swift Cat, though he employs the tactics of his tribe at the commencement, is enabled by his speed to make his attack openly at the finish. When he overhauls his prey, he knocks its feet from under it with a blow of his paw, and then pins it by the throat. Often, of course, he is unsuccessful, and then gives up the chase ; no doubt often through discouragement, but also because, like all Cats, he is really short-winded, being unable to keep up his marvellous speed for a really long run, unlike the Dog tribe. Thus, it has been repeatedly proved in India, that a horseman can ride down and spear a Cheetah after a THE CHEETAH 87 short run, while a Wolf can usually gallop straight away from his pursuer. When thus overtaken, the Cheetah makes but little resistance, but is said to be apt to spring on the Horse from behind if chance gives the opportunity of so doing. That the whole nature of the animal is not very savage or dangerous, as far as man is concerned, is proved by the facility with which it is tamed, and, indeed, it is much better known as a tame than a wild animal, for, though so widely spread, it is uncommon, and sportsmen seldom come across it The popularity it used, at any rate, to enjoy among the Indian princes and other well-to-do natives has, however, resulted in its being largely captured and kept for hunting purposes, and it is owing to this that so much is known of its habits and powers. The men who capture Cheetahs are in the habit of marking certain trees to which these animals resort to scratch the bark with their claws — a habit well known in all Cats — and also to play about together. Here they set nooses of dried antelope sinews, and when a Cheetah is captured, manage to muffle its head in a blanket, and secure it with ropes, and so drag it home. After this the beast is kept sleepless and hungry for days, constantly scared by flapping cloths in its face, and roundly abused by the women, until it submits from exhaustion. Once tamed, the Cheetah is friendly with its keeper, and, the animal being commonly kept tethered to one of the light wooden bedsteads known as " charpoys," man and beast often share the same couch, as depicted in Mr. L. Kipling's "Beast and Man in India." A tame friendly Cheetah purrs like a Cat. When taken out to hunt, the Cheetah is placed on a bullock-cart, with its keeper, and the cart is driven as near as possible to the Blackbuck herd destined for attack before unhooding their enemy. Should an Antelope be captured, the keeper runs up and cuts its throat, catching some of the blood in a bowl, and offering it to the Cheetah, which is meanwhile hooded. A good animal will run down three or four Black- bucks in a morning, but, of course, there is much variation in powers among them. Only adult-caught animals are of any use, it being 88 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD considered that they can only be taught their trade by their parents. Probably, also, they would never attain such vigour and high condition when reared in captivity; besides which it must be remembered that any animal caught leading an independent wild life has proved its fitness for this, whereas a creature which one rears by hand may have some defect in bodily or mental powers which would have soon proved fatal to it under the more rigorous conditions of nature, though not prejudicial in domestication. The Cheetah, kept in the ordinary way in a Zoological Garden, is not a very hardy animal, and cannot be called at all common in capti- vity. Probably, if kept tame enough for handling, and often taken out for a run, under due restraint, it would thrive much better. £ 00 en u Z • < § U -1 THE CIVET {Vivtrra chttla) OWING to its former repute as a producer of perfume, the Common Civet is one of the best known of its family (fivem'tita), a very varied assemblage of creatures restricted to the Old World, many of which, like the present, are often credited with being "Cats." Cats, however, they are not, although resembling those animals closely in many ways, and undoubtedly nearly allied ; and it will be particularly noticed that the long foxy nose and comparatively small eyes are very different from the characteristic Cat countenance. The grinding teeth of the Civet are more numerous than those of the Cats, and it has five toes on the hind- as well as the fore-foot, armed with claws which are only partially retractible. This Civet is a large animal for its family, although not much bigger than a Fox. The long hair along the ridge of the back can be bristled up when the animal is enraged, at which time it growls and snarls like a Dog, though usually silent. The perfumed substance which it secretes is to be found in a pouch situated below the tail, and this pouch and its secretion is present in both sexes ; the substance is greasy and pasty in consistence, and very strong in odour. When the creature feels itself overcharged, it squeezes out some of the secretion on any hard object, such as a log or stone. Other glands situated in the same region secrete a horribly offensive fluid. This Civet is confined to Tropical Africa ; it lives in wooded country, and has much the same habits as the Fox, hunting about on the ground at night for any small animals it can overpower, and being a great enemy to poultry. Besides animal food, it will eat fruit and roots. It is easily kept in captivity, being omnivorous, and thriving well in even a small space, and is still kept to a great extent for its perfume, though this is no longer in such vogue among us Europeans as it was, judging * M 90 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD from his repeated allusions, in Shakespeare's time. It is, indeed, too strong and rank for our modern tastes ; but it is still of some use in compounding other perfumes, though even for this, musk has largely taken its place. In the East, however, where taste is still in many matters remarkably like what it was among us three centuries ago, Civet is still much esteemed. To obtain it, the pouch is everted with the fingers, or the secretion scooped out with a wooden spatula. The opera- tion can be performed twice a week, but as the Civet does not, at first at any rate, at all approve of it, and is not the sweetest-tempered of animals at the best of times, it is put into a cage in which it cannot turn round. In addition to the African Civet, several Asiatic species closely related to it contribute their perfume in captivity, and have very similar wild habits. The Large Indian Civet (Viverra zibetha) is well known in Bengal as Bagdas, and often hunted by " bobbery packs." This has plain grey sides instead of the black-spotted flanks of the African animal, and ranges east to China and the Malay Peninsula. The Tangalung (I/, tangahinga) inhabits the East Indies from Java to the Philippines, and, like the Burmese Civet (V. megaspila), is more spotted than the Indian kind, but not so large. The Small Indian Civet, or Rasse (Vwerricula indicd) is also kept as a civet-producer, but this is a rather different animal from the typical Civets, being smaller, with no mane along the back, and with shorter claws ; in accordance with this structure, it is more of a climber. Its coat is grey