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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included In one exposure ere filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams Illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre fiimds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seui clich6, il est fiimd d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant Ie nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iliustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Plate No. 19 MILES' NATURAL HISTOf BUTTEIRFISN. ■-•••« ,-wwt^fli- §HAO !-OH;,TEH, P- .-. ' ■ckfishI Q^ATFISH ■;.1*k^ * fc?.i/*!^i> Seargbin. ^WORDFISH ^f URAL HlSTOf NATURAL History WITH ANECDOTES ILLUSTRATING THE NATURE, HABITS, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF ANIMALS, 'BIRDS, FISHES, REPTILES, INSECTS, ETC., ETC., ETC. ti AKRANOBD AND IDITBD BY ALFRED H. MILES Thi PotU and tk* PoHty of th* Ctnturr," " toot Antcdotts." '» TORONTO: GEORGE N. MORANG & COMPANY LIMITED 1900 r if Copyright, 1893, BY DooD, Mbao and G}MPAMY. All rigkU rmrvtd. ife; PREFACE. Illustrations are like windows to the house of knowledge. They let light in upon the understanding and they facilitate the outlook upon truth and beauty. To illustrate is to help one sense by the use of another, to reason by analogy and to teach the unknown by the known. When definition fails, illustration often carries conviction, and the most successful teachers are those who make the best use of sound and telling illustrations. How many lessons would have been wholly forgotten by us, but for the illustrations which made their meanings clear and left their truths for ever in our minds ? "^ The book of nature is full of illustrations which help the understanding of the book of life, and no illustrations are more valuable and fascinating, whether as revelations of the order and habits of nature herself, or as parallel? and para- bles, full of suggestive application to the social and moral life of humanity, than those afforded by the study of Nat* ural History. To gather into a convenient volume Illustrative Anecdotes of Natural History, which shall throw light upon the study of Animal Life, for those pursuing it for its own sake, and help to the understanding of Nature herself is the primary object of this work, while it is hoped that it may serve a VI PREFACE. secondary purpose of no small utility, in suggesting social and moral parallels. With a view to its first purpose the illustrations are classi- fied in order as those of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Fishes, etc., etc., and as much knowledge of Natural History as can be conveyed in anecdote form has been attempted. The book will thus, it is hoped, be a valuable aid to the teacher of Natural History, as a manual of illustrations for his les- sons, as well as full of interest to the general reader, who may not wish to devote the time necessary to more exhaus- tive scientific study. A. H. M. LIST OF COLORED PLATES. ANIMALS. Plate I. Gorilla. Ourang-Outang. Plate a. Oalago. Aye Aye. Plate 3. Lion. Cheetah. Plate 4. Aard Vark. Blotched Qen- net. Plate s- Jaguar. Cacomixle. Plate 6. Leopard. Lyns. Plate 7. For. Terriers. Puppies. Plate 8. Polar Bear. Brmlne. Plate 9. Rhinoceros. Camel. Plate 10. Elephant. Giraffe. Plate II. Zebra. Bison. Plate It. Beaver. Alpine Hare. Plate 13. Taton. Kangaroo. BIRDS. Plate 14. Sepoy Pinch. Red-Headed Bunting. Chinese Bulbnl. Canary Bird. Brasllian Tanager. Bell Bird. Orchard Oriole. Blue Bullfinch. Java Oronbeak. Nightingale. Plate 15. Bmen Wren. Stitch Bird. Araguira. Whistling Thrush. Pas- tor. Parrot Finch. Swallow Dicae- cum. Golden Oriole. Rosebreasted Grosbeak. Painted Bunting. Plate 16. Kinglet. Scarlet Pinch. Brown Thrasher. Miriposa. Huia. Madagascar Grof < C:;;)c. Crested Sparaetes. Mino Bi' -. Maryland Yellow Throat. Purple-breasted Chatterer. Plate 17. Shaft-tai'ied Stinting. Lin- net. Piping Crow-strike. Pine Grosbeak. AuJubon's Warbler. Thrush. Amardava. Yellow-head. Crested Malim bus. Saddle-back. PISHES. Plate it. Spf.nish Mackerel. Mack- erel. WeakAsh. Herring. Blueflsh. Codfish. Cmb. Porgy. Bel. White- fish. Plate 19. Butterflsh. Catfish. Gold- fish. Blaokflsh. Shad. Lobster. Sea-roblo. Sea-bass. Swordfish. Perch. Plate so. Carp. Yellow Perch. Sak-- dine. Sawfish. Salmon. Sunfish. Brook Trout. Blowfish. Striped Bass. Moonfish. Scie The Zool Clai The The Ano AG Du< AY Gor The Doc The Hab Wal Stre Doc Otai The Gib Mot The Lon Che The An Bab CONTENTS INTRODUOTIOM Science, i The Kingdoms of Nature, i Zoology, 9 Classification, a OlMi L— Btunmalla ORDER I PRIMATES Sub-Ordbr I Man-Shapbo Animals The Ape Family, 3 The Gorilla, a Ancestors of the Gorilla, 4 A Gorilla Hunt, 5 Du ChaiUu's First Gorilla, 7 A Young Gorilla, 9 Gorilla Superstitions, 10 The Chimpansee, 11 Docility and Sagacity of Chimpanzee, 1 1 The Orans^Utan, ta Habits of Orang-Utan, la Walk of Orang-Utan, 13 Strength of Orang-Utan, 14 Docility of Orang-Utan, 14 Orang-utan's Intelligence, 15 " " Ailection, 15 The Maternal Instinct, 16 Gibbons, or Long- Armed Apes, 17 Monkeys, 18 The Sacred Monkeys, 18 Long-nosed Monkey, 19 Cheek-pouched Monkeys, 19 The Baboon, 19 Arabian Baboon, ao Baboon's Imitative Faculty, ao The Chackma Baboon, ai Baboon's Utility, ai The Tame Baboon, aa Baboon's Cunning, aa " Loyalty, 34 " Intelligence, 34 The Bonnet Monkey, as Indian Monkeys, as The Monkey Outdone, 37 The Monkey Aroused, 09 Monkey's Affection, 30 American Monkeys, 30 The Capuchin Monkey, 30 The Spider Monkeys, 30 The Howling Monkeys, 31 The Bearded Saki, 31 The Douroucouli, 3a The Marmosets, 3a Sub-Ordek II The Lemurs The Tarsier, 33 The Aye-Aye, 33 ORDER II WING-HANDED ANIMALS Bats, 35 The Common English Bats, 316 The Vampire Bat, 36 A Traveller's Experience, 37 Megaderma Lyra, 38 ORDER III INSECT-EATING ANIMALS The Hedgehog, 39 The Mole, 40 An Enterprising Mole, 41 The Use of the Mole, 41 The Shrew, 4a VItt CONTENT* ORDER IV FLESH-EATING ANIMALS Sub-Order I The Fissipedia Animals of the Cat Kind, 43 The Lion, 44 Lion's Character, 44 Attitude towards Man, 45 The Better Part of Valour, 46 Lion's Strength, 47 '< Affection, 48 •< Docility, 48 Androcles, 49 A Lion Hunt, 50 A Thrilling Experience, 59 Attacked by a Lion, 53 , A Night Surprise, 55 A Lion Outwitted, 56 Old Instincuand New Opportunities, 56 The Tiger, 57 Tigers' Ravages, 58 An Intrepid Hunter, 60 The Leopard, 61 Leopard's Tenacity of Life, 61 Hunters Hunted, 03 The Jaguar, 64 Jaguar's Strength, 65 A Night of Horror, 65 The Puma, 67 Puma's Ferocity, 67 Animals and Men, 68 The Ocelot, 69 The Clouded Tiger, 70 The Serval, 70 Common Wild Cat, 70 Domestic Cat, 71 Cat Superstitions, 71 Cat as a Hunter, 7a Cat and Her Young, 7a Cat as a Foster Mother, 73 Cat as a Traveller, 74 Cat as a Sportsman, 75 Cat's Intelligence, 75 The Lynx, 76 The Chetah as Huntsman, 78 The Civits, 79 The Ichneumon, 79 Dormant Instinct, 80 TheAardWolf. 80 The Hyaena, 80 StripeclHyxna, 83 Spotted Hyaena, 8a A Narrow Escape, 83 Animals of the Dog Kind, 84 The Wolf, 84 The Fox, 8s The Jackal, 86 WoirsModeof AtUck, 86 Wolf's Cunning, 87 •' Cowardice, 88 Hunted by Wolves, 88 A Terrible Alternative, 89 A Marvellous Escape, 89 Tame Wolves, oo The Cunning of the Fox, 90 The Fox as a Hunter, 91 A Fox Hunt, 9a The Arctic Fox, 93 Wild Dogs, 93 jf Locality, Dog Friendships and Enmities, 99 Dog'i ierstandinr. 95 Sense of Locality, 97 and Language, 100 Dog's Intelligence, loi " Mistakes, 104 Eskimo Dogs, 104 A Hard Lot, 106 Newfoundland Dog, 107 Newfoundland's Generosity, 108 " Perception of Dan ger, 109 ** Sense of Right Wrong, III " Fidelity, iia Newfoundland under Training, tia The Sheep Dog, 114 Sheep Dog's Sagacity, 115 *♦ •• Fidelity, 117 The St. Bernard, no St. Bernard at Work, lai The Greyhound, laa Greyhound's Affection, ia3 The Lurcher, laa The Bloodhound, 135 Scent of the Bloodhound, ia6 The SlajF Hound, 137 A Stag Hunt, 137 The Fbx Hound, laB Fox Hound's Tenacity, ia8 The Harrier, 139 The Beagle, 139 The Dalmatian Dog, i^o The Turnspit, 130 Turnspit's Sagaaty, ijo The Pointer, 130 Pointer's Intelligence, 131 The Setter, ivi Pointers and Setters, 139 Sagacity of the Setter, 133 The Spaniel, 134 ^ Blenheim Spaniel and CaU, 135 Water Spaniel as a Witness, 13s The Terrier. 136 The Mastifr, 136 Fidelity of the Mastiff, 136 Intelligence of the Mastiff, 137 The Mastiff as Protector, 137 CONTENTS IX The Bull Dog, 138 Th« Poodle. i» The Shoe-bUcVs Poodle, 139 Weueli, Otters, «nd Badgers, 140 The Polecat, 140 The Weasel, 140 Weasel and Kite. 141 The Common Otter, 141 The Badger, 14a The Rate! and the Skunk, 143 The Skunk, 144 The Raccoon and the Coat], 145 The Bear, 145 ' The Polar Bear, 146 The Black Bear, 147 Docility of the Bear, 148 The Grissly Bear, 149 The Brown Bear, 131 Bruin and the Honey, 151 The Malayan Bear, 131 Sub-Order II The Pinnipedia Sea Lions, 15a Sea Bears, 153 The Walrus, 154 The Common Seal, 155 The Seal's Docility, 156 ORDER V WHALES AND DOLPHINS The Right Whale, 158 The Sperm Whale, 159 The Dolphin, iso The White Wh Je, 160 The Narwhal, 160 The Porpoise, 161 The Grampus, 161 ORDER VI The Sea Cow, 163 ORDER VII HOOFED ANIMALS The Hone, i6a The Arabian Horse, 163 Affection for his Owner, 165 The Domestic Horse, 166 The Structure of a Horse, 167 The Horse's Speed, 169 The Hone's Endurance, 170 The Horse's Memory, 171 The Force of Habit, 173 Intelligence of the Horse, 174 Horse-Play, 176 Horses and Dogs, 177 The Ass, X78 Sagacity of the Ass, 180 Instinct of th« Ass, i8x The Trained Ass, i8a The Mule and the Hinny, 183 The Zebra, 183 The Tapir, 183 The Rhinoceros, 184 Rhinoceros Hunting, 186 The Tame Rhinoceros, 187 The Hippopotamus, 188 The Haunt of the Hippopotami, 189 The Pig Family, 190 The Boar, 190 The Common Hog, 191 I'he Babiroussa, 19a The Peccary, loa The Camel and the Dromedary, 193 Strength and Endurance of the Camel, 193 The Camel and his Master, 194 Camel Riding, 19s A Camel's Revenge, 195 The Terrors of the Desert, 196 The Llama, 198 The Defr, ig8 The Red Deer, 199 A Stag Hunt, aoo The Tame Stag, aoi The Reindeer, aox The Moose or Elk, ao4 The Fallow Deer and the Roebuck, ao4 The Giraffe, 305 The History of the Giraffe, aos Hollow-Homed Ruminants, 3o6 The Bull, the Bison and the Buffalo, 307 The Bull, the Ox, the Cow, 307 The Bull, ao8 The Brahmin Bull, 309 The Ox, 309 The Cow, aio The Pride of a Cow, aio The Bison, an Hunting the Bison, 313 The Buffalo, 3ia Hunting the Indian Buffalo, 313 The Cape Buffalo, 314 Hunting the Cape Buffalo, 3x5 The Zebu, ai6 The Yak, ai6 The Antelopes, 316 The Gaselle, 317 The Sheep and the Goat, 3x7 The Intelligence ci the Sheep, 3x8 Animals and Mus^c, 3x8 ORDER VIII The Elephant, 3x9 The Wild Elephant, aao Elephant HeroL 331 Elephant Friendships, 333 CONTENTS Sandty of the Elephant, 334 A Centenarian Elephant, 234 An Elephant Nurse, 335 Intelligence of the Elephant, 235 ORDER IX The Coniei, 336 ORDER X THE RODENTS : ANIMALS THAT GNAW Rats and Mice, 337 The Rat Family, 337 The Hamster, 338 '' Swarms of Rau, 338 Invaded by Rats, 329 Migrations of Rats, 330 The Intelligence of Rats, 331 Saved by a Rat, 331 The Mouse, 333 The Harvest Mouse, 333 The Field Mouse, 233 The Dormouse, 333 The Jerboas, 334 The Beaver, 334 The European Beaver, 334 The American Beaver, 335 The Squirrel, 237 The Squirrel at Home, 238 Tame Squirrels, 239 The Marmot, the Bobak, the Prairie Dog, 340 The Chinchilla, 240 The Porcupine, 340 The Guinea Pig, 341 Hares and Rabbits, 341 The Common Hare, 341 Intelligence of the Hare, 34a A Hunted Hare, 343 Tame Hares, 344 The Common Rabbit, 245 ORDER XI TOOTHLESS ANIMALS The Sloth, 245 The Pangolin, 346 The Armadillo, 346 The Cape Ant-Bear, 246 The Ant-Eater, 247 ORDER XII POUCHED ANIMALS The Oprili». tonal Africa " du Chaillu gives an equally thrilling account of the capture of his first gorilla. He says : " We started early, and pushed through the most dense and impenetrable part of the forest; in hopes to find the very home of the beast I so much wished to shoot. Hour after hour we travelled and yet no signs of gorillas. Only the everlasting, little, chattering monkeys — and not many of these — and occasionally birds. Suddenly Miengai uttered a little cluck with his tongue which is the native way of showing that something is stirring and that a sharp look- out is necessary. And presently I noticed^ ahead of us seemingly, a noise as of some one breaking down branches or twigs of trees. This was a gorilla — I knew at once by the eager satisfied looks of the men. We walked with the greatest care making no noise at all. Suddenly, as we were yet creeping along, in a silence which made a heavy breath seem loud and distinct, the woods were at once filled with the tremendous barking roar of the gorilla. Then the underbrush swayed rapidly just ahead, and presently before us stood an immense male gorilla. He had gone through the jungle on all fours; but when he saw our party he erected himself and looked us boldly in the face. He stood about a dozen yards from us, and was a sight I th|n\c 1^ tAi9,\\ never forget. Nearly six feet high (he proved m 8 r HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. NATURAL HISTOR* ® «- hodv huge chest, and fo« '-»- '"^jt tit TeX'-n^: '"««• -"v:^. .roat muscular anos, «"» j ,hich seemed to mo It ^d » hdlish W'.'^ °;^' .;„i before u, this tog of X so»« »«>>»»« ''r«. not afraid of «.. H. stood he African forest- H«^^ ^ fi.« till it r.«.»nded Sere and beat «»''«»•' ''"'^hich is the gorillas' mode of ^Te an immense b»»-'>."'"' Xini vent to roar after roar, off ring deftance; "--^.C? singular ^ ^^ «oi« The roar of the gorilla » "» ^a> a sharp »«r*. ^^d in *-f"Xn^es into a deep bass «tf which Bke an angry f 8' *'"Xble. the roll of distant thunder literally and clos^y '^^ .^ ^^at It seems to proceed along the sVy. So d«p ^^ ^ ^, deep chest ,e.s from the "'»»*„^'',* began to flash fiercer fire- and vast paunch. Ho y ; ^ u.e aest of short „e stood """'"""ht forehead began to twitch ,.pi<«y hair «hich ^'='"<'».°"^^ powerful fangs were shown as he up and ^-Xtl thunderous roar. He advanced a f«r again sent forth his m ^^ ^y^^^ j^u agam- ,teps-then stopped w ^^^„ „ » juunce of advanced again, and nna y i^ ^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ about sU y"'^' '"" "hi, Ust^rith rage. w. fired. «m of his roars, beaung h» » ^^^ ^ .omething tenibly kUled him. With a g^^ ^ b„ti,hness. he fell forward human in it, ^^ /" .^ook convulsively for a fewnrinnt.^ on his face. The "^^^ " Sniggling way. and then all *' Umbs moved ^\^J^^^Za I had Jeisur. «, ^ qmet: death ^ad don ^ ^ be five feet el^t gamine .he ^'^^^ development of the -m. «.d inches high, and *« ^"^..^gU, it had possessed." A breast showed «'«' 'T'S^^ ctaaiu on Miother occasfc* waUer gorilla, shot by M^ fifty inches torn* Ztt »- S«^ ^' . .pre«. of .even feet two Uk^ No. 1 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. J w 0_ Z n I mal my| anc out gorj bcc wl by sec thej meij le tret did! the AL. THE GORILLA. A Toonff OorUlA. A young gorilla which some natives succeeded in capturing for M. du Chaillu, and which he named " Fighting Joe, " forms the subject of one of his most interesting chapters. The young cub was caught by the adroit use of a cloth which one of the natives managed to throw over his head, but not until he had severely bitten one of his captors in the hand and taken a mouthful out of the leg of another. He was about three years old, three feet six inches in height and of great strength. A cage was made for him, from which he twice escaped, on each occasion being recaptured by the use of fishing nets. On his first escape he concealed himself under the bed in M. du Chaillu's house. " Running in," says the writer, "to get one of my guns, I was startled by an angry growl. It was master Joe; there was no mistake about it; I knew his growl too well. I cleared out faster than I came in. I instantly shut the windows and called in my people to guard the door. When Joe saw the crowd of black faces he became furious, and with his eyes glaring, and every sign of rage in his face and body, he got out from beneath the bed. He was about to make a rush at all of us. He was not afraid. A stampede ot my men took place, I shut the door quickly (from outside) and left Joe master of the premises." While the men outside were devising means for his recapture, the young gorilla carefully inspected the furniture and M. du Chaillu became apprehensive for the safety of his clock, the ticking of which was likely to attract unwelcome attention. However, by means of a net dexterously thrown over him, he w£is secured once more and carried back to his cage, which in the meantime had been repaired, the fiill strength of four men being required for the purpose. On his second escape le made for the woods and took refuge in a large clump of trees. "This we surrounded," says M. du Chaillu. "He did not ascend a tree, but stood defiantly at the border of the wood. About one hundred and fifty of us surrounded k 10 NAIURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. H' m him. As we moved up he began to yell, and made a dash upon a poor fellow who was in advance. The fellow ran and tumbled down in affright. By his fall he escaped the tender mercies of Joe's teeth; but he also detained the little rascal long enough for the nets to be thrown over him." But Joe was a child of nature and could not live with the chain of civilisation around his neck, and he died somewhat suddenly some ten days afterwards and finally found his way to the British museum. OorillA According to du Chaillu, the natives entertain SupentitlonB. many superstitions about the gorilla, among the commonest of which is the belief that some gorillas are inhabited by human spirits. In his " Stories of the Gorilla Country " he gives an interesting illustration of this. " In the evening, " he says, "the men told stories about gorillas. *I re- member,' said one, 'my father told me he once went out to the forest, when just in his path he met a great gorilla. My father had his spear in his hand. When the gorilla saw the spear he began to roar; then my fatlier was terrified and dropped the spear. When the gorilla saw that my father had dropped the spear he was pleased. He looked at him, and then left him and went into the thick forest. Then my father was glad and went on his way.' Here all shouted : 'Yes! so wc must do when we meet the gorilla. Drop the spear; that appeases him.' Next Garabo spoke. 'Several dry seasons ago, a man suddenly disappeared from my village after an angry quarrel. Some time after an Ashira of that village was out in the forest. He met a very lanrc gorilla. That gorilla was the man who had disappeared- he had turned into a gorilla. He jumped upon tlie poor Ashira and bit a piece out of his arm; tlicn he let him go. Then the man came back with the blectling arm. He told me this, I hope we shall not meet such gorillas.' CAonu: 'No; we shall not meet such wicked gorillas.* "I myself says du Chaillu, "afterwards met that man ip the Ashira THE CHIMPANZEE. II country. I saw his maimed arm and he repeated the same story." Then one of the men spoke up: 'If we kill a gorilla to-morrow, I should like to have a part of the brain for a fetich. Nothing makes a man so brave as to have a fetich of gorilla's brain. That gives a man a strong heart.' Chorus (of those who remained awake) 'Yes; that gives a man a strong heart.'" A fetich of the brain of the gorilla is said also to help its owner in love as well as war. The ChimpanBee. The chimpanzee is a near neighbour of the gorilla in Equatorial Africa though he appears to have a more extended range. He is found in Sierra Leone and in the country lying to the north of the river Congo, and according to native accounts is gregarious in his habits, travelling in formidable companies, who carry sticks and make effective use of them. They are said to reach maturity at nine or ten years of age and to attain a height of from four to five feet. Like the gorillas they have immensely poweiful limbs, and have been known without apparent effort to break off branches of trees which a man would have been powerless to bend. The Docility The chimpanzee differs from the gorilla in *°*of tt!^"^ his amenability to civilisation. The gorilla, Ohimpanaee. however young, seems incapable of being tamed ; while the chimpanzee in its infancy and youth at least has often been domesticated, though like most other apes, as it approaches maturity, it needs to be kept under strong control. Captain Brown in his " Habits and Characteristics of Animals and Birds" gives the following illustration of the docility and sagacity of the chimpanzee. He says: " M. de Grandpr^ saw, on board of a vessel, a female chimpanzee, which exhibited wonderful proofs of intelligence. She had learnt to heat the oven ; she took great care not to let any of the coals fall out, which might have done mischief in the ship; and she was very accurate in observing when the oven was heated to the proper degree, of which she immediately „,oTnRY IN ANECDOTE. NATORAI. HISTORY l« . „,„i„e with perfect confidence apprised the "^^''^ t^^ed Ji, dough to the oven a. ««n „pon her infonnauon. «"'' ^j^. This animal performed :^he chimpanzee came^of^chhm. ^^^^^^ ,11 the business °f;..^''°h'e„; and she wa3. in fact considered and assisted at »»f"''"8 ';™ ;,,ves. The vessel was bound by the ^-■'°"r°f,V^* animal did not live to see tt,a for America; but the poor ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^j ,^ g ^ country, having fallen a «c ^^^ her. which ^te, who inflicted v ry mej c .^ ^,^^ ^^^ ,he had not ^^e^" f -^ f ^:, Lnds in a suppliant attitude. paUence, only holch^g ou he ^^^ ^_^^^ ^^^ ^^^_^.^^, ^ i„ order to break t''*^"^ ^j,, „fused to take any food, from that »°";^"' f ,,f from grief and hunger. She was and died on the "'"J^y J'" «;^,en in Sumatra, when "J""^ ^ „g one in its arms, forest a female ^-^^^rsl^ comm'cnced. In the ardo« «as discovered and the P ^^^ ^^^^ ^j »„ j,f the ■noment. and «c / everything but the ^n» :„imal so rare, f f^^'tn Js men by the promise o a before him. and «'g«^ ° ^^ successful. Thus stimulated „ward. should ^'-f^Te^he animal, encumbered by he, ,hey followed up *«*'„, efforts to gain the dense and young one. "^'''"^ PJe* ood, springing from tree to tre^ intricate reces.,es <" '"« ^^ans to elude her pursues, and endeavourmg by e ry ^^^ ^^ ,^j_^, ^ Several shots were R"^ »"^^^ ^^^ of the .V.« Feeling the ball penetrating ine k, ^^^^ y^^ g^,,i„g f„„ herself mortally ^-^'f^^^^ent took no care of herseU, her mouth, she from tha mo ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ but with a °'°*"/ J *„e. She threw it onwards over energies to ^^X^ and from one branch to anolh«, the tops of the trees, ^^^^f_ ^^j ^,„ t^ing the most <'^=;-';«, '2 Jicacy of the fores. bei„ facilitating its P'^^I^^^^^^'^fUes, were sure. All this to. r'bl^"''^ «°«^"*= but her effort, had be«> unabat.4 '4%\ THE GIBBONS. «7 and it was only when her young one was on the point of attaining to a place of safety that she rested on one of the topmost branches of a gigantic tree. True to her ruling passion, even in death, she turned for a moment to gaze after her young one, reeled, and fell head foremost to the ground. The sight was so touching that it called forth the sympathy of the whole party. The eagerness of the chase subsided; and so deep an impression did the maternal tenderness and unexpected self-devotion of the poor orang make on the gentleman alluded to, whose heart was indeed formed in 'nature's gentlest mould,* that he expressed the utmost remorse and pity, declaring that he would not go through the same scene again for all the world ; nor did the tragical deiith of the animal cease t> haunt his mind for many weeks, and he never afterwards recurred to it but with feelings of emotion. The preserved skin is now in the Museum of the Zoological Society." Gibbons or Long The gibbons belong to the genus Hylobates, Anned Apee. of which there are several species. They are characterised by the ability to walk almost erect, hence the name Hylobates. They live in the tops of trees, in large companies and possess marvellous powers of locomotion, swinging themselves from tree to tree with such rapidity as to baffle all pursuit. When on the ground they balance themselves in walking by holding their hands above their -heads. The adult gibbon is about three feet in height land has a reach of arms of about six feet; The gibbon is I tractable and capable of strong affection towards those who I show it kindness. One of the Hoolock species petted by Dr. Burrough, became companionable and would sit at his imaster's breakfast-table, eat eggs and chicken, and drink tea [and coffee with great propriety. Fruit was his favourite Ifood, but insects were especially palatable to him and he twas an expert in catching flies. The siamang differs from [tiie other species of long-armed apes in the formation of its •n -I i8 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. feet and in several other characteristics. It is, however, similar to the Hoolock in its amenity to kindness and its affection for its master, when brought under the influence of kindly treatment. The gibbons have great strength in their lower limbs, whereby they are enabled to leap surprising distances. M. Duvaneel said he once saw one of these animals clear a space of forty feet, from the branch of a tree. Mr. George Bennet, in his "Wanderings," describes the action of ^ siamang that belonged to him, which having managed to free himself of his tether, proceeded to embrace the legs of the Malays whom he came across, until he discovered his former master, whereupon he climbed into the Malay's arms and hugged him with the tenderest affection. Monkeys. Monkeys differ from the apes we have dealt with in the important characteristic, among others, of possessing tails. These vary in length from inches to feet, in some cases being considerably longer than the body and in others little more than stumps. They vary also in form, some being completely covered with hair, and others only partially so; some ' apparently useful only as ornaments, others being prehensile, that is capable of grasp, and giving their owners almost the advantage of a fifth limb. The BMsred The Sacred Monkeys {Stmnopithecida) in- Monkeys. elude two genera and a large number of species. Among these are the species which bear the name of Hanumin, a Hindoo divinity, and are worshipped in his honour. The protection these monkeys receive on account of the superstitions prevalent concerning them, leads to their iaige increase in numbers and to many inconveniences arising therefrom. It is said that if a traveller should be unfortunate enough to offend one of these animals he is likely enough to be followed by the whole party howling in a most hideous and discordant manner, and pelting him with any missiles upon which they can lay their hands. There are eighteen species of the Semnopithecus, all of which MONKEYS. 19 are found in the East. Of these the Entellus is one of the best known species. It is very susceptible to cold, and cannot live long in Europe. The Iiong-nosed The Long-nosed Monkey {Semnopithecus Monkey. Larvaini) belongs to this family and is distinguished, as its name implies, by the length of its proboscis. This animal is described by Wallace as about the size of a child of three years of age, while possessing a nose considerably longer than that of any human adult. From the head to the tip of the tail the proboscis monkey measures about four feet and a half. It is sometimes called the Kahau from its cry which resembles the sound of that |word. It is said to hold its nose when leaping to protect [it from being injured by the branches of trees. The second jenus of this family, of which there are numerous species, >elongs to Africa. lOheek-pouched The Cheek-pouched Monkeys form the Monkeys. third family of the quadrumana. They include sven genera, and sixty or seventy species, of which five snera belong to Africa and two to Asia and to the Malay llands. Among the better known of these species is the I'alapoin of West Africa ; the Diana monkey and the Mona ifrica) ; the little White-nosed monkey (Guinea) ; the Grivet Fubia and Abyssinia); the Green monkey (Cape de Verds); |ie Patas (Senegal) ; the Malbrouck monkey ; and the Vervet )nkey (South Africa). The Green monkey and the Vervet )nkey are those most commonly seen in England. One of best known members of this family is the Baboon. 16 Baboon. The baboon is found in many parts of Africa, one of its species in Arabia. It is of the genus wcephalus, and some of its species attain to considerable ine; the head and face of one species resembling those a dog, it is sometimes called the dog-faced baboon. le baboon herds in large numbers, and is said to make jarently organized attacks upon villages during the 20 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. absence of the peasants in harvest time, placing sentinels on the look out, to apprise them of danger, while they visit the houses and take possession of all the food they can find. They are cunning and powerful, and formidable in combat, but, greedy in habit, they eat to excess, and when {;v»rged to satiety fall an easy prey to their enemies. In their ^IM state they feed on berries and bulbous roots, but when proximity to civilisation gives them wider opportunity, they show their appreciation of a more varied menu. Among the more familiar species of the baboon are the CAacima, the JDn'//, the Mandrill, the Anubis, the Babouin, and the Sphinx, all of which belong to the West of Africa. __ The Arabian baboon is an animal with a Th0 Arsblan history. It was worshipped by the Egyptians, Baboon. ^Jjq embalmed its body after death and set apart portions of their cemeterisa for its use. Sacred to Thoth, the Egyptian Hermes, the God of letters, the baboon sometimes represents that deity in Egyptian sculptures, where it is usually figured in a sitting posture, the attitude in which its body was generally embalmed. The baboon was also held as emblematic of the Moon, and honoured sym- bolically in other connections. It is commonly represented in judgment scenes of the dead with a pair of scales in front of it, Thoth being supposed to exercise important duties in the final judgment of men. The baboon was held especially sacred at Hermopolis. According to Sir J. G. Wilkinson the Egyptians trained baboons to useful ofiSces, making them torch-bearers at their feasts and festivals. The Like others of the monkey tribes the baboon imitatiTe ghows an extraordinary faculty for imitation. Fftoulty of the Captain Browne in his "Characteristics of Ani- Baboon. mals " says : " The following circumstance is truly characteristic of the imitative powers of the baboon:— The army of Alexander the Great marched in complete battle* array into a country inhabited by great numbers of babooni, THE BABOON. 21 and encamped there for the night. The next morning, when the army was about to proceed on its march, the soldiers saw, at some distance, an enormous number of baboons, drawn up in rank and file, like a small army, with such regularity, that the Macedonians, who could have no idea of such a manoeuvre, imagined at first that it was the enemy drawn up to receive them." -. The chackma lives among the mountains of Ohaokms the Cape of Good Hope, where he attains about Baboon, ^^e size of an English mastiff and even greater strength. He descends to the plains on foraging expeditions, and, when not attacked, will usually make oflf on the approach of danger, but if aroused to anger can both show and use his teeth, and is far superior to the average English boy in throwing stones. TheBaboon'B Le Vaillant gives an interesting account of utility. a chackma baboon which accompanied him through South Africa, and which bore the name of Kees. He says : " I made him my taster. Whenever we found fruits or roots, with which my Hottentots were unacquainted, we did not touch them till Kees had tasted them. If he threw them away, we concluded that they were either of a dis- agreeable flavour, or of a pernicious quality, and left them untasted. The monkey possesses a peculiar property, wherein he differs greatly from other animals, and resembles man, — namely, that he is by nature equally gluttonous and inquisitive. Without necessity, and without appetite, he tastes every thing that falls in his way, or that is given to him. But Kees had a still more valuable quality,- -he was an excellent sentinel ; for, whether by day or night, he immediately sprang up on the slightest appearance of danger. By his cry, and the symptoms of fear which he exhibited, we were always apprized of the approach of an enemy, even though the dogs perceived nothing of it. The latter, at length, learned to rely upon him with such confidence, that they slept on in per- »f NATUllAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. I feet tranquillity. I often took Kees with me when I went hunting; and when he saw me preparing for sport, he exhibited the most lively demonstrations of joy. On the way, he would climb into the trees to look for gum, of which he was very fond. Sometimes he discovered to me honey, deposited in the clefts of rocks, or hollow trees. But, if he happened to have met with neither honey nor gum, and his appetite had become sharp by his running about, I always witnessed a very ludicrous scene. In those cases, he looked for roots, which he ate with great greediness, especially a particular kind, which, to his cost, I also found to be very well tasted and refreshing, and therefore insisted upon sharing with him. In order to draw these roots out of the ground, he employed a very ingenious method, which afforded mc much amusement. He laid hold of the herbage with his teeth, stemmed his fore feet against the ground, and drew back his head, which gradually pulled out the root. But if this exj^edient, for which he employed his whole strength, did not succeed, he laid hold of the leaves as before, as close to the ground as possible, and then threw himself heels over head, which gave such a concussion to the root, that it never failed to come out. The Tame "Serpents excepted, there were no animals of Babooa. whom Kees stood in such great dread as of his own species, — perhaps owing to a consciousness of loss of natural capacity. Sometimes he heard the cry of other apes among the mountains, and, terrified as he was, he yet answered them. But, if they approached nearer, and he saw any of them, he fled, with a hideous cry, crept between our legs, and trembled over his whole body. It was very difficult to compose him, and it required some time before he recovered from his fright. The Cunning " ^^® ^'' °^^^*" animals, Kees was addicted to of the stealing. He understood admirably well how Baboon, jq Iqq^ ^^ strings of a basket, in order to take THE BABOON. *i in order to take victuals out of it, especially milk, of which he was very fond. My people chastised him for these thefts; but that did not make him amend his conduct. I myself sometimes whipped him ; but then he ran away, and did not return again to the tent until it grew dark. Once, as I was about to dine, and had put the beans, which I had boiled for myself, upon a plate, I heard the voice of a bird with which I was not acquainted. I left my dinner standing, seized my gun, and ran out of the tent. After the space of about a quarter oi an hour I returned, with the bird in my hand, but, to my astonishment, found not a single bean upon the plate. Kees had stolen them all, and taken himself out of the way. When he had committed any trespass of this kind, he used always, about the time when I drank tea, to return quietly, and seat himself in his usual place, with every appearance of innocence, as if nothing had happened ; but this evening he did not let himself be seen. And, on the following day, also, he was not seen by any of us; and, in consequence, I began to grow seriously uneasy about him, and apprehen- sive that he might be lost for ever. But, on the third day, one of my people, who had been to fetch water, informed me that he had seen Kees in the neighbourhood, but that, as soon as the animal espied him, he had concealed himself again. I immediately went out and beat the whole neigh- bourhood with my dogs. All at once, I heard a cry, like that which Kees used to make, when I returned from my shooting, and had not taken him with me. I looked about, and at length espied him, endeavouring to hide himself behind the large branches of a tree. I now called to him in a friendly tone of voice, and made motions to him to come down to me. But he could not trust me, and I was obliged to climb up the tree to fetch him. He did not attempt to fly, and we returned together to my quarters; here he expected to receive his punishment; but I did nothing, as it would have been of no use. i4 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ^.^ "An officer, wishing to put the fidelity of my '^of the baboon to the test, pretended to strike me. At Baboon, thjg he flew in a violent rage, and, from that time, could never endure the sight of the officer. If he only saw him at a distance he began to cry, and make all kinds of grimaces, which evidently showed that he wished to revenge the insult that had been done to me; he ground his teeth; and endeavoured, with all his might, to fly at his face, but that was out of his power, as he was chained down. The offender several times endeavoured, in vain, to conciliate him, by oflering him dainties, but he remained long im- placable. The " When any eatables were pilfered, at my quar- Inteuigenoe ^^^^ ^^ f^ult was always laid upon Kees; and rarely Baboon, was the accusation unfounded. For a time the eggs, which a hen laid me, were constantly stolen, and I wished to ascertiiin whether I had to attribute this loss also to him. For this purpose I went one morning to watch him, and waited till the hen announced, by her cackling, that she had laid an egg. Kees was sitting upon my vehicle; but, the moment he heard tlie hen's voice, he leapt down, and was nmning to fetch the egg. When he saw me, he suddenly stopped, and affected a careless posture, swaying himself backwards upon his hind legs, and assuming a very innocent look; in short, he employed all his art to deceive me with resoect to his design. His hypocritical manoeuvres only con- firmed my suspicions, and, in order, in my turn, to deceive him, I pretended not to attend to him, and turned my back to the bush where the hen was cackling, upon which he immediately sprang to the place. I ran after him, and came up to him at the moment when he had broken the egg and was swallowing it. Having caught the thief in the fact, I gave him a good beating upon the spot, but this severe chastisement did not prevent his soon stealing fresh-laid eggs again. As I was convinced that I should never be able to THE BABOON. »5 break Kees ofif his natural vices, and that, unless I chained him up every morning, I should never get an egg, I endea- voured to accomplish my purpose in another manner; I tiained one of my dogs, as soor/. as the hen cackled, to run U, the nest, and bring me the egg, without breaking it. In a few days, the dog had learned his lesson ; but Kees, as soon as he heard the hen cackle, ran with him to the nest. A contest now took place between them, who should have the egg; often the dog was foiled, although he was the stronger of the two. If he gained the victory, he ran joyfully to me with the egg, and put it into my hand. Kees, never- theless, followed him, and did not cease to grumble and make [| threatening grimaces at him, till he saw me take the egg,-^ as if he was comforted for the loss of his booty by his adversary's not retaining it for himself. If Kees had got hold of the egg, he endeavoured to run with it to a tree, where, having devoured it, he threw down the shells upon his adversary, as if to make game of him. Kees was always the first awake in the morning, and, when it was the proper time, he awoke the dogs, who were accustomed to his voice, and, in general, obeyed, without hesitation, the slightest motions by which he communicated his orders to them, immediately taking their posts about the tent and carriage, as he directed them." The Bonnet The bonnet monkey is of the genus macacus, Monkey, and is to be found in many parts of India. It lis characterized by a bonnet, or cap of hair, which radiates I from the centre of the crown. It is known as the Macacus IRadiatus. Other species of the genus macacus are the \Rhtsus monkey, the Wanderoo^ the Barhary Ape or Magot, |and the Macaque. indUn Monkeys. Many stories are told of the audacity of |the Indian monkeys in which those of the genus macacus :qme in for more than honourable mention. Whether in Itheir native haunts, or in European menageries, they are an 26 natural' history in anecdote. endless source of amusement and not unfrequently one of annoyance. In their free state, they tax the ingenuity of native and European alike by their mischievous habits and thievish propensities. They climb upon the tops of the Bazaars and the slightest relapse from vigilance on the part of the shopkeepers is sure to be followed by the loss or spoliation of their wares. A common defence against these unwelcome intruders is to cover the roofs with a certain prickly shrub, the thorns of which command respect even from monkeys. Mrs. Bowdich says: "In some places they are even fed, encouraged, and allowed to live on tiit looh of houses;" but this would be where the goods of the householder were beyond their reach. "If a man wishes to revenge himself for any injury committed upon him," says Mrs. Bowdich, "he has only to sprinkle some rice or com upon the top of his enemy's house or granary just before the rain sets in, and the monkeys will assemble upon it, cat all they can find outside, and then pull off the tiles to get at that which has fallen through the crevices. This, of course, gives access to the torrents which fall in such countries, and house, furniture and stores are all ruined." Quoting from another writer, Mrs. Bowdich gives an amusing description of the way in which one of these monkeys watched his opportunity for making his descent upon a sweet-stuff shop. Taking up a position opposite the shop, " he pretended to be asleep, but every now and then softly raised his head to look at the tempting piles and the owner of them, who sat smoking his pipe without symptoms even of a doze. In half an hour the monkey got up, as if he were just awake, yawned, stretched himself, and took another position a few I yards ofi^ where he pretended to play with his tail, occa* I sionally looking over his shoulder at the coveted delicaciei At length the shopman gave signs of activity, and the { monkey was on the alert; the man went to his back room, the monkey cleared the street at one bound, and in an THE INDIAN MONKEYS. 27 instant stuffed his pouches full of the delicious morsels. He had, however, overlooked some hornets, which were regaling themselves at the same time. They resented his disturbance, and the tormented monkey, in his hurry to escape, came upon a thorn-covered roof, where he lay stung, torn, and bleeding. He spurted the stolen bonbons from his pouches and barked hoarsely looking the picture of misery. The noise of the tiles which he had dislodged in his retreat brought out the inhabitants, and among them the vendor of the sweets, with his turban unwound, and streaming two yards behind him. All joined in laughing at the wretched monkey; but their religious reverence for him induced them to go to his assistance: they picked out his thorns and he limped away to the woods quite crestfallen." The Monkey The writer, from whom Mrs. Bowdich quoted Outdone, the above story, gives a graphic account of the success of a stratagem he employed to rid himself of the unwelcome visits of his monkey friends. "Although," says he, " a good deal shyer of me than they were of the natives, I found no difficulty in getting within a few yards of them; and when I lay still among the brushwood they gambolled round me with as much freedom as if I had been one of themselves. This happy understanding, however, did not last long, and we soon began to urge war upon each other. The castts belli was a field of sugar-cane which I had planted on the newly cleared jungle. "Every beast of the field seemed leagued against this devoted patch of sugar-cane. The wild elephants came and browzed in it; the jungle hogs rooted it up, and munched it at their leisure; the jackals gnawed the stalks into squash; and the wild deer ate the tops of the young plants. Against all these marauders there was an obvious remedy, — to build a stout fence round the cane-field. This was done accord- ingly; and a deep trench dug outside, that even the wild elephant did not deem it prudent to cross. The wild hogs 28 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. came and inspected the trench and the palisades beyond. A bristly old tusker was observed taking a survey of the defences; but, after mature deliberation, he gave two short grunts, the porcine (language), I imagined, for 'No go/ and took himself off at a round trot, to pay a vbit to my neigh- bour Ram Chunder, and inquire how his little plot of sweet yams was coming on. The jackals sniffed at every crevice, and determined to wait a bit; but the monkeys laughed the whole entrenchment to scorn. Day after day was I doomed to behold my canes devoured as fast as they ripened, by troops of jubilant monkeys. It was of no use attempting to drive them away. When disturbed, they merely retreated to the nearest tree, dragging whole stalks of sugar-cane along with them, and then spurted the chewed fragments in my face, as I looked up at them. This was adding insult to injury; and I positively began to grow bloodthirsty at the idea of being outwitted by monkeys. The case between us might have been stated in this way. *! have, at much trouble and expense, cleared and cultivated this jungle land,' said I. 'More fool you,' said the monkeys. 'I have planted and watched over these sugar-canes.' 'Watched! Ah, ahl so have we, for the matter of that.' 'But surely I have a right to reap what I sowed.' 'Don't see it,' said the monkeys; 'the jungle, by rights prescriptive and indefeas- ible, is ours, and has been so ever since the days of Ram Hanumdn of the long tail. If you cultivate the jungle with- out our consent, you must look to the consequences. If you don't like our customs, you may get about your business. We don't want you.' I kept brooding over this mortifying view of the matter, until one morning I hatched revenge in a practicable shape. A tree, with about a score of monke^rs on it, was cut down, and half a dozen of the youngest were caught as they attempted to escape. A large pot of gkou (treacle) was then mixed with as much tarter emetic as coukl be spared from the medicine chest, and the young hopefuls THE INDIAN MONKEYS. 29 after being carefully painted over with the compound, were allowed to return to their distressed relatives, who, as soon as they arrived, gathered round them and commenced licking them with the greatest assiduity. The results I had anticipated were not long in making their appearance. A more melan- choly sight it was impossible to behold; but so efficacious was this treatment, that for more than two years I hardly ever saw a monkey in the neighbourhood.'* The Monkey Tavemier was once travelling from Agra to AroixMd. Surat with the English president, when passing within a few miles of Amenabad through a forest of mangoes, they experienced the danger of provoking such companies. He says. "We saw a vast number of very large apes, male and female, many of the latter having their young in their arms. We were each of us in our coaches; and the English president stopped his to tell me that he had a very fine new gun; and knowing that I was a good marksman, desired me to try it, by shooting one of the apes. One of my servants, who was a native of the country, made a sign to me not to do it; and I did all that was in my power to dissuade the gentle- man from his design, but to no purpose; for he immediately I levelled his piece, and shot a she ape, who fell through the Ibranches of the tree on which she was sitting, her young ones Itumbling at the same time out of her arms on the ground. iWe presently saw that happen which my servant apprehended; |for all the apes, to the number of sixty, came immediately lown from the trees, and attacked the president's coach with nuch fury that they must infallibly have destroyed him if fall who were present had not flown to his relief, and by |drawing up the windows, and posting all the servants about le coach, protected hun from their resentment." That liplomacy is better than war in dealing with bands of mon- Eeys is shown by comparing the results of the foregoing lexperiences. 30 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ,'it^ The Monkeys' That monkeys are capable of very poignant Affection, feeling is shown by the following pathetic story. Mr. Forbes, in his "Oriental Memoirs," says:— "On a shoot- ing party one of my friends killed a female monkey, and carried it to his tent, which was soon surrounded by forty or fifty of the tribe, who made a great noise, and in a menacing posture advanced towards it. On presenting his fowling-piece they retrea ed, but one stood his ground, chattering and menacing in a furious manner. He at length came close to the tent door, and finding that his threatenings were of no avail, began a lamentable moaning, and by every expression of grief and supplication seemed to beg the body of the deceased. On this it was given to him. He took it up in his arms, eagerly pressed it to his bosom, and carried it off in a sort of triumph to his expecting companions. The artless behaviour of this poor animal wrought so powerfully on the sportsmen that they resolved never more to level a gun at one of the monkey tribe." Americftn To visit the family of the Cebidae we hav« to Monkejr>. ^ross the Atlantic Ocean, and here we find characteristics with which the monkeys of the East are un- familiar, while we miss others which are common to the monkeys of the old world. In passing from East to West we lose the cheek-pouch characteristic and we find that of the prehensile tail. There are more than eighty species in the family of the Cebidae, divided into ten genera and grouped in four sub-families. The first of the sub-families includes the monkeys with prehensile tails. The Capuchin The capuchins belong to the genus 06us Monkey, which includes the majority of American monkeys. There are a number of species of which the Brown Capuchin (Brazil), the Wheeper Capuchin (Brazil), and the White-throated Capuchin (Central America) are the best known. The Spider The Spider Monkey is of the genus A/i/es and Monkeyi. ig one of the best known of the Cebidae family. t- THE AMERICAN MONKEYS. 31 In it the prehensile tail reaches its perfection. It is a remarkably sensitive organ, answering the purpose, as the Rev. J. G. Wood puts it, of "a fifth hand," being capable of use "for any purpose to which the hand could be applied," and for hooking out objects from places "where a hand could not be inserted." According to Mr. Wood they wrap their tails about them to protect themselves from cold, to which they are very sensitive, and hold on by them to the branches of trees with such tenacity that they remain suspended after death. The prehensile part of the tail is naked and of extreme sensibility. The tail is also used to preserve balance when walking erect, for which purpose it is thrown up and curled over. The appearance of these monkeys, as they leap from branch to branch in their native woods, swinging by their tails, and often hanging on to those of each other, until ia living bridge is formed from tree to tree, is exceedingly Ipicturesque. le Howling The Howling Monkeys form the single genu. Monkeys, of the Second sub-family of the Cebidae— the l^enus Mycetes. There are a number of species, popularly [known as the "Golden Howler," the "Black Howler," &c. &c. They are chiefly characteristic for the attribute to which they >we their name. The howl is a loud mournful cry which in be heard at a great distance, and is said by Wallace to )roceed from the leader of the band who howls for the whole )mpany. These animals are larger and more clumsy than \e spider monkeys and therefore less agile; they have powerful, prehensile tails. The " Howler "is much prized by the Indians an article of food. Phe BMurded The third sub-family of the Cebidae includes BakL gome dozen species which inhabit the forests of luatorial America. They are of the genus PtVieda, and )me species have broad beards and bushy taib. The head ^f the Bearded Saki {Piihecia Saianas) has a singularly lan appearance. 