Mil! LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, C^rig^t %r UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. -■.■'■...■>■■ : . V*:rv;; ■■■■" .--■/.■■■,■ . i "•■'-■..;',: v~-j>. :' ■■ v?v : .^ ■■, . T -. \. - --S^l ■m t*M*^ m %!^9 -«s >? ^' v^;7^ Virainia ©possums. FRIEND^FOE FROM Field and Forest A NATURAL HISTORY :m: jl m m jl iv i ^ Arranged According to the [Most Approved [Methods of Leading Scientists. 'Devoid of Technical Terms and Suited to the Wants of Young People. ILLUSTRATED WITH NEARLY THREE HUNDRED SPIRITED DRAWINGS BY LEADING ARTISTS. TOGETHER WITH Eight Full Page Lithographs Printed in Colors. Edited by MRS. GRACE TOWNSEND. 3T0N> CHICAGO, PHILADELPHIA, STOCKTON, CAL. La. P. MILLER & COMPANY, COPYRIGHTED BY L. P. MILLER & CO. 1890. Vo INTRODUCTORY. f^ NIMALS possess a sort of fascination for nearly all classes of people. Their natural history has H£ always been a most instructive subject, and its ^ popularity increases year after year. It is a S^ branch of knowledge which is entertaining at [A v ; every age, and it is a favorite study with men 5gp^ of every race and country, and of every intel- lectual capacity. All children delight in hav- ing their little tasks associated with pictures of animals, and the alphabet is learned all the more readily by its being illustrated with spirited drawings of household pets and the terrible creatures of the woods. The marvels of the intelligence of the dog and horse are inexhaust- ible sources of delight to young readers ; and there are few greater pleasures than those which are felt when living animals, whose descriptions and habits have been the subject of instruction and amusement, are seen in some large menagerie or zoo- logical garden. On the whole it is probable that few books are so interesting to young men and women as those which relate to animals, and it is their study which, in the majority of instances, leads to the desire for further knowledge of natural history. The young student soon begins to yearn for information regarding the manner in which different creatures live; how some breathe air ; how others live in water; how it is that some fly, while others crawl; and he desires to connect the peculiar construction of animals with their method of life. Or he may be content with endeavoring to understand the names of animals, and the reasons why they are arranged or classified in a particular manner by scientific men. As years roll on, if the interest in natural history has not diminished, the man INTRODUCTORY. with increasing intelligence and scope of reading, masters the knowledge desired in his youth, and has the opportunity, should he care to grasp it, of the highest intellectual enjoyment. He can enter into the consideration and discussion of the mysterious problems of life ; of its origin ; of the reasons why animals differ ; why they are distributed here and there, or limited in their position in the world ; what connection there may be among those of the past and of the present, and of the relation between the creation and the Creator. In whatever direction we turn our eyes, we everywhere meet the varied forms of animal life. Earth, air, water are all alike occupied by multitudes of living creatures, each fitted especially for the habitation assigned to it by nature. Every wood or meadow — nay, every tree or shrub, or tuft of grass — has its inhabitants. Even beneath the surface of the ground, numbers of animals may be found ful- filling the purposes for which their species were called into existence. Myriads of birds dash through the air, supported on their feathered pinions, or solicit our attention by the charming songs which they pour forth from their resting places ;. while swarms of insects, with still lighter wings, dispute with them the empire of the air. The waters, whether salt or fresh, are also filled with living organisms ; fishes of many forms and varied colors, and creatures of yet more strange appearance, swim silently through their depths, and their shores are covered with a profusion of polypes, sponges, star fishes and other animals. The study of these varied forms of life should prov^ a fascinating one and it is with the hope of rendering it still more attractive, that the editor and publishers have undertaken the production of this volume descriptive of animals belonging to the great class Mammalia. The book has been prepared with special reference to the wants of young readers and those possessing a limited knowledge of natural history as a science. To this end, wherever possible, technical and scientific terms have been carefully avoided. The division into the natural orders has been ob- served, but the many subdivisions have been omitted. It is to be hoped that this course, while impairing the book from a scientific standpoint, will yet render the text more readable, and at the same time stimulate the desire for a more thorough knowledge pertaining to the subjects herein contained. IN TROD UCTOR Y. THE MAMMALIA. The term Mammalia is a name given to all those animals that bring forth their young alive and suckle them. They vary greatly in size, shape, appearance, man- ner of living and mode of locomotion. Within the class are included the monster elephant and the tiny mouse ; the whale living entirely in the water and the bat living almost as exclusively in the air above the earth ; the giraffe, with extended neck and eyes that command a wide expanse of country, and the mole burying itself beneath the earth's surface and with eyes so minute that their existence for ages was denied. Yet all these varied forms are constructed on the same general plan. In the limbs are tue greatest differences seen. The regular number is four and for this reason the class is sometimes called quadrupeds or four-footed animals. It must not be forgotten however, that all four-footed creatures do not belong to the mammalia. Some reptiles walk on four limbs, while in some of the true mam- malia, as in the whale, the hind limbs are only rudimentary in form. The fore limbs also vary greatly ; the hand of the ape, the claw of the cat and the hoof of the horse may serve as examples. There are other and many very striking differences, but these we will leave for the naturalist to explain, the object of this book being to give a general rather than a specific description of the animals of this class. For the purpose of comparison the mammalia have been divided by naturalists into thirteen great orders, these orders have been again subdivided and the process of division repeated until like animals have been brought together into families ; when their physical structures, natures and habits may be easily studied and compared. Beginning with the highest in the scale of animal life (save man) the division is as follows: Order I. — Quadrumana. Order VIII.— Proboscidea. " II. — Chiroptera. " III. — Insectivora. " IV. — Carnivora. V.— Cetacea. " VI. — Sirenia. " VII.— UXGULATA. IX.- — Hyracoidea. X. — RODENTIA. XI, —Edentata. XII, — Marsupalia. XIII.- -MONOTREMATA. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. THE APES AND MONKEYS. The World of Monkeys — General Distribution — General Forms — Degrees of Intelligence — Resemblance to Man — Distinction between the Old World and New World Monkeys— General Divisions 24 CHAPTER II. THE MAN-LIKE APES. The Gorilla — Where Found— General Description — Modes of Life— Great Strength — Stories of the Gorillas as Told by the Explorer DuChaillu 39 CHAPTER III. MAN-SHAPED MONKEYS— Continued. The Nschiego Mbouve - Its Nests and Habits — A Specimen Shot — Differences between it and the Gorilla — The Koolo Kamba— Meaning of the Name — Discovered by DuChaillu — Its Outward Appearance — The Soko — Discovered by Livingstone — The Chimpanzee— In Captivity — Resemblance to Man — Traits of Character — General Remarks on the Group — The Orang Utan — Their Nests, Habits, Food and Localities — The Intelligence and Habits of the Young 63 CHAPTER IV. MAN-SHAPED MONKEYS— Continued. The Siamang— Special Peculiarities — The Gibbon — Where Found — Its Appearance and Habits — TheHoo- look — Its Habits in Captivity — The Wooyen Ape — Its General Appearance — The Agile Gibbon — Reason of its Name — General Comparison of the Great Apes 71 CHAPTER V. THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS. General Characteristics of the Old World Monkeys— The Black Crested Monkey— General Characteris- tics— The Negro Monkey — Hunted forits P'ur — The Long-Nosed Monkey— Quaint Appearance — The Sacred Monkeys — The Hoonuman Monkey — Held in Veneration by the Hindoos — Legends about It — The Douc Monkey — Shape and Appearance — The Ceylon Wanderoo— Its Character- istics— The Colobos — General Characteristics of the Genus — The Guereza — Un-Monkey-Like Appearance — The Guenons — Frequently Seen in Menageries — Their Terror of Snakes — Beauty of Their Skins— The Diana Monkey— An Interesting Description — The White-Nosed Monkey — The Talapoin— A Pretty Little Creature — The Red Monkey— The Mangabey— Singular Appear- ance — The Macaques — The Bhunder — Tales of Their Sagacity— The Moon Monkey — The Wanderoo— Habits in Captivitv. 101 7 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS— Continued. The Baboons — General Characteristics — The Sacred Baboon — Their Thieving Propensities— Cleverness Amounting to Reason — The Chacma — Its Ferocity in Captivity — The Common Baboon— Often Found in Captivity — The Mandrill — Brutality of Disposition — The Black Baboon— But Little Known of its Habits 120 CHAPTER VII. THE NEW WORLD MONKEYS. How Distinguished from Those of the Old World— The Howlers — Their Peculiar Cry — The Caparro — The Spider Monkeys— Their Wonderful Agility — The Coaita— Stories Told of Their Intelligence — The Capuchins— Their Habits Observed— Their Clever Ways— The Squirrel Monkey— Their Affectionate Disposition — The Douroucouli — The Saki— The Marmosets — Gentle Little Crea- tures — The Midas Argent atum — Deville's Midas 144 CHAPTER VIII. THE LEMUROIDA. Their Distinctive Characteristics— Great Activity — The Diadem Indris— Madagascar its Home The Woolly Lemur — General Characteristics — The Ring-Tailed Lemur — A Pretty Creature Often Seen in Captivity— The Mongoose Lemur — In Captivity — The Black Lemur— Docile and Affec- tionate in Captivity — The Ruffled Lemur — Their Peculiar Cry — The Senegal Galago — Their Habits, Homes and Food — The Maholi Galago— A Charming Little Creature- Monteiro's Galago— A Very Handsome Animal— The Angwantibo — The Slow Loris — Habits and Method of Securing Food — The Slender Loris— Its Droll Look— The Malmag— Curious Superstitions Regarding Them — The Aye-Aye— One of the Strangest of Animals 161 CHAPTER IX. WING-HANDED ANIMALS. One of ^Esop's Fables — Opinions of the Ancients Regarding the Bats — Their True Position in the Order of Animal Life— Interesting Experiments — Food and Habits — The Fruit Eating Bats — Their Resorts— The Indian Flying Fox— The Maned Bats— Hammer-Headed Bats— The Insectiv- orous Bats— Horseshoe Bats— Diadem Bats— The Lyre Bats— The African Megaderm— The Long-Eared Bat— The Barbastelle— The Noctule— The New Zealand Bat— The Collared Bat — Blainville's Bat — The Vampire — Some Fallacies Regarding It 182 CHAPTER X. INSECT EATING ANIMALS. Functions of the Insect Eaters— Their Peculiarities— The Tana— Low's Ptilocerque— An Elegant Creature— The Rhynchocyon— A Very Rare Animal— The Hedgehog— Its Characteristics — Exemp- tion from the Effect of Poisons— Habit of Rolling up in Captivity -The Bulau— The Tanrec— The Agouti— The West African River Shrew — The Common Mole— Method of Burrowing— Its Home Described— The Star Nosed Mole— The Water Shrew 198 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XI. FLESH EATING ANIMALS. The Carnivora— Natural Divisions — Their Distribution over the Surface of the Globe — General Charac- teristics — Relation to Man — Their Forms and Habits — The Cat Family — The Liox — Its Haunts — Varieties of the Lion — Its Courage, Speed and Strength — Its Roar — Interesting Stories of Its Life and Capture — The Cubs and their Education — The Tiger — Its Color, Size, Distribution, Etc. — Habits of the Tiger— How Hunted — Native Superstitions — The Leopard — External Characteristics — The Jaguar — Its Fondness for Negroes — The Puma — Method of Hunting the Puma — The Ounce — The Clouded Tiger — The Ocelot — The Marbled Tiger Cat — The Jaguarondi — The Eyra— The Serval— The Bay Cat — The Domestic Cat - Historical Sketch — Uses of Whiskers — Fondness for Poaching — Love of Offspring— The Foster Mother —The Angora Cat — Strange Friendships with Birds — The European Lynx— The Canadian Lynx — The Caracal — The Cheetah — A Half Domesticated Animal — The Hyenas — External Characteristics — Laughing Pro- pensities — Natural Cowardice— The Aard Wolf — The Civet Family — The African Civet — The Ichneumon— The Binturong 263 CHAPTER XII. THE DOG FAMILY. The Domestic Dog — Its Fidelity and Love — Antiquity of the Dog — Anecdotes about Reason — Instinct, Docility, Etc. — The Hare Indian Dog— The Eskimo Dog— The Greenlanders Dependent on Its Existence— The Grayhound - The Water Spaniel — The Poodle — The St. Bernard Dog — The Newfoundland Dog — His Great Intelligence — The Sheep Dog — The Bloodhound— The Setter — The Pointer — The Badger Dog — The Bull Dog— The Mastiff — Pariah Dogs — The Dingo — The Indian Wild Dog — The Wolf — Historical Account — Characteristics — Habits — Destructiveness— The North American Wolf — The Coyote, or Prairie Wolf — The Jackal — The Common Fox — The Arctic Fox 299 CHAPTER XIII. THE BEAR FAMILY. Characteristics of the Bear Family — The Brown Bear — Habit of Hibernating — Diet — Moral Character- istics— The Black Bear — Superstitions of the Indians Regarding it — The Grizzly Bear — Its Great Strength and Ferocity — The Malayan Bear— The Sloth Bear — The Polar Bear — Its Great Size — Habits— Method of Hunting — The Raccoon Family — The Raccoon — Its Habit of Washing its Food — The Coati — The Panda— The Weasel Family — The Glutton— The Marten — The Sable — The Weasel- The Polecat— The Ferret— The Mink— The Ratel — The Badger— The Skunk — The Otter — Its Aquatic Habits— The Sea Otter — Its Affinities with the Seals — How Hunted 328 CHAPTER XIV. THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. The Walrus - General Appearance — Habits — Intelligence — The Northern Fur Seal — History — Their Plome Life in the Pribyloff Islands— The Patagonian Sea Lion —The Falkland Island fur Seals— The New Zealand Fur Seal— The Common Seal — The Greenland Seal— The Crested Seal — The Elephant Seal 340 10 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XV. THE WHALES, DUGONG, ETC. Characteristics of the Whale — The Sperm Whale— General Description — Methods of Capture — The Pilot Whale — The Narwhal — Singular Horn or Tusk — Habits — The Greenland Whale — The Bis- can Whale — Whale Hunting— The California Gray Whale— The Dugong — The Manatee... 353 CHAPTER XVI. ELEPHANTS.— CONIES. Antiquity of the Elephant — The Indian Elephant— Size — Range — Habits — Modes of Capture — Use as Beasts of Burden— White Elephants— The African Elephant— Size of --Ears— Tusks — Habits and Haunts —Stories of its Caoture — Fossil Elephants — The Mammoth— Conies , 366 CHAPTER XVII. HOOFED QUADRUPEDS. The Horse Family — First Domestic Horses in Europe — Used as Food — The Mustang— Origin of the Mus- tang — Mode of Capture — The Arabian Horse - Attachment between Horse and Master — The Race Horse — The Trotting Horse — The Draft Horse— The Shetland Pony— The Ass — The Mule— Burchell's Zebra — A Beautiful Beast — The Quagga — The Tapir Family — The American Tapir — Fondness for Water — Value of Hide — The Malayan Tapir — Similar to the American — The Rhinoceros Family— The White Rhinoceros— The Black Rhinoceros— The Keitloa— Hunt- ing the Rhinoceros — The Indian Rhinoceros — Hairy Eared Rhinoceros — The Swine Family— The Wild Boar -Size and Habits -The Indian Hog— The Domestic Hog— The Wart Hogs— The Peccaries — The Hippopotamus — General Appearance, Homes and Habits — Methods of Capture 403 CHAPTER XVIII. THE RUMINANTIA. Horned Ruminants — Cranial Characteristics — The Hollow Horned Ruminantia — The Sheep and Goat Varieties— The Mouflon — The Ammion — The Big Horn Wild Sheep of Barbary — The Goats— The Ibex -The Paseng — The Markhoor — The Gazelles — The Springbok — The Saiga — The Indian Antelope— The Bush Bucks— The Eland— The Koodoo— The Gnus — The Chamois --The Oryx— The Musk Ox — Thr Domestic Ox — Chili.ingham Bull— American Wild Cattle - The Bison — The Buffalo — The Yak— Prong Horned Antelope — The Musk Deer — The Giraffe — The Deer Tribe — Distinguishing Characteristics — Antlers, their Nature, Growth and Shed- ding — The Elk— Appearance and Habits— The Red Deer— The Wapiti— Fierce Fights of the Males— The Fallow Deer— The Virginian Deer The Indian Muntjac— The Chinese Ela- phure— The Reindeer — The Water Deerlet —The Camels — Their Feet — Stomach — Water Cells— The True Camel— Description— Pads of Hardened Skin— Its Endurance — Its Disposition— The Bactrian Camel — The Llamas— The Alpaca 463 CHAPTER XIX. THE RODENTS. Character of the Order — A Well Defined Group— Food of Rodents — The True Squirrels — Destructive Fea- tures— The Red Squirrel — Its Pugnacity— Derivation of its Name — The Black Squirrel — The Gray Squirrel — The Taguan— The Flying Squirrels — The Ground Squirrels— Thk Mar- mot — The Prairie Dogs— Their Homes and Habits— The Fulgent Anomalure— The Beaver— CONTEA T TS. 11 General Form— Wonderful Sagacity— Their Homes and Method of Building— The Dormouse— The Lophiomus — The Rat and Mouse — Ferocity and Fecundity - The Harvest Mouse — Description, Habits and Homes— How the Nest is Built — The Florida Rat — The Hamsters— The Muskrat — The Lemming— The Mole Rat— The Jerboas— The Jumping Mouse — Character Peculiar to Itself - The Degu— The Porcupines — Conversion of Hair into Spines — The Common Porcupines— Characteristics— The Tree Porcupines— The Canadian Porcupine— The Chinchilla— The Agouti— The Paca— The Dvnomys— The Cavies— The Common Hare — The Rabbit The Alpine Pika . . 512 CHAPTER XX. THE EDENTATA— ANIMALS WITHOUT FRONT TEETH. The Sloth — Its Discovery — Peculiarities of the Teeth — Habits of the Animal — Manner of Climbing Trees — The Collared Sloth— The Ai— Hoffmann's Sloth — The Cape Ant Eater— Appearance of the Animal— How it Obtains its Food— The Pangolins— Their Armor— The Great Ant Bear— Its Habits and its Food — Where Found — The Two-Toed Ant Eater — Peculiar Characteristics — The Armadillos— Different Varieties — The Great Armadillo — A Persevering Animal — The Ball Armadillo — A Beautiful Animal — The Pichiciago — General Description 351 CHAPTER XXI. MARSUPIAL OR POUCHED ANIMALS. The Great Kangaroo — Strange Peculiarities of this Animal— General Description — The Tree Kan- garoo— Characteristics— The Kangaroo Rat— The Wombat— The Koala— The Squirrel- Flying Phalanger — Its Power of Flight — Size and General Appearance— The Bandicoot — The Dog-Headed Thylancinus — Often Mistaken for one of the Carnivora — The Brush-Tailed Phascogale— Its Home and Habits The Opossum — Size and General Description — Long-Spined Echidna— Resemblance to Hedgehog and Ant Eater— The Duck-Billed Platypus— Singularity of Construction — Homes and Habits=How Captured — The Curious Beak-like Snout 544 ^s^H^ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Group of Apes, Monkeys and a Lemur 17 American Monkey, with Prehensile Tail iS Foot and Hand of a Monkey 19 Group of Lemurs 20 A Catarrhine Monkey 22 A Platyrrhine Monkey 22 Monkey with Cheek Pouches 22 Front View of the Skull of the Gorilla 25 Female Gorilla and Young 27 Face of the Gorilla 2S Male Gorilla 29 Palm of the Foot ol Young Gorilla 31 Back of the Hand of Young Gorilla 31 Hand Bones of the Gorilla 33 Shoulder or Blade Bone , 35 Bones of the Forearm and Arm of the Gorilla (Side View) 35 Skeleton of the Gorilla 37 The Nschiego Mbouve , 41 The Koolo-Kamba 43 A Young Soko 45 Orang-Utan and Chimpanzees in the Berlin Aqua- rium 47 The Chimpanzee 49 The Chimpanzee Standing 51 Young Orang-Utan 55 A Family of Orang-Utans 57 Front Face of the Orang 59 Side Face of the Orang , , . 61 Group of Siamangs and Gibbons 65 The Hoolook 67 The Wooyen Ape - rjg The Agile Gibbon 70 Face of the Black-Crested Monkey 73 The Negro Monkey 74 The Long-Nosed Monkey 75 The Hoonuman Monkey 77 The Douc. ... , 7g The Wanderoo So The Colobos 81 The Guereza 83 Face of the Diana Monkey 87 White-Nosed Monkey 89 The Green and Red Monkeys 91 The Red-Bellied Monkey 93 The Foot and Hand of the Mangabey 94 The Mangabey 95 The Moor Macaque 98 Face of the Wanderoo 99 The Baboon ... 101 The Sacred Baboon 105 The Pig-tailed Baboon iog The Common Baboon 113 The Mandrill 117 The Black Baboon 11S Yellow-Tailed Howler and Young 121 Head of the Black Howler 123 The Caparro 125 Group of Spider Monkeys 127 The Coaita 128 The Black and Variegated Spider Monkeys 129 The Brown Capuchin 130 The Cai 131 Bonnet Monkey 133 The Squirrel Monkey 135 The Red Douroucouli 137 The Monk 138 The Couxio 139 The Spider Monkey 140 The Common Marmosets 141 Deville's Midas 142 Garnett's Galago 145 The Diadem Indris and the Woolly Indris 146 The Mongoose Lemur, or Woolly Macaco . . . 147 Ring-Tailed Lemurs 149 Head of the Black Lemur 150 The Ruffled Lemur 151 The Maholi Galago and the Senegal Galago 153 13 14 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Monteiro's Galago 154 The Angwantibo 155 Slow Loris , 156 The Slender Loris, showing its attitude and habits. 157 The Malmag 15S The Aye-Aye 1 59 Marsh Bat 161 The Collared Bat 163 Long-Eared Bats in Flight 164 Blainville's Bat 165 Collared Fruit Bat with Young 167 Head of Gray Fruit Bat 169 Head of the Maned Fruit Bat 169 The Hammer-Headed Bat 170 Head of the Greater Horseshoe Bat 171 Head of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat 171 Head of the Male Diadem Bat 172 Head of the Female Diadem Bat, 172 Head of the Persian Trident Bat 172 Head of the Cordate Leaf Bat 172 The African Megarderm 173 Head of Long-Eared Bat . 174 Long-Eared Bat Sleeping 174 Barbastelle Walking 175 Head of Noctule 176 Welwitsch's Bat ..-< 177 New Zealand Bat 178 Head of Mouse-Colored Bat 179 Head of Collared Bat 1 79 Head of Blainville's Bat 179 Head of Vampire Bat 1S0 The Tana 1S3 Low's Ptilocerque 1 S4 The Rynchocyon 1S5 The Hedgehog 187 Hedgehog and Young 187 The Bulau.. '. . 188 The Tanrec 189 The West African River Shrew 191 The Common Mole 193 Moie's Fortress 194 Mole Feeding 194 The Water Shrew 195 Side View of Snout of Star-Nosed Mole 196 Front View of Snout of Star-Nosed Mole 196 King of the Forest 199 The Lion 201 Lion of Barbary 205 The Lion of Senegal 207 Lions Roaring 211 Lioness and Young 213 The Tiger 215 The Royal Tiger 217 Tiger Hunting 219 The Tiger Escaped 221 Tiger and Crocodile Fighting 223 Leopards at Home 227 The Jaguar 229 The. Ounce 231 The Clouded Tiger 233 The Ocelot 234 The Marbled Tiger Cat 235 The Jaguarondi 236 The Eyra 237 The Serval 238 The Bay Cat 239 Wild Cat Hunting 240 WildCat 241 Cruel Pussy 243 The Foster Mother 245 Angora Cat 247 European Lynx 248 The Canadian Lynx 249 The Caracal 251 The Cheetah 253 Spotted Hyenas 255 The Lesser Civet 260 The Binturong 261 A Breakfast Party 265 Eskimo Dogs 269 Water Spaniel 273 Hare Indian Dog 275 The Italian Grayhound 277 The Poodle 278 The Newfoundland Dog 279 Head of Setter 280 The Bloodhound 281 The Setter 282 The Badger Dog 283 The Mastiff 285 Kangaroo Pursued by Dingos 286 Young Wolves 287 A Wolf 289 Coyote, or Prairie Wolf 291 The Jackal of Senegal 293 The Common Fox 294 Sly Foxes 295 The Arctic Fox - . . 297 Brown Bear and Young 301 Black Bear 302 The Grizzly Bear 303 The Malayan Sun Bear 305 The Sloth Bear 306 Polar Bear and Walrus 307 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 15 Interior of Bear Hole 3°9 The Raccoon 3" The Panda 312 The Glutton 3*3 The Sable 315 The Weasel 316 The Polecat— The Ferret 317 The Ratel 319 The Badger 321 The Skunk 323 The Otter 325 Head of Walrus. 329 Herd of Walruses 331 Sea Lion Dozing on His Back 333 Sea Lion Fast Asleep 333 Sea Lion Climbing 333 Sea Lion in Watchful Attitude 333 Sea Lion Licking His Leg 333 Sea Lion Scratching with Hind Legs 333 The Falkland Island Fur Seal 335 Flippers of New Zealand Fur Seal 337 Hind Flippers of Ringed Seal 337 The Crested Seal 338 The Elephant Seal 339 The Sperm Whale 341 The Narwhal 345 Greenland Whale 347 The Manatee 351 The Indian Elephant 355 African Elephant and Young 359 Jumbo at Work and Play 361 The Mammoth 363 Indian Elephant 365 The Arab Horse 369 American Trotting Horse 371 A Pair of Draft Horses 373 Shetland Pony 374 The Wild Ass of Abyssinia 375 Burchell's Zebra 376 The Quagga 377 The American Tapir 379 The Malayan Tapir 381 The White Rhinoceros 382 The Keitloa 383 Indian Rhinoceros and Elephant Fighting 385 Front View of Head of Sumatran Rhinoceros .... 3S7 Side View of Head of Sumatran Rhinoceros 387 The Hairy-eared Rhinoceros 389 The Wild Boar. 391 Head of Wild Boar 392 Head of Domestic Hog 392 Domestic Hogs 393 The Bush Hog 394 The Babirusa 395 The Ethiopian Wart Hog 396 The Peccary ... 397 The Common River Horse or Hippopotamus .... 399 Hippopotamus and Young 401 The Mouflon 405 The Ammon 406 The Big Horn 407 The Barbary Wild Sheep 408 Long-eared Goat 409 Long horned Goat 409 Angora Goat . 410 The Ibex 411 The Markhoor 412 The Gazelle 413 The Saiga 415 African Antelope 416 Head of Female Bush-Buck 417 The Eland 41S The Koodoo 419 The Gnu 420 The Chamois 421 The Oryx 423 The Gemsbok 424 The Musk Ox 425 Head Chillingham Bull 426 Curled Horned Ox 426 Long-horned Ox 427 Common Cow 427 Syrian Cattle 428 The American Bison 429 The Yak 431 Head of Cape Buffalo 432 The Anoa 433 The Pronghorn Antelope 435 The Musk Deer 436 Giraffe 437 Young Deer 439 Moose and Wolves 441 Head of Red Deer, antlers covered with "velvet" 442 Head of Red Deer in which antler is fully developed 443 The Wapiti Fighting 445 Fallow Deer and Young 447 The Chinese Elaphure 451 Reindeer pursued by Wolves 453 The Water Deerlet, or Chevrotain 454 Camel's Head 455 Water Cells of the Camel's Stomach 456 The True Camel ... 457 The Bactrian Camel 459 16 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. The Llama 460 Alpaca 461 The European Squirrel 467 The Taguan ... 469 The Gopher 470 The Alpine Marmot. 471 Prairie Dogs 472 Prairie Dog Town, showing interior of burrow... 473 The Fulgent Anomalure. 475 The Beaver 477 The Dormice 481 The Brown Rat 483 The Harvest Mouse 485 The Muskrat 489 The Mole Rat 493 The Alactaga 495 The Degu 496 The Common Porcupine 497 The Tree Porcupine 499 The Chinchilla 501 Azara's Agouti. 502 The Dynomys 503 The Guinea Pig 504 Patagonian Cavy 505 Rabbits at Home 507 Wild Rabbit 508 Egyptian Hare 509 The Alpine Pika 510 The Collared Sloth 513 The Cape Ant-Eater (from life) ... 517 Temminck Pangolin 519 Ant Bear 521 The Two-Toed Ant Eater 523 The Great Aramadillo 525 The Ball Armadillo 527 The Pichiciago 529 The Great Kangaroo (male and female) 532 Group of Kangaroos 533 Common Tree Kangaroo 534 The Kangaroo Rat 535 Common Wombat 536 The Koala 538 The Bandicoot 539 The Dog-Headed Thylacinus. . . 540 Opossum and Young 541 The Porcupine Echidna 543 The Duck Billed Platypus 545 Fore and Hind Foot of Platypus 546 Home of the Duck Billed Platypus 547 COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS. Virginia Opossum. The Marmoset . . . Tigers at Home. . The Raccoon .Frontispiece. I African Elephant and Young. 129 White and Black Rhinoceros. 225 Giraffes , ." 305 i Carolina Gray Squirrel 353 385 433 4°5 V N %^Vv CHAPTER I. ORDER I.— QUADRUMANA.— THE APES AND MONKEYS. If one of each kind of the Apes and Monkeys which are now living on the globe could be collected and placed in a large zoological garden, and if those GROUP OF APES, MONKEYS AND A LEMUR. which lived in former ages, and whose skeletons have been discovered by geolo- gists, could be brought to life, and added to the whole, they would certainly form 17 2 18 APES AND MONKEYS. a very amusing and remarkable assemblage. What endless fun there would be, what scamperings, skirmishes, and quarrels would take place, how they would grin, chatter, and pull tails all the live-long day; and as evening began, how some, which had been quiet spectators before, would commence howling, and how others would rush about amongst their tired and sleepy companions, with noiseless bounds until the return of daylight. If each of these representative Monkeys could give an account of itself, whence it had come, how it had lived in its native forests and woods, and what it did with itself all day, a most interesting and novel Natural History Book could be com. piled, for only the histories of a few have been written, and they are by no means always veracious. They would have come from Asia and many of its islands, from AMERICAN MONKEY, WITH PREHENSILE TAIL. Africa, from South America and the Isthmus to the north, and Europe would have sent one from the rocks of Gibraltar. All natives of hot countries, and incapable of subsisting in cold and temperate climates, except by the aid of man; and yet, unless those of the same country had been properly introduced either by Dame Nature or by the chapter of accidents incident to such a very unlikely meeting as we are imagining, they would not know many of their fellows. There would be every shade of color, shape, and size; there would be many without tails, some with stumps, and others with long tails of no great use except to afford temptation to the mischievous; and not a few with fine large ones useful in the extreme, by acting as a fifth limb. Many would have very human faces and APES AND MONKEYS. 19 sharp eyes, others would look more like dogs, and fierce enough, and there would be every variety of posture. Some would sit very well, others would go on all fours, and there would be others swinging with their long and strong arms, and making tremendous jumps and bounds, assisted in some by the prehensile tail. Some would want one kind of fruit, and others different kinds of vegetables, but only two or three tiny little ones would care much about grubs and eggs. All would have the very best possible limbs for climbing, grasping, picking, and stealing, and all would have good hands, that is to say, fingers and thumbs and wrists in front, also foot-hands, that is to say, feet with a great thumb-like toe be- hind. In a general sense they would all be four-handed or Quadrumanous, and this peculiarity would distinguish them from any interlopers who might have got into the asemblage unasked. The limbs of the Quadrumana vary greatly in their proportions, but in most of them the anterior are longer than the posterior: in all, they are admirably adapted to the purposes to which they are applied in climbing and leaping, by the slenderness of their forms, the flexi- bility of their joints, and the muscular activity with which these qualities are so strikingly combined. But of all their organs, there is perhaps none which exhibits so remarkable a discrepancy in every particular as the tail, which is entirely wanting in some, forms a mere tubercle in others, in a third group is short and tapering, in a fourth of moder. ate length and cylindrical; in a fifth extremely long, but uniformly covered with hair; in others, again, of equal length, divested of hair beneath and near the tip, and capable of being twisted around the branch of a tree, or any other similar substance, in such a manner as to support the whole weight of the animal, even without the assistance of its hands. In none of them, it may be observed, the hands are formed for swimming, or the nails constructed for digging the earth; and in none of them is the naked, cal- lous portion, which corresponds to the sole or the palm, capable of being applied like the feet of man or of the bear, to the flat surfaces on which they may occasion- ally tread. Even in those which have the greatest propensity to assume an upright posture, the body is, under such circumstances, wholly supported by the outer margins of the posterior hands. The earth, in fact, is not their proper place of abode; they are essentially inhabitants of trees, and every part of their organiza- FOOT AND HAND OF A MONKEY. 20 APES AND MONKEYS. tions is admirably fitted for the mode of life for which they were destined by the hand of nature. Throughout the vast forests of Asia, Africa, and South America, and more especially in those portions of these continents which are comprehended within the tropics, they congregate in numerous troops, bounding rapidly from branch to branch, and from tree to tree, in search of the fruits and eggs which constitute their principal means of subsistence. In the course of these peregrinations, which are frequently executed with a velocity scarcely to be followed by the eye, they seem to give a momentary, and but a momentary, attention to every remarkable object that falls in their way, but never appear to remember it again, for they will examine the same object with the same rapidity as often as it occurs and apparently without in the least recognizing it as that which they had seen before. They pass suddenly from a state of seeming tran- quility to the most violent demonstra- tions of passion and sensuality, and in the course of a few min- utes run through all the various phases of gesture and action of which they are capable, and for which their peculiar conformation affords ample scope. The females treat their young with the greatest tenderness until they become capable of shifting for themselves, when they turn them loose upon the world, and conduct toward them from that time forward in the same manner as toward the most perfect strangers. The degrees of their intelligence, which in general is very limited, and is not capable of being made subservient to the purpose of man, except as a show in a menagerie, vary almost as much as the ever-changing outline of their form. From the grave and reflective orang-outang, whose docility and powers of imita- tion in his young state have been the theme of great wonder and equal exaggera- tion, to the coarse and brutal baboon, the gradations are gradual and easy. A remarkable circumstance connected with the development of the faculty of being educated, or perhaps we should rather say, with its gradual extinction, consists in GROUP OF LEMURS. APES AND MONKEYS. 21 the fact that it is only in young animals which have not yet attained their full growth that it is capable of being brought into play — the older individuals even of the most tractable races, entirely losing their gayety, and with it the docility of their youth, and becoming at length nearly as stupid and as savage as the most barbarous of the tribe. Although nearly all the monkeys, as well as the apes, live on fruits and the eggs of birds, still many of them devour small birds and quadrupeds, and some occasionally feed on fish. We are told that certain species display great address in getting at the flesh of shell-fish. The oysters ef the tropical climates being larger than ours, the monkeys when they reach the sea-side, pick up stones and thrust them between the open shells, which are thus prevented from closing, and the cun- ning animals eat the fish at their ease. In order to attract crabs, they put their tails before the holes in which they have taken refuge. When they have fastened on the bait, the monkeys suddenly withdraw their tails, and thus drag their prey on shore. From the very earliest ages the extraordinary resemblance of the monkey tribe to man has attracted the curiosity of mankind. The ancient Egyptians sculptured their forms on their granite monuments, and reverenced some species as gods- The modern Arabs regard them as the progeny of the evil one, for whom nothing fs sacred, nothing venerable, who have been cursed since the day when God changed them from men into apes, and who still bear in strange combination the form of the devil and of man. We of the present day look upon them with mixed feelings. The caricature of the human form and human faculties which they exhibit is tolerable to us in the smaller, playful species, but abhorrent in the larger wilder kinds. They are at once too like and too unlike ourselves. Like man they stand upright; like man they have hands, a hairless face, and eyes looking directly forward. Yet even these hands, so like ours to the ordinary eye, are not the admirable instrument possessed by man; the thumb is shorter and more widely separated fron the fingers, and the fingers cannot act separately like a man's. The haggard, hairy body, the long arms, the thin, calfless legs, the small receding skull, and the thin in-drawn lips, are all characteristics of the ape, the very opposite of those found in man. Morally as well as physically, the apes constitute the "seamy side" of man. They are malicious, cunning, sensual, greedy, thievish, easily provoked to rage, and have human vices and defects. But they are not without what we name virtues. They are sagacious, cheerful, social, devotedly fond of their offspring, and display striking compassion towards the sick and the weak. Intellectually they are neither so much higher than other animals, nor so much lower than man, as is commonly maintained. The posession of a hand gives them great advantages over the rest of the animal kingdom, they have a strong tendency for imitating, and are easily taught actions which no other animals can perform. And if we compare the mental qualities of the ape with those of the dog, to the disadvantage of the former, we must remember that man has been for thousands of years training and 2:2 APES AND MONKEYS. educating the dog, while the ape has had no opportunity of enjoying the elevating society of mankind. Taking this circumstance into account, we must recognize the ape as the most sagacious of beasts. Yet he is deceived and. out-tricked with ease: his passions conquer his prudence. The Malays make a small hole in a gourd, and then place in the interior sugar or some fruits that apes love. The ape inserts its hand through the narrow opening, grasps a handful, and finds that it cannot be withdrawn again; it allows itself to be captured rather than lose its grasp on the dainties it has seized. The Monkeys of the Old and the New world differ from each other in several remarkable points, some ot which are characteristic of all the species of each; while others, although affording good and tangible means of discrimination, are but par- tially applicable. Thus the nostrils of all the species inhabiting the Old World, are anterior like those of man, and divided only by a narrow sep- tum: in those of the New World, on the contrary, they are invariably separated by a broad division, and conse- quently occupy a position more or less lateral. It is from this difference of structure that the former are denomin- ated Catarrkince, from the Greek kata, downward, and rhin, nose ; and the latter Platyrrhince, from the Greek platus, flat, and rhin, nose; these terms being descriptive of the two families. The tails of all the American monkeys are of great length, but they differ more or less from each other in the power of suspending themselves by means of that organ — a faculty which is nevertheless common to the greater number of them, and of which those of the Old World are entirely destitute. On the other hand, the American species never exhibit any traces of two remarkable provisions — the callousities on the haunches or of the cheek-pouches; both of which are nearly uni- versal with the monkeys proper of the Asiatic and African races. For the former of these peculiarities, no use is known; the cheek-pouches, which are membraneous sacks on each side of the mouth, are employed to carry food, and some are suffi- A CATARRHINE MONKEY. A PLATYRRHIN1 MONKEY WITH CHEEK POUCHES. APES AND MONKEYS. 23 ciently capacious to hold a supply for two days. These characteristics do not belong to the higher apes. The Quadrumana embraces four sections— the Monkey-like family, the Lemurs, the Aye-aye, and the Flying-lemurs. These differ in many important respects, yet they all agree in having four hands, fitting them peculiarly for an arborial existence. In many of the species the anterior limbs have but four fingers, with the thumbs confined to the hind feet. Notwithstanding the conformation, they are all as true quadrupeds as most of the clawed mammalia, for in a state of nature they appear never to walk on the hind legs, which are in fact too weak to be employed as in the human subject, for the sole organs of locomotion; and besides, the structure of the foot, even in those most resembling man, is such that when on the ground it treads on the side and not on the palm. The legs are also set in such a manner as to tread outward, and thus to be incapable of bearing great weight. We shall embrace our description of the monkey family under the following divisions: ist, The Man-Like Apes; 2d, The Old- World Monkeys; 3d, The American Monkeys. A RING-TAILED MONKEY CHAPTER II. THE MAN LIKE APES. The true apes make up the leading group of the quadrumana. These animals are destitute alike of tails and cheek pouches. They possess the highest intelligence and the greatest resemblance to man. They are inhabitants of equatorial Africa, and oi the great Asiatic islands and the adjacent mainland, and first and foremost amongst them is THE AFRICAN GORILLA-Africa, to the south of the great desert, has always been a country of wonders, and highly attractive to imaginative and restless men ; and its dark population, so ignorant and superstitious, has, from its love of the marvellous, shadowed the truth with much mystery. Hence, travellers in those tropical regions, which are so fatal to Europeans, have from the earliest times told of man-like creatures they had heard of and sometimes seen ; and they have associated them in the equatorial part of the continent with human dwarfs, pigmies, and monsters. For centuries these degraded human races have been sought after, and now, whilst it is admitted that dwarfed men exist, it has come to light that most of the stories which led to the belief in their hideous associates were derived from the existence of large man-like apes — creatures of dread to the natives — whose traditions are full of credulous anecdotes about them. Hidden in the recesses of vast forests, where the silence of nature is intense, and moving with great activity, where men can hardly follow, these animals acquired most doubtful reputations, and their ugly personal appearance, so suggestive of violence, was magnified in every way in the eyes of the timid natives. So dreaded were these apes, and so environed were they with a superstitious mystery, that Europeans had travelled and traded close to their haunts for centuries before one of them was seen by any other eyes than those of the native negroes. The gorilla is found on the west coast of Africa. Their habits are ferocious, and instead of flying from man, as is generally the case with the chimpanzee, they boldly give him battle. They are said to utter a cry of kha ah, kha-ah, sharp and prolonged. Their huge jaws open widely at each expiration ; the lower lip hangs upon the chin. The skin is wrinkled and contracted over the eyes, which gives them an aspect of inconceivable ferocity. The killing of one of these formidable 24 THE GORILLA. 25 creatures is esteemed a great achievement among the negroes. Sometimes, the natives assert, when a company of villagers are moving rapidly through the shades of the forest, they become aware of the presence of the formidable ape by the sudden disappearance of one of their companions, who is hoisted up into a tree, uttering, perhaps, only a short choking sob. In a few minutes he falls to the ground a strangled corpse, for the animal, watching his opportunity, has let down has huge hind-hand and seized the passing negro by the neck with a vice-like grip, and has drawn him up into the branches, dropping him when life and struggling have ceased. The missionaries, when they were established in the Gaboon region, found that all along the coast the gorillas were believed by the natives to be human beings, members of their own race degenerated. Some natives who had been a little civilized, and who thought a little more than the rest, did not acknowledge this relationship, but considered them as embodied spirits, the belief in transmi. gration of souls being prevalent. The majority, however, fully believed them to be men, and seemed to be unaffected by the arguments offered to disprove this fancy; and this was especially true of the tribes in the immediate vicinity of the locality. They believed them to be literally wild men of the woods. Nevertheless they were eaten when they could be got, and their flesh, with that of the chimpanzee and other monkeys, formed and still forms a prominent place in the bill of fare. Impressed thus with a belief in their kinship and of their ferocity, it was not surprising that live gorillas could not be obtained by European travel lers. Even a bold and skillful hunter of the elephant, when pressed to bring in one, declared he would not do it for a mountain of gold. FR0NT VIEW 0F THE SKULL 0F t r. .1 c . • , . r r .,, THE GORILLA. In 1847 the hrst sight of a part of a gorilla was obtained by a Mr. Savage, an American missionary ; it was a skull, and its shape struck him as being so extraordinary that he believed the natives were correct in attributing it to the much-talked-of ape of whose ferocity and strength he had heard so much. From the descriptions of the natives, who never attempted to interfere with the Gorilla except in self-defence, he learned that its height is above five feet, and it is disproportionately broad across the shoulders. It is covered with coarse black hair, which greatly resembles that of the Chimpanzee; with age it becomes grey, and this fact has given rise to the report that there are more kinds than one. Resembling a huge ape in shape, with a great body, comparatively short legs with large hind-thumbs, its bulk is considerable, and its arms, reaching further down than in man, enable it to grasp and climb well. It does not possess a tail, and the 26 APES AND MONKEYS. head has a wide and long black face, a very deep cheek, great brows over the deeply-seated hazel eyes, a flat nose, and a wide mouth with very strong teeth. The top of the head has a crest of longish hair, and elsewhere it is exceedingly thick and short. The belly is very large. From inquiry he ascertained that when walking, their gait is shuffling, and the body, which is never upright like that of man, moves from side to side in going along. Usually it walks by resting the hands on the ground and then bringing the legs between them, and swinging the body forward. They live in bands, and the females generally exceed the males in number. They are exceedingly ferocious, never running away from man, and the few that have been captured were killed by elephant hunters and native traders as they came suddenly upon them whilst passing through the woods. It was said, at this time by the natives, that the Gorilla makes a sleeping place like a hammock, by connecting the branches of a sheltered and thickly-leaved part of a tree by means of the long, tough, slender stems of parasitic plants, and lining it with the dried, broad fronds of fern, or with long grass This hammock-like abodes may be seen at different heights, from ten to forty feet from the ground, but there is never more than one such nest in a tree. Thev avoid the abodes of man, but are most commonly seen in the months of September, October and November, after the negroes have gathered in their outlying rice crops, and have returned from the " bush " to their valleys. So observed, they are described to be usually in pairs, or if more, the addition consists of a few young ones of different ages and apparently of one family. The Gorilla is not gregarious. The parents may be seen sitting on the ground munching fruit, whilst the young Gorillas are at play. This rural felicity, however, has its objectionable sides, for occasionally, if not invariably, the old male, if he is seen in quest of food, is usually armed with a short stick, which the negroes aver to be the weapon with which he attacks his chief enemy — the elephant. Not that the elephant directly or intentionally injures the Gorilla, but deriving its subsistence from the same source, the Ape regards the great proboscidian as a hostile intruder. When, therefore, he sees the elephant pulling down and wrenching off the branches of a favorite tree, the Gorilla stealing along the bough, strikes the sensitive proboscis of the elephant with a violent blow of his club, and drives off the startled giant trumpeting shrilly with pain. In passing from one tree to another the Gorilla is said to walk semi-erect, with the aid of his club, but with a waddling and awkward gait; when without a stick, he has been seen to walk as a man, with his hands clasped across the back of his head, instinctively balancing its forward position. If the Gorilla is surprised and approached, whatever the ground may be, he betakes himself, on all fours, dropping the stick, and makes his way very rapidly, with a kind of sidelong gallop, resting on the front knuckles, to the nearest tree. There he meets his pursuer, especially if his family is near and requiring his defence. No negro willingly approaches the tree in which the male Gorilla keeps guard, even with a gun. The experienced negro does not make the attack, but reserves his fire in self-defence. The enmity THE GORILLA. 27 of the Gorilla to the whole negro race, male and female, is uniformly attested. Thus, when young men of the Gaboon tribe make excursions into the forests in quest of ivory, the enemy they most dread to meet is the Gorilla. If they have come unawares too near him with his family, he does not, like the lion, sulkily retreat, but comes rapidly to the attack, swinging down to the lower branches, and clutching at the nearest foe. The hideous aspect of the animal, with his green eyes flashing with rage, is heightened by the skin over the orbits and evebrows FEMALE GORILLA AND YOUNG. being drawn rapidly backwards and forwards, -with the hair erected, producing a horrible and fiendish scowl. If fired at, and not mortally frit, the Gorilla closes at once upon his assailant, and inflicts most dangerous if not deadly wounds with his sharp and powerful tusks. The commander of a Bristol trader once saw a negro at the Gaboon frightfully mutilated from the bite of a Gorilla, from which he had recovered. Another negro exhibited to the same voyager a gun barrel bent and partly flattened by a wounded Gorilla in its death struggle. The strength of the Gorilla is such as to make him a match for a lion, whose strength his own nearly rivals. Over the leopard, invading the lower branches of 28 APES AND MONKEYS. his dwelling place, he will gain an easier victory ; and the huge canine teeth, with which only the male Gorilla is furnished, doubtless have been given to him for defending his mate and offspring. The descriptions of the habits and anatomy of the Gorilla, fragmentary as they were, excited great interest in the minds of many travelers, and especially in that of Du Chaillu, an American traveler, who, in 1855, determined to explore Gorilla Land, and to obtain some of the great Apes, dead or alive. Soon after reaching their native haunts, he and his companions got on track of an old male, and suddenly, as they were creeping along in silence, which made a heavy breath seem loud and distinct, the woods were at once filled with the ^-0^ tremendous barking roar of the ■"'.-■. ■■ > Gorilla. Then the underbrush swayed rapidly just ahead, and presently before them stood an im- mense male. He had gone through the jungle on all lours, but when he saw the party he erected himself and looked them boldly in the face. " It stood about a dozen yards from us, and was a sight I think I never shall forget. Nearly six feet high, with immense body, huge chest, and great muscular arms, with fiercely glaring large, deep gray eyes, and a hellish expression of face, which seemed to me like some nightmare vision — there stood before us the king of the African forest. He was not afraid of us. He stood there and beat his breast with his huge fists till it resounded like an immense bass drum, which is their mode of offering defiance; sometimes giving vent to roar after roar. The roar of the Gorilla is the most singular and awful noise heard in these African woods. It begins with a sharp bark like an angry dog, then glides into a deep bass roll, which literally and closely resembles the roll of distant thunder along the sky, for which I have sometimes been tempted to take it when I did not see the animal. His eyes began to flash fiercely, for we stood motionless, on the defensive, and the crest of short hair which stands on his fore- head began to twitch rapidly up and down, while his powerful fangs were shown as he again set forth a tremendous roar. He advanced a few steps, then stopped to utter that hideous roar again ; advanced again, and finally stopped when at the distance of about six yards from us, and then, just as he began another of his roars, beating his breast with rage, we fired and killed him. With a groan which had something terribly human in it, and yet was full of brutishness, he fell forward FACE OF THE GORILLA. "3*&£gJu< MALE GORILLA. 30 APES AND MONKEYS. on his face. The body shook convulsively for a few minutes, the limbs moved about in a struggling way, and then all was quiet ; death had done its work, and I had leisure to examine the huge body. It proved to be five feet eight inches high, and the muscular development of the arms and breast showed the immense strength it had possessed." Du Chaillu once had a capital view of some Gorillas at their meal. News having come that Gorillas had been recently seen in the neighborhood of a plan- tation on the Fernandez Vas River, just south of the equator and not far from the West African coast, he got up early and went into it. He writes : " The plantation was a large one, and situated on broken ground, surrounded by the virgin forest. It was a lovely morning ; the sky was cloudless, and all around was as still as death, except the slight rustling of the tree tops, moved by the gentle land breeze. When 1 reached the place, I had just to pick my way through the maze of tree stumps and half-burned logs by the side of a field of casada. " I was going quietly along the borders of this when I heard in the grove of plantation trees toward which I was walking a great crushing noise like the breaking of trees. I immediately hid myself behind a bush, and was soon gratified with the sight of a female Gorilla; but before I had time to notice its movements, a second and third emerged from the masses of colossal foliage ; at length, no less than four came in view. They were all busily engaged in tearing down the larger trees. One of the females had a young one following her. I had an excellent opportunity of watching the movements of the impish-looking band. The shaggy hides, the protuberant abdomens, the hideous features of these strange creatures, whose forms so nearly resemble man, made up a picture like a vision in a morbid dream. In destroying a tree, they first grasped the base of the stem with one of their feet, and then with their powerful arms pulled it down, a matter of not much difficulty with so loosely-formed a stem as that of the plantain. They then set upon the juicy fruit of the tree at the base of the leaves, and devoured it with great voracity. While eating they made a kind of chuckling noise, expressive of con- tentment. Many trees they destroyed, apparently out of pure mischief. Now and then they stood still and looked around. Once or twice they seemed on the point of starting off in haste, but recovered themselves and continued their work. Gradually they got nearer to the edge of the dark forest, and finally disappeared." On the next day he was carrying a light gun, having given his heavy double- barreled rifle to a boy to carry, when, in a deep hollow flanked with sugar-cane, he saw on the slope opposite him a gigantic Gorilla standing erect, and walking directly towards him Pointing his rifle, he turned to look for the boy, but he had seen the Gorilla and bolted forthwith. The huge beast stared at Du Chaillu for about two minutes, and then, without uttering any noise, moved off to the shade of the forest, running nimbly on his hands and feet. Anxious to possess some adult Gorillas, Du Chaillu offered rewards to the native hunters, and on one occasion they brought in three live ones, one being full- THE GORILLA. 31 grown. This was a large adult female, who was bound hand and foot, and with it was her female child, screaming terribly, and the third was a vigorous young male, who was also tightly bound. The female had been ingeniously secured by the negroes to a strong stick, the wrists being bound to the upper part, and the ankles to the lower, so that she could not reach to tear the cords with her teeth. It was dark when they were brought in, and the scene was wild and strange in the ex- treme. " The fiendish countenances of the Cali- ban-ish trio, one of them distorted by pain, for the mother Gorilla was severely wounded, were lit up by the ruddy glare of native torches." The young male was secured by a chain, and Du Chaillu gave him the name of Tom. His feet and hands were untied, and he immediately showed his want of gratitude by rushing at his possessor, screaming with all his might; but the chain was happily made fast, and he did no harm. The old mother Gorilla was in an unfortunate plight. She had an arm broken, and a wound in the chest, besides being dreadfully beaten about the head; she groaned and roared many times during the night, probably from pain. She lived until next day, her moanings were more frequent in the morning, and they gradually become weaker as her life ebbed out. Her death was like that of a human being, and her child clung to her to the last, and tried to obtain milk from her oreast after she was dead. The young one was kept alive three days on goat's milk, but it died on the fourth day. The young male would not be photographed, for pointing the camera at him made the irascible little thing a small demon, but after some attempts his likeness was taken. The same traveler came suddenly on a band of Gor- illas in a forest: "a whole group was on a tree hid- den by the dense foliage. They bolted off making the thinner boughs bend with their weight, and an old male, apparently the guardian of the flock, made a bold stand, and glared at him through an opening. As soon as voices were heard, the shaggy Ape roared a 'HE HAND OF YOUNG GORILLA. * iA< P* PALM OF THE FOOT OF YOUNG GORILLA. 32 APES AND MONKEYS. cry of alarm, scrambled to the ground through the entangled lianas that were around the tree trunk, and soon disapeared into the jungle." Having had, then, so many opportunities of seeing Gorillas alive and dead, Du Chaillu, of course, added largely to the knowledge of their general shape and habits, and obtained skins for stuffing, and bones for the anatomists. Five speci- mens were sent over by him to England, and great discussions took place; some naturalists asserting that the ferocity and courage of the great Ape were imaginary, and others believing in the truth of Du Chaillu, whose only fault was over-sensa- tional writing, and who strenuously denied many of the native stories. Then the anatomists had a great quarrel about the brain of the creature, and handled each other very severely. Of the nature of the outside of the Gorilla there could be no doubt, fortunately, for there are the stuffed skins and bones to be seen, and an exam- ination of those in the national collection will prove how closely Savage must have questioned the natives who gave him reliable information, and how little can be added to his description. Du Chaillu says that in length the adult Gorillas vary as much as men, and believes the tallest are six feet two inches in height, but that the average is from five feet two inches to five feet eight inches. The females are smaller, or have a lighter frame, their height averaging about four feet six inches. The color of the skin in the Gorilla, young as well as adult, is intense black, so far as the face, breast, and palms of the hands are concerned. The fur of a grown, but not aged specimen, is iron-gray, and the individual hairs are ringed with alternate stripes of black and gray. It is long on the arms, and slopes downward from the shoulder to the elbow, and upwards from the wrists to it. The head is covered with reddish brown hair, which is short, and reaches the short neck. The chest is bare in the adults, and thinly covered with hair in the young males. In the female the breast is bare, and the hair elsewhere is black with a red tinge, but it is not ringed as in the male; moreover, the reddish crown which covers the scalp of the male is not apparent in the female until she has almost become full grown. The eyes are deeply sunken: the immense overhanging long ridge giving the face the expression of a constant savage scowl. The mouth is wide, and the lips are sharply cut, exhibiting no red on the edges, as on the human face. The jaws are of tremendous weight and power. The huge eye-teeth or canines, of the male, which are fully exhibited when in his rage, he draws back his lips and shows the red color of the inside of his mouth, lend additional ferocity to his aspect. In the female these teeth are smaller. The almost total absence of neck, which gives the head the appearance of being set into the shoulders, is due to the backward position of the joints which fix the head to the spine, and this allows the chin to hang over the top of the front of the chest. The brain-case is low and compressed, and its lofty top ridge causes the profile of the skull to describe an almost straight line from the back part or occiput, to the ridge over the brow. The immense development of the muscles which arise from this ridge, and the corresponding size of the jaw, are evidences of the great strength of the animal. The eyebrows are thin, but not THE GORILLA. 33 well-defined, and are almost lost in the hair of the scalp. The eyelashes are thin also. The eyes are wide apart, and the ears, which are on a line with them, are smaller than those of man, but very much like his. In a front view of the face the nose is flat, but somewhat prominent — more so than in any other Ape ; this is on account of a slightly projecting nose-bone, very unusual in Apes. The chest is of great capacity ; the shoulders being exceedingly broad. The abdomen is of immense size, very prominent, and rounded at the sides. The front limbs have a prodigious muscular development, and are very long, extending nearly as low as the knees. The fore-arm is nearly of uniform size from the wrist to the elbow, and, indeed, the great length of the arms, and the shortness of the legs, form one of the chief differences between it and man. The arms are not long when compared with the trunk, but they are so in comparison with the legs. These are short and decrease in size from below the knee to the ankle, having no calf. The hands, especially in the male, are of im- mense size, strong-boned and thick ; the fingers are short and large, the circumference of the middle finger at the first joint being five and a half inches in some Gorillas. The skin on the back of the fingers, near the mid- dle, is callous and very thick, which shows that the most usual mode of progression of the ani- mal is on all-fours, and resting on the knuckles. The thumb is short and not half so thick as the fore- finger; and the hand is hairy as far as the division of the fingers which are covered with short thin hairs. The palm of the hand is naked, callous and intensely black. The nails are black, and shaped like those of man, but are smaller in proportion, and project very slightly beyond the ends of the fingers. They are thick and strong, and always seem much worn. The hand of the Gorilla is almost as wide as it is long, and in this it approaches nearer to those of man than any other Apes. The foot is proportionally wider than in man; the sole is callous, and intensely black, and looks somewhat like a giant hand of immense power and grasp. The transverse wrinkles show the frequency and freedom of movement of the two joints of the great toe-thumb, proving that they have a power of grasp. The middle toe, or third, is longer than the second and fourth, and this is unlike the foot in man. The toes are divided into three groups, so to speak; inside the great toe, outside the little toe, and the three others partly united by a webb. Du Chaillu thinks that in no other animal is the foot so well adapted for the maintainance of the erect position, and he believed that the Gorilla is much less of a tree-climber 3 HAND BONES OF THE GORILLA. 34 APES AND MONKEYS. than any other Ape. The foot of the Gorilla is certainly longer than the hand, as in man. The Gorilla has a large head, and one is at once struck with the width and length of the face, and the great prominent brows immediately over the eyes. There appears to be no forehead, for the head recedes rapidly backwards, and then comes a high ridge of hair, in old males, running from before backwards on the top of the scalp, and meeting another which is less prominent, and placed across the back of the skull, from the back of one ear to the front of the other. The animal has the power of moving the flesh and skin which constitute the scalp freely forwards and backwards, so that when it is in rage its scowl is made all the more threatening and ugly by its frowning and bringing down the hairy ridge to close above the eyes. The hazel eyes are large, and they are separated by a small, prominent bridge belonging to the nose, the rest of which is broad and flattened out. The jaws project forwards, and are long and wide, the teeth being large and strong, and visible when uncovered by the fleshy and rather hairy lips. The ears are small for the size of the head, when they are compared with those of other Apes, and they, as well as the skin of the face, are naked and dark. Nature has been kinder to the females so far as beauty is concerned, for they have less marked crests of hair, smaller brows, and shorter side teeth, and there- fore more amiable faces under all circumstances. With all its great strength, the head of the great Ape cannot move as readily on the neck as that of weaker man, for the skull is not placed on the neck end of the back-bone quite in the same manner, and its position is not that which is admi- rably (as in us) adapted for carrying the head erect. In climbing trees, the Gorilla, like a man under the same circumstances, lifts up the arms over the head, and clasps or holds on with one hand, but the position of the hand is not the same. Apes seize instinctively with the knuckles towards them, and not with the ends of the fingers and palm as man. Although they have such strong arms, covered with a stout skin and with hairs sloping downwards, the Gorilla manages to break them and then Nature endeavors to repair the injury. In the skeleton of an old male Gorilla in the British Museum there are proofs of a former fracture of the humerus or upper arm-bone. The arm was broken across, and as it could not be kept quiet Dame Nature has not done her work as well as a modern surgeon could on a patient whose arm he could put in splints, for it is thickened, shortened, and twisted. Many attempts have been made to obtain a live Gorilla for exhibition, but these have been only partially successful. Mr. Moore describes a young one brought to Liverpool by the German African Society. He states : " I found the little creature romping and rolling in full liberty about the private drawing-room, now looking out of the window with all becoming gravity and sedateness, as though interested, but not disconcerted, by the busy multitude and novelty without, then bounding rapidly along on knuckles and feet to examine and poke fun at some new comer; playfully mumbling at his calves, pulling at his beard (a special THE GORILLA. 35 delight), clinging to his arms, examining his hat (not at all to its improvement), curiously inquisitive as to his umbrella, and so on with visitor after visitor. If he becomes over-excited by the fun, a gentle box on the ear would bring him to order like a child, like a child only to be on the romp again immediately. He points with the index finger, claps with his hands, pouts out his tongue, feeds on a mixed diet, decidedly prefers roast meats to boiled, eats strawberries, as I saw, with delicate appreciativeness, is exquisitely clean and mannerly. The palms of his hands and feet are beautifully plump, soft, and black as jet. He has been eight months and a half in the possession of the Expedition, has grown some six inches in that time, and is supposed to be between two and three years of age." ' Du Chaillu insists on the ill-temper, ferocity and untamable nature of the young Gorilla, as the results of his experience. One was brought to him about three years of age, with its neck put in the cleft of a stick to keep it quiet, and after )NES OF THE FORE-ARM AND ARM SIDE VIEW. much trouble they got it into a bamboo cage. It was a little black thing of two feet six inches in height, and its habits, escapes and death are amusingly told. " As soon as I had the little fellow safely locked in his cage, I ventured to approach to say a few encouraging words to him. He stood in the farthest corner, but as I approached, he bellowed and made a precipitate rush at me; and though I retreated as quickly as I could he succeeded in catching my trouser leg, which he grasped with one of his feet and tore, retreating immediately to the corner farthest away. This taught me caution for the present, though I had a hope still to be able to tame him. He sat in his corner looking wickedly out of his gray eyes, and I never saw a more morose or more ill-tempered face than had this little beast. The first thing was, of course, to attend to the wants of my captive. I sent for some of the forest berries which these animals are known to prefer, and placed these and a cup of water within his reach. He was exceedingly shy, and would neither 36 APES AND MONKEYS. eat nor drink till I had removed to a considerable distance. The second day found Joe, as I had named him, fiercer than the first. He rushed savagely at any one who stood even for a moment near his cage, and seemed ready to tear us all to pieces. I threw him some pineapple leaves, of which I noticed he ate only the white parts. There seemed no difficulty about his food, though he refused now, and continued during his short life to refuse, all food except such wild leaves and fruits as were gathered from his native woods for him. The third day he was still morose and savage, bellowing when any person approached, and either retiring to a distant corner or rushing to attack. Cm the fourth day, while no one was near, the little rascal succeeded in forcing apart two of the bamboo rails which composed his cage, and made his escape. I came up just as his flight was discovered, and immediately got all the negroes together for pursuit, determining to surround the wood and recapture my captive. I was startled by an angry growl issuing from under my low bedstead, ft was Master Joe, who lay there hid, but anxiously watching my movements. I instantly shut the windows, and called to 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 little face and body, got out from beneath the bed. We shut the door at the same time and left him master of the premises, preferring to devise some plan for his easy capture rather than to expose ourselves to his terrible teeth. How to take him was now a puzzling question. He had shown such strength and such rage already, that not even I cared to run the chance of being badly bitten in a hand-to-hand struggle. Mean- time Joe stood in the middle of the room looking about for his enemies, and examining, with some surprise, the furniture. I watched with fear, lest the ticking of my clock should strike his ear, and perhaps lead him to an assault upon that precious article. Indeed, I should have left Joe in possession, but for a fear that he would destroy the many articles of value or curiosity I had hung about the walls. Finally, seeing him quiet, I dispatched some fellows for a net, and opening the door quickly, threw this over his head. Fortunately we succeeded at the first throw in perfectly entangling the young monster, who roared frightfully, and struck and kicked in every direction. I took hold of the back of his neck, two men seized his arms, and another the legs, and thus held by four men this extra- ordinary little creature still proved most troublesome. We carried him as quickly as we could to the cage, which had been repaired, and there once more locked him in. I never saw so furious a beast in my life as he was. He darted at every one who came near, bit the bamboos of the house, glared at us with venomous and sullen eyes, and in every motion showed a temper thoroughly wicked and malicious. As there was no change in this for two days thereafter, but continual moroseness, I tried what starvation would do toward breaking his spirits ; also, it began to be troublesome to procure his food from the woods, and I wanted him to become accustomed to civilized food, which was placed before him. But he would touch nothing of the kind ; and as for temper, after starving him twenty-four hours, all J THE GORILLA 37 gained was that he came slowly up and took some berries from the forest out of my hand, immediately retreating to his corner to eat them. Daily attentions from me for a fortnight more did not bring me any further confidence from him than this. He always snarled at me, and only when very hungry would he take even his choicest food from my hands. At the end of this fortnight I came to feed him, and found that he had gnawed a bamboo to pieces slyly, and again made his escape. Luckily he had but just gone ; for, as 1 looked around, 1 caught sight of Master Joe making off on all-fours, and with great speed, across the little prairie, for a clump of trees. Icalled the men up, and we gave chase. He saw us, and before we could head him off made for another clump. This we surrounded. He did not ascend tree, but stood defiantly at the border of the wood. About one hundred and fifty of us surrounded him. As we moved up he began to yell, and made a sudden dash upon a poor fellow who was in advance, who ran, tum- bled down in affright, and, by his fall, escaped, but also detained Joe sufficiently long for the nets to be brought to bear upon him. Four of us again bore him struggling into the village. This time I could not trust him to the cage, but had a little light chain fastened around his neck. This operation he resisted with all his might, and it took us quite an hour to securely chain the little fellow, whose strength was something marvelous. Ten days after he was thus chained he died suddenly. He was in good health, and ate plentifully of his natural food, which was brought every day for him; did not seem to sicken until two days before his death, and died in some pain. To the last he continued entirely untamable; and, after his chains were on, added the vice of treachery to his others." In one of his hunting excursions Du Chaillu obtained a younger Gorilla than the last, but its end was sad enough. " I was accessory to its capture," writes Du Chaillu, " and we were walking along in silence, when I heard a cry, and presently saw before me a female Gorilla, SKELETON OF THE GORILLA. 38 APES AND MONKEYS. with a tiny baby Gorilla hanging to her breast and suckling. The mother was stroking the little one, and looking fondly down at it ; and the scene was so pretty and touching that I held my fire, and considered — like a soft-hearted fellow — whether I had not better leave them in peace. Before I could make up my mind, however, my hunter fired and killed the mother, who fell without a struggle. The mother fell, but the baby clung to her, and, with pitiful cries, endeavored to attract her attention. I came up, and when it saw me it hid its poor little head in its mother's breast. It could neither walk nor bite, so we could easily manage it ; and I carried it, while the men bore the mother on a pole. When we got to the village another scene ensued. The men put the body down, and I set the little fellow near. As soon as he saw his mother he crawled to her, and threw himself on her breast. He did not find his accustomed nourishment, and I saw that he perceived something was the matter with the old one. He crawled over her body, smelt at it, and gave utterance, from time to time, to a plaintive cry — ' Hoo, hoo, hoo ! ' which touched my heart. 