spotted with black. It is not only found in India, where it ranges all over the country, and eastwards as far as does the Large species, but also in Madagascar, where, however, it may very likely have been introduced. THE GENETS THE Genets and Linsangs (Genetta, Prionodon, Poiana) are very beautiful animals, of small size, with very short legs and long bodies, necks, and tails. In their sleek spotted coats and retractile claws, they much resemble the true Cats, but THE TREE-CIVETS 91 have the characteristic foxy head of the Civets. They are good climbers, and feed on birds and the like. They are found in the warmer parts of the world, the Linsangs, with the exception of one African species, being Astatic, while the Genets are chiefly African. The Common Genet (Genetta vufgaris) is grey with black spots, and rather smaller than a Cat It is found not only over Africa from north to south, but in South-western Asia, and also, unlike most of the Civet family, in Europe, where it inhabits Spain and even Southern France. It is sometimes tamed, and kept to destroy Rats and Mice, but, though it has no scent-pouch and does not smell unpleasant, exhales sufficient odour to make it rather a highly-flavoured house-pet. It is usually on view in our Zoological Gardens. THE TREE-CIVETS THK Tree-Civets, like the Genets, are long-bodied, short-legged animals, with foxy heads and retractile claws; but they are heavier-bodied and larger than the Genets, equalling or exceeding a Cat in size, and their long tails are slightly prehensile. Their coat is often self-coloured or nearly so; they are essentially climbing animals, spending most of their time in trees, and feed a great deal on fruit as well as on small animals. The common Tree-Civet or Toddy-Cat (Paradox*™ niger), which is grey variegated with black, is a very well known animal in India; though, owing to its nocturnal habits, it is seldom seen. The stuffy musky smell it diffuses, however, often betrays it; and I have sometimes seen it in the evening or at night quite among the houses in Calcutta — indeed, I caught two individuals in a big box-trap in my own pantry, which they had been attempting to raid, producing a terrible din by trying to get the bread out of a tin box. So skilful a climber is this creature, that I have seen it swarm up a water-pipe in the angle of a wall — a climb which I fancy an ordinary Cat would have had some difficulty in negotiating. The Paradoxures found in Hengal are often intermediate between this species and the Malayan one (P. hermaphroditus), which is usually greyer and more spotted. The Toddy-Cat — so called from its habit of drinking the toddy or juice of the palm from the vessels hung to collect it — is constantly on view at the London Zoological Gardens, and at the time of writing there is a curious pied specimen there. The Tree-Civets are an Asiatic group, except the West African Nandinia binotata. 92 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD THE BINTURONG {Arctictis binturong) THIS curious animal is sometimes called the Bear-Cat, a peculiarly unhappy name for a creature which is neither Cat nor Bear, though with its short, free, lynx-like tufted ears, and long, coarse, grizzly black coat, it does suggest a com- bination of Bear and Cat It is, however, practically a large Paradoxure ; in size it may equal a large Terrier, and it is remarkable for having a very long tail which is truly prehensile, being the only non-marsupial animal in the Old World endowed with this means of suspending itself. It is an omnivorous, nocturnal, forest animal, found from Assam to Java, and is not unfamiliar in captivity, though it cannot be called common. THE WATER-CIVET (Cynogale bennettii) ALTHOUGH one or two of the Mongooses — the group next to be noticed — are more or less aquatic, the present animal is the only member of the Civet family specially adapted for an aquatic life. This otter-like Civet is about as big as a large Cat, short-tailed, short-eared, and broad-muzzled, with abundant whiskers. It is web-footed and a good swimmer, but also able to climb. In colour this animal is a grizzly brown ; it is very omnivorous, devouring anything, from fish to fruit. The Water-Civet ranges from Borneo to Sumatra ; it is a rare animal, and I have only once heard of it being kept in a Zoological Garden. In this case the specimen was exhibited in that of Calcutta, where I had a chance of studying it myself. THE FOSSA (Cryptoproda ferox) THE Fossa of Madagascar is a very curious creature, forming a connecting link between the Civets and Cats, though ranged by most naturalists with the former. It is nearly as big as a small Leopard, long in body and tail, with retractile claws and the brown fur of a Puma, and the teeth of a true Cat in a Civet's long muzzle. It is a great climber, very savage and extremely active, and credited with being dangerous to men, while it at any rate attacks Goats. It has once been exhibited at the Zoological Gardens in London, but is a rare animal, and little known even in its own country. UJ O O o Z a O " uJ •; Qi o o-1 >, •7 CO Q Z THE GREY INDIAN MONGOOSE THIS, the commonest in captivity of the little animals known as Mongooses or Ichneumons, is a very fair type of the group, which forms a well-defined section of the Civet family. It is not a large animal, being about half the size of a Cat, and its grizzly-grey fur is loose and coarse in texture. There are five toes on each foot, and these are armed with strong claws suited for digging, and not at all like the more or less cat-like claws of some of the Civets. The coat varies somewhat in colour locally, specimens from the district of Sind being rusty-red in colour instead of grey. This is a very widely spread animal in India, and is confined, in the natural state, to that country and Ceylon, though it has been introduced far and wide abroad owing to its reputation as a vermin-killer, and has thus gained a footing in the Malay Peninsula, the West Indies — especially Jamaica — and Hawaii. Unlike so many small animals, and carnivora especially, the Mon- goose hunts by day, and so is often seen and very well known ; it does not at all shun human habitations, and comes into suburban gardens and even about houses, which it has been known to enter voluntarily and, on encouragement, to make itself at home. It is generally a ground animal, sheltering in holes, but can climb on occasion. In its diet it is particularly omnivorous, feeding on almost any animal which its great courage and activity enable it to master, and also eating various kinds of fruit Birds, beasts, reptiles, and insects contribute to its fare, and it is doubtful whether it does more good by destroying Rats, Snakes, and such-like vermin, or harm by its raids on poultry and its destruction of birds and eggs generally, and harmless and useful reptiles such as lizards. It is well known to be able to kill and devour even large poisonous snakes, such as the Cobra, though it probably does not risk 94 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD an encounter with such dangerous quarry if easier game is available. In its fights with such foes, it relies on its extreme activity to escape their fangs, and, as it bristles