32 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. •Hm The fourth sub-family of the Cebidae includes DouronoonlL several genera and a number of species, of these the Douroucouli {Nvctipithecus felinus) is one of the most interesting. It is a small monkey, measuring only thirteen inches, apart from its tail, which is eighteen inches long: It is catlike in some of its habits, sleeping during the day, and prowling about at night in search of food, which it finds in fruits, insects and small birds. It has a catlike mew, though it often makes a louder cry more resembling the noise of the jaguar. The Marmosota. The fifth family of the quadrumana com- prises the marmosets, of which there are two genera— the HapaU and the Midas. These are very small, measuring about eight inches without the tail, which is eleven inches long. The marmoset is one of the prettiest of the monkeys, and, though at first shy, soon becomes playful and affection- ate. Marmosets are one of the few species that breed in confinement. Sir William Jardine describes a marmoset who gave birth to three offspring in Paris. One of these, for some reason, displeased her, and she killed it, but upon the others beginning to suck the maternal instinct awoke, and she became as affectionate as she was before careless. " The male seemed more affectionate and careful of them than the mother, and assisted in the charge. The young generally keep upon the back or under the belly of the female, and Cuvier observed, that when the female was tired of carrying them, she would approach the male with a shrill cry, who immediately relieved her with his hands, placing them upon his back, or under his belly, where they held themselves and were carried about until they became restless for milk, when they were given over to the mother who, in her turn, would again endeavour to get rid of them." suB-ORDEa n. The lemurs and their allied forms make up Th« Lemurs, the remaining families of the quadrumana. These are three. The Lemurida, of which there are many THE LEMURS. 33 here are many species, most of which belong to Madagascar, others to Africa, Asia, and the Indian Archipelago ; the Tarsida, which hail from Sumatra and Borneo; and the Chiromyida, of which the aye- aye is the representative. The Lemuridce are divided into four sub-families by Professor Mivart. I, the Indri ; II, the true Lemurs; III, the slow Lemurs and IV, the Galagos. The lemur is nocturnal in its habits and noiseless in its movements. Some of its species much resemble the cat in appearance though its four hands unmistakably demonstrate its order. Sir William Jones describes a Slow Lemur {Nycticebus tardigradus)y which he had in his possession, as "gentle ex- cept in the cold season, when his temper seemed wholly changed." This animal expressed great resentment when disturbed unseasonably. From half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset he slept without any intermission, rolled up like a hedgehog: and as soon as he awoke he began to prepare himself for the occupations of his approach- ing day, licking and dressing himself like a cat — an operation which the flexibility of his neck and limbs enabled him to perform very completely. He was then ready for a slight breakfast, after which he commonly took a short nap; but when the sun was quite set he recovered all his vivacity. " Generally he was not voracious, but of grasshoppers he never could have enough; and passed the whole night during the hot season in prowling for them. He used all his paws indifferently as hands." Mrs. Bowdich tells of one of these animals, procured by Mr. Baird at Prince of Wales Island, who shared a c£^e with a dog to whom he became greatly attached, while nothing could reconcile him to a cat, which constantly jumped over his back, causing him great annoyance. The Tartinr. The tarsier {Tarsius spec f rum) is a small, kitten- faced animal with long hind legs, which enable it to leap like a frog. It is nocturnal in habit, and is found in Sumatra, Borneo, and elsewhere. The Ay**Aj«. The aye-aye {Chirotnys madagascaritnsis) is 3 t\ It* No. 34 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ii: :ifi 'I a remarkable little animal resembling, as Professor Owen says, in size and shape the domestic cat, its head and ears being larger, and its hind legs and tail longer than those of the cat. Dr. Sandwich, writing of one he had in his possession, says:— "The thick sticks I put into his cage were bored in all directions by a large and destructive grub, called the montouk. Just at sunset the aye-aye crept from under his blanket, yawned, stretched and betook himself to his tree. Presently he came to one of the worm-eaten branches, which he began to examine most attentively, and bending forward his ears, and applying his nose close to the bark, he rapidly tapped the surface with the curious second digit, as a wood- pecker tap3 a tree, though with much less noise, from time to time inserting the end of the slender finger into the worm-holes as a surgeon would a probe. At length he came to a part of the branch which evidently gave out an inter- esting sound, for he began to tear it with his strong teeth. He rapidly stripped off the bark, cut into the wood, and exposed the nest of a grub which he daintily picked out of its bed, with the slender, tapping finger, and conveyed the luscious morsel to his mouth. But I was yet to learn another peculiarity. I gave him water to drink in a saucer, on which he stretched out his hand, dipped a finger into it and drew it obliquely through his open mouth. After a while he lapped like a cat but his first mode of drinking appeared to me to be his way of reaching water in the deep clefts of trees." ORDER II. "^^^ animals which most nearly resemble the Wing-Handed four-handed animals or quadrumana are the A nlmai a wing-handed animals, — the bats or Cheiroptera, These are of singular appearence and interesting habit. "If," says the Rev. J. G. Wood, ** the fingers of a man were to be drawn out like wire to about four feet in length, a thin membrane to extend from finger to finger, and another membrane to fall from the little finger to the ankles, he would make a very tolerable imitation of a bat." — Of course, lt« Np. 2 MILES* NATURAL HISTORY. r Owen says, d ears being those of the is possession, ere bored in >, called the >m under his f to his tree, inches, which iding forward rk, he rapidly it, as a wood- se, from time iger into the ngth he came out an inter- strong teeth, lie wood, and picked out of conveyed the learn another icer, on which 3 it and drew hile he lapped ;ared to me to ts of trees." resemble the nana are the or Cheiroptera, J habit. "If," aan were to be length, a thin and another he ankles, he '—Of course, ai THE BATS. 35 it should be added, making allowance for proportion, the full grown male bat, of the largest species, rarely exceeding twelve inches in height from head to foot. Bats' wings are highly nervous and sensitive, so much so as to render their owners almost independent of sight. Besides being "well adapted for flight," says Dr. Percival Wright, " they are still capable in a small measure of seizing, differing thus from the anterior limbs of Birds." Bat*. Dr. Dobson divides the order Cheiroptera into two sub-orders : I, The Great Bats and II, The Smaller Bats. Of these there are numerous genera and a large number of species. The Great Bats abound in the tropical and sub- tropical regions of the East, where they live on fruit, and from this circumstance are classified as "fruit-eating bats," though they are sometimes called " flying-foxes." The largest of these inhabit Sumatra and Java, living in large companies, sleeping by day and foraging by night. A large tree serves them for a sleeping-chamber, where, suspending themselves head downwards from the branches, they wrap their wings about them in lieu of blankets and sleep out the sunshine. After sunset they gradually awake and proceed to ravage any fruit preserves which may be within reach, committing serious depredations while the owners outsleep the moon. According to Mr. Francis Day, "they do very great injury to cocoa-nut plantations and mangoe gardens." "Their habits," says Mr. Day, " are very intemperate, and they often pass the night drinking the toddy from the chatties in the cocoa-nut trees, which results either in their returning home in the early morning in a state of extreme and riotous intoxication, or in being found the next day at the foot 6f the trees, sleeping off" the effects of their midnight debauch." The Smaller Bats include several families, numerous genera, and a large number of species to be found in almost all parts of the world. These bats are chiefly insect-eaters, though included among them are the vampire bats and the 36 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. Megaderma lyra which have the reputation of being cannibalistic. The various families are "The Horseshoe Bats," "The Nycteridae," "The Vespertilionidae," "The Emballonuridae," and "The Phyllostcmidae. The '^^^ common English bats belong to the Oommon VespertilionidjBB. The Pipistrelle feeds upon English Bati^ insects but will eat flesh if opportunity serves. In his "Natural History of Selboume," Mr. White describes a tame bat which he saw, which would take flies out of a person's hand. " If you gave it anything to eat," he says, "it brought its wings round before the mouth, hovering and hiding its head in the manner of birds of prey when they feed. The adroitness it showed in shearing off" the wings of the flies, which were always rejected, pleased me much. Insects seemed to be most acceptable, though it did not refuse raw flesh when offered; so that the notion that bats go down chimneys and gnaw men's bacon seems no improbable story." The Long-eared Bat, PUcotus auritus^ is also common in England. "Its ears," says Mr. Wood, "are about an inch and a half in length and have a fold in them reaching almost to the lips," hence its name. "It is very easily tamed." ipiig The Vampire Bat which belongs to South Vampire America has been invested with a halo of romance ^'" by the stories which have been told about its sanguinary character. " It lives," says the Rev. J. G. Wood, " on the blood of animals, and sucks usually while its victim sleeps. The extremities, where the blood flows freely, as the toe of a man, the ears of a horse, or the combs and wattles of fowls, are its favourite spots. When it has selected a subject, on which it intends to feed, it watches until the animal is fairly asleep. It then carefully fans its victim with its wings while it bites a little hole in the ear or shoulder, and through this small aperture, into which a pin's head would scarcely pass, it contrives to abstract siifficient blood to make a very ample meat The wound is so small, and THE BATS. 37 the bat manages so adroitly, that the victim does not discover that anything has happened until the morning, when a pool of blood betrays the visit of the vampire. "The Vampire Bat," says Professor Darwin, *is often the cause of much trouble by biting the horses on their withers. The injury is not so much owing to the loss of blood, as to the inflammation which the pressure of the saddle afterwards produces. The whole circumstarce has lately been doubted in England. I was therefore fortunate in being present when one was actually caught on a horse's back. We were bivouacking late one evening, near Coquimbo, in Chili, when my servant, noticing that one of the horses was very restive, went to see what was the matter, and fancying he could distinguish something, suddenly put his hand on the beast's withers, and secured the vampire. In the morning the spot where the bite had been inflicted wr^s easily distinguished by its being slightly swollen and bloody. The third day afterwards we rode the horse without any ill effects." ▲ Travaller's Captain Steadman, in his " Narrative of a Five Xxperienoe. Years' Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, " relates, that on waking about four o'clock one morning in his hammock, he was extremely alarmed at finding himself weltering in congealed blood, and without feeling any pain whatever. "The mystery was," continues Captain Stead- man, "that I had been bitten by the Vampyre or Spectre of Guiana, which is also called the Flying Dog of New Spain, and by the Spaniards, Perrovolador. This is no other than a bat of monstrous size, that sucks the blood from men and cattle while they are fast asleep, even sometimes till they die ; and as the manner in which they proceed is truly wonderful, I shall endeavour to give a distinct account of it. Knowing, by instinct, that the person they intend to attack is in a sound slumber, they generally alight near the feet, where, Svhile the creature continues fanning with his enormous wings, which keeps one cool, he bites a piece out of the tip of the 38 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. great toe, so veiy small, indeed, that the head of a pin could scarcely be received into the wound, which is consequently not painful; yet through this orifice he continues to suck the blood until' he is obliged to disgorge. Cattle they generally bite in the ear, but always in places where the blood flows spontaneously." Megaderma The Vampire Bat of South America has long Lywk- been credited with sanguinivorous habits, and until recently was supposed to be the only bat having such propensities. Mr. Edward Blyth has, however, shown that the Megadeima Lyra of Asia will sometimes prey upon the smaller species of bat with which it comes in contact. Mr. Biyth, one evening, observed a rather large bat of this species enter an outhouse, whereupon he procured a light, closed the door to prevent escape and then proceeded to catch the intruder. In the chase the bat dropped what Mr. Blyth at first took to be a young one, but which proved to be a small Vespertilio Bat, " feeble from loss of blood, which it was evident the Megaderma had been sucking from a large, and still bleeding, wound under and behind the ear." As the Megaderma had not alighted while in the outhouse, Mr. Blyth ccncluded "that it sucked the vital current from its victim as it flew, having probably seized it on the wing, and that it was seeking a quiet nook where it might devour the body at leisure." Having caught the Megaderma Mr. Blyth kept both specimens until the next day, and having examined each separately put them both into a cage, where- upon the Megaderma attacked the smaller bat "with the ferocity of a tiger" ; finding it impossible to escape the cage " it hung by the hind legs to one side of its prison, and after sucking the victim till no more blood was left commenced devouring it, and soon left nothing but the head and some portions of the limbs." "The voidings observed shortly afterwards in its cage," says Mr. Blyth, "resembled clotted blood, which will explain the statement of Steadman and INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. 39 otheis concerning masses of congealed blood being observed near a patient who has been attacked by a South American vampire." ORDER III Insect-eating animals (Inseeiivora) include luseot-Eatins several families, of which the hedgehogs, the Animals. moles and the shrews, are the best known genera. The Colugo is perhaps the most singular member of the order. According to some writers his proper place is among the lemurf, rnd except that his feet are adorned with claws instfc"! >r nails, it is easy to imderstand why he might be f ->="'i with the quadrumana. The Colugo is covered from head to foot by a furry membrane, resembling an overcoat open in front and ending in a three cornered Bap at the tail. •rixe The family of the hedgehog contains two genera Hedgehog, and a number of species. Its length is from six to ten inches ; the head, back, and sides being covered with short spines, the under parts with soft hair. It lives in thickets, and subsists on fruits, roots, and insects. During the winter, it lies imbedded in moss, or dried leaves, in a state of torpidity. It inhabits Europe, Asia and Africa. It is valuable in the garden for destroying the insects, and in the kitchen for the extermination of cockroaches, beetles and other house- hold pests. For defence, it rolls itself into a ball in such a manner as to present its prickly spines on all sides. In this condition it can suffer considerable violence without injury.' Mr. Bell mentions a hedgehog that was in the habit of running to the edge of an area wall twelve or fourteen feet liigh, and without a moment's pause, leap over, contracting into a ball as he fell, and in this form reaching the ground, where it quietly unfolded itself as if nothing had happened and ran on its way. It is nocturnal in its habits and in its natural state lives in pairs. It is easily tamed. A hedgehog has been trained to serve as a turnspit "as well," says Captain Brown, ** in all respects as the dog of that denomination. In 40 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. a wild state it has been known to attack and kill a leveret. In attacking a snake it will roll itself up between its bites and thus protect itself against retaliation. The Mole. The family of the Talpidae to which the mole belongs is a large and interesting one. The common mole "when at rest," says the author of "Tales of Animals," "bears more resemblance to a small stuffed sack than to a living animal, its head being entirely destitute of external ears, and elongated nearly to a point, and its eyes so extremely small and completely hidden by the fur, that it would not be sur- prising should a casual observer conclude it to be blind. This apparently shapeless mass is endowed with great activity and a surprising degree of strength, and is exceller.lly suited for deriving enjoyment from the peculiar life it is designed to lead. It is found abundantly in Europe and N' :th America, from Canada to Virginia; often living at no great distance from water-courses, or in dykes thrown up to protect meadows from inimdation. The mole burrows with great quickness, and travels under ground with much celerity ; nothing can be better constructed for this purpose than its broad and strong hands, or fore paws, armed with long and powerful claws, which are very sharp at their extremities, and slightly curved on the inside. Numerous galleries, communicating with each other, enable the mole to travel in various directions, without coming to the surface, which tliey appear to do very rarely, unless their progress is impeded by a piece of ground so hard as to defy their strength and perseverance. The depth of their burrows depends very materially on the character of the soil, and the situation of the place ; sometimes running for a great distance, at a depth of from one to three inches, and sometimes much deeper. Moles are most active early in the morning, at midday, and in the evening; after rains they are particularly busy in repairing their damaged galleries ; and in long continued wet weather we find that they seek the high grounds for security." THE MOLE. 41 An Bnterprislng rhough as Captain Brown points out nothing Mole. is more fatal to the mole than excessive rain, which fills their subterranean galleries with water; the follow- ing statement made by Mr. A. Bruce in the Linnaean Trans- actions, shows that the animal is not without enterprise on the water : — " On visiting the Loch of Clunie, which I often did, I observed in it a small island at the distance of one hundred and eighty yards from the nearest land, measured to be so upon tiie ice. Upon the island, the Earl of Airly, the proprietor, has a castle and small shrubbery. I remarked frequently the appearance of fresh mole casts, or hills. I for some time took them for tliose of the water mouse, and one day asked the gardener if it was so. No, said he, it was the mole; and that he had caught one or two lately. Five or six years ago, he caught two in traps ; and for two years after this he had observed none. But, about four years ago, coming ashore one summer's evening in the dusk, with the Earl of Airly's butler, they saw at a short distance, upon the smooth water, some animal paddling towards the island. They soon closed with this feeble passenger, and found it to be the common mole, led by a most astonishing instinct from the castle hill, the nearest point of land, to take possession of this desert island. It had been, at the time of my visit, for the space of two years quite free from any subterraneous inhabitant; but the mole has, for more than a year past, made its appearance again, and its operations I have since been witness to." The Use of The usc of the mole is often said to be far the Mole, outweighed by the mischief he perpetrates, the truth appearing to be that like many other animals, in his own place he is valuable, out of it he is a source of danger. Both conditions are illustrated by tlie following, which I quote from Mrs. Bowdich's "Anecdotes of Animals." " A French naturalist of the name of Henri Lecourt devoted a great part of his life to the study of the habits and struc- 42 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. *' ture of moles ; and he tells us that they will run as fast as a horse will gallop. By his observations he rendered essential service to a large district in France ; for he discovered that numbers of moles had undermined the banks of a canal, and that unless means were taken to prevent the catastrophe, these banks would give way, and inundation would ensue. By his ingenious contrivances and accurate knowledge of their habits, he contrived to extirpate them before the occurrence of further mischief. Moles, however, are said to be excellent drainers of land ; and Mr. Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, used to declare that if a hundred men and horses were employed to dress a pasture farm of 1500 or 2000 acres, they would not do it as effectually as moles would do, if left to them- selves. " The Shrew. The shrew family is a large one and widely distributed over the surface of the earth. The common shrew (Sorex vulgaris) is that best known in England. It resembles the mouse in general form and varies in size and colour, its usual length, including the tail being about four and a half inches. Its body is moderately full, its neck short, its head tapering to a pointed snout, the fore-feet small, the hind-feet larger and the tail shorter than the body. The shrew is generally found either in burrows, or among heaps of stones, or in holes made by other animals; near dung heaps or hayricks, they are more numerous than elsewhere. Insects are their principal subsistence, but they seem no less fond of grain, and show a pig's predilection for filth of various sorts. Its principal enemies are the Kestrel and the Bam OwL A superstition to the effect that if the shrew should run over the legs of a cow or a horse while reposing on the grass it causes lameness, is also responsible for the destruction of many by ignorant country folk. One species of the shrew enjoys the reputation of being the smallest living mammel; it is but an inch and a half long with a tail of an inch in length. The water shrew is somewhat larger than the common shrew FLESH-EATING ANIMALS. 43 attaining to a length of five and a half inches including the tail. The water shrew colonises on the banks of rivers. ORDER IV "^^^ order of flesh-eating animals (catnivora) neih-eatlng includes a large number of species among which AnimaiB. are the lion, the tiger and the leopard, as well as the cat and the dog. The two sub-orders into which this order is divided are : I, The Fissipedia, and II, The Pinnipcdia. The Fissipedia are again divided into ten fami- lies* lions, cats, dogs, hyenas, weasels, and bears being the most important members. The Pinnipedia includes the seal, the sea lion, the walrus and their allies. Animals of the cat kind are distinguished ' . g^j^ by their sharp and formidable claws, which Animals of the they can hide or extend at pleasure. They Cat Kind. ^se remarkable for their rapacity, subsisting entirely on the flesh and blood of other animals. The dog, wolf, and bear, are sometimes known to live on vegetables, or farinaceous food ; but the lion, the tiger, the leopard, and other animals of this class, devour nothing but flesh, and would starve upon any other provision. They lead a solitary, . ravenous life, uniting neither for mutual defence, like vegetable feeders, nor for mutual support, like those of the dog kind. The first of the class is the lion, distinguished from all the rest by his strength, his magnitude, and his mane. The second is the tiger, rather longer than the lion, but not so tall, and known by the streaks and vivid beauty of its skin; here we may also mention the piuna, which is sometimes called a panther, or colloquially a "painter", otherwise a couguar, or American lion, which is of a tawny colour. The next is the leopard, sometimes called a panther, and the next the jaguar, followed by the ounce, not so large as any of the former, spotted like them, but distinguished by the cream- coloured ground of its hair, and a tail so long as to exceed the length of its body. The next is the cataraountain, or ti^er-cat, less than the ounce, but differing particularly in 44 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. having a shorter tail, and being streaked down the back like a tiger. The next is the lynx, of the size of a fox, with iis body streaked, and the tips of its ears tufted with black. Then comes the Persian lynx, not jso large as the lynx, nor mottled like it, but with longer ears, tipped also with black, and the serval, shaped and streaked like the lynx, but not having the tips of its ears tufted. Lastly, the cat, wild and tame, with all its varieties ; less than any of the former, but like them insidious, rapacious, and cmel. The Lion. The lion is known as the King of Beasts; though modern travellers have done much to rob him of the homage that he once received. Like a human being who has been too much lionized, he suffers from the detrac- tions which are excited by his pre-eminence. He is found chiefly in India and Africa, though he once had a more extended range. He was well known to the Greeks, and appears in both their poetry and history. Homer celebrates him, and according to Herodotus he exploited himself by attacking the camels of the army of Xerxes. His noble appearance is said to be responsible for the popular ideal of his character, which travellers and naturalists declare to be minus the magnanimous and generous qualities with which it was at one time credited. The Lion's In judging of the lion's character it is import- Character, ant to remember that he belongs to the cat family, and that his virtues and vices are naturally of the cat kind. ♦• The lion seldom runs," says the author of " Tales of Animals." " He either walks or creeps, or, for a short distance, advances rapidly by great bounds. It is evident, therefore, that he must seize his prey by stealth; that he is not fitted for an open attack; and that his character is necessarily that of great power, united to considerable skill and cunning in its exercise." Again, the lion, as well as others of the cat tribe, takes his prey at night; and it is necessary, therefore, that he should have peculiar organs of vision. In all those lo. 3 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. e back like )x, with iis with bluck. 5 lynx, nor with black, IX, but not t, wild and former, but of Beasts; rob him of iman being the detrac- le is found lad a more Greeks, and r celebrates himself by His noble Lilar ideal of jclare to be with which it is import- e cat family, he cat kind, of Animals." :e, advances ore, that he fitted for an irily that of inning in its of the cat y, therefore, In all those LION ( Felis leo ) I I 1 s h c il I V a b h a w S( v; b tv oi d bs w ai b< li( of ei THE LION. 45 animals which jcek their food in the dark, the eye is usually of a large size, to admit a great number of rays. This peculiar kind of eye, therefore, is necessary to the Lion to perceive his prey, and he creeps towards it with a certainty which nothing but this distinct nocturnal vision could give." Men who hunt the lion in the daytime, when he is usually sleeping off the effects of a hearty meal, and who awaken him in a surprised and dazed condition when his cat-like eyes cannot bear the blaze of the sun, ought not to be surprised if he tries to postpone fighting until a more convenient season. Nor can he be said to be less noble because he only fights when it is necessary to procure food, to protect his young, and to defend himself. A veritable Ulysses among the beasts he is ready to fight if needs be, but unless urged by hunger, or attacked by the hunter, he does not seem to bear any particular malice against mankind. The Lion's " I* is singular," says Sparrman, "that the lion. Attitude which, according to many, always kills his prey towards Kan. immediately if it belongs to the brute creation, is reported, frequently, although provoked, to content himself with merely wounding the human species; or, at least, to wait some time before he gives the fatal blow to the unhappy victim he has got imder him. A farmer, who the year before had the misfortune to be a spectator of a Hon seizing two of his oxen, at the very instant he had taken them out of the waggon, told me that they immediately fell down dead upon the spot, close to each other; though, upon examining the carcasses afterwards, it appeared that their backs only had been broken. In several places through which I passed, fhey mentioned to me by name a father and his two sons, who were said to be still living, and who, being on foot near a river on their estate, in search of a lion, this latter had rushed out upon them, and thrown one of them under his feet. The two others, however, had time enough to shoot the lion dead upon the spot, which had 46 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. lain almost across the youth, so nearly and dearly related to them, without having done him any particular hurt. I myself saw, near the upper part of Duyvenhoek River, an elderly Hottentot who, at that time (his wounds being still open), bore under one eye, and underneath his cheek bone the ghastly marks of the bite of a lion, which did not think it worth his while to give him any other chastisement for having, together with his master (whom I also knew), and several other Christians, hunted him with great intrepidity, though without success. The conversation ran everywhere in this part of the country upon one Bota, a farmer and captain in the militia, who had lain for sometime under a lion, and had received several bruises from the beast, having been at the same time a good deal bitten by him in one arm, as a token to remember him by; but, upon the whole, had, in a maimer, had his life given him by this noble animal. The man was said then to be living in the district of Artaquas- kloof" -^ .. ^1. The following seems to show a curious power DlBoretlon the *» r \ i- t>. better part of of reasonmg on the part of the lion. •* Diederik Velour. Muller, one of the most intrepid and successful of modem lion-hunters in South Africa, had," says Sir William Jardine, " been out alone hunting in the wilds, when he came suddently upon a lion, which, instead of giving way, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude he assumed, to dispute with him the dominion of the desert. Diederik instantly alighted, and confident of his unerring aim levelled his gaa at the forehead of the lion, who was couched in the act to spring, within fifteen paces of him ; but at the moment the hunter fired, his horse, whose bridle was round his arm, started back and caused him to miss. The lion, bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces, confronting Diederik who stood defenceless, his gun discharged, and his horse running off. The man and the beast stood looking at each other in the face for a short space. At length the lion THE UON. 47 moved backward as if to go away. Diederik began to load his gun, the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and returned. Diederik stood still. The lion again moved cau- tiously off, and the Boer proceeded to load and ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and growled angr'ly; and this occurred repeatedly, until the animal had got off to some distance when he took fairly to his heels and bounded away." The Btrenath Whatever may be said of the lion's courage, of the there can be no doubt as to his strength. Burchell Lion. thug describes an encounter with a lion. "The day was exceedingly pleasant and not a cloud was to be seen. For a mile or two we travelled along the banks of the river, which in this part abounded in late mat-rushes. The dogs seemed much to enjoy prowling about and examining every rushy place, and at last met with some object among the rushes which caused them to set up a most vehement and determined barking. We explored the spot with c^tition as we suspected, from the peculiar tone of the bark, :•-* ,t was what it proved to be— lions. Having encouraged the dogs to drive them out, a task which they performed with great willingness, we had a full view of an enormoi: ; black-maned lion and lioness. The latter was seen only lor a minute, as she made her escape up the river under concealment of the rushes; but the lion came steadily forward, and stood still and looked at us. At this moment we felt our situation not free from danger, as the animal seemed preparing to spring upon us, and we were standing on the bank, at a distance of only a few yards from him, most of us being on foot, and unarmed, without any visible possibility of escaping. At this instant the dogs boldly fiew in between us and the lion, and surrounding him, kept him at bay by their violent and resolute barking. The lion, conscious of his strength, remained unmoved at their noisy attempts and kept his head turned towards tis. At one moment, the dogs perceiving his eye I 48 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. thus engaged, had advanced close to his feet, and seemed as if they would actually seize hold of him; but they paid dearly for their imprudence, for, without discomposing the majestic and steady attitude in which he stood fixed, he merely moved his paw, and the next instant I beheld two lying dead. In doing this he made so little exertion, that it was scarcely perceptible by what means they had been killed. We fired upon him, and one of the balls went through his side, just between the short ribs, but the animal still remained standing in the same position. We had new no doubt that he would spring upon us, but happily we were mistaken and were not sorry to see him move slowly away." TheLlon'8 Many instances are on record of strong AffeotioxL attachments formed by the lion for his keeper, and for dogs or other animals which have been associated with him. A remarkable example of this kind is related, where a little dog, which had been thrown into a lion's den that he might be devoured, was not only spared by the noble animal, but became his companion and favourite. In a moment of irritation caused by long hunger, the dog, having snapped at the first morsels of food, received a blow from the lion which proved fatal. From that time the lion pined away, refused his food, and at length died, apparently of melancholy. The Lion's A carpenter was employed some years ago to Dooiuty. do some repairs to the cage of a lion at a menagerie at Bmssels. When the workman saw the lion he drew back in terror. The keeper, on thb, entered the cage and led the animal to the upper part of it, while the lower was refitting. He there amused himself for some time playing with the lion, and being wearied he fell asleep. The carpenter, having finished his work, called the keeper to inspect what he had done, but the keeper made no answer. Having repeatedly called in vain he became alarmed and proceeded to Uie upper part of the cage, where, looking THE LION. 49 through the bars, he saw the lion and the keeper lying side by side, and immediately uttered a loud cry. The lion started up and stared at the carpenter with an eye of fury, and then, placing his paw on the breast of his keeper, lay down to sleep again. The carpenter, terrified at what he saw, ran off to secure help, whereupon some of the attendants suc- ceeded in arousing the keeper who, far from being disconcerted by the circumstances, took the paw of the lion and shook it gently in token of regard and the animal quietly returned wiUi him to his former residence. M. Felix, the keeper of the animals at Paris, had charge of a lion which refused food, and became sullen and mopish during the temporary absence of M. Felix through illness, but who regained his spirits and showed every demonstration of joy upon the reappearance of M. Felix at his post of duty. The Story of With so many authentic instances which can AndroolM. be cited of the amenability of the lion to kindly influences, the story of Androcles and the lion does not seem so improbable as it has been sometimes thought. The following is the story: — In the days of ancient Rome, a Roman governor treated one of his slaves or subjects, called Androcles, so cruelly that he ran away. To escape pursuit he fled to a desert and crept into a cave. What was his horror to find that this cave was a lion's den, and to see a large lion approach him! He expected instantly to be destroyed; but the lion, approaching Androcles, held up his paw or foot with a 'Aipplicating air. Androcles examined the lion's paw, and found a thorn in it which he drew out, and the lion, apparently relieved, fawned upon his benefactor as a dog does upon his master. After some time Androcles ventured back to the place where he lived before. He was discovered, taken up as a runaway slave, and condemned to be the prey of a wild beast. He was accordingly thrown into a place where a large lion, recently caught, was- let in upon him. The lion came bounding toward Androcles, and the spec- 4 50 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. tators expected to see the man instantly torn in pieces. What was their astonishment to see the Hon approach him, and fawn before him like a dog who had found his master I It was the lion Androcles had met in the desert, and the grateful animal would not rend his benefactor. A Ziion Hunt Livingstone came to very close quarters with a lion on one occasion, the circumstances of which he thus narrates. "The Bakdtla of the village Mabotsa, were much troubled by lions, which leaped into the cattle-pens by night and destroyed their cows. They even attacked the herds in open day. This was so unusual an occurrence that the people believed that they were bewitched, 'given' as they said, into the power of the lions by a neighbouring tribe. They went once to attack the animals, but being rather a cowardly people compared to Bechuanas in general on such occasions, they returned without killing any. It is well known that if one in a troop of lions is killed, the others take the hint and leave that part of the country. So the next time the herds were attacked, I went with the people in order to encourage them to rid themselves of the annoyance by destroying one of the marauders. We found the lions on a small hill, about a quarter of a mile in length and covered with trees. A cu-cle of men was formed round it, and they gradually closed up, ascending pretty near to each other. Being down below on the plain with a native schoolmaster, named Mebdlwe, I saw one of the lions sitting upon a piece of rock, within the now closed circle of men. Mebilwe fired at him before I could, and the ball struck the rock upon which the animal was sitting. He bit at the spot struck, as a dog does at a stick or a stone thrown at him, then leaping away, broke through the opening circle and escaped imhurt. When the circle was reformed we saw two other lions in it, but we were afraid to fire lest we should strike the men ; and they allowed the beasts to burst through also. If the Bakitla had acted accord rng to the custom of the THE LION. 51 country, they would have speared the lions in their attempt to get out. Seeing that we could not get them to kill one of the lions, we bent our footsteps towards the village; in going round the end of the hill, however, I saw one of the beasts sitting on a piece of rock, as before, but this time he had a little bush in front. Being about thirty yards off, I took a good aim at his body through the bush, and fired both barrels into in. The men then called out : *Heisshot! He is shot!' Others cried: 'He has been shot by another man, too ; let us go to him.* I did not see anyone else shoot at him, but I saw the lion's tail erected in anger behind the bush, and turning to the people, said : 'Stop a little till I load again.' When in the act of ramming down the bullets I heard a shout. Starting, and looking half round, I saw the lion just in the act of springing upon me. I was upon a little height. He caught my shoulder as he sprang and we both came to the ground below together. Growling horribly, close to my ear, he shook me as a terrier dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor, similar to that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake of a cat. It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain or feeling of terror, though quite conscious of all that was happening. It was like what patients partially under the influence of chloroform describe, who see all the operation but feel not the knife. This singular condition was not the result of any mental process. The shake annihilated fear, and allowed no sense of horror in looking round at the beast. This peculiar state is probably produced in all anima's killed by th: camivora; and, if so, is a merciful provision by our l^.n-^volent Creator for lessening the pain of death. Turning rouud to relieve myself of the weight, as he had one paw on the back of my head, I saw his eyes directed to Meb&lwe, who was trying to shoot him at a distance of ten or fifteen yards. His gun, a flint one, missed fire in both barrels. The lion immediately left me and attacking Mebalwe bit his 5« NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. thigh. Another man, whose life I had saved before, aftei he had been tossed by a buffalo, attempted to spear the lion while he was biting Mebdlwe. He left Meb&lwe and caught this man by the shoulder; but at that moment the bullets he had received took effect, and he fell down dead. The whole was the work of a few moments, and must have been his paroxysm of dying rage. In nrder to take out the charm ftom him, the Bakatia, on the following day, made a huge bonfire over the carcass, which was declared to be the largest lion they had ever seen. Besides crunching the bone into splinters, he left eleven teeth wounds on the upper part of my arm. A wound from this animal's tooth resembles a gunshot wound. It is generally followed by a great deal of sloughing and discharge, and pains are felt in the part periodically ever after. I had on a tartan jacket on the occasion, and I believe that it wiped off all the virus from the teeth that pierced the flesh; for my two companions in this affray have both suffered from the peculiar pains, while I have escaped with only the inconvenience of a false joint in my limb." A ThrUUng Professor Lichtenstein, in his "Travels "gives a Ezperienoe. thrilling story of a Boer's adventure with a lion, which he had from the lips of the Boer hunself. " It is now," said the colonist, "more than two years since, in the very place where we stand, I ventured to take one of the most daring shots that ever was hazarded. My wife was sitting within the house near the door, the children were playing about her, and I was without, near the house, busied in doing something to a waggon, when suddenly, though it was mid-day, an enormous lion appeared, came up and laid himself quietly down in the shade upon the very threshold of the door. My wife, either frozen with fear, or aware of the danger of attempting to fly, remained motionless in her place, while the children took refuge in her arms. The ciy they uttered attracted my attention, and I hastened towards a coll ob THE LION. 53 the door, but my astonishment may well be conceived when I found the entrance to it barred in such a way. Although the animal had not seen me, unarmed as I was escape seemed impossible, yet I glided gently, scarcely knowing what I meant to do, to the side of the house, up to the window of my chamber, where I knew my loaded gun was standing. By a most happy chance, I had set it into the corner close by the window, so that I could reach it with my hand; for, as you may perceive, the opening is too small to admit of my having got in, and still more fortunately, the door of the room was open, so that I could see the whole danger of the scene. The lion was beginning to move. There was no longer any time to think; I called softly to the mother not to be alarmed, and invoking the name of the Lord, fired my piece. The ball passed directly over the hair of my boy's head and lodged in the forehead of the lion, immediately above his eyes wud stretched him on the ground, 80 that he never stirred more." "Indeed," says Professor Lichtenstein, " we all shuddered as we listened to this relation. Never, as he himself observed, was a more daring attempt hazarded. Had he failed in his aim, mother and children were all inevitably lost; if the boy had moved he had been struck; the least turn in the lion and the shot had not been mortal to him ; and to consummate the whole, the head of the creature was in some sort protected by the door-post." ▲MMked br ^^ Phillips's "Researches in South Africa," the ft laon. following account is given of the adventures of a traveller which we quote from Jardine's Naturalists' Library collated with other versions. "Our waggons, which were obliged to take a circuitous route, arrived at last, and we pitched our tent a musket-shot from the kraal, and, after having arranged everything, went to rest, but were soon disturbed; for, about midnight the cattle and horses, which were standing between the waggons, began to start and nm, and one of the drivers to shout, on which every one T 54 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ran out of the tent with his gun. About thirty paces from the tent stood a lion, which, on seeing us, walked very deliberately about thirty paces farther, behind a small thorn- bush, carrying something with him, which I took to be a young ox. We fired more than sixty shots at that bush, without perceiving any movement. The south-east wind blew strong, the sky was clear, and the moon shone very bright, so that we could perceive everything at that distance. After the cattle had been quieted again, and I had looked over everything, I missed the sentry from before the tent, Jan Smit, from Antwerp. We called as loudly as possible, but in vain; nobody answered, from which I concluded that the lion had carried him off. Three or four men then advanced very cautiously to the bush, which stood right opposite the door of the tent, to see if they could discover anything of the man, but returned helter-skelter; for the lion, who was there still, rose up, and began to roar. They found there the musket of the sentry, which was cocked, and also his cap and shoes. We fired again about a hundred shots at the bush, without perceiving anything of the lion, from which we concluded that he was killed, or had run away. This induced the marksman of our company to go and see if he was still there or not, taking with him a firebrand. As soon as he approached the bush, the lion roared terribly, and leapt at him; on which he threw the firebrand at him, and the other people having fired about ten shots at him, he retired directly to his former place behind that bush. The firebrand which he had thrown at the lion had fallen in the midst of the bush, and, favoured by the strong south-east wind, it began to bum with a great flame, so that we could see very clearly into and through it. We continued our firing into it until the night passed away, and the day began to break, when seven men were posted on the farthest waggons to watch him, and to take aim at him if he should come out At last, before it became quite l%ht, he walked up the I'J. [•late No. 4 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. AARD VARK (Orycteropus capens{S) BLOTCHED GENETT I Genetta vulgaris ) THE UON. 55 hill, with the man in his mouth, when about forty shots were fired without hitting him, although ' some were very near. Every time this happened, he turned round towards the tent, and came roaring towards us; and, I am of opinion, that if he had been hit, he would have rushed on the people and the tent. When it became broad daylight, we perceived, by the blood, and a piece of the clothes of the man, that the lion had taken him away." " For the satisfaction of the curious," says Sir William Jardine, "it may be mentioned, that he was followed, and killed in the forenoon, over the mangled remains of the unfortunate sentinel." ▲ night Mr. Gordon Gumming gives an even more thrilling Surprise, account of a similar adventure of his experience. He says:— "Abou* three hours after the sun went down, I called to my men to come and take their coffee and supper which was ready for them at my fire; and after supper, three of them returned before their comrades to their own fireside and lay down .... In a few minutes an ox came out by the gate of the kraal and walked round the back of it Hen- drick got up and drove him again and then went back to his fireside and lay down. Hendrick and Ruyter lay on one side of the fire under one blanket and John Stofolus lay on the other .... Suddenly the appalling and murderous voice of an angry bloodthirsty lion, within a few yards of us, burst upon my ear, followed by the shrieking of the Hottentots. Again and again the murderous roar of the attack was re- peated. We heard John and Ruyter shriek, 'the Lion! the Lion 1 . . .' Next instant John Stofolus rushed into the midst of us almost speechless with fear and terror, and eyes bursting from their sockets, and shrieked out, 'the lion! the lion! He has got Hendrick, he dragged him away from the fire beside me. I struck him with the burning brands upon his head, but he would not let go his hold. Hendrick is dead ! O Godl Hendrick is dead! Let us take fire and seek him....' It appeared that when the unfortunate Hendrick H 56 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. rose to drive in the ox, the lion had watched him to his fireside, and he had scarcely Iain dovm, when the brute sprang upon him and Ruyter (for both lay under one blanket) with his appalling murderous roar, and roaring as he lay, grappled him with his fearful cJaws and kept biting him on the breast and shoulder, all the while feeling for his neck; having got hold of which, he at once dragged him away ^backwards round the bush into the dense sha :e . . . . The next morning, just as the day began to lawn we heard the lion dragging something up the river side under cover of the bank. We drove the cattle out of the kraal and then proceeded to inspect the scene of the night's awful tragedy. In the hollow where the lion had lain, consiuning his prey, we found one leg of the unfortunate Hendriok, bitten off be' w the knee, the shoe still on the foot, the grass and bushes were all stained with his blood, and fragments of his pea-coat lay around. Hendrick was by far the best man I had about my waggons ... his loss to us all was very serious." A Uon In the southern part of Afiica, where the Hot- Outwiftted. tentots live, lions were very common, and the adventures of the inhabitants with them very frequent One evening a Hottentot saw that he was pursued by a Uon. He was very much alarmed, and devised the following means of escape. He went to the edge of a precipice, and placed himself a little below it. He then put his cloak and hat on a stick, and elevated them over his head, giving them a gentle motion. The lion came crouching along, and, mistaking the cloak and hat for the man, as the Hottentot intended he should do, he sprang upon them with a swift leap, and, passing over the head of the Hottentot, was plunged head- long down the precipice. Old instinota ^^ the " Miscellany of Natural History," from and new which several of these anecdotes are taken there Opportunitla.. jj ^ g^Qjy illustrating the way in which old instincts will ghow themselves in the presence of new her Th the the the the THE TIGER. 