1 could get no milk for this poor little fellow, who could not eat, and consequently died on the third day after he was caught. He seemed more docile than the other I had, for he already recognized my voice, and would try to hurry toward me when he saw me." The reason why the Gorilla flourishes in Western Equatorial Africa is probably because the great Carnivora, or beasts of prey, are not found in the dense forests and open prairies which cover the country. The jungle begins where the sea ceases, and then comes the virgin forest, extending some degrees north and south of the equator, and reaching unknown distances inland. There are no Lions, and but few Leopards, Hyenas and Jackals to be met with ; and the great African beasts— the Rhinocerides, Giraffes, Zebras, etc., absent. Snakes, Lizards and a vast insect world abound, and there are birds of prey. The Elephant is scarce, and, indeed, miles and miles may be traversed without hearing or seeing any signs of large animal life. But of all the mammals the Monkeys are the most numerous, and the Gorilla reigns supreme. He has the forest to himself, and but few enemies. He has companions, however, nearly of his own size, and whose description we owe to Du Chaillu, and they are so constructed, anatomically, that they link on, as it were, this greatest of all Apes with the well-known Chimpanzee, which is also indigenous to the Gorilla land. The new Apes are the Nschiego Mbouve, or Tschiego, and the Koolo-Kamba. CHAPTER III. MAN-SHAPED MONKEYS — CONTINUED. THE NSCHIECO MBOUVE which attains the height of four feet, and has a spread of arms of seven feet, was discovered by Du Chaillu in the Gaboon district. It is remarkable for building- very comfortable shelters, and this led to its being found ; for Du Chaillu, in one of his excursions, was trudging along rather tired of sport, when he saw a most singular looking shelter built on the branches of a tree. He thought it had been made by the natives, and asked whether the hunters had the habit of sleeping in the woods, but was told, to his great surprise, that it was a nest built by an Ape. Moreover, one of the natives told him that it was a curious creature, which had a bald head. Many of the nests were seen subsequently, and it was noticed that they were generally built about fifteen or twenty feet from the ground, and invariably on a tree which stands slightly apart from others, and which had no lower bough beneath the shelter. Occasionally they are to be seen at the height of fifty feet ; and it would appear that the altitude has something to do with the dread of the few flesh-eating and destructive beasts, such as the Leopard. The loneliest parts of the forest are chosen, for the animal is shy, and is very rarely seen, even by the negroes. The materials for the nest consist of leafy branches, and it is collected by the male and the female also, who tie them together, and to the tree, very neatly with twigs of the vine. The roof is so well constructed that it closely resembles human work, and it throws off the rain admirably, for it is neatly rounded at the top. During its construction, the female gathers the branches and vines, whilst the male builds; but afterward they do not occupy the same shelter, the male making another close by in a neighboring tree. The roof, which is usually some six or eight feet in diameter, is more or less dome-shaped, or something like an extended umbrella ; and the Nschiego gets under it and clasps the tree, or squats on a bough, so that its head is just beneath the under surface. The nests are not occupied permanently, and usually for not more than eight or ten days, for the Apes, living upon wild berries of a certain kind, select spots where they are plentiful, and leave them when the store is exhausted. Du Chaillu never saw many nests together, and he does not think the animals live in troops, but only in pairs. Sometimes a solitary nest is seen, inhabited by a Nschiego, whose silvery hair 39 40 APES AND MONKEYS. denotes its age, and probably its desire for solitude after a long- and trouble- some life. Being desirous of obtaining one of these shelter makers, as they were evidently new to science, Du Chaillu took every precaution to surprise his prey; but it is best to tell the story in his own words : " We traveled with great caution, not to alarm our prey, and had a hope that by singling out a shelter, and waiting till dark, we should find it occupied. In this hope we were not disappointed. Lving quite still in our concealment (which tried my patience sorely), we at last, just at dusk, heard the peculiar ' Hew, hew, hew,' which is the call of the male to his mate. We waited till it was quite dark, and then I saw what I had so longed all the weary afternoon to see. A Nschiego was sitting in his nest. His feet rested on the lower branch, his head reached quite into the little dome of the roof, and his arm was clasped firmly round the tree trunk. This is their way of sleeping. After gazing till I was tired through the gloom at my sleeping victim, two of us fired, and the unfortunate beast fell at our feet without a struggle, or even a groan. We built a fire at once, and made our camp in this place, that when daylight came I might first of all examine and slyn my prize. The poor Ape was hung up to be out of the way of insects, and 1 fell asleep on my bed of leaves and grass, as pleased a man as the world could well hold. Next morning I had leisure to examine the Nschiego. " I was at once struck with points of difference between it and the Chimpanzee. It was smaller, and had a bald black head. This is its distinctive character. This specimen was three feet eleven inches high, or long. It was an adult. Its skin, where there is no hair, is black, and the thick breast and abdomen are covered with short and rather thin blackish hairs. On the lower part of the abdomen the hair is thinnest, but this is not perceived unless looked at carefully, as the skin is the color of the hair. On the legs the hair is of a dirty gray, mixed with black. The shoulders and back have black hair between two and three inches long, mixed with a little gray. The arms down to the wrist have also long black hair, but shorter than in the Gorilla. The hair is blacker, longer, glossier and thinner in general than that on the Gorilla, and the skin is not so tough. I noticed that the bare places, where the hair is worn off by contact with hard substances in sleeping, were different from the bare places which are so conspicuous on the common Chimpanzee. " It is not as powerful an animal as the Gorilla, its chest is not so large, but the arms and fingers are a little longer, and this is the case with the toes also. The nose is not so prominent, but the mouth is wider and the ears are larger. Its chin is rounder, and has more small hairs, and the side of the face is thinly covered with hair, commencing about the middle of the ear, and these would seem to be signs of an incipient beard and whiskers. The lower parts of the body are bare, and the skin is white there." THE NSCHIEGO MBOUVE. 41 Apparently the disposition and temper of the Nschiego are better than those of the Gorilla ; it is less ferocious, and is even docile in captivity. It has not the hideous expression of the great Ape, for there is something of a forehead above the ridge of the eyebrow, and there are no great crests on the head, which is rounder than that of the Gorilla. The teeth are rather smaller, but are of the same number. The height is less than that of the female Gorilla, as a rule; and the male of this bald kind is larger than its female ; whilst the little young ones differ THE NSCHIEGO MBOUVE. in their color from both, being white. Finally, it would appear that there are hard callous pads on the back of the fingers, that the hand is larger than the feet, and that the tips of the fingers reach a little below the knee. Subsequently he had a very good opportunity of substantiating his statements about the nests. " On our way down, at sunset of the third day, we heard the call of a Nschiego Mbouve. I immediately caused my men to lie down, and was just getting into a hiding place myself, when I saw, in the branches of a tree at a little distance, the 42 APES AND MONKEYS. curious nest or bower of this Ape; hard by, on another tree, was another shelter. We crept up within shot of this nest, and then waited, for I was determined to see once more the precise manner in which this animal goes to rest. We lay flat on the ground, and covered ourselves with leaves and bush, scarcely daring to breathe, lest the approaching animal should hear us. From time to time I heard the calls. There were evidently two, probably male and female. Just as the sun was setting, I saw an animal approach the tree. It ascended by a hand-over-hand movement, with great rapidity, crept carefully under the shelter, seated itself on the crotch made by a projecting bough, its feet and haunches resting on this bough ; then it put one arm about the trunk of the tree for security. "Thus, I suppose, they rest all night; and this posture accounts for some singular abrasions of hair on the side of the Nschiego Mbouve. At a little distance off I saw another shelter made for the mate. No sooner was it seated that it began again to utter its call. It was answered ; and I began to have the hope that I should shoot both animals, when an unlucky motion of one of my men roused the suspicions of the Ape in the tree. It began to prepare for descent, and, unwilling to risk the loss of this one, I fired. It fell to the ground dead. It proved to be a male, with the face and hands entirely black. As we were not in haste, I made my men cut down the trees which contained the nests of these Apes. I found them made precisely as I have before described, and as I have always found them, of long branches and leaves, laid one over the other very carefully and thickly, so as to render the structure capable of shedding off water. The branches were fast- ened to the tree in the middle of the structure by means of wild vines and creepers, which are so abundant in these forests. The projecting limb on which the Ape perched was about four feet long. There remains no doubt in my mind that these nests are made by the animal to protect it from the nightly rains. When the leaves begin to dry to that degree that the structure no longer throws off water, the owner builds a new shelter, and this happens generally once in ten or fifteen days. At this rate the Nschiego Mbouve is an animal of no little industry." THE KOOLO-KAMBA. This kind of Troglodyte is celebrated for saying koola-koolo over and over again as its favorite cry, for having a verv extraordin- ary frog-like figure, and for being one of those creatures which are exceedingly interesting to zoologists, because they are, as it were, half one thing and half another. A neighbor of the great Apes already noticed, it associates also with the common Chimpanzee, in the quiet forests of Western Equatorial Africa. In one of these Du Chaillu first saw it, and he describes his discovery as follows: — "We had hardly got clear of the Bashikoway ants and their bites when my ears were saluted by the singular cry of the Ape I was after. 'Koola-koolo! koola- koolo! ' * it said several times. Gambo and I raised our eyes, and saw, high up on a tree branch, a large Ape. We both fired at once, and the next moment the poor h Koolo is the cry, and Kamba means " to say." THE KOOLO-KAMBA. 43 beast fell to the ground with a heavy crash. [ rushed up, anxious to see if indeed, I had a new animal. I saw in a moment that it was neither a Nschiego Mbouve, a Chimpanzee, nor a Gorilla. Again I had a happy day — marked for ever with red ink in my calender. The animal was a full-grown male, four feet three inches high, and was less powerfully built than the male Gorilla, but as powerful as either the Chimpanzee or Nschiego Mobuve. When it was brought into Obindji, all the people, at once exclaimed, 'That is Koolo-Kamba.' Then I asked them about the other Apes I already knew, but for these they had other names and did not at ^m THE KOOLO-KAMBA. all confound the species. For all these reasons 1 was assured that my prize was indeed a new animal; a variety at least of those before known. The Koolo-Kamba has several distinctive marks: a very round head, whiskers running quite around the face and below the chin; the face is round, the cheek-bones prominent, the eyes sunken, and the jaws not very prominent, less so than in any of the Apes. The hair is black and long on the arm, which was, however, partly bare. The Koola is the Ape of all the great Apes now known, which most nearly approaches man in the structure of its head; for the capacity of the cranium is somewhat greater, in 44 APES AND MONKEYS. proportion to the animal's size, than in either the Gorilla or the Nschiego Mbouve. Of its habits these people could tell me nothing-, except that farther in the interior it was found more frequently, and that it |was like the Gorilla, very shy and hard of approach." They are rare animals, and Du Chaillu met with this one only ; it was as large as a female Gorilla, and from its structure was evidently a great climber. On looking at the head of the Koolo-Kamba, one is struck with the large ears, which are larger than those of the Apes already described, and almost as large, but less detached, as those of the Chimpanzee. The skull is globular, and with a low contracted forehead receding behind the brow crests; but there are only faint ridges on its sides, although the muscles of the jaw are large, and they come from the sides of the skull. The head is very hairy , and the face, which is very pro- jecting in front, is black in color. It is rendered very tigerish and ugly by the flat nose merging into a wide, thick, projecting upper lip, without any furrow ; and the mouth looks like a wide slit, there being no chin on account of the pouting nature of the great lips. THE SOKO. both as regards its name, description, and habits, we owe to Livingstone ; and the stories which he heard of it from the natives, in the strange country to the west of the great lake Tanganyika, must have whiled away many a weary hour during his ill-health and gradual loss of energy. The first notice of it is curious enough, and occurs in his last journals. They were in want of rain, and he writes: "A Soko alive, was believed to be a good charm for rain, so one was caught; and the captor had the ends of two fingers and toes bitten off. The Soko, or Gorilla, always tries to bite off these parts, and has been known to overpower a young man, and leave him without the ends of fingers and toes. I saw the nest of one; it was a poor contrivance— no more architectural skill shown than in the nest of the cushet dove. "The Soko is represented by some to be extremely knowing, successfully stalking men and women while at their work ; kidnapping children, and running up trees with them; he seems to be amused by the sight of the young native in his arms, but comes down when tempted by a bunch of bananas, and as he lifts that, drops the child ; the young Soko, in such a case would cling closely to the arm-pit of the elder. One man was cutting out honey from a tree, and naked, when a Soko suddenly appeared and caught him, then let him go; another man was hunting, and missed in his attempt to stab a Soko; it seized the spear, and broke it, then grappled with the man who called to his companions, 'Soko has caught me!' The Soko bit off the ends of his fingers and escaped unharmed. Both men are now alive at Bambarre. "The Soko is so cunning, and has such sharp eyes that no one can stalk him in front without being seen; hence ; when shot it is always in the back, when sur- rounded by men and nets, he is generally speared in the back, too, otherwise he is not a very formidable beast. He is nothing, as compared in power of damaging THE SOKO. 45 his assailant, to a Leopard or Lion, but is more like a man unarmed, for it does not occur to him to use his canine teeth, which are long and formidable. Numbers of them came down in the forest, within a hundred yards of our camp, and would be unknown but for giving tongue like Foxhounds; this is their nearest approach to speech. A man hoeing, was stalked by a Soko, and seized; he roared out, but the Soko giggled and grinned, and left him as if he had done it in play. A child, caught up by a Soko, is often abused by being pinched, and scratched, and let fall. "The Soko kills the Leopard occasionally, by seizing both paws and biting them, so as to disable them; he then goes up a tree, groans over his wounds, and sometimes recovers, while the Leopard dies. At other times both Soko and Leopard die. The Lion kills him at once, and sometimes tears his limbs off, but does not eat him. The Soko eats no flesh, small bananas are his dainties, but not maize. His food consists of wild fruits, which abound, and of these one is like large sweet sop, but indif- erent in taste. The Soko brings forth at times twins. A very large Soko was seen by Mo- hamad's hunters, sitting picking his nails; they tried to stalk him, but he vanished. Some Man- yuema think that their buried dead rise as Sokos, and one was killed with holes in his ears, as if he had been a man. He is very strong, and fears guns, but not spears. He never catches women. "Sokos collect together, and make a drumming noise, some say with hollow trees, then burst forth into loud yells, which are well imitated by the natives' embryonic music. If a man has no spear, the Soko goes away satisfied; but if wounded, he seizes the wrist, lops off the fingers and spits them out, slaps the cheeks of his victim, and bites without breaking the skin; he draws out a spear (but never uses it), and takes some leaves and stuffs them into his wound to staunch the blood; he does not seek an encounter with an armed man. He sees women A YOUNG SOKO. 46 APES AND MONKEYS. do him no harm, and never molests them ; a man without a spear is nearly safe from him. They live in communities of about ten, each having his own female; an intruder from another camp is beaten off with their fists and loud yells. If one tries to seize the female of another, he is caught on the ground, and all unite in boxing and biting the offender. A male often carries a child, especially if they are passing from one patch of forest to another over a grass}' space ; he then gives it to the mother." THE CHIMPANZEE comes next in the descending order of the scale of beings, and completes the number of the kinds of these man-shaped Apes of Equa- torial Africa. It is this animal, the young of which are celebrated for their gentle fun, romping play, good climbing, and their ability to imitate many human habits — clothes-wearing, tobacco-smoking and tea-drinking especially. It is the Chimpanzee of Chimpanzees, the young of which have such very human-looking faces and most babj--like skulls. Being covered for the most part, and especially on the top and sides of the head, with long black hairs, it is called the Black Chimpanzee. It was a sight worth seeing to be present in the Monkey House of the Zoo- logical Gardens, in London, when the keeper paid an early morning visit to his attached friend, the Chimpanzee. If he was not quite awake, or lazily inclined, and snugly covered up in his little wooden house, and the keeper called him, a commotion was heard inside, and then a round little figure with a large head came tumbling out, and rushed to the iron wicket. He creeps along at a great rate on all-fours, but the body is half erect, for the fore limbs are long, and the knuckles, or rather the back parts of the second joints of the fingers, are allowed to touch the ground and support the frame in front, whilst the elbows are kept straight. The hind legs being short, move one after the other as in a canter, and it is readily noticed that although the feet touch the ground on their outer edges, they can rest flat on the soles. There is much joyful recognition, and after he has put his arms around the keeper's neck, he enjoys being tickled and laid on his back in the straw. Making grunts and little laughs, he shows his fine set of teeth, and his fine hazel-colored eyes twinkle with fun. Then he rushes off, tumbling head over heels, scampers over the straw, and with a jump clasps one of the horizontal wooden bars in the cage, and swings himself up and on to it with an ease and grace which many a gymnast might envy. Running along this, and just balancing himself with the assistance of the back of his hand, he nears a rope, and then, after seizing it, swings with arms out at full length, now catching hold of others or of the wire lattice- work with his feet and toe-thumb, or suddenly coming to the ground with a great bounce. This is usually preparatory to coming to the spectators, and he then squats down, folds his arms, and moves his shoulders from side to side in a quick and restless manner. Another scamper brings him to his house on the ground floor, into which he looks, and then taking a lot of biscuits, he gives a jump on to ORANG-UTAN AND CHIMPANZEES IN THE BERLIN AQUARIUM. 47 48 APES AND MONKEYS. its shelving top, sits down, and begins to eat. He sits upright enough, and puts the biscuit into his mouth, but rather clumsily. He does not take it between the tips of his fingers and the thumb, but between the thumb and the side of the first finger, for the thumb is short. Hence, as the food disappears, he appears to be cramming the knuckle of his first finger into his mouth. One is struck with the color of the face, which is nearly hairless, for the tint of its skin is a dirty yellow-ochre ; but it is relieved by the beautiful white teeth, the hazel eyes, and the long hair which comes down from the top of the head in front of the ear like a lock. The upper lip has no furrow running down from the small and flat nose, but it is very large, and the mouth looks like a slit in the face when both lips are together. He has distinct eyelids ; and when he sits and looks forward, the chin reaches below the top of the breast and hides the neck. The palm of the hands is flesh-colored, or darker, and the foot looks very strange, for the hair is long over the ankle and very black, and it ceases suddenly, so that the heel and all the sides and the sole are naked and flesh-tinted. The absence of hair on the face — there being a little straggling beard only — is possibly an ornament, and it is noticed in many monkeys ; but its absence from the under part of the hand and foot, of course, is of use, for it gives a greater power of grasp and a finer sense of touch. The front hair comes to a peak over the forehead, and the curve on either side is very graceful ; then it covers a broad, low head, which looks very big behind and decidedly over-burdened with two great ears, larger than those of the Gorilla, and which are close neighbors to the high shoulders. Long black hair, with the ears peering through, covers all the back and sides of the head and the wide shoulders and very short neck, and is continued down the back, which shows no sign of a waist, and only becomes smaller just above the thighs. At first sight there is something very human about the Chimpanzee; it looks like a very old child, and doubtless this is increased by its gentle habits and amiability ; and there is every apology to be made for the early geographers and anatomists, who called it the " Pigmie." One of the first living Chimpanzees which was brought over took some strange dislikes to people. When it was brought on board the ship it would give its hand to be shaken by some, but refused it to others of the sailors with marks of anger, and it speedily became very familiar with the crew, except with a boy, to whom it never became reconciled. When the seamen's mess was brought on deck, it was a constant attendant ; it would go round and embrace each person, while it uttered loud yells, and then seated itself to enjoy the repast. If it was pleased at any favorite morsel, or if a piece of sweetmeat was given to it, satisfaction was expressed by a sound like a " hem," in a grave tone ; but if it was made angry or vexed, it would bark like a dog or cry like a child, and scratch itself most vehe- mently. It was active and cheerful in warm latitudes, but it became languid as it left the Torrid Zone, so that a blanket had to be given it. THE CHIMPANZEE. 49 Bamboo, a Chimpanzee, the subject of the following sketch, by Lieut. Sayers, " was purchased from a Mandingo, at Sierra Leone, who related that he had captured him in the Bullom country some months before, having first shot the mother, on which occasions the young ones never fail to remain by their wounded parents. On becoming mine, he was delivered over to a black boy, my servant, and in a few days became so attached to him as to be exceedingly troublesome, screaming and throwing himself into the most violint passion if he attempted to leave him for a moment. He evinced also a most strange affection for clothes, never THE CHIMPANZEE. omitting an opportunity of possessing himself of the first garment he came across, whenever he had the means of entering my apartment. He carried it immediately to the piazza, where invariably he seated himself on it with a self-satisfied grunt; nor would he resign it without a hard fight, and, on being worsted, exhibited every symptom of the greatest anger. Observing this strange fancy, I procured him a piece of cotton cloth, which, much to the amusement of all who saw him, he was never without, carrying it with him wherever he went, nor could any temptation induce him to resign it even for a moment. Totally unacquainted with their mode 4 50 APES AND MONKEYS. of living- in the wild state, I adopted the following method of feeding him, which has appeared to succeed admirably : In the morning, at eight o'clock, he received a piece of bread, about the size of a small loaf, steeped in water or milk and water; about two, a couple of bananas or plantains ; and before he retired for the night, a banana, orange, or slice of pineapple. The banana appeared to be his favorite fruit; fo r it he would forsake all other viands, and if not gratified, would exhibit the utmost petulance. On one occasion I deemed it necessary to refuse him one, considering that he had already eaten a sufficiency, upon which he threw himself into the most violent passion, and uttering a piercing cry, knocked his head with such violence against the wall as to throw himself on his back, then ascending a chest which was near, wildly threw his arms into the air and precipitated himself from it. These actions so alarmed me for his safety that I gave up the contest, and on doing so he evinced the greatest satisfaction at his victory, uttering for several minutes the most expressive grunts and cries; in short, he exhibited, on all occasions when his will was opposed, the impatient temper of a spoilt child ; but even in the height of passion I never observed any disposition to bite or otherwise ill-treat his keeper or myself. " Although he would never object to being caressed or nursed by even a stranger, yet I never saw him evince the slightest disposition to make the acquaint- ance of any other animal. At the time he came into my possession I had two Patas Monkeys, and thinking they might become acquainted, I placed Mr. Bamboo in the same apartment, where he resided for five months, yet I never saw the least desire on his part to become even friendly; on the contrary, he showed evident anger and dislike at their approach. This strange attachment to the human race, and manifest dislike to all others, I have always considered one of the most extra- ordinary features of this genus. His cunning was also remarkable. On all occasions when he thought he was unobserved, he would not fail to steal every- thing within his reach, for no other apparent purpose than to gratify a propensity for thieving; did he, however, even think you were looking at him, he would wait his opportunity with the greatest patience before he commenced depredation. On being left by himself in his piazza he would invariably seat himself on the window- sill, which was the highest point he could attain, and commanded a view of the barrack yard as well as the interior of my bedroom ; but at sunset he would descend, enter a washing-tub, which he had of his own accord chosen as a sleeping place, and remain there all night; as soon, however, as the sun rose, he would never fail to occupy his favorite position on the window ledge. From this, I should say, that trees are ascended by the Chimpanzee merely for observation or food, and that they live principally on the ground. Bamboo, at the time of pur- chase, appeared to be about fourteen months old, and from what I could learn from the natives, they do not reach their full growth till between nine and ten years of age ; which, if true, brings them extremely near the human species, as the boy or girl of West Africa, at thirteen or fourteen years old, is quite as much a man THE CHIMPANZEE. 51 or woman as those of nineteen or twenty in our more northern clime. Their height, when full grown, is said to be between four and five feet; indeed, I was credibly informed that a male Chimpanzee, which had been shot in the neighborhood and brought into Free Town, measured four feet five inches in length, and was so heavy as to form a very fair load for two men, who carried him on a pole between them. The natives say that in their wild state their strength is enormous, and that they have seen them snap boughs off the trees with the greatest apparent ease, which the united strenght of two men could scarcely bend. The natives also affirmed that they always travel in strong bodies, armed with sticks, which they use with much dexterity. They are exceedingly watchful ; and the first one who discovers the approach of a stranger utters a protracted cry, much resembling that of a human being in the greatest distress. The first time I heard it I was much startled ; the animal was apparently not more than thirty paces distant, but had it been but five I could not have seen it, from the tangled nature of the jungle, and I certainly conceived that such sounds could only have proceeded from a human being, who hoped to gain assistance by his cries from some terrible and instant 52 APES AND 'MONKEYS. death. The native who was with me laid his hand upon my shoulder, and pointing suspiciously to the bush, said : ' Massa, Baboo live there ! ' and in a few minutes the wood appeared alive with them, their cries resembling the barking of dogs. My guide informed me that the cry first heard was to inform the troop of my approach, and that they would all immediately leave the trees, or any exalted situation that might expose them to view, and seek the bush ; he also showed evident fear, and entreated me not to proceed any further in that direction. The plantations of bananas, pawpaws and plantains, which the natives usually intermix with their rice, constituting the favorite food of the Chimpanzee, accounts for their being so frequent in the neighborhood of rice fields. The difficulty of procuring live specimens of this genus arises principally, I should say, from the superstitions of the natives concerning them, who believe they possess the power of ' witching.' " A most interesting little male Chimpanzee was obtained from the natives of the Gambia coast some years since, and became famous in London for its great intelligence and human-like conduct. His mother was shot when he was about twelve months old, about 120 miles from the sea ; and after being well taken care of he was sent to England on board ship, where he had a free range of the rigging and decks, and where he made himself much liked. A distinguished zoologist, Mr. Broderip, visited him in the Zoological Gardens after he had undergone some tuition, and describes what he saw, as follows : " I saw him for the first time in the kitchen belonging to the keepers' apart- ments, dressed in a little Guernsey shirt, or banyan jacket. He was sitting child- like in the lap of a good old woman, to whom he clung whenever she made show of putting him down. His aspect was mild and passive, but that of a little withered old man, and his large eyes, hairless and crimpled visage, and man-like ears, surmounted by the black hair of his head, rendered the resemblance very striking, notwithstanding the depressed nose and the projecting mouth. He had already become very fond of his good old nurse, and she had evidently become attached to her nursling, although they had only been acquainted for three or four days, and it was with difficulty that he permitted her to go away to do her work in another part of the building. On her lap he was perfectly at his ease, and it seemed to me that he considered her as occupying the place of his mother. He was constantly reaching up with his hand to the fold of her neckerchief, though when he did so she checked him, saying, ' No, Tommy, you must not pull the pin out.' When not otherwise occupied, he would sit quietly in her lap, pulling his toes about with his fingers, with the same passive air as a human child exhibits when amusing himself in the same manner. 1 wished to examine his teeth ; and when his nurse, in order to make him open his mouth, threw him back on her arm and tickled him just as she would a child, the caricature was complete. " I offered him my ungloved hand. He took it mildly in his, with a manner equally exempt from forwardness and fear, examined it with his eyes, and per- ceiving a ring on one of my fingers, submitted that, and that only, to a very cautious THE CHIMPANZEE. 53 and gentle examination with his teeth, so as not to leave any mark on the ring. I then offered him my other hand with the glove on. This he felt, looked at it, turned it about, and then tried it with his teeth. At length it became necessary for his kind nurse to leave him, and after much remonstrance on his part she put him on the floor. He would not leave her, however, and walked nearly erect by her side, holding by her gown just like a child. At last she got him away by offering him a peeled raw potato, which he ate with great relish, holding it in his right hand. His keeper, who is very attentive to him, then made his appearance, and spoke to him. Tommy evidently made an attempt to speak, gesticulating as he stood erect, protruding his lips, and making a hoarse noise like ' hoo ! hoo!' He soon showed a disposition to play with me, jumping on his lower extremities opposite to me like a child, and looking at me with an expression indicating a wish for a game at romps. I confess I complied, and a capital game we had. On another occasion, and when he had become familiar with me, I caused, in the midst of his play, a looking-glass to be brought and held before him. His attention was instantly and strongly arrested; from the utmost activity he became immov- ably fixed, steadfastly gazing at the mirror with eagerness, and something like wonder depicted in his face. He at length looked up at me, then again gazed at the glass. The tip of my fingers appeared on one side as I held it ; he put his hands and then his lips to them, then looked behind the glass, and finally passed his hands behind it, evidently to feel if there were anything substantial there. I presented him with a cocoanut, to the shell of which some bark was still adhering; the tender bud was just beginning to shoot forth — this he immediately bit off and ate. He then stripped off some of the bark with his teeth, moving it by the crust of adhering fibers round his head, darted it down, and repeatedly jumped on it with all his weight. A hole was bored in one of the eyes, and the nut again given to him, and he immediately held it up with the aperture downward, applied his mouth to it, and sucked away at what milk there was with great glee. As I was making notes with a paper and pencil, he came up and looked at me inquisitively, testing the pencil with his teeth when he had it given to him. A trial was made of the little fellow's courage ; for when his attention was directed elsewhere, a hamper containing a large snake, called Python, was brought in and placed on a chair near the dresser. The lid was raised, and the basket in which the snake was enveloped was opened, and soon after Tommy came gamboling that way. As he jumped and danced along the dresser toward the basket he was all gaiety and life; suddenly he seemed to be taken aback, stopped, and cautiously advanced toward the basket, peered or rather craned over it, and instantly, with a gesture of horror and aversion and the cry of ' hoo ! hoo ! ' recoiled from the detested object, jumped back as far as he could, and then sprang to his keeper for protection. Tommy does not like confinement, and when he is shut up in his cage, the violence with which he pulls at and shakes the door is very great, and shows considerable strength ; but I have never seen him use this exertion against any other part of the 54 APES AND MONKEYS. cage, though his keeper has endeavored to induce him to do so, in order to see whether he would make the distinction. When at liberty he is extremely playful ; and in his high jinks, I saw him toddle into a corner where a litter of very young pups and their mother were housed, and lay hold of them, till the snarling of the mother and the cries of the keeper made him put the pup down. He then climbed up to the top of the cage where the Marmosets were, and jumped furiously upon it, evidently to astonish the inmates, who huddled together, looking up at the dreadful creature over their heads. Then he went to a window, opened it and looked out. I was afraid that he might make his escape ; but the words ' Tommy, No ! ' pronounced by the keeper in a mild but firm tone, caused him to shut the window and to come away. He is, in truth, a most docile and affectionate animal, and it is impossible not to be taken with the expressive gestures and looks with which he courts your good opinion, and throws himself upon you for protection against annoyance." Whether they grow cross and savage as they get old is not known, for no adults have been kept in captivity, but as this is usual in other mon- keys, it is probable that their interesting time of life is that of childhood, and that when the age of fun and tricks has passed there is not much else but brutality left. These man-shaped Apes, the Gorilla, the Nschiego Mbouve, the Koola Kamba, the Soko, and the Chimpanzee, form a group of beings which is separated from all others by anatomical differences. Their home is in Equatorial Africa, from the Western Sea to the Great Lakes near the eastern side of the Continent, and none of the kinds composing it have ever been found out of this range. Their bones have not been found in caves or in the state of fossils anywhere, so they must be regarded as essentially African. The group clings to forest and jungle, and its members lead very much the same kind of lives, for they are all vegetarians, liking quietude, and either roaming singly or in pairs, or living in troops. There is no evidence whatever that any of these have ever wandered ; and it must be admitted that they have lived where they are now found every since the country has been as it is, as regards its physical geography and peculiar climate. As regards their anatomical distinctness from other beings, they may be separated from man on the one hand, and from the Monkeys on the other. They are linked together as a group by many resemblances in their construction, although there are differences enough to distinguish kind from kind. From man they one and all differ in the shape of the head, the size of the brain case, the nature of the palate, the shape of the jaws, and in the last lower molar teeth and tooth spaces. Their head ridges, the shape and length of their limbs, and the nature of their thumbs and toe-thumbs are very distinctive. The great air pouches, the shape of the chest, the extra ribs, and the shape of the hip-girdle, cause them to differ much from man; and their brain is, as it were, dwarfed and infantile. THE ORANG-UTAN has a general resemblance to the Chimpanzee, and is a native of Borneo and Sumatra. Its height is about four and a half feet, though it THE ORANG-UTAN. 55 sometimes exceeds six feet. It is covered with dark brown hair, the skin seen through it having a bluish tint. The face is nearly bare. The body is large and strong, the belly full, and the movement oscillating. The eyes are fringed with lashes; the nose is on a line with the face; the mouth is projecting; the lips thin, capable of great elongation, and endowed with a peculiar mobility; the ears small and resembling those of man. The muzzle grows more acute with age, and the disposition of the animal often becomes fierce and savage at maturity. It is incapable of walking erect, but moves in a hobbling manner by putting the knuckles of its hands to the ground, and drawing its body forward between them. In a state of nature it probably seldom moves along on the ground — its whole config- uration showing its fitness for climbing trees and clinging to the branches. In sitting on a flat surface it turns its legs under it; in sitting on a branch of a tree, it rests on its heels, its bodv pressed against its thighs. The Orangs generally occupy the marshy districts, covered with dense for- ests and rank vegetation. They are soli- tary in their habits, living inactive in the wilds, away from the resorts of man. Dur- ing the day they move about in the upper branches of the forest ; towards evening they descend and find shelter from the cold and wind in the thick foliage of the palms and other similar trees. Sometimes they make a sort of platform of sticks, and cover it with leaves, which becomes their resting place. The old males are especially dreaded by the inhabitants, as each one appropriates a district to himself, and attacks with fury any one who invades it. tables, though they devour eggs and small birds. Rajah Brooke, whose name will always be associated with Borneo, took great interest in the Orang-utan hunting, principal!)' with a view to decide how many kinds there were ; and his first impressions on killing his first large one were excited by the prominent peculiarities just noticed. The first male he killed was seated lazily on a tree, and when the people approached he only took the trouble to hide behind the trunk, peeping first on one side and then on the other, and "dodging," as the Rajah did the same. He was wounded in the wrist, and afterwards was despatched. The Rajah wrote as follows:-"Great was our triumph as we gazed on the huge animal dead at our feet, and proud we were of having shot the first Orang we had seen, and shot him in his native woods, in a Borneo forest hitherto untrodden by European feet. We were struck with the length of his arms, the enormous neck, the expanse of face, which altogether gave the im- YOUNG ORANG-UTAN. Their food consists chiefly of vege- 56 APES AND MONKEYS. pression of great height, whereas it was only great power. The hair was long, reddish, and thin; the face remarkably broad and fleshy, and on each side, in the place of a man's whiskers, were the callosities, or rather, fleshy protuberances, which I was so desirous to see, and which were nearly two inches in thickness. The ears were small and well shaped, the nose quite flat, the mouth prominent, the lips thick, the eyes small and roundish, the teeth large and discolored, the face and hands black — these last being very poweful. This animal was four feet one inch in height, and its fore-limb was three feet five inches and three-quarters in length ; the width of the face, moreover, being as much as one foot one inch. "While the fore-limb was so long, the lower limb, from the hip to the heel, only measured one foot nine inches; and hence there is great disproportion between the limbs, the legs and feet appearing dwarfed in comparison." The Rajah considered the Orangs to be as dull and slothful as one could conceive, and on no occasion, when pursuing them, did they move so fast as to preclude his keeping pace with them easily through a moderately clear forest, aud even when obstructions below (such as wading up to the neck) enabled them to get away some distance they were sure to stop and allow the hunters to come up. He never observed any attempt at defiance, and the wood which some- times rattled down about his ears was broken by their weight, and not thrown down, as some people imagine to be the case. If pushed to extremity the large male, with crests on its head, could be formidable ; and one unfortunate man, who, with a party, was trving to catch a large one alive, lost two of his fingers, besides being severely bitten in the face, whilst the animal finally beat off its pursuers. When the natives wish to catch an adult, they cut down a circle of trees round the one on which he is seated, and then fell that also, close before he can recover himself, and try to bind him. He also notices the little dread the natives have of them, and that they form seats rather than nests in the trees. A Mr. Wallace had an opportunity of observing the nest, or rather nest- making, which is performed by these animals when severely wounded. ''He was called by a Chinaman working in Borneo to shoot a Mias (the native name for the Orang), which, he said, was on a tree close by his house at the coal-mines. Arriv- ing at the place, we had some difficulty in finding the animal, as he had gone off into the jungle, which was very rocky and difficult to traverse. At last we found him up a very high tree, and could see that he was a male of the largest size. As soon as I had fired, he moved higher up the tree, and while he was doing so I fired again ; and we then saw that one arm was broken. He had now reached the very highest part of an immense tree, and immediately began breaking off boughs all around, and laying them across and across to make a nest. It was very interest- ing to see how well he had chosen his place, and how rapidly he stretched out his un- wounded arm in every direction, breaking oft good sized boughs with the greatest ease, and laying them back across each other, so that in a few minutes he had THE ORANG-UTAN. 57 formed a compact mass of foliage, which entirely concealed him from our sight. He was evidently going to pass the night here, and would probably get away early next morning, if not wounded too severely. I therefore fired agian several times in hopes of making him leave his nest; but, though I felt sure I had hit him, as at each shot he moved a little, he would not go away. At length he raised himself up so that half his body was visible, and then gradually sank down, his head alone remaining on the edge of the nest. I now felt sure he was dead, and tried to per- suade the Chinaman and his companion to cut down the tree; but it was a very large one and they had been at work all day so nothing would induce them to attempt it. The next morning, at daybreak, I came to the place, and found that the Mias was evidently dead, as his head was visible in exactly the same position as before." Mr. Wallace, who described how it forms a nest when wounded, states, "that it uses a similar one to sleep in almost every night. This is placed low down, 58 APES AXD MONKEYS. however, on a small tree, not more than from twenty to fifty feet from the ground, probably because it is warmer and less exposed to wind than higher up. Each Mias is said to make a fresh one for himself every night ; but I should think that is hardly probable, or their remains would be much more abundant ; for though I saw several about the coal mines, there must have been many Orangs about every day, and in a year their deserted nests would become very numerous. The Dyaks say that when it is very wet the Mias covers himself over with leaves of Pandanus, or large ferns, which has perhaps led to the story of his making a hut in the trees. The Orang does not leave his bed till the sun has well risen and has dried up the dew upon the leaves. He feeds all through the middle of the day, but seldom returns to the same tree two days running. The)' do not seem much alarmed at man. as they often stared down upon me for several minutes, and they only moved away slowly to an adjacent tree. After seeing one, I have often had to go half a mile or more to fetch my gun, and in nearly every case have found it on the same tree, or within a hundred yards, when I returned. I never saw two full grown animals together, but both males and females are sometimes accompanied by half grown young ones, while at other times three or four young ones were seen in company. Their food consists almost exclusively of fruit, with occasional leaves, buds and young shoots. They seem to prefer unripe fruits, some of which were very sour, others intensely bitter, particularly the large red fleshy arillus, or rind of one, which seemed an especial favorite. In other cases they eat only the small seed of a large fruit, and they almost always waste and destroy more than they eat, so that there is a continual rain of rejected portions below the tree they are feeding on. The Durion is an especial favorite, and quantities of this delicious fruit are destroyed wherever it grows surrounded by forest, but they will not cross clearings to get at them. It seems wonderful how the animal can tear open this fruit, the outer covering of which is so thick and tough, and closely covered with strong conical spines. It probably bites off a few of these first, and then making a small hole, tears open the fruit with its powerful fingers. The Mias rarely descends to the ground, except when pressed by hunger, it seeks for succulent shoots by the river side; or, in very dry weather, has to search after water, of which it generally finds sufficient in the hollows of leaves. Once only 1 saw two half-grown Orangs on the ground, in a dry hollow at the foot of the Simunjou Hill. They were playing together, standing erect, and grasping each other by the arms. It may be safely stated, however, that the Orang never walks erect, unless when using its hands to support itself by branches overhead, or when attacked. Representations of its walking with a stick are entirely imaginary. The Dyaks all declare that the Mias is never attacked by any animal in the forest, with two rare exceptions ; and the accounts I received of these are so curious, that I give them nearly in the words of my informants, old Dyak chiefs, who had lived all their lives in the places where the animal is most abundant. The first of whom I inquired said : ' No animal is strong enough to hurt the Mias, and the only creature he ever fights with is the THE ORANG-UTAN. 59 Crocodile. When there is no fruit in the jungle, he goes to seek food on the banks of the river, where there are plenty of young shoots that he likes, and fruits that grow close to the water. Then the Crocodile sometimes tries to seize him, but the Mias gets upon him, and beats him with his hands and feet, and tears him, and kills him." He added that he had once seen such a fight, and that he believes that the Mias is always the victor. My next informant was the Orang Kaya, or chief of the Balow Dvaks, on the Simunjou River. He said: ' The Mias has no enemies; no animals dare attack it but the Crocodile and the Python. He always kills the Crocodile by main strength, standing upon it, pulling open its jaws, and ripping up its throat. If a Python attacks a Mias, he seizes it with his hands, and then bites it, and soon kills it. The Mias is very strong: there is no animal in the jungle so strong as he.' " Several young Orang-utans have been taken to Europe and exhibited, to the delight of every one who saw them, but Mr. Wallace was fortunate enough to obtain one in its native haunts, and to observe it in its own climate. After shooting a female Mias, he found a little tiny one, lying face downwards, in the swamp where they were. "It was only about a foot long," writes Mr. Wallace, "and had evidently been hanging to its mother when she first fell. Luckily, it did not appear to have been wounded, and after we had cleaned the mud out of its mouth it began to crv out, and seemed quite strong and active. While carrying it home it got its hands in my beard, and grasped so tightly that I had great difficulty in getting free, for the fingers are habitually bent inwards at the last joint, so as to form complete hooks. At this time it had not a single tooth, but a few days afterward it cut its two lower front teeth. Unfortunately, I had no milk to give it, as neither Malays, Chinese nor Dyaks ever use the article, and I in vain inquired for any female animal that could suckle my little infant. I wr.s therefore obliged to give it rice water from a bottle, with a quill in the cork, which after a few trials it learned to suck very well. This was very meager diet, and the little creature did not thrive well on it. although I added sugar and cocoanut milk occasionally, to make it more nourishing. When I put my finger in its mouth it sucked with great vigor, drawing in its cheeks with all its might in the vain effort to extract some milK, and only after persevering a long time would it give up in disgnst, and set up a scream very like that of a baby in similar circumstances. When handled or nursed, it was very quiet and contented, but when laid down by itself would FRONT FACE OF THE ORANG. 60 APES AND MONKEYS. invariably cry ; and for the first few nights was very restless and noisy. I fitted up a little box for a cradle, with a soft mat for it to lie upon, which was changed and washed every day ; and I soon found it necessary to wash the little Mias as well. After I had done so a few times, it came to like the operation, and as soon as it was dirty would begin crying, and not leave off till I took it out and carried it to the spout, when it immediately became quiet, although it would wince a little at the first rush of the cold water, and make ridiculously wry faces while the stream was running over its head. It enjoyed the wiping and rubbing dry amaz- ingly, and when I brushed its hair seemed to be perfectly happy, lying quite still, with its arms and legs stretched out, while I thoroughly brushed the long hair of its back and arms. For the first few days it clung desperately with all four hands to whatever it could lay hold of, and I had to be careful to keep my beard out of its way, as its fingers clutched hold of hair more tenaciously than anything else, and it was impossible to free myself without assistance. When restless, it would struggle about, with its hands up in the air, trying to find something to take hold of, and when it had got a bit of stick or rag in two or three of its hands, seemed quite happy. For want of something else, it would often seize its own feet, and after a time it would constantly cross its arms, and grasp with each hand the long hair that grew just below the opposite shoulder. The great tenacity of its grasp soon diminished, and I was obliged to invent some means to give it exercise and strengthen its limbs. For this purpose I made a short ladder of three or four rounds, on which I put it to hang for a quarter of an hour at a time. At first it seemed much pleased, but it could not get all four hands in a comfortable position, and, after changing about several times, would leave hold of one hand after the other, and drop on the floor. Sometimes when hanging only by two hands, it would loose one, and cross it to the opposite shoulder, grasping its own hair; and as this seemed much more agreeable than the stick, it would then loose the other and tumble down, when it would cross both, and lie on its back quite contentedlv, never seeming to be hurt by its numerous tumbles. Finding it so fond of hair, I endeavored to make an artificial mother, by wrapping up a piece of buffalo skin into a bundle, and suspending it about a foot from the floor. At first this seemed to suit it admirably, as it could sprawl its legs about and always find some hair, which it grasped with the greatest tenacity. I was now in hopes that I had made the little orphan quite happy ; and so it seemed for some time, till it began to remember its lost parent, and try to suck. It would pull itself up close to the skin, and try about everywhere for a likely place ; but as it only succeeded in getting mouthfuls of hair and wool, it would be greatly disgusted, and scream violently, and after two or three attempts, let go altogether. One day it got some wool into its throat, and I thought it would have choked, but after much gasping it recovered, and I was obliged to take the imitation mother to pieces again, and give up this last attempt to exercise the little creature. After the first week I found I could feed it better with a spoon, and give it a little more varied and more THE ORANG-UTAN. 61 . - -. solid food. Well-soaked biscuit, mixed with a little egg and sugar, and sometimes sweet potatoes, were readily eaten ; and it was a never-failing amusement to observe the curious changes of countenance by which it would express its approval or dislike of what was given to it. The poor little thing would lick its lips, draw in its cheeks, and turn up its eyes with an expression of the most supreme satis- faction when it had a mouthful particularly to its taste. On the other hand, when its food was not sufficiently sweet or palatable, it would turn the mouthful about with its tongue for a moment, as if trying to extract what flavor there was, and then push it all out between its lips. If the same food was continued, it would set up a scream and kick about violently, exactly like a baby in a passion. After I had had the little Mias about three weeks, I fortunately obtained a young Macaque Monkev (Macacus cynomolgus), which, though ^^fc&. small, was very active, and could feed itself. I placed it in the same box with the Mias, and they immediately became excellent friends, neither exhibiting the least fear of the other. The little monkey would sit upon the other's stomach, or even on its face, with- out the least regard to its feelings. While I was feeding the Mias, the monkey would sit by, picking up all that was spilt, and occas- ionally putting out its hands to intercept the spoon, and as soon as I had finished would pick off what was left sticking to the Mias' lips, and then pull open its mouth to see if any still remained inside, afterward lying down on the poor creature's stomach as on a comfortable cushion. The little helpless Mias would submit to all these insults with the most exemplar}' patience, only too glad to have something warm near it which it could clasp affectionately in its arms, ft sometimes, however, had its revenge; for when the monkey wanted to go away, the Mias would hold on as long as it could by the loose skin of its back, or head, or by its tail, and it was only after many vigorous jumps that the monkey could make its escape. It was curious to observe the different actions of these two animals, which could not have differed much in age. The Mias, like a very young baby, lying on its back quite helpless, rolling lazily from side to side, stretching out all four hands into the air, wishing to grasp something, but hardly able to guide its fingers to any definite object, and when dissatisfied opening wide its almost toothless mouth, and expressing its wants by a most infantine scream; the little monkey, on the other hand, in constant motion, running and jumping about wherever it pleased, examining everything around it, seizing hold of the smallest objects with the greatest precision, balancing itself on SIDE FACE OF THE ORANG. 62 APES AND MONKEYS. the edge of the box, or running up a post, and helping itself to anything eatable that came in its way. There could hardly be a greater contrast; and the baby Mias looked more baby-like by the comparison. When I had had it about a month, it began to exhibit some signs of learning to run alone. When laid upon the floor it would push itself along by its legs, or roll itself over, and thus make an unwieldy progression. When lying in the box it would lift itself up to the edge into al.nost an erect position, and once or twice succeeded in tumbling out. When left dirty or hungry, or otherwise neglected, it would scream violently till attended to, varied by a kind of coughing or pumping noise, very similar to that which is made by the adult animal. If no one was in the house, or its cries were not attended to, it would be quiet after a little while, but the moment it heard a foot- step would begin again harder than ever. After five weeks it cut its two upper front teeth, but in all this time it had not grown the least bit, remaining, both in size and weight, the same as when I first procured it. This was, no doubt, owing to the want of milk or other equally nourishing food. Rice water, rice and biscuits were but a poor substitute, and the expressed milk of the cocoanut, which I some- times gave it, did not quite agree with its stomach. To this I imputed an attack of diarrhoea, from which the poor little creature suffered greatly, but a small dose of castor oil operated well, and cured it. A week or two afterward it. was again taken ill, and this time more seriously. The symptoms were exactly those of inter- mittent fever, accompanied by watery swellings on the feet and head. It lost all appetite for its food, and after lingering for a week, a most pitiable object, died, after being in my possession nearly three months. I much regretted the loss of my little pet, which I had at one time looked forward to bringing up to years of maturity, and taking home to England. For several months it had afforded me daily amusement by its curious ways and the inimitably ludicrous expression of its little countenance. Its weight was three pounds nine ounces, its height fourteen inches, and the spread of its arms twenty-three inches. I preserved its skin and skeleton, and in doing so found that, when it fell from the tree, it must have broken an arm and a leg, which had, however, united so rapidly that I only noticed the hard swellings on the limbs where the irregular junction of the bones had taken place " There is evidently much intelligence in the young Orang, when brought in contact with man, but probably in its native woods it leads a very quiet and almost mechanical life, there being nothing to develop extra instincts, thought, or unusual intelligence. CHAPTER IV. MAN-SHAPED MONKEYS. — CONTINUED. The Orang-utan is not the only man-shaped Ape of the forests and jungles of the great Asiatic Islands, for there are several others to be found there, and which also live on the main land, from Malacca far away to the north in Assam ; south- ward, in the peninsula of Hindostan, and in South China. They are less human- looking than the red Orangs, and they are smaller and more slender, but when they walk for a short distance erect, with the arms above the head and balancing the body, their resemblance to a small and hairy ''lord of creation'' is considerable. A very light glance distinguishes them from the Orangs; they have straight backs, small heads, large eyes, rather prominent chins, very long fore-arms, and their fingers reach the ankle in some, and the ground in others. Moreover, the Orangs sit upon a surface of hair, and these are furnished with a hard pad-like seat which is bare, and is called a callosity, but they have no tail. They can run. These long armed Apes have a number of names, but as a whole they are called Gibbons. So far as their intelligence, amiability and teachableness are concerned, they are equal to the Orangs, and indeed they seem to adapt themselves to the methods of men more readily. Not only do they become very fond of their keepers, but thev recollect them after the lapse of time ; and they are constantly let loose by those who keep them in India to wander about the trees in the neighborhood, and thev will return to be cared for, and come, when called, to be fed. Interesting to those who study the intelligence of animals, they are equally so to the common observer, who delights in witnessing their surpassing agility, won- derful leaps, and graceful swings from bough to bough. But to the anatomist they present many complicated problems ; for, although evidently not so high in the ani- mal scale as the Orangs and Chimpanzees, they have some things about them which cause them to resemble man more than do these great Apes, and others which cause them to resemble the great army of Monkeys. They are the last of the man-shaped in the classification, and the usual plan is to place them after the Orangs. They are extremely delicate animals, although their fur is thick and, in some kinds, long. They require a considerable temperature and very pure air; hence, when taken to cold climates they do not live long, dying usually from consump- tion or from some lung disease. 63 64 APES AND MONKEYS. THE SI AM AN C. Sir Stamford Raffles brought the Siamang prominently before the scientific world, and noticed the curious manner in which some of the toes were united, and he considered that this was to enable them to swing rapidly from branch to branch during their ordinary movements in the forest, when any stretching out of the fingers might be dangerous and produce a fall. But in this, as in many others, we owe to Mr. Wallace thanks for a concise description of the habits of the creature. "A very curious Ape, the Siamang, was rather abundant, but it is much less bold than the common Monkeys, keeping to the virgin forest, and avoiding villages. This species is allied to the little long-armed Apes, but is considerably larger, and differs from them by having the two first fingers of the feet united together, nearly to the end ; whence its name. It moves much more slowly, keeping lower down in the trees, and not indulging in such tremendous leaps ; but still it is very active, and by means of its immense long arms — five feet six inches across in an adult about three feet high — can swing itself along among the trees at a great rate. I purchased a small one, which had been caught by the natives, and tied up so tightly as to hurt it. It was rather savage at first and tried to bite, but when we had released it, and given it two poles under the verandah to hang upon, securing it by a short cord, running along the pole with a ring, so that it could move easily, it became more contented, and would swing itself about with greater rapidity. It ate almost any kind of fruit and rice, and I was in hopes to have brought it to Eng- land, but it died just before I started. It took a dislike to me at first, which 1 tried to get over by feeding it constantly myself. One day, however, it bit me so sharply while giving it food that I lost patience, and gave it rather a severe beating, which I regretted afterwards, as from that time it disliked me more than ever. It would allow my Malay boys to play with it, and for hours together would swing by its arms from pole to pole, and on to the rafters of the verandah, with so much ease and rapidity that it was a constant source of amusement to us. When I returned to Singapore it attracted great attention, as no one had seen a Siamang before, although it is not uncommon in some parts of the Malay peninsula." This monkey is celebrated for the pains it takes to wash the faces of its young, a duty which it conscientiously Derforms in spite of the struggles and screams of its aggrieved offspring. The Siamang can walk fairly in the erect posture by balancing with the arms, or by placing them over the head, and it has a great power of grasp with its toe- thumb. The ability to walk well was proved when a tame Siamang used to walk along a cabin table at sea, without disturbing the crockery; and curiously enough this was better done than were some of the ordinary movements of the hand, for drinking out of the palm was a most ineffective and clumsy effort. The bones of the foot resemble those of man more than do those of the Apes already noticed ; but the first and second fingers are united by a fold of skin. They are quiet, inof- fensive animals, full of affection for man, and having good memories. Their tem- GROUP OF SIAMANGS AND GIBBONS. 65 66 'APES AND MONKEYS. per is short enough sometimes, especially if there is any disappointment, but they have none of the mischievous tricks or malice of the monkeys. Liking milk occa- sionally, they still mainly feed on fruit and leaves, and hence the nature of their teeth, the size of their jaws, and the capacity of their brain case may be fairly anticipated. THE WHITE-HANDED GIBBON is found in great abundance in all the forests skirting the hills, which run from north to south in the country of Tenas- serim, southwest of Burmah, and are met with in parties of from eight to twenty in number, composed of individuals of all ages. It is rare to see a solitary one; occasionally, however, an old male will stray apart from the flock, and perch on the summit of some vast tree, whence his howls are heard for miles around. The forests which these animals inhabit resound with their cries from sunrise to about nine in the morning. After nine or ten o'clock they begin to think of eating, and and are soon engaged in feeding on fruit, young leaves, buds, shoots and insects, for which they occasionally come to the ground. When approached, if alone, they will sit so close, doubled up in a thick tuft of foliage, or behind the fork of a tree, and so screened as to be safe from the shot of the sportsman. With a companion this manoeuvre is of course useless. But even when the creature is forced from its hiding-place it is not easily shot, for it swings from branch to branch with its long arms, shaking the boughs all round, and flinging itself from prodigious heights into the dense under-scrub, and is quickly concealed from view. This long-armed Ape does not walk readily on its hind-legs, and has to stop frequently and prop or urge itself on, having the knuckles on the ground. In sitting it often rests on its elbows, and it likes to lie on its back. They make great use of their hind limbs, and of the hand-foot especially, for they will cling on and swing with their fore-hands, and steal and carry anything which pleases them with their hind ones. In captivity it is generally a gentle, peaceable animal, very timid; but when captured after its young days have passed, it becomes very wild. The adults soon die, and even the young seldom reach maturity when deprived of lib- erty. They are born generally in the early part of the cold weather, a single one at a time, two being as rare as human twins. The young one clings safely to the mother for about seven months, although she swings and climbs to perfection, and then it shifts for itself. They may be made cross, like most creatures, by being teased, and anger is then shown by a steady look, with the mouth held open, and the lips occasionally drawn back to show the eye teeth, with which they bite severely. But usually it attacks with its long hands, which are at such times held dangling and shaken in a ridiculous manner, like a person who has suddenly burnt his fingers. It drinks in a curious and difficult manner, by scooping the water in its long narrow hand, and thus conveying a very little drop at a time to its mouth. Usually the young are feeble, dull and querulous in captivity, and sit huddled up together on the ground, seldom or never climbing trees. On the smooth sur- THE HO LOO K. face of a matted floor they will run along on their feet and slide on their hands at the same time. By being fed solely on plantains, or on milk and rice, they are apt to lose all their fur, presenting in their nude state a most ridiculous appearance. Few recover; but a change of diet, and especially by allowing them to help them- selves to insects, enables some to come round, and to resume their natural cover- ing. For the most part they are devoid of those pranks and tricks which are exhibited by the smaller monkeys. The length of a full-grown male was two feet six inches; the fore limb measured two feet one inch, and the hind limb one foot THE HOOLOOK. seven and a half inches The Lar or White-handed Gibbon has a black skin and hair, and there is a white band round the entire lace, across the forehead. THE HOOLOOK. Naturalists have ransacked nearly every part of the globe for interesting animals, and have procured them from very out of-the-way places. One of these localities was particularly difficult to get at years ago, for it is in the hills, far away to the northeast of Calcutta, on the other side of the great river Brahmapootra, in Assam. Amongst the Garrow and Cossiah hills, where 68 APES AND MONKEYS. there are wild gorges, and uplands crowded with vast forests, overlooking the wide plains of the river valley, there were many wonderfully active Gibbons. About two feet in length, they were capable of swinging with unerring certainty from branch to branch, many feet apart ; and even the females performed these constant and natural movements while their young were hanging to them. They were black in color, with white eyebrows, or, rather, a white band across the forehead. When caught, they soon became tamed, especialty when young, and were docile and affec- tionate. One which was kept by Dr. Burrough was two feet six inches in length, yet the fore limb was only six inches shorter than this, the length of the hand itself being six inches. So great was the disproportion of the legs and arms, that the first were, includ- ing the feet, only nineteen inches long, and the fingers touched the ground readily when he was standing erect. This Hoolook was of a deep black color, and he had the usual simple band of white across the forehead, and black hands and feet. He was caught in the usual haunt of this species, and being well treated, he was easily tamed. He liked the fruit of the peepul-tree better than anything, and bananas; but he took to rice and milk, and enjoyed snapping up a sweet or two, and espe- cially delighted in spiders. Meat he cared little about, and pork and beef he detested, but he liked fish occasionally. After about a month's captivity he took a great fancy to his master, and would come to his call, and sit up to breakfast. He liked to help himself to chicken and egg, and at first was very bad in his manners, dipping his fingers into the coffee and milk, and then sucking them. Afterwards he was taught to hold a cup and to drink from it. He would walk erect slowly, first on one foot and then on the other, and would put his long arms over his head to balance his body, as it swayed first on one side and then on the other as his pace increased ; then he began to run, and at last, grasping a bough, would swing himself forwards first with one hand and then with the other, getting over twenty to thirty paces with the greatest ease and regu- larity. He was timid, very reluctant to oppose those who teased him, and usually retreated at once. His master used to brush his skin for him when he was out of sorts, and the sensation seems to have been most pleasurable, and he evidently enjoyed the gentle friction very much. Falling ill, he had a dose of calomel and a warm bath, the latter remedy being much more to his taste than the other. THE WOOYEN APE. A number of apes were found in company on a small island near Camboja, and at first sight they appeared to be of different kinds, although they all had the long arms and the general appearance of the " Long- armed Apes." But a careful examination proved that they belonged to one par- ticular species, the individuals of which differ greatly in their color during different parts of their lives. The young were uniformly dirty white in color, and had on black spots on their chests or heads. The females were white, with the fur of the back brownish white, slightly waved, and there was a large black spot on the THE WOO YEN APE. 69 crown and one on the chest. On the other hand the male was black, and the back of the head, body, and legs grayish. The hands were white. The variation in color at different ages and in different sexes in one kind should teach us that some- thing more than mere outside distinctions are requisite for deciding the value of what are called species- The dark cap-like mass of hair on the head gives the name to this Ape. Evidently the animal is a puzzle and a source of the marvelous to the Chinese, for one of their gazetteers gives a mixture of correct information fillPlvi ^IXfet '-S££jS. regarding its natural history, and of what has been drawn from a very vigorous imagination. It is described in the following manner, as coming from the district of Hainan; "Yuen — male black, female white, like a Macaque, but larger, with the two fore- arms exceedingly long. Climbs to tree-tops, and runs among them backwards and forwards with great agility. If it falls to the ground it remains their like a log! Its delight is in scaling trees, as it cannot walk on the ground. Those desiring to rear it in confinement should keep it amongst trees, for the exhalations of the earth 70 APES AND MONKEYS. affect it with diarrhoea, causing death ; a sure remedy for this, however, may be found in a draught made of the syrup of the fried foo-tse." THE AGILE GIBBON is a native of Sumatra. It derives its name of Agile from the wonderful activity it displays in launching itself through the air from branch to branch. One of these creatures who was exhibited some time since, -/^ ^- v\ ^•Lj^^^M 'ivM— <4A sprang with the greatest ease through distances of twelve and eighteen feet ; and when apples or nuts were thrown to her while in the air, she would catch them without discontinuing her course. She kept up a succession of springs, hardly touching the branches in her progress, continu- ally uttering a musical but almost deafening cry. She was very tame and gentle, and would permit her- self to be touched or caressed. The height of the Gibbon is about three feet, and the reach of the extended arms about six feet. The young Gibbon is usually of a paler color than its parent. In concluding this part of the subject, which relates especi- ally to the man-shaped Apes, some very obvi- ous reflections occur. There is something very interesting as well as instructive and suggestive in the study of the proportions of the limbs to each other and to the body in the larger Apes, of which the Gorilla is the highest in the scale, and in man. The fingers in man hang down to below the middle of the thigh; in the Gorilla they attain the knee; in the Chimpanzee they reach below the knee; in the Orang they touch the ankle ; in the Siamang they reach the sole ; and in some Gibbons the whole THE AGILE GIKLJOX. THE AGILE GIBBON. 71 palm may be applied to the ground without the trunk being bent forward beyond its natural position on the legs. It is also found that in man the arm-bone exceeds in length each of the bones of the forearm in a marked manner, and in the Gorilla and Chimpanzee it does so but slightly ; the bones are equal in the Orangs, and very unequal in the Gibbons, those of the forearm being the longest. When the length of the arms down to the wrist is compared with that of the body, omitting the legs, there is not much difference between man and the Gorilla, but it increases in the Chimpanzee, Orang and in the Siamang. The lower limbs are short in the Gorilla, and this is characteristic — they offer but a poor support to the huge body — and the resemblance to the symmetrical proportion of the legs to the body in man is scanty indeed. This disproportion is greater in the Chimpanzee and Orangs, in which the lower limbs are pigmies. CHAPTER V. THE DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS. The Apes which have formed the subject of the previous chapter, and which, from their greater or less resemblance to man, have been called the Anthropomorplia, have long arms, short legs and no tails. The great length of the fore limb distin- guishes them not only from man, but also from all the other Quadrumana, and so does the relative shortness of the hind limbs. The length of limb is thus sufficient to afford data for classifying the Quadrumana of the Old World in two great groups, of which the Anthropomorpha form the first, and the rest of the Monkeys the second. In these the fore limb is invariably the shortest, and the hind one the longest ; so that there is exactly the reverse condition of that observed in the great Apes. With regard to the tail question, it may be stated that, whilst many species have very long tails, others have them of moderate length, and few have none. The Monkeys of this second group, or the Cynomorpha, all of which live in the Old World, have a thin division between the nostrils, whose openings look down- wards, or downwards and outwards. They are Catarrhine Quadrumana, and many have cheek-pouches, but not all, whilst all have the peculiar pads, more or less brightly colored, which are placed where the animal sits, or on the swelling of the haunch-bone. THE BLACK-CRESTED MONKEY, or as it is sometimes called, the Simpai, was noticed and described by Sir Stamford Raffles as a native of Sumatra, where it is frequently seen in the neighborhood of Bencoolen. It has a long and slender body, very long hind legs, and the tail end is higher than the shoulders in walking. The forelegs are short, and the tail is very long, and exceeds thirty inches in length, and the head is small and wonderfully straight in the forehead and face. The colors of this Simpai are very different to those of the great Apes already mentioned. Here variety ol color replaces the sameness of the tints of the large Anthropomorpha. First, there is a long crest of black hair on the top of the head, which passes slightly round the face close. On the cheeks there is a tuft of fawn- colored hairs, which graduate into white. The forehead is of a light fawn-color an 1 the face is naked, slightly wrinkled, and of a blue tint. The under parts of the 72 THE BLACK CRESTED MONKEY. 