up its long wiry coat when attacking, and has a tough thick skin, they have the less chance of making an impres- sion on it. If fairly bitten, however, the Mongoose succumbs ultimately just as any other animal would do, though it seems to have some power of resistance to the poison. The idea that it seeks an antidote in some (unknown) herb is of course erroneous. The voice of the Mongoose is a sharp yapping bark or yelp, but when irritated, as when disturbed while feeding, it utters a growl remarkably loud for so small an animal. The young of the Mongoose are produced three or four at a time, and lodged in a burrow, which may be dug by the animal itself. This animal is readily tamed when taken young, and becomes a very affectionate as well as interesting and intelligent pet, though it is of course a dangerous companion for other animals. One specimen kept by Sterndale, which was devoted to its master and would perform many amusing tricks, killed a tame cock Bustard (Eupodotis edwardsi\ a bird as large as a big Turkey-cock, and even attacked a Greyhound. The results of the introduction abroad of this animal is often cited as an example of the harm done by upsetting the balance of nature — though it must be remembered that this may be done in other ways than by introducing a new wild creature into a country, the mere settlement of any region by man producing a greater disturbance of conditions than anything else could effect. The Mongoose was intro- duced into Jamaica to kill down the sugar-cane Rats, and did so to such purpose that in only ten years from the original introduction of nine specimens, it was estimated to be saving the colony ;£ 100,000 to ,£150,000 annually. After this, however, it became too numerous, finding, probably, too few natural enemies ; for in its native country, what with Pythons, the great Monitor Lizards, the numerous birds of prey, Wild Cats, Jackals, and other carnivorous creatures stronger than itself, there are plenty THE EGYPTIAN MONGOOSE 95 of destructive agencies. This being so, the Mongoose was found to be destroying not only the Rats, but all the ground-birds, the local harmless snakes, and the lizards, while it extended its depredations from poultry even to kids and calves, and showed its vegetarian tastes by devouring fruit and even the sugar-cane it had been introduced to guard. The havoc wrought upon the birds and lizards resulted in a great multiplication of the ticks, which had been kept down by these creatures, and in the end the Mongoose was voted a worse evil than the Rats had been. After this, however, the Mongoose itself began to decline in numbers, one cause suggested for this being that it was much worried by the ticks it had contributed to encourage, and its great influence for good or ill is now considered to be over, the balance of nature having become readjusted. The state of affairs in Hawaii seems to have been somewhat similar. It is easy to see that the unfortunate result could have been avoided if the Mongooses had been thinned down as soon as they were seen to be exceeding their instructions, so to speak ; but the lesson has produced a deep effect, and the neighbouring American Government has taken it so much to heart that it does not allow living Mongooses to be landed at any port under its control. The fact is that, if an alien pest-exterminator is needed, birds are far better than beasts, as, if they get too numerous, they are much more easily kept under control, as every gamekeeper knows. THE EGYPTIAN MONGOOSE (Herpestes ichneumon) THIS is the celebrated Ichneumon of the ancients ; it is very similar to the Indian species, but twice as large, and distinguished by having a tassel or bunch of black hairs at the end of the tail. This animal is the only Mongoose found in Europe, where it inhabits the south of Spain ; it is spread over North Africa generally, and is replaced in the south by a very similar species (H. coffer). In general habits it 96 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD resembles the Indian Mongoose, and was the species which gained so much reputation by destroying the eggs of the Crocodile, as well as by its combats with snakes. The typical Mongooses number about a score of species, found in various parts of Africa and Asia, and there are a number of little animals more or less closely allied to them, which cannot be particu- larised here, with one exception. THE MEERKAT (Suricata tetradactyla) THE Meerkat is sometimes known as the Suricate, but the above is its name in its own country, South Africa, where it is a very familiar animal. In size, it resembles a half-grown kitten; its coat is close, and banded with black and brown, and its tail covered with particularly short hair, chestnut at the root and black at the tip, so that it is very different from the brush of the Mongoose. The eyes also differ much, being large and dark, while the ears are very short and the head round, with a pointed snout. There are only four toes on each foot. The Meerkat is a burrowing animal, living in colonies, and in many ways resembles the Prairie Marmot (Cynomys ludovicianus) of North America, which is interesting, seeing that the latter is a rodent and the former a carnivore. The Meerkat, however, is far less carnivorous than the Mongooses, feeding largely on bulbous roots, which it scratches up, and, though readily feeding on little animals, not attacking large prey. It is thus a more convenient pet, and is often kept in that capacity, both in Africa and here ; it has produced young in captivity. This animal is remarkably fond of the sun, and basks in a peculiar manner, sitting up like a Dog begging. It also frequently stands quite up on its toes, being much more inclined to assume an erect position than most quadrupeds, though the Mongoose does this also to a small extent. STRIPED HYteNA By Winifred Autlen THE STRIPED HY/ENA (Hyffna striata) BF.ING a widely diffused animal, ranging throughout North Africa and east through India, the Striped Hyaena is the most generally known of the small family of carnivores which it represents. There are only three kinds of Hyaenas, all confined to the Old World, and there is a strong family resemblance between them. Our illustration well shows the somewhat dog-like form — with, how- ever, a strong slope in the back not seen in any Dog; but Hyaenas differ from all Dogs in having only four toes on all the feet, whereas in Dogs there are always five on the fore-foot, except in the curious Hunting-Dog of Africa. This, however, although somewhat Hyaena- like in other respects also, is not to be mistaken for any Hyaena. Hyaenas do not differ much in size, the present species being about as large as a Mastiff. Their teeth are extraordinarily powerful ; it is stated that they can snap the shin-bone of a Horse or Bullock in a single effort. Indeed, they feed largely on bones, coming to a carcase after more powerful creatures have left it. The Striped Hyaena is, in fact, a pitiably cowardly creature, and seldom attacks living prey if it can get carrion, though it will occasionally carry off Goats and Dogs. It is nocturnal in its habits, retreating to some cave or other similar hiding-place during the day. Sportsmen