57 opportunities. On the evening of the 20th October 18 16, a lioness made her escape from a travelling menagerie which was drawn up on the road-side, about seven miles from the town of Salisbury. It was about eight o'clock, and quite dark, and the Exeter mail was passing when the animal suddenly darted forward, and springing at the throat of the off-leader, fastened the talons of her fore-feet on each side of the neck, close to the horse's head,while those of the hind-feet were forced into the chest. In this situation she hung, while the blood streamed from the agonized creature, as if a vein had be^ . opened by a lancet It may be easily supposed, that •<' alarm excited by this encounter, was very great. Two inside passengers instantly dashed out of the coach and fled to a house on the road- side. The keeper of the caravan came, and immediately set a laige Newfoundland dog on the animal. The lioness, on finding herself seized by the leg, quitted the horse, and turned upon the dog, which the spectators expected would very soon become the victim of her fury; but she was contented with giving him only a slight punishment, and on hearing the voice of her keeper, retired under a neighbouring straw rick, and gently allowed herself to be secured. "This anecdote," says the writer, "is remarkably characteristic, the moment that the animal found herself at liberty, and an object of prey presented itself, all her original propensities, hitherto restrained, were instantly called into action; but no sooner did the voice of her keeper reach her ears, than the force of long habit prevailed, she became calm, and allowed herself to be bound, and led again to her den." The Tig«r. The tiger is one of the most beaunful, but at the same time one of the most rapacious and destructive of the whole animal race. It is found in the warm climates of the East, especially in India and Siam. It so much - esembles the cat, as almost to induce us to consider the latter a tiger in miniature. It lurks generally near a fountain, or on the 58 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. brink of a river, to surprise such animals as come to quench their thirst ; and like the Hon bounds upon its prey, easily making a spring of twenty feet and upwards. When it has killed one animal it often attacks others, swallowing their blood for which it has an insatiable thirst in large draughts ; for even when satisfied with food, it is not satiated with slaughter. The tiger is said by some to prefer human flesh to that of any other animal ; and it is certain, that it docs not, like many other beasts of prey, shun the presence of man, but has been even known on more than one occasion to spring upon a hunting party when seated at their refresh- ment, and carry off one of the number, rushing through the shrubs into the forest, and devouring the unfortunate victim at its leisure. The strength as well as the agility of this animal is remarkable; it carries off" a deer with the greatest ease. The tiger is ornamented with long streaks across its body. The ground colour is yellow, very deep on the back, but growing lighter towards the belly, where it softens to white, as it does also on the throat and the inside of the legs. The bars which cross the body from the back to the belly are of the most beautiful black, and the skin altogether is so extremely fine and glossy, that it is much esteemed, and sold at a high price in all the eastern countries, especially China. "The colouring of the tiger," says the Rev. J. G. Wood," is a good instance of the manner in which animals are protected by the similarity of their external appearance to the particular locality in which they reside. The stripes on the tiger's skin so exactly assimilate with the long jungle grass amongst which it lives, that it is impossible for unpractised eyes to discern the animal at all, even when a considerable portion of its body is exposed." Bavages '^^^ ravages committed by tigers have often Oommitted led to the organisation of hunting parties formed by Tigen. ^^j^ ^ ^^^^ ^ exterminate the more aggressive of the enemy. The following narrative of a tiger excursion i jML THE TIGER. 59 at Doongal is from the "East India Government Gazette." "There were five tigers killed by the party, besides one beat killed, and another wounded ; a wolf, a hyaena, a panther, a leopard, and some immense rock and cobra capella snakes. Among the occurrences during the excursion, some were of a peculiar and pathetic nature. The first happened to a poor Bunnia, or dealer, of the village of Doongal, who had been to the city of Hydrabad, to collect some money, and who was returning, after having gathered together a small sum, when on the way, a little beyond the cantonment of Secun- derabad, he saw an armed Fson seated, and apparently a traveller in the same direction. After mutual inquiries, the Paeon told the Bunnia he was going to the same p' Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873-4503 SJ \ <^ "Q ^ k ^^^<^ ^^^ O^ ^<^ 70 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. The OloudedJ This animal belongs to Sumatra where it lives Tiger, upon the forest birds. Like the Ocelot it is exceedingly playful when tame, seeking the notice and return- ing the caresses of aU who encourage it The ServaL " The Serval," says Captain Brown, "is somewhat larger than the ordinary wild cat Its general colour b a pale fulvous yellow. It resides on trees, where it makes a bed, and breeds its young. It seldom appears on the ground, living principally on birds, squirrels, and small animals; it is extremely agile, and leaps, with great rapidity, from one branch to another. The serval never assaults man, but rather endea- vours to avoid him; if, however, it is compelled to attack, it darts furiously on its antagonist, and bites and tears, like the rest of the cat kind." The Common The common wild cat is one of the few wild Wild Oat. animals still to be foimd in the British Isles. Up till recent years these cats were observed among the woody mountainous districts of Cumberland and Westmoreland and in the wild parts of Scotland and Ireland, though as the land is brought more and more under cultivation they decrease in numbers, failing suitable asylum. They abound in the forests of Germany and Russia, where they live in the hollows of trees and caves of rocks, and feed on birds, squirrels, hares and rabbits, and will even attack young lambs and fawns. The wild cat is not to be confused with the domestic cat which has relapsed into a wild state. "In the form and shape of the tail," says Sir William Jardine, "this animal somewhat resembles the Lynx. The fur is very thick, woolly and long. The general colour is a greyish yellow, in some specimens inclining much to a shade of bluish grey." — "They spring," says Mrs. Bowdich, " furiously upon whoever approaches, and utter unearthly cries. Mr. St John, when walking up to his knees in heather over broken ground, came suddenly upon a wild cat She rushed out between his I^, every hair standing up. He cut a good-sized stick; and three Skye THE CAT. 71 terriers gave chase till she took refuge in a comer, spitting and growling. On trying to dislodge her, she flew at Mr. St. John's face, over the dogs' heads; but he struck her while in ^e air, and she fell among the dogs, who soon despatched her, even though it has been said that a wild cat has twelve instead of nine lives. If one of these animals is taken, those in the neighbourhood are sure to be also secured, as they will all, after the manner of foxes, assemble round the body of their relative." The Domestio The origin of the domestic cat is difficult to ^•*' determine. Cats were numerous in Egypt from an early date, and are said to be native to Syria. Accord- ing to Professor Rolleston the cat was not domesticated any- where, except in Egypt, before the Christian Era. Few animals are more familiar to the general reader, and few therefore, need less description. The "Tabby" is perhaps the commonest, though black, white, and tortoise-shell varieties abound. The Angora or Angola cat, the Persian cat, and the Manx cat, which latter is deficient in the useful and orna- mental embellishment of a tail, are also well known. OAt There are many superstitions concerning the Bupentitioluk ^at, the black variety coming m for the larger share of popular suspicion. To steal one and bury it alive was at one time regarded as a specific against cattle desease in the Irish Highlands, while, according to Captain Brown, it was the practice for families in Scotland to tie up their cats on Hallowe'en to prevent their use for equestrian purposes by witches during the night. "They have always been regarded as attendants upon witches," says Mrs. Bowdich, "and witches themselves have been said to borrow their shapes when on their mysterious expeditions. I was once told that Lord Cochrane was accompanied by a favourite black cat in a cruise through the northern seas. The weather had been most unpropitious ; no day had passed without some untoward circumstance; and the sailors were not slow in attributing th^ 72 NATURAL HISTORY HI ANECDOTE. whole to the influence of the black cat on board. This came to Lord Cochrane's ears, and knowing that any attempt to reason his men out of so absurd a notion was perfectiy use- less, he offered to sacrifice this object of his regard, and have her thrown overboard. This, however, far from creating any satisfaction, only alarmed the men still more. They were sure that the tempests she would then raise would be much worse than any they had yet encountered; and they implored his lordship to let her remain unmolested. 'There was no help, and they could only hope, if she were not affronted, they might at the end of their time reach England in safety.*** The Oat a. " The cat,** says the Rev. J. G. Wood, "is fami- • Hunter. Uarly known to us as a persevering mouse-hunter. So strong, indeed, is the passion for hunting in the breast of the cat, that she sometimes disdains mice, 'and such small deer,' and trespasses on warrens or preserves. A large tabby cat, residing at no great distance from White Horse Vale, was accustomed to go out poaching in the preserves of a neighbouring nobleman, and so expert was she at this illegal sport that she constantly returned bearing in her mouth a leveret or a partridge, which she insisted on present- ing to her mistress, who in vain endeavoured to check her marauding propensities. These exploits, however, brought their own punishment; for one day, when in the act of seizing a levered she found herself caught in a vermin trap^ which deprived her of one of her hind legs. This mis- fortune did not damp her enthusiasm for hunting, as, although the loss of a leg prevented her from chasing hares, and suchlike animals, she would still bring in an occa- sional rat." The Oat and " A cat, which had a numerous litter of kittens," her Tonne gays Captain Brown, " one sunny day encouraged her little ones to frolic in the vernal beams of noon, about the stable door, where she was domiciled. While she was the are oi erets, usuall of th( to th kitten and were collec roomf THE CAT. 73 joining them in a thousand tricks and gambols, a large hawk, who was sailing above the barn-yard, in a moment darted upon one of the kittens, and would have as quickly borne it off, but for the courageous mother, who, seeing the danger of her offspring, sprang on the common enemy, who, to defend itself, let fall the prize. The battle presently became severe to both parties. The hawk, by the power of his wings, the sharpness of his talons, and the strength of his beak, had for a while the advantage, cruelly lacerating the poor ca^ and had actually deprived her of one eye in the con- flict; but puss, no way daunted at the accident, strove, with all her cunning and agility, for her kittens, till she had broken the wing of her adversary. In this state, she got him more within the power of her claws, and availing herself of this advantage, by an instantaneous exer'Ion, she laid the hawk motionless beneath her feet; and, as if exulting in the victory, tore the head off the vanquished tyrant. This accomplished, disregarding the loss of her eye, she ran to the bleeding kitten, licked the wounds made by the hawk's talons in its tender sides, and purred whilst she caressed her liberated offspring." The Oftt M m '^^ female cat seems to be in a special sense Foiter a bom mother. She is assiduous in the care ol Mother, j^^j, ^^j^ young and singularly ready to extend the benefits of motherhood even to alien offspring. Instances are on record in which cats have reared squirrels, dogs, lev- erets, rats, ducks, chickens, and even small birds. These have usually occurred at times when the cats have been deprived of their own young. Mr. T. Foggitt says: "A cat belonging to the Albert Dock Warehouse, Liverpool, gave birth to six kittens. It was deemed necessary to destroy four of them, and they were accordingly drowned. The remaining two were placed, along with their mother, in some loose cotton, collected for the purpose in a box, in one of the warehouse rooms. On removing the box a few mornings after, to give I' 74 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. puss her usual breakfast, great curiosity was excited on seeing a third added to the number; and the astonishment was stiU greater when the third was discovered to be a young rat which the cat had taken from its nest in the night-time, and brought home as a companion to the kittens she was then nursing. The young rat was very lively, and was treated by the cat with the same attention and care as if it were one of her own offspring." TheOatMft The distances that cats wiU travel, findmg TraveUer. their way with unerring instinct many miles across coimtry of which there seems no reason to suppose them to have had previous knowledge is very remarkable. Mrs. Bowdich records the case of a cat who disliking her new home, returned to her old one, in doing which, she had to cross two rivers, one of them about eighty feet broad and two feet and a half deep, running strong; the other wider and more rapid, but less deep. Cats are said to have found their way from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and one to the writer's knowledge returned from Dover to Canterbury after being carried from thence by rail. Captain Brown gives the following remark- able instance. In June, 1825, a farmer, residing in the neigh- bourhood of Ross, sent a load of grain to Gloucester, a distance of about sixteen miles. The waggoners loaded in the evening, and started early in the morning. On unload- ing at Gloucester, a favourite cat, belonging to the farmer, was found among the sacks, with two kittens of very recent birth. The waggoner very htunanely placed puss and her young in a hay-lofl, where he expected they would remain in safety, until he should be ready to depart for home. On his return to the loft shortly afterwards, neither cat nor kittens were to be found, and he reluctantly left town without them. Next morning the cat entered the kitchen of her master's house with one kitten in her mouth. It was dead; but she placed it before the fire, and without seeking food, o indulging, for a moment, in the genial warmth of stic her dome hearth* manj a n< hovai was any wholl THE CAT. 75 disappeared again. In a short time she returned with the other kitten, laid it down by the first, stretched herself beside them, and instantly expired! The poor creature could have carried but one at a time, and, consequently, must have travelled three times over the whole line of her journey, and performed forty-eight miles in less than twelve hours. The Oat m The favourite food of the cat is fish, which Sportsman, curiously enough inhabits an element to which the cat has a great aversion. There are, however, numerous instances on record of cats which have overcome their natural anti- pathy to water in order to gratify their natural taste for fish. An extraordinary case of this kind is recorded in the Plymouth Journal^ Jime, 1828: — "There is now at the battery on the Devil's Point, a cat, which is an expert catcher of the finny tribe, being in the constant habit of diving into the sea, and bringing up the fish alive in her mouth, and depositing them in the guard-room, for the use of the soldiers. She is now seven years old, and has long been a usefiil caterer. It is supposed that her pursuit of the water-rats first taught her to venture into the water, to which it is well known puss has a natural aversion. She is as fond of the water as a New- foundland dog, and takes her regular peregrinations along the rocks at its edge, looking out for her prey, ready to dive for them at a moment's notice." Mr. Beverley R. Morris says: "When living in Worcester many years ago, I remember firequently seeing the cat of a near neighbour of ours bring fish, moptly eels, into the house, which it used to catch in a pond not far off. This was an almost everyday occurrence." The Oat's Many remarkable illustrations might be given nitelUsenoe. ^f ^^ sagacity and intelligence of the cat. A lady had for many years been the possessor of a cat and a canary bird, who became the closest friends, never bearing any lengthy separation from each other, and spending their whole time in each other's society. One summer day the f. \ ; 'late No. 6 76 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. lady was sitting working in her drawing-room, and the cat and bird were a short distance off. Suddenly, without a moment's deliberation, the cat, to the great astonishment of the lady, uttered a loud growl, and then, seizing her little playmate in her mouth, darted off with it to a place of safety. A strange cat had entered the room and the friendly one had adopted this plan of saving the bird from the enemy. A still more remarkable illustration of the intelligence of a cat is given by De la Croix as follows: "I once saw," says he, *a lecturer upon experimental philosophy place a cat under the glass receiver of an air-pump, for the purpose of demon- strating that very certain fact, that life cannot be supported without air and respiration. The lecturer had already made several strokes with the piston, in order to exhaust the receiver of its air, when the animal, who began to feel herself • jjy uncomfortable in the rarefied atmosphere, was fortunate enough to discover the source from which her imeasiness proceeded. She placed her paw upon the hole through which the air escaped, and thus prevented any more from passing out of the receiver. All the exertions of the philosopher were now unavailing; in vain he drew the piston; the cat's paw effect- ually prevented its operation. Hoping to effect his purpose, he let air again into the receiver, which, as soon as the cat perceived, she withdrew her paw from the aperture; but whenever he attempted to exhaust the receiver, she applied her paw as before. All the spectators clapped their hands in admiration of the wonderful sagacity of the animal, and the lecturer found himself under the necessity of liberating her, and substituting in her place another, that possessed less pene- tration, and enabled him to exhibit the cruel experiment" The Lynx. The several species of the Lynx belong to the genus Lyncus, the principle varieties of which are the Canada Lynx, and the European Lynx. The Lynx has short l^s, and is generally about the size of a fox, attaining often to three feet in length. It preys upon small quadrupeds and 'late No. 6 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. LEOPARD (Felis pardus) EUROPEAN LYNX (Lynx virgatus) THE CHETAH. 77 birds, in the pursuit of which it is an expert climber. The Canada Lynx preys largely upon the American hare, which it is well qualified to hunt The Lynx is distinguished by a peculiar gait, for unlike other animals, it boimds with, and alights upon, all fotir feet at once. The ears are erect, and tipped with a long pencil of black hair. The fur which is long and thick is of a pale grey colour, with a reddish tinge, marked with dusky spots on the upper part of tlie body. The under parts are white. The European Lynx feeds upon small animals and birds. The hir of the lynx is valuable, on accoimt of its great softness and warmth, and is in consequence an extensive article of commerce. It inhabits the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America; and prefers cold or temperate climates, diflferlng in this respect from most of the cat tribe. Tb» Ohetah. The Chetah or Hunting Leopard is the one species of the genus Cynoelurus. It is a handsome animal and capable of considerable training. According to Mr. Benet's description it is "intermediate in size between the leopard and the hound, more slender in its body, more elevated in its legs, and less flattened on the fore part of its head than the leopard, while deficient in the peculiarly graceful and lengthened form, both of head and body, which characterizes the hound." " The ground colour of the Chetah is a bright yellowish fawn above, and nearly pure white beneath ; covered above, and on the sides, by innumerable closely approximating spots, from half an inch to an inch in diameter, which are intensely black, and do not, as in the leopard and other spotted cats, form roses with a lighter centre, but are full and complete." The Chetah is found in India and Africa but it is only in India that it is trained for hunting purposes. Sir William Jardine toys: "the employment of the hunting leopard may be compared to the sport of falconry. The natural instinct teaches them to pursue the game, the reward of a portion of i^ or of the blood, induces them to give it up, and again subject themselves to their master.** ; h I 78 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ^. The practice of employing animals to hunt ^*Mft* animals is of very early origin, and the docility Huntaman. ^f the Chetah early marked him out as a suitable ally in the chase. Chetahs are so gentle that they can be led about in a leash like greyhounds. The following descrip- tion of a hunt is from "The Naturalist's Library". "Just before we reached our ground, the shuter suwars (camel courier), who always moved on our flanks in search of game, reported a herd of antelopes, about a mile out of the line of march, and the Chetahs being at hand, we went in pursuit of them. The leopards are each accommodated with a flat- topped cart, without sides, drawn by two bullocks, and each animal has two attendants. They are loosely bound by a collar and rope to the back of the vehicle, and are also held by the keeper by a strap round the loins. A leathern hood covers the eyes. On entering from a cotton field, we came in sight of four antelopes, and my driver managed to get within a hundred yards of them before they took alarm. The Chetah was quickly unhooded and loosed from his bonds; and, as soon as he viewed the deer, he dropped quietly off the cart on the opposite side to that on which they stood, and approached them at a slow crouching canter, masking himself by every bush, and inequality, which lay in his way. As soon, however, as the deer began to show alarm, he quickened his pace and was in the midst of them in a few bounds. He singled out a doe, and ran it close for about 200 yards, when he reached it with a blow of his paw, rolled it over, and in an instant was sucking the life blood from its throat." "As soon as the deer is pulled," says the same account, "a keeper runs up, hoods the Chetah, cuts the victim's throat, and securing some of the blood in a wooden ladle, thrusts it under the leopard's nose. The antelope is then dragged away and placed in a receptacle under the hatchexy, while the Chetah is rewarded with a leg for his pains." the whicl serpe to th darte to tl an abou grey cat reptil their dartii attac its pi THE ICHNEUMON. 79 TlM OlTita. The family Viverridse includes a large number of species of small carnivorous animals of which the Civits and the Ichneumons are the best known. They belong chiefly to Africa and South Asia, but some are found in the south of Europe. The African Civit hails from Gaboon and Abyssinia and the Asiatic variety from Bengal, Nepaul, China and Formosa. It is from these animals that we get the fatty substance, used in perfumery and known 8^ dvit. Of this Mr. Piesse says: "In is pure state, civit has to nearly all persons a most disgusting odour, but when diluted to an infinitesimal portion its perfume its agreeable. The Genet, and the Paradoxure are other genera of this family." The lohnaomon. The Ichneumon numbers some fifteen genera, and sixty species. The best known of these is the grey Ichneumon which comes from India or adjacent countries. Naturally savage it soon becomes tame under kindly treat- ment. It seems to have a natural enmity towards serpents, which it attacks and destroys. The Mahrattas say that it neutralizes the effects of snake bites by eating the root of the monguswail. Captain Brown records an experiment in which the ichneumon was placed in a room with a poisonous serpent which it tried to avoid. On the two being removed to the open air, the ichneumon is said to have immediately darted at the serpent and destroyed it, afterwards retiring to the wood and eating a portion of the plant said to be an antidote to the serpent's venom. The Ichneumon is about the size of the domestic cat and of a dark silver grey colour. The Egyptian Ichneumon much resembles the cat in its habits and manners and is so deadly a foe to reptiles and vermin, that it is domesticated with a view to their destruction. It is remarkably quick in its movements, darting with unerring aim at the head of the reptile it attacks. It displays also the cat's patience in watching for its prey. It has a great liking for crocodile's eggs and with 8o NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. remarkable instinct unearths them from the banks of rivers where they have been deposited. Dormant Though perfectly tame in captivity, the natural instincfc instincts of the ichneumon are only dormant, as the following illustration will show. M. d'Obsonville says, in his " Essay on the Nature of Various Animals", " I had an ichneu- mon very young, which I brought up. I fed it at first with milk, and afterwards with baked meat, mixed with rice. It soon became even tamer than a cat; for it came when called, and followed me, though at liberty, into the country. One day I brought to him a small water serpent alive, being desirous to know how far his instinct would cany him, against a bemg with which he was hitherto totally unacquainted. His first emotion seemed to be astonishment, mixed with anger: for his hair became erect; but in an instant after, he slipped behind the reptile, and, with remarkable swiftness and agility, leaped upon its head, seized it, and crushed it between his teeth. This essay, and new aliment, seemed to have awakened in him his innate and destructive voracity, which, till then, had given way to the gentleness he had acquired from his education. I had about my house several curious kinds of fov/ls, among which he had been brought up, and which, till then, he had suffered to go and come unmolested and unre- garded; but, a few days after, when he foimd himself alone, he strangled them every one, eat a little, and, as it appeared, drank the blood of two." The Aaxd The Aard Wolf of South Afiica, is the sole Wol£ genus and species of the Protelidae family. It much resembles the hyaena in appearance and habit^ and feeds on carrion and white ants. The Hyama. The Hyaena, though long treated as a member of the dog family, is now separately classified as the Hyaenidae, a family of one genus and three species, all of which are found in Africa. The Hyaena is also found in Egypt, Arabia, Persia and other parts ot Asia. He has THE HY-ffiNA. 81 ./ immensely powerful teeth with which he can crush the bones of his victims, apparently eating bones and flesh with, impu- nity. He is nocturnal in his habits, living in caves and hollows in the day time and prowling about at night in search of prey. Speaking of the Barbaiy hyaena Bruce says: — "He seems to be stupid or senseless in the day, or at the appear- ance of strong light, unless when pursued by hunters. I have locked up a goat, a kid, and a lamb, with him all day when he was fasting, and found them in the evening alive and unhurt" The principle varieties are the striped Hyaena, and the spotted Hyaena. Bruce speaking of the former sa3rs, "he is brutish, indolent, slovenly and impudent and seems to possess much the manners of the wolf. His courage appears to proceed from an insatiable appetite, and has nothing of the brave or generous in it, and he dies oftener flying than fight- ing.** The cry of the hyaena, sometimes called a laugh, begins with a moan and ends with a demoniacal shriek which has been variously described by travellers but which all agree in calling hideous and disgusting. In size he resembles a large mastiff, but the formation of his neck and jaws give him a power far beyond that of other animals of his size. Whatever fear he may have of man, he has none of other animals and will even face the lion. Bruce speaks of his special liking for the flesh of the dog and of the dog's reluc- tance to face him. "My greyhounds, accustomed to fasten upon the wild boar, would not venture to engage with him. On the contrary, there was not a journey I made that he did not kill several of my greyhounds, and once or twice robbed me of my whole stock: he would seek and seize them in the servants' tents where they were tied, and en- deavour to carry them away before the very people that were guarding them." His coat is covered with long coarse hairs of a dirty grey colour, which form a mane the length of his back, his sides being striped or spotted, according to the species. The hysna for all his repulsiveness serves a useful 6 82 NATXJRAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. purpose, as a scavenger, devouring aU the offal which comes in its way, including the dead of his own species which no other animal will touch. The hyaena can be tamed and taught to follow its master and to hunt other animals. The Striped Bruce teUs the following story of the impudence Hyiena. of the Striped hyaena. "One night in Maitsha, being very intent on observation, I heard sonaething pass behind me towards the bed, but upon looking round could perceive nothing. Having finished what I was then about, I went out of my tent, resolving directly to return, which I immediately did, when I perceived large blue eyes glaring at me in the dark. I called upon my servant with a light; and there was the hyaena standing nigh the head of the bed, with two or three large bunches of candles in his mouth. To have fired at him, I was in danger of breaking my quadrant or other furniture; and he seemed, by keeping the candles steadily in his mouth, to wish for no other prey at that time. As his month was full, and he had no claws to tear with, I was not afraid of him, but with a pike struck him as near the heart as I could judge. It was not till then he showed any sign of fierceness; but, upon feeling his wound, he let drop the candles, and endeavoured to run up the shaft of the spear to arrive at me; so that, in self-defence, I was obliged to draw out a pistol from my girdle and shoot him, and nearly at the same time my servant cleft his skull with a battle-axe. In a word, the hyaena was the plague of otu: lives, the terror of our night- walks, the destruction of our mules and asses, which above all others are his favourite food." The Spotted The spotted hyaena belongs to South Africa Hywnb. a,nd seems to possdss more daring than his cousin of Abyssinia, and to show a greater preference for human food. According to Mr. Stepstone, the Mambookies build their houses in the form of a beehive from eighteen to twenty feet in diameter, placing a raised platform at the back and leaving the front-area for the accommodation of the calves sr hq THE HY-ffiNA. 83 at night. Thus the animals are nearest to the door, notwith- standing which the hysena will " pass by the calves and take the children from under the mother's kaross; and this in such a gentle and cautious manner, that the poor parent is imcon- scious of her loss, until the cries of her little innocent have reached her from without, when it has been a close prisoner in the jaws of the monster." Many years ago, when animals were kept at the Tower of London, the den of a spotted hyaena required some repair. "The carpenter," says Mrs. Bowdich, "nailed a thick oaken plank upon the floor, about seven feet long, putting at least a dozen nails into it, each longer than his middle finger. At one end of this piece of wood there was a small projection, and not having a proper chisel with him by which he might remove it, the man returned to his shop to fetch one. While he was absent some persons came to see the animals, and the hyaena was let down by the keeper into the part of the den in which the carpenter had been at work. Directly the beast saw the projecting piece of wood he seized it with his teeth, tore the plank up, and drew out every nail with the utmost ease; which action will give a good idea of the muscular strength of this creatme." ▲ Narrow Sparrman tells an amusing stoiy of the daring ^^*'^^' and the fright of a hyaena, as follows: "One night, at a feast near the Cape, a trumpeter who had made himself drunk with liquor was carried out of doors and laid on the grass, in order that the air might both cool and sober him. The scent of the man soon attracted a spotted hyaena, which threw him on his back, and carried him away towards Table Mountain. The hyaena doubtless supposed that the senseless drunkard was a cotpse, and consequently a fail prize. In the meantime the musician awoke, and was at once sufficiently sensible to know the danger of his situation, and to sound the alarm with his trumpet, which he fortunately carried at his side. The hyaena, as it may be 84 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. imagined, was greatly frightened in its turn, and immediately ran away, leaving the trumpeter, it is to be hoped, *a wiser man' for his extraordinary ride. It is remarkable that the soldier was not seriously injured by the hyaena, for the teeth of the animal were fortunately fastened in the coat and not in the flesh of the man." ^jiijoaiBol Animals of the dog kind, are neither so the Dog Kind, numerous, nor, in general, so ferocious as those of the panther or cat kind. The principal species are the wolf, the jackal, the fox, and the dog. This class may be principally distinguished by their claws, which have no sheath like those of the cat kind, but are placed at the point of each toe, without the capability of being stretched forward or drawn back. The nose, as well as the jaw, of all the dog kind, is longer than in the cat; the body in proportion more strongly made, and covered with hair instead of fur. They also far exceed the other kind in the sense of smell, the olfactory nerves being diffused upon a very extensive membrane within the skull, which accounts for their sur- prising acuteness in this sense. The Wol£ The Wolf is about three feet and a half long, and about two feet and a half high, larger than our great breed of mastiffs, which are seldom more than three feet by two. He bears a great resemblance to the dog, but is much stronger, and the length of his hair contributes, still more to his robust appearance. The feature which principally distin- guishes the visage of the wolf from that of the dog, is the eye, which opens slantingly upwards in the same direction with the nose; whereas, in the dog, it opens more at right angles with the nose, as in man. The coloiu- of the eyeballs in the wolf, is a fiery green, giving, his visage a fierce and formidable air. He generally hides by day in the thickest coverts, and only ventures out at night; when, sallying forth over the country, he keeps peering round the villages, and carries off such animals as are not imder protection — attacks ANIMALS OF THE DOG KIND. 85 the sheep-fold, scratches up and undermines the thresholds of doors where the sheep are housed, enters furiously, and destroys all before he begins to fix upon and carry off his prey. The wolf has great strength, particularly in his foreparts, and the muscles of his neck and jaws. He carries off a sheep in his mouth without letting it touch the ground, and runs with it much faster than the shepherds who pursue him; so that no- thing but the dogs can overtake and oblige him to quit his prey. Notwithstanding his great strength, cunning, and agility, the wolf being the declared enemy of man, is often hard pressed for subsistence; he has always a gaunt and starved appearance, and, indeed, often dies of hunger. He has been himted down, and is now rarely to be found in civilized countries. The Fox. The Fox is of a much more slender make than the wolf, and not nearly so large, being little more than two feet long. The tail is longer and more bushy, the nose smaller, approaching nearer to that of the greyhound, and its hair softer. Its eyes, however, are obliquely set, like those of the wolf. The fox has long been famous for cuiyiing; he is patient and prudent, and gains by address what is denied to his courage or strength. 6e is most destructive to poultry. When he gets into a farm-yard, he begins by levelling all the poultry without remorse, and carrying off a part of the spoil, he hides it at some convenient distance. Returning, he carries off another fowl, which he hides in like manner, but not in the same place; and this he repeats several times, imtil the approach of day, or the noise of the domestics, warns him to retire to his hole. He often destroys a large quantity of game, seizing the partridge and quail while sitting on their nests. He even eats rats, mice, serpents, toads, and lizards. In vain does the hedge-hog roll itself up into a ball to oppose him; he teases it until it is obliged to appear uncovered, and then devours it Besides the common Fox {Vu/pts Vulgaris), there are numerous varieties, of which the Tahaleb or Egyptian Fox and the Fennec {Fentca Zaarensis) 86 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTK of North Africa, the Kit Fox, the Red, the Grey and the Silver Fox of North America, and the Arctic Fox {Liucocyon lagopus) are the best known. The JaokaL The Jackal, one of the most common of wild animals in the East, is about the size of the fox, but in shape it more nearly resembles the wolf. Its colour is a bright yellow, or sorrel. Its ciy is a howl, mixed with barking, and a lamentation resembling that of human distress. The jackal may be considered as the vulture of the quadruped kind* the most putrid substances that once had life, are greedily devoured. Like the hyaena, the jackals scratch up with their feet the new-made grave, and devour the contents, however decomposed. While at this dreary work, they make a mournful cry, like that of children under chastisement, and having thus dug up the body, they amicably share it In countries, therefore, where they abound, the people are obliged to beat the earth over the grave, and mix it with thorns, to prevent the jackals from scraping it away. The jackal never goes alone, but always m packs of forty or fifty together. They watch the burying-grounds, follow armies, and keep in the rear of caravans. The jackal, after having tired down its prey, is often deprived of the spoil by the lion, the panther, or the tiger, whose appetites are superior to their swiftness; these attend its call, and devour the prey which it has run down by its unceasing perseverance; and this circumstance has given rise to the erroneous opinion, that the jackal is the lion's provider. The jackal is found in some parts of Europe and abounds in most parts of Asia. Those of the warmest climates are the largest, and their colour is rather of a reddish brown than of that beautiful yellow by which the smaller jackals are distinguished. Like the Fox it forms burrows in the earth and emits an offensive odour. The Wolf* ** The Wolf," says Professor Duncan m " Cassell's Mode of Natural History", " usually lives in solitary places in mountains; but in Spain he is said sometimes Attook. THE WOLF. 87 to make his lair in corn-fields, in close proximity to inhabi- tated dwellings. Here he lives with his wife and family, usually cacM during the day, and issuing forth at night to take his prey. During the warmer periods of the year wolves, as a rule, hunt each one for himself, but in winter they often unite into great packs, and pursue their prey over the snow at a rapid pace and with indomitable perseverance. Swift and untiring must be the animal which, on an open plain, can escape from them; even the horse, perfectly constructed as he is for rapid running, is almost certain to succumb, unless he can reach a village before his pace begins to flag. They never spring upon an animal from an ambush — the nearest approach ever made to such a mode of attack being their practice of attacking sheepfolds by leaping into the midst of the flock and killing right and left; when they reach their prey, too, the first onslaught is made with their teeth, and never by a blow of the paw. Thus, a wolfs attack— like that of all members of the genus Canis— is entirely different from a cat's. The cat lies in ambush all alone, springs upon the passing prey, which if he misses he scarcely ever pursues, and kills by a blow of the paw. The dog and wolf attack openly, sometimes alone, but oftener in company, pursue their prey with unflagging energy until it falls a victim, and give the death-wound at once with their teeth." The Wolf's That the wolf sometimes employs cunning as OwM^la* well as savagery in seeking his prey is shown by the following story from "Broke's Travels in the North of Sweden " : " I observed, on setting out from Sormjole, the last post, that the peasant who drove my sledge was armed with a cutlass; and, on inquiring the reason, was told that, the day preceding, while he was passing in his sledge the part of the forest we were then in, he had encountered a wolf, which was so daring, that it actually sprang over the hinder part of the sledge he was driving, and attempted to carry oflf 88 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. a small dog which was sitting behind him. During my journey from Tomea to StockhoUn, I heard everywhere of the ravages committed by wolves, not upon the human species or the cattle but chiefly upon the peasants' dogs, considerable num- bers of which had been devoured. I was told that these were the favourite prey of this animal ; and that, in order to seize upon them with the greater ease, it puts itself into a crouching posture, and begins to play several antic tricks, to attract the attention of the poor dog, which, caught by these seeming demonstrations of friendship, and fancying it to be one of his own species, from the similarity, advances towards it to join in the gambols, and is carried oflf by its treacherous enemy. Several peasants that I conversed with mentioned their having been eye-witnesses of this circumstance. " The Wolfs Mr. Lloyd in his " Field Sports in the North Ctowardioe. of Europe" gives a remarkable illustration of the cowardice of the wolf when caught in a trap. "A peasant near St Petersburg," says Mr. Lloyd, "when one day in his sledge, was pursued by eleven of these ferocious animals. At this time he was only about two miles from home, towards which he urged his horse at the very top of his speed. At the entrance to his residence was a gate, which happened to be closed at the time; but the horse dashed this open, and thus himself and his master found refuge within the court-yard. They were followed, however, by nine out of the eleven wolves; but, very fortunately, at the instant these had entered the enclosure, the gate swung back on its hinges, and thus they were caught as in a trap. From being the most voracious of animals, the nature of these beasts — now that they found escape impossible — became com- pletely changed: so far, indeed, from ofifering molestation to any one, they slunk into holes and comers, and allowed themselves to be slaughtered almost without making resbtance." Hunted by Many terrible stories are told of ^e depreda- Wolves. tioDS caused by packs of wolves, especially in THE WOLF. 89 -A one Russia, and of the desperate adventures travellers have met with when attacked by them. The story of the Russian peasant, who, to save his master's family, leaped out of the sledge and faced the pack alone, thus delaying the wolves by his own self-sacrifice, while the sledge proceeded on its journey, is one of these. In contrast to this is the story of the Russian woman, given by Mr. Lloyd in the work already quoted. A Terrible A woman, accompanied by three of her children, Altemative. ^as one day in a sledge, when they were pur- sued by a number of wolves. She put the horse into a gallop, and drove towards her home with the utmost speed. She was not far from it; but the ferocious animals gained upon her, and were on the point of rushing on to the sledge. For the preservation of her own life and that of the remaining children, the poor, frantic creature cast one of them to her bloodthirsty pursuers. This stopped their career for a moment; but, after devouring the poor child, they renewed the pursuit, and a second time came up with the vehicle. The mother, driven to desperation, resorted to the same horrible expedient, and threw another of her offspring to her ferocious assailants. The third child was also sacrificed in the same way, and soon after the wretched being reached her home in safety. Here she related what had happened, and endeavoured to palliate her own conduct by describing the dreadful alterna- tive to which she had been reduced. A peasant, however, who was among the bystanders, and heard the recital, took up an axe, and with one blow cleft her skull in two, saying at the same time, "that a mother who could thus sacrifice her children for the preservation of her own life, was no longer fit to live." The man was committed to prison, but the Emperor subsequently granted him a pardon. A Marvellous Equally terrible and more marvellous is the B«»pe. story of the adventure of a Russian family which took place as recently as the winter of 1894—5. A peasant 90 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. i .V' n was riding in a sleigh in company with his wife and child, when he became aware that they were being pursued by wolves. He urged the horses to their utmost speed but it soon became evident that the wolves would overtake them before they could reach a place of safety. Urged to des- peration, the peasant ordered his wife to throw the child to the wolves, hoping thereby to gain tune and thus escape. The wife refused to part with her little one, whereupon an altercation ensued, during which the peasant tried to drag the child from her arms with a view to throwing it to the wolves himself. In the struggle both mother and child fell from the vehicle, and with a lightened load the horses dashed forward at an even greater speed. For some ap- parently unaccountable reason, however, the wolves took no notice of the mother and child and continued to pursue the sleigh, possibly anticipating the larger meal that the horses would supply. In this they were not disappointed, for they succeeded in overtaking the sleigh, and the peasant and the horses fell victims to their ravage. In the meantime the mother and child found their way to a farm house where they were sheltered until danger was past. Tune Notwithstanding his natural fierceness, the Wolves, wolf becomes tame under kindly treatment, and shows much affection for those who cherish him. Instances are common in which wolves have remembered their bene- factors, after years of absence, and have shown every demon- stration of joy on recognition. They have even been har- nessed and taught to draw carriages and to fulfil other useful offices. With wolves, as with many other animals, hunger and thirst are apparently the principal causes of savagery and the struggle for existence the main cause of rapacity and cruelty. The onnsins The cunning of the fox is proverbial and if of fheFoz. (inly one half of the stories told about him are true, there are quite sufficient to invest him with a degree of THE FOX. 91 artfulness which is apparently unique. The extraordinary way in which he will feign himself dead, whether when hunting or being hunted, is a proof of this, as are also the various tricks he will resort to, to throw his pursuers ofif the scent Captain Brown tells a stoiy of a fox who leapt a high wall and crouched under it on the further side until the hounds had passed over, and then quietly returned, giving them the slip. Another fox who suddenly baffled two blood hounds who were in hot pursuit, was discovered lying full length upon a log of wood from which at first it was difficult to distinguish him. When feigning death he is said some- times to hold his breath and hang out his tongue. He will sometimes baffle his pursuers by hanging on to a branch of a tree. The Vox M • Mr. St. John tells the following story of the Hunter, fox as a hunter:— 'Just after it was daylight I saw a large fox come very quietly along the edge of the plantation. He looked with great care over the turf wall into the field, and seemed to long very much to get hold of some of the hares that were feeding in it^ but apparently knew that he had no chance of catching one by dint of running. After considering a short time, he seemed to have formed his plans, examined the different gaps in the wall, fixed upon one which appeared to be most frequented, and laid himself down close to it in an attitude like that of a cat at a mouse hole. In the meantime I watched all his plans. He then with great care and silence scraped a small hollow in the ground, throwing up the sand as a kind of screen. Every now and then, however, he stopped to listen, and sometimes to take a most cautious peep into the field. When he had done this, he laid himself down in a convenient posture for springing on his prey, and remained perfectly motionless, with the exception of an occasional reconnoitre of the feeding hares. When the sun began to rise, they came, one by one, firom the field to the plantation: three 92 NATURia HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. had already come without passing by his ambush, one within twenty yards of him; but he made no movement beyond crouching still more flatly to the ground. Presently two came directly towards him, and though he did not venture to look up, I saw, by an involuntary motion of his car, that those quick organs had already warned him of their approach. The two hares came through the gap together and the fox, springing with the quickness of lightning, caught one and killed her immediately; he then lifted up his booty and was carrying it off, when my rifle-ball stopped his course." A Pox Hunt Captain Brown tells an amusing story of the resource shown by a fox who was hard pressed near Tamary, Ireland, which is as follows. "After a short chase, Reynard disappeared, having cunningly mounted a turf stack, on the top of which he lay down flat. Finding himself, at last, perceived by one of the hounds, he left his retreat, closely pursued by the pack, ran up a stone wall, from which he sprang on the roof of an adjoining cabin, and mounted to the chimney-top. From that elevated situation he looked all around him, as if carefully reconnoitring the coming enemy. A cunning old hound approached, and, having gained the summit of the roof, had already seized the fox in imagination, when, lo! Reynard dropped down the chimney, like a fallen star into a draw-well. The dog looked wist- fully down the dark opening, but dared not pursue the fugitive. Meantime, whilst the hound was eagerly inspecting the smoky orifice of the chimney, Reynard, half enrobed in soot, had fallen into the lap of an old woman, who, surrounded by a ntmiber of children, was gravely smoking her pipe, not at all expectihg the entrance of this abrupt visitor. ' Emiladh deouiir said the aflrighted female, as she threw from her the black and red quadruped: Reynard grinned, growled, and showed his fangs; and when the sportsmen, who had secured the door, entered, they found him in possession of the kitchen, the old woman and the children having retired^ WILD DOGS. 93 in terror of the invader, to a comer of the room. The fox was taken alive." Th0 Arotlo The Arctic Fox which is of a beautiful white Fox. colour i» found, according to Captain James Ross, in the highest northern latitudes, even in the winter. In the late autumn the younger generation make their way south and congregate in the neighbourhood of Hudson's Bay, returning north in the early spring of the following year. They are gregarious, living in companies in burrows in sandy places. wild Dogs. Wild dogs abound in various parts of the world, of which the Dingos of Australia, the Dholes of India and the Aguaras of South America are examples. The wild dogs of the East are familiar to all readers of Eastern travels. A writer in the Times newspaper describes the dogs of Con- stantinople, as "omnipresent, lawless, yet perfectly harmless dogs," which perform valuable but ill requited service as scavengers of the city. He says: — "In shape, in counte- nance, in language, in their bandy legs, pointed noses, pricked up ears, dirty yellow coats, and bushy tails, they could be himted as foxes in Gloucestershire. They are," he continues, " up and doing from sunset to sunrise, and enjoy the refresh- ment of well-earned, profound sleep almost throughout the day. They are not only homeless and masterless but have also a sovereign contempt for bed or shelter. There is a time it would seem, when sleep comes upon them— all of them— like sudden death ; when all squat down, coil themselves up, nose to tail, v ' erever they chance to be— on the footpath, in the carriage way, in the gutter— and there lie in the simshine, in the pelting rain, yellow bundles, hardly distin- guishable from the mud. The Constantinople dog never learns to wag his tail; he never makes up, never looks up to a human being, never encourages or even notices men's advances. He is not exactly sullen, or cowed, or mistrust- ful; he is simply cold and distant as an Englishman is said to be when not introduced." ^i I. 94 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. "The Dingo, the wfld dog of Australia," says Mrs. Bowdich "roams in packs through that vast country; has a broad head; fierce oblique eyes; acute muzzle; short, pointed, erect' ears; tail bushy, and never raised to more than a horizontal position. He does not bark, but howls fearfully ; is extremely sagacious, and has a remarkable power of bearing pain. When beaten so severely as to be left for dead, he has been seen to get up and run away. A man pro- ceeded to skin one, not doubting that life was extinct, and after proceeding a little way with the operation, he left the hut to sharpen his knife. When he returned, the poor animal was sitting up, with the loose skin hanging over one side of his face." The Dhole of India, similarly hunts in packs, attacking and destroying even the tiger. Theu: sense of smell is very acute, their bark similar to that of a hound, their colour red or sandy. They have long heads, oblique eyes, long erect ears; and very powerful limbs. The Aguaras of South America, says Mrs. Bowdich, resemble foxes. "They are silent if not dumb, and appear to congregate in families rather than packs. They have a peculiar propensity to steal and secrete without any apparent object in so doing." The Dog. The dog divides with the horse ihe honour of being the most intimate and devoted of the servants of mankind. "His origin," ..ays Mr. Jesse "is lost in antiquity. We find him occupying a place in the earliest pagan worship; his name has been given to one of the first-mentioned stars of the heavens, and his effigy may be seen in some of the most ancient works of art. Pliny was of opinion that there was no domestic animal without its imsubdued counterpart, and dogs are known to exist absolutely wild in various parts of the old and new world." Whether the dog of civilization is a descendant of these wild dogs, or whether lie wild dog is the progeny of domestic varieties relapsed into a condition of savagery, and whether both are descended from the wolf and the jackal has often been discussed. Certain it is that liiSI DOMESTIC DOGS. 95 many of the species which now obtain are in certain charac- teristics at least the result of artificial breeding. In its do- mestic state, the dog is remarkable for its usefulness, obedience, and attachment to its master; and the great variety of breeds that are trained and educ^.ted for our benefit or amusement, are almost too numerous to be mentioned. The principal are, the greyhound^ noted for his speed; the Newfoundland dog, remarkable for his size, sagacity, and benevolence; the shepherds dog, perhaps the most useful of all; the spaniel, the barbel, and the setter, useful in hunting; the pointer, the staunchest of all dogs; the Dalmatian or coach-dog, with a skin beautifully spotted; the terrier, useful for destroying ver- min; the blood-hound, formerly used for tracing criminals; the harrier, beagle, and foxhound, distinguished for their quick sense of smell; and the bull-dog, and mcutiff, which are our watch-dogs. The Dog's Un- Many marvellous instances are on record of the derstanding. dog's capacity for understanding not only the direct commands of his master, to which of course he may be easily trained, but also, sometimes, the drift of conver- sations in which his master may engage. The Rev. James Simpson of Edinburgh had a fine New- foundland dog of which some good stories are told. On one occasion, however, Mr. Simpson happening to remark to a friend in the dog's hearing that, as he was about to change his residence, he would have to part with his dog, the dog took the hint, left the house and was never heard of again. Sheep dogs have been known to take very apparent interest in conversations upon the subject of their profession, and to anticipate the word of command by their perception of the drift of the remarks. Mr. St. John, in his " Highland Sports ", gives a remarkable illustration of the way in which a shepherd's dog understood the conversation of his master: — "A shepherd once, to prove the quickness of his dog, who was lying before the fire in the house where we were talking, said to me, in the 96 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. middle of a sentence concerning something else, *I'm think- ing, sir, the cow is in the potatoes.