73 body are very white, and on the back and neck the color is bright yellow and red. The palms and soiesare black, the thumbs are small, and the callosites are large. THE NEGRO MONKEY. This is, as the name implies, a black Monkey. It is intensely black, except underneath and at the root of the tail, where there is a grey tint come" slightly grey most black things, hunted, not, amusement live in ests, and u als The paws are long, delicate and silky, and be- on the head and back with old age. Like it leads a troubled life, being chased and however, in this instance so much for as for the pretty black fur. They great troops in the Javanese for- sometimes fifty or more individ- associate together. They make rude nests on trees, nd are extremely timid, making off with great haste if they are dis- turbed. A long series of generations have been chased and killed by the natives of Java, and there- fore the' present Negro Monkeys are exceedingly shy, and bolt from the face of man at once. And yet, although thus timid and anxious to get out of the way, they have the reputation of be- ing dangerous, and really un- wittingly they may be so. On the approach of men they utter loud screams and scamper off amongst the trees, helter-skelter. Now in doing this they break dead branches off, and sometimes a large fruit or nut comes tumbling down some score or two of feet. These are supposed to be thrown by the Monkeys, but such is not the case. Having this bad character, the "negroes" are cudgeled with sticks, and killed in numbers very cruelly. Their pretty fur is much prized, and the chiefs of the country arrange the hunting sy ' i/j/ * \ ll FACE OF THE BLACK-CRESTED-MONKEY. 74 APES AND MONKEYS. parties, treating the Monkeys really as beasts of the field. The skins are prepared by a simple process which the natives have learned from Europeans ; and they conduct it with great skill. It affords a fur of a jet-black color, covered with long silky hairs, which is used by the natives and Europeans there in ornamenting riding saddlery and in military decorations." When young, they are of a brown or red- dish tint, and thin grey tints appear preced- ing the intense black ; they then eat buds and shoots and tender leaves, but in adult age they are fruit consumers. When in captivity they are sullen and morose, and they will remain sulky for many months. This the natives know, and therefore they never try to tame them, or to have them in their houses. In their shape they resemble the last Monkey' described, and their hind limbs are verylong, their haunches being high. They are rather more than two feet long in the body, and the neck appears short; both shoulders and chest are short and largely made. The tail is as long as the body and head, and is often slightly tufted at the end. A mop of hair sur- rounds the face, the hairs are long and closely pressed, and quite conceal the forehead. The nose is peculiar, for the bones of it are ridged, as it were, and the skin is drawn tight over the open nostril (nares), so that there is no soft nose. A very considerable space exists between the nostrils and the mouth, and the lips are small and thin. THE LONG-NOSED MON- KEY. Of all the remarkable oddi- ties of Nature amongst the many shaped Monkeys, the Long-nosed or Proboscis-carrier stands pre-eminent. In fact, there is nothing in human or ape nature like the face of one particular Long-tailed Monkey from Borneo. Monkeys have fiat noses as a rule, some have a ridge and a little fleshy mass in which the nostrils end ; others, like the Baboon, have dog-like noses, and the Americans have THE NEGRO MONKEY. THE LONG-NOSED MONKEY. 75 wide noses, the nostrils opening well at the sides. In man there is the Roman nose, the pug, the straight, the flat, the broken, the long with a large end, and the short with a turn up, but the Nasalis Monkey stands alone amongst the Primates with a nose of vast proportions, which projects far in advance of the mouth, and whose nostrils open underneath. It grows with age, and commences as a small "turn up," which is still more fleshy and longer than the nose of any Monkey. The newly -born Nose Monkey is a most extraordinary object, reminding the critical eye of many youths of weak constitution and defective brains. Its hair is wonderfully parted down the middle, and brushed by Dame Nature down the sides of the head and a little back- ward ; the whiskers take the latter direction, and the ears stand out just behind them. It has drooping eyelids, a long- THE LONG-NOSED MONKEY. ish upper lip, with just a little sign of coming hair, and then there is the funny nose, the upper part like a boy's, but the end seems to have been pulled out and turned up, so that the nostrils are quite at the tip. The face has a tinge of blue about it, and the animal even when old enough to be sitting on a tree, looks sad and melancholy. They grow to the size of a large pointer dog, and are powerful animals, assem- bling in troops, and playing and associating probably with the Orangs. Stuffed specimens of the Proboscis Monkey are usually simply caricatures, and by no means good ones, for they do not give one-half of the curious appearance of the face. In nature, and in drawings taken shortlv after death, the first thing that 76 APES AND MONKEYS. strikes one is the flat top to the head, and the red hair there, starting from the top of the crown and radiating in all directions, and coming as a very sharp line straight over the eyebrows, and cutting the forehead very short. Then the prodigious nose, stuck out some inches in front of the mouth, is, with the rest of the face, naked, and of a reddish-brown flesh-color. The eyes are wide apart and open, and are of a hazel color. The whiskers clasp the face, as it were, and are brushed back, and join the hair of the neck, whilst the little beard sticks out like a goat's. The mouth is wide and the chin recedes. It is a long-bodied creature, and there is a great bend outward in the back when -it squats on its haunches There is a good- sized chest, there are long arms, still longer legs, and a great tail. The prevailing color of the back and shoulders is the red or dark-red brown of the head hair, whilst the rest of the body is of a lighter tint, the tail and limbs especially. The thumb of the hand is small, and barely reaches as far as the first finger-joint, but the toe-thumb is large, widely set from the foot, and the skin-fold comes far down it, as also does a web between the toes, the third of which is the longest. The Dyaks call this monkey the Kaha, for this is the sound which they make when in companies in the woods by the sides of the swamps and jungles. There they live a restless life at sunrise and sunset, being quieter in the heat of the day, and crying out at each other. They have fine voices, thanks to their strength, and perhaps to the air sac in their neck, which may render oral sounds more resonant. They are active creatures, and bound from tree to tree, clearing from fifteen to twenty feet with ease. THE SACRED MONKEYS are marked by cheek-pouches and callosities on their haunches. The form of their body is slender and elongated ; the extremities are also of great length, as in the Gibbon, the hind ones, however, being the longest. The tails are much longer in the semnopithecs than in any of the ordi- nary monkeys. Though slender, these possess a very considerable degree of mus- cular power, and enter as an important constituent into the motions and progression of the animals. When they are at rest, the tails are allowed to hang down perpen- dicularly, and, from their great length, which considerably exceeds that of the ani- mal's body, have a very droll effect, which is heightened by the air of imperturb- able gravity belonging to the creatures themselves. When the}' are unemployed this is their general aspect : they exhibit the very picture of sadness and melan- choly, and appear as if perfectly regardless of everything that passes around them ; but when roused or excited, they are capable of the most surprising exertions, and astonish the spectator by a rapidity, variety, and precision of movements, which could scarcely be anticipated from creatures apparently so apathetic in mind and delicate in body. They are in reality far from meriting the name of Slow Monkeys, which some zoologists have given them. Their slowness is exhibited in disposition more than in action, and is an attribute of character rather than of structure. When young they are readily domesticated ; but being less petulant, curious, and THE HOONUMAN MONKEY. 77 restless than the Baboons and some others, they are supposed to exhibit less intelli- gence ; though their mental qualities, as well as their physical structure, closely assimilate them to the real apes. THE HOONUMAN MONKEY. THE HOONUMAN MONKEY. This is the most sacred of the sacred Mon- keys of the Hindoos, and when full-grown measures four feet and a half in length, and the tail is considerably longer than the body. An ashy-grey tint distinguishes the upper part of the body, and it is darkest on the tail, which is of equal thickness throughout. The rest of 'the body is of a dingy yellow color, or rusty brown, and 78 APES AND MONKEYS. the arms, hands, and feet are dusky black. The long face is blackish ; and above the eyebrows is a line of long, stiff, projecting black hairs. A greyish-white beard passes round the face and extends upward, and is thicker in front of the ears, which are long, prominent and black. Finally, this face has a few hairs by way of a beard beneath the chin, which projects. A long-legged, active creature is the Entellus. It associates in great troops, and they keep up a constant noise and quarrel. Those that abound — thanks to the belief in their semi-divinity by the Hindoos — near towns and plantations are cer- tainly more sharp, clever and impudent than their less fortunate fellows. They watch and steal with impunity and ability, and are amusing when voung, but sav- age and disagreeable when old. The young differ much in shape from the old adults, and their limbs seem very disproportionate at first. They have a staid look about them, and a tranquil eye, and the forehead is broad and high, the muzzle only slightly prominent, and the brain case large. But with age this alters ; the tints of the body get darker, the body larger, the muzzle elongates, and the fore- head appears to contract, and to be no longer an object of human resemblance. The disposition changes also, for the tame and amusing young learn a number of tricks and are full of fun ; but this is succeeded by a look and behavior of distrust and fierceness. It is a native of Bengal, the Himalayan Mountains, Nepaul, and Bootan, and is remarkably interwoven with the religion of the countries where it is found, especially among the Hindoos. These people believe that this monkey is a metamorphosed prince, and to kill one is a deadly sin. As might be expected, this treatment has been favorable to the increase of these creatures, and hence they absolutely swarm in many places, and especialty in the vicinity of the temples. In some parts they are a complete pest, as they destroy vast quantities of fruit in the gardens and plantations. M. Duvaucel has given an interesting account of the careful watch which the Bengalese kept over him to prevent his killing this sacred animal, holding a high place among the thirty million of Indian gods, and to save himself from dying within the year, which, according to popular belief, is sure to be the fate of one who puts an entellus monkey to death. He was harangued by the Hindoos upon the danger of injuring animals which were no other than princes and heroes under the operation of the metempsychosis. Unmoved by their elo- quence, and eager to possess a specimen, he leveled and brought down a "princess!" But the acquisition was dearly bought. The ill-fated creature had a young one on her back, and, though shot through the heart, the mother exhausted her remains of life in throwing it into the branches of a neighboring tree, then fell and expired at the feet of her destroyer. It is but just to add, that he mourned over the deed he had done. THE DOUC, or Variegated Monkey, is perhaps the most gaily clad of all this group, and in this departs in a most marked manner from the dull sameness of the fur of the Apes already described in the former chapters. Not only is the long THE DOUC. 79 hair very different in color in several parts of the body, but the hairs themselves are variegated, having bands of various tints upon them, differing thus from the whole-colored hairs of the great Apes. The animal has the usual shape of the Semnopitheci ; but the whiskers brushed back, as they appear to be, make the naked and orange-colored face look broad. These whiskers are long, and are of a glossy whiteness, and above they join the hair of the forehead, which is black in front, gradually becoming grizzled grey. This is the tint of the head and of the back of the neck and back. The thighs, THE DOUC. fingers and toes are blaxk, the legs and ankles are bright red, forearms, throat, and underneath the legs, the buttocks, and the tail are pure white, and the white throat is surrounded by a more or less complete circle of bright red. They live in the woods of Cochin China, and have been met with not far from the coast. They assemble in troops, but appear to be good tempered and easily frightened, and this appears to be all that is known of their nature. THE CEYLON WANDEROO. "When observed in their native wilds," writes Sir James Emerson Tennant, " a party of twenty or thirty of these crea- APES AND MONKEYS. tures are generally busily engaged in the search for berries and buds. They are seldom to be seen on the ground, and then only when they have descended to recover seeds or fruit that have fallen at the foot of their favorite trees. In their alarm, when disturbed, their leaps are prodigious, but generally speaking their pro- THE WANDEROO, gress is made not so much by leaping as by swinging from branch to branch, using their powerful arms alternately, and when baffled by distance, flinging themselves obliquely so as to catch the lower boughs of an opposite tree, the momentum acquired by their descent being sufficient to cause a rebound, that sends them again THE WANDEROO—THE COLOBOS. 81 upward, till they can grasp a higher branch, and thus continue their headlong flight." . This Monkey is very active and intelligent, is not very mischievous, and, indeed, is much less so than the other Monkeys of Ceylon. In captivity it is remarkable for the gravity of its behaviour, and for an air of melancholy in its expression and movements, which is completely in character with its snowy beard and venerable aspect. Its disposition is gentle and confiding; it is in the highest THE COI.OIJOS. degree sensible of kindness, and eager for endearing attentions, uttering a low, plaintive cry when its sympathies are excited. It is particularly cleanly in its habits when domesticated, and spends much of its time in cleaning its fur, and carefully divesting it of the least particle of dust. The Nestor is about sixteen inches in length (the body and head), and the tail measures twenty inches. The prevailing color is a deep grey, with a slight tinge of brown, becoming paler on the back of the neck and on the tail, where the pre- vious tinge is more marked. The hands and lower part of the limbs are nearly black. Its lips, chin and whiskers are nearly pure white, the tips of the latter, which are brushed backward, being grey. There is a stiff ridge of black hairs 82 APES AND MONKEYS. over the eyebrows, and they are about an inch and a half in length. The moderate length of the hairs, the light color and the white of the lower sides of the face, are distinctive. THE COLOBOS. The kind of Monkeys included in the genus Colobos are not very numerous, and they are interesting more on account of their beautiful skins, which form ornaments and articles of commerce in Africa, and for those sug- gestions which must occur to the mind of every one who thinks a little about nat- ural history, regarding the cause of the absence of such an important structure as the thumb in a group of animals, whose other characters are similar to those of a genus possessing it. Very little is known about their habits in a state of nature. The thumb is not seen in the least in one kind of Colobos, the true Colobos; in others it is like a little knob, but in none is it of any use. The thumb is therefore "rudimentary " in the genus Colobos, and why ? The animals are tree-climbers and active jumpers; and can run very well on all-fours; in fact, their methods of life and of motion is that of the Monkeys which have well- formed thumbs. The notion of a useless organ is at first repulsive to our ideas of the benevolent scheme of Nature. Mr. Darwin writes: "In reflecting on them every one must be struck with astonishment; for the same reasoning power which tells us plainly that most parts and organs are exquisitely adapted for certain pur- poses tells us with equal plainness that these rudimentary or atrophied organs are imperfect or useless." Let us take a well-known instance of such a structure : The Calf when born has cutting teeth in its upper jaw hidden in the gum ; they are not in sockets, and even if they were, they would be of no use in biting. The Ox has no cutting or incisor teeth in its upper jaw, as every one knows, and the tongue touches a hard and moist gum there. The incisor teeth of the Calf are never cut, but they are gradually absorbed in the gum with age. Now what is their mean- ing ? They are of no use in sucking, or in anything which occurs in the early life of the animal: they are clearly useless and rudimentary or atrophied structures. Take another example: The little Kiwi bird of New Zealand has no wings with which to fly, yet the bones are there in a dwarfed and rudimentary condition ; many insects have no wings, or have them so reduced in size that they are of no use in flight, and sometimes the males have them in perfection, and the females have none. In explaining this subject two courses are open, first to beg the ques- tion, and to say that the design of the Creator was thus; or to account for it on the principle that the Creator acts by law, and that creatures become modified and altered by inherent power, and by having to obey the force of surrounding circumstances generation after generation. In the instance of the male and female insect just noticed, the male is active, and has to search for his partner, and the female is a stay-at-home and expects to be courted, and when mated to do nothing more than lay eggs. Her wings would be of doubtful value. We may believe, then that disuse, generation after genera- THE GUEREZA. 83 tion, gradually weakened the wing, and Nature, ever economical in not used organs, did not perpetuate it. Disuse may be therefore considered as the principal cause of the atrophy, rudimentary condition, and of the final deficiency of structures. THE CUEREZA. There is something very un-monkey-like in the shape of this Abyssinian animal, for it has long white hair, resembling the edge of a cloak, along its sides, and a long tail with a tuft to it. The natives chase it, and are fond of having some of their long hairy skins to cover their shields with. Assembling in little troops the Guereza keeps well up in the tallest trees, in the neighborhood of running water. :±=*£3k/3^9s They feed on fruit, grain and insects, and are inoffensive and wild. The fur is certainly very prettily arranged, and the black and white truly oppose each other well. The color of the fur of the head and of the greater part of the body is black, but the forehead is white; so are the sides of the face, the throat, and the sides of the neck. There is a mantle-like mop of long hairs start- ing from the region near the ribs, and the lower part of the back, and covering the flanks in a train behind. It is of a white color, and exists in both sexes; nevertheless, it is longest in the females and adults. The tail is white, hairy, and tufted. THE CUENONS. There are vast numbers of monkeys living in the Afri- can forests which resemble, to a certain extent, those described in the last chapter, but which have such important differences in their construction that they are sepa- rated from them, and collected in another genus. Being very numerous, extremely impudent, as a rule, and full of grimace and mischief, they soon attracted the attention of the ancients, and the beauty of the fur of some made them all the more prized. ^yr^t THE GUEREZA. 84 APES AND MONKEYS. At first sight they resemble the Colobi, inasmuch as they have long bodies, long hind legs, and long tails, but the fore limbs are short in the Guenons, and the tail, which is long or longer than the body, is stout and not slender. Moreover, they have well-made and exceedingly useful cheek-pouches, besides the callosities behind. The face of the Guenons is long, and rounded, and the eyes are some- what prominent. The hands and feet are well-grown, and the thumbs are long and useful. Many of the Guenons are often seen in menageries and zoological gardens, or as the more or less unwilling companions of organ grinders ; and their trick of crowding everything into their mouth, and allowing it to distend the cheeks, is sure to be noticed. The quantity of nuts which can be stored away is enough for a good meal ; and hence these Monkeys are not only good purveyors for them- selves, but great robbers of the riches of cultivators. In the wild state they assem- ble in troops in the forest, for they are essentially tree-dwellers, and make raids on all sides of their favorite home, moving with such rapidity under the shadow of leaves and boughs that they are rarely seen by men. In their own little tract of forest they are very noisy and restless; they chase away in a body all intruding monkeys, and whilst the more aged spend their time in more or less restless move- ment, in occasional family jars, and in picking the insects from their young and from each other, the juvenile part of the troop are full of play, mischief, and wan- ton aggression upon the quietude of their elders. A snake may appear, and there is a terrible noise made, and a general rush off out of danger, the little ones cling- ing to the fur of the mother, and being carried off safely in spite of her bounds and jumps from tree to tree. Or a leopard may make a spring, and not always fruitlessly, and loud is the surrounding howling and grimacing at it. The hatred of snakes is carried into their captivity; and Mr. Darwin having read Brehm's account of the instinctive fear which his monkeys had of serpents, and also of their great curiosity regarding snake-like things and their doings, took a stuffed snake to the monkey-house of the Zoological Gardens. The excitement which was pro- duced, he writes, was one ol the most curious spectacles ever beheld. Three spe- cies of the Cercopithecus were the most alarmed. They darted about their cages, and uttered sharp cries of danger, which were understood by the other monkeys. A few young monkeys and an old Anubis Baboon alone took no notice of the snake. He then placed the stuffed specimen on the ground in one of the larger compartments. After a time all the monkeys collected around it in a large circle, and, staring intently, presented a most ludicrous appearance. They became extremely nervous, so that when a wooden ball with which they were familiar as a plaything was accidently moved in the straw under which it was partly hidden, they all instantly started away. These monkeys behaved very differently when a fish, a mouse, and some other new objects were placed in the cage; for though at first frightened they soon approached, handled and examined them. He then placed a living snake in a paper bag, with the mouth closed loosely, in one of the THE GUENON. 85 larger compartments. One of the monkeys immediately approached, cautiously opened the bag a little, peeped in, and instantly dashed away. Then he witnessed what Brehm has described, for monkey after monkey, with head raised high, and turned on one side, could not resist taking momentary peeps into the upright bag at the dreadful creature lying at the bottom. It would appear as if monkeys had some notion of zoological affinities, for those kept by Brehm exhibited a strange though mistaken instinctive dread of innocent lizards and frogs. Birds of prey attack them, and not always with a successful result; and there is a story of a little Guenon being darted at by an eagle, who swooped down and struck it, but it did not get off, for a rush was made against the bird by several of the active elders, and they not only held it, but nearly plucked off all its feathers, so that when it got away it remembered for ever after the treatment it received. The Guenons are very choleric, and the expression of the face and of the mouth, and the shrill sounds which are emitted when they are angered, would probably be accompanied by extremely bad language were they men ; but their rage is soon over, and some mutual tail-pulling and biting are the worst part of it. There is a curious defiant look about the eyes of some, with or without extreme restlessness of them ; they seem to be the very embodiment of cunning and sharpness, and this look is really very peculiar to the group. By way of additional force of expres- sion, those which are very fond of fighting with their teeth have the power of drawing back their ears like angry dogs; and this is done by the action of a mus- cle which springs from the ear-bone behind the ear, and is attached to it behind. There is just a rudiment of this muscle in man. Usually very good tempered when young, like all the Quadrumana, they grow cross, savage and uncertain in temper when old ; there are some exceptions to this, but, on the other hand, so savage do some of them become, that breaking or removing their great upper canine teeth seems to be the only way of making them behave at all properly. The loss of these fine weapons of offense has a most humiliating effect on the most insolent and petulant of them. Many are very pretty, and are as elaborately col- ored as the Douc, that prince of beautiful Semnopitheci; and this leads to their destruction, for every now and then, beside the native desire to have some fine monkey skins, European ladies desire monkey muffs, and many an irascible chat- terer out of the woods of Western Africa has its skin paraded by the fashion. Bright red, green, fawn, yellow, and white colors are constantly mixed up with black shades, and every tint of grey is dotted here and there. The hair is longer in some parts than in others, especially about the cheeks and chin; one has a white spot on its nose, another has white moustaches, and a third a white band across the forehead. And these tints, and the disproportion of the long hairs, have served to identify the different kinds. The Guenons occasionally breed in menageries, and thus opportunities have been afforded of watching their treatment of, and method of educating, their APES AND MONKEYS. little ones. One in Paris had three baby monkeys, one after the other, and suc- ceeded in rearing one, the others dying-. She constantly carried it, holding it close to her, so that its little mouth was always close to the breast; but after awhile, as it became stronger, it clung on by itself, holding on fast with its hands to the mother's fur, and helped itself whenever it thought fit. Then the mother appeared to pay no especial attention to the little one, and jumped and rushed about as if it had not the little burden. The father was anything but paternal, and boldly neglected the education of his child ; in fact, he was quite indifferent to the mother as well, and even behaved brutally by seeking to quarrel with her. Once or twice he maltreated her, and pinched the baby, so he was locked up by himself. This careless treatment doubtless accounts for the rapid independence of the young of the Guenons, who soon retaliate on their fathers and mothers for all the enjoyments they did not have at their hands, by endless teasings and scoldings. But all monkeys are not thus unpaternal and unnatural, and the Baboon is singu- larly affectionate. At the time that the Grivet — the above mentioned Guenon — was seen in one cage outraging all good feeling, two Chacma Baboons were in another, and the difference in their behaviour was most edifying. In the one cage sat the solitary mother and her offspring, the father having been removed for his bad temper and brutal conduct ; and in the other were several male Baboons sur- rounding two Baboon mothers and their two little ones, caressing the mothers with the most pronounced evidences of tenderness of feeling, taking them in their arms and pressing them to their hearts, and embracing them in a manner quite human. They squabbled about who was to have the pleasure of carrying the Baboon babies, and after having passed them from one to the other, returned each one to its own mother. THE DIANA MONKEY. The goddess Diana has been honored by being associated with this monkey on account of a crescent-shaped white band of long hair stretching across the forehead (she being goddess of the crescent-shaped moon). It is about eighteen inches long when full grown, and the tail is longer than the body, and the fur is very pretty. The crescent of white hairs has dark edges, and the top of the head is broad and dull grey, spotted with green ; the ears are dark and the face also; and the beard and whiskers are white, and the first of these projects like a goat's. The broad and upper chest is white, and this color is continued under the arms, which at their termination are black-grey. The mid- dle of the back is a dark red-brown, and the belly is white with orange tints, and these colors are continued down the inside of the thighs. Very little is known about them in their wild state, and in captivity they show very adverse disposi- tions ; sometimes they are gay and full of fun, and others morose and snappish. We once saw one of them in its cage in the Zoological Gardens pull its mate, a small Sykes' Monkey, from the top to the bottom by a well-directed pull of the tail, and the proceeding reminded one of a very energetic mistress, whose servants THE DIANA MONKEY. 87 were inattentive, tugging at a bell-rope. The puller was chattering and grimacing at his visitors all the time that the pulled was hanging on to everything that came in its way during its forced descent; and when it came to the bottom it scrambled about and rushed up to its little house again as if it were a frequent and unwilling exercise. The Diana also stole its companion's food, such as a piece of apple, by putting her arms around its aeck, and squeezing the morsel against its nose, so that it was obliged to drop it. Mrs. Bowditch, in describing her voyage home from Western Africa, gives an interesting account of a Diana monkey which was on board. "We made acquaint- ance," she says, " very suddenly, and, to me, very disagreeably, for I had not till then conquered the foolish aversion with which these animals always inspired me. It was a dead calm, the wheel was lashed, and all, save myself, below — nothing round us but sea and sky, and I had sheltered myself with a book in a corner protected from the equatorial sun. Suddenly, and without noise, something leaped upon my shoulders, and the tail which encircled my throat convinced me that Mr. Jack was my assailant. My first impulse was to beat him off, in which case I should probably have received some injury; but fortun- ately, I sat perfectly still and twisting himself round he brought his face oppo- site to mine and stared at me. I en- deavored to speak kindly to him, upon which he grinned and chattered, seated himself on my knees, and carefully examined my hands. He then tried to pull off my rings, and was proceeding to a bite for this purpose when I gave him some bis- cuit which happened to lie beside me, and making a bed for him with a handker- chief he settled himself comfortably to sleep, and from that moment we were sworn allies. The amusement afforded to me and others by Jack made him toler- ated when his mischievous propensities would otherwise have condemned him to perpetual confinement. He was often banished to an empty hen-coop, but as this made no impression upon him I always tried to prevent it, which he knew so well that when he had done wrong he either hid himself or sought refuge near me. Much more effect was produced by taking him within sight of the panther, who always seemed most willing to devour him. On these occasions I held him by the tail in front of the cage, but long before I reached it, knowing where he was going, he pretended to be dead — his eyes were closed quite fast, and every limb was as ■■^m FACE OF THE DIANA MONK FY. APES AND MONKEYS. stiff as if there was no life in him. When taken away he would open one eye a little to see whereabouts he might be, but if he caught a glimpse of the cage it was instantly closed, and he became as stiff as before. He clambered into the hammocks, stole the men's knives, tools, handkerchiefs, and even the nightcaps off their heads, all of which went into the sea. When biscuit was toasting between the bars of the caboose, and the dried herbs boiling in the tin mugs, he would take the former out and carry it away, and take out the latter and trail them along the planks ; if he burnt his hands he desisted for a day or two ; and he often regaled the parrots with the biscuit, biting it in small pieces and feeding them with the utmost gravity. At other times he would knock their cages over, lick up the water thus spilled, eat the lumps of sugar, and pull the birds' tails; and in this manner he killed a beautiful green pigeon belonging to the steward, a specimen of which I never saw in any collection. For this he was flogged and imprisoned for three days ; and half an hour after he was let out I met him scampering round the deck with two blue-faced monkeys on his back, which he often carried about in this manner. When he thought fit to ride, he would watch behind a cask on the days the pigs were let loose, dart on to their backs as they passed, dig his nails into them to keep himself on, and the faster they ran and the more they squealed, the happier he seemed to be. His most important misdemeanors, however, were per- formed to the injury of his fellow monkeys, of whom he was very jealous. The smaller ones were very obsequious to him, and when he called them by a peculiar noise, they came, hanging their heads and looking very submissive, and in one week two were drowned out of sheer malice. I saw him throw the first overboard, and the poor little thing swam after us some time, but the ship was going too fast for even a rope to be effectually thrown out in the hope that he would cling to it. During one of the calms we so often met with, the men had been painting the out- side of the ship, and leaving their pots and brushes on the deck, went down to din- ner. No one was above but myself, the helmsman and Jack. The latter beckoned and coaxed a black monkey to him ; then, seizing him by the neck, took a brush- ful of white paint, and deliberately covered him with it in every direction. The helmsman and I burst into a laugh, upon which Jack, dropping his victim, flew up the rigging into the maintop, where he stood with his black nose between the bars peeping at what was going on below. The little metamorphosed beast began lick- ing himself, but the steward being summoned, he washed him with turpentine, and no harm was sustained. Many attempts were made to catch the rogue aloft, but he eluded all, and when he was driven down by hunger, he watched his oppor- tunity and sprang from one of the ropes on to my lap, where he knew he would be safe. I fed and interceded for him, so he escaped with only a scolding, which he received with an appearance of shame which in him was rather ludicrous.'' THE WHITE-NOSED MONKEY is sometimes called the Vaulting Mon- key; and in the Zoological Gardens its wonderful agility is shown by its scampering THE W HUE-NOSED MONKEY. 89 up the side, over the top, and down the opposite side of its cage in a kind of con- tinuous somersault. Coming down on all fours with a bang, it does the same thing over and over again to attract attention, and it seems as if it were moving in the inside of a wheel. The dab of white on the nose distinguishes it, and it comes from that paradise of monkeys, the Guinea Coast and the adjoining districts. THE TALAPOIN. This is a rare animal, and probably comes from the west coast of Africa. It is a pretty little creature and is extremely gentle and intelli- gent. The skin is green, and the lower part of the body and the under part of the limbs are white. It has large ears, a black "nose, and it has a kind of broad brutus on the forehead. There are some very interesting points about this little thing, which, in nearly all its construction, is like the rest of the Gue- nons, but it has a large brain, a short muzzle, a thick, long partition in its nose, and only three points, or cusps, instead of our, on its last lower hind grinders. So far as is known, there are no differences between the habits of this little monkey and the others from the west coast of Africa, and therefore its intelligence and deficiencies are sufficiently incomprehensible. The Green Monkeys live in Senegal, and extend as far south as the River Niger, for it was on the borders of that river that Adanson, a French naturalist, noticed their collecting in great troops. The little monkeys were aston- ished at his appearance and as they rushed off into the forest they broke off, either purposelv or by accident, little branches from the tops of the trees, whose falling relieved the stillness of the woods. He indulged in some very cruel sport at their expense, for al- though they had been so silent and noiseless in their gambols, he shot one or two without the others being frightened. But when the greater part were more or less wounded, they began to get under cover from the shot, some to swing behind large branches, some coming to the ground, and the majority jumping from the top of one tree to another. Whilst this little scene (petite manege) was going on, this scien- tific brute still continued to fire on them, and finally he killed twenty-three in less than half an hour. This he did in the space of some twenty toises, and yet not one screamed, although they often assembled together, knitting their brows and grinding their teeth, as if they intended to attack him. Broderip, in noticing this, writes, " I wish they had, with all my heart." WHITE NOSED-MONKEY. 90 APES AND MONKEYS. They have, in common with the other Guenons, a fondness for particular parts 01 their forests, and one band will prevent another from entering its favorite haunts ; and this regard for companionship and locality is even seen when they are in cap- tivity. Restless, irritable and irascible, they are ever at play, and fighting among themselves, but they will turn to expel a stranger. It is said that this monkey has obtained an American home, and that it was introduced with slaves into the Island of St. Kitts. Many escaped into the woods, and have increased considerably in number, so as often to pillage the plantations. RED-BELLIED MONKEY. When living at the Zoological Gardens, in the Regent's Park, London, Eng., this pretty monkey, with a red chest and belly, and slim tail, was very timid, but it liked to be petted by the keeper, being somewhat distrustful of its more romping companions. It would take food out of his hand, and seemed pleased, and generally played with his fingers, without attempting to bite. The canine teeth were very moderately grown. This monkey inhabits western Africa, and is at once known by the red belly and chest, the white beard and whiskers, and the black band across the forehead. It has, moreover, a yellow crown. RED MONKEY. The delicate red ground-color of this monkey readily dis- tinguishes it from its more favored allies. One in the Zoological Gardens is won- derfully human in the expression of its face and beautiful sad-looking large eyes. Its pale lips, eyelids and cheeks, and the broadish, pale forehead, with a slightly ridged nose, add to its appearance of suffering. It has a moustache, a few hairs on its nose, and whiskers, which are very cleanly kept in the proper whisker-line. The hair of the forehead forms a counter-curve, whose peak is just in the centre. Altogether it is a very pretty animal. Bruce, the African traveller, when in Western Africa, took that trouble which is ve'ry rarelv done by distinguished travelers in Africa, and observed monkeys in a state of nature — the Red Monkey in particular. It is strange, considering the omnipresence of the monkey element, that one may look over volume after vol- ume of African travels, and very rarely meet with a note or word about them ; but such is the case. So our obligation to Bruce is great. He says they descended in troops from the tops of the trees to the extremities of the branches, earnestly notic- ing, and apparently much amused by, the boats, as they passed along the river. They then began to take courage, and pelt the passengers with pieces of wood, thus provoking a most unequal combat. When fired upon, they uttered the most frightful cries, and although many fell, the survivors seemed by no means willing to relinquish the contest; on the contrary, they redoubled their efforts. Some flung stones at their adversaries, while others collected something very nasty as a missile ; all, in short, displayed a determination of spirit which must at all times render them formidable to opponents of weaker powers than themselves. THE GREEN AND RED MONKEY! 91 92 APES AND MONKEYS. The last group of the Guenons are often called the Mangabeys, from a mis- taken notion that they come from Madagascar. But there are no monkeys in that great island, whose forests are peopled by Lemurs instead. THE MANGABEY, or White-eyelid Monkey. The general color of this Monkey is a reddish-brown, which becomes decidedly red on the top of the head. There is a white band between the eyes, which is continued to each side of the back of the neck. A second kind has grey slaty-brown tints, without the white spot. One thing strikes the observer at once, and that is the very affected way in which the monkey sits, with its eyelids half closed; and as the upper ones are dead-white, they look almost like doll's eyelids, and as if they did not belong to it. They are extremely restless, and are fond of placing themselves in curious atti- tudes, and so full of antics are they that it has been erroneously imagined that they really have more joints and muscles than the most agile of their allies. They are fond of carrying their tails reversed, so as to be on a line parallel with the top of the back, and their common expression of disgust is to show their teeth by raising the upper lip. It is always droll, frolicsome and good-natured. Sir William Jar- dine mentions a female in Mr. Wombwell's menagerie that was most lively, and Broderip says: " She performed many of the attitudes of the most experienced harlequins, and was remarkably cleanly and careful not to soil her person. When feeding, she seldom put her head to the food or dish, but lifted and conveyed it to her mouth. She was very fond of bread, milk, and vegetables, and of carrots especially." He gives a figure of her— no easy task, for she was never at rest for one moment, and her celerity was increased when she perceived she was noticed. The Mangabeys are all African, and all their structural peculiarities are those of the Guenons. They have the web between the fingers carried as far forward as the first joint, and the hair comes close to the knuckles and the beginning of the short thumb. In the foot, the toe-thumb is large, and, as usual, widely separated from the toes, the second and third of which are united by a web, which reaches almost to the last joint near the tips, and the third, fourth, and fifth are united by smaller webs. THE MACAQUES. This group of monkeys differs much from the lively dwellers amongst the woods and trees, which have been described, and the kinds contained in it are evidently suited for running quickly on all-fours, and more on the ground than amongst the branches. They are not so much like the dog in shape as are the Baboons, which will be described next, but still they are, as it were, between these and the Guenons in their habits and construction. They have longer muzzles than the Guenons, but not so long as the Baboons, and the nostrils open high up and obliquely. Their eyes are overshadowed by a prominent brow-ridge, THE MACAQUES— THE BONNET MONKEY. 03 which gives an air of cunning not seen in the playful Guenons, and also a look of fierceness and of mistrust ; and, in fact, the old ones look anything but amiable. Their limbs are stout and compactly made, and they display great strength and THE RED-BELLIED MONKEY width in the shoulders. The hind limbs are, however, longer than the front ones, and the hands and feet are well made, the latter being long and having a large heel. They all have cheek-pouches and callous pads, or callosities, on their seat, and thus resemble the Guenons. 94 APES AND MONKEYS. THE BONNET MONKEY. This is a very common monkey in menageries and zoological gardens, and is always an object of attention, as it is amusing, very active, full of tricks and malice, and a great stower away of nuts in its cheek- pouches. It is known amongst the other Macaques by its cap of long hair, radiat- ing from the crown, on which it rests flat, but it is often parted down the middle. It has a long tail, rather a long muzzle, and prominent ridges over the eyes, and the forehead is flat. Its fur is olive-grey, and sometimes greenish or brown in tint, whilst the under surface is ashy-white. It has large and often flesh-colored ears. The young often have their head of hair parted down the middle, and, as their face and forehead are pale and not hairy, they have a very human appearance. Very good-tempered when pleased, this Macaque enjoys a bit of mischief, and if it can steal anything from a visitor it is intensely delighted. But when food is offered and then not given, the Bonnet Monkey shows that it considers itself wronged, and scolds and screams in a great rage. It has a great capacity for accepting and stowing away food, and there are often great fights if one intrudes upon the store of another. Very fond of hugging and nursing others, it is equally delighted in searching the bodies of its companions for insect life; but, although thus amiable, it resents unkindness very decidedly and at once. {See page 133.) THE BHUNDER. This is a monkey the foot and hand of the mangabey. with a medium sized tail, which is well known to those Europeans who have lived in out-of-the-way places in British India. It is a strong-looking creature when full- grown, and has powerful shoulders and limbs ; the tail is about one-third of the length of the body, which often attains the length of from one foot and a half to two feet. The prevailing color of the hair is olive-green and brown on the back, and the naked face is of a pale flesh-color. There is no ruff of hair around the neck, and the ears are quite visible, and there is a singular looseness or folding of the skin of the throat and bellv. The callosities are often very red, and the insides of the legs also. F. Cuvier observed the early days of one born in France, and noticed that immediately after birth it clung fast to its mother's stomach, holding on with its forehands stuck in her fur, and that it did not quit the breast, even during its sleep, for fifteen days. In the first day of its existence it appeared to distinguish things, and to look at them carefully, and the mother was devoted to it, giving it the tenderest attention of a constant and patient nurse. Not a movement or noise on its part escaped her, and her maternal solicitude was quite astonishing. The weight of the little thing did not interfere with her moving about, and all her THE BHUNDER. 95 exertions were managed with a view of not incommoding her young charge. She never shook it or struck it accidentally against the edges and corners of her house. At the end of a fortnight the little one began to detach itself, and from the begin- ning of its moving by itself it showed a great amount of vigor, power, and ability to run and jump, which human children of a year or two might well envy. It held on to the wires of its cage and crawled up and down at will, but the careful mother never took her eyes off it, and followed it wherever it went, and even held out her hands to prevent it tumbling when it became too venturesome. Indeed, she admonished the little one by a gentle touch that it had been away long enough, and must come in. At other times it walked on all-fours over the straw, and often THE MANGABEY. let itself drop down from the top of its cage on to the soft bottom, so as to accus- tom itself to fall on all-fours ; then it would jump up the net-work and lay hold and scramble with great precision. After awhile, the mother began to teach the young one not to be so troublesome to her, and to manage without her, but still she took care of it, following it if it was doing anything out of the way and in danger. With strength the agility of the creature increased, and its jumps and bounds were wonderful, and it never miscalculated its distance or made a false step. After six weeks a more substantial nourishment than milk was required, and then a very curious spectacle was seen. The attentive mother would not let the little one have a bit of all the nice things, but drove it away and scolded it, although it was hun- gry. The old one took possession of the fruit and bread which were for both, and 96 APES AND MONKEYS. boxed the little one's ears if it came close and hid up the food. She had hardly any more milk, and the young one was in daily want of food, but the old one did not appear to act from cruelty or gluttony, but wished to train up the youth, like the young Cyrus, to feats of daring and of skill. As hunger pressed, the young one became bold, and stole by art what he could not get otherwise. If he was very adroit, all the better, and he was commended by being allowed to carry off his own. He used to get to the further end of the cage, and, turning his back on his mother would begin to gormandize. But even the maternal solicitude was not wanting, for she often used to go up to him and snatch a nice tidbit out of his jaws. Perhaps this was a mistaken idea, for after awhile a larger quantity of food was placed in the cage, and the little one had its quantity without any stealing. The Bhunders are sacred in some parts of India, and are left very much to themselves; so they assemble, in. troops, and steal from among the natives in a very troublesome manner. As they are very bold, their habits in the wild state are often observable, their slyness and thieving propensities being most amusing. They gather on the roofs of the low houses in the bazaars, and look out for occasion to steal. One was observed on a roof fronting a sweetmeat shop, and feigning to be asleep; but every now and then he looked wistfully at the luscious prizes below. It was, however, of no use, for sitting beside his stores was the seller, smoking his pipe, and looking decidedly wide awake. This went on for half an hour, when the monkey got up, yawned, and stretched himself artfully, as if he had only just awoke. He began to play with his tail, and even made believe he was tying knots in it, as if he were wholly intent on it ; but ever and anon he gave a sharp, sly look over his shoulder at the sweetmeats, but only to see the seller still there smoking away to his heart's content, and ruminating concerning prospective customers and profits. The monkey still had patience, and amused himself with his fleas, and had a good and general scratch ; and he was rewarded, for suddenly the confectioner arose from his seat, took his pipe, and turned towards the back door for a fresh supply of tobacco. Instantly the Bhunder was on all-fours, and the sweetmeats were before him and behind their owner. In another moment he had jumped off the roof, cleared the street, and was on the board which was crowded with sugar-plums. He, of course, began to cram as many as possible into his cheek-pouches. But, alas for the spoiler, there were other pilferers there in the shape of hornets ; his sudden descent frightened them, and they flew off, but returned on the instant, and to take vengeance. Before he could regain his roof they were all around him, stinging here and stinging there with great zeal and passion. His efforts at get- ting away from them were frantic, and he scrambled over the rotten roof, displac- ing the tiles, which came down with a crash; and at last, when he jumped clear of the enraged insects, he came on to a sharp, thorny bush, from which he could not ■ extricate himself. He had to spit all the nice things out of his pouches, and, screaming with pain — for the thorns were more like fish-hooks than anything else, THE BH UNDER. 97 he sat a picture of misery, barking hoarsely now and then. The fall of the tiles brought out a crowd of natives, and they were speedily joined by the confectioner, full of revenge. But the culprit was a monkey, and, therefore, an object of ven- eration; so a couple of Hindoos managed to rescue him, and he limped off as well as he could to a neighboring grove. The Hindoos tell many tales of the sagacity of this monkey ; and there is one which may be taken as a specimen, although it has been filtered through Mahomme- dan pages. A fakir had a monkey which he had brought up from birth. He loved it and travelled here and there, taking much care of it. In return the monkey behaved like a watch-dog, and was most faithful and watchful. It amused the fakir by its endless tricks and mimicry. One day, the fakir placed his carpet in a square before the palace of some great shah who had nothing to do, and who looked at the fakir and the monkey with great delight. The fakir had made a pie ; there were some pieces of birds' flesh in it, and it was placed on some lighted charcoal to be cooked. The monkey sat watching, and the fakir thought he would like a stroll until dinner was ready, knowing that his faithful follower would look after the cooking. But the shah saw more than the fakir ; for, after a while, the smell of the meat came strongly into the monkey's nostrils, and he began to feel hungry. Soon he was very hungry, and then he just lifted up the edge of the crust, and could not refrain from taking a tiny bit— just a little leg. This was so nice that he took a little more, and finally eat all. The crust was left on the grass, and then the sinner suddenly remembered his master. The shah was in ecstacies, wondering what would come next. After due consideration, the monkey remembered that he usually sat on a very beautiful flesh-colored "callosity,'' and he had noticed that several crows and other birds had been hovering about whilst he consumed his master's dinner. He instantly feigned to be dead, and hiding his head, gave the birds the benefit of the scarlet appearance. One came down instantly with a swoop ; but the monkey was too quick, and the bird was seized and strangled in an instant. Rapidly plucking off the feathers, the monkey pulled it to pieces, and put it in the pie, and sat looking happy, contented, and extremely virtuous. The shah was instantly struck with this wonderful display of instinct, and the story goes on to say that he promoted the fakir to an important post under government. THE MOOR MONKEY. It lives in Borneo, and is about eighteen inches in length. It has a flat nose, with nostrils opening well outwards, and the eyes are hazel, the pupils being very large. The length of the bones of the tail is not enough to carry it beyond the callosities, which are of a roseate hue. When young the skull is short, and there is no great projection over the eye ; but with age the upper part of the face becomes very square, and the eyebrow ridges grow. Now, this gloomy-looking monkey offers some points of interest, for there is another one, called the Booted Monkey, which cannot be distinguished from it when both are young. With age, however, the last-named one becomes 7 APES AND MONKEYS. oily black, has a longer tail, and the hair on the head has a bushier appearance. But can these distinctions be accepted as showing a difference in the species? Probably not; and it will be for the student to consider that monkeys may have races and varieties which really pertain but to one species, and yet are separated by the naturalist. THE WANDEROO. Wanderoo is the English way of spelling and pro- nouncing the \^ord by which the native inhabitants of Ceylon call all monkeys; THE MOOR MACAQUE. and it is certainly misapplied in this instance, for the animal is not truly one of the Cingalese monkeys, although it has been brought into the island. It is a small animal, probably never reaching two feet in length, and the tail may be that of ten or twelve inches ; but, from the stories which have been told and invented, one would conceive the Wanderoo to be a giant in wickedness as well as in physical power. They have slim bodies, which are covered with deep black hair, and there is a longish tail of the same color, ended by a little tuft. Their head looks very large, THE WANDEROO. 99 because of a mane, or ruff, and beard which surrounds the face, sticking out in a wild kind of way. This mass of long hair is either grey or white in color, and adds to the sly look of the broad face, soft dull eyes, and rather long black muzzle, A former dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church describes the Wanderoo. He says that this is perfectly black, is clothed with glossy hair, and has a white beard around his head and chin, measuring rather more than a palm in length. To him all the other monkeys show such deep respect, that in his presence they are submissive, and humble themselves as if they were aware of his pre-eminence. The princes and great lords esteem him highly, for that he is, above every other, gifted with gravity, capacity, and a wise appearance. Easily is he taught to per- form a variety of ceremonies and courtesies, and all these in so serious and perfect a style as to make it a great wonder that they should so exactly be enacted by an irrational animal. This excel- lent character does not appear to have been peculiar to all the Wanderoos; for some have been described as savage and disgust- ing in the extreme, and as most vicious and malignant in captiv- ity. But it is probable that the gentleness of disposition which has been so noticed by those who have kept them kindly was spoiled by teasing and maltreat- ment. The showmen call this mon- key the "Child of the Sun;" and Broderip suggests that it is the ruff, with the head peeping through, which gives a faint likeness to old Sol over a public-house door: and that probably the dark color of the animal impressed his exhibitors with the great heat he enjoyed in his Indian home. Certainly they like the sun ; and we have often seen a pair at the Zoological Gardens sunning themselves after their breakfast with great delight. They sit on a bar, close to the wires of the cage, and climb four or five feet up it, clinging close to their iron prison, just in the range of a sunbeam. They spread out their black hands, and enjoy the glare, becoming sleepy and disinclined to pay any attention to nuts, cakes, and other temptations. They peer down at you with their expressive eyes, and give an occasional twist to their tail, to pull it close to them, probably after a long experience of the habits of the other monkeys in the cage, ^Pf^ WT^ FACE OF THE WANDEROO. 100 APES AND MONKEYS. who certainly have not an overwhelming respect for them. It is curious to see them climbing slowly, and without the great exertion and bounds of some of the Guenons, and to notice their marching, head and back downwards, whilst they crawl along the under-side of the roof of their house, looking down every now and then in a cunning sort of manner Broderip used to watch one, and a right merry fellow was he. "He would run up his pole and throw himself over the cross-bar, so as to swing backwards and forwards as he hung suspended by the chain which held the leathern strap that girt his loins. The expression of his countenance was peculiarly innocent ; but he was sly — very sly — and not to be approached with impunity by those who valued their headgear. He would sit demurely on his cross perch, pretending to look another way, or to examine a nut-shell for some remnant of kernel, till a proper victim came within his reach; when down the pole he rushed,, and up he was again in the twinkling of an eye, leaving the bare-headed surprised one, minus his hat, at least, which he had the satisfaction of seeing undergoing a variety of transformations, under the plastic hands of the grinning monster, not at all calcu- lated to improve a shape which the taste of a Moore (the hat maker of the day), perhaps, had designed and executed. It was whispered that he once scalped a bishop, who ventured too near, notwithstanding the caution given to his lordship by another dignitary of the church, and that it was some time before he could be made to give up, with much grinning and chattering, the weii-powdered wig which he had profanely transferred from that sacred poll to his own. There was a mel- ancholy about this creature. He would climb his pole, ascend to his elevated house-top, and there sit for half an hour together, gazing wistfully at the distant portion of the park — which presented, when viewed from his position, the appear- ance of a thick wood — every now and then looking down, as if he was contrasting the smooth, sharp-pointed pole, to which they fettered him, with the rugged, liv- ing 'columns of the evergreen palaces' of his fathers." The Wanderoo often loses some of his tail in captivity ; but it should be, when full-grown, terminated by a tuft, which, in the imagination of some, has been considered quite lion-like. Hav- ing large cheek-pouches, this monkey, very un-lion-like in disposition, feeds rather rapidly, and stores much away for future occasions. In doing this, it either carries the food to the mouth with the hand or places its mouth to the object. It moves on all-fours, and has callosities; and these, and the tail, give it a very baboon- like appearance. Nothing is known of their habits in their wild state. CHAPTER VI. DOG-SHAPED MONKEYS— CONTINUED. THE BABOONS are more brute-like than the rest of the monkeys in appear- ance, and therefore have not that singular resemblance to man which many of the HE BABOON. others possess either generally or in their faces. Their dog-shaped head, a long muzzle, and a curious fullness on either side of the long nose, distinguish them at once from any other Quadrumana. With one or two exceptions the nostrils are quite at the end of the muzzle, and are separated by a narrow piece of gristle; they rather project beyond the nostril, and can be placed close to the ground as the 101 102 APES AND MONKEYS. baboon runs along to follow or track a scent. Their eyes are close together, and are deeply set, their ears are moderately large, and their neck is rather long, and as their common position is squatting on the hind quarters like a dog, the long muzzle is kept straight out, or occasionally is hung down over the chest. They have a short body, which seems compressed at the sides, and the shoulders are wide, the chest being capacious. As they run very much like dogs, the hind-quarters are strong, and the hind limbs longer than the front ones, and have a decided heel and strong muscles. They trot and canter, but rarely bound or jump over the ground, and they scramble and climb up rocks with the aid of the power of prehension, which is greater even in the hind extremities, the thumb being strong but short. When standing on all-fours, the shoulders are high, and the body slopes slightly to the tail, which is stuck high up, and some have short and others long tails. They have the cheek-pouches, and the curious callosities on their stern, which sometimes are very large and vividly colored ; and their hair is many-colored, being long or short according to the species. The tail is curved upward close to its origin, and then it droops downwards when the baboon is quiet in mind and body; but when excited it sticks out and is flourished about with great vigor. Sometimes ended with a tuft, in some kinds it is not, and in one or two of the great dog- headed there is no tail, or only a miserable rudiment of it. In spite of their brutal looks — for the faces of some are swollen out, or rather the side of the nose, and colored and ridged in a marvelously ugly manner — they are very interesting, on account of their habits, cleverness, sociability amongst themselves, and their cour- age. Usually very amiable and full of fun when young, they afford much amuse- ment when kept well and treated with kindness. They like to be petted, and will present their backs to be scratched, and may be taught to beg for food, to hold things and to play endless tricks. This "jolly" disposition is seen amongst the wild youngsters, who are ever on the watch for an occurrence of mischief and practical joking, the sedate behavior of their elders affording opportunities for endless mummeries and impudences. What can be more tempting to a young and light-hearted Cynocephalus than to disturb the solemn thoughts of the patriach of the troop? There sits the elder of elders on his haunches, his tail outspread behind, the long nose slightly stuck up, and the fine long mane, lion-like, encircling the throat and covering the shoulders. Perched upon a block of stone, higher than the rest, he is an object of reverential awe to the elders of the band. But often enough some restless little ape. after squatting on a stone and mimicking the Nestor of the tribe, forgets himself, and after much dodging here and there, and running to and fro, ventures to pull that sacred tail as only monkeys pull. All the rage of Thoth is, however, slumbering in that quiet old male. His cares and watchintrs have triumphed over any gaiety he ever had. Making no allowances for the follies of youth, he pounces without wavering on the offender. Squeals, squeaks, and howls follow the cuffs, pinches, and bites, and the little wretch makes THE BABOONS. 103 off to the bosom of his mother, who snarls, grins, and shows her teeth, using language awful in monkeydom, and muttering not loud but deep. The mothers in the immediate neighborhood sympathize and proclaim their indignation with low grunts and much pantomime suggestive of reprisals, but they all know better than to do anything of the sort, as they have experienced the weight of the paternal arm themselves so often. With age, any amiability of disposition is replaced by ferocity and greedy brutality, and is particularly increased in captivity, as the temper is usually severely tried by the tricks and teasings of the visitors. THE SACRED BABOON. Lise most, if not all, of its fellow baboons, this interesting creature prefers sandy ground to the dense forest land. They very rarely are seen on trees, they avoid woods, and keep mainly in the open country, preferring rocky precipices. On rising one morning Blanford saw a singular spec- tacle. A large troop of baboons, at least two hundred in number, were hunting for any corn dropped upon the ground in the place where the horses had been picketed. They were the first of the great dog-faced apes which had been seen, although they became familiar enough afterwards. There was no mistaking them, for their likenesses to the engravings of the Sacred Ape on Egyptian monuments was exact. The uncouth looking male is, indeed, a formidable looking animal, something between a lion and a French poodle in appearance, with long hair over his shoulders and foreparts. Their impudence was excessive, and the day before they had come into the commissariat enclosure and commenced pilfering the grain. The herds vary in number; some cannot include less than 250 to 300 monkeys of all ages. The old males are always most conspicuous animals, all the forepart of their body being covered with long hair. They usually take the lead when the troop is moving, some of them also bringing up the rear; others placing them- selves on high rocks or bushes, and keeping a sharp look-out after enemies. A troop collected on a rocky crag presents a most singlar appearance. Sometimes large numbers were seen assembled around springs in the evening near Senafe, where the want of water was great. On such occasions, every jutting rock and every little stone more prominent than the rest was occupied by a patriarch of the herd, who sat with the gravity and watchfulness befitting his grizzled hair, waiting patiently until the last of his human rivals had slaked his thirst and that of his cattle. Around, the females were mainly occupied in taking care of the young, the smaller monkeys amusing themselves by gambolling about. Occasionally, if a young monkey became too noisy, or interfered with the repose of one of his seniors, he "caught it" in most unmistakable style, and was dismissed with many cuffs, a wiser if not a better monkey. It feeds an wild fruits, berries, and seeds, and often on the buds of trees and on young shoots. On the highlands troops of them were frequently seen in the fields, engaged in searching for a small tuber, the 104 APES AND MONKEYS. root of the edible Cypcrus, which was also the resource of the half starved men and women in the country of the Tigre. Mansfield Parkyns gives some very interesting and explicit statements about the intelligence and discipline of the Baboons. He says: " The monkeys, espec- ially the Cynocephali, who are astonishingly clever fellows, have their chiefs, whom they obey implicitly, and a regular system of tactics in war, pillaging expeditions, robbing cornfields, etc. These monkey forays are managed with the utmost regu- larity and precaution. A tribe coming down to feed from their village on the mountain (usually a cleft in the face of some cliff) brings with it all its members, male and female, old and young. Some — the elders of the tribe distinguishable by the quantity of mane which covers their shoulders, like a lion's — take the lead, peering cautiously over each precipice before they descend, and climbing to the top of every rock which may afford a better view of the road before them. Others have their posts as scouts on the flanks or rear, and all fulfill their duties with the utmost vigilance, calling out at times, apparently to keep order among the motley pack, which forms the main body, or to give notice of the approach of any real or imagined danger. Their tones of voice on these occasions are so distinctly raised, that a person much accustomed to watch their movements will at length fancy — and perhaps with some truth — that he can understand their signals. •' The main body is composed of females; inexperienced males, and the young of the tribe. Those of the females who have small children carry them on their back. Unlike the dignified march of the leaders, the rabble go along in a most disorderly manner, trotting on and chatting without taking the least heed of any- thing, apparently confiding in the vigilance of their scouts. Here a few of the youth linger behind to pluck the berries off some tree, but not for long, for the rear-guard coming up forces them to regain their places. Then a matron pauses for a moment to suckle her offspring, and, not to lose time, dresses its hair whilst it is taking its meal. Another younger lady, probably excited by jealousy, or by some sneering look or word, pulls an ugly mouth at her neighbor, and then, utter- ing a shrill squeal highly expressive of rage, vindictively snatches at her rival's leg or tail with her hand, and gives, her, perhaps, a sharp bite in the hind-quarters. This provokes a retort, and a most unladylike quarrel ensues, till a loud bark of command from one of the chiefs calls them to order. A single cry of alarm makes them all halt and remain on the qui vive till another bark in a different tone reas- sures them, and they then proceed on their march. " Arrived at the cornfields, the scouts take their position on the eminences all around, while the remainder of the tribe collect provisions, with the utmost expedi- dition, filling their cheek-pouches as full as they can hold, and then tucking the seeds of corn under their armpits. Now, unless, there be a partition of the col- lected spoil, how do the scouts feed? for I have watched them several times, and never observed them quit for a moment their post of duty till it was time for the tribe to return, or till some indication of danger induced them to take to flight. THE BABOONS. 105 They show also the same sagacity in searching for water, discovering at once the places where it is most readily found in the sand, and then digging for it with their hands just as men would, relieving one another in the work, if the quantity of sand to be removed be considerable. Their dwellings are often chosen in clefts of rocks, and are always placed so high that they are inaccessible to most other animals, and sufficiently sheltered from the rain. The leopard is their worst enemy, for being nearly as good a climber as they, he sometimes attacks them, and then there is a THE SACRED BABOON. tremendous uproar. I remember one night, when outlying on the frontier, being disturbed in my sleep by the most awful noises I ever heard, at least they appeared as such, exaggerated bv my dreams. I started up thinking that it was an attack of negroes, but soon recognized the voices of my Baboon friends from the mountain above. On my return home I related the fact to the natives, who told me that a leopard was probably the cause of all this panic. I am not aware how he succeeds amongst them. The people say that he sometimes manages to steal a young one and make off, but that he seldom ventures to attack a full-grown ape. He would doubtless find such an one an awkward customer; for the ape's great strength and 106 APES AND MONKEYS. activity, and the powerful canine teeth with which he is furnished, would render him a formidable enemy, were he from desperation, forced to stand and defend his life. It is most fortunate that their courage is only sufficiently great to induce them to act on the defensive. This indeed they only do against a man when driven to it by fear; otherwise, they generally prefer prudence to valor. Had their com- bativeness been proportioned to their physical powers, coming as they do in hordes of two or three hundred, it would have been impossible for the natives to go out. of the village except in parties, armed, and instead of little boys, regiments of armed men would be required to guard the cornfields." A traveller, relating his experience with these Baboons, writes as follows: " The first band I saw was just resting after their morning ramble. I had seen the tall forms of the males from some distance, but had taken them for rocks, as these Apes resemble them when they are still. I was first undeceived by a repeated cry, which sounded like a shrill cry of ' Ruck.' All heads were turned our way, and only the young ones went on with their games. Probably the whole herd would have stopped in this attitude had not we had two dogs with us that we kept to keep off hyenas from the house. These answered the cries of the apes, and we immediately noticed a commotion among the herd. They started off and disap- peared. Much to our astonishment, at the next bend of the road, we saw the whole band in a long row clinging on to what seemed a perpendicular rock. This was too much for us, and we determined to have a shot at them. Unfortunately, the rock was too high for a sure aim. Anyhow, we hoped to disturb them. The first shot had a wonderfdl effect. A tremendous barking and shrieking was the answer. Then the whole band moved on, climbing over the rocks in a most aston- ishing manner, where it seemed' almost impossible to find a footing. We fired about six shots, though it was impossible to be sure of hitting. It was most comi- cal to see the whole band, at every shot, cling on to the rock as if they thought the earth would give way under them. The next turn we found them no longer on high ground, but in a valley, where they were going through to get to the hills beyond. Part of the band had crossed, but most were still behind. Our dogs stopped a minute, and then rushed in among the herd. So soon as they got there all the old males rushed from the rocks, formed a circle round the dogs, and opened their mouths, beat the earth, and looked so fierce that the dogs retreated with all speed. Of course we encouraged them to return to the fight, and in the meanwhile the apes had got across the valley. As the dogs returned to the attack, there were only a few in the valley, and among them a young one of about six months old. As it saw the dogs it cried out, and fled to the rocks, where our dogs brought it to bay, and we flattered ourselves that we should catch it. Proudly and quietly, without troubling himself about us, came an old male back from the other side, walked fearlessly between the dogs, climbed slowly up the rock, and took off the young one in triumph." Their regard for their mutual safety is even seen in captivity, for it has happened that when a baboon, who has been extremely savage, THE BABOONS. 