generally look upon this animal as mere vermin, and do not molest it unless it makes a nuisance of itself by petty larceny about a camp; but it is occasionally, in India, ridden at and speared, as is done with more worthy quarry. When thus pursued, it is apt to give a long run, for, although not a very fast animal, it jinks or dodges to avoid the spear very adroitly. It has long been contended by hunting men that Horses like the N 98 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD sport, and a good proof of this was once furnished by an old Arab Horse, who happened to lose his rider during a chase after a Hyaena. He took up the pursuit on his own account, and got near enough to attempt to bite the beast and strike it with his forefoot, the miserable Hyaena only responding by tucking his tail between his legs. The cry of this Hyaena is loud and peculiar, and native tradition asserts that it beguiles Dogs away by its vocalisations in order to devour them. The cubs are said to be three or four in number, but little is known about the breeding habits of this otherwise familiar beast. In captivity the Striped Hyaena, like all Hyaenas, does well ; it is the commonest kind seen in menageries, but does not often breed there — at any rate it has seldom done so in the London Zoological Gardens. The idea that these animals are untameable is a mistake ; they do not appear to be worse to manage than any other carnivora. THE BROWN HYAENA (Hyena brunnea) IN the Striped Hyaena a noteworthy point is the mane of long dark hair running down the back ; in the present species this long hair is continued over the sides, and the body of the animal is self-coloured. In other respects, however, the Brown Hyaena is very much like the Striped species, and its legs are short-haired and marked with stripes in a similar manner. The Brown Hyaena was the characteristic species of South Africa — I say " was," for it is now a very scarce animal, and is believed to be approaching extinction. It was known to the early settlers as a sea- shore beast, whence it received the name of Strandwolf. True Wolves, by the way, are not found south of the Sahara, and any references to them in South Africa really concern Hyaenas. Later on it was found that the Strandwolf also occurred inland, and in the early days of South African colonisation it seems to have been a ferocious and dangerous THE SPOTTED HY.ENA 99 animal, attacking even man at times. The beast concerned in the often- told story of the drunken trumpeter, who was effectually sobered by finding himself being carried off by a Hyaena, was one of the present species. The Brown Hyaena is naturally much less commonly seen in cap- tivity than the other kinds ; but it has several times been exhibited in our Gardens, and there is a specimen there at the time of writing. THE SPOTTED HYAENA (Hycena croenta) THIS is the typical Hyaena of Africa generally, though not occurring north of the Sahara, where the Striped species is the only one found ; in Somaliland, however, they meet. The Spotted Hyaena is decidedly larger and more powerful than either of the others ; it may reach a length of over six feet from the nose to the tip of the tail. Its coat is short and close, and there is no mane on the back ; the colour is clear, marked with large black spots. The traditional laugh of the Hyaena is one of the characteristic notes of this species, which has a rather extended vocabulary ; but the horrid cackle of "laughter" is commonly heard about a carcase, and seems to be the expression of annoyance in the animal. Ancient tradition credited the Hyaena with laughing to beguile its victims, and, although on the whole a cowardly brute, there is no doubt that this species is the most ferocious and dangerous of the three, nowa- days at all events. Although its usual food is carrion, it frequently attacks domestic animals, and even sleeping or wounded people, having a horrid custom of snatching a mouthful from some convenient part of its victim, and then making off. Thus, the tails of domestic animals and the udders of cows are torn away by it, and human beings have to dread having the cheeks torn out, or a similar attack made on other fleshy parts of the body. In the ordinary way the beast is nocturnal, but it must sometimes 100 WILD BEASTS OF THE WOKLD hunt for food by day, as it is recorded to be in the habit of discovering carrion by watching and following the flight of its fellow scavengers the Vultures, which are strictly diurnal birds. It shamelessly poaches on the "kill" of the Lion, and sometimes pays with its life for its audacity, if the outraged monarch takes it by surprise. When I was in East Africa in 1892, the laugh of the beast might then be heard quite close to bungalows on the little island of Mombasa, then mostly covered with bush, and even harbouring Lions occasionally. In captivity this Hyaena seems rather more tameable than the striped species ; owing to its laughing note it is a popular exhibit, and it has bred both on the Continent and in our Zoological Gardens. THE AARD-WOLF (Proteles cristatus) THE curious South-African animal known by this name and sometimes as " Maanhaar Jackal " (Maned Jackal) is a near ally of the Hyaenas, though usually placed in a separate family (Proteleida?). In general appearance it is like an under-sized striped Hyaena, but is bigger than a Fox, and has a narrow muzzle and a rather long bushy tail. Its grinding teeth are very unlike the great bone-crushers of the Hyaenas, being remarkably small, weak, and set far apart. Its food is chiefly insects and carrion, but of late years it has developed the habit of attacking lambs, and is hence in great disfavour with Cape farmers. Like Hyaenas, it lives in burrows or dens underground. One very curious point it has in common with the Hyaenas is its habit of going down on its fore-knees when fighting, Hyaenas doing this with a view to saving their paws from the terrible teeth of their assailant. In internal characters the Aard-Wolf somewhat approaches the Civets, and forms a link between them and the Hyaenas proper ; it is interesting to note that some of the oldest naturalists described the common scent-producing Civet as the "Odoriferous Hyaena." The Aard-Wolf bears captivity well, and, although not common in that condition, has several times been exhibited at our Zoological Gardens. OT < UJ ^ O ' CO THE WOLF (Cants lupus) THIS typical member of the Dog tribe — so nearly related to our tame Dogs that some naturalists consider it their ancestor, is a very widely ranging beast, being found all round the Northern Hemisphere, though it presents a great deal of local as well as individual variation in size, coat, and strength of teeth. The Wolves in the illustration, sketched from a very fine Siberian animal in the London Zoological Gardens at the time, are redder in tint than many specimens, the more ordinary hue of a Wolf being a sort of washed-out dun or yellowish-grey. Some black " ticking " on the upper parts is always present, and entirely black Wolves occur in widely separated localities. White ones may also be found, and the Wolf of the high Arctic regions forms a white race. As with so many other widely ranging