* Though he purposely laid no stress on these words, and said them in a quiet, unconcerned tone of voice, the dog, who appeared to be asleep, immediately jumped up, and leaping through the open window, scrambled up the turf roof of the house, from which he could see the potato field. He then (not seeing the cow there) ran and looked into the byre, where she was, and finding that all was right, came back to the house. After a short time the shepherd said the same words again, and the dog repeated his look-out; but on the false alarm being a third time given, the dog got up, and wagging his tail, looked his master in the face with so comical an expres- sion of interrogation, that we could not help laughing aloud at him, on which, with a slight growl, he laid himself down in his warm comer, with an offended air, as if determined not to be made a fool of again." The well known story of Sir Walter Scott's dog, supplied by him to Captain Brown, is another illustration. "The wisest dog I ever had," said Sir Walter, " was what is called the bull-dog terrier. I taught him to understand a great many words, insomuch that I am positive that the commu- nication betwixt the canine species and ourselves might be greatly enlarged. Camp once bit the baker, who was bring- ing bread to the family. I beat him, and explained the enormity of his offence; after which, to the last moment of his life, he never heard the least allusion to the story, in whatever voice or tone it was mentioned, without getting up and retiring into the darkest comer of the room, with great appearance of distress. Then if you said, 'the baker was well paid,* or, 'the baker was not hurt after all,' Camp came forth from his hiding-place, capered, and barked, and rejoiced. When he was unable, towards the end of his life, to attend me when on horseback, he used to watch for my return, and the servant would tell him 'his master was coming down THE DOG'S SENSE OF LOCALITY. 97 the hill, or through the moor/ and although he did not use any gesture to explain his meaning, Camp was never known to mistake him, but either went out at the front to go up the hill, or at the back to get down to the moor-side. He certainly had a singular knowledge of spoken language." One of the most remarkable illustrations of the dog's capacity for miderstanding is probably that given by Mrs. Bowdich, as follows: "Professor Owen was walking with a friend, by the side of a river, near its mouth, on the coast of Cornwall, and picked up a small piece of sea-weed. It was covered with minute animals; and Mr. Owen observed to his companion, throwing the weed into the water, ' If this small piece affords so many treasures, how microscopically rich the whole plant must bel I should much like to have one.' The gentle- men walked on, but hearing a splashing in the water, turned round, and saw it violently agitated. 'It is Lionl' both exclaimed; 'what can he be about? He was walking quietly enough by our side a minute ago.' At one moment they saw his tail above the water, then his head raised for a breath of air, then the surrounding element shook again, and at last he came ashore, panting from his exertions, and laid a whole plant of the identical weed at Mr. Owen's feet. After this proof of intelligence, it will not be wondered at, that when Lion was joyfully expecting to accompany his master and his guest on an excursion, and was told to go and take care of and comfort Mrs. Owen, who was ill, he should immediately return to the drawing-room and lay him- self by her side, which he never left during the absence of his owner, his countenance alone betraying his disappoint- ment, and that only for a few ninutes." The Dog's senM Bogs have a remarkable sense of locality, of Looallty. and will find their way to a spot they have once visited with an unerring instinct under circumstances which make it impossible for them to rely entirely upon their 7 JLi_ 98 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. sense of scent. Some of the stories told of the extraordinary journeys made by dogs, apparently without anything to guide them but their natural instinct, seem almost incredible. Captain Brown tells a story of a gentleuian of Glasgow, who was unfortunately drowned in the river Oder while bathing during a continental tour. A Newfoundland dog, who was his travelling companion, made every eflFort to save him, but failing to do so, found his way either to Frankfort, or Ham- burgh, where he went on board a vessel bound for England, from which he landed somewhere on the coast, finding his way ultimately to the person from whom he had been origin- ally purchased, and who lived near Holyrood palace. Another dog who, on arriving in England from Newfound- land, was given to a gentleman in London, was sent by him to a friend in Scotland, by water. The dog, however, made his escape and found his way back to his old master at Fish Street Hill, London, though as Mr. Jesse puts it "in so exhausted a state that he could only express his joy at seeing his master and then die." This instinct seems to be common to many varieties of dogs. Captain Brown tells of a Dalmatian or coach-dog which Lord Maynard lost in France, and which he found at his house on his return to England, though how it had got there he never could trace. It is not necessary, says Captain Brown, that the dog shall have previously travelled the ground by which it returns. A person who went by sea from Aberdeen to Leith, lost his dog at the latter place, and found it on his return at Aberdeen. It must have travelled over a country unknown to it, and have crossed the firths of Forth and Tay. Illustrations might easily be multiplied. Mr. Jesse tells of a dog which was presented to the Captain of a collier by a gentleman residing at Wivenhoe in Essex and which on being landed at Sunderland found its way back to its old master, and also of a spaniel belonging to Colonel Hardy which after ■•^U;a DOG FRIENDSHIPS AND ENMITIES. 99 accompanying him from Essex to Bath in a post chaise, found its way back through London, a distance of 140 mUes in three days. Perhaps a more remarkable instance is that recorded of his dog by M. d'Obsonville. This animal accompanied his master and a friend from Pondicherry to Bengalore, a distance of more than nine hundred miles. M. D'Obsonville says, "Our journey occupied nearly three weeks ; and we had to traverse plains and mountains, and to ford rivers, and go along by- paths. The animal, which had certainly never been in that country before, lost us at Bengalore, and immediately returned to Pondicherry. He went directly to the house of my friend, M. Beglier, then commandant of artillery, and with whom I had generally lived. Now, the difiBculty is not so much to know how the dog subsisted on the road (for he was very strong, and able to procure himself food), but how he should so well have found his way after an interval of more than a month I This was an effort of memory greatly superior to that which the human race is capable of exerting." Dog FriendshipB That dogs make very strong friendships •nd Bnmities. among themselves is attested by many an affecting story. A Radnorshire lady, who married and went to reside in Yorkshire, afterwards paid a visit to her old home where her father, before her marriage, had kept two or three sheep-dogs of whom she was very fond. Having retired from business, her father had disposed of all but one dog, and upon her arrival this one met the lady with every demonstration of delight and, that same night, went a distance of seven miles to a farmhouse where one of the other dogs who had become blind, then lived. In the morning when the lady went to the door she saw not only the dog which had given her such a glad< reception on the previous day, but also the old blind one, which had evidently been brought by the other dog to welcome her. When the second night came the old blind dog was taken back to its home by the 1^ SS \ i: 100 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. same dog, which afterwards returned, having travelled a dis- tance of twenty-eight miles to give pleasure to his old blind friend. Instances might easily be multiplied but we must con- tent ourselves with one of a very different character from Colonel Hamilton Smith's "Cyclopaedia of Natural History." "In the neighbourhood of Cupar, in the county of Fife, there lived two dogs, mortal enemies to each other, and who always fought desperately whenever they met. Capt. R was the master of one of them, and the other belonged to a neigh- bouring fanner. Capt. R 's dog was in the practice of going messages, and even of bringing butchers* meat and other articles from Cupar. One day, while returning, chargerl with a basket containing some pieces of mutton, he wus attacked by some of the curs of the town, who, no dcubt, thought the prize worth contending for. The assault was fierce, and of some duration ; but the messenger, after doing his utmost, was at last overpowered and compelled to yield up the basket, though not before he had secured a part of its contents. The piece saved from the wreck he ran off with, at full speed, to the quarters of his old enemy, at whose feet he laid it down, stretching himself beside it till he had eaten it up. A few snufifs, a few whispers in the ear, and other dog-like courtesies, were then exchanged; after which they both set oflf together for Cupar, where they worried almost every dog in the town; and, what is more remarkable, they never afterwards quarrelled, but were always on friendly terms." This story also illustrates another char- acteristic of the dog family. Dogs combine for purposes of offence and defence. Cats stand or fall alone. Dog The foregoing is also a proof of the faculty by Language, which animals can communicate their ideas to each other which in dogs is particularly remarkable. There are many curious anecdotes recorded, illustrative of this faculty. " At Horton, England, about the year z8i8» a gentle- HI THE DOG'S INTELLIGENCE. lOI man from London took possession of a house, the former tenant of which had moved to a farm about half a mile off. The new inmate brought with him a large French poodle dog, to take the duty of watchman, in the place of a fine Newfoundland dog, which went away with his master; but a puppy of the same breed was left behind, and he was instantly persecuted by the poodle. As the puppy grew up, the persecution still continued. At length, he was one day missing for some hours; but he did not come back alone; he returned with his old friend, the large house-dog, to whom he had made a communication; and in an instant the two fell upon the imhappy poodle, and killed him before he could be rescued from their fury. In this case, the injuries of the young dog must have been made known to his friend ; a plan of revenge concerted ; and the determina- tion to carry that plan into effect formed and executed with equal promptitude. The following story, which illustrates, even in a more singular manner, the communication of ideas between dogs, was told by a clergyman, as an authentic anecdote. A surgeon of Leeds found a little spaniel who had been lamed. He carried the poor animal home, ban- daged up his leg, and, after two or three days, turned him out. The dog returned to the surgeon's house every morn- ing, till his leg was perfectly well. At the end of several months, the spaniel again presented himself, in company with another dog, who had also been lamed; and he intimated, u3 well as piteous and intelligent looks could intimate, that he desired the same kind assistance to be rendered to his friend, as had been bestowed upon himself. A similar cir- cumstance Is stated to have occurred to Moraut, a celebrated French surgeon." The Dog'B Many instances have been chronicled of the InteUigenoe. actions of dogs, which seem clearly the result of a process of reasoning. Mr. Jesse tells of a dog who was S^nt to fetch two hats which had been left lying upon the I02 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. grass. After several unsuccessful attempts to cany the two together in his mouth, he laid them on the ground, placed the smaller within the larger, pressed it down with his foot, and then easily carried them to his master. Instances are recorded of dogs who while always ready to perform a useful service, absolutely refused to act for the amusement of on-lookers or to discharge unnecessary duties. Thus a dog who would go into the water to retrieve a wild duck would refuse to fetch anything that had been thrown in for the purpose of displaying his agility, and another who was accustomed to ring the servants' bell at the bidding of his mistress refused to do so when told while the servant was in the room, and if repeatedly commanded to do so, would lay hold of the servant's coat and attempt to drag him to his mistress. These illustrations seem to show a power of dis- crimination not usually credited to animals. Of the intelligence shown by dogs which have been trained, the following story from the "Percy Anecdotes" is at once a remarkable and an amusing illustration. " One day, when Dumont, a tradesman of the Rue St. Denis, was walking in the Boulevard St. An- toine with a friend, he offered to lay a wager with the latter, that if he were to hide a six-livre piece in the dust, his dog would discover and bring it to him. The wager was accepted, and the piece of money secreted, after being carefully marked. When the two had proceeded some distance from the spot, M. Dumont called to his dog that he had lost something, and ordered him to seek it. Caniche immediately turned back, and his master and his companion pursued their walk to the Rue St. Denis. Meanwhile a traveller, who happened to be just then returning in a small chaise from Vincennes, perceived the piece of money, which his horse had kicked from its hiding-place; he alighted, took it up, and drove to his inn, in the Rue Pont-aux-Choux. Caniche had just reached the spot in search of the lost piece when the gtranger picked it up. He followed the THE DOG'S INTELLIGENCE. 103 chaise, went into the inn, and stuck close to the traveller. Having scented out the coin which he had been ordered to bring back in the pocket of the latter, he leaped up incessantly at and about him. The traveller, supposing him to be some dog that had been lost or left behind by his master, regarded his different movements as marks of fond- ness; and as the animal was handsome, he determined to keep him. He gave him a good supper, and on retiring to bed took him with him to his chamber. No sooner had he pulled off his breeches, than they were seized by the dog; the owner conceiving that he wanted to play with them, took them away again. The animal began to bark at the door, which the traveller opened, under the idea that the dog wanted to go out. Caniche snatched up the breeches, and away he flew. The traveller posted after him with his night-cap on, and literally sans culottes. Anxiety for the fate of a purse full of gold Napoleons, of forty francs each, which was in one of the pockets, gave redoubled velocity to his steps. Caniche ran full speed to his master's house, where the stranger arrived a moment afterwards breathless and enraged. He accused the dog of robbing him. •Sir,* said the master, *my dog is a very faithful creature; and if he has run away with your breeches, it is because you have in them money which does not belong to you.* The traveller became still more exasperated. * Compose your- self, sir,* rejoined the other, smiling; 'without doubt there is in your purse a six-livre piece, with such and such marks, which you have picked up in the Boulevard St. Antoine, and which I threw down there with the firm conviction that my dog would bring it back again. This is the cause of the robbery which he has committed upon you.* The stranger's rage now yielded to astonishment; he delivered the six-livre piece to the owner, and could not forbear caressing the dog which had given him so much uneasiness, and such an unpleasant chase." 104 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. D » That dogs sometimds make mistakes bx the UiBtakes. exercise of their intelh'gence, with somewhat lu- dicrous results, is of course true. A dog once accompanied a gentleman's servant to a tailor's with a coat of his master's which needed repair. Having his suspicions with regard to the transaction, the dog watched his opportunity, seized the coat from the counter and carried it back with evident satis- faction to his master. Another dog caused great amusement at a swimming match by insisting upon the rescue of one of the competitors. Dogs have also been known to cause both amusement and consternation by leaping upon the stage to rescue the defenceless characters of the melodrama from the hands of the heavy villain of the play. The story of the dog who failed to recognise his master who had been bathing, and who therefore refused to allow him to have his clothes, is pro- bably apochryphal, but if true is another illustration of the awkwardness of dogs' mistakes. The Eskimo Colonel Hamilton Smith in his classification of Dog. dogs begins with those which belong nearest to the arctic circle, and it will be convenient to follow his order in so far as space will allow. Speaking of the Eskimo dog Captain Lyon says : — " Having myself possessed during our hard winter a team of eleven fine dogs, I was enabled to become better acquainted with their good qualities than could possibly have been the case by the casual visits of the Esquimaux to the ships. The form of the Esquimaux dog is very similar to that of our shepherd's dog in England, but it is more muscular and broad-chested, owing to the constant and severe work to which he is brought up. His ears are pointed, and the aspect of the head is somewhat savage. In size a fine dog about the height of the Newfoundland breed, but broad like a mastiff in every part except the nose. The hair of the coat is in summer, as well as in winter, very long, but during the cold season a soft, downy imder-covering is found, which does not appear in warm weather. Young THE ESKIMO DOG. 103 dogs are put into harness as soon as they can walk, and being tied up, soon acquire a habit of pulling, in their attempts to recover their liberty, or to roam in quest of their mother. When about two months old, they are put into the sledge with the grown dogs, and sometimes eight or ten little ones ?.fe under the charge of some steady old animal, where, with frequent and sometimes severe beatings, they soon receive a competent education. Every dog is distinguished by a partic- ular name, and the angry repetition of it has an effect as instantaneous as an application of the whip, which instnmient is of an immense length, having a lash from eighteen to twenty-four feet, while the handle is one foot only; with this, by throwing it on one side or the other of the leader, and repeatuig certain words, the animals are guided or stopped. When the sledge is stopped they are all taught to lie down, by throwing the whip gently over their backs, and they will remain in tlus position even for hours, until their master letums to them. A walrus is frequently drawn along by three or four of these dogs, and seals are sometimes carried home in the same manner, though I have in some instances seen a dog bring home the greater part of a seal in panniers placed across his back. Cold has very little effect on them; for although the dogs at the huts slept within the snow pas- sages, mine at the ships had no shelter, but lay alongside, with the thermometer at 42® and 44', and with as little concern as if the weather had been mild. I found, by several experiments, that three of my dogs could draw me on a sledge, weighing one hundred pounds, at the rate of one mile in six minutes ; and as a proof of the strength of a well-grown dog, my leader drew one hundred and ninety-six pounds singly, and to the same distance, in eight minutes. At another time seven of my dogs ran a mile in four minutes, drawing a heavy sledge full of men. Afterwards, in carrying stores to the Fury, one mile distant, nine dogs drew one thousand six hundred and eleven pounds in the space of nine minutes. io6 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. \i When the dogs slackened their pace, the sight of a seal or bird was sufficient to put them instantly to their full speed ; and even though none of these might be seen on the ice, the cry of 'a seal T— 'a bear!'— or 'a bird!' &c., was enough to give play to the legs and voices of the whole pack. The voice and long whip answer all the purposes of reins, and the dogs can be made to turn a comer as dexterously as horses, though not in such an orderly manner, since they are constantly fighting; and I do not recollect to have seen one receive a flogging without instantly wreaking his passion on the ears of his neighbours. The cries of the men are not more melodious than those of the animals; and their wild looks and gestures when animated, give them an appear- ance of devils driving wolves before them. Our dogs had eaten nothing for forty- eight hours, and could not have gone over less than seventy miles of ground ; yet they returned, to all appearance, as fresh and active as when they first set out." A Hard Lot. The unhappy condition of the Eskimo dogs under native treatment is pathetically referred to in " Cassell's Natural History," edited by Professor Duncan. The writer says " the horrible savagery of those poor wretches can hardly be wondered at; they live in a country where there is hardly a chance for them in any independent foraging expedition; they are half-starved by their masters, being fed chiefly on frozen walrus hides in the winter, and allowed to shift for themselves in the summer when their services are not required, and are in so perennial and acute a state of hunger that they are ready at any time to eat their own harness if allowed to do so. It is generally stated that they are per- fectly insensible to kindness, and only to be kept in order by a liberal application of the lash, or even of a more formidable weapon; for the Eskimo, if their dogs are re- fractory, do not scruple to beat them about the head with a hammer, or anything else of sufficient hardness which THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 107 happens to be at hand. They will even beat the poor brutes in this horrible manner until they are actually stunned. Notwithstanding the absolute dependence of the Eskimo on their dogs, little or no care is taken of them; they receive nothing in any degree approaching petting, and spend all their time in the open air. The chief use of the Eskimo dog is to draw the sledges, which are the only possible conveyances in that frozen land. In all the Arctic expedi- tions which have been sent out at various times, a good supply of sledge dogs has been one of the greatest desiderata, as without them it would be absolutely impossible to proceed far. No other animal would answer the purpose, both horses and cattle being quite useless in journeys over ice and snow, amongst which the pack of light, active dogs make their way with wonderful ease and safety." The Siberian dogs render equally valuable services to their masters with about an equal measure of appreciation. Th« Newiound- The dog known as the Newfoundland dog land Dog. jg one of the handsomest and best beloved of the dog family. He is distinct from the Labrador dog, which is more slender in make, has a sharper muzzle and is generally " black in colour with a tawny nose and a rusty spot over each eye". The Labrador dog and the Eskimo havp been credited with the parentage of the Newfoundland species. At home the Newfoundland is made useful for the purpose of drawing loads, being harnessed to small carts and sleighs for carrying wood and other commodities. Abroad like the prophet who "is not without honour save in his own country", he has been found capable and worthy of much more honourable service, and his fidelity and sagacity have won for him universal esteem. He is an expert swimmer, his feet being webbed and so peculiarly adapted for the exercise. He takes to the water as though it were his natural element, and has so often carried the line to sinking ships, and re9cued persons about to drown that such incidents i ;! 1 08 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. have become quite common. The tribute paid to him by Sir Edwin Landseer, when he named his famous picture of him « a distinguished member of the humane society", was no more poetical than just. Volumes might be filled with stories of his intelligence and prowess, and it is diflBcult within present limits to select a due variety of characteristic anecdotes. The Newfound- One of the most marked characteristics of land's Generosity, the Newfoundland dog is his generosity tea fallen foe. His temper is said to be uncertain, though this has been questioned by some who have had large experience of him under varying circumstances. Be this as it may, there are many stories told to his honour of his generosity to his enemies in the moment of victory. A Newfoundland dog, who had for some time treated with becoming dignity the impudence of some mongrels who were amusing them- selves by snapping and snarling at his heels, suddenly turned and sent the crowd of persecutors flying in all directions, except the ringleader, who fell sprawling in the middle of the street, where he was about to receive the punishment he deserved when a cable car came dashing down the hill, right upon the dogs. The big dog saw the danger at once and sprang aside, but his enemy remained upon his back, too terrified to notice anything. The Newfoundland took in the situation, in a moment sprang back in front of the car, seized the cur in his teeth, and snatched him, still whining and begging for mercy, out of the very jaws of death. Laying him in the gutter, he gave a good-natured wag or two of his tail and went his way. Another Newfoundland much bothered by a small cur who was for ever barking at his heels, but who treated his assailant with sublime indifference, was on one occasion aroused to adopt drastic measures by receiving a bite on his leg. Seizing the cur by the loose skin of his back he carried him down to the quay of Cork and after letting him dangle over the water for a little while, dropped him into it After watching the animal struggle with the THE NEWFOXmDLAND DOG. 109 was the water until nearly exhausted, the Newfoundland plunged in and rescued him. Mr. Jesse gives a fine illustration of this canine chivalry, witnessed at Donaghadee. "The one dog in this case was also a Newfoundland, and the other was a mastiff. They were both powerful dogs; and though each was good-natured when alone, they were very much in the habit of fighting when they met. One day they had a fierce and prolonged battle on the pier, from the point of which they both fell into the sea; and as the pier was long and steep, they had no means of escape but by swimming a con- siderable distance. Throwing water upon fighting dogs is an approved means of putting an end to their hostilities; and it is natural to suppose that two combatants of the same species tumbling themselves into the sea would have the same effect. It had ; and each began to make for the land as best he could. The Newfoundland being an excellent swimmer, very speedily gained the pier, on which he stood shaking himself; but at the same time watching the motions of his late antagonist, which, being no swimmer, was struggling exhausted in the water, and just about to sink. In dashed the Newfoundland dog, took the other gently by the collar, kept his head above water, and brought him safely on shore. There was a peculiar kind of recognition between the two animals; they never fought again; they were always together: and when the Newfoundland dog had been accidentally killed by the passage of a stone waggon on the railway over him, the other languished and evidently lamented for a long time." The Mew- The quickness with which the Newfoundland Peroeptloii ^"^ realise the danger of a situation and the of Dwger. promptitude with which he will devise a remedy, make him in some cases a more valuable fiiend in need than a man could be. Human aid would have probably been too slow in the following case related by Mr. Jesse. "In the city of Worchester, one of the principal streets i i!.. I no NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. leads by a gentle declivity to the river Severn. One day a child, in crossing the street, fell down in the middle of it and a horse and cart, which was descending the hill, would have passed over it, had not a Newfoundland dog rushed to the rescue of the child, caught it up in his mouth, and conveyed it in safety to the foot pavement." The promptitude with which he will leap into the water to save the drowning, without waiting for any word of command, is another illustration of thfs faculty. Another case related by Mr. Jesse may be quoted. " In the year 1 841, as a labourer, named Rake, in the parish of Botley, near Southampton, was at work in a gravel-pit, the top stratum gave way, and he was buried up to his neck by the great quantity of gravel which fell upon him. He was at the same time so much hurt, two of his ribs being broken, that he found it impos- sible to make any attempt to extricate himself from his perilous situation. Indeed, nothing could be more fearful than the prospect before him. No one was within hearing of his cries, nor was any one likely to come near the spot. He must almost inevitably have perished, had it not been for a Newfoundland dog belonging to his employer. This animal had been watching the man at his work for some days, as if he had been aware that his assistance would be required; for no particular attachment to each other had been exhibited on either side. As soon, however, as the accident occurred, the dog jumped into the pit, and com- menced removing the gravel with his paws; and this he did in so vigorous and expeditious a manner, that the poor man was at length able to liberate himself, though with extreme difl&culty. What an example of kindness, sensibility, and I may add reason, does this instance afford us!" Mr. Youatt gives a remarkable illustration, also quoted by Mr. Jesse, of a Newfoundland's apparent perception of danger of quite another sort. Finding it inconvenient to keep this animal Mr. Youatt had given it to a friend, and four years passed THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. Ill before the dog saw his late owner again, when they met quite by chance, the two masters and the dog, on a lonely road between Wandsworth and Kingston. The dog showed every sign of pleasure at meeting his old master, but when they parted faithfully followed the new. Mr. Youatt had not proceeded far, however, when he discovered that the dog had rejoined him and was walking at his side, growling and showing every sign of anger. Looking ahead he discovered two men approaching him stealthily from behind the bushes that skirted the road. " I can scarcely say," says Mr. Youatt, "what I felt; for presently one of the scoundrels emerged from the bushes, not twenty yards from me; but he no sooner saw my companion, and heard his growling,- the loudness and depth of which were fearfully increasing, than he retreated, and I saw no more of him or of his associate. My gallant defender accompanied me to the direction-post at the bottom of the hill, and there, with many a mutual and honest greeting, we parted, and he bounded away to overtake his rightful owner. We never met again; but I need not say that I often thought of him with admiration and gratitude." The Newfound- ^ number of well authenticated stories, seem land's Sense of to indicate a certain sense of right and wrong Right and Wrong, ^g characteristic of the more intelligent dogs; of course the idea of right and wrong being in the case of animals as in. the case of men, largely a matter of education. The Newfoundland dog belonging to the Rev. J. Simpson of Potterow Church, Edinburgh, already referred to, on one occasion detained a party of friends which had been enter- tained by the servants during their master's absence at church, by stationing himself in front of the hall door and preventing their egress until the rev. gentleman's return. Another New- foundland dog who belonged to a grocer, and who had seen a porter hide money behind a heap of rubbish in a stable,— money which he had surreptitiously abstracted from the till, — 112 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. followed an apprentice into the stable on the first opportunity, and scratching away the rubbish exposed the money to view, thus leading to the detection of the thief. It is of course easy to claim too much for actions apparently so intelligent and in estimating them coincidence has to be allowed for; but they are far too numerous to be ignored in estimating canine character. An instance is recorded of a quiet docile dog who refused to allow a visitor to leave a stable, when it was discovered that the man had secreted a bridle in his pocket The Newfound- Many illustrations might be given of the land's PideUty. fidelity which the Newfoundland shows in common with other dogs, but one or two must suffice. A story is told of a dog who picked up a coin which his master had dropped from his purse, and which he kept in his mouth all day, refusing food until his master's return in the evening, when he laid it at his feet, and then attacked his dinner voraciously; another of a dog who on being sent home by his master with a key which he had inadvertently taken with him, was attacked by a dog belonging to a butcher, but who declined the combat until he had delivered the key, but immediately returned and attacking the butcher's dog killed him. In the first case the dog suffered the natural pangs of hunger rather than hazard his master's property, and in the second he postponed the gratification of his natixral feeling of revenge imtil after the execution of his duty. The Newfound- "^^^ *"^^^ ^ ^^^^^ ^°8* ^^ ^® trained, land under though often amusing enough, have not the Training, interest which attaches to the natural display of their faculties, and yet of course there is plenty of scope for the trained dog to supplement his culture by the exercise of his natural gifts, and this he often does. Perhaps one of the most remarkable of trained Newfoundland dogs, was the one possessed by Mr. Mclntyre of Regent Bridge, Edinburgh. This dog was trained to perform all kinds of tricks. He THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 113 would pick his master's hat out from a number of others of the same kind, or indeed almost any article of his master's from a group of similar articles. He would ring the bell to summon the servants, and if there was no bell rope in the room, find and use the hand bell with equal facility. A comb was hidden on the top of a mantel-piece in the room, and the dog required to bring it, which he almost immediately did, although in the search he found a nmnber of articles also belonging to his master, purposely strewed around, all of which he passed over, and brought the identical comb which he was required to find, fully proving that he was not guided by the sense of smell, but that he perfectly imderstood what was spoken to him. One evening some gentlemen being in company, one of them accidentally dropped a shilling on the floor, which, after the most careful search, could not be found. Mr. M. seeing his dog sitting in a comer, and looking as if quite unconscious of what was passing, said to him, "Dandie, find us the shilling and you shall have a biscuit." The dog immediately jumped upon the table and laid down the shilling, which he had previously picked up without having been perceived. Mr. M. having one evening supped with a friend, on his return home could not find his boot- jack in the place where it usually lay. He then said to his dog, "Dandie, I cannot find my boot-jack,— search for it.** The faithful animal, quite sensible of what had been said to him, scratched at the room-door, which his master opened. Dandie proceeded to a very distant part of the house, and returned carrying in his mouth the boot-jack, which Mr. M. then recollected to have left that morning under a sofa. A number of gentlemen, well acquainted with Dandie, were daily in the habit of giving him a penny which he took to a baker's shop and purchased bread for himself. One of these gentlemen, who lived in James' Square, when passing was accosted by Dandie, in expectation of his usual present Mr. T. said to him, "I have not a penny 8 114 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. with me to-day, but I have one at home." Having returned to his house some time after, he heard a noise at the door, which was opened by the servant, when in sprang Dandie to receive his penny. In a frolic Mr. T. gave him a bad one, which he, as usual, carried to the baker, who refused to take the bad coin. He immediately returned to Mr. T.'s, scratched at the door, and when the servant opened it, laid the penny down at her feet, and walked off, seemingly with the greatest contempt. Althougl. Dandie, in general, made an immediate purchase of bread with the money which he received, the following circumstance clearly demon- st '"« that he possessed more prudent foresight than many who are reckoned rational beings. One Sunday, when it was very unlikely that he could have received a present of money, Dandie was observed to bring home a loaf. Mr. M. being somewhat surprised at this, desired the servant to search the room to see if any money could be found. While she was engaged in this tavk, the dog seemed quite uncon- cerned till she approached the bed, when he ran to her, and gently drew her back from it. Mr. M. then secured the dog, which kept struggling and growling while the servant went under the bed, where she found seven pence halfpenny under a bit of cloth. From that time he never could endure the girl, and was frequently observed to hide his money in a comer of a saw-pit, under the dust. When Mr. M. had company, if he desired the dog to see any one of the gentlemen home, he would walk with him till he reached his home, and then return to his master, how great soever the distance might be. Many other stories are told about Dandie but these must suffice. ■ Of their authenticity there seems little doubt; they were recorded by Captain Brown during the lifetime of Dandie and his master. The The shepherd's dog {cam's domesticus) rivals if Sheep Dog. ^Qt surpasses most other dogs in intelligence, though his intelligence is less general and more particular THE SHEEP DOG. "5 than that of other dogs, i>., more special to his own pro- fession and probably more due to training and culture. The principle of heredity operates conspicuously in the case of dogs, and shepherding being one of the oldest occupations of man, the shepherd's dog has probably been under culture for a longer period than any other,— hence his proficiency in his work. BufFon credited him with being "the parent stock of the whole species", and Colonel Smith with civilisation at a very early period. "The sheep dog," says Colonel Smith, "is seldom two feet high, but his make is muscular; the nose rather pointed; the ears erect; and the colour of the hair black and fulvous ; the fur is rather long and rough. In great Britain, and more particularly in Scotland, the colours are more mixed with shades of brown, and the ears are often drooping at the tips. The sheep dog is not to be confused with the drover or cattle dog, which is larger and still more rugged in coat, as well as manners. (jpj^^ The sheep dog is credited with so many stories Sheep Dog's of skill and sagacity, that those unacquainted Baer::oity. ^^j^ j^jg habits and achievements can scarcely believe the record. He has been known to rival the St. Bernard in tracking both men and sheep who have become buried in the snow, the mastiflf in defending his master's property and the Newfoundland in procuring assistance he was unable to render himself. But it is in the pursuit of his special duties that he displays the most remarkable powers; and many illustrations might be given of his extraordinary skill and fidelity. Happily for him he found in the Ettrick Shepherd an historian as well acquainted with his prowess as he was able to record its exercise; from whose writings we are able to quote several remarkable illustrations. "My dog Sirrah," says he, "was, beyond all comparison, the best dog I ever saw: he was of a surly and unsocial temper, — disdaining all flattery, he refused to be caressed; but his attention to my commands and interests will never % V. y. . . ■^ ti6 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. again, perhaps, be equalled by any of the canine race. Well as I knew him, he often astonished me; for, when hard pressed in accomplishing the task that he was put to, he had expedients of the moment that bespoke a great share of the reasoning faculty. •• About seven hundred lambs, which were once under my care at weaning time, broke up at midnight, and scampered oflf in three divisions across the hills, in spite of all that I and an assistant lad could do to keep them together. 'Sir- rah, my man!' said I, in great affliction, 'they are awa'.' The night was so dark that I could not see Sirrah, but the faith- ful animal heard my words— words such as of all others were sure to set him most on the alert; and without much ado he silently set oflF in search of the recreant flock. Meanwhile I and my companion did not fail to do all in our power to recover our lost charge. We spent the whole night in scour- ing the hills for miles around, but of neither the lambs nor Sirrah could we obtain the slightest trace. It was the most extraordinary circumstance that had occurred in my pastoral life. We had nothing for it (day having dawned), but to re- turn to our master, and inform him that we had lost his whole flock of lambs, and knew not what had become of them. On our way home, however, we discovered a body of lambs at the bottom of a deep ravine, called the Flesh Cleuch, and the indefatigable Sirrah standing in front of them, looking all around for some relief, but still standing true to his charge. The sun was then up; and when we first came in view of them, we concluded that it was one of the divi- sions which Sirrah had been unable to manage until he came to that commanding situation. But what was our astonish- ment, when we discovered by degrees that not one lamb of the whole flock was wanting! How he had got all the divi- sions collected in the dark, is beyond my comprehension. The charge was left entirely to himself, from midnight until the rising of the sun; and if all the shepherds in the forest x^* THE SHEEP DOG. 117 had been there to have assisted him, they could not have eflfected it with greater propriety. All that I can farther say is, that I never felt so grateful to any creature below the sun, as I did to my honest Sirrah that morning." ^pj^g "The late Mr. Steel, flesher in Peebles," says Sheep-doff's James Hogg, " had a bitch whose feats in taking Fidelity, gheep from the neighbouring farms into the Flesh- market at Peebles, form innumerable anecdotes in that vici- nity, all similar to one another. But there is one instance related of her, that combines so much sagacity with natural affection, that I do not think the history of the animal creation furnishes such another. Mr. Steel had such an implicit dependence on the attention of this animal to his orders, that, whenever he put a lot of sheep before her, he took a pride in leaving them to herself, and either remained to take a glass with the farmer of whom he had made the purchase, or took another road to look after bargains or other business. But one time he chanced to commit a drove to her charge at a place called Willenslee, without attending to her condi- tion as he ought to have done. This farm is five miles from Peebles, over wild hills, and there is no regularly defined path to it. Whether Mr. Steel remained behind, or chose another road, I know not; but, on coming home late in the evening, he was astonished at hearing that his faithful animal had not made her appearance with the flock. He and his son, or servant, instantly prepared to set out by different paths in search of her; but, on their going out to the street, there was she coming with the drove, not one missing; and marvellous to relate, she was carrying a young pup in her mouth! She had been taken in travail on those hills; and how the poor beast had contrived to manage the drove in her state of sufiering is beyond human calculation, for her road lay through sheep the whole way. Her master's heart smote him when he saw what she had suffered .and effected : but she was nothing daunted; and having deposited her young ii8 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. one in a place of safety, she again set out full speed to the hills, and brought another and another, till she removed her whole litter one by one; but the last one was dead. The stories related of the dogs of sheep-stealers, he continues, are fairly beyond all credibility. I cannot attach credit to some of them without believing the animals to have been devils incarnate, come to the earth for the destruction both of the souls and bodies of men. I cannot mention names, for the sake of families that still remain in the country; but there have been sundry men executed, who belonged to this dis- trict of the kingdom, for that heinous crime, in my own days; and others have absconded, just in time to save their necks. There was not one of these to whom I allude who did not acknowledge his dog to be the greatest aggressor. One young man in particular, who was, I believe, overtaken by justice for his first offence, stated, that after he had folded the sheep by moonlight, and selected his number from the flock of a former master, he took them out, and set away with them towards Edinburgh. But before he had got them quite oflF the farm, his conscience smote him, as he said (but more likely a dread of that which soon folio v. ed), and he quitted the sheep, letting them go again to the hill. He called his dog off them; and mounting his pony, he rode away. At that time he said his dog was capering and playing around him, as if glad of having got free of a troublesome business; and he regarded him no more, till, after having rode about three miles, he thought again and again that he heard something coming up behind him. Halting, at length, to ascertain what it was, in a few minutes up came his dog with the stolen animals, driving them at a furious rate to keep up with his master. The sheep were all smoking, and hanging out their tongues, and their guide was fully warm as they. The young man was now exceedingly troubled, for the sheep having been brought so far from home, he dreaded there would be a pursuit, and he could not get them home again i THE ST. BERNARD DOG. 119 before day. Resolving, at all events, to keep his hands clear of them, he corrected his dog in great wrath, left the sheep once more, and taking coUey with him, rode off a second time. He had not ridden above a mile, till he perceived that his assistant had again given him the slip; and suspecting for what purpose, he was terribly alarmed as well as chagrined ; for daylight now approached, and he durbl; not make a noise calling on his dog, for fear of alarming the neighbourhood, in a place where they were both well known. He resolved therefore to abandon the animal to himself, and take a road across the country which he >^ as sure the other did not know, and could not follow. He took that road; but being on horseback, he zould not get across the enclosed fields. He at length came to a gate, which he shut behind him, and went about half a mile farther, by a zigzag course, to a farm-house where both his sister and sweetheart lived; and at that place he remained until after breakfast time. The people of this house were all examined on the trial, and no one had either seen the sheep or heard them mentioned, save one man, who came up to the aggressor as he was standing at the stable-door, and told him that his dog had the sheep safe enough down at the Crooked Yett, and he needed not huny himself. He answered, that the sheep were not his — they were young Mr. Thomson's, who had left them to his charge, and he was in search of a man to drive them, which made him come oflF his road." The fidelity of this animal cost his master his life. The Bt. The St. Bernard Dog always honoured for Bernard Dog. his work's sake, resembles the Newfoundland in form, hair, colour, and size. "There is another race," says Colonel Smith, "trained to the same service, with close short hair, and more or less marked with grey, liver colour and black clouds." Bass, a famous St. Bernard, the property of Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, is thus described by him in a letter to Mr. W. H. Lizars printed in Vol. XIX of "The 11 120 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. Naturalist's Library ":—" My St. Bernard was brought homo direct from the Great St. Bernard, when he was a puppy of about four or five months. His bark is tremendous; so loud, indeed, that I have often distinguished it nearly a mile off. He had been missing for some time, when, to my great joy, one of the letter-carriers brought him back ; and the man's account was, that in going along a certain street, he heard his bark from the inside of a yard, and knew it immediately. He knocked at the gate, and said to the owner of the premises, 'You have got Sir Thomas Lauder's big dog.' The man denied it. 