107 unbearable and mischievous in his compartment, had to be chained to be punished, the others tried to protect him. " Many kinds of monkeys," writes Mr. Darwin, " have a strong- taste for tea, coffee, and spirituous liquors ; they will also, as I have myself seen, smoke tobacco with pleasure." The wild baboons of Northeastern Africa are often caught in consequence of their naughty propensity and love of a "drop." The natives fill some vessels with strong beer, and put them out in places where they look particu- larly tempting to the thirsty. The baboons, ever on the watch for something new and to steal, see the pitchers and pans, and of course just taste their contents. Feeling happy and enlivened, after awhile they try again, and finally drink long and deeply, becoming in a short time decidedly tipsy and unable to take care of themselves. Drunk and incapable would be the accusation against them by native police. Unfortunately for the tipplers, their punishment is greater than the crime; and not only do they suffer all the miseries of headache, thirst, and bodily depres- sion, but they lose their liberty also, and not for a time only. The natives, know- ing that after a few hours they may expect to find the baboons incapable of biting, fighting, or running away, go out and search for their victims, and bring them home and place them in durance vile. The next morning they awake to a sense of their condition. They hold their aching heads with both hands, and look with a most pitiable expression. Brehm saw some of them in this plight, and gives a most amusing description of their grimaces and laughable conduct. A little wine or beer was offered to some who had recovered from their debauch, but they would have nothing to do with it at the time. They turned away with disgust, but they relished the juice of some lemons which was given to them. Mansfield Parkyns asserts that the cleverness of these baboons depends in some measure upon their power of reason, and not entirely on that instinct with which all animals are endowed, and which serves them only to procure the neces- saries of life and to defend themselves against their enemies. In proof he relates an anecdote, of which he was an eye-witness: " At Khartoom, the capital of the provinces of Upper Nubia, I saw a man showing a large male and two females of this breed, who performed several clever tricks at his command. I entered into conversation with him as to their sagacity, the mode of teaching them, and various other topics relating to them. Speaking of his male monkey, he said that he was the most dexterous thief imaginable, and that every time he was exhibited he stole dates and other provisions sufficient for his food for the day. In proof of this he begged me to watch him for a few minutes. I did so, and presently the keeper led him to a spot where a date seller was sitting on the ground with his basket beside him. Here his master put him through his evolutions, and although I could per- ceive that the monkey had an eye to the fruit, yet so completely did he disguise his intentions, that no careless observer would have noticed it. He did not at first appear to care about approaching the basket, but gradually brought himself nearer and nearer, till at last he got quite close to the owner. In the middle of one of his 108 APES AND MONKEYS. feats he suddenly started up from the ground on which he was lying stretched out like a corpse, and uttering a cry as if of pain and rage, fixed his eyes full on the face of the date seller, and then, without moving the rest of his body, stole as many dates as he could hold in one of his hind hands. The date man, being stared out of countenance, and his attention diverted by this extraordinary movement, knew nothing about the theft till a by-stander told him of it, and then he joined heartily in the laugh that was raised against him. The monkey having very adroitly popped the fruit into his cheek-pouches, had moved oft a few yards, when a boy in the crowd round him pulled him sharply by the tail. Conscience- stricken, he fancied that it had been done in revenge by the date-seller whom he had robbed ; and so, passing close by the true offender and behind the legs of two or three others, he fell on the unfortunate fruiterer, and would no doubt have bit- ten him severely, but for the interference of his master, who came to the rescue.'' Darwin tells a laughable anecdote of a baboon, but does not mention the kind. He saw in the Zoological Gardens a baboon who always got in a furious rage when his keeper took out a letter or book and read it aloud to him ; and his rage was so violent that, as Mr. Darwin witnessed, on one occasion he bit his own leg till the blood flowed. THE PIC-TAILED BABOON, or Ckacma, has a fine black tail, which is rather more than half the length of the body, and it has a tuft of long black hair at its tip. It is carried like that of the other long-tailed baboons, being curved upward at first, and then falling down straight. Nearly all the fur of the body is a uniform dark brown, almost black, mixed throughout with a dark green shade. It is long and shaggy, particularly on the neck and shoulders of the males. If a solitary hair be pulled out, it will be found to be very curiously ornamented. It has a root, like all hairs, springing from a little pimple under the scarf-skin, and its color is at first of a light grey color. Then it is marked with wide rings of color, which are perfectly distinct, and they are alternately black and dark green, but sometimes they are intermixed with a few of a lighter or yellowish shade. The face and ears are naked, as are also the palms and soles, and there are small whis- kers, grey in color and brushed backward. Naked as are the face, ears, and hands, the skin is of a very dark violet-blue color, with a pale ring surrounding each eye. Strange to say, the upper eyelids are white. Although the young Chacmas are playful enough, and are full of nonsense and fun in captivity, they, like all their kindred baboons, become surly, ferocious, and unsafe as they grow old and have their bodies perfectly developed to the perfection of baboonism. That is to say, when the face, jaws, and teeth become as large as they ever will be, and the body becomes as short and muscular as possible. They then scowl at the visitor, and grind and show their great teeth at the slightest provocation, grumbling and growling also, and in fact, to quote the words of a very precise naturalist, "The fierceness and brutality of their character and man- THE PIG- TAILED BABOON. 109 ners correspond with the expression of their physiognomy." Nevertheless, they are amenable to soft influences. In spite of their savage and untamable disposi- tion, they are influenced by that most potent of all attractions. They are, in the language of the writer just quoted, " agitated by the passions of love or jealousy. THE PIG-TAILED BABOON. In captivity they are thrown into the greatest agitation at the appearance of young females." Not females of the baboon tribe, but those who, under all circum- stances, are now called ladies. "It is a common practice," continues the writer, " among itinerant showmen, to excite the natural jealousy of these baboons by 110 APES AND MONKEYS. caressing or offering to kiss the young females who resort to their exhibitions, and the sight never fails to excite in these animals a degree of rage bordering on irenzy. On one occasion, a large baboon of this species escaped from his place of confine- ment in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, and far from showing any disposition to return to his cage, severely wounded two or three of his keepers who attempted to recapture him. After many ineffectual attempts to induce him to return quietly, they at length hit upon a plan which was successful. There was a small grated window at the back part of the den, at which one of the keepers appeared, in com- pany with the daughter of the superintendent, whom he appeared to kiss and caress within view of the animal. No sooner did the baboon witness this familiarity than he flew into the cage with the greatest fury, and endeavored to unfasten the grat- ing of the window which separated him from the object of his jealousy. Whilst employed in this vain attempt, the keepers took the opportunity of fastening the door, and securing him once more in his place of confinement. Nor is this a soli- tary instance of the influence which women can exert over the passions of these savage animals. It is said that, generally intractable and incorrigible whilst under the management of men, it usually happens that baboons are most effectually tamed and led to even more than ordinary obedience in the hands of women, whose atten- tions they often repay with gratitude and affection." All the Chacmas, however, are not furiously jealous, or fighters, or kidnappers of women, for many have excellent memories of kindnesses, and do not fail to express their gratitude. Thus Sir Andrew Smith was recognized by a baboon at the Cape of Good Hope, with much evidence of satisfaction, after he had been absent for nine months. The females are often very tender and affectionate. One of them, an old female, adopted a little Rhesus Monkey, and took all sorts of care of it ; but when a young Drill and Mandrill were placed in the cage she seemed to perceive that those monkeys, though distinct species, were her nearer relations, for she at once rejected the Rhesus, and adopted both of them. The young Rhesus was greatly discontented at being thus rejected, and it would, like a naughty child, annoy and attack the young Drill and Mandrill whenever it could do so safely, this conduct exciting great indignation in the old baboon. Another female baboon had so capacious a heart that she not only adopted young monkeys of other species, but stole young dogs and cats, which she continually carried about. Her kindness, however, did not go so far as to share her food with her adopted offspring. An adopted kitten scratched this affectionate and selfish old thing, who certainly had a fine intellect, for she was much astonished at being scratched, and immediately examined the kitten's feet, and without more ado bit off the claws ! Le Vaillant in his African travels was accompanied by a monkey, which was probably one of these Chacmas. It lived on very good terms with cocks and hens, thus disproving the antipathy which tradition has handed down as existing between these very different creatures. He was amused at the one and stole the eggs of the THE PIG-TAILED BABOON. Ill other. In fact, he not only tasted the eggs of his own accord, but was made to taste all sorts of fowls and nuts for the benefit of the travelers, who feared being poisoned. If this creature, which was called " Kees," refused them, they were left untouched by those who had a very sensible opinion of his instinct. Besides being taster he was watch-dog. " By his cries," writes the traveler, "and other expres- sions of fear, we were always informed of the approach of an enemy before my dogs could discover it. They were so accustomed to his voice that they slept in perfect security, and never went the rounds, on which account I was very angry, fearing that I should no longer find that indispensable assistance which I had a right to expect if any disorder or fatal accident should deprive me of my faithful guardians. However, when he had once given the alarm, they all stopped to watch the signal, and on the least motion of his eyes, or the shaking of his head, I have seen them all rush forward, and run far away in the quarter to which they observed his looks directed. I often carried him along with me in my hunting excursions, during which he would amuse himself climbing up the trees in order to search for game, of which he was remarkably fond. Sometimes he discovered honey in the crevices of rocks, or in hollow trees, but when he found nothing, when fatigue and exercise had whetted his appetite, and when he began to be seriously oppressed with hunger, a scene took place which appeared to me exceedingly comic. When he could not find game or honey, he searched for roots, and ate them with relish, especially one of a particular species, which, unfortunately for me, I found excel, lent and very refreshing, and which I wanted greatly to partake of But Kees was very cunning. When he found any of this root, if I was not near him to claim my part, he made great haste to devour it, having his eyes directed all the time towards me. By the distance I had to go before I could approach him he judged of the time that he had to eat it alone, and I indeed arrived too late. Sometimes, how- ever, when he was deceived in his calculation, and when I came upon him sooner than he expected, he instantly endeavored to conceal the morsels from me ; but by means of a blow well applied I compelled him to restore the theft ; and in my turn becoming master of the envied prey, he was obliged to receive laws from the offended party. Kees entertained no rancor or hatred, and I easily made him com. prehend how detestable was that base selfishness of which he had set me an exam- ple. To tear up these roots Kees employed an ingenious method, which afforded me much amusement. He laid hold of the tuft of leaves with his teeth, and press- ing his four paws firmly against the earth, and drawing his head backwards, the root generally followed. When this method did not succeed, he seized the tuft as before, as close to the earth as he could, then throwing his heels over his head, the root always yielded to the jerk he gave it. In our marches, when he found himself tired, he got upon the back of one of my dogs, which had the complaisance to carry him for whole hours together. One only, which was larger and stronger than the rest, ought to have served him for this purpose; but the cunning animal well knew how to avoid this drudgery. The moment he perceived Kees on his 112 APES AND MONKEYS. shouiders, he remained motionless and suffered the caravan to pass on, without ever stirring from the spot. The timorous Kees still persisted ; but as soon as he began to lose sight of us he was obliged to dismount, and both he and the dog ran with all their might to overtake us. For fear of being surprised, the dog dexter- ously suffered him to get before him, and watched him with great attention. In short, he had acquired an ascendancy over my whole pack, for which he was per- haps indebted to the superiority of his instinct ; for among animals, as among men, address often gets the better of strength. While at his meals Kees could not endure guests; if any of the dogs approached too near him at that time, he gave them a hearty blow, which these poltroons never returned, but scampered away as fast as they could. It appeared to me extremely singular, and I could not account for it, that next to the serpent, the animal which he most dreaded was one of his own species; whether it was that he was sensible that his being tamed had deprived him of a great part of his faculties, and that fear had got possession of his senses, or that he was jealous and dreaded a rivalry in my friendship. Sometimes he heard others of the same species making a noise in the mountains ; and notwith- standing his terror, he thought proper, 1 know not for what reason, to reply to them. When they heard his xoice they approached; but as soon as he perceived any of them he fled with horrible cries ; and running between our legs, implored the protection of everybody, while his limbs quivered through fear. We found it no easy matter to calm him ; but he gradually resumed after some time his natural tranquility. He was very much addicted to thieving, a fault common to almost all domestic animals ; but in Kees it became a talent, the ingenious efforts of which I admired, and notwithstanding all the correction bestowed on him by my people, who took the matter seriously, he was never amended. He knew perfectly well how to untie the ropes of a basket to take provisions from it; and, above all, milk, of which he was remarkably fond ; more than once he has made me go without any. I often beat him pretty severely myself; but when he escaped from me he did not appear at my tent till towards night." " Milk in baskets!" why truly the term " basket," as applied to a vessel for holding milk, appears to require some explanation ; but it was really carried in baskets woven by the Yonaquas, of reeds so delicate and so close in texture that they might be employed in carrying water or any liquid. The abstraction of the milk may be considered as a kind of set-off against the appropriation of Kees' favorite root by his master. THE COMMON BABOON. They are very common in the half wild and tame condition ; and as they often have to take care of themselves in the midst of a very restless and half-starving set of men, their senses become sharpened, and their intelligence becomes exalted in a most curious manner. But nothing is known of them in the wild state. They are large animals, and their hair is of a uniform yellowish-brown color, slightly shaded with sandy or light red tints. The whiskers are of a light fawn- THE COMMON BABOON 113 color, and the face, ears, and hands are naked and black ; the upper eyelids are white and naked, and the tail is about one-half the length of the body, but. it has no tuft. Buff on had one that was lull grown, and it was as savage as well could be. It exhibited all the ferocity of disposition and intractability of nature common to the rest of its kind when full grown. " It was not," says he, " altogether hideous, and yet it excited horror. It appeared to be continually in a state of savage ferocity, grinding its teeth, perpetually restless, agitated by unprovoked fury. It was 8 114 APES AND MONKEYS. obliged to be shut up in an iron cage, of which it shook the bars so powerfully with its hands as to inspire the spectators with apprehension. It was a stoutly-built animal, whose nervous limbs and compressed form indicated great force and agilit)^ ; and although the length and thickness of its shaggy coat made it appear to be much larger than it was in reality, it was nevertheless so strong and active that it might have readily resisted the attacks of several unarmed men. Although ferocious in old age, they are amusing, tractable, teachable, and even affectionate when young; they know and like their master, are orderly when with him, can be taught all sorts of tricks, and they even like the young of other ani- mals as pets. There are, of course, all sorts of stories told about them, some of which are true, for they were told by reliable naturalists from the results of their own experience, but the majority have too much of the wonderful in them, and are clearly the result of Eastern imaginations. A distinguished naturalist and travel- ler took much pains with some baboons, and learned much of their habits and curious tricks, and his first pupil was amusing enough. Of course baboons differ like higher animals in their temper and lightness of disposition ; some are grumpy and stupid, and others are as friendly and frolicsome as a genially-disposed dog. One of these last came into his hands, and was, for a baboon, quite amiable looking, full of vivacity, and possessed of a vast amount of animal spirits and talent for the mischievous. He had a place set apart for him near one of the gates of the estab- lishment in Egypt, where he acted as a sort of watch-dog. This duty he per- formed to perfection, and no one dared to attempt to enter without his leave. To those whom he knew he was polite, but to all others he was quite the reverse. Walking backward and forward in great ire when disturbed by anybody unknown to him, he finally stood stiffly on three of his legs, and hammered away at the floor with the knuckles of the other, just as a man raps a table when in a pet. His eyes glared, and he gave tongue in a fierce growling bark. Sometimes he would put on a most enticing look, and seem most kindly dis- posed, seeking as it were the friendly notice of people; then out would come his hand for something nice to be given him, and if refused all his good looks departed, and he behaved more like a devil than a watch-dog, rushing at his enemy and endeavoring to bite and scratch. He was on good terms with all the animals of the neighborhood, but took a great dislike to some ostriches which wandered about, and often came close to him, not apparently that they were necessarily un- beloved by apes, but because they did him some very evil services most uninten- tionally. He liked to get en a wall under a quantity of straw, which protected him from the sun, and there he dozed away. Now the ostrich has a very bad habit of trying to swallow or peck at everything; nothing comes amiss so that it can be swallowed; and they one and all are constantly poking here and poking there for most curious tid-bits. This was the case with the ostriches in the baboon's neighborhood, and it now and then happened that as they were on the search for a novelty they noticed his fine stout tail hanging from THE COMMON BABOON. 115 the top of the wall. Of course the first ostrich which was near gave it a good peck with his strong beak, and doubtless a good pull also. This was a most uncalled-for liberty, and not only woke up the sleeper, and hurt him, but also offended his dignity. He awoke full of rage, and before the ostrich could give a second peck at the grisly morsel, the furious baboon rushed from under the straw, seized his enemy by the neck, and cuffed his head most soundly. He hated ostriches ever after. The same baboon was taken on board a boat with the trav- ellers, and exhibited a great fear of the water. After a while he got a little accustomed to it, and gradually was tempted to touch it. He used to go the whole length of his cord, which kept him safe and sound, and, clinging on, would just let one of his feet touch the glistening surface, and drag through the water. This trick he used to do when he was thirsty, for he sucked the water from off his foot. He was very fond of young animals, and took upon himself the occupation of nurse, whether the mothers liked it, or the little ones cared for it or not. Thus once going through the streets of a town seated on the baggage wagon, the baboon was tied fast by a good long cord, which gave him much liberty. He saw by the side of the road a dog with a litter of puppies, and immediately darted off, caught up one of them, and was returning before the mother had recovered from the shock produced by his audacity. She rushed after him as he retreated with the little puppy clasped to his bosom with one of his arms, and so vigorously did she pur- sue that the baboon was placed in difficulty, and had to exercise all of his resources to get out of her way with his charge. The wagon was on the move, and the rope was at its fullest length, when he suddenly took hold of it with his spare hand, and running himself clear, and alighting on his hind legs, met the attack of the furious dog most bravely. So stoutly did he persist, that the natives rather took his part, and he retained the little dog. Afterward his master took it from him, and restored it, to his great disgust; and indeed, he was extremely offended, and was sulky and out of temper for long afterward. Doubtless, if some intelli- gent men, who were accustomed to treat animals properly, would undertake the education of baboons, they would be successful to a considerable degree; and there is no reason why they should not be as useful to man as the dog. But they are teased and worried into a premature and senile savageness when in captivity. One of the plans of teaching a baboon to like his master is to keep him con- stantly in the house where he is; the master feeds him, and is kind and never teas- ing to him, giving him, however, friendly scratches on the back, and having romps with him. Then, when he will answer to some name or call, and has become familiarized with all around, some one comes in with a whip and begins to talk loudly, and to order the baboon out of the place. The creature is frightened, and is rather disposed to resist; whereupon the master makes his appearance, and pre- tends to take his part by opposing the intruder with violent gestures and threats, and making much of the poor brute. This has usually an excellent effect, and pro- duces satisfactory results, the baboon clinging henceforth to his friend. They are 116 APES AND MONKEYS. taught to help their masters in conjuring- and juggling-, and they do some tricks wonderfully well. THE MANDRILL. This large baboon is the principal one with a very short stump of a tail, and may be distinguished from all others, with and without long tails, by the enormous swellings of its cheeks on either side of its nose, and their odd coloring. In general shape it resembles the rest of the genus, but perhaps its head and chest may be more bulky, and its limbs shorter and stouter than the other, when it has attained its full growth. A full-grown male measures five feet when standing upright, and the color of the hair is a light olive-brown above and silvery-grey beneath, and the chin is decorated with a small pointed yellow beard. It has a "brutus" in the form of a great tuft of hair on the top of the head, Nature having brushed up the hair off the temples and forehead upward, in a peak-shaped ridge on the crown, giving a triangular appearance to the whole. The ears are naked and pointed near their tips, and their color is bluish-black. The muzzle and the lips are large, and as it were, swollen and projecting, and the former is not only long, but is surrounded above with an elevated rim or border, and cut short or truncated like that of a hog. But the most extraordinary features of this ugliest of faces are the projections on either side of the nose. These are formed by swell- ings of the cheek-bones along the base of the great canine teeth, and the skin cov- ering them is ribbed and has ridges which are alternately light blue, scarlet, and deep purple in color, contrasting strangely with the other tints of the hair. To add to the strange look, the eyes are deeply sunken, and their color, a deep hazel, contrasts with a streak of vermilion, which reaches' down either side of the nose to the lip, and extends upward in the neighborhood of the brows, which are large and " beetled." A forehead would clearly be out of place in such a brute, and therefore it recedes rapidly above the eyes, and is lost in the great tuft of hair. The canine teeth are immense, and when the animal is enraged they and the others are shown, their beautiful white color contrasting with the strange medley of tints around them. On the body the hair is Very bristly, but the hands and feet are naked, and as if to add to the many peculiarities of the Mandrill, they are small in relation to the vigorous looking limbs and short chest. There is no doubt that the Mandrill is extremely brutal in its adult age, and that the males are ferocious and disgusting, there being no particular choice as regards ugliness and oddity of decoration between their faces and sterns, whose callosities are vast. But the young are not so, and probably the quieter tints of the female are associated with a gentler disposition. Both the young and the females have shorter muzzles than the adult males, and they have neither the great cheek-swelling nor the coloring of the face; in fact, it is only when the great eye teeth are being cut by the ..nales, as evidences of its age and powers, that the irreg- ular decoration begins to be noticed. THE MANDRILL. 117 The question of the coloring and ornamentation of monkeys will again be noticed in the summary at the close of the description of the Quadrumana, and it is therefore only necessary to remark that the most grotesque-looking and ferocious Mandrill is especially beautiful in the eyes of his partner, who, with humble colors and softened looks, admires her fractious spouse. His colors glow with love and flame under the influence of passion, and probably no more curious-looking piece of living polychrome was ever seen than "Jerry," at the Surrey Zoological Gar- THE MANDRILL. dens, where he got in a rage after drinking gin and water. "Jerry" was old and had gained all his ornaments, but had lost his levity, fur, and amiability. Broderip writes about him: "He liked the good things of Mandrill life, but would not put up with its troubles. He was a glutton, and ferocious in the extreme. Most kindly he would receive your nuts, and at the same time, if possible, would scratch or pinch your fingers, and then snarl and grunt in senseless anger. He would sit in a little arm-chair, and would wrap himself up in a blanket, knowing what was coming, the bribe being either a cup of tea, which he took, as people used to say, 'quite like any Christian,' or, what was nicer in his eves, a glass of weak grog and 118 APES AND MONKEYS. a pipe. If he was disturbed in his enjoyment he was not pleasant, and if a shower of nuts came in upon his feast, especially if it occurred after the gin and water, he came out in his true colors. Cramming the nuts into his mouth, and stowing them away rapidly in his cheek-pouches, thus giving an unusual size to his iaws, he THE BLACK BABOON. would howl and march about, snarling and grunting. His little eyes glared, his nose and cheeks became swollen, and their colors most vivid. He was under the control of the keeper, who had, however, to take care that he was not bitten unawares, for "Jerry" was deceitful and treacherous in the THE BLACK BABOON. 119 extreme. It is said that he once dined in the presence of royalty, and that he was one of the many higher animals who were invited to dine by George the Fourth at Windsor when His Majesty required novel amusements and unusual excitement. Doubtless he behaved himself, and contributed as much, and probably more, than any guest, to the royal enjoyment, and he appears to have enjoyed his hashed veni- son himself. There was no mistake about his enjoying his pipe, for he smoked as slowly and sedately as the gravest of his visitors. There is a small baboon which is very interesting to the student of the distri- bution of animals over the surface of the globe, and to geologists. It is jet-black in color, there being hardly a trace of dark brown in its long hair, and hence it has been called the Black Baboon. THE BLACK BABOON. When full grown it is about two feet in length, and the tail measures about an inch. Its face and neck are not covered, but all the rest of the body, the head, and the limbs, have a long black fur, and the hair of the top of the head runs up into a tall, long half-curl. The face is long and very mel- ancholy-looking, and the cheeks are smaller, but colored black on either side of the nose. But the nose does not extend, like that of a dog, quite to the end of the muzzle, for the creature has a decided upper lip, and the division or septum of the nostrils is long and rather broad, so that these openings look downward and out- ward. The seat has a scarlet tint, and the tail is a mere knob. Nothing is known about the wild habits of the Black Baboon, but it appears to be a wood ape, and it certainly has not the impudence or the bold, aggravating courage of the African Baboon in confinement. They are frequently brought over to Europe, and may be watched in most zoological gardens. They are capital climbers, but they like to remain a great deal on the ground, sitting upright on their haunches in a very sedate manner. Associating very well with other monkeys, they appear rather affectionate in disposition than otherwise, and may be seen looking very quiet and stately whilst some more agile companion rubs his face and lips against theirs, apparently to their gratification. The distinction between the Black Baboon and the African kinds is slight, and they all belong to the same genus, and therefore must have had a common parent in remote times. But the black one lives far away in the Asiatic islands, surrounded by animals different from those which live in Africa, many of which, nevertheless, have a curious Afri- can look about them. CHAPTER VII. THE MONKEYS OF THE NEW WORLD. Not one of the numerous kinds of monkeys which have been noticed in the former chapters has ever been found in the New World — that is to say, on the American Continent. The converse is also true, for not one of those which are about to be noticed, and which inhabit the tropical parts of South and Central America, has been seen in any other part of the world. The two groups are not only distinct as regards their geographical distribution, but they are also different in many very important points of their construction and habits. It is evident that, although it may be said that the resemblances between the Baboons, Macaques, and Troglodytes, for instance, indicate some kind of rela- tionship, and suggest a community of origin, there is nothing of the sort to be traced between any Old and New World monkeys. They seem to have started from different sources. All the monkeys of the New World have the partition between the nostrils broad, and it separates them widely: they open, as it were, sideways, and the whole of the lower part of the nose is flat. This peculiarity has given the name to the group, and has been explained, and it is accompanied by some others. Thus, with one exception, the numerous genera of the New World monkeys have the hind limbs the longest, and they are wont to go on all-fours, the erect posture being only occasionally adopted by the Spider Monkeys. Their thumbs differ less from the other fingers than do those of the Old World monkeys, and the toe-thumb is large and movable; no cheek-pouches or callosities are seen in any of them. It is usual to say that the American monkeys are known by their prehensile tails, but this is only true in part, for whilst some have this member wonderfully developed and useful, others have it incapable of holding on, whilst a few have barely a tail at all. The teeth are more numerous than in the apes and monkeys of the Old World, in one set of New World genera ; and they are of the same number in another. There are other differences which are of interest to the scientist, but which need not be stated here. THE HOWLERS. Although articulate speech is denied to the monkey world, many have very extraordinary voices, the capacity for making a noise being 120 THE HOWLERS. 121 great in them. Thus, the Gorilla has a tremendous voice, and the Gibbons are especially noisy, one of them having been noticed (page yy) to be able to emit something like a series of musical notes. But they are all silent in comparison with the noisiest of all monkeys — the South American Howlers. The females of this group can make a moderate amount of disturbance, but the males surpass every animal in their prolonged and sustained yelling. Their howlings, commenc- ing often suddenly at the close of day or in the middle of the night, amongst the YELLOW-TAILED HOWLER AND YOUNG. strange stillness of the great virgin forests, appall the traveller on his first visit. " Nothing," says Waterton, speaking of the Red Howler, " can sound more dread- ful than its nocturnal howlings. While lying in your hammock in those gloomy and unmeasurable wilds you hear him howling at intervals from eleven oclock at night till daybreak. You would suppose that half of the wild beasts of the forest were collecting for the work of carnage. Now it is the tremendous roar of the Jaguar as he springs on his prey ; now it changes to his deep-toned growlings as he is pressed on all sides by superior force; and- now you hear his last dying moan beneath a mortal wound. An old writer (Margrave) wrote in his Natural History 122 APES AND MONKEYS. of Brazil, in 1648, that all the howlers assembled in the morning and evening in the woods, and that one takes his place on a tree high up, and motions to his com- panions to sit down and listen, and then, after having seen them all seated, com- mences his discourse, pitched at so high a key that at a distance one would imagine that all the congregation were joining in. But this is not the case; only one orator is allowed to speak at a time, and. all the rest wait politely, but not very patiently. When he has had enough howling he motions to the whole, who burst out into a fine chorus for some time. Then, by order, they ail cease, and the first recom- mences, and after having been listened to with due attention the whole depart. What the noise must be sometimes, if they all join in, may be gleaned from the fact that Humboldt saw the trees crammed with them, and believed that more than 2,000 may be found in a square league. These Howlers are the largest of the monkeys of the New World, some being nearly three feet in length, without counting the long prehensile tail; they have movable thumbs on their hands, a hairless space underneath the tip of the wonder- ful tail, and the howling apparatus in the throat. They have rather tall heads, with beard and large lower jaws, which, with a thickness about the throat, give the appearance of an unusual swelling being there. Some have long and others short fur, but generally there is much of it about the head (where it is brushed forward) and neck. Black and red are favorite colors, and the young of both sexes differ often in their tints from the adults, and so do the males from the female. One kind in particular is decidedly colored. THE YELLOW-TAILED HOWLER. The last half of the tail of this species is of a brilliant golden-fawn color, and this tint is on the upper parts of the body nearly up to the shoulders; the rest of the tail is light maroon, and what remains of the body is dark maroon, there being a violent tint in the limbs. Besides its colors this kind presents some points of interest. They live in companies, and when they pass from one tree to another they all play at follow- my-leader exactly. They watch the movements of those who precede them, jump in the same manner, and at the same place, and even place their feet and hands on the same spots on the boughs. They are found in Columbia and New Grenada, and in Brazil on the confines of Paraguay. The limbs of all are long, and whilst there is a good toe-thumb to the foot, the very best of the hand-thumbs is not equal to those of the monkeys of the Old World. The nails on the fingers and toes are compressed from side to side, as it were, and begin to look like claws. Ogilby, an admirable observer, noticed years ago that two Howlers did not use their hands so as to take things between the thumb and forefinger, and he ascertained that this thumb was so much on a line with the other fingers that it was not opposable in the ordinary sense of the word, and that it was more like an extra finger than a thumb. This, he noticed, was not the case with the Howlers alone, THE HO WLERS. 123 but that it peculiarised the monkeys of the New World. The examination of their skeletons shows that the bones of the thumb are on the same plane or level as the fingers, and the whole is brought close to the fingers, as our great toe is to the other toes. Nevertheless this thumb can move to and from the fingers. But if the forehand so greatly resembles a paw. compensation is made to the animal by the gift of the prehensle tail, which is very muscular, and the under sur- face is without hair near the end, so that the sensitive surface can touch and feel HEAD OF THE BLACK HOWLER. objects. They can feel, therefore, around them, as they move along and lay hold of branches and hanging creepers without looking for them. The delicate sense of feeling depends on the nervous supply ; and the power of clasping and holding on upon the bending or flexor mu-cles. A bony framework supports all these structures, and runs from the last bone of the sacrum to the tip, and consists of many separate vertebral bones placed in a long series. The first few bones which join on to the sacrum, and form the root of the tail, resemble the back-bone pieces, or vertebras, to a certain extent. Each has a body, and also processes for jointing with the one before and behind, and a spine also. Besides these, there are two curious projections on the lower part of each body, which are called chevron 124 APES AND MONKEYS. bones, and are V-shaped, and their use is to allow the blood-vessels and nerves to pass along between them without being pressed upon. Towards the end of the tail the vertabras become long and stout, and are united behind and. in front, form- ing a broad bone, and without the joints, and the chevron bones are reduced to little rounded pieces of bone. Everything tends in this tail to ready, rapid, and forcible motion, and so perfect an organ is it that when one of these Howlers is shot it always hangs to the tree by its tail, even if quite dead, and does not fall down until some hours afterwards, when the strong flexor muscles have relaxed. THE BLACK HOWLER. These monkeys are called the Monos by the natives of Guatemala, and certainly deserve some other name than Howlers. Howling is a moderate noise in comparison with the loud, widely-heard yell which they can produce. The effect of these noises when produced by four or five ani- mals, trying their voices one against the other in the quiet forest, is most remark- able and unpleasant. Salvin thus writes: " The wonderful cry whence Mycetes gets its trivial name of Howling Monkey is certainly most striking, and I have sometimes endeavored to ascertain how far this cry may be heard. It has taken me an hour or more to thread the forest undergrowth from the time the cry first struck my ear to where, guided by the cry above, I stood under the tree where the animals were. It would certainly not be over-estimating the distance to say two miles. When the sound came over the Lake of Yzabel unhindered by trees, a league would be more like the distance at which the Monos' cry could be heard." The Monos are abundant throughout the forests of the eastern part of Guatemala, but are unknown in the forest-clad regions which stretch toward the Pacific Ocean. THE CAPARRO. Humboldt, in one of his geographical excursions among the great streams which feed the Orinoco, went far up toward their sources. Going once into an Indian cabin in those remote regions he saw a large monkey, of a kind which he had never seen before. He named it, after the words of the natives, "The Caparro." Humboldt's new monkey had a prehensile tail, which was longer than the body, and underneath, close to the tip, there was a naked and sensitive spot of some length. It had a round and large head, a naked black face, but no beard. There were, however, smellers or long hairs around the mouth. It had long limbs and a shortish body, whose fur is long and sable grey in color. A good temper and a quiet disposition appeared to characterize this monkey, and the natives said it was found in troops, and that it often stood upon its hind legs. The Caparro is about two feet two inches in length without the tail. THE SPIDER MONKEYS— THE THUMBLESS MONKEYS OF AMERICA. Many early travelers recorded that during their wanderings by the sides of the rivers of the northern part of South America, and in the Isthmus of Panama, THE CAPARRO. 125 small troops of dark-colored monkeys could be seen rushing along among the trees, swinging under the branches, and feeding upon berries. Sometimes they would stop on the lower branches of the trees and look at the intruders ; but usually they scampered off, swinging with their front limbs and clasping with the hinder, having their stout and long tail ready for emergencies. Their length of limb, slender bodies, long hair, and their long tail, by which they suspend them- selves, and their extremely variable movements, soon gave them the name of THE CAPARRO. Spider Monkeys among those interested in their habits, although, of course, the natives had some names of their own for them. Humboldt saw them in the great virgin forests of Brazil, hanging in curious clusters, clasping each other by means of their limbs and tails, and all being sus- pended by the tail of one strong fellow. He was, as everybody must be, greatly impressed with their clever use of their tails, for he observed them being used as a fifth member, and with all the dexterity of hands. The natives will have it that they fish with their tails, but this is of course untrue, and they do not carry any- thing to their mouths with them. They are wonderful swingers and claspers, and 126 APES AND A10NKEYS. they are exquisitely sensitive at the tip, and for some inches underneath it, and they are stout where they join the body, exceedingly muscular, and in some kinds there are long hairs on them, especially near the end. These monkeys have small heads, long necks, and exceedingly long arms and legs ; some are covered with a soft fur, and in others it is harsh, and the hairs are long and rigid ; and all have the thumbs of the hands either absent or just visible as slight projections. The feet are long and have well-shaped toe-thumbs. Their head is round and the muzzle only projects slightly, so that there is something human in their appearance, especially when their large eyes are open; and the hair in some kinds is brushed forward on the cheeks and brows so as to resemble whiskers and front hair. There is something in their shape without the tail, which reminds one of the Gibbons, those long-armed apes of the East, and the forehands resemble those of the Colodi of Africa; but the Spider Monkeys have not the power of jumping possessed by these, and their hind legs, useful as they are when amidst the great trailing orchids and the climbers of the American tropics, are feeble members when on the ground. Then the monkey walks on the outside edge of the feet, and on the inside edge of the hand, with its tail feeling here and there for anything to catch hold of. Often they are very sedate and slow in their move- ments, and they indulge in a series of climbings from from bough to bough, swing- ing from one to the other, and holding on now and then and assisting in the move- ment with the tail. They are as gentle in their manners as those just mentioned, and are full of play with each other. As the activity of the Spider Monkey is marvelous, as they swing on and catch hold of boughs with great skill and energy, and as they display much intelli- gence, their brains ought to be well developed. Doubtless there is a great deal of movement in these long-limbed creatures which takes place like the walking of man, i. e., without direct thought, for we move our leg muscles, and all those which assist them in the act of walking, without a constant direction of the will. Just as man's walking is said to be done automatically, so much of the swinging and pro- gression of the Ateles is produced without direct exertion of the will. But it is evident that the Spider Monkey judges his distance, and very often considers whether such and such a bough will bear his weight, and uses exactly sufficient muscular exertion for what he requires. Moreover, there is a graceful co-ordination or mutual action of the muscles of the limbs, body and tail to a common end in most of its movements which are evi- dently done by will. The movements of the tail are perfectly wonderful, and, indeed, so perfectly does it hold on, although the animal cannot see what this long slender organ is doing, that most children think there is an eye at the end of it. THE CO AIT A. This is the monkey of which an extraordinary story is told by Acosta. It belonged to the Governor of Carthagena, and was regularly sent to the tavern for wine. They who sent him put an empty pot in one hand, and the GROUP OF SPIDER MONKEYS. 127 128 APES AND MONKEYS. money into the other, whereupon he went "spidering," as Broderip terms it, to the tavern, where they could by no means get his money from him till they had filled his pot with wine. As the ganymede of the Governor came back with his charge, certain idle children would occasionally meet him in the street and cast stones at him, whereupon he would put down his pot and cast stones at them till he had assured his way; then would he return to carry home the pot. And what is more, although he was a good bibbler of wine, yet would he never touch it till leave was THE COAITA. given to him. It is about as true as the account of the habits of the genus given by a distinguished French author. - He says that they live in greater or smaller troops in the forests; their food consists of insects, and they also eat little fishes, mollusks (shellfish), and other animal substances. When they are a little way from the coast they sometimes come down to the beach by the seaside and collect such things as oysters, and they get at the inside by breaking the shells between stones. Most of the species live far away from such luxuries, and one and all are vegetari- ans, as a rule, and eat an insect or suck an egg or two as the exception. -k-M y" )\)G rHarmoset. THE COAITA—THE SPIDER MONKEYS. 129 The Coaita is an intelligent animal, and shows much curiosity when anything new is seen in its vicinity. All the agility of the genus is to be witnessed in its climbing and swinging from tree to tree; and it has no thumbs. They live in Surinam and in the Brazils. THE BLACK AND VARIEGATED SPIDER MONKEYS. THE VARIEGATED SPIDER-MONKEY. These monkeys appear to go in small parties, passing through the forests at a rapid pace, feeding off different kinds of berries. The berries which Mr. Bartlett found in their stomachs resem- bled a gooseberry with a large stone inside. Owing to their great length of limb 130 APES AND MONKEYS. and tail, and to their muscular vigor, these Spider Monkeys travel far and wide. Bartlett endeavored to hunt them, but was prevented by the fever and ague of the climate, and the fears of the Indians. Going into the mountains up the Maranon River, he heard from the Indians of the presence of a long-armed Ape — called in their language Maciosuppeh — at the distance of three days' journey. He engaged three Indians, started by way of a forest footpath that had been opened by a Catholic priest, to the town of Moyahamba, as part of his penitence. He writes: — " At the end of three days I reached the highest point of the mountains; here we came across a number of the monkeys in question — about eight or nine. I shot the male that is now in the British Museum, and my Indians brought down another with a poison-dart. Having obtained two of them I was satisfied that I had found a new species. While, however, I was busily engaged preparing the first specimen, my Indians had quietly placed the other on the fire ; and, to my great horror and disgust, they had singed the hair off, and thus spoiled the specimen. Of course I was obliged to keep the peace, for they had not tasted meat for some days, and the monkey proved a very dainty dish." THE BROWN CAPU- CHIN. In this species the hairs of the head are brushed back, but it appears that with age some hairs are erected at the sides of the head above the ears into two horns, so as to give it the name of the horned Monkey. THE BROWN CAPUCHIN. THE WEEPER CAPUCHIN, or Cai. This is known by the black top to its head, and it is small, and brown in color elsewhere, the face and throat being greyish-yellow. Brehm gives the following notes about their habits: — "This monkey is common from Bahia to Columbia, and it chooses woody country where there is no under- wood. The greater part of its life is spent on trees, and it only leaves them to drink, or to visit a field of maize. In the day he wanders from tree to tree, look- ing for food; in the night sleeps on the branches of some tree. Generally one sees him in small families of six or ten, of whom the most part are females. It is diffi- cult to observe the animal, because he is so timid and shy. Rengger asserts that THE WEEPER CAPUCHIN. 131 he is seldom to be seen. Once he noticed a pleasant whistling noise, and he saw an old male looking timidly around on the highest tree tops, and then approach. About twelve or thirteen others followed him, of both sexes, and three females carried a little one partly on the back, partly under one arm. Suddenly one of these animals saw an orange-tree with ripe fruit, gave a cry, and sprang up the tree. In a few seconds the whole company were assembled there, and were engaged in picking and eating the ripe fruit. Some began immediately to eat, others sprang, loaded with a couple of fruit, to a neighboring tree, whose stronger branches provided them with a table. They sat them- selves down on a branch, encircled it with their tails, then took an orange between their hind legs, and tried with these to loosen the peel at the top with the fingers. If they did not succeed immediately, they flung the fruit, grumbling and snarling, several times against a tree, by which the rind was broken. Not one tried to peel the orange with their teeth, probably because they were aware of its bitter taste. As soon, however, as a small open- ing was made, they quickly pulled a piece off, eagerly licked up the juice, and not only what was on the fruit, but also what was on their hands and arms, and then ate the pulp. The tree was soon bare, and then the stronger ones tried to rob the weaker, both making the most peculiar grimaces, gnashed with their teeth, tore each other's hairs, and pulled each other roughly about. Others carefullv searched the dead branches, lifted up the dry bark, and ate the insects 13-ing under neath. When they were satisfied, they laid themselves along a branch, in the same manner as the Howlers, to sleep. The young ones, however, began to play, and thereby showed themselves to be very agile. They swung themselves by their tails, or climbed up them as if by a rope. The mothers had great trouble with their young, who wished for the luscious fruit. At first they gently pushed their young aside, but afterwards showed their impatience by grunting; then they seized the disobedient child by the head, and threw it roughly on its back. As 132 APES AND MONKEYS. soon, however, as they were satisfied, they gently drew the young ones forward, and laid them at their breasts. Tne mother's love shows itself by the great care with which every old one handles her young, through laying them on the breast, by watching them, by searching their fur, and by the attacks on others who come near. The motions of the young one were neither light nor graceful, but awkward and ungainly. Another time Rengger came upon a family who were about to make an attack upon a maize-field. They climbed softlv down from a tree, looked care- fully around, broke two or three heads of fruit off, and returned as quickly as pos- sible to the wood, there to devour their booty. As Rengger showed himself the whole troop fled, with shrill cries," through the tree-tops. Every one, however, took at least a head of fruit away with him. Rengger now shot one of these, and saw a female fall with her young one through the branches. He thought he should be able to catch her soon, but, though dying, she caught herself by her tail, and kept him waiting for quite a quarter of an hour. The young one had not left its mother, but rather clung faster to her, though showing signs of fear. After she was dead, and it was taken away, the little thing called in plaintive tones to its mother, and crept near to her as soon as it was let loose. After some hours, how- ever, the coldness of the body seemed to frighten the young one, and it willingly stayed in its captor's breast pocket. Our informant says that in the family of the Cai, the number of females exceeds the number of males. In January the female gives birth to a young one, and keeps it at her breast for the first week, but later on carries it on her back. The mother never leaves her young, not even when she is wounded. Rengger, however, observed that a female, whose arm had been broken by a bullet, tore her young one from her breast, and set it on a branch; but this most likely was to shield the young one from danger rather than to relieve herself of its weight. "The young Cai is often caught, and tamed. When older they cannot bear restraint; they become mopish, refuse their food, never grow tame, and die in a few weeks. The young one, on the other hand, soon forgets its freedom, becomes attached to people, and partakes, as do many other monkeys, of their food and drink. They walk on their hind legs for three or four steps, but they are trained to walk upright by tying the hands behind the back. At first they fall frequently^ and must therefore be held by a cord from behind. When sleeping they curl themselves up, and cover the face with the arms and tail. They sleep in the night, and when it is very hot, in the middle of the day. At other times they are in con- stant motion. " Rengger's Cai knew his master in the darkest night, as soon as he had felt his usual clothing. The cry of the Cai changes according to its emotions. One generally hears a whistling sound, which seems to proceed from weariness. If he demands anything he groans; wonder or embarrassment he shows by a half whist- ling tone ; when angry he cries in a deep, rough tone — 'Hu! hu!' When in fear he shrieks; when pleased he chuckles. By these cries the leader of a troop shares THE WEEPER CAPUCHIN. 133 his feelings with the others. These they show also, not only by noises and motions, but also by a kind of laughing and crying. The former is the drawing back of the corners of the mouth; but he utters no sound. When crying his eyes fill with tears, which, however, never flow down his cheek. The Cai is very sensitive to cold and damp, and must be kept from them if he is wanted to keep well. This is easy, as he gladly rolls himself up in a blanket. They live about fifteen years. ''The intelligence of the Cai is worthy of notice. He learns in the first few bonnet monkey. {See page 94.) days of his captivity to know his master and his keepers, and looks to them for food, warmth, protection, and help; trusts them fully, is pleased when his keeper plays with him, lets himself be teased by him, and after not having seen him for some time shows the greatest pleasure on his reappearance. He also soon forgets his freedom, and becomes almost wholly a domestic animal. An old male which Rengger had got loose once from his cord, and ran away into the wood, but returned again in two or three days, sought out his keeper, and allowed himself to be tied up. Those who are not badly treated show great fidelity, especially to the blacks, whom they like always better than the whites. The Cai is not only fond of 134 APES AND MONKEYS. men, but also of animals, and it is no uncommon thing in Paraguay to bring him up with a young dog, who serves as a horse for him. " The animal is very sensible, and does not give in to the will of man. One can keep him from doing anything, but cannot force him to do it. On the con- trary, he tries to make others bend to his will, and also men, sometimes by caresses, sometimes by threats. Weaker animals must follow his will. This does great harm to his learning. He will only learn those things which he can make use of, such as opening boxes, looking through his master's pockets, etc. As he grows older he gains experience, and knows how to use it. If one gives him an egg for the first time, he breaks it so clumsily that he loses half the contents, but the second time he only breaks the top, and lets no more be lost. He is not often taken in twice by anybody. He soon learns to know the expression of the face and the tone of the voice. " The Cai is also very prone to stealing eatables. If caught in the act he cries out with fear before he is touched, but if he is not caught then he pretends to be perfectly innocent, and looks as if nothing had happened. Small articles he hides, when disturbed, in his mouth, and eats them at his leisure. His covetousness is great. What he once gets is not so easily taken away, at the most, by his master, when he likes him very much. His covetousness is made use of to capture him. The negroes clean out a pumpkin through a small hole, and then slip pieces of sugar, etc., inside. They see this, and thrust their arm in, and while so engaged will rather be caught than relinquish their spoil. Besides these qualities, they show curiosity and destructiveness to a great extent. " They are fond of teasing, and pull the tails of dogs and cats, snatch the feathers out of hens and ducks, and even tease horses which are tied up close to them ; they also pull their bridles, and are all the more pleased the more worried or frightened the animal becomes. "Only the Indians made use of the skin, and therefore hunt the Cai down with bow and arrow. The whites prize him most highly in captivity." Some of these little monkevs really appear to reason, and are very clever, Rengger states that when he first gave eggs to his monkeys they smashed them, and thus lost much of their contents ; afterward they gently hit one end against some hard body, and picked off the bits of shell with their fingers. After cutting themselves only once with a sharp tool they would not touch it again, or would handle it with the greatest care. Lumps of sugar were often given them wrapped up in paper, and Rengger sometimes put a live wasp in the paper, so that in hastily unfolding it they got stung. After this had happened once they always first held the packet to their ears, to detect any movement within. This breaking of the egg in a proper manner is as interesting as two well-known facts, one of which may be observed by anybody in the habits of American and other monkeys. Sometimes a little monkey has a nut given him, and he is not strong enough to crack it He will look up into your eyes with a meaning glimmer of his eyes, and THE WEEPER CAPUCHIN. 135 hand you the nut again. Crack it for him, and he receives it as a matter of course. Formerly one of the large monkeys in the Zoological Gardens had weak teeth, and he used to break open the nuts with a stone and Mr. Darwin was assured by the keepers that this animal; after using the stone, hid it in the straw, and would THE SQUIRREL MONKEY. not let any other monkey touch it. Rengger taught one to open palm nuts by breaking them with a stone, and so satisfied was it with its performance, that it soon began to experiment on other kinds of nuts, and then it began upon boxes. It also crushed off with blows of a stone the soft rind ot a fruit that had a disagreeable 136 APES AND MONKEYS. flavor, in order to get at the luscious food within. The same author saw a Capu- chin monkey taking great and affectionate care of its infant. The flies were teas- ing it, and the mother drove them away as sedulously as possible. When in its native woods the Capuchin utters at least six distinct sounds when it is excited, and these seem to produce corresponding feelings in the monkeys which are listening. THE SQUIRREL MONKEY. Buffon was a great admirer of this long- tailed, very human-headed little monkey, and remarked that they will always be admired more than any other of their American brethren, on account of their littleness, the gentleness of their movements, their brilliant color, their large and striking eyes, and their little round faces. He noticed that although the tail was long it was not stout and muscular, as is the case in those which are prehensile ; and he observed that they were fond of curling it around objects, and even around their own or their mate's bodies. Their grey olive body fur contrasts with their bright red arms and legs, whilst the muzzle is blackish, and these colors, on an active little creature whose body is about ten inches long, and whose tail is not quite fourteen, look very pretty. Humboldt often had the opportunity of watching them, and was much impressed with their affectionate disposition, and says that they readily wept if they were spoken to in a sad manner. When they are spoken to for some time they will listen with great attention, and then will place their little hands to the speaker's lips. The attempt suggests the great trouble to catch the words as they come out of the mouth. They knew objects when they saw them in pictures, and even when they were not colored, and when they represented their usual food, such as fruit and insects, they endeavored to catch hold of them. They enter- tained a great desire to catch spiders, and caught them with great skill, either with their hands or mouths. They feel any sudden change in the temperature of their native woods very soon, and when there is a fall of some degrees in the thermome- ter, they collect in little troops, and huddle together for the sake of their mutual warmth. There is a vast deal of squabbling and fighting to see who shall get in the middle, and not be left out in the cold, and great is the whistling and squeak- ing. Unfortunately for the noisy creatures, the Indian hunters take advantage of their assembling in this manner, for when they hear the cries they shoot their arrows in the direction of the monkeys, and often hit the chilly little group. It is said that when young they have a slight smell of musk. The Squirrel Monkeys have a small face, and the brain case behind it is moderately arched above, and sticks out behind very decidedly. This is because the head is placed on the spine differently to the monkeys already described. As a whole the head is very human-like, especially when it is young ; but the forehead-bone is triangular, and projects upward and backward between the side bones of the head, and the chin is round and prominent. The forehead is narrow, and the muzzle is more protruding, however, than in man. THE DOUROUCOULI. 137 THE DOUROUCOULI. This night-loving monkey has short hair, and a cylindrical tail, and looks like one of the Lemurs. It has rufous hands and feet, the ear-conchas are large and prominent, and almost hairless. It inhabits Nica- ragua. Another species is quite nocturnal in its habits, coming out after dark only in search of food, in the Peruvian valleys. THE RED-FOOTED DOUROUCOULI. THE MONK. This monkey is introduced here with a view of explaining the general characteristics of the brain of the group. The brain of one of these monkeys weighed 460 grains, or the one-eighteenth part of an entire but emaciated body. The general form is a regular arch, and the cerebellum is covered by the brain proper. Its general form is like some of the Cebi, and is less pointed than that of the Old World apes in front ; and is less elongated and depressed than those of the lowest monkeys of the New World, such as the Marmosets and Tamarins, for instance. THE COUXIO. This Saki has a beard under its chin, and the fur is gener- ally of a brown-black in the male, and brown in the female. It has a fine, fiery 138 APES AND MONKEYS. tail, and a very human aspect. The name is by no means satisfactory, especially as, by a curious mistake, the young ones have been called " Israelites." THE BLACK-HEADED SAKI. This, like the last, must be enumerated among the more remarkable monkeys of the New World, from all of which it is to be immediately distinguished by the extreme shortness of the tail, a structure which would seem to make it the representative of the baboons of the Old Conti- THE MONK. nent. It is, in fact, the only one hitherto discovered in America whose tail does not exceed three inches in length. It is altogether a small species, that described by Humboldt measuring little more than one foot five inches from the head to the feet. In its adult state, however, it is described as reaching the length of another foot. Its disposition is inactive, phlegmatic, but very docile. It eats with avidity all sorts of fruits — sweet or sour. These it will seize by stretching out both hands at once, bending the back and body at the same time in a forward attitude. The physiognomy has a much more human expression than that of the generality of THE BLACK-HEADED SAKI. 139 monkeys, particularly in the face, which is naked and black. Its profile is not much unlike the Ethiopian. The head is oval, but flattened on the sides. On the eyelids, mouth and chin there are a few stiff hairs, but the chin has no beard. The ears are large, and like those of the human subject, are naked. The fur is long, shining, and of a uniform yellowish-brown color over the whole of the body. The fingers are much lengthened, the nails rather flat; and the tail, notwithstand- ino- its shortness, is thick and, almost naked toward its extremity. Broderip com- THE COUXIO. pares its face to one of the old withered negroes, who, by great respectability of conduct, have gained their freedom. Another varietv is the White-headed Saki. Humboldt was much impressed with the resemblance of some of these monkeys in the face to man. One of them, the Capuchin of the Orinoco, is certainly strangely human in its appearance. The eyes have, according to Broderip, a mingled expression of melancholy and fierceness. There is a long, thick beard, and as this conceals the retreating chin, the face and forehead are much upon a line. Strong, active, and fierce, he is tamed with the greatest difficulty, and when angered he raises himself on his hind extremities, grinds his teeth in wrath, and leaps 140 APES AND MONKEYS. around his antagonist with threatening gestures. "If any malicious person wishes to see this Homunculus," writes that entertaining author, "in a most devouring rage, let him wet the Capuchin's beard, and he will find that such an act is an unforgivable sin." It is so anxious not to wet this fine ornament to its face, that instead of putting the mouth to the stream when it desires to drink, it lifts the water in the hollow of its hand, inclines its head on its shoulder, and, carrying the draught to its mouth, drinks slowly, and with deliberation. This Saki is called the Hand-drinking monkey. Its length, including the bushy tail, is about two feet nine inches. It is of a brownish-red color, and the hair of the forehead is directed forward. The body hair is long, and the beard, which arises below the ears, is brown, inclining to black, and it covers the upper part of the breast. The back is red, the eyes are sunken, and the nails are, with the exception of those of the thumbs, more like claws. They are very solitary, and often are found with- out their mates. THE COMMON MARMOSET. These little, gentle, pretty creatures usually so readily tamed, are made great pets of, and attract much attention in all collections of ani- mals, and one kind has been often brought from the tropical woods of the Brazils and kept in confine- ment, so that its habits during cap- tivity have been watched from birth until death in adult age. Many years since F. Cuvier had some of the common marmosets born while under his care, and he watched them and their parents well. The young ones had their eyes open on coming into the world, and their skins were covered with very smooth hair of a deep grey color, but which was scarcely perceptible on the tail. They instantly crept into their mother's nice warm fur, and clung on with their THE SPIDER MONKEY. THE COMMON MARMOSET. 141 little hands and feet, and they attracted the intense admiration and curiosity of the father and mother, who were in the same cage. The father was even more affec- tionate than the mother, and assisted most assiduously in the nursing department. The favorite position of the young ones was upon the back and bosom of the mother, and when she was tired of nursing she would come up to her mate with a shrill cry, which, Broderip writes, said as plainly as any one could speak, "Here, do take the children!" He immediately stretched forth his hands, and placed the THE COMMON MORMOSETS. little ones on his back, or under his body, where they held on whilst he carried them about, and amused them. At last they used to get hungry, and whined for their mother, who took them, and after having nursed them returned them to their "papa." In fact, the father did all the hard work, and the mother merely fed them. In this instance this domestic happiness was cut short, for the mother was weakly; no wet-nurse was to be had, and the little ones sank and died. In their native state they lead an arboreal life, and assemble in groups of six or seven climbing up the tallest trees, and jumping from bough to bough, showing the greatest activity, like and greater than that of squirrels. So rapidly do they move 142 APES AND MONKEYS. from branch to branch, and from tree to tree, that the eye fails to follow them readily. They are recognized at once by their long tuft of whitish hair, which sticks out from the side of the head, and almost hides the ears. The size of the whole animal is about that of a small squirrel, and the tail is very long, bushy, and prettily marked with alternate rings of ash-color and of black fur. The head is small, the eyes are gentle looking, and the nose is flat, the face being black. The fur of the body is darkish brown, with different shades of color for each hair, which ■■■■' ■.-, v - ■ — J ■"■ DEVILLE S MTDAS. is dusky at its root, reddish in the middle, and grey at the tip. There are very different stories told regarding their intelligence and affection. Some naturalists assert that they are incapable of affection towards man, even to the hand that feeds them. Swainson says, "It mistrusts all, and treats as indifferently those whom one would think it well knew and those who are strangers; neither does its show much intelligence, although it is attentive, and suspicious of everything that is passing. When under the influence of fear it strives to conceal itself, uttering a short but piercing cry; at other times it hisses." THE MIDAS ARGENTATUM—DEVILIKS MIDAS. 143 MIDAS ARCENTATUM. Bates is the authority for the following short notice of this pretty monkey: — "The little Tamarin is one of the rarest of the American Monkeys. I have not heard of its being found anywhere except near Cameta. I once saw three individuals together running along a branch in a cacao grove near Cameta. They looked like white kittens. I saw afterwards a pet animal of this species, and heard that there were many so kept, and that they were esteemed as choice treasures. The one 1 saw was full-grown, but it measured only seven inches in length of body. It was covered with long white silky hairs, the tail was blackish, and the flesh nearly naked and flesh-colored. It was a most timid and sensitive little thing. The woman who owned it carried it constantly in her bosom, and no money would induce her to part with her pet. She called it 'Mico.' It fed from her mouth, and allowed her to fondle it freely, but the nervous little creature would not permit strangers to touch it. If any one attempted to do so it shrank back, the whole body trembling with fear, and its teeth chattered, whilst it uttered its tremulous frightened tones. The expression of its features was like that of its more robust brother the Ursuhcs; the eyes, which were black, were full of curiosity and mistrust, and it always kept them fixed on the person who attempted to advance towards it." DEVILLE'S MIDAS. This pretty monkey is plentiful everywhere on the Peruvian Amazons, but is extremely delicate in constitution. It will not bear the least cold, and it is kept with great difficulty. The Indian women make great pets of them, and put them into the long hair on their heads. They are thus kept warm and are not without interesting occupation. Having become tame they frequently hop out of their odd home and feed, or having captured a spider or two, scamper back and hide under the luxuriant crop of their owners, who are generally unwil- ling to part with them. CHAPTER VIII. THE LEMUROIDA. The forests of Madagascar, of Western and Eastern Africa, and of some of the Asiatic Islands, are the homes of several kinds of animals which are not unlike the monkeys in some respects, but which differ from them in their habits of life, and, to a certain extent, in their anatomy. Most of them are in the habit of hiding up all the day, and of moving with great vivacity at dusk and during the night-time. Their gliding, noiseless motion amidst the dense foliage of the tropical woods during the dark hours, and their restless activity in searching for their food during the short twilight, were considered to resemble the fitful apparitions of sprites, spectres, and hobgoblins, and hence Linnaeus gave them the name of Lemurs, taking the term from the Latin (lemures), "ghosts." The name has been adopted popularly, so as to include all the kinds which, with some structural resemblance to the monkeys, are for the most part nocturnal in their habits, and it really appears to represent the notions which the excessively timid and superstitious natives of the Eastern Islands have of the malevolent influence of some of these active and very small creatures, whose large eyes glare and shine in the dark woods as they rush to and fro before the extreme darkness of the night commences. The Lemurs using the popular term in its wide significance, can be distinguished from the monkeys and other animals at a glance. They are known by hairy "hands" at the end of the arms and legs, large furry tails, slim furry bodies, long ears, great staring eyes, and a muzzle like that of a small fox. At night-time, when the baboons, Macaques, Guenons, and American monkeys are at rest and asleep, the Lemurs are awake, and rushing and jumping here and there in their limited space; but during the day-time, when the monkey world is most giddy, with one or two exceptions, the others are quiet, and if poked out into daylight look dazed and stupid, and are only too glad to get into darkness again. The exceptions to these habits are not numerous. The night-loving monkey of South America comes out to look about at the same time as its neighbor, the night-loving Lemur; and the common, or Ring-tailed Lemur, is always ready to receive food, or to be noticed in broad day- light, as it goes to bed with monkeydom in general. The Lemuroida live in ve: / out-of-the-way places, and the majority are in Madagascar, which is an island very little visited by Europeans, and where some naturalists have studied them and 144 THE LEMUROIDA. 145 their habits under great difficulties. Marvellous stories, of course, abound amongst the natives regarding their tricks and habits, and the sober truth has been very difficult to distinguish from error, especially as the night is the scene of their gaiety. Nevertheless, during the last few years much knowledge has come to hand about these interesting creatures, and it has been rendered all the more important by the labors of the comparative anatomists, who have dissected many kinds of them, and described their results. Mr. Bartlett describes one as follows: " The other night I took an opportunity GARXETTS GALAGO. of letting one of these interesting creatures— Garnett's Galago — have its liberty in my room, and I assure you I was well repaid by his performance. Judge my utter astonishment to see him on the floor, jumping about upright like a kangaroo, only with much greater speed and intelligence. The little one sprung from the ground onto the legs of tables, arms of chairs, and indeed onto any piece of furni- ture in the room ; in fact, he was more like a sprite than the best pantomimist I ever saw. What surprised me most was his entire want of fear of dogs and cats. These he boldly met and jumped on at once, and in the most playful manner 10 146 APES AND MONKEYS. hugged and tumbled about with them, rolling over and over, hanging on their tails, licking them on the head and face. I must add, however, that now and again he gave them a sharp bite, and then bounded off, full of fun at the noise they made in consequence of the sly nip he had inflicted. This active trickery he never appeared to tire of; and I was myself so pleased on witnessing the droll antics of THE DIADEM INDRIS AND THE WOOLLY INDRIS. the creature that the night passed and it was near daybreak before I put a stop to his frolics by catching and consigning him to his cage. In bounding about on the level ground, his jumps, on the hind legs only, are very astonishing, at least several feet at a spring, and with a rapidity that requires the utmost attention to follow. From the back of a chair he sprang, with the greatest ease, onto the table, four feet distance. He was delighted with a little wooden ball, which he rolled about THE WOOLLY LEMUR. 