animals, the Wolf attains a finer development in cold than in hot climates ; it is natural that he should wear a thicker coat in the former, but his actual size is also greater. The largest Wolves seem to be those of Alaska ; a huge black specimen exhibited in the British Museum is bigger than any Dog. In the plains of India, on the other hand, the Wolf is a poor weedy degenerate brute, about six inches shorter in length than the typical Wolf, and with a close coat devoid of the usual woolly under-fur found in Wolves. It is, indeed, usually ranked as a distinct species (Cant's pallipes\ but all its peculiarities seem obviously due to what may be called tropical degeneration. The ordinary length of a dog Wolf is about three and a half feet from muzzle to root of tail, the bitch being somewhat smaller. The Wolf is thus larger than most of our tame Dogs, and he is, indeed, the largest of the members of the Dog family found wild. As he has been for ages the traditional enemy of man and his domestic 102 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD animals, the habits of the Wolf are well known. He is generally a noc- turnal animal, frequenting forests and overgrown localities generally, wherever such exists, and usually hunts singly or in pairs, except when, under stress of necessity, several, or even a large number, unite to overcome a powerful victim. Essentially a cowardly animal, the beast usually prefers to attack prey which is easily overcome, but he is well armed for combat, inflicting a terrible snatching bite, while his speed and endurance in pursuit of prey or escape from enemies are well known. It is very rare, indeed, for a Wolf to be fairly ridden down. The Wolf will readily feed on carrion when he finds it conveniently accessible, and he preys not only on Hares, Deer, and such like wild creatures, and on domestic cattle and poultry, but on his fellow-carnivores. The Fox is a frequent victim, and the tame Dog, in spite of such nearness of relationship that the two species sometimes voluntarily cross, is greedily sought for as prey. Indeed, the Wolf is not at all averse to cannibalism when pinched by hunger, as many stories of wolf-hunted sledge-parties testify — the devouring by their companions of Wolves that have been shot being a common incident. In spite of his cowardice, the Wolf appears to be a more inveterate man-eater than any other animal ; for ages he has been celebrated as the worst foe of children, and many are destroyed by him even at the present day in India, while, when pressed by the rage of hunger in winter, packs will, as is well known, attack adults. Never a severe winter passes with- out lamentable reports in our newspapers of the death of human beings on the Continent at the jaws of these brutes, which in such seasons press westward from their fastnesses in the forests of Eastern Europe, especially Russia. They linger, however, almost all over the Continent, and were not completely exterminated in Britain till a comparatively recent date. In England, it is true, it is supposed to have become extinct in the reign of Henry VII. ; but in Scotland they amounted to a serious plague in the time of the unhappy Queen Mary, and did not become extinct till the end of the seventeenth century at all events. In Ireland they appear to have lingered till perhaps a century later, but in all these cases the exact THE WOLF 103 date of their final extinction is unknown. The lateness of this, however, even in an insular area like ours, gives an idea of the difficulty of keeping down the pest on the Continent ; yet, in North America, the Wolf dis- appears before civilisation far more quickly. It is curious, also, that he is not nearly so dangerous to man as in the Old World, though equal to his relatives there in size and power. In America, by the way, this species is generally distinguished as the " Timber " Wolf, to distinguish it from the " Prairie Wolf" or Coyote, to be noticed later. The she-wolf brings forth in spring, and deposits her litter in a thicket, or an earth dug out by herself or appropriated from some other animal ; the whelps number usually about half-a-dozen, and are suckled about six weeks. After this the female gives them meat dis- gorged from her stomach, and brings them some unfortunate little creature to kill. Her mate takes no interest in the litter, except that he will devour them if he has the chance. Although adult at the age of a year, a Wolf does not attain its full development till twice that age, and lives to about fifteen. The note of the Wolf is the well-known howl ; in the wild state it does not bark, but may learn to do so in captivity, from hearing tame Dogs. It lives well in confinement, and breeds freely; it will also in this condition — and even when wild, as noted above — cross with Dogs. Wolves brought up from early youth have been known to dis- play all the affection and fidelity of Dogs ; but they have serious faults from the point of view of a lover of pets. They are very nervous animals, and are seldom to be trusted with children. Considering the close relationship of the Wolf with the Dog, it is curious that their normal attitude to each other is one of ferocious animosity; but very probably this is due to the proverbial aversion often existing between relations. Domestic Dogs, at any rate, hate as well as fear the Wolf, and Wolf-hounds are among the best agents to use in exterminating it. They are, however, usually afraid of the quarry, for a Wolf is almost invariably more than a match for a Dog of the same size, owing to his tougher skin and more powerful teeth, as well as to his better training. 104 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD It is thus a good deal easier to run a Wolf with swift hounds till he turns to bay, than to get the hounds to tackle and worry him. Strychnine has been found an excellent means of exterminating Wolves, but the use of poison has the objection that Dogs as well are likely to suffer. The only use of the Wolf when taken is to provide a very warm and serviceable fur for rugs, coats, &c. The Wolf is subject to hydrophobia, and much dreadful havoc has been, and still is, occasionally wrought by rabid Wolves. THE COYOTE (Cants latrans) THE Coyote is a purely American animal, haunting the prairie districts of the north of that continent. In colour it is quite similar to many Wolves, being reddish grey with black ticking, but it is a smaller beast than a true Wolf, with a narrower muzzle and fuller brush, thus showing a distinct approach to the Fox type. The coat generally is very full. The Coyote is a timid, skulking creature, full of cunning, and a dire foe not only to small and weak wild animals, but to sheep, poultry, and the like, but it does not attack man. It is, indeed, inclined to hang about his vicinity in the hope of what it can find or steal. It barks a great deal, and in nocturnal howling it is particularly proficient, like the Jackals of the East, which it much resembles in ways and character ;. and, like the Jackal of India, it can put up with fruit as food when its more natural animal diet is not conveniently available. It does well in captivity, but is not nearly so common in menageries as the