'But I know you have,' continued the letter-carrier; 'I can swear that I heard the bark of Sir Thomas's big dog ; for there is no dog in or about all Edinburgh that has such a bark.' At last, with great reluctance, the maJ gave up the dog to the letter-carrier, who brought him home here. But though Bass's bark is so terrific, he is the best-natured and most playful dog I ever saw; so much so, indeed, that the small King Charles's spaniel, Raith, used to tyrannize over him for many months after he came here from abroad. I have seen the little creature run furiously at the great animal when gnawing a bone, who instantly turned himself submissively over on his back, with all his legs in the air, whilst Raith, seizing the bone, would make the most absurd and unavailing attempts to bestride the enormous head of his subdued companion, with the most ludicrous affectation of the terrible growling, that might bespeak the loftiest description of dog-indignation. When a dog attacks Bass in the street or road, he runs away rather than quarrel; but when compelled to fight by any perseverance in the attacking party, he throws his enemy down in a moment, and then, without biting him, he lays his whole immense bulk down upon him, till he nearly smothers him. He took a particular fancy for one of the postmen who deliver letters here, whose duty it was, besides delivering letters, tp c£^ a letter bag from one receiving-house to THE ST. BERNARD DOG. 121 another, and this bag he used to give Bass to carry. Bass always followed that man through all the villas in this neigh- bourhood where he had deliveries to make, and he invariably parted with him opposite to the gate of the Convent of St. Margaret's, and returned home. When our gate was shut here to prevent his following the postman, the dog always leaped a high wall to get after him. One day when the postman was ill, or detained by some accidental circumstance, he sent a man in his place. Bass went up to the man, curi- ously scanning his face, whilst the man rather retired from the dog, by no means liking his appearance. But as the man left the place, Bass followed him, showing strong symp- toms that he was determined to have the post-bag. The man did all he could to keep possession of it. But at length Bass seeing that he had no chance of getting possession of the bag by civil entreaty, raised himself up on his hind-legs, and putting a great forepaw on each of the man's shoulders, he laid him flat on his back in the road, and quietly picking up the bag, he proceeded peaceably on his wonted way. The man, much dismayed, arose and followed the dog, making every now and then an ineffectual attempt to coax him to give up the bag. At the first house he came to, he told his fears, and the dilemma he was in; but the people comforted him, by telling him that the dog always carried the bag. Bass walked with the man to all the houses at which he delivered letters, and along the road till he came to the gate of St. Margaret's, where he dropped the bag and returned home." The Bt. Bernard " The convent of the Great St. Bernard is At Work. situated near the top of the mountain known by that name, near one of the most dangerous passages of the Alps, between Switzerland and Savoy. In these regions the traveller is often overtaken by the most severe weather, even after days of cloudless beauty, when the glaciers glitter in the sunshine, and the pink flowers of the rhododendron I 122 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. appear as if they were never to be sullied by the tempest. But a storm suddenly comes on; the roads are rendered impassable by drifts of snow ; the avalanches, which are huge loosened masses of snow or ice, are swept into the valleys, carrying trees and crags of rock before them. Benumbed with cold, weary in the search for a lost track, his senses yielding to the stupifying influence of frost which betrays the exhausted sufferer into a deep sleep, the unhappy man sinks upon the ground, and the snow-drift covers him from human sight. It is then that the keen scent and the exquisite docility of these admirable dogs are called into action. Though the perishing man lie ten or even twelve feet beneath the snow, the delicacy of smell with which they can trace him offers a chance of escape. They scratch away the snow with their feet; they set up a continued hoarse and solemn bark, which brings the monks and labourers of the convent to their assistance. To provide for the chance that the dogs, without human help, may succeed in discovering the unfortu- nate traveller, one of them has a flask of spirits round his neck, to which the fainting man may apply for support; and another has a cloak to cover him. These wonderful exertions are often successful; and even where they fail of restoring him who has perished, the dogs discover the body, so that it may be secured for the recognition of friends; and such is the effect of the temperature, that the dead features gener- ally preserve their firmness for the space of two years." One of these dogs is said to have saved as many as forty lives and finally to have fallen a victim to an avalanche. The Ghfeyhound. The Greyhound is characterised by elegance of form and grace of movement; he has also great powers of speed and endurance, is mild and afiectionate in disposition and sagacious in matters other than those connected with the chase. "The narrow, sharp head, the light half hanging ears, the long neck, the arched back, the slender yet sinewy limbs, the deep chest, showing the high development of the THE GREYHOUND. 123 breathing organs, and the elevated hind quarters, says Mrs. Bowdich, all shadow forth the peculiar qualities of these dogs. Their coat has been adapted to the climate in which they originally lived: here it is smooth; but becomes more shaggy as they are from colder regions." "The Scotch Greyhound {Cams Scoticus),** she continues, " generally white, with black clouds, is said to be the most intellectual of all, and formerly to have had so good a scent as to be employed as a bloodhound. Maida, whose name is immortalized as the favourite of Sir Walter Scott, was a Scottish greyhound. The Irish is the largest of all the western breeds, and is supposed to owe this distinction to mingling with the great Danish dog. To it Ireland owes the extirpation of wolves, though it now scarcely exists itself but in name." The greyhound is now principally bred for sporting purposes, coursing being the favourite amusement. The great speed and endurance of the dog is shown in this pastime. Mr. Jesse records several instances of dogs who have died from exhaustion rather than give up the chase, in one of which it is stated that two dogs and a hare were found dead within a few yards of each other after a run of several miles. Mr. Daniel in his rural sports gives an instance in which a brace of greyhounds chased a hare a distance of four miles in twelve minutes. The Qreyhound'a Washington Irving tells the following story Aflfootion. of a greyhound's affection for his master. " An officer named St. Leger, who was imprisoned in Vincennes (near Paris) during the wars of St. Bartholomew, wished to keep with him a greyhound that he had brought up, and which was much attached to him; but they harshly refused him this innocent pleasure, and sent away the greyhound to his house in the Rue des Lions Saint Paul. The next day the greyhound returned alone to Vincennes, and began to bark under the windows of the tower, where the officer was confined. St. Leger approached, looked through the bais, 124 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. and waa delighted again to see his faithful hound, who began to jump and play a thousand gambols to show her joy. He threw a piece of bread to the animal, who ate it with great good will; and, in spite of the immense wall which separated them, they breakfasted together like two friends. This friendly visit was not the last. Abandoned by his relations, who believed him dead, the unfortunate prisoner received the visits of his greyhound only, during four years' confinement. Whatever weather it might be, in spite of rain or snow, the faithful animal did not fail a single day to pay her accustomed visit. Six months after his release from prison St. Leger died. The faithful grey- hound would no longer remain in the house; but on the day after the funeral returned to the castle of Vincennes, and it is supposed she was actuated by a motive of gratitude. A jailor of the outer court had always shown great kindness to this dog, which was as handsome as affectionate. Contrary to the custom of people of that class, this man had been touched by her attachment and beauty, so that he facilitated her approach to see her master, and also insured her a safe retreat. Penetrated with gratitude for this service, the grey- hound remained the rest of her life near the benevolent jailor. It was remarked, that even while testifying her zeal and gratitude for her second master, one could easily see that her heart was with the first. Like those who, having lost a parent, a brother, or a friend, come from afar to seek consolation by viewing the place which they inhabited, this afifectionate animal repaired frequently to the tower where St. Leger had been imprisoned, and would contemplate for hours together the gloomy window from which her dear master had so often smiled to her, and where they had so fi-equently breakfasted together." The Luroher. " The rough, large-boned, ill-looking Lurcher," says Mrs. Bowdich, "is said to have descended from the rough greyhound and the shepherd's dog. It is now rare; 1 THE BLOODHOUND. 125 in but there are some of its sinister-looking mongrel progeny still to be seen. They always bear the reputation of being poachers* dogs, and are deeply attached to their owners. They have a fine scent; and a man confessed to Mr. Bewick, that he could, with a pair of lurchers, procure as many rabbits as he pleased. They never give tongue, but set about their work silently and cautiously, and hunt hares and partridges, driving the latter into the nets of the unlaw- ful sportsmen." He is a dog to whom a bad name has been given, and who h^'^ found a bad name but one step from hanging. The Blood- The Bloodu' ^ [Cants Sanguinarius) whether hound, because less needed now than formally or not, is less cultivated and is therefore more rare. Mr. BelFs description of the breed is as follows : — *• They stand twenty- eight inches high at the shoulder; the muzzle broad and full; the upper lip large and pendulous; the vertex of the head protuberant; the expression stern, thoughtful, and noble; the breast broad; the limbs strong and muscular; and the original colour a deep tan, with large black clouds. They are silent when following their scent; and in this respect differ from other hounds, who are generally gifted with fine deep voices. Numbers, under the name of sleuth-hounds, used to be kept on the Borders; and kings and troopers, perhaps equally marauders, have in olden times found it diflBcult to evade them. The noble Bruce had several nar- row escapes from them; and the only sure way to destroy their scent was to spill blood upon the track. In all the common routine of life they are good-natured and intelli- gent, and make excellent watch-dogs. A story is related of a nobleman, who, to make a trial whether a young, hound was well instructed, desired one of his servants to walk to a town four miles off, and then to a market town three miles from thence. The dog, without seeing the man he was to pursue, followed him by the scent to the above- 126 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. mentioned places, notwithstanding the multitude of market- people that went along the same road, and of travellers that had occasion to come; and when the bloodhound came to the market town, he passed through the streets without taking notice of any of the people there, and ceased not till he had gone to the house where the man he sought rested himself, and where he found him in an upper room, to the wonder of those who had accompanied him in this pursuit." The Scent ^ Strong characteristic of the Bloodhound is of the of course his remarkable scent for blood. Bloodhound. "Bloodhounds," says Bingley, "were formerly used in certain districts lying between England and Scot- land, that were much infested by robbers and murderers; and a tax was laid on the inhabitants for keeping and maintaining a certain number of these animals. Some few are yet kept in the northern parts of the kingdom, and in the lodges of the royal forests, where they are used in pur- suit of deer that have been previously wounded. They are also sometimes employed in discovering deer-stealers, whom they infallibly trace by the blood that issues from the wounds of their victims. A very extraordinary instance of this occurred in the New Forest, in the year 1810, and was related to me by the Right Hon. G. H. Rose. A person, in getting over a stile into a field near the Forest, remarked that there was blood upon it. Immediately afterwards he recollected that some deer had been killed, and several sheep stolen in the neighbourhood; and that this might possibly be the blood of one that had been killed in the preceding night. The man went to the nearest lodge to give information; but the keeper being from home, he was under the necessity of going to Rhinefield Lodge, which was at a considerable distance. Toomer, the under-keeper, went with him to the place, accompanied by a bloodhound. The dog, when brought to the spot, was laid on the scent; THE STAG-DOG. 127 and after following for about a mile the track which the depredator had taken, he car i at last to a heap of furze fagots belonging to the family of a cottager. The woman of the house attempted to drive the dog away, but was pre- vented; and on the fagots being renioved a hole was dis- covered in the ground, which contained the body of a sheep that had recently been killed, and also a considerable quantity of salted meat. The circumstance which renders this account the more remarkable is, that the dog was not brought to the scent until more than sixteen hours had elapsed after the man had carried away the sheep." The stag- "The stag hound," says Colonel Smith, "was a Hovmd. large stately animal, equal or little less than the blood hound, and originally, like that race, slow, sure, cautious and steady." " The modern hound is perhaps still handsomer, though somewhat smaller; and the breed having been crossed with the fox hound is now much faster." The stag hunt having declined in public favour they have ceased to be bred in packs for hunting purposes. A stag- "Many years since," says Captain Brown, "a very Hunt, large stag was turned out of Whinfield Park in the county of Westmoreland, and was pursued by the hounds till, by accident or fatigue, the whole pack was thrown out with the exception of two dogs which continued the chase. Its length is uncertain, but the chase was seen at Red Kirk near Annan in Scotland, distant by the post road about forty- six miles. The stag returned to the park from which he had set out, 80 that considering the circuitous route which it pursued, it is supposed to have run over not less than one hundred and twenty miles. It was its greatest and last achievement, for it leapt the wall of the park and immedi- ately expired ; the hounds were also foimd dead at no great distance fiom the wall which they had been unable to leap. An inscription was placed on a tree in the park, in memory of the animals, and the horns of the stag, the largest ever I #■■ 128 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. w -l seen in that part of the country, were placed over it." «,- -B "In rivine: a description of the various breeds of Hound, dogs," says Mr. Jesse, "everyone must be aware, that by crossing and recrossing them many of those we now see have but little claim to originality. The fox-hound, the old Irish wolf-dog, and the Colley or shepherd's dog, may per- haps be considered as possessing the greatest purity of blood. " Mr. Jesse then refers to a picture of a pack of hounds in Wilkinson's "Manners and Customs of the Egyptians, " a picture which was copied from a painting found in one of the tombs of the Pharaohs, in which "every individual hound is cha- racteristic of the present breed. " If this be so, as Mr. Jesse says, " this breed must be considered of a much more ancient date than is generally supposed." The Fox-hound is des- cribed by Colonel Smith as "somewhat lower at the shoulders and more slenderly built" than the stag-hound. His colour is "white, but commonly marked with larger clouds of black and tan, one on each side the head, covering the ears, the same on each flank and one at the root of the tail." The Fox-hound has great strength and endurance, and will run ten hours in pursuit of the fox. The Foz-hound'a Many extraordinary stories are told of the Tenacity. Fox-hound's ardour for sport. According to Mr. Jesse, a bitch was on one occasion taken in labour while in the hunting field, and after giving birth to a pup took it in its mouth and pursued the chase. Another bitch, whose eye had been struck from the socket accidentally by the lash of the whipper-in who did not believe her challenge, pursued the fox alone for a great distance with her eye pendant, until the rest of the pack came up and the fox was killed. Per- haps one of the most remarkable instances of tenacity of purpose in an animal is that quoted by Mr. Jesse from the supplement to Mr. Daniel's "Rural Sports." "The circum- stance took place in the year 1808, in the counties of Inverness and Perth, and perhaps surpasses any length of THE HARRIER AND THE BEAGLE. 129 pursuit known in the annals of hunting. On the 8th of June in that year, a fox and hound were seen near Dunkeld in Perthshire, on the high road, proceeding at a slow trotting pace. The dog was about fifty yards behind the fox, and each was so fatigued as not to gain on the other. A coun- tryman very easily caught the fox, and both it and the dog were taken to a gentleman's house in the neighbourhood, where the fox died. It was afterwards ascertained that the hound belonged to the Duke of Gordon, and that the fox was started on the morning of the 4th of June, on the top of those hills called Monaliadh, which separate Badenoch from Fort Augustus. From this it appeared that the chase lasted four days, and that the distance traversed from the place where the fox was unkennelled to the spot where it was caught, without making any allowances for doubles, crosses, etc., and as the crow flies, exceeded seventy miles." The Harrier. "The Harrier," says Colonel Smith, "so called from being usually applied to hare hunting is smaller than the fox-hound, not exceeding eighteen inches at the shoulder. It is entirely an artificial breed and is often confounded with the beagle." The Beagle. The Beagle is called by Mr. Jesse, " a Fox- hound in miniature, " and he adds nothing can well be more perfect than the shape of these small dogs. " In Queen Eli- zabeth's reign, " says Colonel Smith, " the fanciers bred a race so small, that a complete cry of them could be carried out to the field in a pair of panniers. That princess had little singing beagles which could be placed in a man's glove I At present they are about twelve or fomrteen inches at the shoulders, stout and compact in make, with long ears, and either marked with a bright streak or spot of white about the neck on a dark brown coat, or white with spots like a harrier, of black and red. They are slow but persevering, and are sufHciently sure of killing their game." II i I30 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. The Dalmatian Colonel Smith places the Dalmatian dog Dog. with the hounds on the ground of similarity of general structure. Elegant in form and beautiful in mak- ing it is said to be less keen in scent and less sagacious than other dogs. Sagacious or not, it was one of these dogs that Lord Maynard found awaiting him at his house in England after having lost him in France. The Tumsplt "The Turnspit," says Captain Brown, "derived its name from the service in which it was engaged before the invention of machinery to do the same work, and, what is remarkable, now that the office is extinct, so also has nearly become the species which used to perform it." "I have now in my kitchen," said the Duke de Laincourt, to M. Descartes, "two turnspits which take their turns regularly every other day in the wheel : one of them, not liking his employment, hid himself on the day he should have wrought, when his companion was forced to mount the wheel in his stead ; but crymg and wagging his tail, he intimated that those in atten- dance should first follow him. He immediately conducted them to a garret, where he dislodged the idle dog, and killed him immediately." Another instance is recorded by Captain Brown as follows : " When the cook had prepaicd the meat for roasting, he found that the dog which should have wrought the spit had disappeared. He attempted to employ another, but it bit his leg and fled. Soon after, however, the refrac- tory dog entered the kitchen driving before him the truant turnspit, which immediately of its own accord went into the wheel." It is easy to see from these stories that the occupa- tion was not a popular one and it is well that it is no longer a necessary one. The Pointer. The pointer {Cants avicularis) as resembling the race of hounds, more than any other of the shooting or gun dogs is placed next to them in the classification of Colonel Smith, who says: "In their present qualities of standing fixed and pointing to game, we see the result of a THE POINTER. 131 long course of severe training ; and it is a curious fact, that by a succession of generations having been constantly edu- cated to this purpose, it has become almost innate, and young dogs of the true breed point with scarcely any instruction : this habit is so firm in some that the late Mr. Gilpin is reported to have painted a brace of pointers while in the act, and that they stood an hour and a quarter without moving." A smooth dog, resembling the fox-hound in his markings, though sometimes entirely black, the pointer is used by sportsmen to point them to the spot where the game is to be found. *It ranges the fields," says Mr. Wood, "until it scents the hare or partridge lying close on the ground. It then remains still as if carved in stone, every limb fixed, and the tail pointing straight behind it. In this attitude it remains until the gun is discharged, reloaded, and the sports- man has reached the place where the bird sprang." The Pointer as The pointer is a keen sportsman and will a Sportsman. * point" without tiring while worthily supported by the gun, but many stories are told of his disgust at a bad shot and his refusal to "point" for unskilful sportsmen. The following amusing story is told by Captain Brown and is quoted as follows by Mr. Jesse: "A gentleman, on his requesting the loan of a pointer-dog from a friend, was informed by him that the dog would behave very well so long as he could kill his birds ; but if he frequently missed them, it would run home and leave him. The dog was sent, smd the following day was fixed for trial; but, unfortunately, his new master was a remarkably bad shot. Bird after bird rose and was fired at, but still pursued its flight untouched, till, at last, the pointer became careless, and often missed his game. As if seemingly willing, however, to give one chance more, he made a dead stop at a fem-bush, with his nose pointed downward, the fore-foot bent, and his tail straight and steady. In this position he remained firm till the sports- man was close to him, with both barrels cocked, then mov- 13^ NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ing steadily forward for a few paces, he at last stood still near a bunch of heather, the tail expressing the anxiety of the mud by moving regularly backwards and forwards. At last out sprang a fine old blackcock. Bang, bang, went both barrels, but the bird escaped unhurt. The patience of the dog was now quite exhausted ; and, instead of dropping to charge, he turned boldly round, placed his tail between his legs, gave one howl, long and loud, and set oflf as fast as he could to his own home." The pointer has been known to lie down without bidding beside game which has been dropped from a bag, after a long day's ."hooting, and watch it faith- fully until relieved on the following day, when the missing birds were searched for and found. The Setter. The Setter {Cams Index) divides with the pointer the duty of £,ttending the sportsman on his shooting expeditions. According to Captain Brown he was " originally derived from a cross between the Spanish pointer and the large water spaniel and was justly celebrated for his fine scent." Many crossings have considerably varied the breed, of which the Irish is now considered purer than the English and Scotch breeds. " In figure, " says Colonel Smith, • they participate of the pointer and the Spaniel, though larger than the latter. In England they are white, or white with black or brown marks." They are intelligent, affectionate and docile, and often show great sagacity outside the domain of sport. The Soeni of Col. Hutchinson says, " I was partridge-shooting the Settei. the season before last with p.n intimate friend. The air was soft, and there was a good breeze. We came upon a large turnip-field, deeply trenched on account of its damp situation. A white setter, that habitually carried a lofty head, drew for awhile, and then came to a point. We got up to her. She led us across some ridges, when her companion, a jealous dog (a pointer), which had at first backed correctly, most improperly pushed on in front, bu^ THE SETTER. >33 not being able to acknowledge the scent, went off, clearly imagining the bilch was in error. She, however, held on, and in beautiful style brought us up direct to a covey. My friend and I agreed that she must have been but little, if at all, less than one hundred yards off when she first winded the birds ; and it was clear to us that they could not have been running, for the breeze came directly across the furrows, and she had led us in the wind's eye. We thought the point the more remarkable, as it is generally supposed that the strong smell of turnips diminishes a dog's power of scenting birds." The Bettor's Mr. Huet tells the following story of the sagacity Sagacity, of the setter. " The gamekeeper had, on one of the short days of December, shot at and wounded a deer. Hoping to run him down before night, he instantly put the dog upon the track, which followed it at full speed, and soon was out of sight. At length it grew dark, and the gamekeeper returned home, thinking he should find the setter arrived there before him ; but he was disappointed, and became ap- prehensive that his dog might have lost himself, or fallen a prey to some ravenous animal. The next morning, however, we were all greatly rejoiced to see him come running into the yard, whence he directly hastened to the door of my apartment, and, on being admitted, ran, with gestures expres- sive of solicitude and eagerness, to a comer of the room where guns were placed. We understood the hint, and, taking the guns, followed him. He led us not by the road which he himself had taken out of the wood, but by beaten paths half round it, and then by several wood-cutters' tracks in different directions, to a thicket, where, following him a few paces, we found the dee" which he had killed. The dog seems to have rightly judged that we should have been obliged to Tiake our way with much difficulty through almost the whole length of the wood, in order to come to the deer in a straight direction, and he therefore led us a circuitous but 134 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. :J ij ! open and convenient road. Between the legs of the deer, which he had guarded during the night against the beasts of prey that might otherwise have seized upon it, he had scratched a hole in the snow, and filled it with dry leaves for his bed. The extraordinary sagacity which he had dis- played upon this occasion rendered him doubly valuable to us, and it therefore caused us very serious regret when, in the ensuing summer, the poor animal went mad, possibly in consequence of his exposure to the severe frost of that night, and it became necessary for the gamekeeper to shoot him, which he could not do without shedding tears. He said he would willingly have given his best cow to save him ; and I confess myself that I would not have hesitated to part with ray best horse upon the same terms." The Spaniel. There are many varieties of the Spaniel of which the Water Spaniel, the King Charles Spaniel, the Blenheim and the Maltese Spaniels are the best known. The Water Spaniels figure on some of the later monuments of Rome and so prove their antiquity. Colonel Smith describes the Spaniel as a small setter, with silky hair and fine long vil- lous ears ; black, brown pied, liver coloured, white and black- and-white, the water spaniel differing firom the other species chiefly in his readiness to hunt and swim in the water and the hair being somewhat harder to the touch. The spaniel has a great aflFection for his master and is never tired of testifying his appreciation of his kindness. Colonel Smith mentions a dog allied to the spaniel race, who at the time of his writing (April 1840) had been l3dng on the grave of his mistress for three days, refusing all food, and was on that day being forcibly removed. Spaniels are often very intel- ligent, displaying the same sagacity as other and larger dogs and in the same way. Mr. Jesse mentions a King Charles spaniel who was locked by his master in a room in Vere St. Clare Market, one afternoon about half past five, while he went with his family to Druiy Lane theatre. About eight THE SPANIEL. >35 o'clock in the evening the dog escaped his confinement and found hb way to the theatre where he discovered his master in the midst of the pit, though it was crowded at the time. The Blenheim spaniel is similar to the King Charles breed, though somewhat different in its markings, fuller about the muzzle and shorter in the back. Blenheims have been known to show great intelligence and affection. A story is told of one who upon being attacked by two cats, obtained the assistance of a third cat, waylaid his enemies one at a time and, with the assistance of his friend, taught them better manners. The Maltese dog is another favourite species, much admired and petted by ladies. The Sagaoity Captain Brown gives the following from a letter of the Water written by a gentleman at Dijon in France, to BpanieL j^jg fjjend in London, dated August 15, 1764: "Since my arrival here a man has been broken on the wheel, with no other proof to condemn him than that of a water-spaniel. The circumstances attending it being so very singular and striking, I beg leave to communicate them to you. A farmer, who had been to receive a sum of money, was waylaid, robbed, and murdered, by two villains. The farmer's dog returned with all speed to the house of the person who had paid the money, and expressed such amazir:-; anxiety that he would follow him, pulling him several uines by the sleeve and skirt of the coat, that, at length, the gen- tleman yielded to his importunity. The dog led him to the field, a little from the roadside, where the body lay. From thence the gentleman went to a public-house, in order to alarm the country. The moment he entered, (as the two villains were there drinking), the dog seized the murderer by the throat, and the other made his escape. This man lay in prison three months, during which time they visited him once a-week with the spaniel, and though they made him change his clothes with other prisoners, and always stand in the midst of a crowd, yet d|d the animal always find him ' li I i i t IH ! ■ II i f. 11^ ' 136 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. out, and fly at him. On the day of trial, when the prisoner was at the bar, the dog was let loose in the court-house, and in the midst of some hundreds he found him out (though dressed entirely in new clothes), and would have torn him to pieces had he been allowed ; in consequence of which he was condemned, and at the place of execu*^ion he confessed the fact" The Terrier. There are many varieties of terrier including numerous celebrated breeds. The English, Scotch, Skye, Bull and Fox terriers being the best known. Innumerable s',ories of the intelligence and sagacity of the various breeds n.ight be told if space permitted, but it must suffice to say that for sportsmanlike qualities, for general intelligence and sagacity, and for affection for his master, the terrier of whatever breed will hold his own against any other dog. Dogs are said to have natural antipathies, and that of the Bull-dog for the bull is an obvious illustration. An equal antipathy is shown by the English terrier for the rat and by the Fox-terrier for the cat, though the latter is perhaps as much a matter of education as of nature. Terriers are, however, among the best known of dogs and therefore need the less description. The Mastiff. The Mastiff" is said to be of an original breed indigenous to England, whence some were exported to Italy in the days of the Roman emperors. The breed has since been crossed by stag and blood hounds and the present is a magnificent animal of great power and noble character. The ancient breed was brindled yellow and black, the present is usually deeper or lighter buff with dark muzzle and cars. The mastiff" is sometimes twenty-nine or thirty inches in height at th« shoulder. The MastiflPfl The Mastiff is the best of watch dogs, for he Fidelity, brings an intelligence to bear upon his duty which is in the highest degree surprising. He has been known to walk by the side of an intending thief "for- bidding his laying hands upon any article, yet abstaining 'late No. 7 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. PUPPIES irUsl^.".^ FOX TERRIERS fron ovei mas in c refuj than The Dis trad man masi left The to 1 wat( take reqt dog amo he 1 pers his Whs tion six, The Ml M the app( wen The who to I THE MASTIFF. 137 from doing him any bodily harm, and suffering his escape over the walls," but leaving his master's property intact A mastiff who had been left by his master, who was a sweep, in charge of his bag of soot in a narrow street in Southampton, refused to leave it either for coaxings or threats, and rather than desert his duty allowed himself to be run over and killed. The MastifTs "^^^ mastiff has a powerful scent, and remark- Disorimina- able skill in discovering the lost property of his tion. master. Captain Brown gives the following ex- tract from a letter from St. Germains: **An English gentle- man some time ago came to our Vauxhall with a large mastiff, which was refused admittance, and the gentleman left him in the care of the body-guards, who are placed there. The Englishman, some time after he had entered, returned to the gate and informed the guards that he had lost his watch, telling the seigeant, that if he would permit him to take in the dog, he would soon discover the thief. His request being granted, the gentleman made motions to the dog of what he had lost, which immediately ran about amongst the company, and traversed the gardens, till at last he laid hold of a man. The gentleman insisted that this person had got his watch; and on being searched, not only his watch, but six others, were discovered in his pockets. What is more remarkable, the dog possessed such a perfec- tion of instinct as to take his master's watch from the other six, and carry it to him." The Mastiff Mr. Jesse gives the following story which he as Protector, reprinted from a contemporary newspaper: "A most extraordinary circumstance has just occurred at the Hawick toll rar, which is kept by two old women. It appears that tiic had a sum of money in the house, and were extremely alarmed lest they should be robbed of it. Their fears prevailed to such an extent, that, when a carrier whom they knew was passing by, they urgently requested him to remain with them all night, which, however, his duties 138 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. would not permit him to do; but, in consideration of the alarm of the women, he consented to leave with them a large mastiflF dog. In the night the women were disturbed t-' the uneasiness of the dog, and heard a noise apparently like an attempt to force an entrance into the premises, upon which they escaped by the back-door, and ran to a neigh- bouring house, which happened to be a blacksmith's shop. They knocked at the door, and were answered from within by the smith's wife. She said her husband was abstat, but that she was willing to accompany the terrified women to their home. On reaching the house, they heard a savage but half-stifled growling from the dog. On entering they saw the body of a man hanging half in and half out of their little window, whom the dog had seized by the throat, and was still worrying. On examination, the man proved to be their neighbour the blacksmith, dreadfully torn about the throat, and quite dead." The Bull- The Bull-dog {Cants Anglicus), is said to be ^og. an original English breed, and Colonel Smith suggests that this dog rather than the mastiff was the one which flourished in England in Roman times. Not indeed the breed as it at present exists, but "one little inferior to the mastifi'," "but with the peculiar features of the bull form more strongly marked." " The bull-dog," says Colonel Smith, "difiers from all others, even from the mastiff, in giving no warning of his attack by his bcrking, he grapples his oppo- nents without in the least estimating their comparative weight and powers. We have seen one pinning an American Bison and holding his nose down till the animal gradually brought forward its hind feet and crushing the dog to death tore his muzzle out of the fangs, most dreadfully mangled. We have known another hallooed on to attack a disabled eagle; the bird unable to escape, threw himself on the back, and as the dog sprang at his throat, struck him with his claws, one of which penetrating the skull, killed him instantly, and caused THE BULL-DOG. 139 his master the loss of a valued animal and one hundred dollars in the wager." "The bull-dog is possessed of less sagacity and less attachment than any of the hound tribe; he is therefore less favoured, and more rarely bred with care, exceptinct- nal habits. "His food," says the Rev. J. G. Wood, ♦♦li, princi- pally small animals and insects." Oysters are also a very favourite article of its diet. It bites off the hinge of the 03rster, and scrapes out the animal with its paws. Like a squirrel, when eating a nut, the raccoon usually holds its food between its fore-paws pressed together and sits upon its hind quarters while it eats. It is said to be as destruc- tive in a farm-yard as any fox, for it only devours the heads of the murdered fowl. When taken young it is easily tamed but very frequently becomes blind soon after its capture. The coati [Nasua nastca) is distinguished from the raccoon by a pointed nose. In size it resembles the cat, its tail being as long as its body. Like the cat it is a good climber, and preys upon birds. When domesticated, as it is in Paraguay, the coati is kept in tether, as its climbing habits render it dangerous to ornaments and furniture. The Kinkajou {CercoUptes caudivolvulus) of Demerara belongs to this family. The Panda {JElurus fulgens) constitutes another family. It is cat-like in the face, but otherwise resembles the bear. It lives in the dense forests which clothe the de- clivities of the Himalayas. The Bear. After the lion and the tiger the bear is probably the most popular animal in legend and story. Dr. Gray divides the bears into three classes: the sea bear, lO Plate. No. 8 146 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE !i^ I t thfl land bear, and the honey bear. The polar bear k the sea bear; the brown bear, the black bear, and the grizzly are land bears, and the Malayan bear is the honey bear. Mr. Wood says, "Bears and their allies are mostly heavy, and walk with the whole foot placed flat on the ground, unlike cats and dogs who walk with merely their paws or toes. They are omnivorous, that is, they can eat either animal or vegetable food, so that a leg of mutton, a pot of honey, a potatoe, or an apple are equally acceptable." The bears of Kamtchatka live principally on fish, which they are adepts in catching. The bear is found in the polar regions, in Siberia, the Caucasus, the Pyrenees, the Himalayas, in various parts of Western Asia, in Canada, and the United States. The Polar The Polar Bear is eight 01 nine feet long, and Bear. a little more than four feet in height He has a long nose, short ears, large legs, and a short tail. His body and neck are long, and he has five sharp claws on each foot. His colour is a yellowish white; his hair long and shaggy. He inhabits Greenland and Lapland, as far north as eighty degrees. He lives on fish and seals and the bodies of whales, which are thrown ashore or which he finds in the sea. Dr. R. Brown deprecates the stories of the polar bear's ferocity which he regards as greatly exaggerated, though he admits, that when enraged, or su£fering from hunger, they are formidable foes. That they are wary animals the following story quoted from Captain Brown will show. " The captain of a Greenland whaler, being anxious to procure a bear without injuring the skin, made trial of a stratagem of laying the noose of a rope in the snow, and placing a piece of kreng within it. A bear, ranging the neighbouring ice, was soon enticed to the spot by the smell of burning meat. He perceived the bait, approached, and seized it in his mouth; but his foot, at the same time, by a jerk of the rope, being entangled in the noose, he pushed it off with his A ■■;,»■■ m.... Plate. No. 6 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. ! / t paw, he hj with s the n bait. by th the r * hole < and 1 more place paw, his pr Th< many thfc 1( "Ane under party • young tumin voice, gainin altera: them thems projec she oi for an The: Be He h is sho eyes, i His f( • • THE BEAR. 147 paw, and deliberately retired. After having eaten the piece he had carried away with him, he returned. The noose, with another piece of kreng, having been replaced, he pushed the rope aside, and again walked triumphantly off with the bait. A third time the noose was laid ; but, excited to caution by the evident observations of the bear, the sailors buried the rope beneath the snow, and laid the bait in a deep hole dug in the centre. The animal once more approached, and the sailors were assured of their success. But Bruin, more sagacious than they expected, after snuffing about the place for a few moments, scraped the snow away with his paw, threw the rope aside, and again escaped unhurt with his prize." The polar bear displays a great love for iti yoimg and many pathetic stories are told of its rage and grief at the loss of them. The following is from Captain Brown's "Anecdotes of Animals." "A Greenland bear, with two cubs under her protection, was pursued across a field of ice by a party of armed sailors. At first, she seemed to uige the young ones to increase their speed, by running before them, turning round, and manifesting, by a peculiar action and voice, her anxiety for their progress; but, finding her pursuers gaining upon them, she carried, or pushed, or pitched them alternately forward, until she effected their escape. In throwing them before her, the little creatures are said to have placed themselves across her path to receive the impulse, and, when projected some yards in advance, they ran onwards, until she overtook them, when they alternately adjusted themselves for another throw." The Blaok The Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) is about Bear. four and a half feet long and three feet high. He has long feet terminating in five claws each. His body is short with longish legs, and he has a large head, with small eyes, and a sharp nose. He has long, soft and woolly hair. His food is chiefiy fruit, such as acorns, chestnuts, grapes, t ' i I 148 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. and com; but when hungry he will feed on flesh, and attack other animals with courage and fierceness. He climbs trees, and uses his paws Uke hands. In winter he retires to his den, which is usually a hollow in some decayed tree, where he hybemates until spring. Though of a wild disposition, he can be tamed, and taught various tricks, in which he displays a good deal of sagacity and docility. The following story is quoted by Captain Brown from Captains Lewis' and Clarke's travels to the source of the Missouri, as a striking instance of the astonishing physical powers of the bear. " One evening, the men in the hindmost of the canoes, discov- ered a large beat lying in the open grounds, about three hundred paces from the river. Six of them, all good hunters, set out to attack him ; and, concealing themselves by a small eminence, came unperccived within forty paces of him. Four of them now fired, and each lodged a ball in his body, two of them directly through the lungs. The enraged animal sprang up, and ran open-mouthed at them. As he came near, the two himters who had reserved their fire, gave h:'m two wounds, one of which, breaking his shoulder, retarded his motion for a r^.oment; but, before they could reload, he was so near, that they were obliged to run to the river, and, when they reached it, he had almost overtaken them. Two jumped into the canoe; the other four separated, and, con- cealing themselves in the willows, fired as fast as each could load. They struck him several times, which only exasperated him; and he at last pursued two of them so closely, that they leaped down a perpendicular bank of b^'enty feet into the river. The bear sprang after them, and was within a few feet of the hindmost, when one of the hunters from the shore shot him in the head, and killed him. They dragged him to the banks of the river, and found tliat eight balls had passed through his body." Of his docility Mrs. Bowdich gives tJie following amusing, lit at the time, alarming illustration. ** A young English officer, THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 149 who was stationed at a lone fortress in Canada, amused himself by taming a bear of this species. He taught him to fetch and carry, to follow him like a dog, and to wait patiently at meal times for his share. The bear accompa 'ied him when he returned to England, and became a great avourite with the passengers and the ship's company. Bruin, however, especially attached himself to a little girl about four years old, the daughter of one of the ladies on board, who romped with him as she would with a dog. In one of these games of piay, he seized her with one fore-paw, and with the other clambered and climg to the rigging, till he lodged her and himself in the main-top, where, regardless of her cries and the agony of her mother, he tried to continue his romp. It would not do to pursue the pair, for fear the bear should drop the cliild ; and his master, knowing how fond he was of sugar, had some mattresses placed iound the mast in case the child shculd fall, and then strewed a quantity of sugar on the deck; he called Bruin, and pointed to it, who, after a moment's hesitation, came down as he went up, bringing the child in safety. He was, of course, deprived of his liberty during the rest of his voyage." The black bear is hunted for the sake of his skin, many thousands of skins being sent to Europe every year. Tne Grizzly The Grizzly Bear is an enormous animal, accord- Bear, ing to the measuiement of Captains Lewis and Clarke of one they killed, nine feet from nose to tail, though they claim to hnve f'een one of even larger size. It is said to attain to a weight of 800 pounds. The fore-foot of the animal already leferred to exceeded nine inches in length, the hind foot being eleven inches and three quar- ters, exclusive of the talons, the breadth of the hind foot being seven incl.t. The Grizzly does not climb trees, like the brown and the black bear. He is ferocious when hungry, and when attacked, and the female will die hard in the defence of her young. Such is his strength that he can k I50 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ^M master a bison, and drag him to his retreat. He is by far the most dangerous brute of North America. He unhesi- tatingly pursues both men and animals ; but, though he feeds on flesh, he is capable of subsisting upon roots and fruits. He is very tenacious of life, and will pursue his enemy after having received repeated mortal wounds. He is found in the eastern vicinity of the Rocky Mountains. Though the Grizzly will sometimes move oflf on the approach of the traveller, without showing fight, he will at other times attack him with great ferocity. A man named Nathan Rogers who lived on a ranch in the mountains about a mi'e above West Point, near the North Fork of the Mokelumne, once had a terrific encounter with a grizzly bear. He was out shooting small game when he was suddenly confronted by an enormous animal. He fired his only shot into the breast of the bear and then awaited his attack. The fight was fast and furious, and though in the end the grizzly was killed, the man only survived in a terrible condiiion. Conscious that he must soon have help or perish, he summoned all his resolution and staggered along, and managed to reach a spring in sight of a house, when his endurance gave way, and he fell in a dead faint by the water's edge Fortunately he was soon discovered by his son, a lad of some twelve years, who immediately gave the alarm. In addition to his horrible wounds, the shock to his system was a teirible one. His left arm, literally mangled and torn to shreds, had to be amputated at the shoulder. His left clavicle and scapula were fractured, and the three lower ribs on the right side broken. The flesh and muscles on his back were so broken and abraded that the vertebrae were actually visible in places; while, bis lower limbs were literally seaired and furrowed by the crooked claws of the bear's hind feci. The left side of the bear was literally torn to pieces, there being no less than twenty-two knife-wounds, nearly every one of which reached to a vital point. Seme idea of his size THE BROWN BEAR. 151 can be obtained when we state that one of his fore-paws just covered an ordinary dinner plate. The The Brown Bear {Ursus arctos) was the bear Brown Bear, of the British Isles, so long as the British Isles boasted of a bear. This was the baited bear of th? Royal sports, and of the common Bear garden. His last appearance in Great-Britain in a wild state, however, dates back more than 800 years. In size, shape, and habits he much resembles the black bear of America. Like the Malayan bear he is very fond of honey as the following amusing story as told by Mrs Bowdich will show: " A countryman in Russia, when seeking honey, climbed a very high tree, the trunk of which was hollow; and finding there was a large quantity of comb in it, he descended, and stuck fast in the tenacious substance there deposited. He was so far distant from home, that his voice could not be heard, and he remained two days in this situation, relieving his hunger with the honey. He began to despair of ever being extricated, when a bear, who, like himself, came for the sake of the honey, slid down the hollow, hind-part fore- most. The man, in spite of his alarm, seized hold of him; and the bear, also in a great fright, clambered out as fast as he could, dragging the man up with him, and when clear of his tail-bearer, made oflf as fast as possible," The The Malayan Bear is about four feet long and Bfolayan Bear, two feet high. It has a long tongue which serves it well in cxtractmg honey from the honey combs in the hollow trunks of trees. Other bears are the Syrian Bear of Western Asia, the Spectacled Bear of South America and Peru and the Sloth Bear of India and the Mahratti country. siJB-ORDER II. We come now to the second sub-order of the The Carnivora or flesh-eating animals, the sub-order Fixmlpedla. which includes the Seal and the Walrus. These in the form of their skulls and in other ways show evident rela- tionship to the bear, and so appropriately follow him in classifica- 152 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. tior. The family of the Otaridae, includes the Eared Seals, the Northern Sea Lion and the Northern Sea Bear. The Eared Seal is distinguished frcm the vnie seal, as his name implies by the possession of extrm^* ears. Sea Lions. I^- Theodoi'". I.yman, who had excellent op- portunities of c!:i;erving the iiabits of the Sea Lions on the Seal Rocks of S m Francesco, furnished Mr. Allen with a graphic account f the* , lovetrcnts, from which we quote the following: "As t.iey p^ircich to effect a landing, the head only appears decidedly above wateS'r. This is their familiar element and they swin; with great speed and ease, quite unmindful of the heavy surf, and of the breakers on the ledges. In landing they are apt to take advantage of a heavy wave which helps them to get tlie forward flippers on terra firma. As the wave retreats they begin to struggle up the steep rocks, twisting the body jfrom side to side, with a clumsy worm-like motion, and thus alternately work their flippers into positions, where they may force the body a little onward. A,t such times they have a general appearance of sprawling over the ground. It is quite astonishing to see how they will go up surfaces having even a greater inclina- tion than 45° and where a man would have to creep with much exertion. In their onward path they are accompanied by the loud barking of all the seals they pass; and these cries may be heard a great distance. They play among themselves continually by rolling on each other and feigning to bite ; often too, they will amuse themselves by pushing off those that are trying to land. All this is done in a very cum- brous manner, and is accompanied by incessant barking. As they issue from the water their fur is dark and shining; but as it dries, it becomes of a yellowish brown. Then they appear to feel either too dry or too hot, for they move to the nearest point from which they may tumble into the sea. I saw many roll off a ledge at least twenty feet high, and fall like so many huge bro^vn sacks into the water, dashing up showers of spray," THE SEA BEAR. 153 Sea Beoxf . The Northern Sea Bear is otherwise known as the Northern Fur Seal. Captain Charles Bryant gives a very interesting account of these singular animals, in which he describes them as approaching and taking possession of the shores of St Paul's Island near the coast of Alaska, about the middle, or towards the end of April, when the snow has melted and the drift ice from the north has all passed. A few old male seals first make their appearance and reconnoitre for two or three days, afterwards climbing the slopes and taking possession of the rookeries, each male reserving about a square rod for himself and his wives. The scouts then return and younger male seals soon begin to arrive in small detachments, but are prevented from landing by their elders and are so forced to remain in the water or go to the upland above. By the middle of June all the males have arrived, and having adjusted their differences and divided the rook- eries between them, await the arrival of the females. " These appear in small nmnbers at first but increase as the season advances, till the middle of July ; when the rookeries are all full, the females often overlapping each other. The bachelor seals swim all day along the shore, escorting and driving the females on to the rocks as fast as they arrive. As soon as a female reaches the shore, the nearest male goes down to meet her, making meanwhile a noise like the clucking of a hen to her chickens. He bows to her, and coaxes her until he gets between her and the water so that she cannot escape him. Then his manner changes, and with a harsh growl he drives her to a place in his harem. This continues until the lower row of harems is nearly fiill. Then the males higher up select the time when their more fortunate neigh- bours are off their guard to steal their wives. This they do by taking them in their mouths and lifting them over the heads of the other females, and carefully placing them in their own harem carrying them as carefully as cats do their kittens. Those stili higher up pursue the sanQQ method until I i I ^ t: ^f ..