147 and played with for a considerable time, carrying it in one hand while he hopped and skipped about in high glee. He eats fruits, sweetmeats, bread, and any kind of animal substance, killing everything he can pounce upon and overpower. This strong and active little brute thus eats his prey at once, as I had proof in an unfortunate sparrow which he unmercifully devoured head first." WOOLLY MACACO. THE DIADEM INDRIS. This is a fine species, with a white furry ruff, or crown, on the forehead and around the face, and it has a long muzzle and body, and a thick, long tail. It greatly resembles the White Indris, with the exception of its characteristic head ornament, and leads the same kind of life in another part 148' APES AND MONKEYS. of the island of Madagascar. So little is known about the Diadem Indris that it is only necessary to notice one point in its anatomy, which refers to its habits. It evidently assumes the semi-erect posture very frequently when climbing, and a great part of the weight of the body is felt by the foot, and its great clasping toe- thumb. The examination of the foot proves that it is one, and not a hand, for bone for bone it may be compared with the human foot, and that of the Apes. The great toe is wide apart from the others, and in that it resembles the thumb of a hand ; but all the other bones of the ankle or tarsus are in the same relative posi- tion as they occupy in us. The Diadem Indris is found in the forests of the cen- tral parts of Madagascar, and appears to keep apart from other kinds and to roam about the dense woods in bands. THE WOOLLY LEMUR. This is one of the long-tailed Indris, and is remark- able for having long hind limbs, a long furry tail, a very short muzzle, and a round head. These woolly Indris are not frequently caught, or indeed seen at all, for they hide during the daytime, and sleep curled up amongst the thick shade of the foliage, or in some comfortable nest in the hollow of a tree. At night-time they wake up,, and eat and play amongst the trees on which their food grows. They are said to be stupid animals, but probably as they have never had their intelligence tested except when half asleep, they may be quite as intelligent as the other Lemuroids, and this opinion is strengthened by the fact that the brain is large in proportion to the size of the body; larger indeed in proportion than the brain of any of the others. The animals are small in size, and a dried skin measures rather more than a foot and a half in length, from the muzzle to the root of the tail, and this latter appendage is thirteen inches long. The head is broad over the eyes, which are wide apart, and the muzzle barely projects, and the whole of the face is covered with short hairs of a reddish-brown tint. There is a distinct band of whitish fur- placed across the top of the forehead, which has fur before and behind it of a darker color than the rest of the hair of the body. This band is curved, and foi ms a point which projects forward in the middle line of the forehead. The fur on the back and flanks of the body is of a dark grey color close to the skin, but on its surface the color is brown, more or less rusty. This is the tint on the extremities, the grey color underlying. On the backs of the thighs there are white patches, and at those spots there is no deep-seated grey tint. The cylindrical tail is reddish- brown, like the hands and feet. The ears are short and rounded, and are generally hairy, but not tufted, and they are hidden in the fur of the head. The nostrils are separated by a narrow septum. The feet are short and broad, and the claw of the toe is long and cylindrical. THE RING-TAILED LEMUR. This title refers to the pretty cat-like Lemur with chinchilla-grey tints, and a banded tail of black and grey rings, which is so commonly to be seen at the Zoological Gardens. RING-TAILED LEMURS 149 150 APES AND MONKEYS. When in captivity the Ring-tailed Lemur soon becomes attached to its keeper, and they show some powers of memory. A quartermaster of the French frigate Dupleix, who had one on board, was recognized by it when surrounded by all the crew. This little creature liked to play with the cabin-boys and the dogs, and took charge of, and protected, a little monkey belonging to one of the sailors. The monkey was fondled and nursed, and cleaned with great attention by its active little friend ; but corresponding kindness was not shown to the ship's fowls, whose tails it pulled unmercifully. THE MONGOOSE LEMUR. The great naturalist Buffon had a lemur sent to him as a present, which he kept as a pet for many years. At first it ran ? i f - . , . ' ■ HI'/ HEAD OF THE BLACK LEMUR. about the house, and was tame and full of fun, roaming here an there, and settling down before the fire like a common cat. It was very good-natured, and became a great favorite; but with age came ill-temper, and it became cross and vicious; moreover, it was always making disturbances, so it had to be chained up. Having some ingenuity and perseverence, it managed to slip its chain now and then, and to escape. It made its way directly into the street, and used to visit the confec- tioner's shop, where it very quietly and systematically roamed in search of sweets, devouring all it could lay its hands on. If it could not get sweets it would take fruit, and was quite heedless regarding the price or the rarity of its desired treats. When it was known that it had escaped, if the shop people had not already told Buffon, every one knew where it was to be caught, and a great trouble the catch- THE BLACK LEMUR. 151 ing was, for it got into corners, showed fight, and bit, and resisted being touched very decidedly. The cold, however, was its great enemy, and it always suffered much from it, and finally died from its effects. THE BLACK LEMUR. This lemur has a mate with white whiskers and a white patch on the lower part of the back, whilst its own color is uniformly black. It inhabits the northwest part of Madagascar. M. Pollen noticed one of the white- whiskered yellowish-red colored females with a little black young one on its shoulders, and when the mother was shot, it fell with her, so tightly had it grasped her wool. They live in companies, and like the very tops of the tallest trees of the forest for their home ; they are usually seen in the evening, when they make a great deal of noise with their concert of grunts and cries, and they jump from bough to bough quite as quickly as a bird flies. They have a trick of falling down suddenly, when pursued, into the underwood, and when the hunter searches for them they will be seen rushing off to a distant tree. When reared in captivity they are docile and affec- tionate. They like to sit on their keeper's shoulder, and will eat nearly everything that is offered to them. Fruit they prefer, but they will crack a bird's skull and eat the brain. In some dis- tricts of Madagascar these lemurs are not allowed to be killed or to be kept either dead or alive, on account of some superstitious ideas of the natives. One of the most remarkable peculiarities of this lemur is the marked padded nature of the hand. THE RUFFED LEMUR. THE RUFFED LEMUR. Ellis, while journeying through one of the Mada- gascar forests, noticed, one bright, clear and bracing morning, a peculiar shouting 152 APES AND MONKEYS. or hallooing, apparently at no very great distance. It was, he wrote, " not like any sound I had heard before, but resembled that of men or boys calling to each other more than anything else. At first I thought it was a number of people driving cattle out of the forest into the road. Still I heard no crashing amongst the underwood, and saw no signs of bullocks. Then I imagined it must be a number of bird-catchers, or squirrel-catchers. But on inquiring of my com- panions they said the noise proceeded from the Black-and-white Lemurs, of which there were great numbers in the forests. I had repeatedly seen lemurs of more than one species in the market at Tamative, and numbers among the people of the place. There were two or three of the large ruffed lemurs in a house near my own dwelling and they seemed to be quite domesticated. Though covered with thick, almost woolly, hair, they appeared to be ill at ease in wet or cold weather, but to luxuriate in the warm sunshine. I often noticed two or three of them together on a fine morning after rain; raised upon their hind legs, on the outside of the house, leaning back against the wall with the forelegs spread out, evidently enjoying the warmth of the sun which was shining upon them. They are often kept tame by the natives for a long time, and numbers are sold to the masters of ships and others visiting the port. THE CALACOS are most interesting, lively creatures, and they have won- derful ears, which are long, large, and elliptical, and can be furled up if the animals become frightened. Moreover, they have a long heel-bone, and the tail, often bushy, either equals or is longer than the trunk. THE SENEGAL CALACO. This is interesting from being the earliest known species of true Galago, and also as apparently having the widest range of geographical distribution. Its habits in no way differ from the other Galagos, though it is asserted that when pressed by hunger it feeds on the gum-arabic, plentiful in the acacia trees of its native forests. Its eagerness in the capture of insect prey is well attested. It pursues beetles, sphinges, and moths with great ardor, even while they are on the wing, making prodigious bounds at them, and often leaping right upward to seize them. Should it by chance miss its object and accidentally fall from the branch to the ground it re-ascends with the rapidity of flight to renew the hunt. In captivity it freely eats chopped meat, eggs, and milk. Although good tempered in confinement, it nevertheless is vivacious and petulant. At night it is always on the move, and if the occasion arises, darts off to the woods without a moment's delay. The Moors say its flesh is good eating. THE MAHOLI CALACO is one of the most charming and interesting little creatures imaginable. The general coloring of the upper parts is a yellowish or brownish-grey, with slightly darker brindling on the back, a broad nose-streak, cheeks and throat white, and a tinge of yellow intermixed with the white of the THE GALAGOS. 153 belly and inside of the limbs. The great tender-looking eyes are of a deep topaz yellow ; the ears, flesh tint inside and downy white outside, are very big, and be- times are rapidly folded together like those of Garnett's Galago, giving the MMffi THE MAHOLI GALAGO AND THE SENEGAL GALAGO. creature great variety of expression. The head is somewhat globular, with a short, high, almost pointed nose. The delicate woolly fur of the body lengthens and darkens on the tail, most so toward its end. Smith observes that they spring from branch to branch, and tree to tree, with extraordinary facility, and always 154 APES AND MONKEYS. seize with one of their fore-feet the branch upon which they intend to rest. In their manners they manifest considerable resemblance to monkeys, particularly in their propensity to the practice of ridiculous grimaces and gesticulations. It spends the day time in the nests which it forms for itself in the forks of branches, or in the cavities of decayed trees ; and in these nests the females also produce and rear their young, of which there are generally two at a birth. Dr. Kirk found it common among the wooded hills in East Africa. He says, singly and in pairs they came about the camp-fires at night, and in the dim light resembled a bat in move- ments, by crossing from side to side, at single leaps, distances of six feet. A pair which lived a few years ago in the Zoolog- ical Gardens were a most interestingly tender couple. The day saw them nestled lovingly in their little box, and as night wore on they would peep out and cau- tiously and by stealth venture into their more spacious cage. Creeping down the branch, which served as a ladder, so noise- lessly that not a movement could be heard, they would suddenly spring hither and thither, not like ordinary quadrupeds, but in a manner only to be compared with the leap and dart of a Tree Frog. Approach- ing a dish of meal-worms laid out for them, they would snap them up with their forepaws so quickly that the eye could not follow the motion ; this rapidity of action equalled the Chameleon's tongue, whose protrusion and withdrawal baffles the eye, the fly gone being the main fact the observer is cognizant of. They seemed heartily to enjoy the Mealworms, these being dainties in comparison with their ordinary food, which was sopped bread, rice and milk, and fruit. MONTEIRO S GALAGO. MONTEIRO'S CALACO. This handsome animal comes from both East and West Africa south of the Equator, and is about as large as a cat, with a great bushy tail some three or four inches longer than the body. This appendage it carries aloft very majestically, or swerves it to and fro as a kind of rudder in climbing, occasionally sweeping it along the back and belly, or curling it around the body after the manner of the lemurs. Being nocturnal in its habits, the eyes, THE ANGWANTIBO—SLOW LORIS. 155 which are large, and with great, wide, dark pupils and a brown-red iris, have a glassy, glimmering appearance in daylight, but look like balls of fire at night. The ears are a remarkable feature ; about a third shorter than the head, they stand out like great, flattish, elliptical-mouthed trumpets, ever changing position and shape, and catching all sounds, and they are nearly bare within and slightly hairy outside. It is of a light chinchilla-grey all over, save the tail and the throat, which are nearly white. The nose is black and bare, and the feet are deep brown. The entire length of the animal i s twenty-eight inches, whereof the tail is sixteen. THE ANGWANTIBO. Our knowledge of this curi- ous African species, which comes from West Africa and Old Calabar, truly a "three-fingered Jack," is due to the Rev. A. Robb, when missionary at Old Calabar. The limbs are slender, the hind ones a trifle larger and stronger than the others; both feet and hands con- form to those of the Potto, with, however, a still greater reduction of the index finger. He observes that the hands and feet are divided, as it were, into two opposing portions, which he likens to the grasp of such climbing birds as the parrots. This peculiarity, along with the multiple blood-vessel division of the extremities, he thinks tive of long-enduring muscular action, stealthy step, and adaptation for g twigs of trees, rather than for the purpose of capturing a prey. THF. ANGWANTIBO. indica- ripping THE SLOW LORIS. " This animal is tolerably common, but, from being strictly nocturnal in its habits, is seldom seen. It inhabits the densest forests, and never by choice leaves the trees. Its movements are slow, but it climbs readily, and grasps with great tenacity. If placed on the ground it can proceed, when frightened, in a wavering kind of trot, the limbs bent at right angles, like a muti- 156 APES AND MONKEYS. lated spider. It sleeps rolled up in a ball, its head and hands buried between its thighs, and wakes up at the dusk of evening to commence its nocturnal rambles. The female bears but one young at a time. In confinement they are at first sav- age, bite severely, and in spite of general slow movements, can do so pretty quickly, uttering a rough grunt or growl. They, however, get quiet, if not absolutely docile, in time, and are kept without difficulty, requiring no other diet than plantains, or any other kind of fruit. They become con- tent to remain in the smallest box, where another animal would soon pine and perish for want of exercise. When for a time confined they readily aban- don their nocturnal habits, eat during the day and rest at night. They will thus remain contentedly on an old punkah hung in a lumber room for many days; but, unless thoroughly reclaimed, they will often seize an opportunity during night to escape, never travelling far, however, and generally turning up in some thicket or bamboo-clump, or other quiet corner in the grounds. They greedily devour all sorts of insects, and also birds eggs." On one occasion Captain Tickell watched an indi- vidual crawling along the floor to seize a cockroach. When it had approached within ten or twelve inches, it drew its hind feet gradually forwards until almost under its chest; it then cautiously and slowly raised itself up into a standing position, balancing itself awk- wardly with its uplifted arms, and then, to his aston- ishment, flung itself, not upon the insect, which was off "like an arrow from a Tartar's bow," but on the spot which it had, half a second before, tenanted. This is its manner, however, of catching such of its living food as will wait long enough. Grubs, caterpillars, and the slower beetles are seized in one or both hands, and slowly carried to its mouth, and there solemnly munched up; the Nycticebus looking all the time, with its delicate small muzzle and its protuberant eyes, like one of those apologetic pigmy lapdogs ladies love to carry. It is almost wholly silent, but when roused to take food, now and then it utters a feeble tone, like the crackling of some substance in the fire. When angry, and about to bite, it gives forth a tolerably loud growl or grunt. When he is turned out of his quarters in davtime, he reminds one of a very young, awkward puppy without a tail. But his eyes, however, are enormous and owl-like, and seem to start protub- erantly forwards with an unmeaning stare. When his wits return, and the scare ceases, he softly turns on his heel, and with a very slow, measured pace — hand- over-hand, as sailors term it— makes for his box. There is a cool, sedate manner about his whole proceedings which may either be taken for wisdom or stupidity. During the night, when hungry cravings send him forth on his own account, his THE SLENDER LOUIS. 157 eyes light up, and he seems more alive to his interests, though seldom increasing the activity of his movements. On a table he waddles like a sailor newly ashore, but with a rope or bough to grasp, by foot or hand, there ensues a grip like a vise, and a steady mode of ascent putting him betimes out of reach or danger. THE SLENDER LORIS. The meager figure and long lank limbs of this creature give it a droll, half-starved look, its skin-tight robes and silent melancholy lending oddity, but not gracefulness, to its charms. If seen during the day, and THE SLENDER LORIS, SHOWING ITS ATTITUDES AND HABITS made to walk on a flat surface, what between its blinking, peeping eyes and awkward gait, a feeling of pity devoid of admiration is apt to arise. But watched at night, when it is clambering among branches, its character changes to that of a more lithe and nimbler animal, whose great staring eyes and gliding progress most surely indicate a nature less apathetic than a more hasty conclusion would warrant. Its uncommonly long body, devoid of a tail, is rendered more striking on account of limb-length, and the color is usually ot an unequal sooty-grey, the back mingled with much rusty-tinted or tawny hairs. 158 APES AND MONKEYS. The Slender Loris is very common in the lower country of the south and east of Ceylon. Dr. Templeton, who had several of them, observes "that after a few months' confinement they soon begin to pine and die. One was particularly noticed. If the room was perfectly quiet about dusk, it ventured about, crawling along the rails of the chairs with a very gentle movement. There was an interval of nearly THE MALMAG. a minute in the closing of its hands on the parts of the furniture which it grasped in succession, while moving its head from side to side with much grave delibera- tion. But when a spider or other insect came within its reach, its clutch at it was quick as lightning, and with an equal rapidity it was conveyed to the mouth. It seemed particularly anxious to avoid having its hind extremities touched. When approached, it retiringly slunk along the stick placed slantingly in the corner for its use, or along the back of the chair, with the usual deliberate movement. Its THE MALMAG.— THE A YE- A YE. 159 great goggle eyes would be fixed immovably on your face or hands if held towards it, and with every expression of fear. Its mouth appears small, and so little distensible that one cannot imagine it capable of biting anything except of very small size. The natives, nevertheless, assert that it destroys peacocks in the jungle, seizing them by the neck, which it clutches with such tenacity that the bird soon THE AYE-AYE. falls exhausted to the ground off its perch, or in its sudden flight, attempting to escape its persecutor. Having devoured the brain, the Loris leaves the rest of the body untouched." THE MALM AC. This is a small, active creature, which appears to excite great terror in the minds of the natives of the East Indian Archipelago, from its 160 APES AND MONKEYS. curious-shaped face, and sudden appearance at dusk. So impressed are the inhabitants of some portions of Java with its malevolent influence, that if they see one of them on a tree near their rice-grounds, they will leave them uncultivated. About the size of a small, common squirrel, this tiny cause of fright has a round head, like that of a Marmoset, a pointed muzzle, large ears and staring eyes. Its grinning mouth gives a queer and comical look to the face. Its body is about six inches in length. The limbs are long, especially the hind pair, and the tail — about nine inches long — is slender, and furnished with a brush of long hair at the end. The color of the body is fawn-brown as a rule, and the bare parts are of a flesh tint, and the forehead, face, and nose are reddish, and there is a black eye- streak. The name is derived from the fact of the "tarsus," or ankle-bones, being remarkably developed, the heel-bones being very long. THE AYE-AYE. This is one of the most remarkable animals in the world, both on account of its peculiar squirrel shape and lemur-like construction, as well as on account of its habits. The animal was first kept and described by the traveller Sonnerat; who obtained a male and female from the west coast of Madagascar. He kept them on board ship and fed them on boiled rice for two months, when they died, and he used to remark that they used a finger of each hand to eat with, after the fashion of the Chinese, who use chopsticks. Having shown them to some of the natives of the east coast of the island, they were surprised, and denied that these curious-looking creatures belonged to their part of the country; moreover, they ejaculated "Aye-aye" on seeing them, and thus gave the familiar name to the breed. They are rare animals, and live a solitary life, or are found in pairs, but they never associate in bands of several individuals. They are essentially noctur- nal in their habits, for they sleep all the day long in the thick bunches of leaves of the bamboos in the most impenetrable part of the forests, and they are therefore rarelv seen, and are only met with quite by accident. The Aye-Aye feeds on the pith of the bamboos, and on sugar-canes, but it also loves beetles and their grubs as a change of food. During the dark nights it awakens the echoes of the forest with a kind of plaintive grunting, and jumps from bough to bough, examining the bark of old trees most carefully in order to find its favorite insect-food. The Aye-Aye is about three feet in length, including the long tail, and there is a half fox, half lemur look about it, with a little of the squirrel. The hind feet at first sight are like those of a monkey, as are also the limbs; but the hands are not in keeping with the rest, for the fingers are of all kinds of lengths, and the middle one looks as if it were atrophied and wasted. The Aye- Aye, according to the dis- covery of M. Soumagne, honorary consul of France in Madagascar, constructs true nests in trees, which resemble enormous ball-shaped "birds'-nests." They are composed of the rolled-up leaves of the so-called "Traveller's Tree," and are lined with small twigs and dry leaves. The opening of the nest is narrow, and is placed on one side, and it is lodged in the fork of the branches of a large tree. CHAPTER IX, ORDER II.— CH1ROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. THE BAT. One of those ancient fables ascribed to ^Esop, which were the delight of our younger days, contains a description of a battle between the birds and the beasts. marsh bat. {One-half natural size!) The grounds of the quarrel we do not remember, and indeed the moral of the fable was tacked onto the conduct of the Bat. Availing himself of his combination of fur and wings, that astute animal hovered over the field of battle, and took his place on one side or the other, according to the direction in which the tide of success appeared to be turning, with the purpose, of course, of claiming in any case to be on the side of the victors. But this finesse was unsuccessful; the traitor was ii 161 162 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. scouted by both parties, and has ever since been compelled to make his appearance in public only at night. Passing over the ingenious explanation thus afforded of the nocturnal habits of the bats, this fable reflects pretty clearly the state of uncer- tainty in which the ancients were as to their precise nature. The union of a mouse- like body with long wings was a great puzzle to people who had no sound prin- ciples of natural history classifications to go upon; and even among the naturalists of antiquity there was much doubt as to the true position to be assigned to animals so singularly endowed. Aristotle seems to have thought they were birds with wings of skin; and Pliny describes them as the only birds which bring forth their young alive and suckle them. Among the Jews it is perfectly clear that the Bat was reckoned a bird ; it is distinctly included among the unclean fowls. The obfus- cation displayed by ancient writers with respect to the Bat is well shown in the following passage, in which Scaliger summarizes their opinions: — " It is indeed," he says, "an animal of marvelous structure; biped, quadruped ; walking, but not with feet; flying, but not with feathers; seeing without light, in the light, blind; it uses light beyond the light, but wants light in the light; a bird with teeth, with- out a beak, with teats, with milk, bearing its young even when flying." Can it be wondered at that such a creature should be a puzzle? Nevertheless, some ancient writers seemed to have entertained clearer notions on the subject, such as Macrobius, who maintained that as the Bat walked like a quadruped it ought to be classed with quadrupeds. Throughout the Middle Ages, however, the general opinion even of professed naturalists was that bats were birds; and we find this notion prevailing down to the time of Aldrovandus, in the latter part of the sixteenth century, and of Jonston, whose gigantic compilation was published in 1657. It is a question whether this notion that bats are birds has even yet been entirely dispelled in the popular mind, and no doubt many people still regard them as birds, because they can fly, just as whales and seals are con- sidered fishes, because they can swim, and centipedes and scorpions reptiles, because they crawl. John Ray, the father of modern zoology, writing in 1683, was the first to refer the bats to their true position among the Mammalia (animals which suckle their young), and in this course he was followed by Linnaeus, who actually placed these puzzles of former naturalists in his highest order of Mammals, the Primates, along with man and the apes. The position assigned to them by Linnaeus in the series of animals they have virtually retained in nearly all systems to the present day. By all modern zoologists the bats have been regarded as a distinct order of the Mammalia, characterized especially by their possession of the power of flight, and the consequent modification of the structure of their fore-limbs, which is indi- cated in the name given to the group (Chiroptera — hand-wings). They are, in fact, the only true flying mammals, and, indeed, the only truly flying Vertebrates except birds, for the so-called flying squirrels, flying lemurs, and flying opossums are only furnished with a broad fold of skin on each side of the body, which, when expanded by the spreading of the limbs, acts as a sort of parachute to sustain them THE BA T. 163 for a time in the air. This is also the case with flying dragons, although in them the membrane is stiffened by means of a portion of the ribs; and even in the flying fishes, in which the organs of aerial locomotion are formed by the fore-limbs, these merely sustain the fish in the air for a time by the increased surface they give it, but do not serve as real wings, like those of bats and birds. The organs of the senses are well developed. The ears are almost always of considerable size, sometimes very large and membraneous, and in most cases there THE COLLARED BAT. is in front of the cavity a sort of lobe of variable form, called the earlet, or tragus, representing the little rounded lobe which, in the human ear, projects from behind the cheek over the opening. The nostrils are either simple slits or apertures at the end of the muzzle, or surrounded by leaf-like organs, often of the most extra- ordinary forms; in fact, this tendency of the skin in bats to run out into membrane- ous expansions is one of their most remarkable characteristics, and, from their mode of life, this great development of the skin system would seem to be almost essential to their existence. 164 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. The old proverbial expression, "As blind as a bat," is certainly not founded on a due appreciation of facts, for bats are by no means blind ; on the contrary, they are furnished with very efficient eyes, although, in most cases, these are little bead- like organs, very unlike the eyes usually seen in animals whose activity is nocturnal or crepuscular. But it would appear that the office of the eyes in guiding these animals is, at all events, supplemented by some other means. Towards the end of the last century, the Abbe Spallanzani made some exceedingly interesting, although LONG-EARED BATS IN FLIGHT. certainly very cruel experiments on various species of bats. He blinded these animals, sometimes by burning the eyes with a red-hot wire, sometimes by remov- ing the organs altogether, and even filling up the orbits with wax, and then allowed them to fly. In spite of the mutilation, the unfortunate little creatures continued quite lively, and flew about as well as those which still retained their eyes; they did not strike against the walls of the room, or the objects in it, avoided a stick held up before them, and showed a greater desire to keep out of the way of cat or the hand of a man than to escape contact with inanimate objects. One of these blinded bats was set free in a long underground passage, which turned at right THE BAT. 165 angles about its middle. It flew through the two branches of this passage, and turned, without approaching the side-walls. During its flight it detected a small cavity in the roof at a distance of eighteen inches, and immediately changed its course in order to conceal itself in this retreat. In a garden a sort of cage was prepared, with nets, and from its top sixteen strings were allowed to hang down. Two bats were introduced into this enclosure, one blinded, the other with its eyes perfect. Both flew about freely, never touching the strings with more than the BLAINVILLE S BAT. tips of the wings. Finallv, the blind bat discovered that the meshes of the enclos- ing net were large enough to get through, and made its escape; and, after flying about for a time, made its way rapidly and directly to the only roof in the neigh- borhood, in which it disappeared. In a room containing numerous branches of trees, or in which silk threads, stretched by small weights, were suspended from the ceiling, the bats, though blinded, avoided all these obstacles; and when, after tiring themselves with their aerial evolutions, they settled on some object for the sake of rest, they would immediately arise again on an attempt being made to 166 CHIROPTERA, OR WING HANDED ANIMALS. seize them with the hand. From these experiments it was perfectly clear that in threading the galleries of caverns and other narrow and pitch-dark places to which bats commonly resort for their diurnal repose, these animals were guided by some other sense than that of sight, and the worthy abbe set himself to ascertain what this sense might be. He commenced operations by covering the body of one of his blind bats with varnish, and found that this had no effect in rendering its move- ments uncertain. He then stopped up the ears with wax, and finally with melted sealing-wax, and still the bats obstinately persisted in avoiding obstacles placed in their way. Consequently they did not hear their way in the dark. Their remained the senses of smell and taste. To test the former the nostrils were stuffed up, but the only effect of this operation was to bring the creature speedily to the ground, owing to difficulty of breathing. Little fragments of sponge impregnated with musk, camphor or storax were fastened in front of the nostrils, and then the bats flew about as freely as ever, and showed the same power of avoiding contact with objects in their path. The removal of the tongue, as might be expected, produced no result. The food of the great majority of bats consists of insects, which they capture on the wing. The members of one great family, however, and some species of another, feed upon fruits ; whilst a few find at least a part of their nourishment in the blood of other animals. They generally fly in the twilight of the evening and morning, retiring to obscure places during the day, although some species will occasionally come out of their concealment by daylight. In temperate and cold climates they pass the winter in a torpid state suspended by their hind claws in their ordinary places of daily retreat, where they are often to be found in immense numbers. The greater number of species of bats which have been described from various parts of the world, but especially from tropical and sub-tropical regions, display two very strongly-marked types of structure, associated in general with very dif- ferent habits and modes of life. Some are exclusively confined to a fruit diet, or only consume animal food as an exceptional dainty ; while the others almost as exclusively find their nourishment in the swarms of insects which everywhere people the air. Of the latter, however, some few feed upon fruits, and others are said to diversify their insect fare by occasionally sucking the blood of other animals, and even of man himself. THE FRUIT-EATINC BATS, on account of the comparatively large size of most of the species, are characterized by having the face elongated and dog- like — whence the name of flying foxes is often applied to them by European resi- dents in the countries where they occur. "A favorite resort of these bats is the lofty india-rubber trees, which on one side overhang the Botanic Gardens of Paradenia, in the vicinity of Kandy. Thither for some years past they have congregated, chiefly in the autumn, taking THE FRUIT-EATING BATS. 167 their departure when the figs of the Ficus elastica are consumed. Here they hang in such prodigious numbers, that frequently large branches give way beneath their accumulated weight. Every forenoon, between the hours of 9 and 11, they take to wing, apparently for exercise, and possibly to sun their wings and fur, and dry them after the dews of the early morning. On these occasions their numbers are quite surprising, flying in clouds as thick as bees or midges. After COLLARED FRUIT BAT WITH YOUNG. these recreations they hurry back to their favorite trees, chattering and screaming like monkeys, and always wrangling and contending angrily for the most shady and comfortable places in which to hang for the rest of the day, protected from the sun. The branches they resort to soon become almost divested of leaves, these being stripped off by the action of the bats attaching and detaching themselves by means of their hooked feet. At sunset they fly off to their feeding grounds, probably at a considerable distance, as it requires a large area to furnish sufficient food for such multitudes. 168 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. " In all its movements and attitudes, the action of the Pteropns (the scientific name for the bats of this genus) is highly interesting. If placed upon the ground, it is almost helpless, none of its limbs being calculated for progressive motion ; it drags itself along by means of the hook attached to each of its extended thumbs, pushing at the same time with those of its hind feet. Its natural position is exclusively pensile ; it moves laterally from branch to branch with great ease, by using each foot alternately, and climbs, when necessary, by means of its claws. " When at rest or asleep, the disposition of the limbs is most curious. At such times it suspends itself by one foot only, bringing the other close to its side, and thus it is enabled to wrap itself in the ample folds of its wings, which must envelop it like a mantle, leaving its upturned head uncovered. Its fur is thus protected from damp and rain, and to some extent its bod}' is sheltered from the sun. "As it collects its food by means of its mouth, either when on the wing or when suspended within reach of it, the Flying Fox is always more or less liable to have the spoil wrested from it by its intrusive companions, before it can make good its way to some secure retreat in which to devour it unmolested. In such con- flicts they bite viciously, tear each other with their hooks, and scream incessantly, till, taking to flight, the persecuted one reaches some place of safety, when he hangs by one foot, and grasping the fruit he has secured in the claws and oppos- able thumb of the other, he hastily reduces it to lumps, with which he stuffs his cheek-pouches till they become distended like those of a monkey. Thus suspended in safety, he commences to chew and suck the pieces, rejecting the refuse with his tongue." THE INDIAN FLYING FOX. Southern Asia and its dependent islands may be regarded as the metropolis of the Fruit Bats. Here the species are most plentiful, and most numerously represented by individuals ; it is here also that the largest species occur. One of the best known is the Indian Flying Fox. "From the arrival of the first comer, until the sun is high above the horizon, a scene of incessant wrangling and contention is enacted among them, as each endeavors to secure a higher and better place, or to eject a neighbor from too close vicinage. In these struggles the bats hang themselves along the branches, scrambling about hand over hand with some speed, biting each other severely, striking out with the long claw of the thumb, shrieking and cackling without intermission. Each new arrival is compelled to fly several times round the tree, being threatened from all points ; and when he eventually hooks on, he has to go through a series of com- bats, and be probably ejected two or three times, before he makes good his tenure." No doubt these squabbles are rendered more violent by the disgracefully dissi- pated habits in which the bats indulge during their nocturnal expeditions, for, according to Mr. Francis Day and other observers, " they often pass the night drinking the toddv from the chatties in the cocoanut trees, which results either in THE MAN ED BA TS— HAMMER-HEADED BA T. 169 their returning home in the early morning in a state of extreme and riotous intoxi- cation, or in being found the next dav at the foot of the trees sleeping off the effects of their midnight debauch." THE MAN ED BATS. It will be unnecessary to do more than refer to a few of the numerous species inhabiting the islands of the Eastern seas, as their habits in all cases are almost exactly alike, and it would be useless to attempt the bare des- cription of a number of closely allied species. The Philippine Islands have a rather remarkable species, the Maned Friut Bat, the head of which is shown in our illustration. Japan possesses a smaller form, about eight inches long, and which is characterized by the woolly nature of its fur. Those islands of the Eastern Archipelasgo from Celebes to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, which, according to Mr. Wallace, belong to the great Australian region, are abundantly supplied with fruit-eating bats, such as the Grey Fruit Bat, a small species which inhabits Timor and Amboyna. The small islands scattered over the ocean to the east also possess their peculiar species. head OF GREY FRUIT bat. (Natural size.) THE HAMMER-HEADED BAT. HEAD OF THE MANED FRUIT BAT. (Natural size.) most singular aspect. The length of the and the expanse of the wings twenty-eight inches to be known. A species presenting so grotesque an appearance that it might almost have served as the original of one of Cal- lot's demons (see next page), was dis- covered some years ago in Western Africa, by M. Du Chaillu, and des- cribed by Dr. Allen, of Philadelphia. It differs from all other Pteropine bats in the extraordinary size and shape of the head, which has a hammer-like appearance, owing to the muzzle being enormously developed and cut off abruptly in front, and the whole of this part of the animal is garnished with curious fleshy lobes, which give it a head and body is about twelve inches, Of its habits nothing appears 170 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. THE INSECTIVOROUS BATS. The second sub-order of bats— which includes a much larger number of species, displaying a far greater variety of characters than those which have hitherto occupied our attention — has received the name of Insectivora, from the general nature of the diet of the animals com- posing it. A considerable number of insectivorous bats of different families have the hammer-headed eat. {Three-fourths natural size.) their noses furnished with curious leaf-like appendages, often of most complicated construction, and" these organs probably assist materially in the exercise of that delicate sense of touch which supplements or takes the place of the power of vision in guiding the bats in their obscure abodes. THE GREATER HORSESHOE BAT. Although most of the Horseshoe Bats inhabit warm countries, several species are found in more temperate regions. THE GREA TEE AND LESSER HORSESHOE BA T. 171 One of these is the Greater Horseshoe Bat, which occurs, although not very abundantly, in various parts of the south of England. He is a puffy and rather pursy-looking little fellow, with a head which appears full large for his body. The length of his head and body is about two and a half inches, and that of his tail, which is entirely enclosed in the interfemoral membrane, about an inch and one-third. His wings have an ex- ^^1^^/ ^ \ panse of thirteen or fourteen inches. The fur on the upper surface is red- dish-grey, and on the lower surface very pale grey; the membranes are of a dingy brown color, and the ears and nasal appendages pale brown. The ears are large, broad at their attachment to the head, pointed and turned outwards at the apex. The Greater Horseshoe Bat lives chiefly in deserted quarries, old buildings, and natural caverns, and is said to frequent the darkest and most inaccessible parts of such excavations. In such retreats it passes the winter in a torpid state, coming forth in the spring to prey upon the insects which constitute its sole nourishment. HEAD OF THE GREATER HORSESHOE BAT. THE LESSER HORSESHOE BAT. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat, the second British species of this genus, was formerly regarded only as a small variety of the preceding, and was first distinguished by Colonel Montague, who also first detected its occurrence in that country. It is about half an inch shorter than the Greater Horseshoe Bat, and its expanse of wing is about nine inches. In general aspect it resembles the larger species. The fur is equally soft and full, and of the same colors, except that the upper surface is a little browner, and the lower parts rather more tinged with yellow. In its habits this kind seems to agree with the Greater Horseshoe Bat. HEAD OF LESSER HORSEHOE BAT. THE DIADEM BAT, which is found among the mountains of Northern India, extends its range as far north as Amoy in China. The character of the nose- leaf in this species will be seen from the annexed figures, which show strikingly the great complexity of this curious apparatus. Behind the nose-leaf is the aper- 172 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. HEAD OF THE MALE DIADEM BAT, ENLARGED. HEAD OF THE FEMALE DIADEM BAT, ENLARGED. ture of a peculiar sac situated in the forehead, which is characteristic of many species of the genus, and which can be turned out like the finger of a glove at the pleasure of the animal, and the surface of which secretes a waxy substance. Its centre bears a tuft of straight hairs, the tips of which project from the orifice when the sac is drawn in. The Diadem Bat is rather a large species, the head and body measuring from three and a half to four inches in length, and the expanse of the wings being about two feet. Its general color is light brown, darker on the upper surface, where the hairs are ringed with three colors — pale sepia at the base, then grey, then dark sepia, with the extreme tips a little paler. In captivity, according to Captain Hutton, the large ears of this animal are kept in a constant, rapid, tremulous motion, and the creature emits a low purring sound, which is exchanged for a sharp squeak when it is alarmed or irritated. When it is suspended in a resting attitude the tail and interfemoral membrane are turned up, not in front, as usual in bats, but behind, upon the lower part of the back. In this species and its allies Captain Hutton further noticed that when they are disturbed " the whole of the facial crests are kept in a state of constant agi- tation ; and as the animal hangs sus- pended by the feet, the head and muzzle are stretched forth and turned about in every direction, as if for the purpose of sniffing out the pres- ence of danger, and ascertaining the cause of the disturbance HEAD OF THE PERSIAN TRI- DENT BAT, ENLARGED. HEAD OF THE CORDATE LEAF BAT. THE PERSIAN TRIDENT BAT. Under this name Mr. Dobson describes a very remarkable species of this family in which the nasal appendages seem to attain the extreme of complexity. The ears also are of a very peculiar construction. PERSIAN TRIDENT BAT— LYRE BAT. 173 This is a small species, about two and a quarter inches long, and of a pale buff color, specimens of which were obtained at Shiraz, in Persia, at an elevation of 4,750 feet above the sea. Its nearest ally, curiously enough, is to be found, accord- ing to Mr. Dobson, in the Australian Orange Bat. THE LYRE BAT. This extraordinary little creature, which measures only about three and a half inches in length, and is of a slaty blue color, paler beneath, has its ears considerably longer than its head, and united for nearly half the length of their inner margin, and the earlets {tragi) very long, divided at the end into two parts, one of which, the posterior, is pointed, and a good deal longer than the the African megaderm. [One-third natural size.) other, which is rounded off at the end. The ears are, in fact, about half the length of the head and body. The great size of the ears and nasal appendages in these bats have led Euro- peans in India to give them the name of Vampires, as they agree in these particu- lars with the true Vampire Bats of South America. The account given by Mr. Blyth is so interesting that, although rather long, we may give it entire : "Chancing one evening," he says, "to observe a rather large bat enter an outhouse from which there was no other egress than by its doorway, I was fortunate in being able to procure a light, and thus to proceed to the capture of the animal. Upon finding itself pursued, it took three or four turns round the apartment, when down dropped what at the moment I believed to be its young, and which I deposited in my handkerchief. After a somewhat tedious chase, I then secured the object of 174 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. IIKAD ol- l.»Xi;-H\RI I) my pursuit, which proved to be a fine female of Megaderma lyra. I then looked to the other bat which I had picked up, and, to my considerable surprise, found it to be a small Vesper tilio, which, is exceedingly abundant, not only here, but apparently throughout India. The individual now referred to was feeble from loss of blood, which it was evident the Mega- derma had been sucking from a large and still bleeding wound under and behind the ear; and the very obviously suctorial form of the mouth of the Vampire was of itself sufficient to hint the strong probability of such being the case. During the very short time that elapsed before I entered the outhouse, it did not appear that the depredator had once alighted ; and I am satisfied that it sucked the it on the wing, and that it was seeking a quiet nook where vital fluid from its victim as it flew, having probably seized it might devour the body at its leisure. I kept both animals separate till next morning, when, procuring a convenient cage, 1 first put in the Megaderma; and after observing it for some time, I placed the other bat with it. No sooner was the latter perceived than the other fastened upon it with the ferocity of a tiger, again seizing it behind the ear, and made several efforts to fly off with it ; but finding it must needs stay within the precincts of its cage, it soon hung by the hind legs to the wires of its prison, and after sucking its victim till no more blood was left, commenced devour- ing it, and soon left nothing but the head and some portions of the limbs." The other Oriental species, the Cordate Leaf Bat, very nearly resembles the preceding, both in color and general characteristics. THE AFRICAN MECADERM. The best known African species is an inhabitant of the west coast of that continent, where it is found in Senegal and Guinea. In this bat the ears and nasal appendage attain even a greater development than in Megaderma lyra; the earlet is very long, especially the posterior division of it ; the ears are LONG-EARED BAT SLEEPING. THE LONG-EARED BAT— THE BARBASTELLE. 175 united by their inner margin for about half their length ; and the fur is of an ashy color, with a faint yellowish tinge. THE LONG-EARED BAT. This common British species is known by the large size of the ears, which are united by their inner margins over the middle of the crown of the head. Hence this group, the Plecoti of authors, may be regarded as naturally forming a sort of stepping stone from the Megaderms, with their extravagant dermal developments, to the more commonplace " Vespertiliones." In the Long-eared Bat this character is very striking, the ears being nearly seven-eighths as long as the head and body. The fur in the Long-eared Bat is long, thick, and soft; the hairs are blackish at the base, tipped above with brown, BARBASTELLE WALKING. with a reddish or greyish tinge, which appears to vary with the age of the indi- viduals, and beneath with pale, brownish-grey. All the membranes are dusky, usually with a reddish or brownish tinge. The head and body in this species meas- ures about one and five-sixths inches in length, and the tail is about one-sixth of an inch shorter. Its expanse of wing is ten inches. "At all hours," says Mr. Bell, "through the dead of the night, and in the dark- est nights, in the open fields or elsewhere, we have heard the shrill chatter of the Long-eared Bat over our heads, its voice, once known, being easily recognized from that of any other species." When sleeping, the long delicate ears are not generally left exposed, but are folded down under the wings, where they are care- fully tucked away. This is commonly the case when the bat has settled down for its day's sleep, and always occurs during hibernation. When the ears are thus dis- posed of, the earlets or tragi still project from the head, giving the little creature 176 CHIROPTEYA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. the appearance of possessing only a pair of short pointed ears (see figure). In captivity the Long-eared bat soon becomes very tame and familiar. These bats will fly about the room, play with each other, and may soon be induced to feed from the hand. THE BARBASTELLE. This curious little bat measures about two inches in length of body, and its tail is about a quarter of an inch shorter. The expanse of its wings is ten inches. The cheeks are covered with black hair, which forms a sort of moustache. The ears are irregular in form, their tips being slightly truncated, and their outer margins sweeping in so as to form a notch, from which five or six folds run half way across the ear. The eyes are almost concealed by the black hairs on the cheeks. The fur is long and soft, and of a brownish-black color, with whitish tips, which are longer on the hairs of the lower surface. The membranes are dusky black. In its habits the Barbastelle seems to be rather solitary; both in its places of repose and in its evening flights it is generally seen alone. It sometimes takes up its abode in caverns, but almost any kind of retreat will suit it. Thus it ma)' be found in the crevices of walls and trees, in the roofs of sheds, behind shutters, and in fact in almost any situation that offers it a chance of concealment. Its flight is peculiar, being a lazy, desultory sort of flutter, performed as if with no particular object ; and according to Mr. Bell it is in the habit of approaching evening promenaders " so closely be heard, and even the cool air thrown by their HEAD OF NOCTULE. that the flutter of its wings may movement felt upon the cheek." THE NOCTULE. The Great Bat, or Noctule, is another well-known British species, although far from being so abundant as the preceding. Its head and body measures about three inches in length, and its wings are about fourteen inches in expanse. Its fur is of a reddish-brown color, nearly uniform throughout. The Noctule seems to prefer for its resting place the hollows of old trees, and generally to avoid buildings, although instances of its taking up its abode in or about the latter are not wanting. It is gregarious in its habits, considerable num- bers often retiring together to the same hiding place. WELWITSCH'S BAT. This curious bat is especially remarkable for the brightness and variegation of its colors. The general tint of the fur is brown, the hairs being black at the base, with brown tips, which are longer and paler on the hairs of the lower surface, rendering the fur of that part paler than that of the WELJVITSCH'S BAT— NEW ZEALAND BAT. Ill back. The head also is pale, and the muzzle shows an orange tint, as do the ears, which are longer than the head, and rather acute, with a long pointed tragus, reaching nearly half-way up the ear. But the most striking peculiarity of the species consists in the coloring of the wings, which are yellowish-brown, dotted with black near the body, and beyond this chiefly blackish-brown, with numerous yellow dots arranged more or less regularly in curved lines, while a broad band of brownish-orange, bearing a few black dots, follows the course of the fore-arm, and gives origin at the wrist to three other bands of the same color, one running down the margin of the wing and enclosing the first and second fingers, the other two welwitsch's bat. {Half natural size.) following the course of the third and fourth fingers, and thus breaking the dark ground color of the wing into three triangular patches. The arms and legs in Welwitsch's Bat are yellow, but the feet are black. The length of the head and body is about three inches. THE NEW ZEALAND BAT. Two species of bats have been ascertained to inhabit New Zealand, and both present characters which isolate them system- atically, just as much as their distant insular habitation does absolutely. The present species was discovered by J. R. Forster, the naturalist who accompanied Captain Cook, and described by him. It has short rounded ears ; there are 12 178 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. cutaneous lobes at the angles of the mouth, and three true molars on each side in both jaws. The upper incisors are in pairs, the inner ones much larger than the outer, and are separated from the canines; the pre-molars are small and pointed, and the molars of the ordinary form in the allied genera. The tragus is short, rather broad, and rounded at the tip. The wing-membranes spring from the base of the toes; the interfemoral membrane is large, and contains the long tail, of which the tip only projects; and the heel-spurs are long, extending one-third of the distance between the heel and the tip of the tail. new Zealand bat. {Half natural size.) THE MOUSE-COLORED BAT. The Common Bat of the continent of Europe is a large species more than three inches and a half in length. Its fur is of a pale reddish-brown color above and greyish-white beneath, but with the bases of all the hairs black. In many parts of Europe, however, this species is exceed- ingly abundant, and lives by hundreds together, chiefly in church-towers and other similar localities, issuing forth in the evening to prey upon the insects which fly at that time. Moths are said to be its favorite victims, and the harder parts of these insects, with portions of the wings, are found unaltered in the bat's excrements. Notwithstanding their social habits, these bats are exceedingly quarrelsome ; they fight vigorously with their sharp teeth and the claws of their thumbs, often tearing each other severely, and even breaking the slender bones in the wings of their adversaries. THE COLLARED BAT. The Bats described certainly cannot boast of any great attractiveness in their aspect, but they must yield the palm of ugliness to a THE COLLARED BAT— B LAIN VLLLK S BAT. 179 HEAD OF MOUSE-COLORED BAT. HEAD OF COLLARED BAT. See page 163. curious species described by Dr. Horsfield. It is a clumsy, heavy-looking animal, of considerable size for a bat, measuring more than five inches in length from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail. Its body is entirely covered with a thick black skin, which is abso- lutely naked on the back, and only has a few short hairs upon the sides of the body, the interfemoral membrane, and the lower surface. The face and lips also have a few fine long hairs, and a curious collar of brown hairs runs round the neck. To add to the charms of the creature, the skin is thrown into thick folds in various parts of the body, the legs are thick, and terminated by clumsy feet, in which the first toe is very large, brist- ling with long hairs on the outside, and widely separated from the others, so as to acquire very much the character of a posterior thumb. This hideous bat was dis- covered in the peninsula of Mal- acca, and has since been found in Java, Sumatra, and Borneo. It does not appear to be abun- dant in ts native countries, and its apparent rarity is doubtless increased by its selectingfor its residence the wildest and most solitary districts in the heart of the great forests. During the day it usually retreats to the hollow trunks of trees, but sometimes takes its repose in holes in the ground or in clefts of the rocks, coming out soon after sundown, when it is seen flying heavily about the borders of the woods, or even high up above the forest in the plains. Another curious but by no means agreeable peculiarity of this species remains to be noticed. Across the base of the neck, immediately in front of the breast, head of blainville's bat. (See page 180 CHIROPTERA, OR WING-HANDED ANIMALS. there is a great pouch, which receives an oily secretion from a large gland. This secretion possesses an odor so strong as to be still perceptible after the animal has been preserved in spirits for several years ; and Dr. Salomon Muller states that his artist, when engaged in making a drawing from a living specimen, was affected with a headache and nausea so violently that he had much difficulty in completing his task. It appears that the fetid fluid gets diffused over the hairs bordering the throat-pouch, and thus readily passes off into the air, and may thus serve to enable these creatures to find each other in the dark retreats which they frequent. BLAINEVILLE'S BAT. A most grotesque species of bat, the position of which has been a subject of some discussion, was described many years ago (in 1821) by the late Dr. Leach. As regards the development of the cutaneous system about the face, this species is without exception the most extraordinary species of the whole order (see figure). The length of the head ind body in this species is about two and two- thirds inches, and that of the tail from one inch to one and one-sixth inch, according to the sex, being longer in the male. The fur of the upper side is of a rich umber-brown, and that of the lower surface brownish-grey, the differ- ence being caused by the brown tips of the hairs above, which are wanting on those of the underside. The hairs on the inner margin of the ear are shiny brown. The membranes are dark brown. This species is an inhabitant of South America and of the West Indies, but it does not seem to be very abundant. Nothing has been recorded as to its habits, but it is probably a strictly nocturnal bat. HEAD OF VAMPIRE BAT. THE VAMPIRE, which was one of the earliest known species of these American bats, and is also the largest of all, is by no means an amiable-looking animal. The fur, which is long and soft, is usually chestnut-brown above and pale beneath. The length of the head and body in this bat is about five and a half inches. This bat has always been regarded as one of the most noxious of the blood-suckers of its family, and, in fact, it owes its name of Vampire to the belief in its sanguinary nature. But Mr. Bates, who certainly had good opportunities of observing it, acquits the Vampire of this charge. In describing his residence at Ega, on the Upper Amazon, he says: "The Vampire was here by far the most abundant of the family of Leaf-nosed Bats. It is the largest of all the South American species, measuring twenty-eight inches in expanse of wing. Nothing in animal physiognomy can be more hideous than the countenance of this creature THE VAMPIRE BAT. 181 when viewed from the front; the large leathery ears standing out from the sides and top of the head, the erect spear-shaped appendage on the tip of the nose, the grin and the glistening black eye, all combining to make up a figure that reminds one of some mocking imp of fable. No wonder that imaginative people have inferred diabolical instincts on the part of so ugly an animal. The Vampire, how- ever, is the most harmless of all bats, and its inoffensive character is well known to residents on the banks of the Amazons. The church at Ega was the head- quarters of both kinds. I used to see them, as I sat at my door during the short evening twilight, trooping forth by scores from a large open window at the back of the altar, twittering cheerfully as they sped off to the borders of the forest. They sometimes enter houses. The first time I saw one in my chamber, wheeling heavily round and round, I mistook it for a pigeon, thinking that a tame one had escaped from the premises of one of my neighbors. The natives say they devour ripe cajus and guavas on trees in the gardens ; but, on comparing the seeds taken from their stomachs with those of all cultivated trees at Ega, 1 found they were unlike any of them ; it is therefore probable that they generally resort to the forest to feed, coming to the village in the morning to sleep, because they find it more secure from animals of prey than their nocturnal abodes in the woods." CHAPTER X. ORDER III— INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. In the grand economy of nature small things play sometimes very consider- able parts; and the innumerable hosts of insects, making up by their numbers for their individual insignificance, are of very great importance in a great variety of fashions. One of their most striking functions is undoubtedly the checking of vegetable growth. They attack plants in all parts — in the roots, the stem, the branches, the leaves, and the flowers and fruit — in this way, while merely obeying their own appetites, imposing a constant check upon the increase of vegetation ; and being for the most part specially confined to particular plants or groups of plants, they assist materially in preserving the balance of power in the vegetable world. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that there is the same tend- ency in insects, as in any other group of organisms, to inordinate increase. The checkers thus need a check in their turn, and the number of other creatures whose business it seems to be to keep down the undue multiplication of insects is exceed- ingly great. We have seen that among the Mammalia, the bats for the most part have this duty imposed upon them. They attack the winged armies of perfect insects in the air, and must cut off an enormous number of potential parents of plant-eating larvae. But there are a great many insects which seldom or never rise into the air, and the larvae of those which are aerial in their perfect state are of necessity confined to the ground or the vegetation growing on it ; these are not without their Mammalian enemies. Many Mammals of the carnivorous and marsupial orders feed wholly or partially upon insects ; but there is one order of which most of the species are exclusively, or almost exclusively, confined to a diet of terrestrial insects, worms, and such "small deer," and which has consequently received the name of Insectivora, or "the insect-eaters." On trees, on the ground, and even beneath its surface, and in the water, these animals chase insects and their larvae ; and if they diversify their diet with worms and other invertebrates, or by attack- ing and devouring frogs, fishes, and small birds and Mammalia, or even in some cases feed chiefly upon such articles, or on fruit, the predominating taste for insects among the members of the order may justify the name. The Insectivora are in many respects related to the bats, and in some cases show a sort of affinity to the 182 THE TANA. 183 lower Quadrumana. In appearance many of them show analogy to different families of Rodents, or gnawing Mammals, the shrews especially being exceed- ingly mouse-like in their aspect; but, as might be expected from the difference in the habits, and especially in the diet of the animals, the simple inspection of the teeth is always sufficient to distinguish the members of these two orders. THE TANA. In the Tana the arrangement of the hair on the tail in two rows, something after the fashion of the barbs of a feather on the shaft, which is more or less recognizable throughout this genus, is especially remarkable ; and, as the hair is very long, the tail is rendered particularly bushy. The animal is one tana — golden-tailed variety. [Half natural size.) of the larger species, the body measuring from eight to nine inches in length, and its color is rather variable, although usually exhibiting various shades of reddish- brown, becoming darker or blackish on the hind part of the back, where, more over, the greater part of the hairs are of uniform tint and not grizzled. The color of the tail appears to be especially liable to vary. In the ordinary form of the species the tail is black above, with the basal half of each hair rusty brown, and dark brown below ; in another variety the tail is brownish-red above, and bright rusty-red below ; whilst in the beautiful form from which our illustration is taken the whole organ is of a reddish golden-yellow color. This is Dr. Gunther's variety, chrysura (golden tail). The Tana is an inhabitant of the forests of Sumatra and Borneo. According- to Sir Stamford Raffles, the animal is known to the countrv 184 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. people of Sumatra, and he was informed that it was always found on or near the ground. LOW'S PTILOCERQUE is a very elegant little creature. The specimen originally described by Dr. Gray in 1848 was captured by Mr. Low in Rajah Brooke's house in Borneo. The most distinctive character of the animal is to be found in its tail, which is an exceedingly peculiar organ. The tail itself is long and slender, and has the basal portion hairy ; then a long piece naked, covered with ring of broad, square scales, among which there are only a few short scattered hairs ; and, finally, about a third of its length is furnished with long hairs arranged on the two sides of the tail, so as to present the appearance of the two wings of a dart or arrow. The Ptilocerque, which is an inhabitant of Borneo and Sarawak, is between five and six inches long, with a tail rather longer than the body. Its general color is blackish- brown above, minutely grizzled by the yellowish tips of the hairs ; the lower parts and the cheeks are yellowish, and there is a black streak on each side of the face, inclosing THE RHYNCHOCYON. 185 the eyes. The tail is black, with the long hairs of the tip white, except a few toward the base. The habits of the animal are probably the same as those of the Tupaias. THE RHYNCHOCYON, which is a very rare animal in collections, appears from the description and figure of Professor Peters to be a queer-looking beast. It measures about eight inches in length, exclusive of the tail, which is rather long, tapering, and rat-like, being covered with a ringed skin, and furnished with only a few scattered hairs. The muzzle is produced into a very long, movable snout. the rynchocyon. [Half natural size.) The fur is of a rusty-brown color, with a blackish tinge about the ears and the back of the head, and some light reddish spots on the hind part of the back. This animal lives in holes in the ground, from which it issues at night in search of the insects on which it feeds, and is chiefly interesting to the zoologist for the structural characteristics it presents. THE EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG. These animals are confined to the Old World, in nearly all parts of which some of the species are to be found. They feed chiefly upon insects and other small animals; most of them have the power of rolling themselves up into a ball, when the prickles with which the back is armed constitute a most formidable defensive armor ; and in cold countries they pass the winter in a state of torpidity. 186 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. The Common English Hedgehog may serve as the type of this family ; all the species of which, with only a single exception, present a very close resemblance to each other, both in appearance and habits. All the hedgehogs, in fact, are small animals of robust form, with very short tails, and the greater part of the hairs of the upper surface converted into sharp spines. The hedgehog inhabits the whole of Europe except Scandinavia and the north of Russia. It may be met with in almost all situations, in forests, woods, fields, gardens, and orchards, where it takes up its abode in thickets, in hedge-bottoms, and even in holes in wails. In such situations it passes its days in sleep, for it is, strictly speaking, a nocturnal animal, although on rare occasions it may be seen abroad in the daytime. In similar situa- tions it passes the whole winter in a profound slumber, forming a nest for itself of moss or leaves, sometimes under the smaller growth of woods and gardens, some- times in a hedge-bank, in the hollows and among the bare roots of trees, and in holes among rocks or in walls. The nest most commonly consists in whole or in part of withered leaves, which appear to be useful in keeping out the wet, and as the innermost leaves are impaled upon the animal's spines, it retains a thin coat of leaves when turned out of its winter nest. As the spring advances, the hedgehog rouses itself from its long sleep, and proceeds to make up for the enforced abstinence from food which it has undergone for so many weeks. It comes forth in the evening, and runs about pretty quickly, but with a curious shuffling gait, in search of the insects and other small animals which constitute its usual prey. Insects, and particularly beetles, appear to form the greater part of its diet, and its teeth are admirably adapted for pounding up the hard skins of these creatures. In consequence of their predilection for insect food, great numbers of hedgehogs are brought to London, and other great towns ) to be kept in houses for the purpose of destroying the cockroaches, which are such disagreeable inmates in most kitchens. In the pursuit of these insects the hedge- hog shows much activity, and Mr. Bell says that he has " seen a hedgehog, in a London kitchen, push its way beneath a piece of carpet in all directions, and heard it at intervals crushing up the cockroaches which it met with. In a short time it freed the place of these pests." The hedgehog does not, however, confine itself exclusively to the consumption of invertebrate prey ; frogs and toads, mice, and even snakes, are not exempt from its attacks. It kills the viper by crushing its head, and proceeds to devour it from that end, without showing any signs of being injured by the poison of the snake. This curious immunity is said to extend also to other poisons, some of which are at least doubtful; but it seems certain that the hedgehog will devour the ordinary blister beetles without inconvenience, although a very small dose of them would destroy much larger animals. From the narrow point of view of usefulness to man, we may up to this point have a very favorable opinion of the hedgehog, but he has some other peculiarities which may perhaps be regarded as drawbacks. One of these is his attacking young THE EUROPEAN HEDGEHOG. 187 THE HEDGEHOG. game, and another his fondness for eggs. The general testimony of sportsmen and gamekeepers is to the effect that no young and small animals will come amiss to the hedgehog. There is also no doubt that the hedgehog will feed on the eggs of birds wherever it finds them ; and it is even stated that it will make its way into a fowl house, turn the hen off her eggs, and devour the latter. When disturbed in its excursions the hedge- hog has the habit of rolling itself up into a ball, with the head and legs tucked carefully away under the belly, and the whole exposed surface completely enclosed by the spiny skin of the back. This is effected by the contrac- tion of a most complicated system of cutaneous muscles, the most important of which, called the orbicularis panniculi, forming a broad band encircling the body, draws together the edges of the spiny part of the skin towards the center of the ventral side of the body, thus forming a sort of prickly bag within which the whole body and limbs of the animal are inclosed. When thus arranged, by the action of the cutane- ous muscles, the whole of the spines of the upper surface are strongly and firmly erected, making a fence which suffices to protect the hedgehog from the attacks of nearly all his enemies. Scarcely any dogs can be found with pluck enough to make a successful attack upon a rolled-up hedge- hog, although it is said that some dogs and foxes have a trick by which to A get at him, founded on v the fact that a jet of water poured into the small aperture within which the head of the head of the animal is concealed will cause him to unroll himself at once. The same power of contraction serves the hedgehog in good stead in protecting him from other perils. If he finds himself falling down a HEDGEHOG AND YOUNG. 188 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. precipice or from the top of a wall, or down a very steep slope, he immediately makes himself into a ball, and in this form will fall from very considerable heights (eighteen or twenty feet) without receiving the least injury; indeed, hedgehogs have been observed more than once voluntarily to throw themselves down con- siderable distances, contracting in this fashion. On reaching the bottom they simply opened themselves, and walked off none the worse for the fall. In captivity, if kindly treated, the hedgehog soon becomes familiar. He takes readily to almost any diet, and, he will even partake of intoxicating liquors, which, curiously enough, seem to have the effect of making him quite tame, after passing through a period of inebriety, during which his gestures and proceedings have a most ludicrous resemblance to those of a drunken man. THE BULAU. THE BULAU, as Professor Gervais says, is "a hedgehog with the body, and especially the head, more elongated than in those already described, with flexible hairs, and furnished with a tail which is nearly naked, and as long as the body. On the back a few stiff bristles are mingled with the softer hairs, as if to give a sort of indication of the animal's relationship to the hedgehogs; but it has no power of rolling itself up into a ball." The Bulau has a long, round, tapering, scaly tail, almost like that of a rat, but with a greater number of scattered stiff hairs among the scales. Its head is long, and its muzzle produced into a short proboscis. Its legs are rather short, and its feet are furnished with five toes, each armed with a curved and pointed claw. The general color of the body and limbs is black or greyish-black, with the head and neck pale or whitish, and with a black streak over each eye; the tail is blackish at THE BULAU—THE TAX EEC. 139 the base, whitish at the tip. The length of the Bulau is about twenty-six inches, of which the tail occupies twelve. Besides Sumatra, this curious animal, which may be regarded as a connecting link between the hedgehogs and the shrews, has been met with in the peninsula of Malacca, and in Borneo, and the neighboring island of Sarawak. The specimens from Sarawak and the mainland of Borneo opposite Labuan are said by Dr. Gunther to be all white, with only a portion of the longest THE TAXREC. and strongest hairs on the body black, appeared to be recorded. Of the habits of the Bulau nothing THE TANREC. The Tanrec, or Tangue, which is the best known species of the family, is entirely destitute of tail. It has a long pointed muzzle, small ears and short legs; the five-toed feet are armed with strong claws, and the body is not capable of being contracted into a ball. The animals of this family usually have the back more or less armed with fine spines or bristles among the softer hair, the legs short, the feet five-toed, plantigrade, and the tail very short or altogether wanting, except in one anomalous genus. 