Wolf. w$$ • BLACK. BACKED JACKALS By Winifred Auiten THE BLACK-BACKED JACKAL (Cants me some fas) THE beautiful Black-backed Jackal of South Africa is the hand- somest and most distinct of the group of wild canines known as Jackals, which, although presenting some points of resemblance to Foxes, come closer to the Wolves. Indeed, as far as size goes, there is little to choose between the large dull-coloured Jackal of Egypt (Cam's anthus) and the under-sized Wolf of the Indian Peninsula. The Black-backed Jackal is rather larger than the average Fox, which size is characteristic of Jackals in general. Its tail is, however, longer than those of Jackals usually are, but it does not form as full a brush as Foxes' tails do. By the name of " Fox " it is commonly known near Cape-Town, where it has been regularly hunted for many years, in the orthodox way — with Fox-hounds. It has also been so hunted in Bechuanaland, but for the most part it is simply regarded as vermin, and has a reward of ys. 6d. set on its tail, for it is a serious pest to the flocks of the Cape farmers. Like Jackals generally, however, it is a terrible coward, and seldom summons up enough pluck to tackle a full- sized Sheep. It feeds readily on carrion, and also kills Hares, while, as might be expected, it is destructive to poultry. Nothing, indeed, comes amiss to it in the way of meat ; even a Water-tortoise has been found in the stomach of one. At times several may be seen together in the evening as depicted in the illustration ; but as a general rule the animal cannot be called social, even the parents not living in the earth along with their cubs, but lying out in any adjacent cover. They are, however, attentive to their young, the male as well as the female helping to provide for the family, which usually numbers about half-a-dozen. It has been noticed that the burrow, which the animals prefer to find ready-made, has almost always a " back-door " to allow the young to escape in case of need. 106 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD The note of this Jackal is a wailing laugh "Wa-ah wah, wah, wah " ; it also utters a cackling sound when attacked. Besides being the familiar species in South Africa, it ranges north up to Abyssinia. It is not uncommon in captivity; many specimens have been ex- hibited in the London Zoological Gardens, where some have been bred. A number are at the time of writing thriving in a small out- door enclosure with an earth-covered mound provided with burrows, and bear the cold as well as the common Foxes similarly housed alongside. THE INDIAN JACKAL (Cants aureus) THIS is the best known of the Jackals, but it is a far less handsome creature than the Black-backed, being less slender and elegant in form, with a much shorter brush. Its colour also is simply brown, grizzled with black above. In India this is a most familiar creature, hanging about the habi- tations of man, in hope of picking up any garbage it can find, or making prey of some kid or fowl left unsecured in the evening. It is found even in populous towns, taking refuge during the day in the drains ; I have had one bolted from such a retreat under my front doorway in Calcutta. At night it goes forth on its rounds, emitting at times an abominable howl, which is calculated to rouse one from the soundest sleep. The cry is commonly rendered as "Dead Hindoo! where, where ? where, where ? " and I can vouch for the accuracy of the last syllables, at all events ; the first crash of discord is what wakes one up! It is said that not only dead Hindoos, but their live babies, may fall victims to this stealthy cowardly brute : and he is a real danger owing to the fact that he contracts, and of course communicates, hydrophobia. His chief use is to provide sport for the Anglo-Indian hunting community, the "Jack" taking the same place among them as the Fox does in England. A tame Jackal I saw in India had all the THE DINGO 107 actions of a Dog, and some would claim that our Dogs are descended from Jackals. How this may have come about was shown me by an anecdote told me by the late Mr. W. Rutledge, our leading animal-dealer in Calcutta and a keen practical naturalist. He had discovered the presence of a miserable mangy Jackal in a drain about his house, and kindly threw it some food at times. The creature's health improved with better meals, and it took to entering the verandah, and would at last lie down on a couch there, and, when approached, look up and wag its tail as if asking not to be disturbed — in fact, it fairly domesticated itself. THE DINGO (Cants dingo) WHATEVER the Dog may have started from, however, there is no doubt that the Dingo of Australia is a Dog at present ; it closely resembles the pariah or street dogs of the East, and I have seen, in Calcutta, a cross between one of these and a Chinese "Chow" Dog, which any naturalist would have called a Dingo at once. The Dingo is a medium-sized animal, about as big as a Fox-hound, but lower on the legs; it has prick ears and a narrow muzzle, and the tail is bushy. There is, however, a less foxy appearance about it than is noticeable in the Wolf or in a large Jackal. The coat is tan, with more or less black ticking on the back; but there is much variety in colour, especially nowadays, when Dingos so often cross with strayed tame Dogs. Dingos usually hunt in pairs ; they are very cunning, and exceedingly destructive to sheep, calves, and poultry. Their natural wild prey is Kangaroos, when they can get them, and ordinarily Rats and such small fry. They are often domesticated by the Australian blacks, but are not very docile, and often leave their masters, although kindly treated. As most of the Australian beasts are, as is well known, of the marsupial or pouched order, zoologists find a difficulty in believing that the Dingo 108 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD got there naturally, and not by the aid of man. Be that as it may, his fossil remains are found in Australia along with those of extinct animals, so that if he were artificially introduced, it must have been by some very ancient race. As I have elsewhere suggested, it is quite possible that away from Australia the true Dog does not occur wild at all, but is repre- sented by the pariahs of the towns, which have domesticated themselves to a certain extent of their own free will, the case being similar to that of the common Mouse — and, it may be added, to that of the Sparrow. This hypothesis would not, of course, exclude a descent in some cases from the Wolf, or one or more of the Jackals, and probably there has been much crossing. In any case, the original Dog was a poor, skulking brute, and owes all his fine qualities to our selection of the best indi- viduals from our point of view ; the Dingo is an unmitigated pest, and is kept down in Australia by all possible means. THE MANED WOLF ( Cants jubatus} THE Dog family is widely distributed over the world, but, with the exception of the Wolf, the species of America are different from those of the Old World. Of the South American kinds the most remarkable is the Maned Wolf or Aguard-guazu, the latter name meaning " large fox." This beast almost equals the true Wolf in size, but is otherwise