^a>^^' 154 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. the whole space is occupied. Frequently a struggle ensues between two males for the possession of the same female, and both seizing her at once, pull her in two, or terribly lacerate her with their teeth. When the space is all filled, the old male walks around complacently reviewing his family, scolding those who crowd or disturb the others, and fiercely driving oflF all intruders. This surveillance always keeps him actively occupied." After the birth of their young which takes place towards the end of July, the old males who have been four months without food, go to some distance from the shore to feed, teaching the young to swim on their return. " By the last of October the seals begin to leave the islands in small companies. The males going last and by themselves." The Walrus. The Walrus {Trichechus rosmarus) is a large and unwieldy creature. It bears a stronger resemblance to the seal than to any other quadruped, but it is distinguished by the proportions of its body and its elephant-like tusks. Vast herds formerly frequented the shores of the islands scattered between America and Asia, the coasts of Davis's Straits and those of Hudson's Bay. They have been fovmd as far south as the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Now they are not met with in great numbers, except on the shores of Spitzbergen and the remotest northern borders of America. They attain to a very large size. The head is oval, short, small, and flat in front, having the eyes set in deep sockets so as to be moved forwards, or retracted at pleasure. On land the Walrus is a slow and clumsy animal, but in the water its motions are sufficiently quick and easy. When attacked, the Walrus is both fierce and formidable, and if in company with its young, becomes very furious, attempting to destroy its enemies by rising and hooking its tusks over the sides of the boat, in order to sink it. Captain Cook thus describes a herd of walruses he met with off the north coast of America. He says: "They lie ^ n THE SEAL. >55 in herdf of many hundreds upon the ice, huddling over one another, like swine; and roar or bray so very loud, that in the night, or in foggy weather, they gave us notice of the ice, before we could see it. We never found the whole herd asleep, some being always upon the watch. These, on the approach of the boat, would awake those next to them ; and the alarm being thus gradually communicated, the whole herd would be awake presently. But they were seldom in a hurry to get away, till after they had been once fired at. They then would tumble over one another into the sea, in the utmost confusion; and, if we did not, at the first discharge, kill those we fired at, we generally lost them, though mortally wounded. They did not appear to us to be that dangerous animd which some authors have described, not even when attacked. They are more so in appearance than reality. Vast numbers of them would follow, and come close up to the oars ; but the flash of the musket in the pan, or even the bare pointing of one at them, would send them down in an instant. The female will defend her young to the very last, at the expense of her own life, whether in the water or upon the ice. Noi will the young one quit the dam, though she be dead; so that, if one is killed, the other is certain prey. The dam, when in the water, holds the yoimg one between her fore arms." The Oommon The True Seals are divided by Dr. Gray into 8«*l' thirteen genera with eighteen species, of which the Common Seal, the Ringed Seal, the Harp Seal, the Grey Seal, the Sea Leopard, the Sea Elephant, and the Bladder- nose Hooded Seal are the best known. The common seal has a round head which in front bears some resemblance to that of the otter. Its average length is about five feet and its general colour of a yellowish gray, varied or spotted with brown or blackish in different degrees, according to the age of the animal. The Common Seal frequents the sea-coasts perhaps throughout the world, but is most numerous in high '56 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. northern latitudes, and furnishes the inhabitants of those frigid regions with nearly all their necessaries and luxuries. Enor- mous numbers are caught annually for the sake of their skins and oil. The Harp Seal frequents the coast, of Newfoundland and is so named from the harp-shaped band which marks the backs of the males. The Sea Elephant is the largest of the seals. It is said to attain to the length of twenty-five to thirty fset, and a circumference of fifteen to eighteen feet. It belongs to the Antarctic sea. "Seals when taken young," says Captain Brown, "are capable of being completely domesticated, will answer to their name, and follow their ma-ster from place to place. In January, 1819, a gentleman, in the neighbourhood of Burnt- island, county of Fife, in Scotland, completely succeeded in taming a seal. Its singularities attracted the curiosity of strangers daily. It appeared to possess all the sagacity of a dog, lived in its master's house, and ate from his hand. In his fishing excursions, this gentleman generally took it with him, when it afforded no small entertainment. If thrown into the water, it would follow for miles tue track of the boat ; and although thrust back by the oars, it never relinquished its purpose. Indeed, it struggled so hard to regain its seat, that one would imagine its fondness for its master had entirely overcome the natural predilection for its native element." The Seal's Notwithstanding the absence of external ears Docility, the common seal has a remarkable sense of hear- ing and a keen taste for sweet sounds. Seals have been known to follow a vessel, for miles, upon the deck of which a violin or a flute has been played. To quote Sir Walter Scott: ''Rude Heiskar's seals, through surges dark, Will long pursue the minstrel's bark." They are also easily tamed, when they are found to be exceedingly affectionate to those who treat them kindly. Some years ago a farmer, residing on the east coast of Scotland, THE SEaJL, 157 close to the ^ea-shore, obtained a young seal for the amuse- ment of hi chi'dreu, who soon became exceedingly fond of it. Some 1/ ne after, the farmer, having had a bad year for his crops, was told by an old woman in the village that he woiiM ne^ er prosp-^ r as long as he kept that seal on his ground. The foolish man giving heed to the superstition sent away the ^eal in a boat some distance from land. To vards evening, as the children were sitting on the sea-shore, what was their joy on beholding their se. 1 rising out of the water, and making its way straight back to them again. For some months they were allowed to retain their pet; but as the farmer's prospects did not brighten, he again determined to get rid of it, and for that purpose, hearing of a ship that was soon to sail for the Baltic, took the little seal, and gave it in charge to some sailors, begging them to keep it in the hold of the ship till they arrived at their destination, and then to throw it into the sea. This was accordingly done, but the faithful seal was not to be daunted; ere long, it reappeared, to the great delight of the children, who begged their father never to send it away again. The farmer gave a doubtful assent for a suspicion still lurked in his mind, owing to the superstitious words of the old woman, that the presence of the seal had an evil effect upon his crops ; and with these ideas preying upon his mind, the farmer conceived the cruel thought of putting out the seal's eyes with a view of preventing it from finding its way back, and again sending it away to sea. Unknown to his children, he carried this barbarous plan into execution ; and they only discovered the loss of their favourite too late to aid in its recall, as the ship in which it had been placed had already sailed for Norway. Some days after the departure of the vessel, a fearful storm arose. The farmer and his family were glad enough to close up their shutters, and shut out as much as possible the wailings of the wind, as it swept in furious gusts round the house. They had scarcely retired to rest, when a faint and f i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k A 4 .^^ / ^ A^.^* f/- 1.0 I.I 1^ 1^ 2.0 IL25 i 1.4 u 0% % Ap, Hiotographic ^Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4303 \ iV ^ \ :\ Q> -C^^ ^ 158 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. plaintive :iy struck upon their ears— and repeated again it seemed to be— during the momentary lulls of the storm. The farmer continued to listen, but hearing nothing more, he descended to the front door and opened it ; a dark object lay before him, on the very threshold, and stooping down to touch it, what was his astonishment to behold the poor blind, devoted little seal, apparently dead. The farmer was greatly touched ; he took up the little body gently and carried it into the kitchen, and used every effort to restore it to life but in vain. ORDER V '^^ ^^^^ ^ divided into two sub-orders, the Whides sad one characterised by the possession of teeth, and Dolphins, the Other being toothless. The Right The Right Whale when fully grown, attains to Whale, from fifty to sixty-five feet in length, and to from thirty to forty feet in circumference. It is thickest behind the fins. When the mouth is open, it presents a cavity as large as a room, and capable of containing a boat full of men. Its tongue is said to be as large as a stout feather-bed. The tail is a powerful instrument of motion and defence : it is only five or six feet long, but its motions are rapid, and its strength immense. The eyes are situated in the sides of the head; they are very small, being little larger than those of an ox. The whale has no external ear, but there is a small orifice under the skin for the admission of soimd. On the most elevated part of the head are two blow holes six or eight inches in length. The mouth, instead of teeth, has two rows of whalebone, each of which contains more than three hundred laminae, the longest of which are about ten or eleven feet. A laige whale sometimes contains a ton and a half of whalebone. The colour of the old whale is gray and white, that of the young ones a sort of bluish black. Immediately beneath the skin lies the blubber, or &t; its thickness round the body is eight or ten or twenty inches, varying in different parts: the lips are composed almost THE WHALfi. «59 ehtirely of blubber. A large whale yields about twenty tons of oil, which is expressed from the blubber. It is for this and the whalebone that this animal is deemed so valuable, and for which it is so much sought by whalefishers. The sense of seeing in the whale is very acute. Under the surface of the water they discover one another at an amazing distance. They have no voice, but in breathing or blowing they make a loud noise. The usual rate at which whales swim seldom exceeds four miles an hour, but for a few minutes at a time they are capable of darting through the water with amazing velocity, and of ascending with such rapidity as to leap above the surface. This feat they perform as an amusement, apparently to the high admiration of distant spectators. Sometimes they throw themselves in a perpendicular posture, with the head downwards, and rearing their tails on high, beat the water with awful violence. Sometimes they shake their tails in the air, which, cracking like a whip, resound to the distance of two or three miles. The flesh of the whale, though it would be rejected by the dain^ palates of refined nations, is eaten with much relish by the Eskimo, and the inhabitants along the coasts of Hudson's Bay and Davis's Straits, who esteem it a staple article of subsistence. Other whales of this sub-order are the common Fin Whale, which is said to reach eighty feet in length, the lesser Fin Whale and the Humpback Whale. In these, the yield of whalebone and oil is so small that they are not thought worth the trouble oi atching. The Bpenn The Sperm Whale rarely exceeds sixty feet in "Whale, length and lives in warm regions, such as the Indian Ocean; rarely, if ever, visiting Arctic or European seas. Its yield of oil is said to be less than that of the Greenland whde but it is of a finer quality. Ambergris is also produced from the body of the sperm whale. The Dolphin. This is a large creature, so like the porpoise i6o NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. that he has been often confounded with it. He is, however, much larger, sometimes measuring from twenty to twenty-five feet in length. The body is roundish, growing gradually less towards the tail; the nose is long and pointed, the skin smooth, the back black or dusky blue, becoming white towards the belly. He is entirely destitute of gills, or any similar aperture, but respires and also spouts water through a pipe of semi-circular form placed on the upper part of the head. There are several varieties of dolphins, including the Long- nosed Dolphins of the rivers of Asia and South America and the Classical Dolphin of the Mediterranean {Delphinus delphis) The former are separately classified, and the family of the latter includes the White Whale, the Narwhal, the Common Porpoise and the Grampus. The dolphin is gregarious in its habits, herding and travelling in large shoals. It may some- times be seen sporting in the bays and rivers of New York and is always a pretty sight. The White The White Whale {Beluga eatodon) is the whale Whale which Dr. R. Brown calls the whale of Green- land. It is the whale which the Greenlander and the Eskimo find so valuable for its oil and flesh, the latter of which they dry for winter use. They are sometimes called sea pigs, from a fancied resemblance they bear to the pig when floun- dering in the sea, and sometimes sea canaries, on account of their peculiar whistle, which resembles that of a bird. The Narwhal The narwhal {Monodon monoeeros) is found frequently in company with the white whale, and inhabits much the same geographical area. It is distinguished by the possession of a tusk, the aim and purpose of which has been much debated. "It has been supposed to use it," says Dr. Brown, "to stir up its food from the bottom, but in such a case the female would be sadly at a loss. Fabricius thought that it was to keep the holes open in the ice during the winter; and the following occurrence seems to support this view. In April, i860, a Greenlander was travelling along the THE PORPOISE. X6i ice in the vicinity of Christianshaab, and discovered one of those open spaces in the ice, which, even in the most severe winters, remain open. In this hole hundreds of narwhals and white whales were protruding their heads to breathe, no other place presenting itself for miles around. It was described to me as an Arctic 'Black Hole of Calcutta' in the eagerness of the animals to keep at the place." " Neither the narwhal nor the white whale," he continues, are timid animals, but will approach close to, and gambol for hours in the immediate vicinity of the ship." The oil is highly es- teemed, and the flesh is very palatable. The skin of the narwhal boiled to a jelly is looked upon, and justly so, as one of the prime dainties of a Greenlander. The Ctommon The Porpoise resembles the dolphin in general Forpoiie. appearance. Its length, from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail, is from five to eight feet; and the width about two feet and a half. The figure of the whole body is conical; the colour of the back is deep blue, inclining to shining black; the sides are gray, and the belly white. When the flesh is cut up, it looks very much like pork; but, although it was once considered a sumptuous article of food, and is said to have been occasionally introduced at the tables of the old English nobility, it certainly has a disagreeable flavour. Their motion in the water is a kind of circular leap; they dive deep, but soon again rise up in order to breathe. They are seen in nearly all seas, where they sport with great activity, chiefly on the approach of a squall. Tha The Grampus (Orca Gladiator) is the natural QiMipui. enemy of the whale and the seal, who hold him in mortal terror. His swallow is so great that he can take a porpoise or a seal whole, and has been known to swallow several in succession. The whale escapes him by getting among the ice, whither it iS said the grampus will not fol- low him. II 1 62 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ORDER VI. '^^^ ^^^ ^°^ ^ *° aquatic vegetarian who The Sea Hves on the coast Of the three genera which Oow. constitute the family Manatida one is now said to be extinct. The genus Manatus contains two species, one belonging to South America and the other to the West Coast of Africa. The Dugong (Halicore Dugong) which attains to a length of nine or ten feet at maturity produces oil having similar medicinal properties to that obtained from the Cod's liver. It inhabits the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the neigh- bourhood of the Malay Islands and the North and East coasts of Australia. ORDER VII '^^^ order of hoofed animals includes a Hoofed number of well known species, of which the Animals. Horse, the Ass, the Ox and the Sheep among the tame, and the Rhinoceros, the Hippopotamus, the Boar and the Bison among the wild are familiar examples. The order is divided into two sub-orders and these into numerous families. The sub-orders are, I, The Perissodactyla, which includes three families of animals characterised by an odd number of toes in their hind feet, the horse having one, and the Rhinoceros three. II, The Artiodactyla which includes seven families of animals all having an even number of toes. The Home. The horse stands first among the hoofed ani- mals, as the friend and servant of man. He has a history which is full of interest but which it is quite impossible to give within the limits of our present opportunity. He is mentioned in both classical and Biblical history at an early period, but there is reason to believe that he flourished in pre- historic times. He was used by the Greeks in their public games, the chariot race being one of their most popular forms of entertainment; he was also employed by them for the purposes of war, of which the writings of Homer and other classical authors give abundant proof. First used apparently to draw the chariot only, the adaptation of the means to the THE HORSE. 163 end soon suggested to man the propriety of mounting his b3.ck, and from the throne he thus acquired man has since conquered the whole world. Man's first appearance on horse- back doubtless suggested the liable of the Centaur; those unaccustomed to the sight imagining that they beheld a monster, half man and half horse, as it is said the aborigines of America did when they first saw Spanish equestrians. The Egyptians are said to have been the first to cultivate the horse, and the Persians the first to use him in battle. Arabian The beauty, strength and speed of the Arabian Bone*, horse are well known, and the affection which subsists between him and his master is the basis of many a pathetic story. These horses are generally of a brown colour ; the mane and tail being short, and the hair black and tufted. The Arabs for the most part use the mares in their ordinary excursions, as they are less vicious than the males, and are more capable of sustaining abstinence and fatigue. The Arab often shares his tent with his mare, the husband, the wife, the child, the mare, and the foal, lying together indiscriminately; and the yoimgest branches of the family embracing the neck, or reposing on the body, of the mare, without any idea of fear or danger. St. Pierre in his ** Studies of Nature " tells a pretty story of the Arab's aflfection for his horse: "The whole stock of a poor Arabian of the desert consisted of a beautiful mare; this the French consul at Said offered to purchase, with an intention to send her to Louis XIV. The Arab, pressed by want, hesitated a long time, but at length consented, on condition of receiving a very considerable sum of money, which he named. The consul wrote to France for permission to close the bargain; and, having obtained it, sent the information to the Arab. The man, so indigent as to possess only a miserable covering for his body, arrived with his magnificent courser; he dismounted, and first looking at the gold, then steadfastly at his mare, heaved a sigh. 'To x64 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ft I ] whom is it,* exclaimed he, 'that I am going to yield thee up? To Europeans! who will tie thee close, who will beat thee, who will render thee miserable! Return with me, my beauty, my jewel! and rejoice the hearts of my children.' As he pronounced the last words, he sprang upon her back, and was out of sight almost in a moment." This story forms the subject of the well known ballad by the Hon. Ulrs. Norton, entitled "The Arab's farewell to his steed." Clarke thus describes the way in which the Arab will address a horse: — "Ibrahim went frequently to Rama to inquire news of the mare whom he dearly loved ; he would embrace her, wipe her eyes with his handkerchief, would rub her with his shirt sleeves, would give her a thousand benedictions during w> >ie hours that he would remain talking to her. 'My eyei-i my soul! my heart!' he would say, 'must I be so unfortunate as to have thee sold to so many masters, and not keep thee myself? I am poor, my antelope! I brought thee up in my dwelling as a child; I did never beat nor chide thee " Arabs have been known to refuse enormoiis sums for horses, though actually themselves in a condition of extreme want. That the horse can reciprocate the kindness shown to him is proved by many a story of his fidelity. Chateau- briand says, "When I was at Jerusalem the feats of one of these steeds made a great noise. The Bedouin to whom the animal, a mare, belonged, being pursued by the govern- or's guards, rushed with her from the top of the hills that overlooked Jericho. The mare scoured at full gallop down an almost perpendicular declivity witliout stumbling, and left the soldiers lost in admiration and astonishment. The poor creature, however, dropped down dead on entering Jericho, and the Bedouin, who would not quit her, was taken, weeping over the body of his faithful companion." More romantic is th story told by M. de Lamartine, thus quoted by Mrs. Bowdich. " An Arab chief and the tribe to which he belonged attacked a caravan in the night, and were to in his hom but then and fatig his of 1 FJ ing THE ARABIAN HORSE. 165 returning with their plunder, when some horsemen belonging to the Pasha of Acre surrounded them, killed several, and bound the rest with cords. Among the latter was the chief Abou el Marek, who was carried to Acre, and, bound hand and foot, laid at the entrance of their tent during the night. Kept awake by the pain of his wounds he heard his horse, who was picketed at a distance from him, neigh. Wishing to caress him, perhaps for the last time, he dragged himself up to him, and said, 'Poor friend 1 what will you do among the Turks? You will be shut up under the roof of a khan, with the horses of a Pasha or an Aga. No longer will the women and children of the tent bring you barley, camel's milk, or dhourra, in the hollow of their hands; no longer will you gallop free as the wind in the desert; no longer will you cleave the waters with your breast, and lave your sides, as pure as the foam from your lips. If I am to be a slave, at least you may go free. Return to our tent, tell my wife that Abou el Marek will relani no more; but put your head still into the folds of the tent, and lick the hands of my beloved children.' With these words, as his hands were tied, the chief with his teeth undid the fetters which held the courser bound, and set him at liberty; but the noble animal, on recovering his freedom, instead of galloping away to the desert, bent his head over his master, and seeing him in fetters and on the ground, took his clothes gently between his teeth, lifted him up, and set off at full speed towards home. Without resting he made straight for the distant but well-known tent in the mountains of Arabia. He arrived there in safety, laid his master down at the feet of his wife and children, and immediately dropped down dead with fatigue. The whole tribe mourned him, the poets celebrated his fidelity, and his name is still constantly in the mouths of the Arabs of Jericho." For the sake of the beautiful moral it contains the follow- ing story is well worth adding. In the tribe of Negde there i66 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. was a mare of great reputation for beauty and swiftness, which a member of another tribe named Daber desired to possess. Having failed to obtain her by oflfering all he was worth, he sought to effect his object by stratagem. Disguised as a lame beggar he waited by a roadside, knowing that Nabee, the owner of the horse, would shortly pass that way. As soon as Nabee appeared, Daber cried out to him, begging assistance and pretending to be too weak to rise. Nabee thereupon dismounted from the mare, and helped the beggar to mount her. The moment he was mounted Daber declared liimself and made off. Nabee called to him to stop, and on his turning round said to him, "Thou hast my mare, since it pleased God I wish you success but I conjure thee tell no one how thou hast come by her." **Why not?" said Daber. " Lest others should refrain from charity because I have been duped," said Nabee, whereupon Daber dismoimted and returned the mare. The Domestlo The Horse has only to be known to be loved. Hone, and has only to be loved to become the most tractable, patient, and useful of animals. "In the domestic horse," says Colonel Smith, **wc behold an animal equally strong and beautiful, endowed with great docility and no less fire; with size and endurance joined to sobriety, speed, and patience; clean, companionable, emulous, even generous; for- bearing, yet impetuous; with faculties susceptible of very considerable education, and perceptions which catch the spirit of man's intentions, lending his powers with the utmost readiness, and restraining them with as ready a compliance : saddled or in harness, labouring willingly, enjoying the sports of the field and exulting in the tumult of the battle; used by mankind in the most laudable and necessary operations, and often the unconscious instrument of the most sanguinary passions; applauded, cherished, then neglected, and ultimately abandoned to the authority of bipeds who often show little superiority of reason and much less of temper." ** One who, THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 167 like ourselves,** continues Colonel Smith, "has repeatedly owed life to the exertions of his horse, in meeting a hostile shock, in swimming across streams, and in passing on the edge of elevated precipices, will feel with us, when con- templating the qualities of this most valuable animal, emo- tions of gratitude and affection which others may not so readily appreciate." The Btruo- " ^^® beauty of the form of the horse has often tare of a been commented upon, his structure is thus admir- Horse. Q^\y described by a writer in " Cassell's Magazine of Art " : "His nature is eminently courageous, without ferocity, generous, docile, intelligent, and, if allowed to be so, almost as affectionate as the dog. In his structure, the ruling charac- teristic may be said in one word to consist in obliquity — all the leading bones in his frame are set obliquely, or nearly so, and not at right angles. His head is set on with a subtle curve of the last few vertebrae of the neck, which at the shoulders, take another subtle curve before they become the dorsal vertebrae, or backbone; which end, in their turn, with another curve, forming the tail. His shoulders slope back more than those of other quadrupeds, the scapula, or shoul- der-blade, being oblique to the humerus, which, in its turn, is oblique to the radius, or upper part of the fore-leg. So, again, in the hind-quarters, the haunch is set obliquely to the true thigh, the thigh, at the stifle joint, to the upper bone of the hind-leg, which at the hock makes another angle. The fore and hind quarters form so large a portion of the entire length that a horse, though a lengthy animal from the front of the chest to the back of the haunch, is, compara- tively, very short in the actual back or *saddle-place.' Then his hocks are much bent, and his pastern joints are rather long, and again are set at an angle, succeeded by a slightly different angle in the firm but expanding hoof, thus com- pleting the beautiful mechanism, which preserves the limbs from jar, and ensures elasticity in every part of an animal i68 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. destined to carry weight and to iindergo rapid and continued txertion— a combination not existing in any other quadruped to anything like the same degree, and fitting him precisely for the purposes for which he was given to man. At present we have said nothing about his head, every part of which is equally characteristic. His well-shaped, delicate ears are capable of being moved separately in every direction, and every movement is full of meaning and in sympathy with the eye. The eye is prominent, full, and large, and placed laterally, so that he can see behind him without turning his head, his heels being his principal weapon of defence; his nostrils are large, open and flexible, and his lips fleshy, though thin, and exquisitely mobile and sensitive. The large, open nostril is essential to him, as a horse breathes solely and entirely through it, being physically incapable of breath- ing through his mouth, as a valve in the throat actually precludes him from so doing; hence the mouth of a horse, without a bridle in it, is opened only for purposes of eating or biting, but never from excitement or from exhaustion, like that of most other quadrupeds, except the deer species. The lips are, perhaps, even more characteristic; they are his hands as well as part of his mouth, and the horse and others of his family alone use them in this way. The ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the girafie above all, and, in fact, we believe all graminivorous animals except the horse, either bite their food directly with the teeth, or grasp and gather it with the tongue, which is prehensile, and gifled with more or less power of prolongation; but the horse's tongue has no such function, and, therefore, no such powers, as these services are all performed in his case by the lips : and no horseman, who has let a favourite horse pick up small articles of food from the palm of his hand, can have failed to be struck with the extreme mobility, and also the sensibility and delicacy of touch, with which the lips are endowed," THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 169 The Bone's The quality of speed for which the horse is Speed, go justly esteemed has been the subject of ex- tensive culture in which the Arabian horse has contributed no mean share. "Some of the horses first brought from Arabia having been by no means celebrated," says Captain Brown, "the breed had fallen into disrepute, till the de&cendants of one procured by Mr. Darley from the deserts, and on that account called the Darley Arabian, having borne away the palm for fleetness from all others, turned the tide of fashion in favour of that breed. Yet it is only the progeny uf the Arabian horses that excels. The English race-horses are equal, if not superior, to all other coursers. As the ex- traordinary swiftness of the horse has been most signally displayed in the English race-course, and can also be there most precisely measured, we cannot omit the notice of some of the most remarkable of our racers. The most celebrated of these— and indeed the fleetest horse that ever was bred in the world — was Flying Childers, got by the Darley Arabian. What Achilles was among waniors, and Caesar among con- querors, such was Childers among horses, without an equal and without a rival. He ran against the most famous horses of his age, and was always victorious. He has been known to move at the rate of nearly a mile in the minute. Next to Childers, in fame and fleetness, is Eclipse, so called from having been foaled during the great eclipse of 1764. This horse likewise was never beaten : one contemporary rival alone " was supposed to exist, Mr. Shaftoe's horse Goldfinder, but Goldfinder broke down the October before the proposed competition. Eclipse's rate of going was 47 feet in the second. Childers had a rate of 49. One hundred to one were offered on Eclipse against the most famous racers of his day. Mr. O'Kelly purchased him for sixteen hundred and fifty guineas, and cleared by him twenty-five thousand pounds. He had a vast stride,— never horse threw his haunches below him with more vigour or effect ; and his hind legs were so spread I70 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. :ll in his gallop, that a wheelbarrow might have been driven between them. King Herod, another famous horse, which was generally, though not like Eclipse uniformly, successful, is chiefly celebrated for his progeny ; his immediate descendants having gained to their owners above two hundred thousand pounds." The Horse's Many marvellous stories are told of the en- Enduranoe. durance of the horse. Sir John Malcolm says, " Small parties of Toorkomans, who ventured several hundred miles into Persia, used both to advance and retreat at the average of nearly one hundred miles a day. They train their horses for these expeditions as we should do for a race, and describe him when in a condition for a foray by saying! that his flesh is marble. When I was in Persia, a horseman' mounted upon a Toorkoman horse, brought a packet of letters from Shiraz to Teherary, which is a distance of five hundred miles, within six days." Almost equally remarkable records are held by English horses, but the invention of the loco- motive has done away with the necessity for such trying expeditions in civilized countries, and the horse is trained more for speed and strength than for such long distance eflbrts. M. de Pages in his travels round the world, tells a remarkable story of the endurance of the horse when out of his natural element; he says, "I should have found it diffi- cult to give it credit had it not happened at this place (the Cape of Good Hope) the evening before my arrival; and if, besides the public notoriety of the fact, I had not been an eyewitness of those vehement emotions of sympathy, blended with admiration, which it had justly excited in thfl mind of every individual at the Cape. A violent gale oi wind setting in from north and north west, a vessel in the road dragged her anchors, was forced on the rocks and bulged; and, while the greater part of the crew fell an im- mediate sacrifice to the waves, the remainder were seen from the shore struggling for thek lives, by clinging to the different THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 171 pieces of the wreck. The sea ran dreadfully high, and broke over the sailors with such amazing fury, that no boat what- ever could venture oflf to their assistance. Meanwhile a planter, considerably advanced in life, had come &om his farm to be a spectator of the shipwreck; his heart was melted at the sight of the unhappy seamen, and knowing the bold and enterprising spirit of his horse, and his particular excel- lence as a swimmer, he instantly determined to make a des- perate effort for their deliverance. He alighted and blew a little brandy into his horse's nostrils, and again seating himself in the saddle, he instantly pushed into the midst of the breakers. At first both disappeared, but it was not long before they floated on the surface, and swam up to the wreck; when taking with him two men, each of whom held by one of his boots, he brought them safe to shore. This perilous expedition he repeated no seldomer than seven times, and saved fourteen lives; but, on his return the eighth time, his horse being much fatigued, and meeting a most formid- able wave, he lost his balance and was overwhelmed in a moment. The horse swam safely to land, but his gallant rider was no more!" The Horse's Many remar7cable instances are recorded of the Memory, exercise of the faculty of memory by horses. Colonel Smith mentions an instance of a horse wb'.ch he had used for two years while in the army abroad, and which some years later made himself known to his old master with every demonstration of pleasure, though harnessed to a mail coach. "That the horse remembers the scenes and transactions of past times," says Captain Brown, "is proved from every day's experience. It enters familiarly into its usual abode; inclines to stop at its ordinaiy halting- place; prefers a journey which it has formerly taken, and falls readily into an occupation to which it has been accus- tomed. It seeks the fields ui which it has formerly pastured, and has been known long afterwards to repair to the scenes I i IJZ NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. of its earlier days. A horse belonging to a gentleman of Taunton strayed from a field at Corfe, three miles distant from thence. Aftei a long and troublesome search, he was discovered on a farm at Branscombe, in Devon, a distance of twenty-three miles, being the place where he was foaled, although it is certain that the animal had not been there for ten years, during the whole of which time he had _feeen in the possession of the gentleman who then owned him." Horses seem to have a similar sense of locality to that for which dogs are so famous. A horse will find its way home when its master cannot see a yard before him, instances being recorded of parties lost in the snow which covered all tracks, who only saved their lives by letting a horse loose and following him. Captain Brown gives two instances of horses who on becoming ill, found their way to the veterinary surgeon, who had previously treated them, entirely of their own accord. Instances are recorded also of Cavalry horses, who, on hearing thunder while out grazing, have mistaken it for the sound of cannon and who with great excitement have formed themselves into line and " presented the front of a field of war". Old Hunters who have become coach horses have been known upon hearing the hounds, at the moment of "changing" .to dash after them with their harness on their backs and riderless and guideless follow the hunt for hours. These are instances of the ruling passion strong in after life, or perhaps more correctly speaking of the force of habit, of which there are countless illustrations. Kosciusko had a horse which he once lent to a young man whom he employed upon a commission, but who on his return declared that he would never use the horse again unless also supplied with his master's purse; for said he, "as soon as a poor man on the road takes off his hat and asks charity the animal immediately stands still, and will not stir until something is bestowed upon the petitioner; and as I had no money about me I THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 173 had to feign giving, in order to satisfy the horse and induce him to proceed. " Such loyalty to habit, however interesting, is not always convenient, as the following, which I quote from "Anecdotes in Natural History" by the Rev. F. O. Morris will show. "Towards the close of last century, when volunteers were first embodied in the different towns, an extensive line of turnpike road was in progress of construction in a part of the north. The clerk to the trustees upon this line used to send one of his assistants to ride along occasionally, to see that the contractors, who were at work in a great many places, were doing their work properly. The assistant, on these journeys, rode a horse which had for a long time carried a field officer, and, though aged, still possessed a great deal of spirit One day, as he was passing near a town of considerable size which lay on the line of road, the volunteers were at drill on the common; and the instant the horse heard the drum he leaped the fence, and was speedily at that post in front of the volunteers which would have been occupied by the commanding officer of a raiment on parade or at drill; nor could the rider by any means get him off the ground until the volunteers retired to the town. As long as they kept the field the horse took the proper place of a commanding officer in all their manoeuvres, and he marched at the head of the corps into the town, prancing in military style as cleverly as his stiffened legs would allow him, to the great amusement of the volunteers and spectators, and to the no small annoyance of the clerk." Perhaps no more amusing illustration of this force of habit could be found than that cited by Captain Brown of a Scotch lawyer who purchased a horse at Smithfield upon which to make a journey north. The horse was a handsome one and started weU, but on reaching Finchley conmion, at a place where the road ran down a slight eminence, and up another, the lawyer met a clergyman driving a one horse chaise. 174 NATURAL HISTORY. IN ANECDOTE. I ',1 "There was nobody within sight, and the horse by his manoeuvre instantly discovered the profession of his former owner. Instead of pursuing his journey he laid his counter close up to the chaise and stopped it, having no doubt but his rider would embrace so fair an opportunity of exercising his profession. The clergyman seemed of the same opinion, produced his purse unasked, and assured the astonished lawyer, that it was quite unnecessary to draw his pistol as he did not intend to offer any resistance. The traveller rallied his horse, and with many apologies to the gentleman he had so innocently and unwillingly affrighted, pursued his journey. The horse next made the same suspicious approach to a coach, from the windows of which a blunderbuss was levelled with denunciations of death and destruction to the hapless and perplexed rider. In short, after his Ufe had been once or twice endangered by the suspicions to which the conduct of his horse gave rise, and his liberty as often threatened by the peace-officers, who were disposed to apprehend him as a notorious highwayman, the former owner of the horse, he was obliged to part with the inauspicious animal for a trifle, and to purchase at a large price one less beautiful, but not accustomed to such dangerous habits." The Horse's Of the larger quadrupeds the horse is said to inteiugenoe. be only second in intelligence to the Elephant, and many proofs could be given of the high standard of intelligence to which he sometimes attains. The Rev. F. O. Morris says, — "We knew a blind coach-horse that ran one of the stages on the great north road for several years, and »so perfectly was he acquainted with all the stables, halting- places, and other matters, that he was never found to commit a blunder. He could never be driven past his own stable; and at the sound of the coming coach he would turn out, of his own accord, into the stable-yard. So accurate was his knowledge of time, that though half-a-dozen coaches halted at the same inn daily, he was never known to stir till the ^ tHfe DOMESTIC HORSE. t75 sound of his own coach, the " ten o'clock " was heard in the distance." The intelligence of this horse was somewhat cir- cumscribed but it was perfect within its limits. Colonel Smith, as already quoted, says, " Bipeds who exercise authority over horses, often show little superiority of reason, and much less of temper.'