190 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMAIS. The Tanrec measures about fifteen or sixteen inches in length, of which nearly one-third is made up by the elongated head. Its body is covered with a mixture of bristles, hairs, and more or less flexible spines, the latter being especially strong about the nape and sides of the neck, where they measure about one-fifth of an inch in length, and form a sort of crest or collar. The spines are longer and more flexible on the body, where they are mixed with bristles, which prevail especially on the back, and these measure sometimes as much as two inches long. The belly and limbs are clothed with short hair. All these dermal appendages are yellowish, with the middle brown, giving the animal a general tawny color, which is paler or yellowish on the limbs. The face is brownish, and the long whiskers which spring from each side of the muzzle are of a dark brown color. This is the general coloration of the species, which, however, varies occasionally. The young are said to be brown with yellow longitudinal streaks, which disappear with age. This animal occurs abundantly in Madagascar. It passes one-half of the year in a state of torpidity, and this not in the hot season, as ha.s been supposed, but in the colder part of the year. About May or June the Tanrecs dig themselves holes, in which they sleep until December, with their heads comfortably tucked away between the hind legs. Their burrows are generally betrayed by the presence of a small heap of earth or moss thrown up at the entrance, and as the animals are at this time very fat, and regarded as great delicacies by the natives of Madagascar and the Creoles of Reunion, they are then pursued with great avidity. Their flesh is said by some people to be preferable to sucking-pig; but others complain that it has a musky flavor. In Madagascar the inhabitants hunt the Tanrecs with dogs trained expressly for the purpose. The Tanrecs live chiefly in the mountains, in places covered with mosses, fern, and bushes. Their food consists principally of earthworms, which they rout out by means of their feet and pointed snouts, using the latter after the fashion of a pig. Insects also form a part of their diet; and, like the hedgehogs, they are said to feed upon certain fruits and roots. In cap- tivity they will eat raw meat, and are also said to be fond of bananas. Their habits are nocturnal ; they sleep nearly all the day, and come forth in full activity only at night. THE ACOUTA. Forty-seven years ago (in 1833) Professor Brandt, of St. Petersburg, described a singular animal from St. Domingo, which was particularly interesting, both as being the only known representative of the Insectivorous Mammalia in the tropical regions of America, and also on account of its own extra- ordinary character. It was an animal of about the size of a small rabbit, the head and body measuring about a foot in length, but the muzzle was drawn out into a sort of trunk or proboscis, at the sides of which, near the tip, the nostrils were sit- uated; the body terminated behind in a naked, rat-like tail, rather more than eight inches in length ; whilst the feet, which were decidedfy plantigrade, and each fur- nished with five toes, had the latter armed with curved, compressed claws of THE AGOUTA—THE RIVER SHREW. 191 formidable dimensions, especially on the fore feet. The dentition clearly showed the animal to be insectivorous, but its characters were so peculiar that Brandt seems to have regarded it as a sort of intermediate form between the Shrews and the Marsupial Opossums. The eyes are small, and the ears of moderate size, and rounded; the body is covered with rather stiff hairs, which, however, leave the hind part, from the root of the tail downward, almost naked ; the tail is long, tapering, and ringed, with a the west African river shrew. {Half natural size.) few scattered, very short hairs; the legs are of moderate length, and the feet, all of which have five toes, are nearly naked, or covered only with short hair. The Agouta has the face, head, and upper parts brown, becoming blackish behind and on the thighs; the sides of the head and neck lighter brown, with a mixture of red and grey ; the belly and feet tawny brown : the breast bright rust color; and the tail greyish toward the base, and white toward the tip. Of the habits of this animal, long supposed to be the only species of its genus, nothing is recorded ; but its teeth very clearly indicate a carnivorous or insectiv- orous diet, and its habits, in all probability, resemble those of the following species: 192 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. THE RIVER SHREW. This little beast, that has given rise to so much discussion among zoologists, and received so many names, is only a little larger that the common stoat, measuring about nine inches in length, exclusive of the powerful tail, which is of about the same length. In its appearance it very much reminds one of a miniature otter, from which, however, it differs considerably in the form of the head, which terminates in a broad flattened muzzle, having its sides furnished with a most luxuriant crop of stiff bristle-like whiskers. The hair of the upper part of the body and limbs is brown and soft, although rather coarse, and that of the lower surface yellowish ; and the coat consists of two kinds of hairs, namely, an inner coat of very fine short silky hairs, through which longer hairs of a very peculiar structure project. These long hairs are very thin at the bulb, and increase very gradually in thickness for about one-third of their length, when they suddenly contract a little, and then expand into a flat lance-shaped blade, which terminates in a very fine point. This coarser fur covers the whole body, the thick root of the tail, and the upper part of the limbs; the rest of the tail, the under side of the muzzle, and the upper surface of the feet are clothed with short, close hairs. The ears are of moderate size, the eyes very small, and the toes on all the feet five in number, armed with small sharp claws, and without webs, but the second and third toes on the hind feet are united as far as the end of the first phalanx. The most remarkable peculiarity of the animal is its tail, which presents a most unusual development for an Insectivorous Mammal. Professor Allman says: " It is so thick at its base that the trunk seems uninterruptedly continued into it; but it soon becomes laterally compressed, and then grows gradually thinner and narrower toward the tip. * * * Its lower edge is rounded, and its upper is continued into a membranous crest about one-eighth of an inch in height, and clothed with the same short, stiff, appressed hairs as the rest of the tail. This great development of the tail might of itself convince us that this organ is of great service to its owner, and such, from the account of the habits of the animal given by its discoverer, is evidently the case. M. Du Chaillu says: "This extraordinary animal is found in the mountains of the interior, or in the hilly country explored by me north and south of the equator. It is found along the water-courses of limpid and clear streams, where fish are abundant. It hides under rocks along these streams, lying in wait for fish. It swims through the water with a rapidity which astonished me ; before the fish has time to move it is caught. The animal returns to land with its prey almost as rapidly as it started from its place of concealment. The great motive power of the animal in the water seems to be in its tail." THE COMMON MOLE OF EUROPE, is, as its name implies, found everywhere in that continent, and is the type of the genus. The body of the mole is a cylinder terminating in a cone; there is no neck, and the nose is a boring instrument. The eyes are nearly imperceptible. The THE COMMOX MOLE OF EUROPE. 193 sense of hearing- is very acute ; there is no external ear, but the internal ear is highly developed. Its powers of smell, too, are excellent. The tail is very short, the coat black, thick, and silky. Their food is chiefly insects and earth-worms, and the dead bodies of small mammals or birds. The mole is essentially carnivorous ; it does not experience a mere sense of hunger like other animals, but a craving of the most powerful description- — a kind of frenzy. Each mole has its own encampment, frequently entirely separate from those of his fellows, but sometimes the animals evince a rather more sociable disposition, and condescend to make use of a common passage. But in his encampment, each mole always has his own dwelling, which has been, not inappropriately, styled his THE COMMON MOLE. fortress, and this certainly displays great ingenuity and skill in its design and con- struction. It is formed under a hillock of earth, in a situation which affords some protection to the little domicile. Its roof is a firm dome, the earth composing it being pressed into a solid mass by the mole while excavating the internal passages and chambers. Beneath this there are two circular galleries, one above the other, the lower one considerably larger than the upper, with which it communicates by five nearly equi-distant passages, running slantingly upward. Within the lower circular gallery is situated the actual dwelling-place or chamber, to which access is obtained by three passages descending from the upper gallery, so that when within his house the mole has to go both up and down stairs to reach his bedroom. But the chamber has another issue by a passage which at first descends for a short dis- tance, and then rises again to lead into the high road running to and from the 13 194 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMALS. fortress, which is always single; and, on the other hand, the lower and larger gallery gives off about nine other passages, which either terminate at a short dis- tance from the fortress, or, after making a detour, return into the high road. So cautious is the mole, that the apertures of these passages are said seldom to be made opposite to those which lead from the lower to the upper circular gallery. With these arrangements it must be confessed that the mole has provided admirably for being "not at home" to unwelcome visitors. The same caution that prompts the mole to the formation of so com- plicated a castle leads him to take equal care in the construction of the road leading into it. This usually runs in a direct line from one end ol the animal's camping ground to the other, and forms a highway by which he can go quickly about his business, It is large enough to enable him to pass through it easily, but in making it he is careful not to throw out the earth as he does in his ordinary runs, and the whole passage appears to be chiefly formed by compression of the earth by the little engineer. By his constant passing to and fro, its walls become singularly smooth and compact. Occasionally a mole will form two or more high roads leading from his fortress, probably when supplies fall short and it is necess- ary to open up new ground; and sometimes several moles share the same high- way, perhaps in localities where worms and grubs are peculiarly fat and abundant. But in the latter case, as there is not room in the little tunnel for one mole to pass another, if two of them meet by accident one of them must give way or retire into a side alley, otherwise a violent combat ensues, when the weaker mole feeding is ruthlessly killed and devoured. The road varies in its depth from the surface according to the nature of the soil MOLE S FORTRESS. THE STAR-NOSED MOLE. Besides the Old World form to which we have just referred, there are a few American species of this family, which differ THE WATER SHREW. 195 196 INSECTIVORA, OR INSECT-EATING ANIMAIS. rather more decidedly from the ordinary moles. Perhaps the most remarkable of them is the Star-nosed Mole, an inhabitant of our own country and Canada, extending from South Carolina to Hudson's Bay, and stretching right across the continent, from ocean to ocean. The most striking characteristic of this animal, which constitutes the genus Condylura, is the presence at the extremity of its elongated nose of a sort of fringe of about twenty long fleshy processes, forming a regular star, having the nostrils towards its centre. This curious little animal, which measures about five inches in length, and has a tail about three inches long, is of a brownish-black color, a little paler beneath, but appearing in certain lights perfectly black throughout. The naked, or nearly naked parts, such as the nose, with its singular appendages, and the feet, are gen- erally of a flesh-color, the tips of the fringes and of the claws being, in fact, quite rosy. The tail is well covered with hair. The Star-nosed Mole, like the other members of its family, lives beneath the surface of the ground, where it is able to burrow rapidly in soft earth. It prefers the vicinity of brooks and swampy places. The galleries do not run so near the surface as those of the Com- mon Shrew Mole. The nest is com- posed of dried grass, and placed in an excavation made under some pro- side view of snout of star- front view of tective object, such as a stump or the nosed mole. snout of star- roo t of a tree. The young show NOSED MOLE. scarcely any trace Q f the nasa ] ap . pendages. The precise use of these curious organs in the adult does not seem to be ascertained; probably they aid as sensory organs in the discovery of the worms and larvae of insects on which the creature feeds. THE COMMON SHREW MOLE. The Shrew Mole, which is often called simply the mole, is another very widely-distributed species in North America,, throughout the whole eastern part of which it is found abundantly. Like the other species of its genus, which inhabit the territories farther west, the Common Shrew Mole has an elongated, slender snout, which is cut off obliquely at the end, so that the nostrils, which are situated in this sloping surface, are turned forwards and upwards, and are not visible from below. THE WATER SHREW is one of the prettiest of European Mammals. Its movements, especially in the water, are very agile; and although, from its swim- ming by alternate strokes of its hind feet, its course is of a somewhat wriggling character, the peculiar mode in which it flattens its body so as to show a narrow white border on each side, and the silvery lustre of the coat of air-bubbles which THE WATER SHREW. 197 adheres to its back, give it a very elegant appearance when thus engaged. It is found chiefly about the rivulets of mountainous and hilly countries, generally showing a preference for those quieter parts where the water flows smoothly over asandy bottom, but it will also make its way through more broken water, in shallow parts full of stones. Clear water seems to be the great desideratum, and if this can be secured the Water Shrew will put up with a lake or pond. It is not, however, absolutely confined to the water side, but will at times wander about the fields, sheltering itself under haycocks, and other heaps of dried plants, and even makino- its way into houses, barns, and outbuildings. Besides this small prey, the Water Shrew is said to attack almost any small animal that comes in its way— frogs, fishes, and even small birds and quadrupeds are described among its victims. It is also said to feed on the spawn of fishes, and will even destroy large fish, such as Carp, by eating out their eyes and brains. It measures about three inches and one-third in length, and has a tail rather more than two inches long, is generally nearly black on the upper surface and white beneath, the colors being usually separated by a distinct line of demarcation. The hairs fringing the feet and the lower surface of the tail are white. CHAPTER XI. ORDER IV.— CARNIVORA. The Carnivora, or flesh-eating Mammals, are divided into great groups, or sub-orders, living on land and the other in the water. The first is the group of the Fissif edict, or "split-feet," so called from the fact that the feet are divided into well- marked toes; the second is the group of the Pinnipedia, or "fin-feet" (Seals, etc.), so called from the fact that the toes are bound together by skin, forming fins or flippers rather than feet. THE LAND CARNIVORA. This group, which comprises all the great "beasts of prey," is one of the most compact, as well as one of the most interesting among the Mammalia. So many of the animals contained in it have become "familiar in our mouths as household words," bearing as they do an important part in fable, in travel, and even in history; so many of them are of such wonderful beauty, so many of such terrible ferocity, that no one can fail to be interested in them, even apart from the fact likely to influence us more in their favor than any other — that the two home pets which of all others are the commonest and the most interesting belong to the group. No one who has had a dog friend, no one who has watched the wonderful instance of maternal love afforded by a cat with her kittens, no one who loves riding across the country after a fox, no lady with a taste for handsome furs, no boy who has read of lion and tiger hunts, and has longed to emulate the doughty deeds of the hunter, can fail to be interested in an assemblage which furnishes animals at once so useful, so beautiful, and so destructive. It must not be supposed from the name of this group that all its members are exclusively flesh-eaters— and, indeed, it will be hardly necessary to warn the reader against falling into this mistake, as there are few people who have never given a dog a biscuit, or a bear a bun. Still, both the dog and several kinds of bears prefer flesh-meat when they can get it; but there are some bears which live almost exclusively on fruit, and are therefore in strictness not carnivorous at all. The name must, however, be taken as a sort of general title for a certain set of animals which have certain characters in common, and which differ from all other animals in particular ways. 198 KING OF THE FOREST. 199 200 THE LAND CARNIVORA. Comparatively few of the flesh-eaters are of direct use to man, at any rate while alive, yet one member of the group — the dog — is the most useful of ail domestic quadrupeds, though derived from one of the most savage of all — the wolf. The ferret, the cheetah and the cat are also more or less domesticated; but they come far below the dog in amiable qualities, and in value to man. Below their value in service comes the use of their most beautiful skins; and still lower down the scent, derivable from a few species. Most of the Carnivora may be looked upon as man's natural enemies, tor he has no chance of making headway unless he can keep "the beast of the field'' from "increasing upon him." Amongst primeval men, the tribes who made the best weapons to keep off these, the destroyers of their families, were certain to succeed best in the struggle for existence, so that the act of sharpening a flint-stone to repel the attack of some wild beast may be said to have prepared the way for civilization, for flint knives led to bronze hatchets, bronze hatchets to axes and hammers of iron, and when once iron-working was understood and appreciated, civilization went on with gigantic strides. The Carnivora are found all over the world, from the equator to the poles; in most parts of the globe they are abundant, the great exception being the Austral- ian region of zoological geography, namely, the immense island of Australia, which can only boast of a dog, doubtfully native, and New Zealand and the adjacent Polynesian Islands, which are quite devoid of members of the group, the native dog of New Zealand having probably been recently introduced. There is considerable range of size among the various members of the group, the lion and tiger being the largest, the weasel and suricate the smallest. As to their habits, the Carnivora are much varied; leaving out as we do for the present the fin-footed seals, sea bears, and walruses, we yet have the semi-aquatic otter and Enhydra, or sea otter, both at home in the watery element, and most expert swimmers and divers; but for the most part of the flesh-eaters are inhabitants of the copse, the jungle, and the forest. Many are nimble climbers, some are arboreal in their habits, living entirely in trees, and most crepuscular, that is, hunt their prey after dusk. As to their diet, we mentioned above that they are by no means all flesh-eaters; in fact there is every gradition from those which live exclusively on animal food, such as the lion, tiger, etc., to the purely herbiborous kinds of bear. Some again, such as the cat family, seem to prefer flesh-meat, others, such as the otter, adopt a Lenten diet, and feed on fish or eggs. This matter, however, is, of course, largely determined by the habitat of the animal, those whose habitation is inland being compelled to devour land animals, while those living by the sea or by river-banks usually take to fish either occasionally or as a regular thing. Turning to the structure of the group, one of the first things that strikes us is the looseness of their skin, which, instead of being stretched on the body as tightly as a drum parchment, as it is in grass-eaters— for instance, the ox or hippopotamus THE LION AND HI 201 202 THE LAND CARNIVORA. — is quite "baggy," having between it and the flesh of the beast a layer of the loosest possible fibres. It is for this reason that the skin of any but a very fat dog can be pinched up so readily, while of a Herbivore it may be said you can hardly get up enough of him between your fingers and thumb to pinch him anywhere. In consequence of this the operation of skinning a lion or bear is a comparatively easy one. After the first cut the beast may be pulled out of his skin, almost without further use of the knife; while with an antelope or an ox the skin has to be cut away carefully and laboriously from the underlying flesh. The use of this loose skin will be very evident to any one who will take the trouble to watch the great cats playing together at the Zoological Gardens. They are continually scratching one another, but the loose skin is dragged round by the claws which, in consequence, can get no hold, and do no harm; with a tight skin, on the other hand, the slightest scratch of such a claw as a tiger's would cause a serious wound. The looseness ot the skin is very evident in the puma and jaguar, in which it hangs in a fold along the middle of the belly, like a great dewlap. The way in which the eyes of the Carnivora are set in their head indicates their habits of life. They look straight forward, and are expressive, in the nobler kinds, of the energy and cruelty of their owner's disposition. As in many of the Lemurs, the eye possesses what is called a tapetum, a sort of reflecting mirror in the bottom of the eye, which redoubles, as it were, the faint rays of evening, evidently a very important thing for these, mostly nocturnal, animals. The sense of hearing is as perfect as that of sight; not, perhaps, in the higher, musical sense ot the word, but for catching the faintest and feeblest undulations of the air. The mole is supposed to be most sharp of hearing; but it is a question whether he is quicker of hearing than his cruel neighbor the rabbit-killing weasel. Any one who has watched a cat sitting demurely by a mouse-hole, or a terrier on the look-out for a rat, will give the carnivores credit for the most acute sense of sound. Anatomy corroborates what simple observation suggests, and the internal as well as external organs of hearing in the Carnivora are most exquisitely perfect. Many members of the group live in families, that is, a male and female with their young form a little coterie by themselves, and associate very little with other families. Very few live in great societies or herds, after the manner of the grass- eating animals, such as oxen, antelopes, or wild horses, but an exception to this is afforded by the wild dogs of Constantinople, which roam the streets in great numbers, and by wolves, which invariably hunt in packs. The dogs and wolves, besides being gregarious, resemble the Herbivora in another and far less amiable characteristic, that is, they do not choose a mate for life or even for a season, but let their affections run wild and practice the most unmitigated polygamy and polyandry. Many of the larger cats, on the contrary — the lion, for instance — choose a mate, to whom they are wonderfully faithful. The young are always born in a comparatively helpless condition, not able to run about at once like a new-born calf or foal; they are generally blind for some THE LION. 203 time after birth, and are entirely dependent on the mother for food and warmth. The higher Carnivora are most kind parents, and to the best of their ability, educate their young. All writers bear witness to the painstaking way in which the parent lion or tiger trains up its young and practices them for their trade of slaughter. Sometimes both parents, sometimes only one, go out with their offspring, and by example and precept show them the safest places to hide, the proper moment to spring, the best place to seize the victim, and so on. And the future tyrants are very apt, they thoroughly enjoy their schooling, and make the best possible use of their opportunities; so much so that the young of the great cats are far more dreaded than the old ones, as they not only kill to satisfy hunger, but commit wholesale slaughter, simply for practice and to keep their paws in. We suppose that nine persons out of ten, if asked to give three common examples of land Carnivores, would, almost without hesitation, name the cat, the dog, and the bear. The most accomplished naturalist would be unable to give a better answer to this question, as those three well-known animals are types of the three primary sections into which the whole sub-order is divided, and which may, in fact, be termed respectively the groups of the cats, dogs, and bears. It must be borne in mind, however, that the words are here used in the broadest and most general sense, for the group of "cats" includes not only the animals properly so-called, but also the Civets, Ichneumons, hyenas, whilst amongst "bears" are grouped raccoons, otters, badgers, weasels, and many others. THE CAT FAMILY. This is the chief of the families of Carnivora, containing as it does all the great beasts of prey. Its members are the most perfectly constructed of animals for a life of rapine ; their weapons — teeth and claws — attain the utmost degree of perfection, and their elegant form, silent movements, and often beautiful coloring make them in every respect the culminating forms of the flesh-eating group, and one of the chief of the upper branches of the great Mammalian tree. The Felidae are found over almost the whole world, and wherever they are found they are feared, for such a compact assemblage of bloodthirsty tyrants and ruthless destroyers has no parallel in the whole animal kingdom. Every part of these animals is so altered and specialized from the usual type, of Mammalian structure as to assist in the best possible way the capturing, killing, and devouring of living prey. Looking merely at the outside, we are struck with the lithe, agile form, the small head, the total absence of anything like a"pot-belly," the weii-proportioned limbs, the usually close fur, the stealthy, silent movements, and the eager, restless glance ; all characters suited to an animal to which powers of quiet rapid movement through jungle or long grass, of quick observation, and of great strength and agility, are of the utmost importance. 204 THE LAND CARNIVORA. THE LION. The "King of Beasts" must, of course, be placed at the head of our list of beasts of pre)', for although he is excelled in size and ferocity by the tiger, in elegance of form by the leopard and jaguar, and in beauty of coloring by most of the great cats, yet it would be useless, even if it were advisable, to depose him from the throne he has, by the universal consent of mankind, so long occupied. And, truly, who would wish to uncrown him ? He is anything but an amiable beast — cruel and cowardly, greedy, treacherous, noisy, self-asserting, never forget- ful of the " divine right of kings " to prey upon their subjects. The lion is entirely confined to the Old World,where it ranges through Africa, from Barbary to Cape Colon) 7 , and extends into the southwest corner of xA.sia, where its range just overlaps that of the tiger. Except in this "debatable land" the two monarchs keep clear of one another, the lion keeping court over Africa and Southwest Asia, and the tiger ruling in Southern and Eastern Asia, the most important pretender in either kingdom being the leopard. When an animal has a wide geographical distribution it is almost always found that it exhibits, in different parts of its range, more or less well-marked varieties, distinguished from one another by evident though usually unimportant characters. This is the case with the lion, of which six varieties are usually distinguished, three being found in Africa and three in Asia. These varieties, or races, are as follows: 1. The lion of Barbary is of a deep yellowish-brown color, and the mane is more developed than in any other variety, forming long tresses which cover the neck and shoulders, and are continued along the belly and the inside of the legs. This variety extends over the whole of Africa north of the Sahara. 2. The lion of Senegal is found in the western part of Africa, south of the Sahara. Its fur is of a lighter color than that of the Barbary Lion, and the mane is less thick, and hardly at all developed over the breast and inside of the legs. 2. The lion of the Cape ranges over the whole of South Africa, and is said to be found under two lesser varieties, one yellowish in color, and the other brown; the latter is considered to be the most formidable. The mane is darker than in either of the foregoing kinds. 4. The Bengal Lion, as well as the other Asiatic varieties, is smaller than the kinds found in Africa. The mane is large, and the form less graceful than in the Cape or Barbary Lion. 5. The Persian or Arabian Lion. — This is a paler variety found in Western Asia. 6. The lion of Guzerat, or so-called "maneless lion," is usually stated to be the best marked variety of all, as its mane, though by no means absent, as the name of the variety would lead us to suppose, is very much less than in any other kind ; the body also is bulkier, and the legs shorter. Some writers, however, deny alto- gether the distinctness of the variety, and consider that the mistake of considering THE LION. 205 the Guzerat Lion as such, has arisen from the fact of young specimens having been described. The real size of the lion is much less than would be supposed before measurement; and he is very inferior in size to many kinds of the herbi- vorous animals, such as horses, oxen and buffaloes, and even the larger antelopes, such as the eland. LION OF BARBARY. It is curious to see what wonderfully different impressions are produced on different writers by the appearance of the lion in his native haunts. For instance, Captain Harris says, " Those who have seen the monarch of the forest in crippling captivity only, immured in a cage barely double his own length, with his sinews relaxed by confinement, have seen but the shadow of that animal which 'clears the desert with his rolling eye.' " On the other hand, Livingstone speaks in the most disrespectful, not to sav contemptuous way, of the animal's vaunted majesty of bearing : "When a lion is 206 THE LAND CARNIVORA. met in the daytime, a circumstance by no means unfrequent to travelers in these parts, if pre-conceived notions do not lead them to expect something very 'noble' or 'majestic,' they will see merely an animal somewhat larger than the biggest dog they ever saw, and partaking very strongly of the canine features. The face is not much like the usual drawings of a lion, the nose being prolonged like a dog's ; not exactly such as our painters make it, though they might learn better at the Zoological Gardens ; their ideas of majesty being usually shown by making their lion's faces like old women in nightcaps. When encountered in the daytime, the lion stands a second or two gazing, then turns slowly round, and walks as slowly away for a dozen paces, looking over his shoulder ; then begins to trot, and, when he thinks himself out of sight, bounds off like a grevhound." The concluding sentence of this passage shows that Livingstone considers not only the lion's beauty to have been over-rated, but his courage also. The following extract quite bears out this opinion: "On riding briskly along early one morning, I observed, as I thought, a soli- tary zebra a few hundred yards in advance. I instantly alighted, and leaving 'Spring' (his horse) to take care of himself, I made toward the quarry, gun in hand, under cover of a few small trees. Having proceeded for some distance, I peeped cautiously from behind a bush, when I found, to my astonishment, that the animal which I had taken for a zebra was nothing less than a noble lion. He was quietly gazing at me. I must confess I felt a little startled at the unexpected apparition; but, recovering quickly from my surprise, I advanced to meet him. He, however, did not think fit to wait till I was within proper range, but turned tail and fled toward the Swakess. Hoping to be able to come to close quarters with him, I followed at the top of my speed, and was rapidly gaining ground on the brute, when suddenly, with two or three immense bounds, he cleared an open space, and was the next moment hidden from view among the thick reeds that here lined the banks of the river. Having no dogs with me, all my efforts to dislodge him from his stronghold proved unavailing. Whilst still lingering about the place, I came upon the carcass of a gnu, on which a troop of lions had, apparently, been feasting not many minutes previously. Undoubtedly my somewhat dastardly friend had been one of the party." After such rude shocks as these to our faith in the African monarch's courage, Tt is positively refreshing to come across instances where the lion has shown him- self capable of very great boldness, such, for instance, as the following : " We were waked up suddenly by hearing one of the oxen bellowing and the dogs barking. It was moderately dark, and I seized Clifton's double rifle, and rushed out, not knowing where, when I saw the driver perched on the top of a temporary hut, made of grass, about six feet high, roaring lustily for a doppe- (cap). I scrambled up just as the poor ox ceased his cries, and heard th lions growling and roaring on the top of him, not more than fourteen yards from where we were, but it was too dark to see them. I fired, however, in the direction of the THE LION. 207 sound, and just above the body of the ox, which I could distinguish tolerably well, as it was a black one. Diza (the driver) followed my example; and as the lions did not take the least notice, I fired my second barrel, and was just proceeding- to load ray own gun, which Jack had brought me, when I was aware, for a single nstantonly, that the lion was coming; and the same moment I was knocked half a dozen somersaults backward off the hut, the brute striking me in the chest with his head. I gathered myself up in a second, and made a dash at a fence just behind me, and scrambled through it, gun in hand, but the muzzle was choked with dirt. I then made for the wagon, and got on the box, where I found all the Kaffirs, who could not get inside, sticking like monkeys, and Diza perched on the top. How THE LION OF SENEGAL. he got there seemed to me a miracle, as he was alongside me when the brute charged. A minute or two afterwards one of them marched off a goat, one of five that were tethered by the foot to the hut that we had so speedily evacuated. " Diza, thinking he had a chance, fired from the top of the wagon, and the recoil knocked him backwards onto the tent, which broke his fall. It was a most ludicrous sight altogether. After that we were utterly defeated, and the brutes were allowed to eat their meal unmolested, which they continued to do for some time, growling fiercely all the while. The Kaffirs said there were five in all. I fired once again, but without effect; and we all sat shivering with cold without any clothes on till near daybreak, when our enemies beat a retreat, and I was not sorry to turn in again between the blankets. I was just beginning to get warm again 208 %HE LAND CARNIVORA when I was aroused by a double shot, and rushed out on hearing that the driver and after rider had shot the lion. We went to the spot, and found a fine lioness dead, with a bullet through the ribs from the after-rider; a good shot, as she was at least 150 yards off. Another had entered the neck just behind the head, and travelled all along the spine nearly to the root of the tail. I claimed the shot, and forthwith proceeded to skin her. I cut out the ball ; it proved to be my shot out of Clifton's rifle. This accounted for her ferocious onslaught. The after-rider was rather chopfallen at having to give her up to the rightful owner. "Diza got a claw in his thigh, and the gun which he had in his hand was frightfully scratched on the stock: rather sharp practice. A strong-nerved old Kaffir woman lay in the hut the whole time, without a door or anything whatever between her and the lions, and kept as still as a mouse all the while." Again:— "The enemy disdainfully surveyed us for several minutes, daring us to approach with an air of conscious power and pride, which well beseemed his grizzled form. As the rifle balls struck the ground nearer and nearer at each dis- charge, his wrath, as indicated by his glistening eyes, increased roar, and impatient switching of the tail, was clearly getting the mastery over his prudence. Presently a shot broke his leg. Down he came upon the other three with reckless impet, uosity, his tail straight out and whirling on its axis, his mane bristling on end, and his eyeballs flashing rage and vengeance. Unable, however, to overtake our horses, he shortly retreated under a heavy fire, limping and discomfitted, to his stronghold. Again we bombarded him, and again exasperated he rushed into the plain with headlong fury, the blood now streaming from his open jaws, and dyeing his mane with crimson. It was a gallant charge, but it was to be his last. A well- directed shot arresting him in full career, he pitched with violence upon his skull, and throwing a complete somersault, subsided amid a cloud of dust." The lion has some excuse for occasionally developing a strong running away propensity. His pace when going at full speed is wonderfully rapid, considering the length of his legs. As the following extract shows, he is able to outrun a first- rate horse, so that the animals on which he usually feeds would, if he choose to pursue them, have simply no chance whatever against him. As we shall see, how- ever, the lion seldom pursues his prey, preferring to lie in ambush and to spring upon a passing herd. This consideration makes the following experience rather remarkable. The lion probably pursued Mr. Baldwin not to satisfy appetite, but for revenge. "Now for an adventure with a lion, which I have reserved for the last. On Friday the old Masara captain paid me a visit. He had seen a lion in the path, and left a lot of Masaras to watch him. I had been working hard all day in the hot sun with an adze, making a dissel-boom for the wagon, and was tired, lame and shaky in the arms, and did not feel at all up to the mark for rifle-shooting; but I ordered 'Ferns' to be saddled, who was also not at all fresh, having had a tre- mendous burst in the morning across a flat after a lean Eland cow. Just after, I THE LION. 209 caught sight of about twenty-five Masaras sitting down, all armed to the teeth with shields and assegais. My attention was attracted to a Kaffir skull, which struck me as a bad omen, and the thought entered ray head that it might be my fate to lay mine to bleach there. I did not, however, suffer this thought to unnerve me. but proceeded, and found that the lion had decamped. The Masaras followed his spoor about a couple of miles, when he broke cover. I did not see him at first, but gave chase in the direction in which the Masaras pointed, saw him, and followed for about 1,000 yards, as he had a long start, when he stood in a nasty thorn thicket. I dismounted at about sixty or seventy yards, and shot at him. I could only see his outline, and that very indistinctly, and he dropped so instan- taneously, that I thought I had shot him dead. 1 remounted and reloaded, and took a short circle, and stood up in my stirrup to catch a sight of him. His eyes glared so savagely, and he lay crouched in so natural a position, with his ears alone erect, the points black as night, that I saw in a moment I had missed him. I was then about eighty yards from him, and was weighing the chances of getting a shot at him from behind an immense ant-heap, about fifty yards nearer. I had just put the horse in motion with that intention when on he came with a tremendous roar, and 'Ferns' whipped round like a top, away at full speed. My horse is a fast one, and has run down the Gemsbok, one of the fleetest antelopes, but the way the lion ran him in was terrific. In an instant I was at my best pace, leaning forward, rowels deep into my horse's flanks, looking back over my left shoulder over a hard, flat, excellent galloping ground. On came the lion, two strides to my one. I never saw anything like it, and never want to do so again. To turn in the saddle and shoot darted across my mind when he was within three strides of me, but on second thought I gave a violent jerk on the near rein, and a savage dig at the same time with the off-heel, armed with a desperate rowel, just in the nick of time, as the old manikin bounded by me, grazing my right shoulder with his, and all but unhorsing me, but I managed to right myself by clinging to the near stirrup-leather. He immediately slackened his speed. As soon as I could pull up, which was not all at once, as 'Ferns' had his mettle up, I jumped off, and made a very pretty and praiseworthy shot, considering the fierce ordeal I had just passed (though I say it, who ought not), breaking his hind leg at 150 yards off, just at the edge of the thicket. Fearful of losing him, as the Masaras were still flying for bare life over the velt, with their shields over their heads, and I knew nothing would prevail on them to take the spoor again, I was in the saddle, and chasing him like mad in an instant, His broken leg gave me great confidence, though he went hard on three legs; and I jumped off forty yards behind him, and gave him the second barrel— a good shot just above the root of the tail, breaking his spine, when he lay under a bush roaring furiously, and I gave him two in the chest before he cried 'Enough !' He was an old manikin, fat and furious, having only four huge yellow blunt fangs left." Not only has the lion advantage of great courage — at least, except when com- ing in contact with those he feels to be his masters — and of great swiftness, but his H 210 THE LAND CARNIVORA. strength is prodigious. He will fell an ox or an antelope with a single blow of his paw, break his neck with one crunch of his cruel teeth, and bound off with it to his lair as easily as if he were only carrying a rabbit. With a calf in his mouth he has been known to leap a wall nine feet high. Not an animal of the forest, save the rhinoceros, can hope to escape from such terrible perfections as these. Any quarry the lion may choose — ox, antelope or zebra — is bound to succumb. There is another characteristic about the beast which is a valuable accessory weapon. We mean the terrible roar — that deafening thunder voice, at sound of which the leopard and hyena hold their breath in awe, and the doomed flocks tremble and flee. With man even the noise, when heard for the first, produces an indescribable feeling, and a firm conviction that all his courage will be needed to meet such a fearful opponent. Sometimes, however, the lion seems to exercise his voice for fun, or for practice, rather than for striking terror into his hearers. The lion is a solitary animal, hunting alone, except from the commencement of the breeding season, when his wife goes with him, up to the time when the babies are beginning to know how to take care of themselves. Until they have arrived at months of discretion, "the lion tears in pieces enough for his whelps and strangles for his lionesses, and fills his holes with prey and his dens with ravine." The lion's den is made by scraping away the surface of the earth in some secluded spot, where the beast remains as long as game is plentiful, and there is no one to disturb him. When he has used up one hunting-ground, he departs for "fresh fields and pastures new." He hunts entirely by night, at which time it is not safe for any one, in a lion neighborhood, to stir without firearms, for the lion, with the laziness which distin- guishes him, will always prefer man-meat caught at once, to antelope or zebra- meat, for which he will have the trouble of looking. In the day time he spends most of the time in sleeping off his bloody carouse, and, until nightfall, is always very unwilling to be disturbed, and unless molested hardly at all dangerous, except in the breeding season. This seems curious, as, from the ferocity of the animal when attacked, or when he is catering for himself by night, it savors of the mar- velous to talk of such a savage being harmless under any circumstances. But there can be no doubt about the fact ; he seems to object to expose his actions not only to the light of day, but also to that of the moon. For this, we have the testi- mony of a man whose loss Englishmen have not yet ceased to deplore ; a man who, by universal consent, is facile princeps in the rank of African explorers: "By day there is not, as a rule, the smallest danger of lions which are not molested attacking man, nor even on a clear moonlight night, except they possess a breeding affection. This makes them brave almost any danger. And. if a man happens to cross to the windward of them, both lion and lioness will rush at him, in the manner of a bitch with whelps. This does not often happen, as I only became aware of two or three instances of it. In one case a man, passing when LIONS ROARING. the wind blew from him to the animals, was bitten before he could climb a tree! And, occasionally, a man on horseback has been caught by the leg under the same circumstances. So general, how- ever, is the sense of security, on moon- 211 212 THE LAND CARNIVORA. light nights, that we seldom tied up our oxen, but let them lie loose by the wagons. While, on a dark, rainy night, if a lion is in the neighborhood, he is almost sure to venture to kill an ox." The following passage shows how unusual it is for a lion to do an)' damage by day ; so uncommon that the natives consider a supernatural cause necessary to account for so remarkable an occurrence : " The Bakatla of the village Mabatsa 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 neighboring tribe.' The)'' 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." The darker and stormier the night is the better the lions like it, and the more persistent will be their attacks. " The new moon brought, if possible, a more abundant supply of rain than usual ; nor did the lions fail to take advantage of the nocturnal tempest, having twice endeavored to effect an entrance into the cattle- fold. It continued, until nine o'clock the next morning, to pour with such violence that we were unable to open the canvas curtains of the wagon. Peeping out, however, to ascertain if there was any prospect of its clearing up, we perceived three lions squatted within a hundred yards, in open plain, attentively watching the oxen. Our rifles were hastily seized, but the dampness of the atmosphere pre_ vented their exploding. One after another, too, the Hottentots sprang out of the pack-wagons, and snapped their guns at the unwelcome intruders, as they trotted sulkily away, and took up their position on a stony eminence at no great distance. Fresh caps and priming were applied, and a broadside was followed by the instan- taneous demise of the largest, whose cranium was perforated by two bullets at the same instant. Swinging their tails over their backs, the survivors took warning by the fate of their companion, and dashed into the thicket with a roar." When a lion is fortunate enough to live in the neighborhood of villages, he naturally prefers the least troublesome course of selecting his supper from the flocks and herds of the inhabitants. It is said that in Algeria, some twenty years ago, each lion in the course of his life, cost the Arabs upward of $40,000.00, as he destroys every year cattle, horses, camels, etc., to the value of $1,200.00, and the average duration of a lion's life may be taken at thirty-five years. Thus, Jules Gerard, the celebrated lion killer, remarks that in one district the Arab who paid five francs a year to the State, paid fifty to the lion ! If there are no farms or villages handy, the lion has to content himself with the more troublesome course of catching wild prey. To this end he lies in ambush in some convenient spot, and waits patiently or impatiently until a herd of antelopes or zebras passes by, when he leaps upon one of the number, roaring terribly. He usually strikes the animal down at once, by the immense weight of his body, the LIONESS AND YOUNG. 213 214 THE LAND CARNIVORA. terrible blow of his paw, and the fearful grip of his teeth in the neck of his victim. If he misses his aim he never pursues the flying herd, but returns dejectedly to his lair and waits for another opportunity. The lion is said sometimes to develop the taste for "man-eating,'' which makes the tiger so terrible. This, however, is comparatively rare, except in old animals ; but, whether he eats men by choice or not, his depredations are fearfully extensive, especially when he has had a good deal of experience, knows exactly when to attack a place, and has lost wholly or in part the fear of man, which usually dis- tinguishes him. Here is an account of the termination of the career of one of these heroes, a perfect Dick Turpin among lions, so great had become his skill in "lifting": " We had not been many davs at that place when a magnificent lion suddenly appeared one night in the midst of a village. A small dog that had incautiously approached the beast paid the penalty of it life for its daring. The next day a grand chase was got up, but the lion, being on his guard, managed to elude his pursuers. The second day, however, he was killed by Messrs. Galton and Bam ; and, on, cutting him up, the poor dog was found, still undigested, in his stomach, bitten into five pieces. The natives highly rejoiced at the successful termination of the hunt; for this animal had proved himself to be one of the most daring and destructive ever known, having in a short time, killed upward of fifty oxen, cows, and horses. When he had previously been chased he had always escaped unscathed and every successive attack made upon him only served to increase his ferocity." The lion enjoys the honorable distinction of being, unlike most carnivora, strictly faithful to his spouse, although report says that she is by no means so vir- tuous, but only cleaves to her mate until a stronger and handsomer one turns up. Let us hope this is a base calumny. At the breeding season each lioness is usually followed by a number of lions, who try all means in their power to gain her affec- tions, and fight the most terrible battles with one another. In these fights the mane is of great use, for its length and thickness prevents the combatants taking a firm grip of one another's neck. Thus, the lion with the finest mane has the best chance of succeeding in life in two ways. The lioness is more likely to take a fancy to him than to a less favored suitor, for most of the lower animals, as well as ourselves, appreciate personal adornment very strongly; and he has also' the best possible protection in the tournament in which he is obliged to take part,, fighting against all comers. When the battle is over, and the "queen of love and beauty'' has bestowed the prize— herself — on the victor, the happy pair live together until the young are able to take care of themselves. The male often hunts for his mate, and allows her to take as much as she wants of the prey before satisfying his own hunger He cares for her in the same wa)' all the time she is suckling, and for the litter from the time when they are weaned till they are able to hunt for themselves. THE LI OX— THE TIGER. 215 The lioness produces from two to six at a litter. The cubs are delightful little creatures, about as big as a moderate-sized cat, blind at first, with pretty, innocent faces, and delightfully playful ways. The mother is devoted to them. When the cubs are about eight to twelve months old they begin hunting for themselves, by attacking smaller animals, such as sheep and goats, under their parents' direction. The period between the ages of one and two years is the worst part of the lion's existence, as far as the inhabitants of the district are concerned, for they "kill not only to support themselves, but also in order to learn how to kill." At the age of three the young lion's education is complete ; he leaves his father's house, and begins to think of getting a house and a wife for himself, and then in her company he "roars after his prey and seeks his meat from God" for the THE TIGER rest of his career. He is not full-grown until the age of eight, when he may be considered as quite adult ; and for many }'ears to come revels in the consciousness of unconquerable strength and power, and oppresses all inferior creatures to his heart's content. THE TIGER. As the lion is king of beasts in Central Africa, so the tiger reigns supreme in a large portion of Southern Asia, where it is the most dreaded foe of the native, and the noblest game of the English sportsman. Its great size, its wonderful activity and strength, its glorious coloring, make it, in many respects, the most striking of all the great Carnivora. The marvelous symmetry of its form, making it almost as much a "line of beauty in perpetual motion" as the greyhound; the flame-like bands of orange-yellow, with interspersed black shadows, winding over its lithe sides and terrible countenance, as well as the ferocity of its 216 THE LAND CARNIVORA. disposition, and its seeming uselessness but for the work of destruction, have been the theme of one of the wierdest, most wonderful melodies of the artist-poet Blake. The color of a full grown tige-r in good health is exceedingly beautiful. The ground is of a rufous or tawny-yellow, shaded into white on the ventral sur- face. This is varied with vertical black stripes, or elongated ovals or brindlings. On the face and on the back of the ears the white markings are peculiarly well defined, and present an appearance as remarkable as beautiful. The depth of shade of the ground color, and the intensity of the black markings, vary according to the age and condition of the animal. In old tigers the ground becomes more tawny, of a lighter shade, and the black markings better defined. The young are more dusky in the ground coloring than the middle-aged or old tigers. The depth of color is also affected by locality and climate. Those found in forests are of a deeper shade than tigers found in more open localities. It is said that in more northern latitudes they are of a lighter color, almost white. The circular white patches on the back of the ears, and the white and black about the face, are very conspicuous in the tiger, rushing through the grass or jungle when disturbed. Brilliant as is the general color, it is remarkable how well it harmonizes with the grass or bush among which he prowls, and for which, indeed, until his charge, and the short deep growls or barkings which accompany it, reveal his presence, he may be mistaken. The tigress differs from the tiger; the head, as well as the whole body, is smaller and narrower. The neck is lighter, and is devoid of any crest, which, though very much smaller than the voluminous mane of the lion, undoubtedly exists in large and old males. The tigress is Hther, more active, and when accompanied by her offspring, far more savage and bloodthirsty than the male; she will then attack, even when unprovoked; and in defense of her young, of which she is proverbially fond, is as courageous as she is vicious. Most of the accidents that have befallen sportsmen and others who have encountered these animals have been due to tigresses. I have seen a tigress, accompanied by her young, charge, unprovoked, a line of elephants, and inflict severe injuries before she was dispatched. The only well authenticated case in which a sportsman was taken out of a houdah was one in which a tigress, in one bound, reached the sportsman, her hind feet resting on the elephant's head, the fore feet on the rail of the houdah. The occupant, who had mortally wounded her as she sprang, was seized, and, after a short struggle, dragged or thrown to the ground. The tigress then received another bullet, and died where she fell; the sportsman, severely wounded, was carried into camp, and slowly recovered. "It is generally admitted that the tiger attains the greatest size in India, and there can be no doubt that he is really the largest of the existing Felidae. The size of the tiger varies; some individuals attain great bulk and weight, though they are shorter than others which are of a slighter and more elongated form. The statements as to the lengths they attain are conflicting, and often exaggerated; errors are apt to arise from measurements taken from the skin after it is stretched, 218 THE LAND CARNIVORA. when it may be ten or twelve inches longer than before removal from the body. The tiger should be measured from the nose along the spine to the tip of the tail as he lies dead on the spot where he fell before the skin is removed. One that is ten feet by this measurement is large, and the full-grown male does not often exceed this, though no doubt larger individuals (males) are occasionally seen, and I have been informed by Indian sportsmen of reliability that they have seen and killed tigers over twelve feet in length. The full-grown male Indian tiger, therefore, may be said to be from nine to twelve feet, or twelve feet two inches, the tigress from eight to ten, or perhaps, in very rare instances, eleven feet in length, the height being from three to three and a half, or, very rarely, four feet at the shoulder. " In disposition the tiger differs but little from the other wild Felidae. Although possessed of such immense strength and ferocity, he often shows himself a very coward. Like most animals he scarcely ever attacks an armed man unless pro- voked, that is, unless he (or she) be a confirmed 'man-eater,' although often seizing upon women and children. He shares with our domestic cat a love of cruelty for its own sake. It is sometimes an interesting sight to witness the demeanor of a tiger toward his terrified prey. When not raging with hunger, he appears to derive the same pleasure from playing with his victim as a cat in tormenting a mouse. He gambols around the buffalo as if enjoying his alarm ; and when the affrighted animal, in mad despair, feebly attempts to butt at his remorseless foe, the tiger bounds lightly over his head, and recommences his gambols at the other side. At last, as if he had succeeded in creating an appetite for dinner, he crushes the skull of his victim with one blow of his powerful fore-paw, and soon com- mences his bloody meal." Another point in which the tiger resembles the cat is the devotion of the female to her offspring, and the remarkably lively and skittish disposition of the "kittens," of which from two to five are usually produced at a birth. She is a most affectionate and attached mother, and generally guards and trains her young with the most watchful solicitude. They remain with her until nearly full grown, or about the second year, when they are able to cater for themselves. Whilst they remain with her she is peculiarly vicious and aggressive, defending them with the greatest courage and energy, and when robbed of them is terrible in her rage; she has nevertheless been knowa to desert them when pressed, and even to eat them when starved. As soon as they begin to require other food than her milk she kills for them, and teaches them to do so for themselves by practicing on small animals, such as deer, and young calves and pigs. At these times she is wanton and extravagant in her cruelty, killing apparently for the gratification of her ferocious and blood- thirsty nature, and perhaps, to excite and instruct the young ones, and it is not until they are thoroughly capable of providing their own food that she separates from them. THE TIGER. 219 The young tigers are far more destructive than the old. They will kill three or four cows at a time, whilst the elder and more experienced rarely kill more than one, and this at intervals of from three or four days to a week. For this purpose the tiger will leave its retreat in the dense jungle, proceed to the neighborhood of a village, and during the night will steal toward the herds and strike down a bullock, drag it into a secluded place, and then remain near the "murrie," or kill, for several days, until it has eaten it, when it will proceed in search of a further supply. When it has once found good hunting ground in the vicinity of a village, it continues its ravages, destroving one or two cows or buffaloes a week. It is very fond of the ordinary domestic cattle which, in the plains of India, are gen- TIGER HUNTING. erally weak, half-starved, under-sized creatures. One of these is easily struck down and carried or dragged off. The smaller buffaloes are also easily disposed of, but the buffalo bulls, and especially the wild ones, are formidable antagonists, and have often been known to beat the tiger off, and even to wound them seriously with their horns. Some notion of the fearful damages committed by tigers in India will be gained from the following extract: "Cattle killed in my district are numberless. As regards human beings, one tiger in 1867-8-9, killed, respectively, twenty -seven, thirty-four, forty-seven people. I have known it attack a party and kill four or five at a time. Once it killed a father, mother and three children; and the week before it was shot it killed seven people. It wandered over a tract of twenty 220 THE LAND CARNIVORA. miles, never remaining in the same spot two consecutive days, and at last was destroyed by a bullet from a spring gun, when returning to feed at the body of one of its victims — a woman." As might naturally be expected, an enemy so dreadful is sure to have super- natural power ascribed to it by the credulous natives, whose property is destroyed, and whose lives are endangered by the ravages of this terrible beast. People in the state of civilization of the ordinary Indian villages are sure to think there is something more than natural in an animal capable of such wholesale destruc- tion, so wantonly cruel, of such fearful strength and such terrible beauty. Of course tiger-hunting is, par excellence, the "royal sport of India;" the game calling forth more courage and address from the sportsman than any other, and the "spice of danger" so necessary to the true sportsman being at its maximum. Usually, a hunt is made up of a considerable number of sportsmen, accompanied by a crowd of beaters. The elephant upon which each hunter rides is provided with a houdah of light wood and basket work, and consisting of two compart- ments, a front one in which the sportsman himself sits, and a hinder one occupied by his servant, who is in readiness with spare guns. The driver or mahout, sits on a cushion on the elephant's neck, armed with a pointed iron rod, or guj bag, toevery touch of which the docile animal answers. On arriving at a portion of the jungle where tigers are known to exist, the sportsmen hold themselves in readiness with loaded rifles, while the beaters, on foot, encircle the jungle, and endeavor, with shouts and gesticulations, to drive the game from their lurking place to the destruction which awaits them. As soon as a tiger appears every piece is leveled at him, and, in many cases, he is dispatched at once ; but often he is either entirely missed, or only slightly wounded, and then he at once makes for the nearest elephant, and often succeeds in making elephant, or mahout, or even sportsman, feel his cruel teeth and claws, before the coup de grace is given. A tiger is at no time the easiest thing to kill ; like its humble kinsman, the cat, it has "nine lives" to part with, and these lives are much more tenacious than in the case of poor puss. A tiger, holding on with tooth and claw to a writh- ing elephant, in such a position that a misdirected shot may kill man or elephant instead of tiger, is an extremely awkward beast indeed to deal with, and is often enabled to sell his life very dearly. When the day's sport is over, the tigers are either carried into camp on pad elephants, or skinned where they lie; the natives possessing themselves of the flesh, and everything else of which they can lay hold. The foregoing is the legitimate method of keeping down the tiger race, but many others are employed. "They are snared in pitfalls and traps, shot by spring guns and arrows, occasionally poisoned, and it is said that bird-lime has been used in their destruction." The perils of tiger-hunting are great and varied. In the following instance related by Sir Joseph Fayrer a large comic element was introduced, although the THE TIGER ESCAPED. 221 222 THE LAND CARNIVORA. fun is probably more striking to us to read of than it was to the hunter and his mahout, who took part in it : "A rather curious tiger-hunt, in which the tiger seemed to think that he should have his share of the sport as well as the ' shikarie,' occurred some short time ago in the Dhoon. A gentleman, well known in Dehra, an enthusiastic though rather inexperienced sportsman, the}' sav, went out about a month ago, into the Eastern Dhoon, for a day or two's shooting. Arrived on the ground, he was seated in his houdah on the elephant, looking ont anxiously for game of some sort, when the mahout suddenly cried, ' Sher, Sahib; burra, Sher!' for a tiger had made his appearance unexpectedly close to the elephant. The gentleman hurriedly fired, and planted a ball from his rifle, not in the tiger's shoulder, but in his abdomen. This mistake must have been due to surprise at the tiger's sudden advent on the scene, and the consequently hurried shot; otherwise such a want of knowledge of anatomy as was evinced in seeking a vital spot in the abdomen would be unpardon- able. The consequences of the mistake were serious ; for the tiger, resenting the sudden disturbance in the region where the remains of his last kill were peacefully reposing, charged the elephant, and, by a spring, succeeded in planting his fore paws on her head, while his hind legs clawed and scratched vigorously for a foot- ing on her trunk. " Imagine the feelings of the mahout, with a tiger within six inches of his nose ! the elephant trumpeting, shaking, and rolling with rage and pain, till he was barely able to maintain his seat on her neck at all ; and the occupant of the houdah, too, tumbled from top to bottom, and from side to side of it, as if he were a solitary pill in a pillbox too large for him. Of course, in this predicament, he was utterly unable to use his rifle to rid the elephant of the unwelcome head-dress she was, perforce, wearing. The attempt to fire, in all that shaking, would probably have resulted in his blowing out the mahout's brains instead of the tiger's, or in his shooting himself. Meanwhile, the mahout, with the courage of despair, slipped out of the gaddela, or cushion, on which he sat, and rolling it round his left arm, and taking the iron gujbag in his right, assailed the tiger manfully about the ears. But, being thick-headed, he did not seem to mind the gujbag at all ; for, after taking a bite at the elephant's forehead, he calmly continued his struggles for a footing on the reluctant and ever-dodging trunk, heedless of the rain of blows on his thick skull, and no doubt, promising himself to square accounts presently by swallowing the mahout, gujbag, and all. But the elephant was beginning to see that she couldn't shake the tiger off, so she tried another plan ; and, making an extempore battering-ram of herself, with the tiger as a buffer, she charged straight at a sal- tree, thinking to make a tiger pancake on the spot. But the sal-tree, alas! was a small one, and gave way under the shock, and away went tree, tiger, and elephant into an old and half filled-up obi, or elephant pit, which happened to be conven- iently placed to receive them just on the other side of the fallen tree. The tiger and the mahout were both knocked off by the shock and fall ; but the latter, luckily TIGER AND CROCODILE FIGHTING. 223 224 ThE LAND CARNIVORA. for himself, fell out of the pit, the former into it, under the elephant. The elephant now had her share ot the sport, and gave the tiger such a kicking while he lay under her, making a kind of shuttlecock of him between her fore and hind legs, that the breath must have been almost kicked out of him ; then deeming she had done enough for honor and glory, and that she couldn't eat the tiger if she did kill him, she commenced climbing out of the pit, whose crumbled and sloping sides luckily made the scramble out practicable. The mahout, who had by this time picked himself and his scattered wits up, rushed round and caught her by the ear just as she reached the level, and was preparing for a bolt, and scrambling rapidly up to his perch on her neck, succeeded in stopping her and turning her face to the foe once more. The elephant being now under command, our sportsman at length resumed his proper share in the proceedings, and the tiger, being still at the bot- tom of the pit, breathless, if not senseless, from the kicking he had undergone, by a well-directed shot put him finally hors de combat, and had the satisfaction of carry- ing him into the station in triumph, where his skin is preserved as a witness of this strange tiger-hunt. The elephant, though it got one nasty bite, and was badly scratched about the trunk and forelegs, is now none the worse for its single com- bat with the monarch of the Indian forests." Mr. Thompson recounts a tale of a planter, who, returning home after a carouse, a little too much under the influence of Scotch whisky, was sorely bested by a tiger: " It was rather dark, and verging on the small hours of morning when MacNab, mounting on his trusty steed, set his face toward home. Feeling at peace with all men, and even with the beasts of prey, he cantered along a road bordered with mangroves, admiring the fitful gleams of the fire-flies that were lighting their midnight lamps among the trees. But soon the road became darker, and Donald, the pony, pricked his ears uneasily as he turned into a jungle-path which led toward the stream. Donald snuffed the air, and soon redoubled his pace, with ears set close back, nostrils dilated, and bristling mane. Onward he sped, and at last the angry growl of a tiger in full chase behind roused MacNab to the full peril of his position, and chilled his blood with the thought that his pursuer was fast gaining ground, and that at any moment he might feel the clutch of his hungry and relentless claws. Here was a dilemma, the cold creek before him, and the hot breath of the tiger in the rear. A moment or two were gained by tossing his hat behind him, and then Donald crossed the stream at a bound. The tiger lost his scent, and Mr. MacNab reached home in safety, by what he delighted to describe as a miraculous escape." To us, who " live at home at ease,'' life would seem to be hardly bearable in a place where one is liable, any day, to meet with such an adventure as this — with every chance, too, of a less pleasant termination. But it is astonishing how indif- ferent to the presence of wild beasts the inhabitants of these countries become. Even Europeans soon acquire the same fearlessness, or, rather, apathy. Of this Mr. Thompson gives a striking illustration : " In these sparse settlements of at H« jers aT Home THE LEOPARD. 225 Malays and Chinese, Roman Catholic missionaries are at work. I once fell in with one of these priests, shod with straw sandals, and walking alone toward Bukit, to visit a sick convert who had a clearing upon the mountain side. His path lay through a region infested with wild animals; and when I inquired if he had no dread of tigers, he pointed to his Chinese umbrella, his only weapon, and assured me that with a similar instrument a friend of his had driven off the attack of a tigernot very far from where we stood. But the nervous shock which fol- lowed that triumph had cost the courageous missionary his life." THE LEOPARD. The leopard, or panther, is undoubtedly the third in importance and interest of the great cats. From a historical point of view it is more interesting than the tiger, and would naturally come immediately after the lion, but its size, ferocity and beauty are so very inferior to the tiger's that it must needs yield to the glorious Bengalee. In the matter of beauty alone it is eclipsed by the jaguar, but the fact of its having been known from very ancient times, must decide us, in the absence of any important characters, anatomical or otherwise, to give it the precedence of its very nearly related American cousin. The characters of the hide are so characteristic that they must be given in some detail, especially as the spots must be distinguished from those of the jaguar, the great spotted cat of the New World. The skin is described as follows: "On an orange-yellow ground, passing below into white, are spots of deep or brownish- black, sometimes distinct, sometimes composed of two, three, or even four points disposed in a circle, and surrounding a space, always somewhat darker than the ground color, and shading into it below. On the medio-dorsal line, in the hind part of the body, the spots are so arranged as to produce three or even four regular parallel bands. On the side of the body, also, bands are found, but they are indefi- nite in number, and irregularly disposed. On the head and legs, the circular spots pass by degrees into mere points. The belly is strewn with great double points, irregularly disposed, and on the legs the points, also double, unite and form bands. The tail is covered over the greater part of its length with annular spots. On the hinder part of the ears is a clear spot." It must not be supposed, however, that all leopards have exactly the kind of marking here described, for it varies according to habitat, age, sex and season. Still the skin markings are definite enough to enable one to tell the true leopard, either from the hunting leopard (cheetah), the jaguar, or the clouded tiger, the only animals with which there is any possibility of confounding it. In size the leopard is decidedly inferior to either the lion or tiger; being not more than some seven feet six inches from snout to tip of tail, and two feet seven inches high at the shoulder. The tail itself is about three feet eight inches long. The female is somewhat smaller than the male, to which the above measurements apply. The whiskers are strong and white, and the eyes yellow. The head- quarters of the leopard are the African continent, where its range is almost co- IS 226 THE LAND CARNIVORA. extensive with the lion's, as it occurs from Algeria in the north to Cape Colony in the south. Leopards frequent the vicinity of pasture-lands in quest of the deer and other peaceful animals which resort to them ; and the villagers often complain of the destruction of their cattle by these formidable marauders. The Singhalese hunt them for the sake of their extremely beautiful skins, but prefer taking them in traps and pitfalls, and occasionally in spring cages formed of poles driven firmly into the ground, within which a kid is generally fastened as a bait, the door being held open by a sapling bent down by the united force of sev- eral men, and so arranged to act as a spring, to which a noose is ingeniously attached, formed of plaited deer's hide. The cries of the kid attract the leopard, which, being tempted to enter, is inclosed by the liberation of the spring, and grasped firmly round the body by the noose. As a rule, the leopard seems to be far more cowardly than the lion or tiger. Jules Gerard, the lion-killer, holds the beast in the greatest contempt for its pusil- lanimity. Still it often shows a good deal of pluck, chiefly, however, when in want of food. As to this matter, the actual experience of those who have observed the animal in its native land will convey a truer idea than any "summing up" of its good and bad points. "One night I was suddenly awoke by a furious barking of our dogs, accompanied by cries of distress. Suspecting that some beast of prey had seized upon one of them, I leaped, undressed, out of my bed, and gun in hand, hurried to the spot whence the cries proceeded. The night was pitchy dark, however, and I could distinguish nothing; yet, in the hope of frightening the intruder away, I shouted at the top of my voice. In a few moments a torch was lighted, and we then discovered the marks of a leopard, and also large patches of blood. On counting the dogs, I found that 'Summer,' the best and fleetest of our kennel, was missing. As it was in vain that I called and searched for him, I con- cluded that the tiger (leopard) had carried him away; and, as nothing furlher could be done that night, I again retired to rest; but the fate of the poor animal continued to haunt me, and drove sleep away. I had seated myself on the front chest of the wagon, when suddenly the melancholy cries were repeated, and on rushing to the spot, I discovered 'Summer' stretched at full length in the middle of a bush. Though the poor creature had several deep wounds about his throat and chest, he at once recognized me, and, wagging his tail, looked wist- fully in my face. The sight sickened me as I carried him into the house, where, in time, however, he recovered. The very next day 'Summer' was revenged in a very unexpected manner. Some of the servants had gone into the bed of the river to chase away a jackal, when they suddenly encountered a leopard in the act of springing at our goats, which were grazing, unconscious of danger, on the river's bank. On finding himself discovered, he immediately took refuge in a tree, when he was at once attacked by the men. ft was, however, not until he had received upward of sixteen wounds — some of which were inflicted by poisoned 228 THE LAND CARNIVORA. arrows — that life became extinct. I arrived at the scene of conflict only to see him die. During the whole affair, the men had stationed themselves at the foot of the tree, to the branches of which the leopard was pertinaciously clinging, and, having expended all their ammunition, one of them proposed, and the suggestion was taken into serious consideration, that they should pull him down by the tail." THE JAGUAR. The jaguar takes the place of the leopard in America,, and is the most formidable of the beasts of prey. It extends across the whole of the central part of the continent; its northern limit being the southwest boundary of the United States. It is a slightly larger animal than the leopard, fierce and sulky in expression,, but more elegant in form, and far handsomer as to its skin. The spots are arranged in larger and more definite groups, each group consisting of a ring of well-defined black spots, inclosing a space of a somewhat darker tawny than the ground color, in which lesser spots often occur. The jaguar is perhaps the fiercest looking of all the great cats, having an extremely ferocious expression and a horrid habit of showing its great fangs. The jaguar is found in North and South America, extending from the southern regions of the United States, through Mexico, Central America, and Brazil, as far south as Paraguay. Of its habits, occurrence, etc., the following interesting account is. given by Mr. Darwin: The wooded banks of the great rivers appear to be the favorite haunts of the jaguar; but south of the Plata, 1 was told that they frequented the reeds border- ing lakes. Wherever they are, they seem to require water. Their common prey is the Capybara, so that it is generally said, where Capybaras are numerous there is little danger from the jaguar. Falconer states that near the southern side of the mouth of the Plata there are many jaguars, and that they chiefly live on fish. This account I have repeated. On the Parana they have killed many wood-cutters, and have even entered vessels at night. There is a man now living in the B ijada, who, coming up from below when it was dark, was seized on the deck; he escaped, how- ever, with the loss of the use of one arm. When the floods drive these animals from the islands, they are most dangerous. I was told that, a few years since, a very large one found its way into a church at Santa Fe ; two padres entering one after the other were killed, and a third, who came to see what was the matter, escaped with difficulty. The beast was destroyed by being shot from a corner of the building, which was unroofed. They commit also at these times great ravages among horses and cattle. It is said that they kill their prey by breaking their necks. If driven from the carcass, they seldom return to it. The Gauchos say that the jaguar, when wandering about at night, is much tormented by the foxes yelping as they follow him. This is a curious coincidence with the fact which is generally affrmed of the jackals accompanying, in a similarly officious manner, the East Indian tiger. The jaguar is a noisy animal, roaring much by night, and THE JAGUAR. 