very different ; in form it is light and high on the legs, and is a far less powerful animal. Its colour is bright chestnut, with some black on the muzzle and front of the legs, and the inside of the ears white. This coloration is, by the way, repeated in a South American Deer (Cariacus paludosus), which would, by some naturalists, be supposed to have acquired its hue by natural selection in mimicry of the canine. The Aguara-guazu is a solitary nocturnal animal, and a good runner and swimmer. It seems not to attack large prey, though domestic animals are sometimes frightened by its mournful cry of " Goo-ah." It is rare in captivity, but has been exhibited at the London Zoological Gardens. en m r> "• U U X > THE FOX (Cam's OUR familiar beast of chase can boast of a very extended range over the world, for he is found not only throughout Europe, but all along Northern Asia, including the Himalayas, while the Red Fox of North America (Canis -culpes fulvus) is simply a local race. Foxes vary a great deal in colour, both locally and individually, the typical red not being always equally intense, and sometimes absent. Our Highland Foxes are greyer, besides being larger, than the Lowland Fox, and in the Himalayas the Fox's colour is a sort of mixture of grey and yellow. In Southern Europe is found a variety of the Fox in which the under-parts are sooty-black instead of white, and the white "tag" at the end of the brush is often absent here. What are called "Cross Foxes" in America have a dark shading along the back and a dark bar crossing this over the shoulders ; while the much-prized "Silver Fox" is a black variety ticked with white hairs. The great value of this skin is due to this casual occurrence of the colour, and any one who could catch alive Silver Foxes, isolate them, and raise a breed, would make his fortune. Both black and white Foxes have occurred in England, and in one locality there is a superstition that if one of the former colour is run by the hounds there will be some accident during that run to one of the followers of the hunt. As the Fox has been so much and so long hunted, his life-history is a matter of common knowledge with many people. He preys, as all know, on any small creature he can overpower, and is the traditional foe of poultry ; he is adroit enough to make the Hedgehog unroll and yield himself a victim, and is really very useful by the number of Rats and Field-Mice which he destroys. Rabbits form a large and im- portant part of his food, and he also feeds upon Hares when he can catch them. His usual method is to stalk his prey, but he has many ruses, and has been seen to capture so wary and quick a bird as the Wood- 110 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD pigeon by walking right among the flock with an elaborate affectation of indifference. Lambs sometimes fall victims to the Fox in our mountain districts ; and in such places, where he cannot be hunted in the orthodox way, he is shot down like any other destructive animal in consequence. Carrion is always acceptable to Reynard, and, though he is not known to eat fruit in England, he does so on the Continent, and after revelling for some time on the traditional grapes and other soft fruit, he becomes fat and loses his rank smell to some extent. Whatever is left from his meals the Fox carefully hides, like the Dog tribe generally ; this is some excuse for the apparently wanton destruction he wreaks in a hen-house, in which he will kill all the inmates. No doubt he intends in such a case to take away all the fowls and bury them, in order to live in luxurious idleness for some time. Although he will often " lie out," especially in hot weather, the Fox's proper home is in his earth, which he does not dig for himself if he can possibly appropriate another animal's home. The Rabbit's, of course, needs enlarging, but the Badger's suits him exactly, and is often used. In the earth the vixen has her cubs, which are at first very different from old Foxes, being of a sooty colour throughout. They are playful and amusing little things, and make interesting pets, though naturally it is difficult to get them to let poultry alone. The vixen is a very fond mother, and spares no trouble in feeding and educating them. Except during their family life, Foxes are solitary animals, and usually quiet ; their note is a yapping bark. One of the most interesting habits of the Fox is his custom of sparing Rabbits or fowls which live near his den. In the case of poultry it is easy enough to see that it is obviously to his interest to do this, if he wishes to live in peace with his human neighbours ; but it is noticed that his family, when they begin to forage for themselves, are not so forbearing, and the habit may have reference to the obvious need of having a confiding population of fur and feather for the cubs to practise hunting upon. The Fox is, of course, not a popular individual with other animals — THE ARCTIC FOX 111 birds especially ; the Magpie, who has a very similar character himself, takes particular pleasure in mobbing him and betraying his movements. Among serious foes he has, out of Britain, to reckon the Wolf and the 1 ynx, while he may occasionally fall a prey to the Eagle, which grips him by the haunches with one foot, while muzzling him with the other. Man, except in England, is his most deadly foe, but the little beast's cunning and resource render him a difficult animal to exterminate, and he survives long even in cultivated and civilised countries. THE ARCTIC FOX (Cams lagopus) FOXES as a group are very widely distributed and numerous in species, but of the foreign ones the Arctic animal is the best known and one of the most remarkable in several ways. It is smaller than our Fox, with shorter muzzle and ears, and altogether less elegant form. Its coat is either dark-coloured — greyish or brownish slaty — or white, often vary- ing according to season. Not all individuals, however, are dark in summer and white in winter, even in the same localities ; some are always dark, and some always white. Of two individuals in the London Zoological Gardens at the time of writing, one is merely brownish in summer and bluish-slate in winter, while the other is dark with white under-parts and extremities in summer, and all white in the winter. The grey winter skins are the valuable Blue Fox fur, and in the Prybiloff Islands, where the Fur-seals breed, American enterprise is attempting to fix this blue strain. Not only are the Foxes fed in winter with seal- meat, but they are selected when captured for fur. Some of the best blues are set free again, while all white ones are killed off. Inhabiting as it does the high northern regions of the world, this Fox has for long been a puzzle to naturalists, who could not under- stand how it lived in winter. It has been found, however, that it practises "cold-storage" in the short summer season of plenty, hiding away the eggs of sea-fowl and doubtless the birds themselves, as well 112 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD as quantities of the queer little short-tailed mice called Lemmings, which are preserved by the frozen subsoil. The Fox also follows the Polar Bear in the hope of dining