* The way in which horses have preserved mas- ters who have rendered themselves incapable of taking care of themselves is proof of this. A horse has been known to poke his nose in at a tavern door and shake his master by the shoulder, when he has been lingering too long over his potations. Another horse whose master from a similar cause was unable to keep his seat watched by his side in the road all night, and on being discovered by some labourers in the early morning vigorously resented their attempts to awaken him. Professor Kruger of Halle says, " A friend of mine was one dark night riding home through a wood, and had the misfortune to strike his head against the branch of a tree, and fell from his horse, stunned by the blow. The horse imme- diately returned to the house which they had left, about a mile distant He found the door closed, and the family gone to bed. He pawed at the door till one of them, hearing the noise, arose and opened it, and to his surprise saw the horse of his friend. No sooner was the door opened than the horse turned round, and the man, suspecting there was something wrong, followed the animal, which led him directly to the spot where his master lay on the groimd in a faint." A pony has been known to leap into a canal and save the life of a child in danger of drowning, and a cart horse to lift a child out of the road and place it carefully on the side walk before proceeding with his load. A remarkable illustration of the intelligence of the horse under circmnstances in which most human beings would have lost all presence of mind, is quoted by Captain Brown. "In the month of April, 1794, owing to a strong wind blowing contrary to the current of the river, the island Kroutsand, surrounded by the two ! \ 176 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. H I branches of the Elbe, became entirely covered with water, to the great alarm of the horses, which, with some foals, had been grazing on it. They set up a loud neighing, and col- lected themselves together within a small space. To save the foals that were now standing up to theu: bellies in water seemed to be the object of their consultation. They adopted a method at once ingenious and effective. Each foal was arranged between horses, who pressed their sides together so as to keep them wedged up, and entirely free from injury from the water. They retained this position for six hours, nor did they relinquish their burden till the tide having ebbed and the water subsided, the foals were placed out of danger." Bone Flay. Horse-play is a term which conveys the idea of rough if not brutal romping, and yet the horse can be gentle in its friendships and considerate in its dealings with weaker animals, and with children to a remarkable degree. White in his " Natural History of Selbome ", tells of a curious friendship between a horse and a hen. " These two incon- gruous animals spent much of their time together in a lonely orchard, where they saw no creature but each other. By degrees an apparent regard began to take place between the two sequestered individuals; the fowl would approach the horse with notes of complacency, rubbing herself quietly against his legs, while the horse would look down with satis- faction, and move with the greatest caution and circumspec- tion, lest he should trample on his diminutive companion." A similar friendship is recorded as between a horse and a sheep, whom circumstances threw much in company. Both gregarious animals and both failing of companionships of their own kind, they found solace in their loneliness in a beautiful if curious friendship. The gentleness of horses in dealing with children has often been remarked, even when within the confined limits of a stable tliey will use the utmost circumspec- tion as to movements lest they should inadvertently tread upon their playfellows. Mr. Morris tells of a plough horse who THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 177 was too tall for his little master to mount and who used to put his head down to the ground and allow the boy to bestride his neck and then by gently elevating his head help him to slide on to his back. Horses have been known to allow liberties to children that they would not allow to their elders, a remarkable illustration of which is given by Cap- tain Brown. A hunter who always violently resented any attempt on the part of his grooms to trim his fetlocks, was once the subject of conversation in his master's house, when the master defied any man "to perform the operation singly." On the following day when passing through the stable-yard he was astonished and alarmed at seeing his youngest child, who had been an unnoticed listener to the conversation the night before, with a pair of scissors, clipping the fetlocks of the horse's hind legs, the horse watching the operation with evident satisfaction. It is, however, as between horses and dogs that the truest affinity appears to exist of animals of dififerent families, and numerous anecdotes are told in illus- tration of these friendships. Captain Brown gives the follow- ing: "Doctor Smith, a practising physician in Dublin, had no other servant to take charge of his horse while at a patient's door, than a large Newfoundland dog; and between the two animals, a very good understanding subsisted. When he wished to pass to another patient without remounting, he needed but to give a signal to the pair, who followed him in the most perfect good order. The dog also led the horse to the water, and would give him a signal to leap over a stream. While performing this on one occasion, the dog lost hold of the reins, when the horse, having cleared the leap, trotted back to the dog, who resumed the reins." "A gentleman in Bristol had a greyhound which slept in the same stable, and contracted a very great intimacy with a fine hunter. When the dog was taken out the horse neighed wistfully after him; he welcomed him home with a neigh; the greyhound ran up to the horse and licked him* 12 , l. ~i 178 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. the horse, in return, scratched the greyhound's back with his teeth. On one occasion, when the groom had the pair out for exercise, a large dog attacked the greyhound, bore him to the ground, and seemed likely to worry him, when the horse threw back his ears, rushed forward, seized the strange dog by the back and flung him to a distance which the animal did not deem it prudent to make less." The horse's sympathy with his own kind must, however, not pass without mention. Horses have been known to masticate food for their toothless companions, an instance being recorded by M. de Boussanelle, a cavalry officer, of a horse belonging to his company who was fed for two months in this way by the horses stationed on either side of him. Whether the horses in the following case were actuated by sympathy or fear, the story deserves to be retold for its extreme pathos. When Sir John Moore's soldiers embarked after the battle of Corunna, orders were given that the troop horses should be shot, rather than that they should fall into the hands of the enemy. "These horses," says Colonel Smith, "witnessing their companions fall one after another, stood trembling with fear, and by their piteous looks seemed to implore mercy from the men who had been their riders, until the duty imposed upon the dragooas who had been intrusted with the execution of the order became unbearable, and the men turned away from the task with scalding tears: hence the French obtained a considerable number unhurt, and among them several belonging to officers who, rather than destroy them, had left their faithful chargers with billets attached recommending them to the kindness of the enemy." The Ass. The ass is an animal which seems to be more than ordinarily affected by its surroundings and treatment. In eastern countries where it is well cared for, and employed in the service of the rich, it rises to the occasion and becomes both graceful and spirited in action and elegant and refined in appearance : in the west where it is discarded for the sake THE ASS. 179 of the horse, and used almost solely as a beast of heavy burden, often suflfering great cruelty and harHship, it seems to lose spirit and become dull and obstinate, as people do who, crushed by hard circumstances, lose hope. The ass has an ancient and honourable history which dates back apparently as far as that of the horse. He is mentioned alike by sacred and profane writers, Job and Homer making flattering reference to him. In Syria and Persia, where he is cultivated, he attains to a much larger size than in the west, where he may be described as about two-thirds the size of the horse. In ancient times these animals fetched very large sums, sums which in our day would be considered very large for a horse, a stallion mentioned by Pliny realising a sum exceeding ^£3000. •' No domestic animal," says Colonel Smith, " in proportion ^ to its bulk, can carry a greater weight, or continue to labour longer without sustenance. The ass is emphatically the poor man's horse in every country ; and if care were t£iken of the breed, and well selected animals imported from Arabia, a very useful and handsome race might be reared." Though the ordinary ass is slow and obstinate, his eastern cousin is both fleet and obedient, and remarkable feats have been performed by half breeds. A half-bred, Spanish and English, of twelve and a half hands high, belonging to Mr. Wilson of Ipswich, drew a light gig from Ipswich to London and back again, a distance of 140 miles, in two days. He is said to have maintained a pace little short of that of a good gig horse and to have performed the whole journey with ease, finishing it without whip, at the rate of seven miles an hour. Though patient above most animals, the ass will sometimes turn like the proverbial worm, and instances are known in which he has adopted the offensive with effect. Some years ago, a bull dog which had been set on to an ass, was caught by the latter in his teeth, carried to the river Derwent and held under water until he was drowned. Donkeys have often been known after enduring great provocation from boys i8o NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. to turn on their assailants and put them to speedy and anxious flight. The Sagacity Dull though he appears to be, the ass show of the Aas. himself on occasion to be possessed of no little invention in matters that concern his liberty and comfort. His aptitude for lifting latches and drawing bolts has often been observed. Mr. Fuller describes the actions of an ass he saw, who put his head sideways between the bars of a gate and turning it into its normal position liftod the gate over the latch and pushed it forward, withdrawing his head after he had opened the gate and proceeding to enjoy the dainties of the field into which he had thus effected an entrance. A still more remarkable instance is given by Mr. East who says: "While living on the Sussex coast, I had myself a very fine donkey, which was a remarkably docile and knowing animal. He was the constant companion of my children in their rambles on the downs, and on those occa- sions seemed to think he had a right to share in all the eatables and drinkables, and would do so most readily, whether cakes, apples, oranges, sweetmeats, milk, or even tea ; ginger-beer being the only exception. With this he was thoroughly disgusted, in consequence of the cork, which had been expelled from the bottle with the usual loud report, having struck him on the nose. This he never forgot; but would quickly march off whenever a ginger-beer bottle was produced. But his cleverness and cunning were more especi- ally shown in the following incident : — His lodging-place at night was a small, open shed, whence he had free access to a yard; but not, of course, to the kitchen-garden which adjoined it. The latter was separated from the yard by a wall and door, fastened securely, as we imagined, by two bolts and an ordinary latch. We were, however, surprised to find that the door had been unfastened during the night, while the footprints of the donkey on the garden walks and beds too plainly told who had been the trespasser. Still we THE ASS. 181 could hardly suppose he could have drawn the bolts and let himself in, especially as the upper bolt was fixed at a considerable height. This, however, proved to have been the case; for my bedroom overlooking the yard and garden, I one night watched at the window, and distinctly saw master donkey, reared on his hind legs, unfastening the upper bolt with his nose or mouth. He then withdrew the lower one, lifted the latch, and walked quietly into the garden. In a few minutes I further observed him returning to his shed with a large bunch of carrots, which he deposited in his shed, and then went back — not, certainly, to bolt, but to latch the door; after which he leisurely set about munching his slily acquired booty. Before putting a final stop to these proceed- ings, I gave several of my neighbours, who were incredulous upon the subject, an opportunity of witnessing them. And at these times his sagacity was further evinced by the fact that he would never commence his operations until after the light had been extinguished at the bedroom window." Theinttinot The sense of locality so conspicuous in the of the Ass. dog, the cat and the horse is also possessed in a remarkable degree by the ass, as the following story told by Captain Brown will show. "In 18 16, an ass belonging to Captain Dundas was shipped on board the Ister, bound from Gibraltar to Malta. The vessel struck on a sand-bank off the Point de Gat, and the ass was thrown overboard into a sea which was so stormy that a boat that soon after left the ship was lost. In the course of a few days, when the gates of Gibraltar were opened in the morning, the guard was surprised by the same ass which had so recently been removed, presenting itself for admittance. On entering, it proceeded immediately to the stable which it had formerly occupied. The ass had not only swum to the shore, but found its own way from Point de Gat to Gibraltar, a distance of more than two hundred miles, through a mountainous and intricate country intersected by streams, which it had never \r- i ! 182 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. passed before-but which it had now crossed so expeditiously that it must have gone by a route leading the most directly to Gibraltar." TheTwdned The ass like many other animals is capable Am. of being trained to perform many tricks, advan- tage of which seems to have been taken long before our time, as the following quoted by Captain Brown will show. John Leo, in a book printed as early as 1556, says, "when the Mahometan worship was over, the common people of Cairo resorted to the foot of the suburbs called Bed-Elloch to see the exhibition of stage-players and mountebanks, who teach camels, asses, and dogs to dance. The dancing of the ass is diverting enough; for after he has frisked and capered about, his master tells him, that the Soldan, meaning to build a great palace, intends to employ all the asses in carrying mortar, stones, and other materials ; upon which the ass falls down with his heels upwards, closing his eyes, and extending his chest, as if he were dead. This done, the master begs some assistance of the company, to make up the loss of the dead ass; and having got all he can, he gives them to know that ti-uly his ass is not dead, but only being sensible of his master's necessity, played that trick to procure some pro- vender. He then commands the ass to rise, who still lies in the same posture, notwithstanding all the blows he can give him, till at last he proclaims, by virtue of an edict of the Soldan, all are bound to ride out next day upon the come- liest asses they can find, in order to see a triumphal show, and to entertain their asses with oats and Nile water. These words are no sooner pronounced, than the ass starts up, prances, and leaps for joy. The master then declares, that his ass has been pitched upon by the warden of his street, to carry his deformed and ugly wife; upon which the ass lowers his ears, and limps with one of his legs, as if he were lame. The master, alleging that his ass admires handsome women, commands him to single out the prettiest lady in THE MULE AND THE HINNY. 183 the company ; and accordingly, he makes his choice by going round, and touching one of the prettiest with his head, to the great amusement of the company." The Mule and The Mule and the Hinny, are the off-spring the Hinny. of the ass and the horse and combine to some extent the qualities of both. The mule has the sure-foo95 chopped straw to eat. I have sometimes seen the drivers on a hot day, or in passing a dry district, spirt a little water in the Camel's nostrils; they pretend it refreshes them." Oamel Biding. Camel riding is evidently an exercise which needs getting used to. Mrs. Bowdich says: "High saddles are placed on their backs; and it requires either to be used to them, or to be particularly careful, not to be half-killed at starting. The rider places himself in the saddle while the animals are kneeling; and when they raise their hind- legs, which they do first of all, they ^nd the unprepared traveller forwards, and his breath is almost taken out of him by the blow which he receives upon his chest ; then as they get upon their fore-legs they throw him back, so as to jndanger his spine. Their pace is at first very disagreeable, being so long and slouching." Captain Riley describes his experiences as follows: "They placed me on the largest Camel I had yet seen, which was nine or ten feet in height. The Camels were now all kneeling or lying down, and mine among the rest. I thought I had taken a good hold, to steady myself while he was rising; yet his motion was so heavy, and my strength so far exhausted, that I could not possibly hold on, and tumbled off over his tail. Turning entirely over, I came down upon my feet, which prevented my receiving any material injury, though the shock to my frame was very severe." A Gamers Mr. Palgrave who combats the idea of the Bevenge. camel's docility, unless stupidity may be taken as its s)aionym, gives a painful illustration of the savagery to which the camel may be provoked by cruel treatment, though we doubt if the elephant who is proverbial for his docility would stand the brutality to which the camel is sometimes treated. "A lad of about fourteen, had conducted a large camel laden with wood from one village to another, half an hour's distance or so. As the animal loitered or turned out of the waji its conductor struck it repeatedly, and harder u |:' fl 196 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE than it seems to have thought he had any right to do, but not finding the occasion favourable for taking immediate quits, it 'bode its time*, nor was that time long in coming. A few days later the same lad had to re-conduct the beast, but unladen, to his own village. When they were about half way on the road, and at some distance from any habitation, the camel suddenly stopped, looked deliberately round in every direction, to assure itself that no one was in sight, made a step forward, seized the unlucky boy's head in his monstrous mouth, and lifting him up in the air, flung him down again upon the earth with the upper part of his skull completely torn oflF, and his brains scattered on the ground. Having thus satisfied his revenge, the brute quietly resumed his pace towards the village as though nothing were the matter, till some men, who had observed the whole, though unfortunately at too great a distance to be able to aflford timely help, came up and killed it." The Terrors Terrible stories are told of the sufferings some- of the Desert times experienced by camels and Arabs alike on desert journeys. Burckhardt gives the following narrative which is quoted by Captain Brown. "In the month of August, a small caravan prepared to set out from Berber to Daraou. They consisted of five merchants and about thirty slaves, with a proportionate number of camels. Afraid of the robber Naym, who at that time was in the habit of way- laying travellers about the wells of Nedjeym, and who had constant intelligence of the departure of every caravan from Berber, they determined to take a more easterly road, by the well of Owareyk. They had hired an Ababde guide, who conducted them in safety to that place, but who lost his way from thence northward, the route being little frequented. After five days' march in the mountains, their stock of water was exhausted, nor did they know where they were. They resolved, therefore, to direct their course towards the setting sun, hoping thus to reach the Nile. After experiencing two THE CAMEL. 197 days' thirst, fifteen slaves and one of the merchants died; another of them, an Ababde, who had ten camels with him, thinking that the animals might know better than their mas- ters where water was to be found, desired his comrades to tie him fast upon the saddle of his strongest camel, that he might not fall down from weakness, and thus he parted from them, permitting his camels to take their own way; but neither the man nor his camels were ever heard of afterwards. On the eighth day after leaving Owareyk, the survivors came in sight of the mountains of Shigre, which they immediately recognized; but their strength was quite exhausted, and neither men nor beasts were able to move any farther. Lying down under a rock, they sent two of their servants, with the two strongest remaining camels, in search of water. Before these two men could reach the mountain, one of them dropped off his camel, deprived of speech, and able only to move his hands to his comrade as a sign that he desired to be left to his fate. The survivor then continued his route; but such was the effect of thirst upon him, that his eyes grew dim, and he lost the road, though he had often travelled over it before, and had been perfectly acquainted with it. Having wandered about for a long time, he alighted under the shade of a tree, and tied the camel to one of its branches : the beast, however, smelt the water, (as the Arabs express it) and, wearied as it was, broke its halter, and set off" galloping in the direction of the spring, which, as after- wards appeared, was at half an hour's distance. The man, well understanding the camel's action, endeavoured to follow its footsteps, but could only move a few yards; he fell ex- hausted on the ground, and was about to breathe his last, when Providence led that way from a neighbouring encamp- ment, a Bisharye Bedouin, who, by throwing water upon the man's face, restored him to his senses. They then went hastily together to the water, filled the skins, and, returning to the caravan, had the good fortune to find the I ^1 S '.1 198 NATURAL HISTORY IN AKECDOTE. sufferers still alive. The Bishaiye received a slave for his trouble." The iiioma. The Llamas are classified as members of the Camel Family of which they are the second genus. The Vicuna {Llama vicugna) of the Peruvian Andes is one of these. It is a very beautiful animal, combining, as Professor Cunningham points out, to some extent the characteristics of the camel, the deer and the goat. Its neck is long and slender and carried with a graceful curve, and its legs are slight and elegant, its wool fine and silky. It is a timid animal and very wary of the approach of danger, seeking safety in flight, though often falling a victim to the rapacity of the puma, or the necessities of the Patagonian Indians, who eat its flesh and clothe themselves in its skin. The Llama, {Llama peruana) and the Alpaca {Llama pacos) are other species of this family. The former is used by the Peruvians as a beast of burden, as it will carry from a hundred-weight to a hundred weight and a half for fifteen or twenty miles a day. Accord- ing to Mrs. Bowdich, at one time 300,000 of these animals were employed in carrying metal over the rugged mountain passes for the Potosi mines alone. Like the camel, it refuses to stir when overloaded, and continues to move at a slow uniform pace throughout the day. Like camels also, they are apt to fight among themselves, when the wool flies in an absurd way, and if not separated, they do each other serious injury. When offended with their driver they spit in his face, their saliva being particularly unpleasant. The Alpaca which is also domesticated is useful for its fleece. The Deer. There are two families of Deer ; that of the Mouse deer with its mouse-shaped head, and without horns, and that of the deer proper of which there are more than fifty species. There are five species of the mouse deer, genus TraguluSy all of which belong to Asia. They are found m Java, Penang, Sumatra, Borneo, Cambodia and Siam. The Indian Chevrotain {Tragulus meminna) is spotted. It THE DEER. 199 belongs to Ceylon, though it is said to be common to the forests of all parts of southern India. Mrs. Bowdich says: "The smallest of the deer species lives in Ceylon; a lovely delicate creature, with lustrous eyes and of exquisite form. When full grown it is only ten inches high, fourteen long, and weighs about five pounds. Its throat, head and neck arc all white; its body is grey, striped with black, and spotted at equal distances with yellow. Although very timid it is to be tamed; but if angry it kicks out its little hind legs and slender pointed hoofs with great violence. One which was domesticated, was placed on a dinner table, where it ran about and nibbled fruit from the dishes, answered to its name and returned the caresses which were bestowed upon it." The deer proper, genus cervus, is found all over Europe, Asia and America, one or two species belonging to the Medi- terranean coasts of Africa. Of these the Red Deer, the Reindeer, the Moose or Elk, the Fallow Deer and the Roe buck are the better known species, all of which chew the cud, have a divided hoof, and shed their horns annually. The Bed The Red Deer {Cervus elaphus) is still found Deer, in Scotland as well as in the forests of Europe and Asia and is commonly hunted for sport. The stag is a timid and apparently highly sensitive animal, but when brought* to bay has often shown a strength and courage which has cost its hunters dear. It is one of the most beautiful animals in nature, and combines with its beauty po>^ers of speed and endurance which are little short of the marvellous. Full grown it measures four feet six inches in height at the shoulders, and about five feet six inches in length. The hunting of the stag in England has been a royal sport for centuries, though owing to altered conditions it has fallen into disrepute of late years. The overcrowded state of the country near London, and the half tame character of the royal stags have rendered the performances of the Windsor stag hounds an exhibition more honoured in the brea,ch than in the obsei:vance. Tt I ! m 200 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. would be difficult indeed io find anything noble or enobling in the following account of a stag hunt quoted by Captain Brown with deprecation, from the pages of "The Sporting Magazine.* A stag "On Monday Nov. 20, 1820, the royal hounds met Hunt, at Stoke Common, Bucks, where a remarkably fine deer was turned out. The field was extremely numerous. The deer, at starting, showed great sport, taking, at full speed, through the enclosures, making towards Slough, and afterwards for Ddtchet, where he crossed the Thames, and then took to the right, and again crossed the river. The deer proceeded up a lane at the back of Eton College, run- ning with great swiftness into the yard of Mr. Castles, pork butcher. He boldly proceeded through the house into the street, with a cur-dog at his heels; and crossing Windsor Bridge, to the bottom of Thames-street, actually ran up the Hundred Steps, a steep and winding ascent to the Castle. On his reaching the top, he made a pause, and then returned into Thames-street, many of the sportsmen having rode round into the Castle, with the object of heading him as he came up the steps. The stag crossed Windsor Bridge again with great swiftness, and passed down Eton, entered the shop of Mr. Levy, an orange merchant, making his way in different parts of the house, till he got into the kitchen, where he remained some time : a great crowd was collected round the house. On his leaving the kitchen, he passed through the back way into gardens. At this time, many hundreds of persons joined in the chase. This excellent deer, after having performed these extraordinary feats, and afforded a charming day's sport, was at last taken in attempting to leap over the high wall between Eton College and the Fifteen-arch Bridge." In the open country and in the olden time a stag hunt was, of course, a very different thing, though tl^.e hunting of so sen- sitive and so timid an animal as the stag could never be other than a cruel pastime. Of the speed and endurance of 1; 4 THE STAG. 20I the stag a remarkable illu^^tion will be found on page 127. Many years ago the Duke of Cumberland thought to make trial of a stag's courage by placing him in an enclosure with an ounce, or hunting tiger, on Newmarket Heath. The enclosure was made by a net-work of about fifteen feet high, and the contest took place in the presence of some thousands of spectators. On seeing the stag, the ounce crouched down and prepared to spring, but the stag kept such a steady front that the ounce, turn as he would, was out-manoeuvred by the stag and could not get a chance of turning his flank. After a long time the ounce was goaded to the attack by the order of the Duke, whereupon it leapt, not upon the stag but over the enclosure and among the people, immediately crossing the road and entering the wood opposite, where it fastened upon the haunches of a fallow deer. The Tame Stags have been tamed and brought largely Stag. under control but they are said to be uncertain in their temper, probably from their timidity. Many years ago Lord Oxford trained four red deer stags to draw a phaeton, and Captain Brown tells an amusing story of an adventure which befell him while driving his unique team in the neighbourhood of Newmarket. It happened that as they were proceeding on the road to Newmarket they heard the cry of a pack of hounds and immediately the four stags made off at the top of their speed, followed by the hounds who had sighted them or scented them from a distance. The animals were quite beyond control, but on reaching Newmarket, they ran into the yard of the Ram Inn where Lord Oxford had been accustomed to take them, and they were safely housed in a bam when the pack of hounds came up. Stags have also been trained to play tricks of various kinds. A tame stag at one time marched with a Newfoundland dog, with the band of the 42nd Highlanders. The Beindeer. The Reindeer belongs to the north of Europe Asia and America, where he is the chief source of comfort r F« Ir !.t ; (! H if m J lifi 1 202 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. and wealth of the natives. In Lapland, as the author of •• Tales of Animals " puts it, he supplies the place of the horse, the cow, the sheep, and the goat. " Alive and dead, the rein- deer is equally subservient to their wants. When he ceases to exist, spoons are made of his bones, glue of his horns, bowstrings and thread of his tendons, clothing of his skin, and his flesh becomes a savoury food. During his life, his milk is converted into cheese, and he is employed to convey his owner over the snowy wastes of his native coimtry. Such is the swiftness of the reindeer that two of them, yoked in a sledge, will travel a hundred and twelve English miles in a day." The reindeer will draw about 300 lbs. weight, though 250 lbs. is a sufficient average load. His ordinary pace is said to be about ten miles an hour and his powers of endur- ance are very great. His pace for a short distance is thus given by Pictet, who took the measurements and tested tlie speed of three animals yoked to light sledges. "The first deer performed 3089 feet, 9 inches, in two minutes, being at the rate of nearly 19 English milcS in an hour, and thus accomplishing 25 feet, 9 inches, in every second. The second did the same in three minutes ; and the third and last deer, in three minutes and twenty-six seconds. The ground in this race was nearly level." The reindeer is gregarious in its wild state, and retains its social instinct when in it state of domestication. When travelling, the hindmost animals follow their leader with dogged persistency, even though the leader may make a circuit which the followers might avoid by taking a direct cut. Nor will they accept the guidance of their drivers in such cases and if dragged out of their course by main force will return to it as soon as the force is removed. In his own way, however, the reindeer will follow unerringly though his leader may be out of sight, moving along with his nose close to the ground and tracing the way by his scent, which is very keen. The reindeer is much troubled in the summer time by the attacks of small flies, De Broke says, ** The poor aniniial is tlius THE REINDEER. 203 t<;rmented to such a degree, that the Laplander, if he were to remain in the forests during the months of June, July, and August, would run the risk of losing the greater part of hb herd, either by actual sickness, or from the deer fleeing of their own accord to mountainous situations to escape the gad-fly. From these causes, the Laplander is driven from the forests to the mountains that overhang the Norway and Lapland coasts, the elevated situations of which, and the cool breezes from the Ocean, are unfavourable to the existence of these trouble- some insects, which, though found on the coast, are in far less considerable niunbers there, and do not quit the valleys; so that the deer, by ascending the highlands, can avoid them." Reindeer are extremely timid when hvmted, but if the hunter can get sufficiently near to strike panic into a herd they seem to lose all sense but that of fear, and are easily captured in numbers. Writing of the North American Rein- deer, Sir John Richardson says* -"The Chippewayans, the Copper Indians, the Dog-ribs, .he time this animal arrived, gives an amusing I HI i I !l 1 206 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. description of its triumphal march from Bordeaux to the Capital. " A deputation from each large town through which she passed," says Mrs. Bowdich, "formed of the municipal authorities, met her; and one of the most learned savants went all the way from the Jardin des Plantes, to accompany her on her march. *La giraffe,* however, did not appreciate these honours, and was often impatient under the etiquette imposed on her. On one occasion she broke loose from her cavalcade, keeper and all, and dashing among the horsemen, scattered them right and left, some on and some off" their steeds. A dignified mayor lay in the dust, and by his side rolled the painstaking savant who had performed so long a journey in her service. The enthusiasm did not abate when she reached her destination. Thirteen thousand more than the usual weekly number passed over the Pont d'Austerlitz alone; and as the public curiosity did not but increase for six weeks, steps were obliged to be taken to prevent the multitude from pressing upon her. Her love for roses was very great; and she eagerly snatched them from those who carried or wore them, to their great astonishment ; for few could calculate on the distance which she could reach." Mr. Gordon Gumming describes a herd of ten giraffes which he saw moving together along an African valley, forming an imposing spectacle. Hollow- ^® come now to a family of great importance Horned to the human race, the family which includes Buminanta. among its members the Ox and the Sheep. These are grouped as hollow-homed ruminants, this one touch of nature making the whole family kin. The hollow- homed mminants are divided into numerous sub-families, of which the Ox, the Antelope, the Sheep, and the Goat are the best known representatives. The horn by which the family is characterised, comprises a hollow homy sheath which covers a bony core, and which, except in one case, unlike the homs of the stag, which are shed annually, is permanent Sir Victor Brooke divides the family of the Bovidse into Plate No. 10 MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. THE BULL. 2C7 thirteen sub-families. I Bovinse, II Tragelaphinde, III Oryginae, IV Hippotraginae, V Gazellinae, VI Antilocaprina;, VII Cer- vicaprinae, VIII Cephalophinse, IX Alcephalinae, X Budorcina;, XI Rupicaprinse, XII Nemorhedinae, XIII Caprinae. The Bull, The sub-family Bovinae includes the Bull, the "j^^***"* Bison, and the Buffalo. The antiquity of the The BuinUo. ruminants shrouds their origin in obscurity. They are of frequent mention in the sacred writings as belonging to the earliest historic period, and as living in a state of domestication in all times. The Bull has a very wide geo- graphical area, and is found in most parts of the world. In England, as the Rev. J. G. Wood puts it, there are almost as many breeds as counties, and they are generally distin- guished by the length or shape of their horns. The "long- homed" breed belong to Lancashire, the "short-homed" to Durham, the "middle-horned" to Devonshire, besides which there is the " polled", a hornless breed. Of the Bison there are two species, one belonging to Poland and the Cau- casus, and the other to North America. The Buffalo belongs to the south of Europe, to India, and to North Africa, the Cape Buffalo inhabiting the south of "the dark conti- nent." The BulL Few animals show as much difference of dis- The Ox. position in the male and female as the Bull '^^ ^^- and the Cow. The Bull is often excited to un- governable fury, is generally unsafe and often dangerous. These characteristics have doubtless marked him out as the object of sport in the Roman Amphitheatre and the Spanish Bull fight. The Cow, on the other hand, displays a gentle and docile disposition, is placid, mild, and obedient to the will of those who govern it. The Bull is kept mainly for the purposes of breeding, being too uncertain for use as a beast of burden or for other employment. The Ox which is the subdued offspring of the Bull and the Cow, is much m( re amenable to control and therefore a much more useful 2o8 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. i n servant to man. The Cow is invaluable for the milk it sup- plies, upon which mankind is dependent for butter and for cheese. The BuU. The Bull is a handsome animal and of great strength, especially about the head and neck. Its fierceness has often been turned to account by the farmer, for it is an exrellent animal to dispute a right of way, the force of its arguments usually bearing down all opposition. It has been known also to use its strength for the protection of other animals. " Two robbers, " says the author of " Domestic Animals and their Treatment," ** took a pig, weighing fourteen stone, out of its sty, and drove it along a lane leading towards Rother- ham. On coming to a lonely path across the fields they thought it would be better to kill the pig at once in this quiet place, where no one would be likely to hear the cries of the animal. One of the robbers accordingly took a knife out of his pocket, and commenced cutting the pig's throat. The poor pig struggled violently, and managed to escape from his hands, running squealing into the next field, with a fearful gash in his throat. The men ran after the pig, but found in the field a bull grazing, who seemed at once to understand the state of the case, and took upon himself the championship of the wounded animal. The bull ran furiously at the robbers, who fled for their lives, and only just managed to escape a toss from his horns. They lingered outside the fence, however, hoping that an opportunity would still offer of theu: catching the pig; but the pig wisely kept close to his new friend, and the men at last were under the mortify- ing necessity of going home without their booty. These men were afterwards convicted of stealing sheep and com, when one of them confessed this affair of the pig, and thus ex- plained what had been a great mystery to the owner, namely, how it was that his pig came to be in a field at some dis- tance firom the sty, with his throat partly cut, fnd keeping close company with tlie bull." Mr. Byam's " Central America" tHE BULL. ^09 affords another illustration : " A bull had gored so many cattle that he was lassoed, and his horns blunted at the tips to prevent further mischief. A few weeks after, a panther (jaguar) killed a cow; and from the torn condition of the bull's head and neck, and the trampled state of the ground, he had evidently done battle for the cow. He was secured, his wounds plastered up, his horns made sharp again, and turned out into the savannah. The wild dogs and vultures having been kept from the body of the cow during the day, the panther returned to his feast at night, and a furious engagement took place between him and the bull; for the former was found dead close by the cow the next morning, pierced through and through. The bull returned again and again to him with fury, and was himself again wounded; but his gashes were sown up, and he remained so fierce that his horns were obliged to be re-blunted." The Brahmin The Brahmin Bull of India, is a sleek, tame BolL animal of a different species to the ordinary working ox. He is protected as sacred and allowed more liberty than is sometimes either convenient or pleasant, as he is apt to become obtrusive and his devotees fear to check or thwart him. Sacred as he is he does not believe in the eighth commandment and so helps himself without scruple to the wares of the fruiterer and the gardener's preserves. The Ox. The Ox is one of the most useful creatures of the animal world. It is used as a beast of burden and employed to draw waggons and to drag the plough in England, and in a variety of useful labours abroad. "Every part of the Ox is of value," sa)rs the Rev. J. G. Wood. "We eat his flesh, we wear shoes soled with his skin, our candles are made from his fat, our tables are joined with glue made from his hoofs, his hair is mixed with the mortar of our walls, his horns are made into combs, knife-handles, drinking-cups, etc., etc., his bones are used as a cheap substitute for Ivory, and the fragments ground and scattered over the fields as manure, 14 1 (ft! w W I- f'i f 'SI li I 11 2IO NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. and soup is made from his tail." The value of the Ox ih drawing waggons abroad may be gathered from the following quotation from Mr. Gordon Cunmiing's " Hunting Adventures in South Africa." " They (the oxen) are expected, unguided by reins, to hold the rare-trodden roads, which occur through- out the remoter parts of the Colony, either by day or night; and so well trained are these sagacious animals, that it is not uncommon to meet with a pair of fore-oxen which will, of their own accord, hold the "spoor" or track of a single waggon, which has perhaps crossed a plain six months , e- viously." The Oow. The Cow after supplying enormous quaii »'"i of milk during life is almost as valuable as the Ox when dead. It is from the Cow moreover that we get the lymph used in vaccination, which has proved such a wonderful safeguard against small-pox. In its quiet way the Cow some- times shows sagacity. Mr. Bell gives us the following illustra- tion:— "A cow which was feeding tranquilly in a pasture, the gate of which was open to the road, was much annoyed by a mischievous boy who amused himself by throwing stones af the peaceful animal, which, after bearing with his impertinence for some time, at length went up to him, hooked the end of her horn into his clothes, and lifting him from the ground, carried him out of the field and laid him down in the road. She then calmly returned to her pasture, leaving him quit with a severe fright and a torn garment." Cows have been taught to graze close to forbidden crops without yielding to the temptation to eat them. The Pride A writer in Frank Leslie's popular monthly gives of ft Cow. an amusing instance of varity as shown by a cow. Tliis cow, he was told, claimed precedence in all cases; she always went ahead of the herd and claimed the best piece of pasture as her exclusive domain. So far did she carry her pretensions, that if any of the other cows entered the stable before her, she would refuse to follow. Anxious to THE BISON. 211 see this with his own eyes, he desired to be taken to her stable at evening. The man, instructed how to act, drove in some of the other cows. The white cow drew up ; not only did she refuse to advance, in spite of all encouraging words, but her whole frame swelled with anger and offended dignity. She kept lowing continually. At last the cows within, as though conscious that they had forgotten their place, began to come out, and as they were driven out, the proud white cow, with an evident air of gratified pride, strode in in silence. It is almost impossible to convey the impression produced by this exhibition of downright pride, Hidalgo pride, in what many would call a dumb brute. The Bison. The American Bison is a formidable animal when engaged alone, and when charging in a pack simply irresistible. He is about the size of an ox, one measured by Sir J. Richardson being eight feet six inches in length, without his tail, and more than six feet in height at his fore- quarters. He has an enormous head, surmounted by a huge hump on his shoulder which is covered in winter with shaggy mane-like hair. His hinder quarters are comparatively thin and small, and his colour is a dark brown approaching to black. Sharp piercing eyes and short powerful horns give him a fierce appearance and dangerous powers. He has enormous strength in his head and neck. The Bison is gregarious, associating in herds many hundreds strong. These herds have been greatly reduced during late years, but a herd seen by Captains Lewis and Clerk was numbered by ^hem at not less than twenty thousand. "Such was the multitude of these animals, that, although the river, including an island over which they passed, was a mile in breadth, the herd stretched as thick as they could swim completely from one side to the other." When they join in a stampede, they are said to rush over the plains like a cataract, with a noise resembling that of thunder. Captain Brown says, "Bison generally prefer the open plains, and do not resort to woods, except when attacked; they seldom t ^ I 212 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. attempt to defend themselves, but almost invariably take to flight. They are extremely fleet, and their sense of smell is so acute, that they discover an enemy at a great distance, so that it is di£5cult to get near them. They are frequently hunted by the natives, who live principally on their flwh. When the hunters kill an old dam, they pay no attention to the calf, as it is sure to remain by its dead mother. Instances have been known of a mother entering the town of Cincinnati, followed by its calves. Many of them fidl victims to wolves and grizzly bears. Their beef is of an excellent quality, and of a very superior flavour." Hnntliistlie Hunting the Bison is both a popular sport Biaon. and a lucrative commercial enterprise. The Indians hunt them for their skins, which they sell as "Bufialo robes," the Bison being commonly called a Buffalo by them, as well as for food. The Rev. J. G. Wood says, *The hunters take advantage of the gregarious instincts of this animal, and hunt them when they are collected together in their vast herds, which blacken the face of the prairie for miles. Sometimes they form in line, and drive the herd to the edge of some tall cliff, over which they fall in hundreds, those behind pushii^ on those in the van; or sometimes they form a large circle, driving the animals into a helpless and leaderless mass, into which the hunters spring, leaving their horses, and treading with the skill of rope-dancers on the backs of the bewildered bisons, whom they slaughter as they pass, stepping ^m one to the other, and driving the sharp blade of their spear through the spine of the animal whose back they have just quitted. When only wounded the Bison is a most dangerous antagonist, and rushes on its enemy with the most determined ferocity." The Eastern Bison lives in the forests of Bialowesha in Lithuania under the protection of the Czar of Russia. The numbers are much smaller than those of North-America but they are said to be more fierce. hate No. n MILES' NATURAL HISTORY. ZEBRA I Equus veCira I ■ ■ ^^^^SSI imi^^i HHRRI J , H-PW*"' ■♦■^'iiV^ ^!n^^^^H ^^^^^^^Hft ■• *> ; .'.>;.' •.;V{.>j^^^ ^iH^^H I^^^^^B<^3^^^^^^^^^^^^^l '^ ^^H 1 1 HH BISON BBI (Bison Americanus) I i !N THE BUFFALO. 213 The BtiflUo. The Buffalo, which must not be confused with the Bison, is similar in appearance to an ox, which it often exceeds in size. It has no hump on its shoulder as the Bison has, but it has much longer horns, horns that often measure three feet in length, and is much fiercer in their use. The Indian Buffalo will attack the hunter when it is brought to bayi and unless the hunter can despatch him as he approaches, there is no chance for him at close quarters. These Buffaloes, however, may be tamed and are often trained to and employed in useful service. Hunting th» Captain Brown gives the followmg account of Indian a Buffalo hunt which took place at Keshennagar, ^^^^Bf^' in Hindostan, when four gentlemen on horseback chased a herd of seven buffaloes and a calf for a long distance. * After having followed them three miles, the young one separated from the herd, and joined some tame cattle belonging to a neighbouring village. It was killed by the party, who after- wards continued the pursuit of the old ones, when they were overtaken in a high grass jungle four miles farther off. They were quickly driven from this place, and closely followed for more than six miles over a plain: at length the party succeeded in separating one buffalo from the herd. Here the encounter began. After receiving several wounds, he still continued his flight; he suddenly halted, and kept his pursuers at bay; after a short interval he again fled, and was pursued and woimded as before, carrying the spears sticking in his back and sides for several hundred yards. Lieutenant White, of the 15th Native Infantry, rode up very close to him, threw his spear, and wounded the animal in the loins. His horse being much exhausted, was unable to wheel round before the buffalo turned about and charged with such vigour, that both horse and rider were overthrown, and lay many yards distant. Fortunately, the lieutenant received no material injury ; and when the anunal approached he had the presence of mind to lie flat on his ?)ack. The beast approached, but 214 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. Stood at his feet, without offering any violence. The othei sportsmen called repeatedly to their companion to arise and escape. For some time, however, he disregarded the advice, fearful of the consequences; at length, in compliance with their entreaty, he arose; the buffalo instantly rushed forward, but Mr. White escaped by throwing himself down; while the enraged beast, missing his aim, fell on the ground, his horns grazing Mr. White's back, as he passed over him. After this lucky escape, he seized the favourable opportunity, and regained his horse. The buffalo then took refuge in a tank ; and when his former opponent joined his companions, who were standing upon the bank, the animal issued forth, and selecting Lieutenant White for the object of its vengeance, pursued him to a considerable distance. The animal was now rendered quite furious, and attacked everything within his reach, such as cows and dogs. Unfortunately, an old woman returning from market passed, and became the vie- tim of his rage; she was taken up without any appearance of life, having her arms broken, and many wounds. The cavalry being, from fatigue, hors de comda/, could not renew the attack; and the buffaloes, whose system was retreat, having gained a victory, now continued their course without mol- estation. " The Ospe The Cape Buffalo is the fiercest of the Bull Buffalo, family. He v/ill charge a lion or a tiger and often come off vicior in the strife. According to Mr. Pringle he is considerably larger than the domestic ox; the bony pad on his forehead making a complete helmet, and it is im- possible to pierce him with bullets which have not been hardened by tin. He is said to be fierce, treacherous, and savage ; and even when not provoked, to attack any man who strays near his haunts, skulking in the jungle when he sees him approach, and then suddenly rushing out upon him. Having tossed his enemy to his heart's content or thrown him down, he will trample and gore him, teaiing off his skin with THE CAPE BUFFALO. 2»5 his tongue, until he is shockingly mutilated. He is one of the few animals which seem to cherish the spirit of revenge. Hunting the Mr. Pringle gives the following description of OftpeBufEUo. a Cape Buffalo hunt. "A party of boers had gone out to hunt a herd of buffaloes which were grazing on a piece of marshy ground. As they could not get within shot of tlie game witiiout crossing part of the marsh, which was not safe for the horses, they agreed to leave them in charge of the Hottentots, and advance on foot, thinking that if any of the buffaloes should turn upon them, it would be easy to escape by retreating across the quagmire, which, though passable for man, would not support the weight of a heavy quadruped. They advanced accordingly, and, under a covert of the bushes, approached the game with such advantage that the first volley brought down three of the fattest of the herd, and so severely wounded the great bull leader that he dropped on his knees, bellowing furiously. Thinking him mortally wounded, the foremost of the huntsmen issued from the covert, and began reloading his musket as he advanced to give him a finishing shot. But no soorer did the infuriated animal see his foe in front of him, than he sprang up and rushed headlong upon him. The man, throwing down his heavy gim, fled towards the quagmire; but the beast was so close upon him that he despaired of escaping in that direction, and turning suddenly round a clump of copsewood, began to climb an old mimosa tree which stood at one side of it. The raging beast, however, w£is too quick for him. Bound- ing forward with a roar which my informant described as being one of the most frightful sounds he ever heard, he caught the unfortunate man with his terrible horns just as he had nearly escaped his reach, and tossed him into the air with such force that the body fell, dfeadfuUy mangled, into a cleft of the tree. The buffalo ran round the tree once or twice, apparently looking for the man, until, weakened with loss of blood, he again sank on his knees. The rest M^ ! 