229 especially before bad weather. One day, when hunting on the banks of the Uruguay, I was shown certain trees to which these animals constantly recur for the purpose, as it is said, of sharpening their claws. I saw three well-known trees; in front, the bark was worn smooth as if by the breast of the animal, and on each side there were deep scratches, or rather grooves, extending in an oblique line, nearly a yard in length. The scars were of different ages. A common method of ascertaining if a jaguar is in the neighborhood is to examine these trees. I THE JAGUAR. imagine this habit of the jaguar is exactly similar to one which may any day be seen in the common cat, as with outstretched legs and exserted claws it scrapes the leg of a chair; and I have heard of young fruit trees in an orchard in England having been thus much injured. Some such habit must also be common to the Puma, for on the bare hard soil of Patagonia I have frequently seen scores so deep that no other animal could have made them. The object of this practice is, I believe, to tear off the ragged points of their claws, and not, as the Gauchos think, to sharpen them. The jaguar is killed, without much difficulty, by the aid of dogs baying and driving him up a tree, where he is dispatched with bullets." 230 THE LAND CARNIVORA. It has been stated that great contests take place between the jaguars and the alligators which frequent the rivers of the regions in which the great cat lives. It is said that the jaguar is fully a match for the alligator on land, while in the water the reptile has usually the best of it. The tale must, however, be taken with much allowance. A very curious fact is mentioned by Brehm, namely, that the jaguar always attacks negroes and Indians in preference to whites, and that a white man, obliged to sleep in the open air in a dangerous locality, always feels perfectly safe if accompanied by natives. It is thought that this is probably due to the strong odor which characterizes the skin of the negro and other dark races. As tending to confirm this extraordinary statement, we may mention an anecdote told by Pro- fessor P. Martin Duncan, F. R. S., of the behavior of the great Felidce at the Zoo- logical Gardens in London, Eng., toward colored people. Every one must have noticed the calm, supercilious way in which those grand creatures regard the vis- itors to their abode, seeming to regard them as beings of an inferior race come to pay rightful homage to strength and beauty; except at feeding-time, they seem hardly to give a thought to the admiring crowd in their house of reception, but pace regularly up and down their dens, or sit with paws thrust out between the bars, stolidly gazing. A short time ago, however, when the Prince of Wales' Indian animals were exhibited at the Gardens, a little black boy, one of the attendants attached to the collection, often passed through the lion-house; and when he did so, every cat in the place started to its feet, and rushed to the bars of its cage with great demonstrations of anger and ferocity. They evidently felt that here, at least, was one of the black, two-legged animals on which their fathers and grandfathers had fed from time immemorial, and that now was their time to strike for a pleasant change of diet, after the monotony of beef bones, ignomin- iously cut up and parceled out t') them. THE PUMA. The Puma, or "South American Lion,'' is the second great American Carnivore. It occurs far more widely spread in the Continent than the jaguar, ranging from the cold regions of the Straits of Magellan up to 50 or 6o° north latitude. In appearance it is not unlike a small lioness, having a tint some- what similar to the characteristic tawny color of the monarch of Africa, but darker, greyer, and less rich; the mane, too, is absent. Its head is proportionally, as well as absolutely, much smaller than that of the lion ; its face is rounder, and it is altogether a much smaller beast: its average size being about thirty-nine or forty inches from the snout to the root of the thick, strong tail, the latter again being some twenty-five or twenty-six inches long, and the height about the same. Indistinct spots occur, as in the lion, on the belly and the inside of the legs. The hind-quarters are very large, and are kept higher than the shoulders in walking. The skin beneath the belly is remarkably loose and pendulous. Unlike the jaguar, the puma avoids water, although well able to swim when necessary. It is as much at home in trees as on solid ground, and is a terror to THE PUMA. 231 the Capuchin and other monkeys which abound in the forests of South America. It is, however, a far more cowardly animal than the jaguar, and is not feared by the natives to anything like the same degree. Mr. Darwin, who has had ample opportunity of observing its habits, writes thus of it in his "Naturalist's Voyage": "This animal has a wide geographical range, being found from the equatorial forests, throughout the deserts of Patagonia, as far south as the damp and cold latitudes (53 to 54 ) of Tierra del Fuego. I have seen its footsteps in the Cor- dillera of Central Chili, at an elevation of at least 10,000 feet. In La Plata the Puma preys chiefly on deer, ostriches, bizcacha, and other quadrupeds. It there rarely attacks cattle or horses, and most rarely men. In Chili, however, it destroys other quadrupeds. I heard, likewise, of two men and a woman who had been thus killed. It is asserted that the puma always kills its prey by springing on the shoulders, and then drawing back the head with one of its paws until the vertebras break. I have seen, in Patagonia, the -sss^-. y. . ^-" skeletons of Guanacos, with their necks thus dislocated. "The Puma, after eating its fill, cov- ers the carcass with many large bushes, and lies down to watch it. This habit is often the cause of its being discovered; for the condors, wheeling in the air, every now and then descend to partake of the feast; and being angrily driven away, rise all together on the wing. The Chileno Guaso then knows there is a lion (puma) watching his prey ; the word is given, and men and dogs hurry to the chase. Sir F. Head says that a Gaucho in the Pampas, upon merely seeing some condors wheeling in the air, cried, 'A lion! ' I could never myself meet with any one who pretended to such powers of discrimination. It is asserted that if a puma has once been betrayed by thus watching a carcass, and has then been hunted, it never resumes this habit, but that having gorged itself, it wanders far away. The puma is easily killed. In an open country it is first entangled with the bolas, then lazoed, and dragged along the ground till rendered insensible. At Tandul (south of the Plata), I was told that within three months one hundred were thus destroyed. In Chili they are generally driven up bushes or trees, and are then either shot or baited to death by dogs. The dogs employed in this chase belong to a particular breed, called ' Leoneros.' They are weak, slight animals, like long-legged terriers, but are born with a peculiar instinct for this sport. The puma is described as being very crafty. When pursued it often returns on its former track, and then suddenly making a spring on one side, waits there till the dogs have passed by. It is a very silent animal, uttering no cry THE OUXCK. 232 THE LAND CARNIVORA. even when wounded, and only rarely during the breeding season." In captivity the puma, at any rate when caught young, is a tolerably docile animal, and, like the domestic cat, is fond of playing with inanimate objects. Thev do not, how- ever, appear to be always perfectly amiable ; the female may often be seen swear- ing at her lord in a most reprehensible manner. THE OUNCE. The Ounce, or "Snow Leopard," as it is commonly called by sportsmen in the hills, is found throughout the Himalayas at a great elevation, never very much below the snows, at ranges varying with the season from 9,000 to 18,000 feet. It is said to be more common on the Tibetan side of the Himalayas; it is found also throughout the highland region of Central Asia, and extends as far west as Smyrna. It is about the same size as the leopard (four feet four inches long, including the tail), which it also resembles in habits; in fact, it may be looked upon as a leopard specially adapted for a cold climate. The ground color of the skin is pale yellowish grey, turning beneath to dingy yellowish-white. It is spotted in much the same way as the leopard, though not so distinctly. "The fur throughout is very dense, and it has a well-marked, though short mane. The face is short and broad, and the forehead much more elevated than in any other cat." The ounce is said to frequent rocky ground, and to kill the wild sheep as well as domestic sheep, goats and dogs; but it has never been known to attack a man. THE CLOUDED TICER. This animal, which is about intermediate in size between the great cats, such as the lion, tiger, or leopard, and the lesser kinds, such as the Ocelot, Eyra, or Tiger-Cats, is, as far as the markings of the skin are concerned, one of the most beautiful animals in the whole family. The ground- color of the skin is not so fine as that of the tiger, being a light buff instead of a rich orange-tawny, but the large, irregular, cloud-like patches of black are far more exquisite than the parallel bands of the tiger; and indeed, the only animal which in any way approaches it in the beauty of its markings is the Ocelot, and from this the Clouded Tiger certainly bears the palm. Its form is not particularly graceful, as its legs are short in comparison with the length of its body, and its snout, though longer than that of most cats, is blunt and somewhat awkward. One of the chief beauties of this creature, however, is its magnificent tail, which is fully four-fifths the length of the body (the latter being some forty inches long), and handsomely ringed with black. The skull is much elongated, especially its facial portion, and bears a strong resemblance to that of the extinct Felts smilodon. The pupil is oblong and erect, not round, as in all the preceding species. The Clouded Tiger, or Riman Dalian, is found in Siam, Assam, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and the Malayan Peninsula. It was first introduced into England by Sir Stamford Raffles, who brought two specimens, of which he gives the following interesting; account: THE CLOUDED TIGER. 233 " Both specimens above mentioned, while in a state of confinement, were remarkable for good temper and playfulness; no domestic kitten could be more so. They were always courting intercourse with persons passing by, and in the expres- sion of their countenance, which was always open and smiling, showed the great- est delight when noticed, throwing themselves on their backs, and delighting in being tickled and rubbed. Onboard the ship there was a small Musi Dog, who used to play round the cage and with the animal, and it was amusing to observe THE CLOUDED TIGER. the playfulness and tenderness with which the latter came in contact with his inferior-sized companion. When fed with a fowl that had died he seized the prey, and after sucking the blood and tearing it a little, he amused himself for hours in throwing it about and jumping after it in the manner that a cat plays with a mouse before it is quite dead. He never seemed to look on man or children as prey, but as companions, and the natives assert that when wild they live principally on poul- try, birds, and the smaller kind of deer. They are not found in numbers, and may be considered rather a rare animal, even in the southern part of Sumatra. Both specimens were procured from the interior of Bencoolen, on the banks of the Ben- 234 THE LAND CARN1V0RA. coolen River. They are generally found in the vicinity of villages, and are not dreaded by the natives, except as far as they may destroy their poultry. The natives assert that they sleep and often lay wait for their prey on trees ; and from this circumstance they derive the name of Dalian, which signifies the fork formed by the branch of a tree, across which they are said to rest, and occasionally stretch themselves. " Both specimens constantly amused themselves in frequently jumping and the ocelot. [About one-sixth natural clinging to the top of their cage, and throwing a somersault, or twisting themselves round in the manner of a squirrel when confined, the tail being extended and show- ing to great advantage when so expanded." THE OCELOT. This extremely beautiful cat is, like the Jaguar and the Ounce, an American animal, where it is found throughout the central part of the continent, from Mexico and Texas on the north, to the northern boundaries of Brazil on the south. Its musical name was coined by Buff on as an abbreviation of its native Mexican appellation, Tlalocelotl. THE OCELOT— THE MARBLED TLGER-CAT. L!35 The grey or tawny skin is marked by broad lv sweeping rows of longitudinally elongated spots of large size, each consisting of a black rim inclosing an area somewhat darker than the general ground tint. The head is also beautifully striped, and the tail ringed with black. Altogether, the ocelot is, in the matter of markings, second only to the Clouded Tiger. It is about four feet long from the snout to the tip of the tail, and its legs are rather short for its size. " It is a very voracious animal, but at the same time timid. It rarely atiacks men. It is afraid of dog--, and when pursued it makes off to the woods and climbs THE MARBLED TIGER CAT venth natural size.) a tree. There it remains, and even takes up its abode to sleep and look out for game and cattle, upon which it darts as soon as they are within range. It prefers the blood to the flesh, and, in consequence, destroys a vast number of animals, for instead of devouring them it only quenches its thirst by sucking their blood." Notwithstanding its cowardice, the ocelot is a very savage animal. Buffon mentions a pair of young ones in captivity, which, at the age of three months, were sufficiently strong and cruel to kill and devour a female dog which had been given them as a nurse. He further adds the curious fact, that the male always 236 THE LAND CARNIVORA. kept the female in wonderful subjection, so much so that she was afraid even to attempt to eat until he was completely satisfied. THE MARBLED TIGER-CAT. " This prettily-marked wildcat has been found in the Sikkim Himalayas, in the hilly regions of Assam, Burmah, and Malayana, extending into the islands of Java, at all events." The head and body together are from eighteen and a half to twenty-three inches long, the tail four- teen to fifteen and a half inches. J he ground-color of its hide is of a dingy the jaguarondt. (One-seventh natural size.) tawny, "occasionally yellowish-grey, the body with numerous elongated wavy black spots, somewhat clouded or marbled." The tail is spotted and tipped with black, and the belly is yellowish-white. THE JACUARONDI. This is a curious long-bodied, short-legged animal, with a body almost as lithe and lissom as a weasel's. Like the puma, its head is small and well-shaped, and its tail long ; but it is a much smaller animal, not exceed- ing three feet in length, including the tail. Its color is a dark grey-brown, "each hair being greyish-black, very dark at the root, and entirely black between the root THE J A G UARON'DI— THE E YRA. and the point, which is of a dark grey hue. This diversity of color causes the Jaguarondi to appear darker or lighter, according to circumstances," that is, according to whether, being in a placid condition, his hair is lying smooth and flat on the body, or whether, being excited, he erects it. The Jaguarondi lives in the thick forests of Brazil, Paraguay and Guiana, where it always prefers the most impenetrable thickets, and is aever seen in the open country. It lives upon birds and small mammals, having a special fondness the eyra. [About one-sixth for fowls, which no amount of training will ever diminish. Even when a domes- ticated Jaguarondi is chained up in a yard, it will "try a thousand shifts" to entice the fowls into its neighborhood, and will then suddenly leap on and devour them. THE EYRA. This is by far the most beautiful of all the smaller one-colored cats. The beauty of its rich chestnut hide, and the extreme elegance of its form, quite incline one to assign to it the palm for beauty, even in presence of such splendidly-marked forms as the ocelot. It is a most delightful animal, and is 233 THE LAND CARNIVORA. slightly smaller than an ordinary cat, and much less in height, owing to the short- ness of its legs, in comparison with which the body is of great length ; so that one at first sight instinctively compares it with a weasel, to which, however, it has really no relationship whatever. Its neck is long, its head small, and curiously flattened from above downward, almost like an otter's, and its tail long and well shaped. Its movements are almost snake like, so continuously does it twist and turn its long, lithe body. In its sanguinary habits and mode of life it does not differ in any important respect from the Jaguarondi, with which it also agrees in its geo- graphical distribution. It is, however, a much rarer animal. Mr. Bartlett states that he has kept the Eyra in his house, and that it made a most charming pet. Brehm also mentions two domesticated individuals which were on very good terms with the cats and dogs in the house, and were particularly friendly with a monkey, who did them the kind office of catching their fleas. THE SERVAL. The Serval, or African tiger-cat, is found over the greater part of Africa, being specially abund- ant in the south, but extending also as far north as Algeria. It especially frequents the extensive grassy plains or steppes where it lives upon antelope and other game. Its legs are proportionally much longer and the tail much shorter than those of most of the true cats, in which respect it approaches the lynxes. It is distin- guished from these, however, by the absence of hair on the ears. The body is about forty inches in length, the tail about sixteen inches. This, it will be seen, by a comparison with the dimensions given of the preceding kinds, shows a much smaller proportion between the tail and the body than in most of the true cats, but the appendage is never as short as in a lynx. The ground color of the skin is tawny, lighter or darker according to circumstances, and spotted wilh black. The spots on the flank are all elongated longitudinally, and along the back, run THE SERVAL. THE BA Y CA T. 239 into distinct bands which are continued on to the forehead. This running together of spots into longitudinal stripes is very common in the cat tribe. The tail is regu- arly ringed with black. The fur, although coarse, is decidedly handsome, and is a good deal used. THE BAY CAT. This animal is found on the Gold Coast of Africa, as well as in Nepaul, Sumatra, and Borneo. It is of a deep bay-red color above, becoming paler below ; there are a few indistinct dark spots on the hind legs, and the head is the bay cat. {About onc-sixtli natural size.) splendidly ornamented with stripes of black, white, and orange, offering a striking, contrast to the uniform tint of the body, and reminding one strongly of the tiger. The head and body measure about thirty-one inches, the tail nineteen inches. Unfortunately nothing is known of the habits of this cat, so that we can only assume that it has the same savage nature and untamable disposition as the mem- bers of its family most nearly allied to it. THE EUROPEAN WILD-CAT has for a long time been regarded as the original form of our household pussy, and this view has still some defenders. But 240 THE LAND CARNIVORA. some very striking- differences, not to be explained try domestication, exist; one very apparent one is the different shape of the tail. In the domestic cat this appendage is long, slender and tapering ; in the wild-cat it is shorter, truncated at the end, and bushy. The wild-cat is one-third larger and much stronger than the domestic cat. The hair is stronger, the whiskers more ample, and the teeth stouter and sharper. The color of the creature is pretty uniform, the ground tint of the fur being yellowish or sandy-grey, marked with streaks like the tiger at right angles to the spine. A dark row of spots runs along the back ; the tail has numerous black rings and a black tip. At night the wild-cat sallies out on his foray, and anyone who has observed the sly, stealthy, silent way in which the common cat hunts birds, can form a good notion of its actions, and judge how it climbs into the nests of the birds, pounces on the hare on its form or the rabbit sporting near its burrow. But it attacks even young fawns, and kills them, leaping on their back and biting the veins of the neck ; while it is most destructive to dovecotes and hen-roosts, where it kills many more than it can eat. When driven to extremity or wounded the wild-cat is a dangerous foe for dog or man. A German forester tracked one into a hollow tree, and struck the trunk to start it out again. While he was hammering away the cat appeared ; before he could raise his gun it was on his back, tore off his thick leathern cap with its claws, and bit through his neckerchief. His cries brought his son to his assistance, but the cat held on to its victim till its head was broken in. In spite of every care the forester died in great agony. An English sportsman who attacked a wild cat in Scotland, writes: "As soon as I was within six or seven feet of the place, she sprang straight at my face, over the dogs' heads. Had 1 not struck her in mid-air as she leaped at me, I should probably have got some severe wound. As it was, she fell with her back half broken among the dogs, who, with my assistance, dis- patched her." THE DOMESTIC CAT. This animal is, next to the dog, the flesh-eater which possesses for us the greatest personal interest, as it is, with the exception of the dog, almost the only quadruped regularly admitted into the society of man, eating from his hand, drinking from his cup, and being to him, if not a firm friend, like its canine relative, at least a comfortable, contented companion, adding greatly by its look of calm repose and its contented purr to the cosiness of the fireside. WILD CAT WILD CAT— DOMESTIC CAT. 241 The origin of the domestic cat is so far distant that it is quite uncertain from what wild species it was derived. Wherever the cat is found as a domesticated animal it is held in great esteem. This feeling was carried to its greatest extent by the ancient Egyptians, whose devotion to their pets was such, that, according to Herodotus, when a fire broke out, they cared for nothing but the safety of their cats, and were terribly afflicted if one of them fell a victim to the flames. On the death of a cat, the inhabitants of the house shaved off their eyebrows, and the deceased animal was embalmed, and buried with great solemnity in a sacred spot. Many cat mummies have been found in the Egyptian tombs, and some are to be seen in the British Museum, together with similarly preserved specimens of human beings, and of sacred calves. Some individuals were wrapped separately in ample 16 242 THE LAND CARNIVORA. bandages covered with inscriptions ; others of a less degree of sanctity were pre- served in numbers with a single wrapping for several. Their movements and their cries were consulted as oracles, and the murder, or even the accidental felicide of one of them, was punished by death. With regard to the color of cats, a very curious circumstance has been observed, namely, that white cats with blue eyes are nearly always deaf! The only rational explanation ofThis remarkable phenomenon is that the absence of color in the skin is usually accompanied by a similar absence of pigment elsewhere, and it has been shown that the presence of a peculiar black pigment is very essen- tial to the proper action of the sense organs. To bear out this view it may be stated that Albinos — that is, abnormally colorless animals — are usually deficient in taste, smell, and sight. The eye also varies much in color, being blue, yellow, or green. The pupil, or small black aperture in the center of the colored portion, is extremely sensitive, dilating greatly in the dark, and contracting to a mere line when the light is strong. Every one must have noticed the instantaneous change in the whole demeanor of a cat when it catches sight of a strange dog. This and other characteristic attitudes are well described by Mr. Darwin. " When this animal is threatened by a dog it arches its back in a surprising manner, erects its hair, opens its mouth and spits." This well-known attitude " is expressive of terror combined with anger. Anger alone is not often seen, but may be observed when two cats are fighting together ; and I have seen it well exhibited by a savage cat while plagued by a boy. The attitude is almost exactly the same as that of a tiger disturbed, and growling over its food, which everyone must have beheld in menageries. The animal assumes a crouching position, with the body extended ; and the whole tail, or the tip alone, is lashed or curled from side to side. The hair is not in the least erect. Thus far, the attitude and movements are nearly the same as when the animal is prepared to spring on its prey, and when, no doubt, it feels savage. But when preparing to fight, there is this difference, that the ears are closely pressed backward ; the mouth is partially opened, show- ing the teeth ; the fore feet are occasionally struck out with protruded claws, and the animal occasionally utters a fierce growl. Let us now look at a cat in a directly opposite frame of mind, while feeling affectionate and caressing her master, and mark how opposite is her attitude in every respect. She now stands upright with her back slightly arched, which makes the hair appear rather rough, but it does not bristle. Her tail, instead of being extended and lashed from side to side, is held quite stiff and perpendicularly upward ; her ears are erect and pointed; her mouth is closed, and she rubs against her master with a purr instead of a growl. Let it further be observed how widely different is the whole bearing of an affec- tionate cat from that of a dog, when with his body crouching and flexuous, his tail lowered and wagging, and ears depressed, he caresses his master. " We can understand why the attitude assumed by a cat when preparing to fight with another cat, or in any way greatly irritated, is so widely different from CRUEL PUSSY. 243 244 THE LAND CARNIVORA. that of a dog approaching another with hostile intentions; for the cat uses her fore feet for striking, and this renders a crouching position convenient or neces- sary. She is also much more accustomed than a dog to lie concealed and suddenly spring on her prey. No cause can be assigned with certainty for the tail being lashed or curled from side to side. This habit is common to many other animals, for instance, to the puma, when prepared to spring ; but it is not common to dogs or to foxes." Under ordinary circumstances, when neither attacking a foe nor caressing a friend, the cat is the very image of lazy content. As she sits by the fire, softly purring, and occasionally licking her paws and rubbing them over her face, she seems an embodiment of repose. But notwithstanding its usual indolence, the cat, like all its congeners, is capable of very violent action upon occasions. This is especially the case with kittens, who are perhaps, the most delightful of all young animals; the most elegant, the most active, the most restless, the most overboiling with life and spirits. Who has not watched a kitten play ? No matter what its toy may be ; it is content with anything movable — a ball, a piece of string, a ladv's dress, the fallen leaves in the garden — anything and everything she will play with, and as she plays, "grace is in all her steps," every movement of her head, every pat of her velvet paw, every whisk of her little tail, is elegance itself. Even in the old cat this wonderful power of executing the most rapid movements with almost the quickness of thought is rather in abeyance than actually absent ; she can still run, leap to many times her own height, climb a tree or a vertical wall by means of her sharp claws, and perform other marvelous gymnastic feats impossi- ble to anything else but a squirrel or a monkey. The sense which of all others is most deficient in the cat is that of smell. In this she differs most markedly from the dog. It is said that a piece of meat may be placed in close proximity to a cat, but that, if it is kept covered up, she will fail to distinguish it. This want is, however, partly compensated for by an extremely delicate sense of touch, which is possessed, to a remarkable extent, by the whiskers,, or vibrissas, as well as by the general surface of the skin. These bristles, as we have alreadv mentioned in speaking of the tiger, are possessed to a greater or less- extent by all cats, and are simply greatly developed hairs, having enormously swollen roots, covered with a layer of muscular fibers, with which delicate nerves are connected. By means of these latter, the slightest touch on the extremity of the whiskers is instantly transmitted to the brain. These organs are of the greatest possible value to the cat in its nocturnal campaigns. When it is deprived of the guidance afforded by light it makes its way by the sense of touch, the fine whiskers touching against every object the cat passes, and thus acting in precisely the same manner as a blind man's stick, though with infinitely greater sensibility. Imagine a blind man with not one stick, but a couple of dozen, of exquisite fineness, and these not held in the hand, but embedded in his skin, so that his nerves come into direct contact with them instead of having a layer of skin between, and some THE DOMESTIC CAT. notion may be formed of the way in which a cat uses its whiskers. But the cat in its night walks has a further advantage over the blind man, namely, that except on the very darkest nights, it is not entirely deprived of the power of sight, for the pupil is so constructed that in the dark it can be dilated, THE FOSTER MOTHER. so as to catch every available ray of light, and, moreover, the tapetum, or brilliant lining of the eyeball, reflects and magnifies the straggling beams, and so enables the cat, if not actually to "see in the dark," at least to distinguish objects in an amount of light so small as to be inappreciable to our duller vision. 246 THE LAND CARNIVORA. Like most of the Carnivora, the cat is a tender and affectionate mother; the care with which she trains her young ones, her anxiety for their comfort, her industry in washing- them, are too well known to require remark. So fond is she of her offspring- that she will entirely alter usual habits to regain lost ones. Mr. Hugh Miller tells us of a cat whose kittens were taken from her and given to a miller living at a distance of fully two miles, quite beyond the usual walk of a home-loving puss. The mother, however, although she had never been to the place before, and could by no possibility have known where her kittens were taken, made two successive journeys to the mill, each time bringing back in triumph to the rectory one of her dear ones. So strong is the maternal instinct in the cat that she will, if deprived of her own offspring, bestow her affections on animals of a totally different species, or creatures even, which, under ordinary circumstances, she would look upon as her natural and lawful prey. The following is a remarkable instance of this over- powering mother-love: " My friend had a little helpless Leveret brought to him, which the servants fed with milk in a spoon, and about the same time his cat had kittens, which were dispatched and buried. The hare was soon lost, and was supposed to be gone the way of most foundlings, to be killed by some dog or cat. However, in about a fortnight, as the master was sitting in his garden in the dusk of evening, he observed his cat, with tail erect, trotting toward him, and calling, with little short, inward notes of complacency, such as they use toward their kittens, and something gamboling after, which proved to be the Leveret that the cat had supported with her milk, and continued to support with great affection." Why so cruel and sanguinary a beast as a cat should be affected with any ten- derness toward an animal which is its natural prey, is not so easy to determine. This incident is no bad solution of that strange circumstance which grave his- torians, as well as the poets, assert of exposed children being sometimes nurtured by wild beasts that probably had lost their young. For it is not one whit more marvelous that Romulus and Remus, in their infant state, should be nursed by a she-wolf, than that a poor little suckling Leveret should be fostered and cherished by a bloody Grimalkin. White, in his " Observations," has another similar anecdote : "A boy has taken three little young squirrels in their nest, or eyry, as it is called in these parts. These small creatures he put under the care of a cat who had lately lost her kittens, and finds that she nurses and suckles them with the same assiduity and affection as if they were her own offspring. This circumstance corroborates my suspicion that the mention of exposed and deserted children being nurtured by female beasts of prey who had lost their young, may not be so improbable an inci- dent as many have supposed; and, therefore, may be a justification of those authors who have gravely mentioned what some have deemed to be a wild and improbable story. So many people went to see the little squirrels suckled by a THE DOMESTIC CA T. 247 cat, that the foster-mother became jealous of her charge, and in pain for their safety, and therefore hid them over the ceiling, where one died. This circum- stance shows her affection for these foundlings, and that she supposed the squirrels to be her own young." A similar story is told of a cat that nursed and cared for two young rabbits given to her charge. Equally remarkable as an instance of the transference of maternal affection is the tale of the cat whose kittens were replaced by two out of the five pups belong- ing to a spaniel. The cat brought up her foster children so well, that they were able to run about long before the three left under the charge of their own natural mother. Before long they were removed, and the cat was inconsolable, until, one day, coming across the spaniel and her pups, she concluded that the latter were her own lost darlings, and in her eagerness to get them engaged in two successive fights with the spaniel, in each of which she was victorious, and after each of which she carried away a pup to her own prem- ises, thus getting again, as she thought, her own two children, and the spaniel being obliged to content herself with one. This last anecdote is also remarkable because of the wonderful instinctive antip- athy existing between dogs and cats, an antipathy which is one of the most curious instances of inherited instinct, for a young kitten, who has never seen a dog in its life will, on being approached by one, put up its back, and swear and spit with all the force of feline Billingsgate. It is only after living in the same house with a dog for some time that a cat will become reconciled to him, but when she once gets to tolerate his presence, the two often become very good friends. Instances are not wanting in which cats have formed friendships with birds — creatures which, as a rule, they look upon as their natural prey. One example of an affection of this sort is extremely curious. A cat and a canary had acquired a great fondness for one another. The canary used to perch on the cat's back and play all sorts of pranks with it. One day their master saw, with horror, the feline Damon rush upon his passerine Pythias and seize it in his mouth. He naturally thought that at last nature had triumphed over grace, but on looking round saw that another cat had entered the room, to whose tender mercies the bird-lover would bv no means trust his little friend. ANGORA CAT. 248 THE LAND CARNIVORA. The domestic cat is found wherever civilized man exists. The best-marked variety of the species is the beautiful Angora Cat, which is larger than the ordinary cat, and covered with long fine hair, usually snow-white. The Manx Cat, native only in the Isle of Man, is distinguished by the very remarkable character of being tailless, or, at least, that appendage is quite rudimentary. In other respects it does not differ from the ordinary varieties. The Persian Cat is a very fine variety often seen in English drawing-rooms ; its hair is long, though nothing like so long as that of the Angora. It is a remarkably lazy beast, and far less interesting than the ordinary kind. Except as fur-bearing animals, cats are made no direct use of, save as mouse and rat-catchers. In this capacity they are quite invaluable, for the destructive little rodents increase and multiply to such an extent, that if it was not for some such check as that afforded by the presence of a good mouser, many places would be much overrun, and the inhabitants put to much inconvenience. THE COMMON EUROPEAN LYNX is found chiefly in Norway, Sweden, Russia, and Northern Asia, and in the mountainous districts of Central Europe. In other parts of the Continent it is nearly or quite extinct. The animal attains a much greater size than any of the ordinary wild cats, being as much as forty or fifty inches long, from the tip of its snout to the root of its tail. It is also readily dis- tinguished from the cat proper from the shortness of its tail, which does not exceed six to nine inches, or about one-fifth the length of the body, and by the length of its legs, which gives it a decidedly un-cat-like look, and brings its height at the shoulder up to twenty-five inches. Another distinguishing feature is to be found in the long-pointed ears, each with a tuft of long stiff hair on its tip; and still another is the length of the fur on the cheeks, whereby a pair of capital whiskers of almost Dundreary length is produced. These, it must be understood, are quite distinct from the true " whiskers," or tactile vibrissas, with which the upper lip of the lynx, like that of all Felidae, is provided. The tufted ears and bearded cheeks, together with the fierce brightness of the eye, give the lynx an altogether peculiar and somewhat weird expression ; and a well-drawn picture of one is quite the thing to send a nervous child to bed comfortably predisposed to nightmare. When we have added that the pads of the feet are overgrown with hair, we have mentioned all the obvious differences between a lynx and a true cat. The skin is of a reddish-grey color, more or less spotted with red or dark grey; but the EUROPEAN LYNX. THE COMMON EUROPEAN LYNX. 249 variations in marking are very great in different individuals, and in the same indi- vidual at different ages. The fur, also, is longer in winter than in summer. The lynx is undoubtedly the most dangerous and destructive beast of prey now left in Europe; at any rate, a single lynx will do more damage than an indi- vidual of any other wild species. The Russian wolves may be, on the whole, worse enemies, but they hunt in packs, and are only dangerous in numbers, a single wolf being a sorry coward, while a lynx is a truly redoubtable antagonist, as the following: excellent account of his habits will show: the Canadian lynx. {One-seventh natural size.) " While he succeeds in finding food in the forests and gorges of the high mountains, he does not attempt to shift his quarters, but lives alone with his mate, and betrays his presence by horrible howlings, audible at a great distance. He only quits his chosen solitude at the last extremity, and mounts on a branch, where he crouches at full length among the foliage, which half hides without incommod- ing him. With eye and ear on the watch, he remains whole days motionless, with eyes half closed, and in a state of apparent sleep, which is only the more danger- ous, for then he is most completely cognizant of all that is passing round him. 250 THE LAND CARNIVORA. The lynx lives by stratagem. Like all cats, he has not a particularly fine sense of smell, and his pace is not sufficiently rapid to allow him to pursue his prey. His patience, and the skill with which he creeps noiselessly, bring him close up to his victim. More patient than the fox, he is less cunning ; less hardy than the wolf, he leaps better, and can resist famine longer, He is not so strong as the bear, but keeps abetter look-out, and has sharper sight. His strength resides chiefly in his feet, jaws, and neck. He prefers to make his hunting as easy as possible, and only chooses his victim when food abounds. Every animal he can reach with one of his bounds, which rarely miss their aim, is lost and devoured ; if he misses, he allows the animal to escape, and returns to crouch in his post of observation, with- out showing his disappointment. He is not voracious, but he loves warm blood, and this passion makes him imprudent. * * * If he comes upon a flock of goats or sheep, he approaches, dragging his belly along the ground, like a snake, then raises himself with a bound, falls on the back of his victim, breaks its neck or cuts its carotid with its teeth, and kills it instantaneously. Then he licks the blood which flows from the wound, rips open the belly, devours the entrails, gnaws off a part of the head, neck, and shoulder, and leaves the rest. So bloodthirsty is his nature, that a single individual has been known to destroy forty sheep in a few weeks. Fortunately for the inhabitants, this plague is now nearly extinct in Cen- tral Europe." The lynx, when caught young, is said to be quite tameable, but the domesti- cated animal is liable to die of over-fatness. Its flesh is eaten in Siberia, and even in Switzerland, but as usual with its tribe, the skin is the part on which the great- est value is set. THE CANADIAN LYNX is the largest of the American lynxes, and some- times attains the length of four feet, including the tail. It is one of the most important fur-bearing animals of the Continent ; the hair is longer and thicker than in the European lynxes, the beard and ear-tufts are more developed, and each hair is of two colors. A brownish silver-grey is the prevailing hue, marked on the flanks very indistinctly with spots; in some specimens the fur takes a slight chest- nut tinge. The ears are edged with white. But it is probable that considerable changes of the coat take place according to the season of the year. When running at speed it presents a singular appearance, as it progresses by a series of bounds, with the back arched and all the feet coming to the ground nearly at the same time. It is a good swimmer, being able to cross the water for a distance of two miles or more. Powerful though it be, it is easily killed by a blow on the back, a slight stick being sufficient weapon wherewith to destroy the animal. The flesh of the Peeshoo is eaten by the natives, and is said, though devoid of flavor, to be agreeably tender. It is not so prolific as the generality of the feline tribe, as the number of its young seldom exceeds two, and it only breeds once in the year. The range of this animal is far south as the Great Lakes and THE CANADIAN LYNX— THE CARACAL. 251 eastward to the Rocky Mountains, but it is not uncommon in Northern New York. It frequents wooded regions, and in its manner of life differs in no respect from the other lynxes. Some authors describe it as a timid animal, easy to destroy, but Audubon calls it a strong, bold creature, which can take good care of its hide. Audubon writes: "The Canada lynx is more retired in its habits than our com- mon wild-cat, keeping far from the habitations of settlers. Its fine, long fur enables it to withstand the cold of our northern latitudes. When alarmed, it leaps or bounds rapidly in a straight direction, and if hard pressed, takes to the trees, the caracal. (One-seventh natural size.) which it climbs by the aid of its powerful fore legs and claws. It swims well, and will cross the arm of a lake two miles wide." He adds: " The stories told of the great cunning of this species in throwing mosses from the trees in order to entice the deer to feed on them, and then dropping on their backs, may be omitted as requiring no refutation." He evidently discredits the common belief to which we have referred above that this lynx "is easily destroyed by a blow on the back with a slender stick." The food of the Canada lynx consists of grouse and other birds, hares, rabbits, squirrels, the Arctic fox, and the lemming. It is said to pounce on the wild goose 252 THE LAND CARNIVORA. at its breeding- places, and Audubon heard with skepticism an account of its hav- ing killed a deer, but confirms the statement that it kills young fawns. THE CARACAL. This is the handsomest of the lynxes, both on account of its elegant shape, and of its fine color, which is a uniform reddish-brown or light chestnut, unspotted or very sparsely spotted in the adult, but showing dis- tinct spots in the young. It is found in India, Persia, Arabia, and Thibet, and also throughout Africa. Its length varies from twenty-six to thirty inches, the tail measures nine or ten, and the height sixteen or eighteen inches. The ears are fully three inches long, " black externally, white within, with a long dark ear-tuft.'" Unlike the other lynxes, the Caracal is made use of as a hunting animal, being occasionally trained to stalk the peafowl, hares, kites, crows, cranes, etc. It is, however, a most savage animal in captivity. If the American Lynx, who is unfortunate enough to live in the same cage with him, dares to come " betwixt the wind and his nobility," or even if he, in the course of his peregrinations, should by chance get sufficiently near his companion as to be annoved with the sight of so vulgar a beast, he immediately arches his back, lays back his ears, uncovers his great canines, and swears in the most fearful manner, until the other unlucky ani- mal is quite cowed, and looks as meek as its feline nature will allow it, evidently deprecating the anger of my lord, and although not conscious of having done wrong, quite ready to promise faithfully never to do it again. THE CHEETAH is about four feet and a half long from tip of snout to root of tail. The latter appendage is two feet and a half in length, and the height of the animal at the shoulder two feet and a half to two and three-quarters. The hide is of a bright reddish fawn color, and covered with numerous black spots, which are single, and not arrayed in rosettes, as in the leopard, jaguar, ocelot, etc. The appearance in the face is very characteristic, owing to a black stripe which passes down the cheek in a sort of curve,, from the corner of the eve to the angle of the mouth. The tail has black spots and a black tip. The body is slender and small in the loins like a greyhound. The cheetah is a half-domesticated animal; we say half-domesticated, because, although it is used regularly in hunting, yet it is never properly tamed, and always has to be, as it were, gulled into doing its work. The following account of the manner in which it is used in Indian sport is given by Mr. Jerdon : " 'On a hunting party,' says Buchanan Hamilton, 'the cheetah is carried on a cart, hooded, and when the game is raised the hood is taken off. The cheetah then leaps down, sometimes on the opposite side to its prey, and pursues the antelope. If the latter is near the cart, the cheetah springs forward with a surpassing velocity, perhaps exceeding that which any other quadruped possesses. This great velocity is not unlike the sudden spring bv which the tiger seizes its prey, but it is often continued for three or four hundred yards. If within this distance the cheetah THE CHEETAH. 253 does not seize its prey, he stops, but apparently more from anger or disappoint- ment than from fatigue, for his attitude is fierce, and he has been known immedi- ately afterward to pursue with equal rapidity another antelope that happened to be passing-. If the game is at too great a distance when the cheetah's eyes are uncovered, he generally gallups after it, until it approaches so near that he can seize it by a rapid spring. This gallop is as quick as the course of a well mounted horseman. Sometimes, but rarely, the cheetah endeavors to approach the game by stealth, and goes round a hill or rock until he can come upon it by surprise. This account of the manner of hunting was collected from the conversation of Sir Arthur Wellesley, who while commanding officer at Seringapatam, kept five cheetahs that formerly belonged to Tippoo Sultan.' Mr. Vigne writes thus: 'The hunting with cheetahs has often been described, but it requires strong epithets to give an idea of the creature's speed. When slipped from the cart, he first walks toward the antelope with his tail straightened, and %, ^ slightly raised, the hackle on his shoulder erect, his head depressed, and his eyes intently fixed upon the poor animal, who does not yet perceive him. As the antelope moves, he does the same, first trotting, then cantering after him ; and when the prey starts off, the cheetah makes a rush, to which (at least I thought so) the speed of a race- horse was, for the moment, much inferior. The cheetahs that bound or spring upon their prey are not much esteemed, as they are too cunning. The good ones fairly run it down. When we consider that no English greyhound ever yet, I believe, fairly ran into a doe antelope, which is faster than the buck, some idea may be formed of the strides and velocity of an animal who usually closes with her immediately, but fortunately cannot draw a second breath, and consequently, unless he strike the animal down at once, is obliged instantly to stop and give up the chase. He then walks about for three or four minutes in a towering passion, after which he again submits to be helped on the cart. He always singles out the biggest buck from the herd, and holds him by the throat until he is disabled, keeping one paw over the horns to prevent injury to himself. The doe he seizes in the same manner, but is careless of the position in which he may hold her.' The natives assert that (in the wild state) if the ground is not very favorable for his approaching them without being seen, he makes a circuit to the place where he thinks they will pass over, and if there is not grass enough to cover him, he scrapes up the earth all round and lies flat until they approach so near that by a few bounds he can seize on his prey. Although capable of domestication, the cheetah is, when roused, anything but a pleasant animal to come across. Two colonists from the Cape of Good Hope THE CHEE 254 THE LAND CARNIVORA. happened to meet one while they were out shooting gazelles, and unfortunately for themselves, pursued it. " The roughness of the road retarded the animal's flight, and a ball reached it. It immediately turned upon the hunter who had wounded it, and leaping upon him, pulled him from his horse, and a hand-to-hand conflict began between the two adversaries. The other hunter dismounted and hastened to succor his comrade, at the risk of hitting him as well as the animal from which he wished to deliver him. His shot was badly aimed. The noise of the discharge changed the aspect of the combat, for the cheetah abandoned the man whom he had thrown down, to fling himself with redoubled fury on the new assailant, who had not even time to draw his hunting-knife. The animal seized him by the head, and without letting go, rolled with him to the bottom of a ravine. It was of no avail that the first man, left alive, but horribly mutilated, dragged himself to the new battlefield ; the wounds of his companion were mortal, and he only had the melancholy satisfaction of giving the coup de grace to the animal, who was already exhausted by loss of blood." The young animal is covered with soft brown hair, without spots, a curious fact, quite reversing the usual order of things, for as we have seen, the young of the lion, puma, and other one colored cats, are distinctly spotted. The black mark on the cheek appears first, and then the body spots. Mr. Jerdon gives an interesting account of a cheetah kitten belonging to him : "I brought up the young one alluded to along with some greyhound pups, and they soon became excellent friends. Even when nearly full-grown it would play with the dogs (who did not over relish its bounding at them), and was always sportive and frolicsome. It got much attached to me, at once recognizing its name (Billy), and it would follow me on horseback like a dog, every now and then silting down for a few seconds, and then racing after me. It was very fond of being noticed, and used to purr just like a cat. It used to climb on any high object — the stump of a tree, a stack of hay — and from this elevated perch look all around for some moving object. As it grew up, it took first to attacking some sheep which I had in the compound, but I cured it of this by a few sound horse- whippings; then it would attack donkeys, and get well kicked by them ; and when not half-grown it flew one day at a full-grown tame Nylghau, and mauled its legs very severely before it could be called off. I had some Chikaras (Gazella Bennettii) caught, and let loose before it to train it. The young cheetah almost always caught them easily, but it wanted address to pull them down, and did not hold them. Occasionally, if the antelope got too far away, it would give up the chase, but if I then slipped a greyhound, it would at once follow the dog and join the chase. It was gradually getting to understand its work better, and had pulled down a well-grown antelope fawn, when 1 parted with him, as I was going on field service." Brehm had a cheetah called "Jack," which was so tame that his master led him about like a dog, and even took him into a drawing-room full of ladies, by THE HYENAS. 255 whom, after they had recovered their fright at seeing a real wild beast enter the room, he allowed himself to be patted and caressed. The same author states that a cheetah once lived at large in an English seaport, and was the greatest possible favorit" with the sailors and other inhabitants. THE HYENAS. Externally, the hyenas have something the appearance of extremely ugly and unattractive-looking dogs. They are somewhat larger than a shepherd's dog, and are covered with coarse bristly hair, short over the greater part of the body, but produced into a sort of mane along the ridge of the neck. The mode of progression is entirely digitigrade, the legs having much the same proportion as in an average dog, except for the fact that the hind legs are shorter than the forelegs, so that the body slopes from the withers to the haunches. The claws resemble those of the dog in that they cannot be retracted in sheaths of skin; here, therefore, we have a great and marked difference from all the cat tribe. The tail is bushy, the snout long, but blunt, giving the beast a snub-nosed appearance and a horridly vulgar expression, quite different to that of most of his relatives. The long-nosedness is partly, however, only a matter of external appearance, for the skull, although nothing like as short as a cat's, is yet very far irom being as long as that of a dog or a civet. 256 THE LAND CARNIVORA. THE SPOTTED HYENA. This species exists over the whole of Africa south of the Sahara. The skin is of a yellowish-brown ground tint, irregularly blotched with circular black spots. On the back of the neck and on the withers it has a quantity of long stiff hairs, forming a kind of reversed mane. The fur is coarse and bristly, its character adding greatly to the animal's singularly unattrac- tive appearance. The height at the shoulder is about two feet six or eight inches, the extreme length five feet ten inches, of which length the tail takes up some six- teen inches. Like some other beasts of a similarly mean nature, the Spotted Hyena prefers not to do his own killing, but likes better to live as a sort of humble messmate on those better provided than himself with the courage requisite to good hunters. When he does cater for himself, instead of subsisting on the leavings of his betters, he always makes his attack in a cowardly way, and trusts rather to stratagem than to any of the higher qualities of a sportsman. Dr. Livingstone says: "In the evening of our second day at Serotli, a hyena appearing suddenly among the grass, succeeded in raising a panic among our cattle. This false mode of attack is the plan which this cowardly animal always adopts. His courage resembles closely that of a turkey-cock. He will bite if an animal is running away ; but if the animal stands still so does he." Other authors tell a similar tale, showing too, that under cover of darkness the hyena can be moderately plucky ; can, at any rate, muster sufficient courage to attack the herds in an encampment. " More than once, during dark and drizzling nights, they made their way into the sheep-kraal, where they committed sad havoc. We had several chases after them, but they managed invariably to elude us.'' Again, " The sheep having been placed in a pit to prevent them from straying, were visited during the night by a party of hyenas, which slaughtered some and drove the residue to the summit of a high hill, where they were found the follow- ing morning." The hyena has his misfortunes, like other beasts ; sheep are not to be had every day, often food is scarce, and he has to go with an empty stomach for days together. He may suffer, too, in other ways, besides hunger. Thus Mr. Anders- son relates y "Almost the first animal I saw at this place was a gigantic 'tiger- wolf,' or Spotted Hyena, which, to my surprise, instead of seeking safety in flight, remained stationary, grinning in the most ghastly manner. Having approached within twenty paces, I perceived, to my horror, that his fore paws and the skin and flesh of his front legs had been gnawed away, and that he could scarcely move from the spot. To shorten the sufferings of the poor beast, I seized my opportunity and knocked him on the head with a stone, and catching him by the tail, drove my hunting-knife deep into his side. But I had to repeat the operation more than once before I could put an end to his existence. I am at a loss to account for his mangled condition. It certainly could not have been from age, for his teeth were good. Could it be possible that, from want of food, he had become THE HYENAS. 257 too weak for further exertions, and that, as a last resource, he had attacked his own body? Or, was he an example of that extraordinary species of cruelty said to be practiced by the lion upon the hyena, when the latter has the insolence to interfere with the monarch's prey ? * * * It is asserted by more than one experienced hunter, that when the hyena proves troublesome, the lion has been known to bite off all its feet, and thus mutilated, leave the poor animal to its fate." It may well be imagined the horrible nuisance such animals are to all South African travelers. They steal everything they can get at. They devoured two handsome flags of Mr. Andersson's which he had hoped to plant on the shores of Lake Nagami. But, perhaps, the greatest trouble is caused by their infernal cach- inations ; no noise in the forest produces so much discomfort, for though not so loud as the lion's roar, it is totally devoid of grandeur, and is only hideously gro- tesque and vile in the ears of all but hyenas, who, we suppose, are charmed by it. The traveler we have just mentioned was, during an illness, laughed to scorn in the most amazing fashion by hyenas and jackals, and their derision was too much for his equanimity at a time when he sorely needed sympathy and help. Flesh and water had become very scarce, and in his trouble he says : "One evening I des- perately resolved to go to the water myself in the hope of succeeding better than the attendants. Accordingly I ordered my servants to prepare a ' skaran,' and to carry me there, taking the chance of being run over or gored by elephants or rhinoceroses, for in my disabled state it was impossible, should any animal charge, to get out of its way. Seeing my helpless condition, the men remonstrated, but I was resolved to go, and fortune favored me. I had patiently waited till nigh morn- ing without seeing anything but hyenas and jackals. I believe these creatures knew I would not hurt them, for they approached within a very few paces, staring and laughing at me in the most impudent manner. I threw gravel pebbles at them, but this only served to increase their mockery. I could stand it no longer, but hurled my camp-chair at their heads, when they quickly betook themselves to flight." Livingstone had the same trouble with the fearful din. "An astonishing num- ber of hyenas collected round, and kept up a loud laughter for two whole nights. Some of them do make a very good imitation of a laugh. I asked my men what the hyenas were laughing at, as they usually give animals credit for a share of intelligence. They said that they were laughing because we could not take the whole, and that they would have plenty to eat as well as we." THE STRIPED HYENA. The striped hyena takes the place of the spotted kind over the northern part of Africa. It also extends into Asia, where it ranges over Asia Minor and Persia, and through India to the foot of the Himalayas. Among other places, it is "common in every part of Palestine, and indifferent as to the character of the country. We obtained the young occasionally in spring, and 17 258 THE LAND CARNIVORA. procured on Mount Carmel the largest pair of adults I ever saw. The old rock- hewn tombs afford to the hyena convenient covert. It attacks the graves even in the vicinity of towns." In ground-color it resembles the spotted kind, but instead of being marked with spots, its hide is covered with complete black transverse bands like the hoops of a barrel, which extend downward on to the legs. It is as nearly as possible of the same size as the brown variety. As to its habits and characteristics, there is but little to add to what has already been said of its South African brother; it follows the lion for scraps, roams about the Arab cemeteries to dig up and devour the dead, prowls round the towns and villages in Egypt and elsewhere to pick up offal, and is always the same ugly, ill- conditioned, repulsive, and yet useful beast. For the Arabs and Egyptians are never greatly inclined to sanitary reform, and without hyenas, jackals and vultures would be in a sad case indeed. As to the animal's cowardliness, every writer bears witness. Jules Gerard says: "The Arabs say, 'as cowardly as a hyena,' and the Arabs are right." So much do the sons of the desert despise their scavenger, that when Gerard killed one with his saber, they implored him never again to use the defiled weapon, saying that it would certainly betray him after having been sheathed in such a dastardly carcass. It is stated that the dog is the only animal the hyena dares attack, and even this game they like some help in killing. " When they feel inclined to eat a dog, they hang about some douar, in the neighborhood of which there happens to be a good cover. The female stations herself behind some brushwood, and the male goes toward the dogs, who attack him, and follow him as far as the position of his consort. The female comes out at the fitting moment to attack, throttle, and devour on the spot the dog who ventures farthest in pursuit of her husband." Although the hyena is generally considered unworthy of being hunted, yet the Arabs occasionally condescend to come to the rescue of their dogs, by beating their destroyers to death. THE AARD-WOLF is a remarkable animal inhabiting the southern parts of Africa, where its range is almost co-extensive with that of the brown variety of the hyena. It is an extremely interesting animal, as it forms a connecting link between the Civet family and the hyenas ; although more nearly allied to the latter than to the former, it is found to be impossible to assign it to one of these groups in preference to the other, and it is, in consequence, placed in a family by itself. This rare animal was first mentioned and described by Andrew Sparmann in 1772-6, but his account of it attracted little notice until it was re-discovered by the traveler Delalande, who brought specimens to France, where the beast was described and christened after him. The relationships of the aard-wolf are well shown by its external appearance. It has the sloping back of a hyena, owing to the forelegs being longer than the THE A AND- WOLF. 259 hind legs; but its head is quite civet-like, the snout being long and pointed, and altogether unlike a hyena's. Its size is that of a full-grown fox, but it stands higher upon its legs ; its ears are considerably larger and more naked, and its tail shorter and not so bushy. At first sight it might easily be mistaken for a young Striped Hyena, so closely does it resemble that animal in the colors and peculiar markings of its fur, and in the mane of long stiff hair which runs along the neck and back ; indeed, it is only to be distinguished by its more pointed head, and by the addi- tional fifth toe of the fore feet. It is also quite hyena-like in color, being of a dull yellowish-grey tint, and marked with dark brown stripes and a black muzzle. In its habits and manners the aard-wolf resembles the fox. Like that animai it is nocturnal, and constructs a subterranean burrow, at the bottom of which it lies concealed during the day-time, and only ventures abroad on the approach of night to search for food. It is fond of the society of its own species ; at least many individuals have been found residing together in the same burrow; and, as they are of a timid and wary character, they have generally three or four entrances to this hole ; so that, if attacked on one side, they may secure a retreat in an opposite direction. Notwithstanding the disproportionate length of their fore legs, they are said to run very fast, and so strong is their propensity to burrow, that one of M. Delalande's specimens, perceiving itself about to be run down or captured, immedi. ately ceased its flight, and began to scratch up the ground, as if with the intention of making a new earth." Its food consists very largely of carrion, but it also devours ants. Owing to the former " high " kind of diet, the animal is generally possessed of an extremely bad smell. THE CIVET FAMILY. The name of this family-is given to it from the fact that the most important forms included in it are what are known as civets, or civet cats, animals from which the well known perfume of that name is obtained. In anatomical characters as well as in external appearance, the animals are related both to the cat family and to the hyenas. THE AFRICAN CIVET. This animal, by its rough spotted skin, calls to mind the hyena, to which, however, it is inferior in size, being hardly three feet long. It differs also from our laughing friend in many more important par- ticulars. Its legs are shorter, its tail longer and not so bushy, its snout more pointed, its ears shorter, and its expression less villainous looking. It is found in the north of Africa and in Eastern Asia. " The civet approaches, in its habits, nearest to the foxes and smaller cats, pre- lerring to make its predatory excursions against birds and smaller quadrupeds in the night, although, like other carnivora, it will occasionally attack its prey in the daytime. In a state of captivity it becomes in a degree tame, but never familiar, and is dangerous to handle. The young ones feed on farinaceous food — millet-pap, 260 THE LAND CARNIVORA. for instance — with a little flesh or fish, and when old, on raw flesh. Many of them are kept in North Africa, to obtain the perfume which bears the name of the ani- mal, and brings a high price." THE LESSER CIVET. The Lesser Civet, or Rasse, is found in the island of Java, as well as in many parts of India, such as Nepaul and Madras. " It is not an uncommon species in Hong-Kong and the adjacent islands. In Formosa it is the commonest of all the carnivorous group. Skulking during the day in the dark ravines that intersect the hilly country in the northwest, in the twilight it threads its way with great speed through the long grass, and searches the fields for small the lesser civet. [One-sixth natural size.) mammals and birds. It is much dreaded by the Chinese for the havoc it commits in the hen-roost ; and as its skin is somewhat valued for lining to great-coats, its haunts and creeps are sought after, and traps laid for it. Of these the slip-knot noose for the head and feet is the most commonly practiced and the most killing. As the cool season approaches, hawkers may be daily met with, even in the vil- lages, offering for sale the stretched skins of these animals. The poorer classes, who are unable to purchase the dearer furs, make use of these cheaper yet pretty skins." The Rasse is about thirty-two inches in length, its tail thirteen inches. The odor of musk is so strong as to taint the skin and the flesh of the entire animal. " The Chinese," says Mr. Swinhoe, " eat the flesh of this animal ; but a portion that I had cooked was so affected with the civet odor that I could not palate it." THE LESSER CIVET— THE MUNGOOS. 261 The Rasse is a much smaller animal than the preceding species, its head and body together being about twenty-two or twenty -three inches long, and its tail sixteen or seventeen. It is of a yellowish or brownish grey color, with longi- tudinal bands on the back, and regular rows of spots on the side. The tail has eight or nine complete dark rings. J-P7 the btnturong. [One-seventh natural size.) In India it is kept tame, the natives often domesticating it for the purpose of more conveniently extracting the civet. THE MUNGOOS, OR ICHNEUMON, form a well defined genus of weasel-like animals. It frequents alike the open country and low jungles, being found in dense hedgerows, thickets, holes in banks, etc., and it is very destructive to such birds as frequent the ground, for it only sucks the blood, and so kills many birds before it is satisfied. 