off his leavings, and now and then gets a welcome windfall in the shape of unfortunate Razor-bills (A lea fordo). These diving-birds, wintering in the high north, often fall exhausted on the ice when they cannot discover open water after long flights, and the Fox naturally does not waste such an opportunity of adding to the larder. He himself is regarded as a welcome addition to the commissariat of our Arctic explorers, and is eaten with relish whenever he can be obtained. THE FENNEC (Cam's cerdo) THIS is a beautiful little Fox inhabiting the deserts of North Africa. It is very small, only about as large as a Cat, and thus the smallest of the Dog family. The ears are, however, very large, being big enough for an ordinary Fox. The coat is of a pale sandy, almost cream colour, and the eyes dark. The Fennec feeds mostly on small creatures like the Jerboas, which share its dry and lonely home, and, like them, hides in burrows during the day. It is also very fond of fruit. As might be expected, this pretty miniature Fox makes a charm- ing pet, but unfortunately it is not very common in captivity. By DHOLES Winifred Autten THE DHOLE (Cyan dukhuntn$is) THE Dhole, or Red Wild Dog, of India, was not a very familiar animal by reputation until the publication of Mr. Kipling's " Jungle-Book," and, although sportsmen in India knew of it as one of the worst enemies of game, it is not abundant even there. Yet it has a wide range, from Eastern Tibet almost all over India, usually in forest country. East of India it is replaced by the allied race — it is hardly a species — the Malay Dhole (C. rutilans). In Siberia there is another Dhole, the only other species known (C. alpinus), which chiefly differs from the Indian animal in its much lighter colour and fuller coat, the latter being particularly noticeable on the tail, which is in winter a splendid brush. Dholes differ from Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes in having fewer teeth, two molars in the lower jaw being missing; the teats of the female are also more numerous, and there is long hair between the foot-pads. This disposes of any possibility of tame dogs being de- scended from them, and so the term " Dhole " is preferable to that of "Wild Dog." Wild enough they are in one sense ; the Indian Dhole, whose habits are the best known, is a wandering creature, travelling in packs of a dozen or less, which soon clear out the game in a jungle by the terror they inspire, and so constantly have to shift their own quarters. Their quarry is usually Deer, Nilghai, and so forth ; but almost any animal may fall a prey to them, for, although they are not bigger than Collies, and not very fast, they have a deadly persistence in following a trail, and their courage is indomitable when they have run down their prey, which they will bait until it or they perish in the fight. Even that magnificent wild Ox, the Gaur (Bos gaums), which even the Tiger generally lets alone, has fallen a victim to them, and they have been 114 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD seen slowly worrying to death a Himalayan Bear (Ursus torquatus], though poor Bruin, with desperate courage, was defending himself as well as he could, and had killed more than one of them. Even the Tiger himself is believed occasionally to be killed by the red pack, and in any case their operations so terrify his prey that he may be forced to leave the depleted district. When attacking, it is the custom of the Dholes to snap at the belly and hind-quarters of the victim, and thus disembowel it, some of the pack, when necessary, making feints at it in front to distract its attention. The terrible force of their bite may be judged from a case comparatively recently reported, in which a Sambur stag (Cervus unicolor} had been attacked by them when drinking. Taking him at a disadvantage, they had wasted no time in finesse, but had flown at his throat forthwith, and nine inches of his windpipe had been snatched out! Although awkwardly-made animals compared with the Wolf or Fox, or even the Dingo, they spring with great energy, and even in confinement no other canines give such an impression of sheer ravenousness as these do. They have but little fear of man, but have only once as yet been known to attack him in India. The Siberian Dhole, however, is said to be dreaded by hunters, and if the Indian species also becomes thus dangerous it will be an infinitely worse enemy to the poor natives than the Wolf or even than a man-eating Tiger. There is thus every reason to put a price on the head of the Dhole, a measure which has long been urged by sportsmen, who are naturally disgusted by its depredations on game animals. Unlike most of the Dog family, Dholes do not appear to eat carrion ; but from the behaviour of a captive specimen in India, it has been thought that they eat some vegetable food, as this individual devoured leaves and grass with evident relish, not medicinally, as Dogs do. Dholes breed in earths which they dig out, and in some cases at all events they form quite a colony. The pups are sooty brown, not red, when very young, like very young Foxes. They are not so tameable as Wolves and Jackals, and are very seldom seen in captivity even in THE HUNTING-DOG 115 the East ; but at the time of writing this there were some fine specimens in the London Zoological Gardens, though they have since died. THE HUNTING-DOG (Lycaon pittus) THIS African animal is one of the most remarkable of the Dog family, resembling as it does the Hyaenas in having four toes on all feet — other dogs having five on the fore-foot — and also in the form and colour of the face and ears. It is, however, a true Dog in all essential points. In size it about equals a Hound, but is remarkably thin and leggy; its coat is close on the body, and the brush short and meagre. The colour is most remarkable, being a sort of mottled tortoiseshell, disposed irregularly in a manner quite unique among wild animals, the two sides, even, of the same animal not matching. There is a little white intermixed, and the end of the brush is always of this colour, while the mask is black. In addition to individual variation in the colours and their arrangement, there is some difference between local races in this respect, but the animal is in any case quite unlike any other beast. It is widely spread over Africa in open dry country — in the main haunts of game, in fact — and is as deadly a foe to the Antelopes as the Dhole is to Deer in India. It has also the same method of attack, and the same fearlessness of man, which is curious, as it is not more nearly related to the Dhole than to any other canine. The Hunting- Dog, however, runs in much larger packs than Dholes do, and is a remarkably swift animal, rapidly overhauling even large Antelopes by sheer speed. It frequently attacks cattle and sheep, and commits terrible havoc amongst them. Unlike the Dhole, it is rather given to using its voice ; it has a bark of defiance, and a rally ing-note, described as beautifully melodious. Even the Lion is said to fear this animal, and to be scared by an imitation of its cry — a curious parallel to the relations of the Dhole with the Tiger. That it does not spare its fellow