2l6 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. of the party, recovering from their confusion, then came up and despatched him, though too late to save their comrade, whose body was hanging in the tree quite dead." The Zebu. The Zebu is found in India, China, Arabia, Persia and Africa. It is of about the same size as a cow, but is distinguished by the possession of a hump upon its shoulders, giving it some resemblance to the Bison. It is used both for riding and driving in India, where it admirably serves the purposes of a horse, travelling at the rate of six miles an hour for many hours at a stretch and leaping obstacles with the facility of a practised hunter. It is also used for plough- ing land and threshing corn. The Yak. The Yak belongs to Western Thibet. It is of singular appearance, having the head of a bull and the hump of a Bison, and being covered with long hair reaching almost to the ground. In a wild state it is savage and dangerous, but it is brought under cultivation by the Tartars, who use it as a beast of burden and make ropes and garments from its hair. The female yields rich milk from which excellent butter is made ; butter which is stored in bladders from which the air is excluded. It is then carried to market by the faithful animal which has produced it. The Antelopes. The Antelopes are numerous in kind and various in form, too numerous and various to be separately described. The Eland, the largest and heaviest of the species, belongs to South Africa; the Bosch-bok, to South and Central Africa, the Harnessed Antelope to West Africa; and the Nylghau to India. The Leucoryx and the Addax are found in North Africa, the Equine Antelopes in tropical Afnca and the Cape. The Pallah herds in South Africa. The Prong-homed Antelope belongs to North America, inhabiting the Rocky Mountains and the districts both north and south. The Bay Antelope is found on the Gold Coast, the Four-homed Antelope in India. The Gnu or Wildebeest belongs to South Africa and the Chamois and the Izard to the J^rrenees. THE SHEEP /iND THE GOAT. 217 Th« OMelle. The Gazelle, of which there are numerom spedes, belongs to Syria, Egypt and Algeria. It is a beautiful animal, resembling a roebuck, but more delicately and finely limbed, with hair equally short, but finer and more glossy. It has a small tuft of hair on each of its fore limbs. Of all animals in the world, gazelles are said to have the most beautiful eyes — extremely brilliant, and yet meek and expressive. Their swiftness is equal to that of the roe; they do not, however, bound forward like the roe, but run along in an even imin- terrupted course. Most of them are brown upon the back, white under the belly with a black stripe separating these colours. Their horns are annulated or ringed round. The Sheep The sheep, so useful to man, furnishing him and the Goat, ^ith both food and clothing, is one of the most defenceless and inoffensive of all animals. The goat is more hardy, more playful, lively, and vagrant than the sht'^p. It delights in climbing precipices, for which nature has fitted it, by giving it hoofs hollow underneath, with sharp edges, so that it walks securely on narrow ridges. Both animals have been ki.own from the earliest times, and are frequently men- tioned in the Sacred Writings. Of the diflferent kinds of sheep, the common sheep, the long-tailed sheep and the Wallachian sheep are typicjil varieties. The common sheep provides us with our chief supplies of wool. The wool of the Spanish sheep (the merino) is finer in quality, but much less in quan- tity. The long-tailed sheep belongs to Syria and Egypt, and the Wallachian sheep to Crete, Wallachia, Hungary, and Western Asia. This last has long horns, and its wool is mixed with hair. The muiik sheep of Arctic America resembles the yak somewhat in appearance, though minus the hump and with horns more resembling those of the buffalo. It is some- times called the musk ox. The goat is not much used in England, but it is practically the cow of Syria and Switzerland. The Cashmir goat produces the fine wool so much valued for shawl material ; the kid, the materials so laigely used by the I 2l8 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. glove makers. The ibex belongs to the Carpathians, the Pyrenees, and the Savoy Alps, though it is now but rarely found in places where it was once abundant. Thelnteiiig- ^^' ^' ^' ^* ^^"8^*°** ^^^ ^'^ interestmg enoe of the story of a ewe, bred in the neighbourhood of Sheep. Edinburgh who was driven into Perthshire, a distance of upwards of a hundred miles, to a place where she became the mother of a lamb. Not liking her new quarters, she evidently determined to revisit the old, and set off with that purpose, taking her lamb with her. Arrived at Stirling she found the place alive with the excitement of an annual fair. Not deeming it prudent to increase the excite- ment she rested on the north side of the town throughout the day, where she was noticed by many people, but molested by none. Early the following morning she crossed tlie town and proceeded on her journey. Arrived at the toll bar of St. Ninians, she was stopped by the toll keeper who supposed her to be a stray sheep. Unable to get through the gate, she turned back, made a circuitous detour and reached her old home after a journey of nine days. Her former owner rewarded her by repurchasing her and allowing her to remain on his farm until her death, which occurred at the mature age of seventeen years. The sense of locality noticed in the cat, the dog, the horse, and other animals is here seen to be characteristic of the sheep. Mr. Kingston tells another story of a ewe who, unable to extricate a lamb which had become entangled in a hedge, made her way through several hedges into a neighbouring field and fetched a ram to its assistance, thus effecting its liberation. Sheep have also been known to seek and secure the assistance of cattle when in difficulty. Bheep and Haydn the composer tells a pretty story of the Musio. power of music over the mountain sheep in the neighbourhood of Lago Maggiore in Lombardy. "Having reached the middle of the ascent by daybreak," he says, "we stopped to contemplate the Borromean IsleSj which were »*»■;■ THE ELEPHANT. 219 displayed under our feet, when we were siurounded by a flock of sheep, which ^^ '.re leaving their fold to go to pasture. One of our party, who was no bad performer on the flute, and who always carried the instruiaent with him, took it out of his pocket. 'I am going, saii he, 'to turn Corydon; let us see whether Virgil's, sheep .vill rec ,jnise iheir pastor.' He began to play. The sheep and goat. , vhich were follow- ing one another towards the mount ,ii:t with their heads hanging down, raised them ai i'j first sounc. jf the flute, and all, with a general and histy jiovement, turned t") the side ficom whence the agreeable noise proceeded, The> g au ually flocked round the musician, and listened with motionless attention. He ceased playing, and the sheep did not stir. The shepherd with his staff nc v obliged them to move on ; but no sooner did the fluter begin again than his innocent auditors again returned to him. The shepherd, out of patience, pelted them with clods of earth ; but not one of them would move. The fluter played with additional skill ; the shepherd fell into a passion, ^ aistled, scolded, and pelted the poor creatures with stones. Such as were hit by them began to march, but the others still refused to stir. At last the shep- herd was forced to entreat our Orpheus to stop his magic sounds; ih.Q siieep then moved off, but continued to stop at a distance as often as our friend resiuned the agreeable instrument. As music was our continual employment, we were delighted with our adventure ; we reasoned upon it the whole day, and concluded that physical pleasure is the basis of all interest in music." ORDER VIII. Of ^® elephant there is now but one genus Thib Elephant and two species ; respectively the Indian anc the Afirican varieties. At least fourteen species are known to be extinct. The elephant is the largest of the quadrupeds; his height is from eight to fourteen feet; his length is ten to fifteen feet. His form resembles that of a hog; his eyes arc small I 220 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. and lively; his ears are broad, long, and pendulous. He has two large tusks, and a trunk or proboscis at the extremity of the nose, which he uses to take his food with, and, in case of necessity, for attack or defence. His legs are thick and long, and his feet are divided into five rounded toes. His colour is a dark ash brown. There are elephants, however, of a white or cream colour. The African is dis- tinguished from the Indian variety by th.e size of its ears, which in the African species are veiy large. Dr. Livingstone gave the measurement of the ean of a female he killed, as four feet five inches in depth and four feet in horizontal breadth, and said he had seen a native creep under one so as to be completely covered from the rain. The ear of the Indian variety is not more than a third of this size. Gen- erally the elephants of Africa and especially those of the south are larger than those of India. The most striking characteristic of the elephant is his trunk. " In this," says the Rev. J. G. Wood, "there are about forty thousand muscles, enabliiig the elephant to shorten, lengthen, coil up, or move in any direction this most extraordinary organ. The trunk is pierced throughout its length by two canals, through which liquids can be drawn by suction. If the elephant wishes to drink, after drawing the liquid into its trunk, it inserts the end of its proboscis into its mouth, and discharges the contents down its throat; but if it merely wishes to wash itself or play, it blows the contained liquid from the trunk with great violence. Through the trunk the curious trumpet- like voice of the elephant is produced. At the extremity is a finger-like appendage, with which it can pick up small ob- jects." The elephant is thirty years old before he attains maturity. He lives on foliage, herbs, and fruits, having a spe- cial taste for those which are sweet. The Wild The elephant is naturally a quiet and inoffensive Mephant animal, and being gifted with an unusually keen scent and sense of hearing, will usually decamp on the approach THE WELD ELEPHANT. 221 of danger. If wounded, however, he will sometimes turn upon his aggressor with terrible vengeance. Mr. Burchell, the South African traveller, gives a painful illustration of this. He says:— "Carl Krieger was a fearless hunter, and being an excellent marksman, often ventured into the most dangerous situations. One day having, with his part|r, pursued an elephant which he had wounded, the irritated animal sudderly turned round, and singling out from the rest the person by whom he had been injured, seized him with his trunk, and lifting his wretched victim high in the air, dashed him with dreadful force to the ground. His companions, struck with horror, fled precipitately from the fatal scene, unable to look back upon the rest of the dreadful tragedy; but on the following day they repaired to the spot, where they collected the few bones that could be found, and buried them. The enraged animal had not only literally trampled Krieger's body to pieces, but did not feel its vengeance satisfied till it had pounded the very flesh and bones into the dust, so that nothing of the unfortunate man remained excepting a few of the latter, which made most resistance from their size. " Another ele- phant seized a soldier of the Royal African Corps, threw him down, brought his four feet together and stamped upon him until he was dead; th.en seizing the body with his trunk, threw it into the jvmgle. mephaat Major Skinner in a communication made to TBmOM. Sir E. Tennant gives the following graphic descrip- tion of the actions of a herd of elephants he watched on one occasion in the north of Ceylon. Knowing that from the scarcely of water at that time and place a laige herd of elephants which he knew to be in the neighbourhood must visit a certain pool during the night he made his preparations accordingly. He says: — "Having ordered the fires of my camp to be extinguished at an early hour, and all my fol- lowers to retire to rest, I took up my post of observation on iin overhanging bough ; but I had to remain for upwards of J4i 222 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. two hours before anything was to be seen or heard of the elephants, although I knew they w6re within 500 yards of me. At length, about the distance of 300 yards from the water, an unusually large elephant issued from the dense cover, and advanced cautiously across the open ground to within 100 yards of the tank, where he stood perfectly motionless. So quiet had the elephants become (although they had been roaring and breaking the jungle throughout the day and evening) that not a movement was now to be heard. The huge vidette remained in his position, still as a rock, for a few minutes, and then made three successive stealthy advances of several yards (halting for some minutes between each, with ears bent forward to catch the slightest sound), and in this way he moved slowly up to the water's edge. Still he did not venture to quench his thirst; for though his forefeet were partially in the tank, and his vast body was reflected clear in the water, he remained for some minutes listening in per- fect stillness. Not a motion could be perceived in himself or his shadow. He returned cautiously and slowly to the position he had at first taken up on emerging from the forest. Here in a little while he was joined by five others, with which he again proceeded as cautiously but less slowly than before, to within a few yards of the tank, and then posted his patrob. He then re-entered the forest and collected around him the whole herd, which must have amounted to between eighty and a hundred individuals, led them across the open ground with the most extraordinary composure and quietness till he joined the advance guard, when he left them for a moment and repeated his former reconnaissance at the e(^ ;e of the tank. After which and having apparently satisfy. vii himself that all was safe, he returned and obviously gave che order to advance, for in a moment the whole herd rushed into the water with a degree of unreserved confidence, so opposite to the caution and timidity which had marked their previous movonents, that nothing will ever persuade me that there was THE TAME ELEPHANT. 223 not rationrJ and preconcerted co-operation throughout the whole party, and a degree of responsible authority exercised by the patriarch leader. ■ VTien the poor animals had gained possession of the tank (the leader being the last to enter), they seemed to abandon themselves to enjoyment without restraint or apprehension of danger. Such a mass of animal life I had never before seen huddled together in so narrow a space. It seemed to me as if they would have nearly drunk the tank dry. I watched them with great interest until they had satisfied themselves as well in bathing as in drinking, when I tried how small a noise would apprise them of the proximity of imwelcome neighbours. I had but to break a little twig, and the solid mass instantly took flight like a herd of frightened deer, each of the smaller calves being apparently shouldered and carried along between two of the older ones. In drink- ing, the elephant, like the camel, although preferring water pure, shows no decided aversion to it when discoloured with mud; aiid the eagerness with which he precipitates himself into the tanks and streams attests his exquisite enjoyment of the fresh coolness, which to him is the chief attraction. In crossing deep rivers, although his rotundity and buoyancy enable him to swim with a less immersion than other quad- rupeds, he generally prefers to sink till no part of his huge body is visible except the lip of his trunk through which he breathes, moving beneath the surface, and only now and then raising his head to look that he is keeping the proper direction." Elephant Th:^ affection shown by elephants for each Friendships, other has often had pathetic illustration. Two elephants, male and female, which had been brought separately to Paris, were placed in adjoining apartments divided by a portcullis. The male soon discovered that this was fastened by a bolt well within his reach, and hastily withdrawing it rushed into the other apartment The meeting is described as in- JJ 224 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. describable. Their cries of joy, says Mrs. Bowdich, shook the whole building, and tliey blew air from their trunks resembling the blasts from smiths' bellows. The female moved her ears with great rapidity, and entwined her trunk roumd the body of the male. The male encircled hei with his trunk and shed tears. __ ^ The sagacity of the elephant has been said Elephant's sometimes to equal that of the dog. A striking Sagacity, illustration of it is related in Pettit's work on the Tinnevelly Missions. "While the large chapel at Nagercoil was building the missionaries obtained the loan of a trained elephant for drawing the larger timber used in its erection. The late Mrs. Mault kindly saw the animal regularly fed, lest the food should be stolen by the attendant. One day the allowance of rice seemed very deficient in quantity, and the good lady expostulated on the subject with the keeper. Raising his hands to heaven, the man loudly, and with great apparent earnestness and sincerity, repudiated the idea of his having taken any of the rice. 'Do you think, madam, that I would rob my child? No, never! no more than I would deprive my own children of their daily food. ' While he was speaking and gesticulating, the intelligent creature, slyly extending his trunk, unfastened the man's waist-doth, spilling the missing rice, which had been concealed in a comer of the cloth, and exposing the dishonesty of the attendant" j^ Some years ago there was an elephant who was Oentenarlaa known to be a hundred years old, named Soup- Elephant, ramany, or Old Soup as he was called, who lived upon the banks of the Ganges near the city of Cawn- pore. On one occasion Old Soup was engaged with a num- ber of other elephants and a party of soldiers, under the direction of Major Daly, in loading a ship with bags of rice. While the work was proceeding one of the elephants began to throw the bags into the river, and it was found that the animal had gone mad. Having killed his keeper the elephant THE TAME ELEPHANT. 225 started in pursuit of the major's children who with their nurses had been watching the elephants at work. Old Soup seemed to realize the situation at once. He dashed in be- tween the mad elephant and the children and engaged the infuriated beast in mortal combat. The fight lasted for an hour and a half and when the mad elephant lay dying on the ground it was found that Old Soup had many woimds to remind him of the fray, his ears were badly torn, his head was bruised, and one of his tusks was broken off short. An Elephant Elephants are most affectionate animals and Nune. can be trusted even to take care of children. Old Soup whose gallant fight recorded above gained him great fame, became the daily guardian of Major Daly's children, whom he had so heroically rescued. He would accompany them down to the riverside when they went fishing, and could himself hold a rod and line, which the children baited for him, watching the float and landing the fish as skilfully as an accomplished angler. j^^ As we have seen in the case of a dog and iQephant'a that of a monkey, animals sometimes rise to Intelligenoe. tji^ intelligence of willingly submitting to pain- ful surgical treatment in view of cure. Mr. Kingston tells of an elephant, which had been severely wounded, and which used to go alone to the hospital and extend itself so that the surgeon could easily reach the injured part. Mr. Kingston says: "Though the pain the animal suffered, was so severe that he often uttered the most plaintive groans, he never interrupted the operation, but exhibited every token of sub- mission to the surgeon till his cure was effected. " Another instance given by Mr. Kingston is even more remarkable if , only for its analogy to human conduct. A young elephant had a severe wound in its head, which it had gained on the battle-field. "Nothmg could induce it to allow the injury to be attended to. At length by certain signs and words, the keeper explained to the mother what was wanted. IS 1 ! i ( I i 226 Natural history in anecdote. The sagacious animal immediately seized the young one with her trunk, and though it groaned with agony, held it to the ground, while the surgeon was thus enabled to dress the wound. Day after day she continued to act in the same way till the wound was perfectly healed." There is surely no stronger proof of intelligence than that afforded when present suflfering is willingly endured for the sake of future good. ORDER IX. The Coney is a small animal, but it is an The Ooney. animal of distinction. It has been classed with the Rodents and with the Pachyderms but its characteristics are so unique that it is thought better to give it a separate order, and this is placed between the Elephants and the Rodents. The coney resembles the rabbit in size and general form, perhaps more than any other animal. There are a number of species belonging to one genus, the genus Hyrax : In Psalm civ, 18, the writer nays the rocks are a refuge for the conies, and Agur puts the coney with three other animals which are both little and wise. " The conies are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks (Proverbs xxx, 26). This description applies to the Syrian Hyrax of our day as truly as it did to that of the Psalmists time. The coney is found all over Africa. According to Dr. Kirk it live.<> in colonies at Mozambique, where it is often trapped and eaten. ORDER X "^^ Rodents are more numerous and various The Rodents: ^^^ ^^y other class of mammals : There are Animals said to be 800 or more varieties. These are thatonaw. divided into two sub-orders: I, The Simplici- dentati and, II, the Duplicidentati. Those of the first sub- order have two incisor teeth in the upper jaw ; those of the second have four. The Simplicidentati include mice, rats, jerboas, beavers, squirrels, chinchillas, porcupines, guinea pigs, &c. ; the Duplicidentati includes the numerous varieties of hares and rabbits. ii RATS AND MICE. 227 Bats and Mloe. There are more than 300 varieties of rats and mice, and they are found almost everywhere. The rat is an irrepressible stowaway, and following toothsome cargoes on board ship has made his way nearly all over the world. This may be said, in a less degree, of the mouse. The better known varieties of rats are the Brown Rat, the Black Rat, the Water Rat, the Beaver Rat, the Musk Rat, the. Lemming, the Pouched Rat, &c., &c. The principal varieties of the mouse are, the House Mouse, the Fieldmouse, the Harvest Mouse, the African Mouse and the Dormouse. The Bat The brown rat is the species common in Family. England, and best known throughout the world. It is said to have travelled from Persia to England less than two hundred years ago and to have spread from thence to other countries visited by English ships. It measures about nine inches, and is of a light brown colour. It multiplies very fast and once colonised is very difficult of extermination. It is larger and stronger than the black rat which it found in England when it came and which it has almost entirely destroyed and replaced. The brown rat is often mistaken for the water rat as it will take to the water on occasion and is often found in ditches and watery places. The water rat is common to central and northern Europe and is well known in England and Scotland. It differs little from the brown rat in appearance, and inhabits the banks of rivers and ponds. The black rat is of a deep iron grey, or nearly black. It is about seven inches long and in other respects bears a close resemblance to the brown rat. The beaver rat 18 a native of America and measures about fourteen inches exclusive of tail. It resembles the beaver in form, is fond of the water and swims well. At the approach of winter it builds itself little dome-topped houses, in which it hibernates in families. In the spring its flesh is good eating, but later it acquires a musk-like flavour which is disagreeable. It is easily tamed when young. The Muskovy musk rat is about 228 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. I' '' ji i \ t- I ., 'i I '^ I ' the size of the common rat; it has a long and slender nose; no external ears; and very small eyes; the tail is compressed sideways, and its hind feet are webbed; it is of a dusky colour; the belly is of a light ash. It is a native of Lapland and Russia, in the former of which coimtries it is called the Desman; it frequents the banks of rivers, and feeds on small fish. The Hudson's Bay lemming is covered by veiy fine soft and long hair of an ash colour. In winter it is white. The limbs are quite short and the fore feet being formed for burrowing, are very strong. The Lapland lemming resembles the preceding and is remarkable for its extensive migrations. When a severe winter is approaching, the lem- mings migrate southward, and move in a straightforward direction with such inflexible regularity, that, sooner than deviate from it, they will perish in attempting to pass over any obstacle which they may find in their way. The pouched rat belongs to America and is found in Florida, Geoigia, and Missouri. It is brown in colour and lives in burrows under ground. The cheek pouches are external and are said to be used for the purpose of carrying food and also of removing sand loosened in the process of burrowing. The The hamster is a curious little rat-like animal Hamster, of the thrifty kind, that lajrs up store in the summer for winter use. It lives in burrows which it connects with various apartments, used as storehouses for food. On the approach of the cold weather it closes the entrance to its burrow, and makes a nest of straw in which it sleeps, becoming torpid in extreme cold. Swarms of The rapidity with which rats multiply, makes ''**■• them troublesome and unpleasant neighbours. In the vicinity of the horse slaughter-houses at Montfiaiucon, near Paris, some years ago, they had become so numerous that the proposal to remove the slaughter houses was opposed on the ground of the danger that would accrue to the inhabitants from the rats being deprived of their means THE RAT. 229 of subsistence. It was said that the carcases of thirty-five horses, if left unprotected, would be eaten by these rats in one night, the bones being picked clean. On one occasion, the carcases of three horses were placed in a high walled enclosure, small holes having been made in the walls for the admission of the rats, and subsequently stopped up. Several men armed with torches and sticks, then entered the yard, which was so full of rats that they could strike right and left without aim and yet be sure of destroying them. Two thousand six hundred and fifty rats fell victims to this expe- riment in one night. At the end of a month, the experiment having been several times repeated, sixteen thousand and fifty rats had been killed. The danger accruing from the burrowing of such enormous quantities of rats is by no means slight. Invaded by The story of Bishop Hatto and the invasion Rats. of the " Mausethurm " on the Rhine by rats, is well known if not entirely authentic. Some idea of what it would be to be invaded by rats, may be gathered from Mrs. Bowdich's graphic account of her own painful experiences. "When living in Cape Coast Castle, I used to see the rats come in troops past my door, walking over my black boys as they lay there, and who only turned themselves over to present the other sides of their faces and bodies when the rats returned, and thought it a good joke. The fiercest encounter which I ever had with them was during one of those terrific storms which are more furious between the tropics than elsewhere. I was then, however, under the Equator, in a native hut, and heard an exceeding rustling and movement all around me. To my terror I perceived that these proceeded from a number of rats running up and down the sides of the room in which I was to pass the night, and who shortly b^an to run over me, they being disturbed by the torrents of rain which were then falling. The only weapon I coujd fipd was a shoe, and curling myself into a, 230 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ^1 lax^e arm-chair taken out of a French vessel, and covered with blue satin damask, I sat prepared for my enemies, whom I dreaded much more than the lightning, which was flashing across the iron bars laid upon the floor. I felt that the silk of my place of refuge was some sort of protection against this; but my own arm could alone save me from ray four- footed foes. Presently my husband came in, and saluted me with a shout of laughter, which, however, abated when he saw my antagonists. The storm lulled for a while, and the rats retreated. We then crept within the curtains of bamboo cloth which encircled a rude imitation of a fourpost bedstead, but I kept possession of my shoe. Weary with watching, I closed my eyes, but was awakened by a tremendous flash of lightning, immediately followed by awful thunder and a tumultuous rush of rats. Some of them scrambled up the outside of the curtains; but, arms in hand, I sat up, and directed by the noise, I hurled the invaders to the ground, till a*^ length resistance and the pas^^ing away of the storm allowed me to sleep in peace." This was the brown rat so familiar all over the world. Migrations The habit of rats to migrate in numbers, ap- of Bats, parenlly well ordered, and under leadership, has often been noticed, and the way in which they will leave a burning house or a sinking ship has often been recorded. These companies will as a rule pass on their own way, and mind their own business if unmolested, but instances are recorded of their attacking and severely biting those who have opposed their progress. The Rev. Mr. Ferryman, who resided at Quom in Leicestershire and who made somewhat of a study of rats, was walking in a meadow one evening when he observed a large number of rats in the act of migrating from one place to another. He stood perfectly still, and the whole assem- blage passed close to him. His astonishment, however, was great when he saw amongst the number an old, blind rat, which held one end of a piece of stick in its mouth while THE RAT. 231 another rat had hold of the other end of it, and thus con- ducted its blind companion. fg^ Some remarkable illustrations of the intelligence Intelligenoe of rats have been recorded from time to time. of Bate. The following which occurred recently seems to show both thought and reason. A Burley rat found a dead hen in a field, one evening, and departed to inform his brethren of the discovery, when a gentleman, who afterwards reported the incident to the Leeds Evening Post— removed the pr-e, which the speedy return of half-a-dozen rats was tof lato to secure. The first rat plainly evinced his dis- appointment, but his friends suspected him of hoaxing them, turned upon him suddenly, and in a few moments he was as dead as the chicken which had disappeared, and was left lying on almost the same spot which it had occupied. Captain Brown tells the following story of the ingenuity of the rat in self-preservation. " During the great flood of September, the 4th, 1829, when the river Tyne was at its height, a number of people were assembled on its margin. A swan at last appeared, having a black spot on its plumage, which the spectators were surprised to find, on a nearer approach, was a live rat. It is probable it had been '^ome from its domicile on some hay rick, and, observing the swan, had made for it as an ark of safety. When the swan reached the land, the rat leapt from its back, and scampered away. Saved by » Perhaps no better example of the intelligence *•*• of the rat could be given than that afforded by the incident quoted by Jesse from Mr. Ferryman. Mr. Ferry- man records that he had an old friend, a clergyman, of retired and studious habits. When sitting in his room one day, he saw an English rat come out of a hole at the bottom of the wainscot ; and threw it a piece of bread. In process of time, he so familiarised the animal, that it became per- fectly tame, ran about him, was his constant companion, and appeared much attached to liim. He was in the habit of i I 232 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. reading in bed at night; and was on one occasion awoke by feeling a sharp bite on his cheek, when he discovered the curtains of his bed to be on fire. He made his escape, but his house was burnt down, and he saw no more of his rat. He was, however, convinced, and remained so for the rest of his life, that his old companion had saved him from being burnt to death, by biting his cheek; and thus making him aware of his danger. Tha Mouse. The mouse is a much more popular animal than the rat, though taking its size and numbers into account it is scarcely less destructive. No one weeps when the rat suffers capital pimishment, but many a tear has been shed over a "dear little mouse". The house mouse is too well known to need description. Like rats, mice appear to act in companies, either under leadership or by common consent. Mrs. Bowdich describes a number of mice which she observed during an illness frequently emerge from her bed-room closet and gravely form themselves into a circle and apparently hold a council. That they frequently combine to effect purposes which they are unable to accomplish singly is well known. Mrs. Bowdich describes an attempt made by a combined force of mice to get possession of the dainties provided for her as she approached convalescence. These were placed under tin covers upon a chest of drawers, and the mice were evidently of opinion that if they could only climb to the top of these covers they would find them open like a basin, and so effect an entry. Unable to gain a footing on the smooth metal sides, " they mounted upon each other's shoulders and so accomplished the feat", though like arctic explorers they failed to find an open sea and were compelled to return with disappointment An organised attempt to remove a cover from the bottom, when, on one occasion, it had not been firmly set down, resulted in an accident similar to those incident to human engineering, for the cover slipped and many tiny hands were severely pinched. After this L THE MOUSE. 233 they abandoned their attempts though a single mouse would occasionally reconnoitre the scene, apparently unsatisfied with the defeat. Mice, like many other animals, are said to be much affected by music. rph« The harvest mouse is a most interesting little Harvest creature; whose habits are thus described by Mouse. YVhite of Selbome :-" They build their nest amidst the straws of the com above the ground, and sometimes in thistles. They breed as many as tight at a litter, in a little round nest composed of the blades of grass or wheat. One of these I procured this autumn, most artificially plaited, and composed of the blades of wheat, perfectly round, and about the size of a cricket ball, with the aperture so ingeniously closed that there is no discovering to what part it belonged. It was so compact and well filled that it would roll across the table without being discomposed, though it contained eight little mice that were naked and blind. As this nest was perfectly full, how could the dam come at her litter respectively so as to administer a teat to each? Perhaps she opens different places for that purpose, adjusting them again when the business is over; but she could not possibly be contained, herself, in the ball with her young, which more- over would be daily increasing in bulk. This procreant cradle — an elegant instance of the efforts of instinct— was found in a wheat field, suspended in the head of a thistle." The X4eld There are two kinds of field mice, the long- Mouae. tailed and the short-tailed varieties. The long- tailed field mou;,? is the mouse immortalised by Bums, and is found throughout Europe. The short-tailed variety occupies much the same geographical area, though it probably extends further. The latter are very destractive, and have sometimes increased to such an extent, that oiganised efforts have had to be made to exterminate it The The common dormouse, and the greater dor- Dormouse, mouse are the principal varietiea of this interesting ! I I i li 234 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. little animal. They resemble the squirrel in appearance as well as in some of their habits. They live in trees, where they construct nests, on nuts, acorns, fruits, insects, birds and eggs, and squirrel-like rest upon their hindquarters when eating, holding their food between their forepaws. They lay up store for the winter and become torpid in the cold weather, rolling themselves into a ball, in which condition they may be handled without disturbance or injury. The common dormouse is found all over Europe, the greater dormouse occupying a still more extended area. The Jerboa. Tht Jerboa is a curious little animal with the body of a mouse am! hind legs which resemble those of the kangaroo in appearance. There are several varieties, one belonging to Southern Russia, one to the deserts of Egypt, Nubia, Arabia, Barbary and Tartary, and one to North America. They live in burrows which they construct with great care and industry. They are naturally timid and make for their holes on the slightest disturbance, leaping kangaroo fashion sometimes as high as five feet, and so swiftly as to be very difficult of capture. They have very long tails. The Beaver. There are two species of the beaver, the European beaver, and the American beaver. The former is most niunerous in Siberia, Tartary, and the Caucasus but is also occasionally found in Central Europe. The American beaver is found throughout North America where it is eagerly hunted for the sake of its fur. The European The following anonjrmous paragraph cut from Beaver. a newspaper, but likely enough quoted from some standard Natural History, perhaps that of Messrs. Cassell and Co., throws some light upon the present condition of the European beaver. "There ai'^ still some naturalists who assert that the beaver has ceased to exist in France. This, however, is a mistake; an animal of that species was caught a short time ago in the H^rault, and is now being exhibited at Montpelier. Beavers THE BEAVER. 235 do not live in Europe in large companies or herds as they do in America, but only in solitude, and in this state they haunt secondary rivers, such as the Gard and the Gardon. There are a few on the banks and islands of the Rhone, but as these creatures are averse to noise, the splashing of the steamers plying to and fro has driven most of them away. They give a decided preference to such streams as are over- shadowed by the willow, of the bark of which they are ex- ceedingly fond. The beaver is also to be fotmd as far north as the Saone, in those valleys where there is peat-groimd. It lives in Spain, in Italy, and in Greece, but always solitary and fugitive. This curious animal is not only called Castor Americanus, but also Castor Gallicus, and not without reason, since the fossil remains of the genus are sufficient to attest their, having been very numerous in France at some remote period. The little stream of the Bievre derives its name from its having been the habitat of these creatures; its resemblance to the English name beaver need hardly be alluded to. In Europe this amphibious animal does not build those substantial and commodious dwellings which have ren- dered it so celebrated, because the rapacity and spirit of destruction so common in man have made it suspicious and cautious." Tho American Writing of the American Beaver Dr. Godman Beaver. says : — " Beavers are not particular in the site they select for the establishment of their dwellings, but if in a lake or pond, where a dam is not required, they are careful to build where the water is sufficiently deep. In standing waters, however, they have not the advantage afforded by a current for the transportation of their supplies of wood, whicl:, when they build on a running stream, is always cut higher up than the place of their residence, and floated down. The materials used for the construction of their dams are the trunks and branches of dmall birch, mulberry, willow, and poplar trees. They begin to cut down their timber for build- 236 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ing early in the summer, but their edifices are not commenced until about the middle or latter part of August, and are not completed imtil the beginning of the cold season. The strength of their teeth, and their perseverance in this work, may be fairly estimated by the size of the trees they cut down. Dr. Best informs us, that he has seen a mulberry tree, eight inches in diameter, which had beei. gnawed down by the beaver. The figure of the dam varies according to circum- stances. Should the current be very gentle, the dam is carried nearly straight across ; but when the stream is swiftly flowing, it is uniformly made with a considerable curve, having the convex part opposed to the current. Along with the trunks and branches of trees they intermingle mud and stones, to give greater security ; and when dams have been long undis- turbed and frequently repaired, they acquire great solidity, and their power of resisting the pressure of water and ice is greatly increased by the trees occasionally taking root, and eventually growing up into something of a regular hedge. "The dwellings of the beavej are formed of the same materials as their dams, and are very rude, though strong, and adapted in size to the number of their inhabitants. These are seldom more them four old and six or eight young ones. Double that number have been occF.sionally found in one of the lodges, though this is by no means a very common circumstance. When building their houses, they place most of the wood crosswise, and nearly horizontally, observing no other order vLrn that of leaving a cavity in the middle. Branches which project inward are cut off with their teeth, and thrown among the rest. The houses are by no means built of sticks first and then plastered, but all the materials, sticks, mud, and stones, if the latter can be xnired, are mixed up together, and this composition is employed from the foundation to the summit The mud is obtained from the adjacent banks or bottom of the stream or pond near th& THE SQUIRREL. 237 door of the hut. Mud and stones the beaver always carries by holding them between his fore paws and throat. "Their work is all performed at night, and with much expedition. As soon as any part of the material is placed where it is intended to remain, they turn round and give it a smart blow with the tail. The same sort of blow is struck by them upon the surface of the water when they are in the act of diving. The outside of the hut is covered or plastered with mud late in the autmnn, and after frost has begun to appear. By freezing it soon becomes almost as hard as stone, and effectually excludes their great enemy, the wolverine, during the winter." The BqulrreL The family of the Squirrel is a very large one and with it are included the marmots, the prairie dogs, and the anomalures, the latter of which form a sub-family. The common squirrel, the variety familiar in England, is a pretty little creature with its bright piercing eyes, and knowing look, and its graceful bushy tail. It is one of the most agile of animals, ascending and descending trees with the rapidity of a flash and so sensitive, that it is said that if the tree upon which its nests is only touched at the bottom it takes alarm and seeks safety on another tree. It builds its nests in the forks of bnoiches of trees, — of moss, twigs, and dried leaves, —and leaps great distances from tree to tree. The ground squirrel is characterised by fine longitudinal black bands on its back, which form a very pretty marking. It belongs chiefly to North America. "Itlivesin villages under ground," says an American writer, "and plunders the farmers worse than the gopher. Every two months the ground squirrel breeds and neither State premiums nor strychn' ne diminishes its nimibers. It levies an assessment of thiicy per cent on the profits of a wheat crop in many sections." The flying squirrel, also common in the United States, has a membranous skin which extends from the fore limbs along the body to the hind limbs b} which its body is buoyed up ^38 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. as it descends obliquely through the air from the tree to the ground, the tail operating as a rudder. One species of the flying squirrel is found in Europe and several in India. The Squirrel Mr. Head gives a graphic description of his expe- at Home, riences with a squirrel in the Canadian woods. He says : — " I was waiting the approach of a large flock of wild fowl, but a little villain of a squirrel on the bough of a tree close to me, seemed to have determined that even now I shoad not rest in quiet, for he sputtered and chattered with so much vehemence, that he attracted the attention of my dog, whom I could scarcely control. The vagrant inattention of my dog was truly mortifying; he kept his eyes fix'^d upon the squirrel, now so noisy as to be quite intolerable. With my hand, I made a motion to threaten him, but the little beast actually set up his back, and defied me, becoming even more passionate and noisy than before, till all of a sudden, as if absolutely on purpose to alarm the game, down he let himself drop, plump at once within a couple of yards of Rover's nose. This was too much for any four-footed animal to bear, so he gave a bounce and sprang at the impertinent squirrel, who, in one second, was safe out of his reach, cock- ing his tail, and showing his teeth on the identical bough where he had sat before. Away flew all the wild fowl, and my sport was completely marred. My gim went involuntarily to my shoulder to shoot the squirrel. At the same moment, I felt I was about to commit an act of sheer revenge^ on a little courageous animal which deserved a better fate. As if aware of my hesitation, he nodded his head with rage, and stamps: ~ his fore paws on the tree : while in his chirruping, there was an intonation of sound, which seemed addressed to an enemy for whom he had an utter coiitempt. What business, I could fancy he said, had I there, trespassing on his domain, and frightening his wife and little family, for whom he was ready to lay down his life? There he would 'WeWHWtflKl JfWCnWWii*. -r THE SQUIRREL. 239 sit in spite of me, and make my ears ring with the sound of his war whoop, till the spring of life should cease to bubble in his little heart" Tame Captain Brovn tells of a gentleman who had a Bqulrreis. tame squirrel, who used to run up his legs and enter his pc^cket when he saw him preparing to go out. From this safe retreat the squirrel often poked his head and peeped at the people as they passed, but never ventured to emerge until the crowded thoroughfares were passed. When they reached the outskirts of the city, however, the squirrel leaped to the groimd, ran along the road, ascended trees and hedges, with the quickness of lightning, and nibbled at the leave* and bark. If the gentleman walked on, it would descend, scamper after him, and again enter hfs pocket. On hearing a carriage or cart, it became much alarmed, and alway? hid itself till it had passed by. This gentleman had a dog, between which and the squirrel a certain enmity existed. Whenever the dog lay asleep, the squirrel would show its teasing disposition, by rapidly descending from its box, scampering over the dog's body, and quickly mounting to its box again. Another squirrel who frequented his master's pocket, on one occasion rendered important service. One evening, as was his practice, when his master's coat was taken off and hung behind a door, the squirrel ran up the door anJ took up his quarters in the familiar pocket, carrying with him li supply of tow with which to make himself comfortable for tliC night. After all the family had retired to rest, a burglar made his appearance, eflfected an entrance, and proceed'jd to examine the pockets of the coat hanging to the door Putting his hand rather unceremoniously into the squinel's bedroom the robber received such a sharp and unexpected bite that he could not forbear to cry out and the master of the house, aroused by the unusual sound, entered the room, armed with a poker, just in time to secure the thief as he was escaping through the window. 240 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. .^ ,, ^ Mannots are found in the northern parts of The Marmot. _ The Bobak. both the old and the new worlds. The Bobak The Prairie belongs to southern Russia, the Prairie Dog to ^°*' North America and the Woodchuck to Canada. The marmot is easily tamed and is familiar to many from being made the companion of itinerant Savoyards who exhibit them when asking alms. The Bobak is also readily' amen- able to kindness. All these animals live in burrows and are exceedingly interesting in their habits. The anomalure is a squirrel with a membranous skin resembling to some extent that of the flying squirrels and used by it for the same pur- pose. It belongs to Fernando Po. The The Chinchilla is about nine inches long, its Ohinohiiia. tail being about five inches. Its eyes are full, like those of the rabbit, its hind legs are long, its fore ones short. It sits upon its haunches, and takes its food in its fore paws. It is found in Chili and Peru, and inhabits the open country, living in burrows, and subsisting on the roots of bulbous plants^ which are abundant in those regions. Great numbers of them are killed for their skins, which furnish the most delicate and beautiful of furs. The Alpine Viscacha Fnd the Viscacha of the Pampas, are included in the same faniily. The The Porcupine is fotmd throughout Africa and Pwoupine. southern Asia and also in the south of Europe. *Les3 completely covered with weapons of defence thvin the hedgehog, *' says Captain Brown, •• the porcupine possesses them in greater strength, for its formidable quills are capable of inflicting severe wounds. When irritated or in danger it raises its quills on its back ; but it is though fretful, not fierce in disposition but easily tamed." When cornered the por- cupine turns its back to its assailant, who usually wounds himself by coming in contact with the quills. The porcupine lives in burrows by itself; it is a lonely animal. The Cavies and the Agouti of America are classified with this family. HARES AND RABBITS. 241 arts of Bobak Dog to Canada. ly from exhibit amen- and are ire is a ! extent me pur- long, its are full, )rc ones )d in its ibits the he roots I regions, h furnish '/iscacha he same frica and Europe, than the )OSsesses capable anger it lot fierce |the por- wounds lorcupine e Cavies fauiiiy. Among the former is the Capybara, the largest of the rodents, an animal which attains to from three to four feet in length. It belongs to Brazil, Guinea, and Paraguay. The Canadian porcupine, and the Brazilian porcupine, are tree porcupines and are only found in America. The Qvlner The Guinea Pig {Cavia Cobaya) is said to be ^«- the domestic form of the Cavia Aperea of Brazil and Peru. It derives its name from its supposed place of origin, as it was said to have been first introduced into England from Guinea, It is tailless, but clean and neat in ap- pearance, being marked with black, white, and orange colours. It is said to lack intelligence and to be destitute of attach- ment, suffering its young to be destroyed without resistance. Perhaps this is due to the fact that it has so many ; it breeds at intervals of two months and produces from three to twelve young ones at a birth. Hares and We come now to the second sub-order of the Rabbits. Rodents or animals that gnaw, the Duplicidentcti, the rodents having four incisor teeth in the upper jaw. This brings us to the Hares and Rabbits, of which there are nu- merous species, the Common Hare, the Irish or Mountain Hare and the Common Rabbit being the best known. The Irish or Mountain Hare is somewhat larger than the common hare and changes from brown to white in the winter. The Sardinian, the Egyptian, the Polar, and the Sage hares are other varieties. iphe The Common Hare is a familiar animal and Oommon needs no description. It is found throughout ^*'"* Europe and is well known in England. The hare hides during the day under cover of low foliage, ferns, and the imdergrowth of preserves, in spots known as 'forms'. Its habit of making a definite track from its form to its feeding grounds and of always following its own track makes it an easy sacrifice to those who know its ways. It is exceedingly s^^idt in iti movements, and it is well that it is so, for its 16 -jii. 242 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. ■■ii4 only safety is in flight and in the sagacity and cunning it shows in eluding its pursuers. Many illustrations of the latter have been recorded. Fouilloux mentions a hare which he saw start from its form at the sound of a hunter's horn, run towards a pool of water at a considerable distance, plunge in and swim to some rushes in the middle, and there lay down and conceal itself from the pursuit of the dogs. Another hare, when closely pressed passed under a gate, the dogs leaping over it. The hare quickly perceived the advantage it had gained by this, and so doubled, returning under the gate, the dogs following over it as before. This was repeated several times imtil taking advantage of the exhaustion of the dogs the hare escaped. The hare will often run perfectly straight while in view of the hounds, but immediately on gaining the slightest cover will double, and redouble with astonishing rapidity^, apparently to confuse the scent. ^^ The following anecdote seems to show remark- mtoiligesioe £tble intelligence on the part of a hare. It is of the from a statement made by Mr. Yarrell in the " Magazine of Natural History " : — " A harbour i of great extent on our southern coast has an island near the middle, of considerable size, the nearest point of which is a mile distant from the mainland at high water, and with which point there is frequent communication by a ferry. Early one moniing in spring two hares were observed to come do\i-n from the hills of the mainland towards the seaside, one of which from time to time left its companion, and proceeding to the very edge of the water, stopped there a minute or two, and then returned to its mate. The tide was rising, and after waiting some time, one of them, exactly at high water, took to the sea, and swam rapidly over, in a straight line, to the oppositif^ projecting point of land. The observer on this occasion, who was near the spot, but remained unperceived by the hares, had no doubt that they were of different sexes, and that it was the male — like another Lran- S MONOTREMATA. 249 he generally himself falls a sacrifice, after a long and hard struggle. Notwithstanding the courage and ferocity of the kangaroo, when pressed, he is otherwise extremely timid, and more easily domesticated than any wild animal with which I am acquainted. The smaller ones are frequently quite as swift as a hare; and I have sometimes seen them outstrip the fleetest dogs.** Young and inexperienced dogs are almost sure to fall victims to the sharp claw and powerful hind leg of the kangaroo, with one stroke of which he will rip the dog open and let his entrails out. ORDER XIII. The order Monotremata includes two fami- Uonotwmsta. lies, the Omithorhynchida and the Echidni-