262 THE LAND CARNIVORA. It is sixteen or seventeen inches long, its tail fourteen, and is of a tawny yel- lowish grey color. The head is marked with reddish and yellowish rings, so arranged as to produce a resultant iron-grey hue. The Mungoos proper is a cleanly, lively, good-tempered creature, and keeps the house of its owner free from rats and mice, and such creatures, as well as from those horrible nuisances in all tropical countries — snakes and scorpions. It is from its combats with the latter that it obtains its fame. The name it bears has been given it because, according to native reports, when it is bitten by a poisonous serpent.it digs up a very bitter root named the mungo-root, which it eats, and then with renewed vigor resumes its combat with its foe. European observers who have watched the animal when it leaves the field of battle, say it eats either grass or any other herb in the neighbor- hood. One eye-witness writes: "The snake — a Spectacled Snake — was a yard and a half long; the Mungus attacked it immediately, and a terrible struggle ensued. At the end of five minutes the snake struck the Mungus with its poison- fang. The animal fell, lay for some time like a dead thing, and foamed at the mouth ; then suddenly rose and rushed into the jungle. In twenty minutes it returned and renewed the attack with greater spirit than ever, and killed the snake within six minutes." THE BINTURONC. This is a curious little animal of a black color, with a white border to its ears, a large head and turned-up nose, and a long, immensely thick, tapering tail, which, remarkably enough, is prehensile, like that of a New World monkey. It is twenty-eight to thirty inches long from snout to root of tail, and the tail itself is nearly of the same length. It is sometimes called the "black Bear Cat." " It is slow and crouching. In its habits it is quite nocturnal, solitary, and arboreal, creeping along the large branches, and aiding itself by its prehensile tail. It is omnivorous, eating small animals, birds, insects, fruit, and plants. It is more wild and retiring than Viverrine animals in general, and it is easily tamed ; its howl is loud." It walks entirely on the soles of its feet, and its claws are not retractile. Altogether the Binturong is a decidedly interesting animal, and has been a great puzzle to zoologists. It was formerly placed in the Raccoon family, to many of the members of which it bears a very strong resemblance; but this resemblance is quite superficial, and brought about by the similarity in the mode of life, etc In the characters of the skull and teeth, it undoubtedly belongs where we have placed it, among the Civet group. Thus it forms a capital warning to those zoolo- gists whose knowledge is only skin-deep, and who group animals entirely by their external character, without taking into account the important points of fundamen- tal structure, which should in every case be considered first. CHAPTER II. THE DOG FAMILY. The dogs form a sort of connecting link between the cat-like species on the one hand, and the bear-like group on the other. In the matter of being digitigrade, they agree with the cats ; the number of their teeth agrees with that of the bears ; in the character of the skull, they come just half way between the two. THE DOMESTIC DOC. We have now to consider an animal which has more interest for us than any other member of the animal kingdom ; indeed, many people, if asked to name the creature which feels for them the most disinterested friendship, the most devoted love, and which shows the most constant and untiring kindness and attention, would without hesitation name the humble carnivore. No animal has been so universally or so thoroughly domesticated as the dog; in none have the moral and intellectual faculties been so largely developed ; and there is certainly none which the human race could so ill spare. We might possibly, with a proper amount of practice, become vegetarians, and so do without our sheep and cattle, our pigs and poultry. The cat we might easily dispense with, for she is, after all, a very passive sort of creature, and rarely condescends to express either emotion or affection, whatever her feelings may be ; but to lose the dog would be to lose a friend, and a friend so faithful and true that his loss would be a veritable plucking out of the right eye and a cutting off of the right hand. As Mr. Darwin observes : " It is scarcely possible to doubt that the love of man has become instinctive in the dog," which it can hardly be said to have done, as yet, in man ! Wherever man of any degree of civilization is found, there the dog is to be found too — everywhere invaluable, though often grossly and brutally ill-treated. In all probability, too, dogs occur as true natives in all parts of the world, except in the Australian region — Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding islands; in these places he has, in all probability, been introduced by man. Among our American Indians the dog is, or was, held as an object of adora- tion, and dog-worship seems to have been a more ancient culte than the sun-worship practiced by the Mexicans. By most people the dog is valued only during his life; his skin is not particularly valuable, and his flesh is little esteemed. This is by no means, however, the case everywhere. It is well known that the Chinese use the 263 264 THE LAND CARNIVORA. dog as a regular article of food. Many of the North American tribes look upon an entree of dog as the greatest possible delicacy they can set before a stranger. Unlike the lion and tiger, the male dog takes no interest whatever in his offspring, who are taken care of during the weeks of their helplessness entirely by the mother. She, however, quite makes up for paternal neglect by the assiduity with which she tends and cares for her feeble offspring. It is one of the most touching, and at the same time, almost amusing sights to see the mother with her first litter; how jealously she watches the blind, fat, slug-like little creatures. At first she will growl and snap even at her beloved master, if he approaches too near her treasures. When they have grown a little, how fussy she becomes when they are noticed; she will even drag them by the leg, one by one, up stairs, to exhibit their perfections! For several weeks this care continues, but by the time the pups have grown half as big as their mother, and can see and run about, her solicitude diminishes. She begins to quarrel with them over bones and other tid- bits, and before long takes no more notice of them than if they were the com- monest stray dogs in the street. It is this evaporation of mother-love which so distinguishes a dog-parent from, at any rate, a great number of human parents. Like most animals, the female dog, if deprived of the natural objects of her affections, will lavish her care on almost any young and helpless thing with which she may be brought in contact. We have stated that the male dog is perfectly oblivious of his paternal duties; we have, however, met with one instance of a dog, who, whatever may have been his qualities as a parent, discharged with great fidelity the part of guardian, and that too, not to one of his own species, but to one of an alien and hostile race. This curious instance of canine affection was exhibited by a small male pet spaniel, belonging to some friends of ours, who brought up a kitten. The food, certainly, was supplied by the family, but the brooding and tendance were done most faithfully. On warm days, the dog would carry the kitten and lay it in the sun, choosing some snug place out of the wind, in the garden. The kitten, a female, lived to become a very beautiful cat; but her unsuspecting innocence led to her death. Not fearing any of the dog kind, she made no attempt to escape from them, and was worried to death by a strange stray dog. One of the most striking circumstances with regard both to the general and the special instincts of the dog, namely, those instincts common to the whole species, and those possessed by a particular breed, is the way in which they are transmitted from parent to child. The Pointer points the first time he is taken out; the Shepherd's dog learns his duties with astonishingly little teaching. Not only are instincts transmitted in pure breeds, but in cross-breeds the special char- acteristics of both parents come out with the most marvelous accuracy. " * * * It is known that a cross with a bull-dog has affected for many generations the courage and obstinacy of greyhounds; and a cross with a greyhound has given a whole family of shepherd-dogs a tendency to hunt hare. Le Roy describes a 265 266 THE LAND CARNIVORA. dog, whose great grandfather was a wolf, and this dog showed a trace of its wild parentage only in one way — by not coming in a straight line to his master when called." A very remarkable trait in the dog's character, which has undoubtedly become instinctive, and is consequently transmitted from generation to generation, is his love of human society. A well-cared for dog will always prefer his master's com- pany to that of his own kind, and will take any amount of trouble, and give up any amount of personal ease, that he may not be parted from him. But, undoubtedly, the most wonderful canine instinct is the sense of direction, the power possessed by so many dogs of finding their way back to an old and well-loved home, after being forcibly removed from it to a new place of abode. Instances are numerous in which dogs, taken from their usual habitation, shut up in a basket, or by night, or in a swift railway train, have unerringly found their way back, greatly to the surprise of both their new and their old masters. We are indebted to Mr. Hugh Miller for a good instance of reasoning power in a dog belonging to his brother, Captain Miller. This dog, "Tara" by name, a greyhound, with a dash of pointer, was one day taken out with a carriage for a run of forty miles. Now, it is estimated that a dog, by his uncontrollable habit of " meandering," usually goes over about three times the ground of a horse or man he accompanies, so that on this occasion Tara must have run over a hundred miles, and was in consequence rather done up when she reached home. She usually slept in the dining-room, whence she was always ejected at 7 A. M. by the housemaid who cleaned the room. On this occasion, however, no amount of per- suasion could induce Tara to occupy her accustomed sleeping-place ; she posi- tively insisted upon following her master upstairs to his bedroom, where she evi- dently expected she could remain undisturbed for a good long rest, and where she did actually remain till 2 p. M. on the following day. Another and more striking instance of the exercise of reasoning power is given in the Quarterly Journal of Science for April, 1876. It is there stated that a Newfoundland dog was "sent across a stream to fetch a couple of hats, while his master and friend had gone on some distance. The dog went after them, and the gentlemen saw him attempt to carry both hats, and fail, for the two were too much for him. Presently he paused in his endeavor, took a careful survey of the hats, discovered that one was larger than the other, put the small one in the larger, and took the latter in his teeth by the brim !" In the face of facts such as these, the question as to whether dogs possess the power of reasoning becomes merely one of words. No one would say that a human being who did as this dog did acted from blind instinct. One can easily call to mind several persons of one's acquaintance, to whom it would be the height of presumption to deny the possession of reason, and who yet would never have thought of putting the hats one inside the other. It is related that the great Newton made, in his study door, a big hole for his cat and a little one for the THE DOMESTIC DOG. 267 kitten. In doing this he showed far less exercise of reason than the dog ; and it is quite conceivable that if he had been sent to fetch the hats he would have brought them over separately ! One of the most interesting points in the dog's character, and one in which many of his human masters would do well to imitate him, is his teachableness. A good dog may be taught almost anything, no matter how difficult or distasteful, or how foreign to his nature. And not only will he learn to do anything, but to understand anything, for there can be no doubt whatever that dogs actuallv do understand what is said to them, in many cases, quite irrespectively of tone or gesture. Of course with an ordinary dog who has received no special and sys- tematic training, it is the tone of his master's voice or his gestures which convey meanings to him, far more than the actual wordb ; but with many dogs, whose intelligence is great, and whose education has been thorough, this acme of culture is attained, and the animal does, undoubtedly, understand the actual words said to him. After finding that the dog can understand what is said to him, one is always tempted to wish he could go one step further, and answer again, for to hear from a dog's own lips his opinion on "men and things" would be an entertainment of no small interest. Attempts have been made to teach dogs to speak, but as one might imagine, with very partial success. A curious account of an attempt of this kind was communicated by the great philosopher Leibnitz to the French Academy. " A little boy^, a peasant's son, imagined that he perceived in the dog's voice an indistinct resemblance to certain words, and therefore took it into his head to teach him to speak. For this purpose he spared neither time nor pains with his pupil, who was about three years old when his learned education commenced, and in process of time he was able to articulate no fewer than thirty distinct words. He was, however, somewhat of a truant, and did not very willingly exert his talent, and was rather pressed than otherwise in the service of literature. It was necessary' that the words should be pronounced to him each time, and then he repeated them after his preceptor. Leibnitz attests that he heard the animal talk in this way, and the French Academicians add, that unless thev had received the testimony of so celebrated a person they would scarcely have dared to report the circumstance. It took place in Mesnia, in Saxony." But " actions speak louder than words," and although the dog is not gifted with the power of articulate speech, he is yet capable of expressing his feelings by look and gesture as eloquently as most people. It is altogether wonderful to see how a dog's whole expression and demeanor are changed by a word or look, either of praise or blame. The eye, the mouth, the ear, the tail, the whole trunk, all are called into requisition, and together speak a language which is unmis- takable. Mr. Darwin gives a most interesting account of the mode of expression of two opposite states of mind in the dog; an account which, like everything written by the same author, leaves nothing to be desired for clearness and accuracy. 268 THE LAND CARNIVORA. "When a dog approaches a strange dog or man in a savage or hostile frame of mind, he walks upright and very stiffly ; his head is slightly raised, or not much lowered, the tail is held erect and quite rigid; the hairs bristle, especially along the neck and back; the pricked ears are directed forward, and the eyes have a fixed stare. These actions follow from the dog's intention to attack his enemy, and are thus to a large extent intelligible. As he prepares to spring, with a savage growl, on his enemy, the canine teeth are uncovered, and the ears are pressed close backward on the head. Let us now suppose that the dog suddenly dis- covers that the man whom he is approaching is not a stranger, but his master; and let it be observed how completely and instantaneously his whole bearing is reversed. Instead of walking upright, the body sinks downward, or even crouches, and is thrown into flexous movements; his tail, instead of being held stiff and upright, is lowered and wagged from side to side; his hair instantly becomes smooth , his ears are depressed and drawn backward, but not closely to the head, and his lips hang loosely. From the drawing back of the ears the eye- lids become elongated, and the eyes no longer appear round and staring." There can be no doubt that dogs are perfectly capable of communicating their thoughts to one another, and of understanding one another's meaning as well as that of their master's. One often sees two dogs, after a friendly sniff, carry on a small conversation, before trotting on their ways, evidently quite fond of a little chat. The method of hunting in pacRS adopted by wild dogs is an undoubted proof of the faculty of combining together for a definite end, a number of animals agreeing to hunt a quarry, which one alone would be powerless against. But there are many instances of civilized dogs concocting plans in the cleverest way, and carrying them out with a care and circumspection perfectly wonderful in a "dumb animal." For instance, Mr. Romanes says: "A small Skye and a large Mongrel were in the habit of hunting hares and rabbits upon their own account, the small dog having a good nose, and the large one great fleetness. These qual- ities they combined in the most advantageous manner, the terrier driving the game from the cover toward his fleet-footed companion, which was waiting for it out- side." The same gentleman gives another and still more curious instance: " A friend of mine in this neighborhood had a small terrier and a large New- foundland. One day a shepherd called upon him to say that his dogs had been seen worrying sheep the night before. The gentleman said there must be some mistake, as the Newfoundland had not been unchained. A few days afterward the shepherd again called with the same complaint, vehemently asserting that he was positive as to the identity of the dogs. Consequently, the owner set one watch upon the kennel, and another outside the sheep inclosure, directing them (in con- sequence of what the shepherd had told him) not to interfere with the actions of the dogs. After this had been done several nights in succession, the small dog was observed to come at day-dawn to the place where the large one was chained. ESKIMO DOGS. 209 270 THE LAND CARNIVORA. The latter immediately slipped his collar, and the two animals made straight for the sheep. Upon arriving at the inclosure, the Newfoundland concealed himself behind a hedge, while the terrier drove the sheep toward his ambush, and the fate of one of them was quickly sealed. When their breakfast was finished, the dogs returned home, and the large one, thrusting his head into his collar, lay down again as though nothing had happened. Why this animal should have chosen to hunt by stratagem prey which he could so easily have run down I cannot suggest; but there is little doubt that so wise a dog must have had some good reason." In another case we have met witty a "solemn league and covenant" was made, for purposes of offence and defence, between a dog and a cat. A Blenheim spaniel was taken to a strange house, and, shortly after his arrival, was attacked and severely scratched by the two cats living there. The spaniel was no match for both antagonists at once, and so judiciously beat a retreat into the garden. He there met a cat belonging to the gardener, and succeeded in making friends with her and prevailing on her to join with him against his cruel enemies. The two allies then went into the house, and finding one of the victorious cats alone, attacked and defeated her. Shortly after she was put to flight, victor number two entered the room ; she was also presently attacked and routed with great loss by the allied forces, who were thus left masters of the field. The narrator of this tale goes on to state that the spaniel remained ever afterward on terms of the firmest friendship with his feline helper. It is a subject of great interest to consider which of the virtues and vices of man himself are exhibited by the dog. We will take first, his good qualities, and then shall "follow his vices — close at the heels of his virtues;" so that we may see how many of both he can be found to possess. First, and most important of all, is a clear sense of right and wrong, without which no moral advancement is possible. That nearly all dogs have this sense, and that many possess it in a very marked degree, there can be no doubt. Sev- eral instances of this faculty are given, by the author we have already quoted, Mr. G. J. Romanes, who writes of a little dog in his possession : " For a long time this terrier was the only canine pet I had. One day, how- ever, I brought home a large dog, and chained him up outside. The jealousy of the terrier toward the new comer was extreme. Indeed, I never before knew that jealousy in an animal could arrive at such a pitch ; but as it would occupy too much space to enter into details, it will be enough to say that I really think nothing that could have befallen this terrier would have pleased him so much as would any happy accident by which he might well get rid of his rival. Well, a few nights after the new dog had arrived, the terrier was, as usual, sleeping in my bedroom. About i o'clock in the morning he began to bark and scream very loudly, and upon my waking up and telling him to be quiet, he ran between the bed and the window in a most excited manner, jumping on and off the toilette table after each journey, as much as to say: 'Get up quickly; you have no idea of THE DOMESTIC DOG. 271 what shocking things are going on outside ! ' Accordingly I got up and was sur- prised to see the large dog careering down the road : he had broken loose, and being wild with fear at finding himself alone in a strange place, was running, he knew not whither. Of course I went out as soon as possible, and after about half an hour's work succeeded in capturing the runaway. I then brought him into the house and chained him up in the hall; after which I fed and caressed him, with the view of restoring his peace of mind. During all this time the terrier had remained in my bedroom, and although he heard the feeding and caressing pro- cess going on down stairs, this was the only time I ever knew him fail to attack the large dog when it was taken into the house. Upon my re-entering the bed- room, and before I had said anything, the terrier met me with certain indescrib- able grinnings and prancings, which he always used to perform when conscious of having been a particularly good dog. Now I consider the whole of this episode a very remarkable instance in an animal, of action prompted by a sense of duty. No other motive than the voice of conscience can here be assigned for what the terrier did : even his strong jealousy of the large dog gave way before the yet stronger dread he had of the remorse he knew he should have to suffer if next day he saw me distressed at a loss which it had been in his power to prevent. What makes the case more striking is, that this was the only occasion during the many years he slept in my bedroom that the terrier disturbed me in the night- time. Indeed, the scrupulous care with which he avoided making the least noise while I was asleep, or pretending to be asleep, was quite touching; even the sight of a cat outside, which at any other time rendered him frantic, only causing him to tremble violently with suppressed emotion, when he had reason to sup- pose that I was not awake. If I overslept myself, however, he used to jump upon the bed and push my shoulder gently with his paw. "The following instance is likewise very instructive. I must premise that the terrier in question far surpassed any animal or human being I ever knew in the keen sensitiveness of his feelings, and that he was never beaten in his life. Well, one day he was shut up in a room by himself, while everybody else in the house where he was went out. Seeing his friends from the window as they departed, the terrier appears to have been overcome by a paroxysm of rage, for when I returned I found that he had torn all the bottoms of the window-curtains to shreds. When I first opened the door he jumped about as dogs in general do under similar circumstances, having apparently forgotten, in his joy at seeing me, the damage he had done. But when, without speaking, I picked up one of the torn shreds of the curtains, the terrier gave a howl, and rushing out of the room, ran upstairs screaming as loudly as he was able. The only interpretation I can assign to this conduct is, that his former fit of passion having subsided, the dog was sorry at having done what he knew would annoy me ; and not being able to endure in my presence the remorse of his smitten conscience, he ran to the farthest corner of the house, crying peccavi, in the language of his nature. THE LAND CARNIVORA. "Sensitiveness such as this generally goes along with the keenest susceptibility to ridicule ; and here, again, the same dog showed a dislike of being laughed at which is amusingly human, as is also the clever trick by which he tried to escape the gibes which were entering so deeply into his soul. "The terrier used to be very fond of catching flies upon the window panes, and if ridiculed when unsuccessful, he was evidently much annoyed. On one occasion, in order to see what he would do, I purposely laughed immoderately every time he failed. It so happened that he did so several times in succession — partly, I believe, in consequence of my laughing ; and eventually he became so distressed that he positively pretended to catch the fly, going through all the appro- priate actions with his lips and tongue, and afterward rubbing the ground with his neck as if to kill the victim ; he then looked up at me with a triumphant air of suc- cess. So well was the whole process simulated, that I should have been quite deceived had I not seen that the fly was still upon the window. Accordingly I drew his attention to this fact, as well as to the absence of anything upon the floor, and when he saw that his hypocrisy had been detected, he slunk away under some furniture, evidently much ashamed of himself." Honesty is a virtue very commonly developed in good dogs, and instances of it are numerous. But, as usual, the best anecdote is given by Mr. Romanes, again apropos of his wonderful terrier: " I have seen this dog escort a donkey, which had baskets on its back filled with apples. Although the dog did not know that he was being observed by any- body, he did his duty with the utmost faithfulness ; for every time the donkey turned back its head to take an apple out of the baskets the dog snapped at his nose ; and such was his watchfulness, that, although his companion was keenly desirous of tasting some of the fruit, he never allowed him to get a single apple during the half hour they were left together. I have also seen this terrier protect- ing meat from other terriers (his sons) which lived in the same house with him, and with which he was on the best of terms. More curious still, I have seen him seize my wristbands while they were being worn by a friend to whom I had tem- porarily loaned them." The tales of canine magnanimity are endless. Every one knows that of the big Newfoundland who, being long plagued by a number of little yelping curs, one of whom at last bit him, revenged himself only by dipping the offender in the quay hard by, and, after he was cowed, plunging in and bringing him safe to land. But all dogs are not magnanimous. Some of them, like certain men one meets with, have quite a talent for taking offence, and will pick a quarrel on the slightest provocation, or, indeed, on no provocation at all. There are, of course, the wretched little curs one meets in the street, whose sole delight seems to be to rush out suddenly and bark furiously at every passer-by ; but these miserable beings act as they do rather from lack of brain, and for want of something to do, than from real badness of heart. There are dogs, however, who are naturally quarrel- THE DOMESTIC DOG. 273 some, and will do all in their power to get up a row, simply for the pleasure of the thing. > There is a well authenticated instance of a terrier who, in picking a quar- rel contrived, as if trained in the Kanzellei of Prince Bismarck, to place himself technically in the right. He would time his movements so that some passenger should stumble over him, and would then fasten on the calf of his leg With a WATER SPANIEL most statesman-like aptitude, he selected the aged, the i the objects of his cunningly planned attacks." 'r^t av,1„ ~ ' _i r infirm, and the ill-dressed jvo.o Wl 1113 Luuiiiu^Lv piannea attacks." Not only are instances of quarrelsomeness to be found in dogs, but also of the strongest desire to revenge real or supposed injuries, of the exercise of a wonder- u amount of cunning and reasoning power to bring a hated rival to justice. The following anecdote forms a capital antithesis to that of Mr. Romanes' terrier who prevented the escape of the dog he disliked and was jealous of, although such an event would have brought him the greatest possible comfort: 18 274 THE LAND CARNIVORA. "A fine terrier, in the possession of a surgeon, about three weeks ago exhibited its sagacity in a rather amusing manner. It came into the kitchen and began plucking the servant by the gown, and in spite of repeated rebuffs, it perseveringly continued in its purpose. The mistress of the house hearing the noise, came down to inquire the cause, when the animal treated her in a similar manner. Being struck with the concern evinced by the creature, she quietly followed it upstairs into a bedroom, whither it led her ; there it commenced barking, looking under the bed, and then up in her face. Upon examination, a cat was discovered there quietly demolishing a beefsteak, which it had feloniousl}' obtained. The most sin- gular feature in the whole case is that the cat had been introduced into the house only a short time before, and that bitter emnity prevailed between her and her canine companion." Besides illustrating the desire for vengeance, this is as good an instance of reason as any we have given. The dog evidently argued to himself in this wise : " If I fly upon this wretched cat and deprive her of her stolen goods by force, she will get nothing more than a fright, or, perhaps, a few tooth marks; but if I lodge a complaint against her before the proper tribunal, her guilt will be manifest to the whole household, and she will be got rid of, or even killed." The dog, by the way he conceived and acted on this plan, showed himself to be nearly as clever and almost as wicked as a great many men one reads about in history. The varieties or breeds of the dog are extremely numerous, and differ from each other to a wonderful degree. In the matter of size, we have the mastiff, as large as a pony, at one end of the series, and the toy-terrier, a few inches long, at the other. As to the development of hair, there is every gradation, from the hair- less Turkish dog to the Skye terrier or the poodle; as to running powers, there are the grejdiound and the turnspit ; in the matter of mental and moral character- istics, we have the intelligent shepherd's dog, the obstinate and courageous bull- dog, the silly Italian greyhound, and the lazy lap-dog. Never was animal so thor- oughly, so unanimously, and so successfully selected ; never did any show such endless variation in so many particulars. Not only has civilized man his endless breeds of dogs, but nearly every savage tribe of any degree of intelligence has, to a greater or less degree, succeeded in producing a race exhibiting well marked characters, useful to them as a guardian of flocks or a beast of burden. Then, in many parts of the world there are to be found troops of dogs which have become wild, though not sufficiently so to be actually dangerous, and which act as scav- engers in those countries which, like Turkey, are not blessed with a particularly stringent code of sanitary regulations. THE HARE INDIAN DOG. This interesting variety is found only in North America, in the region of the Great Bear Lake and the Mackenzie River, where it is kept as a hunting dog by the Hare Indians and one or two other tribes. It deserves great interest from the fact that it closely resembles the prairie wolf, from which it is very probably descended. THE HARE INDIAN DOG. 275 "The Hare Indian dog is very playful, has an affectionate disposition, and is soon gained by kindness. It is not, however, very docile, and dislikes confinement of every kind. It is very fond of being caressed, rubs its back against the hand like a cat, and soon makes an acquaintance with a stranger. Like a wild animal, it is very mindful of an injury, nor does it, like the spaniel, crouch under the lash; but if it is conscious of having deserved punishment, it will hover round the tent of its master the whole day, without coming within his reach, even when he calls it. Its howl, when hurt or afraid, is that of the wolf; but when it sees any unusual hare Indian dog. {One -ninth natural size.) object, it makes a singular attempt at barking, commencing by a kind of growl, which is not, however, unpleasant, and ending in a prolonged howl. Its voice is very much like that of the prairie wolf. The larger dogs, which we had for draught at Fort Franklin, and which were of the mongrel breed in common use at the fur-posts, used to pursue the Hare Indian dogs for the purpose of devouring them; but the latter far outstripped them in speed, and easily made their escape. A young puppy, which I purchased from the Hare Indians, became greatly attached to me, and when about seven months old ran on the snow by the side of my sledge for nine hundred miles without suffering from fatigue. During this march it fre- quently, of its own accord, carried a small twig, or one of my mittens, for a mile 2T6 THE LAND CARNIVORA. or two ; but, although very gentle in its manners, it showed little aptitude in learn- ing any of the arts which the Newfoundland dogs so speedily acquire, of fetching and carrying when ordered. This dog was killed and eaten by an Indian on the Saskatchewan, who pretended that he mistook it for a fox." THE ESKIMO DOC. Not only does the Eskimo dog agree with the wolf in appearance, but also in disposition ; it is wild, savage, and obstinate to a degree almost inconceivable to us, who are only acquainted with civilized dogs. In illus- tration of the wolf-like disposition of the beast, Dr. Robert Brown relates an inci- dent which shows that it is but little removed from its probable ancestor. We said above that it was only half tamed ; so certainly is this the case, that it "can only be kept in subjection by the most unmerciful lashing, for its savage nature will out." The chief use of the Eskimo dog is to draw the sledges, which are the only possible conveyance in that frozen land. In all the Arctic expeditions 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, among which the pack of light, active dogs make their way with wonderful ease and safety. The presence of a good leader to every sledge team is of the first importance ; the other dogs obey him far more implicitly than the driver, as he has gained his proud position vi et armis, and keeps all his subordinates in the strictest order. Notwithstanding this, the behavior of the team while running is far from exem- plary. Captain Lyon says, "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 neighbor." So that it is always best to trust to a good leader than to any amount of whipping, as the latter may only involve the whole concern — team, sledge, driver, and all — in hopeless and inextricable confusion. "Among the Eskimo on the western shore of Davis Straits, a loose dog usually precedes the sledge, and, by carefully avoiding broken places in the ice, acts as a guide to the sledge team, which carefully follows his lead." Besides their use as draught animals, these dogs are employed in bear and seal hunting. Their skin is also valuable, and the natives are extremely fond of their flesh, although, as the dog is getting gradually scarcer, they can seldom indulge in the dainty. THE GREYHOUND. The various breeds of this dog are the most elegant in the whole species. The head is proportionally smaller than in any other variety, and in consequence of this, the greyhound is by no means one of the dogs particu- larly noted for intellect, his energy having all gone off in the direction of speed, and there being, in consequence, none to spare for brain power. He is, in fact, an THE GREYHOUND. 277 athlete, and nothing more — a pace et prceterea nihil. In former times the greyhound was sufficiently strong to cope with the wolf, but for many hundred years he has gradually degenerated in strength, and toward the close of the last century was so deficient in courage and perseverance that Lord Oxford, one of the lights of the sporting world at that time, hit upon the ingenious plan of crossing his greyhounds with bulldogs. This expedient was so successful that, "after the sixth or seventh generation, there was not a vestige left of the form of the bulldog ; but his cour- age and indomitable perseverance remained, and, having once started after his game, he did not relinquish the chase until he fell exhausted, or perhaps died. / the Italian greyhound. {One-ninth natural size.) This cross is now almost universally adopted. It is one of the secrets in the breed- ing of the greyhound." The form of the greyhound is as well known as that of any dog ; its long, slen- der muzzle, capacious chest, slender loins, and beautifully shaped limbs, are familiar to every one ; the latter form a set of spring levers only equaled by the limbs of a racehorse or a deer. The color is very variable — black, white, fawn, or brindled. The hair is short and fine, and the ears rise erect for a certain height and then hang over. This dog is now used only for coursing or hare-hunting. In performing this task, it is guided entirely by the eye, its sense of smell being deficient, and practi- cally of no importance in the chase ; so that if once the greyhound loses sight of the game, the latter is started again by a spaniel. The speed attained by a good greyhound is very remarkable; it is, indeed, just inferior to that of a race-horse. 278 THE LAND CARNIVORA. THE WATER SPANIEL is larger than any of the other spaniels; it is also a stronger dog, and has closely curled hair, and ears proportionally much shorter. It is used in shooting, having first to find the game, and then, when a bird falls, to bring it to its master without mangling. It is one of the most docile and intelligent of dogs, and has numerous tales told of it, both in prose and poetry. Among the latter we may mention Cowper's well known piece, " The Water Lily."' THE POODLE is a dog of European origin, and is well known by its thick, generally white, curly hair, which conceals its face and covers its body like a mat. In France, and sometimes, alas! in England and America, people try to improve the breed by shaving off the hair from the hinder half of the body, with the excep- THE POODLE. tion of the tip of the tail, thus making the wretched animal a spectacle to men and angels. Some misguided people go even further than this, and dye the hair of various colors — making, perhaps, a magenta body and a yellow tail, or some other equally tasteful and appropriate combination. The poodle, notwithstanding the way it is treated, is an extremely intelligent dog, and capable of learning all sorts of tricks ; it will walk on its hind legs, dance, sham dead, and, in fact, do almost anything it is taught. It is also affectionate and devoted, and has shown itself capable of retaining for life the memory of a deceased master. THE ST. BERNARD DOC. This magnificent breed is now better known than formerly, as it is becoming quite usual to keep them instead of mastiffs or Newfoundlands. The breed was, until lately, almost confined to the Alps, where it was kept by the monks of the convent of Mount St. Bernard, and sent out, pro- THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. 79 vided with a little barrel of brandy tied round its neck, to rescue travelers lost in the snow. The number of people who have been saved from death in this way, by the humanity of these good monks and the intelligence of their dogs, must' be THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. very great, for a single dog, the celebrated " Barry," saved no less than forty lives himself, and at last perished on one of his expeditions of mercy. THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOC is the finest and largest of water-dogs, besides being among the most intelligent and courageous. It is covered with thick curly hair, usually black or black and white, the curls being more flowing and not so close and woolly as in the ordinary spaniel or the retriever. So fully is this dog 280 THE LAND CARNIVORA. adapted for swimming-, that its feet have very considerable webs, extending between the toes — an evident adaptation to its aquatic habits. The attachment which these magnificent dogs feel toward mankind is almost unaccountable, for they have been often known to undergo the greatest hardships in order to bring succor to a person whom they had never seen before. A New- foundland dog has been known to discover a poor man perishing in the snow from cold and inanition, to dash off, procure assistance, telling by certain doggish lan- guage of its own of the need for help, and then to gallop back again to the sufferer, lying upon him as if to afford vital heat from his own body, and there to wait until the desired assistance arrived. One day a Newfoundland dog and a mastiff had a sharp quarrel over a bone. They were fighting on a bridge, and over they went into the water. The banks were so high that they were forced to swim some distance before they came to a landing place. It was very easy for the New- foundland ; he was as much at home in the water as a seal. But not so poor Bruce, the mastiff; he struggled and tried his best to swim, but made little headway. The Newfoundland dog quickly reached the land, and then turned to look at his old enemy. He saw plainly that his strength was fast failing, and that he was likely to drown. So what did the noble fellow do but plunge in, seize him gently by the collar, and keeping his nose above water, tow him safely into port ! It was funny to see these dogs look at each other as they shook their coats. Their glance said as plainly as words, "We'll never quarrel any more." Another incident exhibits the intelligence of the Newfoundland. A large, heavy wagon, which was, notwithstanding its enormous weight, dragged along at a smart trot by a vigorous horse, was passing lately through the Rue de la Cha. pelle, at Paris. An infant of three years of age having ventured on the public road, unconscious of the danger it was running, was just about to be crushed beneath the wheels of the huge vehicle. Quicker than thought, a magnificent Newfoundland dog, which was sitting on the pavement, darted forth with one immense bound, snapped up the little being, passed -like an arrow beneath the wagon between the four wheels, and deposited the poor child safe and sound upon HEAD OF SETTER. THE SHEEP DOG— THE BLOODHOUND. 281 the opposite pavement. Another of these animals, belonging to a workman, was attacked by a small and pugnacious bulldog, which sprang upon the unoffending canine giant, and after the manner of bulldogs, "pinned" him by the nose, and there hung, in spite of all endeavors to shake it off. However, the big dog hap- pened to be a clever one, and spying a pailful of boiling tar, he bolted toward it, THE BLOODHOUND. and deliberately lowered his foe into the hot and viscous material. The bulldog had not calculated on such a reception, and made its escape as fast as it could run, bearing with it a scalding memento of the occasion. THE SHEEP DOC. This is not only the most important of all our domestic breeds, but it is second to none for intelligence and devotion. It is quite 28:2 THE LAND CARNIhORA. a rare thing to find a shepherd's dog who will offer the slightest violence to the animals under its care; and it can often be trusted almost with the entire man- agement of the flock, driving them from place to place, gathering them together to be counted, and making altogether a far more valuable assistant to the shepherd than any human being could possibly be. The dog is wholly devoted to the work, and his obedience and skill are perfect, penning the sheep from field after field, for his owner, who foots it slowly after him, and finds the flock ready to his hand. It used to be credibly reported to us in our boyhood, that some of these dogs would lay themselves down by a sheep that had got cast; these dogs, it was said, would push their arched spine against the helpless sheep, and give them sufficient leverage to enable them to rise. THE BLOODHOUND. This dog resembles pretty closely the- deerhound, or old English hound, but is considerably larger, with longer ears of a soft and delicate texture, and deeper "flews," or down hanging upper lips. The color is brown, verging to red- dish along the back, and to light fawn-color below. The eyes should be surrounded with a distinct red ring, due to the ex- posure of the delicate membrane lining the eyelids. To judge from the animal's countenance, no one would imagine the horrid purpose for which it was originally bred, for few dogs have a milder, more benevolent, or more intelligent visage. In former times these dogs were used to track runaway slaves, robbers and other offenders, a duty which they performed with the most unerring accuracy, never giving up the chase until they had brought their miserable quarry to bay. When engaged in this work, all their mildness disappeared, and they were transformed into perfect furies. Mr. Youatt, writing in 1845, says: "The Thrapstone Association lately trained a bloodhound for the detection of sheep -stealers. In order to prove the utility of this dog, a person whom he had not seen was ordered to run as far and as fast as his strength would permit. An hour afterward, the hound was brought out. He was placed on the spot whence the man had started. He almost immediately detected the scent, and broke away, and after a chase of an hour and a half, found him concealed in a tree fifteen miles distant ! " THE BULLDOG. 283 THE SETTER, according- to Vouatt, "is evidently the large spaniel, improved to his peculiar size and beauty, and taught another way of marking his game, viz., by setting or crouching. If the form of the dog were not suf- ficiently satisfactory on this point, we might have recourse to history for information on it. Mr. Daniel, in his ' Rural Sports,' has preserved a document, dated in the year 1685, in which a yeoman binds himself, for the sum of ten shillings, fully and effectually to teach a spaniel to sit partridges and pheasants. The first per- son, however, who systematically broke in sitting dogs is supposed to have been Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, in 1335." The hind surface of the legs, and the under surface of the tail of the setter should be well " feathered," that is, beset with long hair. THE POINTER. Mr. Darwin says: " The pointers are certainly descended from r — „ a Spanish breed, as even the \ N, names Don, Ponto, Carlos, ""^^fi etc., would show." The value of this dog consists in his habit of "pointing," or standing silently, with lifted foot and outstretched muzzle, as soon as he finds game. A very remarkable circumstance with regard to this habit is the way in which it is inherited. A young dog points instinctively the first time he is taken into the field. THE BADGER DOG. THE BADGER DOC is a German breed. The fore-legs are crooked at the wrist-joint, and the feet are very large. It was originally bred, as its name implies, for badger-hunting, and so strong is its instinct for the sport even now it has become a drawing-room pet, that it will rush at anything that looks like a hole, and begin to burrow vigorously. THE BULLDOG is undoubtedly the most savage and untamable of all the breeds; he is, moreover, except to the eyes of the fancier, the ugliest; for, although he has not the grotesque proportions of the turnspit, yet his crooked legs, rat's tail, flat forehead, little wicked eyes, turned up nose, big mouth, and underhung lower jaw, make him a creature absolutely hideous to any one whose taste is not sufficiently cultivated to enable him to admire anything "proper." The two features of the crooked legs and the underhung jaw are simply selected 284 THE LAND CARNIVORA. and perpetuated deformities. The projection of the lower jaw and the receding of the nose are extremely marked, and give the dog a most sinister appearance. The chest of a good bulldog is very broad and strong. The hindquarters, on the other hand, are comparatively feeble. The bulldog was formerly used — as its name implies — for the barbarous " sport " of bull baiting, in which our forefathers took so much delight. The dog would seize upon the bull's nose and lip, and no power in heaven and earth could make him leave his hold. He would even fight with the lion, and seize upon his gigantic antagonist again and again, although torn and mangled all over with great claw wounds. Although not a water dog, the bulldog is a capital swimmer, his immense strength and indomitable pluck giving him an advantage over even such a pro- fessed swimmer as the Newfoundland. "During a heavy gale, a ship had struck on a rock near the land. The only chance of escape for the shipwrecked was to get a rope ashore ; for it was impossible for any boat to live in the sea as it was then running. There were two Newfoundland dogs and a bulldog on board. One of the Newfoundland dogs was thrown overboard, with a rope thrown round him, and perished in the waves. The second shared a similar fate; but the bull- dog fought his way through that terrible sea, and arriving safe on shore, rope and all, became the saviour of the crew." THE MASTIFF. This dog "is probably an original breed peculiar to the British Islands." It is larger than the bulldog, has a head of somewhat the same shape, with deep flews, but its ears are pendant, and it has none of the bulldog's deformity. From the bloodhound it is distinguished by the shape of the head, which is rounder and shorter, and by the absence of a red ring round the eye. At the present day, the mastiff is used chiefly as a house dog, for which purpose his fidelity and strength make him thoroughly well suited. PARIAH DOCS. We come lastly to tho .e nondescript animals, the Pariahs, or domesticated dogs run wild, which occur in packs in many parts of Eastern Europe and of Asia. These herds of miserable, half-starved animals are undoubtedly not true wild dogs, but degenerated tame ones; the dog being derived from a wild ancestor, under certain circumstances shows his descent by reverting to the habits of his forbears. " The dogs of the Egyptian towns are masterless, and live on carcasses thrown out on the mounds of rubbish outside the walls, and what is cast them by the charitable. In the villages, and with the shepherds along the desert, they are better cared for, protecting the property of the people from thieves, and their animals from wild beasts. These dogs are generally sandy in color, but they vary — some are black, and others white." In Siam, these unhappy creatures are equally abundant, and are even worse off. Mr. Thomas states that they occur in great numbers in nearly all the temples. THE MASTIFF— PARIAH DOGS. 285 "It is contrary to the Buddhist creed to take away life ; hence many of their tem- ples become places of refuge for troops of famished dogs, who remain there till they die ; for though the priests give them what food they can spare, there is never enough for them all. These dogs, then, are usually animated skeletons, their skins destitute of hair, and covered with many sores. I tossed them a little food: it gave rise to the most savage fight 1 ever witnessed. One or two wretched curs limped away from the strife, torn and lacerated, probably to lie down and die. This canine community — fierce, hungry, and diseased — must surely be one of those many Buddhist hells where sorcerers expiate their crimes. The animals are THE MASTIFF. deemed to be animated by the spirits of the departed, and are undergoing a life- time of torture. The priests, if they are good men, look on at their misery with pious complacency, and probably take the lesson to heart, lest they, too, in the next stage of their existence, should be condemed to howl for offal or garbage to satisfy the hungry pangs and sore-eaten frames of starving Pariah dogs.' THE D3NCO. The dingo is not a noble savage who has never known civil- ization, but a civilized dog run wild. It is the only carnivorous animal found in Australia, consequently is not a marsupial, and therefore is not indigenous to the island. It has all the look of a domestic dog. It is about as large as a sheep-dog, 286 THE LAND CARNIVORA. and is of a reddish brown color, sprinkled with black. It crosses freely with the tame dog-. Large packs of these wild dogs ravage the localities in which they have taken up their residence, and have attained to so high a degree of organization that each pack will only hunt over its own district, and will neither intrude upon the terri- tory which has been allotted to a neighboring pack of dingoes, nor permit any intrusion upon its own soil. For this reason their raids upon the flocks and herds are so dangerous that the colonists have been obliged to call meetings in order to arrange proceedings against the common foe. Before the sheep-owners had learned to take effectual measures to check the inroads of these marauders, they lost their flocks in such numbers that they counted their missing sheep by the hun- KANGAROO PURSUED BY DINGOS. dred. From one colony no less than twelve hundred sheep and lambs were stolen in three months. The dingo is cowardly, and will rather run away than fight ; but when hard pressed, and it finds that its legs are of no use, it turns to bay with savage ferocity, and dashes at its opponents with the furious energy of despair. It carries these uncivilized customs into domesticated life ; and even when its restless limbs are subjected to the torpifying thraldom of chain and collar, and its wild, wolfish nature allayed by regular meals and restricted exercise, it is ever ready to make a sudden and unprovoked attack upon man or beast, provided always that its treacherous onset can be made unseen. After the attack it always retreats into the farthest recesses of its habitation, and there crouches in fear and silence, whether it has failed or succeeded in its cowardly malice. THE INDIAN WILD DOC. This animal exists in large numbers all over the peninsulas of India and Malacca. They have in many respects, an appearance 2S7 2S8 THE LAND CARNIVORA. resembling that of a fox or a jackal, with which it also agrees in its filthy smell. It is, however, a true dog, although less specialized than the domestic kinds, and therefore approaching the average structure of the wild Canidce. These dogs hunt in packs, six, eight, ten, or as many as thirty animals in a pack, They hunt either by night or day; and it is said that "when once a pack of them put up any animal, no matter whether deer or tiger, that animal's doom is sealed ; they never leave it. They will dog their prey lor days, if need be, and run it down exhausted, and if it turns to fight, they go in fearlessly and by their numbers win. All animals dread the wild dog ; others they may elude by speed, artifice, or bat- tle ; but their instinct tells them that there is no escaping the wild dog, as it hunts in packs by scent as well as by sight, and is as brave as it is persevering." They make no noise when running, except sometimes a low whispering kind of note, which may either express their own gratification, or act as a signal to other dogs. Great numbers of them are destroyed in their hunting expeditions, as the larger animals, such as the elk and boar, defend themselves with great fierceness, and sacrifice many of their pursuers before they fall a victim to the overwhelming numbers and unconquerable perseverance of the latter. THE WOLF. We have considered all the most important " beasts of prey,'' with two excep- tions, under the cat family, to which they belong. Two important ravagers still remain — the bear and the wolf. Of the great cats, much good is often spoken. Notwithstanding their cruelty and bloodthirstiness, the} 7 are handsome, strong, and usually courageous ; each one hunts his prey for himself, and when he has satisfied his appetite, leaves the remainder to inferior beasts, disdaining, unless when reduced by starvation, to touch any but fresh meat. The bear, too, often has a word said for him ; his curious, half good natured look, his semi-human waddle, the tricks he is capable, of learning, all combine to make him seem not so very objectionable a beast after all. But who ever heard any good said of a wolf? There have, indeed, been a few instances of wolves in captivity who have shown much affection and fidelity to their masters ; but, under ordinary circumstances, cruel, cowardly, dastardly, greedy, pitiless, are the adjectives applied to him. The wolf has a place in history as venerable as that of the lion, and he was the dread of the shepherd four thousand years ago. The wolf is about the size of a large shepherd dog. The skin is of a dark yellowish grey color, or sometimes almost black; the hair is long and coarse in the northern varieties, which have to sustain existence through a long, cold winter, and shorter in the southern kinds, which enjoy a warmer climate. There is also a good deal of variation in color, according to the country from which the animal comes. The muzzle has much the same shape as that of many shepherd's dogs, but the ears are upright and pointed, and the eyes are set obliquely ; in this respect the THE WOLF. 289 difference between a wolf and a dog is very striking — the obliquity of the eye in the former gives him a most sinister expression. The bushy tail, too, is not curled up like a dog's, but held down, almost between the hind legs. But perhaps the most striking difference from the dog is in the voice; the wolf never barks — that is entirely a civilized habit; even dogs allowed to become wild lose it — but howls in a horrible and ghastly manner. The wolf usually lives in solitary places in mountains ; but in Spain he is said sometimes to make his lair in cornfields, in close proximity to inhabited dwellings. Here he lives with his wife and family, usually cache 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 the 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 con- structed 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 ani- mal from ambush — the nearest approach ever made to such an 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 the teeth, and never by a blow of the paw. Thus, a wolf's 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 com- pany, pursue their prey with unflagging energy until it falls a victim, and give the death-wound at once with their teeth. To shepherds the wolf is, and has been from the earliest times, a most unmitigated curse. A single wolf will leap the wall of a sheepfold and murder perhaps a quarter or a third of the flock before his lust for slaughter is satisfied. Of course, he cannot eat more than one, or part of one, and the others he slays from wanton cruelty. Mutton is naturally his stand- ing dish, as it can be procured, if at all, in abundance, and with comparatively lit- tle difficulty; but he is not at all particular, and will eat deer, goats, birds, and even reptiles. But his favorite meat, curious to relate, is dog, and there are man} 7 instances related of the eagerness and recklessness shown by wolves to obtain this 19 290 THE LAND CARNIVORA. cannibal feast. " Wolves have been known to carry off a pointer from a sledge going at full gallop. The animal leaps with a single bound among the three or four persons in the vehicle, who remain stupefied at so much audacity, seizes his innocent victim, and plunges again into the forest. The whole is done in less time than it takes to tell. Another time it is a young Newfoundland, which his master, traveling on horseback, has placed before him on the pommel of his large saddle; the wolf sees him, leans udou and seizes him, and carries him off without touching man-or horse." If the wolf confined himself to sheep and dogs, matters would be bad, indeed, but still endurable; unfortunately, however, this horrible savage likes human flesh just as well as "flesh of mutton, beeves, or goats." A single wolf hardly ever dares attack a man, for he is essentially a cowardly animal, but a child may be now and then carried off, and a man or a body of men may be attacked by an immense troop of wolves, and then, unless thev can get to a village or some other shelter, their fate is sealed. They may kill the wolves by dozens, expend all their ammuni- tion, making every shot tell, fell the howling monsters until their swords are hacked, but it is all of no avail ; each falling wolf is replaced by a fresh one hungrier and more vigorous than himself, and the end, unless succor come, can only be death by the teeth and a grave in the maw of perhaps hundreds of wolves. The wolf, savage though he be, is quite tamable; he has often shown great devotion to his master, and has, in fact, behaved in every respect like an affection- ate dog, a very interesting fact, as bearing upon the evolution of dogs from wild Can idee. THE NORTH AMERICAN WOLF, which extends from Greenland in the north to Mexico in the south, differs from the European kind chiefly in its fur being finer, denser, and longer, and in the curious fact that its feet are very broad, so as to enable it to run easily on the snow. The development of these natural snow shoes in the American wolf fitting it so beautifully for its particular mode of life, is highly interesting. This species is entirely absent from South America, but its wide distribution in North America may be gathered from the following account: "Wolves are found in greater or less abundance in different districts, but they may be said to be very common throughout the northern regions; their footmarks may be found by the side of every stream, and a traveler can rarely pass a night in these wilds without hearing them howling around him. They are very numer- ous on the sandy plains which, lying to the eastward of the Rocky Mountains, extend from the sources of the Peace and Saskatchewan Rivers toward the Mis- souri. There bands of them hang on the skirts of the buffalo herds, and prey upon the sick and straggling calves. They do not, under ordinary circumstances, ven- ture to attack- the full grown animal; for the hunters informed me that they often see wolves walking through a herd of bulls without exciting the least alarm; and the marksmen, when they crawl toward a buffalo for the purpose of shooting it, THE COYOTE. 291 occasionally wear a cap with two ears, in imitation of the head of a wolf, knowing- from experience that they will be suffered to approach nearer in that guise." THE COYOTE, or Prairie Wolf, occurs, along with the common North American Wolf, as far south as Mexico, its northern range being about the 55th degree of latitude. "The Prairie Wolf has much resemblance to the common Grey Wolf in color; but differs from it so much in size, voice, and manner, that it is fully entitled to rank as SSI coyote, or prairie wulf. [One-ninth natural size.) 2l distinct species. It inhabits the plains of the Missouri and Saskatchewan, and also, though in smaller numbers, those of Columbia. On the banks of the Saskatchewan these animals start from the earth in great numbers on hearing the report of a gun, and gather around the hunter in expectation of getting the offal of the animal he has slaughtered. They hunt in packs, and are much more fleet than the common wolf. 1 was informed by a gentleman who has resided forty years on the Saskatchewan, and is an experienced hunter, that the only animal on the plains which he could not overtake, when mounted on a good horse, was the prong-horned antelope, and that the Meesteh-chaggoneesh, or Prairie wolf, was the next in speed. 292 THE LAND CARNIVORA. 'The fur of the prairie wolf is of the same quality with that of the grey wolf r and consists of long hairs, with a thick wool at their base. The wool has a smoky or dull lead color; the long hairs on the back are either white for their whole length, or they are merely tipped with black. The prevailing color along the spine is dark blackish-grey, sprinkled with white hairs. Its cheeks, upper lip, chin, throat, belly, and insides of the thighs, are white. There is a light-brown tint upon the upper surface of the nose, on the forehead, and between the ears, on the shoulders, on the sides, where it is mixed with grey, and on the outside of the thighs and legs. The tail is grey and brown, with a black tip. Some individuals have a broad black mark on the shins of the fore-legs, like the European wolf. The ears are short, erect and roundish, white anteriorly and brown behind. The tail is bushy, and is clothed, like the body, with wool and long hair. Some specimens want the brown tints, and have most of the grey color." The length of body and head together amounts to about three feet; that of the tail about fourteen or fifteen inches. THE JACKAL. Next to the wolf, the jackal is the most important wild member of the dog tribe. It is a much smaller animal than the wolf, not exceed- ing thirty inches in length, and seventeen in height at the shoulder. It is also distinguished from wolves and true dogs by its curious long pointed muzzle. Its fur is of a dusky yellowish color — whence its name of Gilded Wolf, and its specific appellation aureus — "the hairs being mottled black, grey, and brown, with the under fur brownish vellow, the lower parts yellowish grey, tail reddish brown, ending in a darkish tuft." There is a good deal of variation from this color, depending partly on the time of year, partly on the locality. The jackal is a cowardly animal, blessed with a most evil smell, and with a voracious appetite. It lives largely upon carrion, a good deal of which it gets as a sort of "perquisite" from the remains of the lion's feast. It is sometimes called "the lion's provider," a name which "may have arisen from the notion that the yell of the pack gives notice to the lion that prey is on foot, or from the jackals being seen to feed on the remnants of the lion's quarry." Dr. Jerdan says, "It is a very useful scavenger, clearing away all garbage and carrion from the neighborhood of Cape Town, but occasionally committing depredations among poultry and other domestic animals. Sickly sheep and goats usually fall a prey to him; and a wounded antelope is pretty certain to be tracked and hunted to death by jackals. They will, however, partake freely of vegetable food." Like most other dogs, the jackal hunts in packs; and then, while on an expe- dition for food, makes night hideous by its fearful cries. In this it calls to mind the hyena, as well as in some other particulars, as, for instance, in its love for carrion, and in the remarkably cool way in which it will stare and laugh at trav- elers, as if holding them up to general ridicule. The habits of the jackal are altogether canine. Their hunts are conducted under the guidance of a leader, THE JACKAL. 293 who is said to give the signal for every attack by a peculiar cry, and so powerful are these little animals in their union, that they are capable of pulling down a deer. Their chief food in Ceylon seems to be hares, the numbers of which they keep down to such an extent that those palatable rodents are quite scarce in regions infested by jackals. The jackal resembles in one respect, the fox, more than even the wolf or wild dog. It has the reputation for excessive cunning, and indeed takes the place of our old vulpine friend, in the legends of the East. It is said that "when a jackal has brought down his game and killed it, his first impulse is to hide it in the nearest jungle, whence he issues, with an air of easy indifference, to observe whether any- THE JACKAL OF SENEGAL. thing more powerful than himself may be at hand from which he might encounter the risk of being despoiled of his capture. If the coast be clear, he returns to the concealed carcass, and carries it away, followed by his companions. But if a man be in sight, or any other animal to be avoided, my informant has seen the jackal seize a cocoanut husk in his mouth, or any similar substance, and fly at full speed, as if eager to carry off his pretended prize, returning for the real booty at some more convenient season." Jackals have often been tamed; and, under the circumstances, behave exactly like the domestic dog; they fawn upon their masters, wag their tails, and throw themselves on their backs with all four paws in the air, altogether like dogs. The chief drawback to their domestication is their abominable smell; but it is stated by Colonel Sykes that a tame female jackal in his possession was quite devoid of 294 THE LAND CARNIVORA. this odor, while a recently caught male, which was placed with her, smelt so hor. ribly as to be almost unapproachable. The jackal of Senegal is one of the best marked varieties of the jackal, and has a strong claim to-the distinction of a separate specific name. It is consid- erably larger than the common kind, more elegantly built, and has very long legs,, almost like those of a greyhound, it is of a bright tawny color, with dark band on the back, side and chest. It is one of the commonest animals in Central Africa, and "its habits are different to those of the common jackal. It is more prudent and suspicious, and is completely nocturnal. During the day it lies hidden in a safe retreat, and nothing but chance can reveal its presence to the hunter." ..<,\»'' the common fox. (One-tenth natural size.) THE COMMON FOX. The foxes form a very distinct group of Canid(Z r differing far more from the dog, wolf, and jackal than those animals do from one another. The most characteristic and important difference between them lies in the fact that in the foxes the pupil of the eve contracts under the influence of strong light to a vertical slit, dilating and becoming circular again as the light diminishes. This is the case, as will be remembered, in the common cat, and many other members of the same family; it is, in fact, very usual in animals of nocturnal habits, which, being used under ordinary circumstances to make shift with the smallest quantity of light obtainable, are advantaged by being able to exclude all superfluous rays when the illumination becomes stronger than they can com- fortably bear. The habits and appearance of the fox are thoroughly well known. His cun- ning is proverbial. When hunted, he " makes a thousand shifts to get away," and 295 296 THE LAND CARNJVORA. often succeeds in baffling the whole pack of well-trained hounds. His stealthy tread, as he winds along the hillsides and valley slopes to seek his prey or to reach his lair, is altogether characteristic of one thoroughly well up to his work. Numberless tales are told of his sagacity, but we will content ourselves with one which forms almost as good an example of animal reason as any we have met with, even in the dog: "A farmer was looking out of his window one summer's morn- ing, about three o'clock, when he saw a fox crossing a field before it, carrying a large duck which he had captured. On coming to a stone dyke, about four feet high, on the side of the field, Reynard made an effort to leap over it with his prey, but failed, and fell back into the field. After making three attempts, with the same result, he sat down, and viewed the dyke for a few minutes; after apparently satis- fying himself, he caught the duck by the head, and standing up against the dyke with his forepaws as high as he could reach, he placed the bill of the duck in a crevice in the wall; then springing upon the top he reached down, and pulling up the duck, dropped it upon the other side, leaped down, and picking it up, went on his way." The common fox is found, under more or less well marked varieties, some of which are often elevated to the rank of species, over the greater part of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and in many parts of America. THE ARCTIC FOX. This is an extremely well marked species of fox, found in the southern and central portions of Greenland, and extending high up Smith's Sound. It is sometimes seen during the seal hunting season hundreds of miles from land, on the frozen sea, where it has wandered to feast on the dead seals. It is usually stated that the color of the skin of this animal varies with the season — that in summer it is of a blue-grey color, while in winter it is perfectly white; these colors, of course, serving as a protection to the animal; the blue har- monizes well with the rocky shore and the thick, dark ice, while the winter coat is perfectly undistinguishable on the snow with which the ground is then thickly strewn. An interesting account of the manners and customs of this pretty little animal is given by Sir J. Richardson, who says : " The Arctic fox is an extremely cleanly animal, being very careful not to dirt those places in which he eats or sleeps. No unpleasant smell is to be perceived, even in a male, which is a remarkable circumstance. To come unawares on one of these creatures is, in my opinion, impossible , for even when in an apparently sound sleep, they Open their eyes at the slightest noise which is made near them, although they pay no attention to sounds when at a short distance. The general time of rest is during the daylight, in which they appear listless and inactive; but the night no sooner sets in than all their faculties are awakened ; they commence their gambols, and continue in unceasing and rapid motion until the morning. While THE ARCTIC FOX. 297 hunting for food, they are mute, but when in captivity or irritated, they utter a short growl, like that of a young puppy. It is a singular fact that their bark is so undulated as to give an idea that the animal is at a distance, although at the very moment he lies at your feet. Although the rage of a newly caught fox is quite ungovernable, yet it very rarely happened that on two being put together they quarreled. A confinement of a few hours often sufficed to quiet these creatures; and some instances occurred of their being perfectly tame, although timid, from THE ARCTIC FOX. the first moment ot their captivity. On the other hand, there were some which, after months of coaxing, never became more tractable. These, we supposed, were old ones. " Their first impulse on receiving food is to hide it as soon as possible, even though suffering from hunger, and having no fellow prisoners of whose honesty they are doubtful. In this case snow is of great assistance, as being easily piled over their stores, and then forcibly pressed down by the nose. I frequently observed my dog-fox, when no snow was attainable, gather his chain into his mouth, and in that manner carefully coil it so as to hide the meat. On moving away, satisfied with his operations, he of course had drawn it after him again, and 298 THE LAND CARNIVORA. sometimes with great patience repeated his labors five or six times, until in a pas- sion he has been constrained to eat his food without its having been rendered lus- cious by previous concealment. Snow is the substitute for water to these creatures, and on a large lump being given lo them, they break it in pieces with their feet, and roll on it with great delight. When the snow was slightly scattered on the decks, they did not lick it up, as dogs are accustomed to do, but by repeatedly pressing with their nose collected small lumps at its extremity, and then drew it into the mouth with the assistance of the tongue." In another passage, Captain Lyon, alluding to the above mentioned dog-fox, says, " He was small and not per- fectly white ; but his tameness was so remarkable that I could not afford to kill him, but confined him on deck in a small hutch with a scope of chain. The little animal astonished us very much by his extraordinary sagacity ; for, during the first dav, findiug himself much tormented by being drawn out repeatedly by his chain, he at length, whenever he retreated to his hut, took this carefully up in his mouth, and drew it so completely after him that no one who valued his fingers would endeavor to take hold of the end attached to the staple." The skins of both the white and the blue fox are important articles of com- merce, but the blue variety, being much rarer than the white, is far more valuable, the price for it being six or seven times as much as that of the white. CHAPTER XIII. THE BEAR FAMILY. We now come to the last group of Carnivora, and to a family which forms an extreme limit to the long series of which the dogs constitute the center, and the cats the opposite end. The bears, with which we have now to do, deDart as widely from the dogs in one direction as the cats in the other ; and their distance from the latter family is great indeed. The cats attain the perfection of quadrupedal form, while few animals are more clumsy and awkward looking than a Sloth bear. Cats walk, with an elegant and silent tread, on the very tips of their toes ; bears shuffle along with a waddling, though often rapid gait, and with the whole sole of both fore and hind feet applied to the ground. Cats have a clean-cut, rounded face, with beautifully chiseled nostrils and thin lips; bears a long snout, almost like a pig's. The fur of cats is usually short, and brilliantly colored ; that of bears long, shaggy and somber. Lastly, while the cats are almost exclusively flesh-eaters, many bears are strict vegetarians, or at most eat such matters as ants and honey, and only have recourse to meat when their favorite food cannot be had. THE BROWN BEAR is the most common member of the whole family, and has been known from very early periods. It is found in many parts of Europe, and in a part of the Arctic regions of North America. The Brown Bear is an awkward looking brute, with sprawling gait, heavy body, and no tail to speak of. It is about six feet long, and from about three or three and a half feet high at the shoulder. Its fur is longish, rather woolly, and of a dark brown hue. It lives a solitary life, and, like many of its kin, has the curious habit of hibernating. During the summer, when food is abundant, it lays in a very large stock of provisions, thereby becoming immensely fat. This opera, tion being satisfactorily performed by the beginning of winter, the bear, finding that his foraging operations become more and more arduous, seeks out a resting place, such as a hollow tree or a cavern, or if these are not to be had makes a sort of rude nest for himself of branches and moss, and then goes into winter quarters and calmly settles down for a post-prandial slumber, which lasts until spring. He then emerges from his hiding place, very thin and weak — altogether a mere ghost of his former self — and immediately sets about repairing his losses by as many 299 300 J HE LAND CARNIVORA. hearty meals as he can possibly era n into the time at his disposal, or as the means at his command will allow. The bear feeds chiefly on roots, berries, and other vegetables; it has also a fondness for ants, and a perfect passion for honey, in the capture of which he is often severely stung about the nose — almost his only vulnerable part — by the infuriated inhabitants of the comb. He also preys upon small quadrupeds, and sometimes — especially when fully adult — on larger ones. He is occasionally bold enough to attack the bull, but is, as often as not, worsted in the encounter. He rarely attacks man, unless provoked, and then, when his blood is up, is a most dangerous antagonist. His mode of attack is peculiarly his own. He does not fell his victim with a blow of his paw, like one of the larger cats, or seize it at once with his teeth like a dog, but " gives it the hug " — embraces it tightly, and with a great show of affection, with its powerful fore limbs, and continues the squeeze until the wretched animal is suffocated. The female bear, especially when her family is about, is a particularly ferocious creature. Her savageness is, indeed, proverbial; she is devoted to her cubs, and any one threatening their safety does so at his Own peril. The bear is not only an affectionate mother, but is capable of a very firm friendship, as the following anecdote, related by Mr. Andersson, shows. He tells us that, amongst a collection of animals he possessed " were two brown bears— twins — somewhat more than a year old, and playful as kittens when together. Indeed, no greater punishment could be inflicted upon these beasts than to disunite them, for however short a time. Still, there was a marked contrast in their dispositions ; one of them was good tempered and gentle as a lamb, while the other frequently exhibited signs of a sulky and treacherous char- acter. Tempted by an offer for the purchase of the former of these animals, I consented, after much hesitation, to his being separated from his brother. " It was long before I forgave myself this act. On the following day, on my proceeding, as usual, to inspect the collection, one of the keepers ran up to me, in the greatest haste, exclaiming, ' Sir, I am glad you are come, for your bear has gone mad ! " He then told me that during the night the beast had destroyed his den, and was found in the morning roaming wild about the garden. Luckily, the keeper managed to seize him just as he was escaping into the country, and, with the help of several others, succeeded in shutting him up again. The bear, hpw- ever, refused his food, and raved in so fearful a manner that, unless he could be quieted, it was clear he would do mischief. "On my arrival at his den, I found the poor brute in a most furious state, tearing the wooden floors with his claws, and gnawing the barricaded front with his teeth. I had no sooner opened the door than he sprang furiously at me, and struck me repeated blows with his powerful paws. As, however, I had reared him from a cub, we had too often measured our strength together for me to fear him now; and I soon made him retreat into the corner of his prison, where he remained howling in the most heartrending manner. It was a most sickening 302 THE LAND CARNIVORA. sight to behold the poor creature, with his eyes bloodshot and protruding from the sock- efs, his mouth and chest white with foam, and his body crusted with dirt. I am not ashamed to confess that at one time I felt my own eyes moistened. Neither blows nor kind words were of any effect ; they only served to irritate and infuriate him ; and I saw clearly that the only remedy would be either to shoot him or to restore him to his brother's companionship. I chose the latter -•alternative; and the purchaser of the other bear, on being informed of the circumstance, consented to take this one also." A more curious case is related by Brehm, who tells us of a little boy who crept one night for warmth and shelter into the cage of an extremely savage bear. The latter, instead of devouring the child, took him under its protection, kept him warm with the heat of its body, and allowed him to return every night to its cage. The poor boy soon died of smallpox, and the bear from henceforth refused all food, and soon followed its little protege to the grave. BLACK BEAR. THE BLACK BEAR. This animal is distinguished from the common brown bear, not only by its black fur, but by its slender snout, more convex forehead, and smaller size; it rarely exceeds five feet in length. Its habits are more strictly vegetarian than those of the brown kind. " Its favorite food appears to be berries of various kinds, but when these are not to be procured, it preys upon roots, insects, fish, eggs, and such birds or quadrupeds as it can sur- prise. It does not eat animal food from choice; for when it has abundance of its favorite vegetable diet, it will pass the carcass of a deer without touching it." It usually hibernates — at any rate, when able to obtain a sufficiently plentiful meal, or rather series of meals, before the commencement of winter. Sometimes, however, when food is scarce, bears will roam about the whole winter, never being able to obtain a sufficiently good feed to warrant their going, with any safety or comfort, into permanent winter quarters. With regard to the hibernating bears a very remarkable fact is mentioned by Sir J. Richardson, who is a most cautious and accurate writer, namely, that when the bear "comes abroad in the spring it is equally fat" (as it was at the commencement of winter), "though in a few days thereafter it becomes very lean." BLACK BEAR— GRIZZLY BEAR. 303 The Indians have an unbounded reverence for the bear. When they kill one, they make exculpatory speeches to it, give it tobacco to smoke, call it their rela- tion, grandmother, etc., and try in every possible way to appease its manes. They then cook and eat it with great gusto. the grizzly bear. {One-eighteenth natural size.) THE GRIZZLY BEAR. This animal, which inhabits the region of the Rocky Mountains as far south as Mexico, is the most savage member of the whole family, and is more dreaded by Indian and Canadian trappers than any other. It is stated to attain a length of nine feet and a weight of eight hundred pounds, so that it greatly exceeds the Brown and Black bears in size, and approaches in these respects to the Polar bear. Its strength is enormous. " It has been known to drag to a considerable distance the carcass of a buffalo, weighing about one 304 THE LAND CARNIVORA. thousand pounds.'' Its size and strength, its immense teeth and claws, its tenacity of life and ferocious determination, render it a terrible antagonist to the bravest and coolest sportsman. The grizzly bear varies in color; some specimens are of a dull brown, flecked with gray, while others are of a steely-gray ; but the grizzled hairs are always con- spicuous. The length of a full-grown male is about eight and one-half feet, and the girth the same, while the weight is about eight hundred pounds. The fore limbs are very powerful, the feet measuring eighteen inches, and the claws five inches; these claws are very sharp, and cut like chisels; the head is large, the tail very short and quite hidden in the fur. The gait of the grizzly is awkward and rolling; when young it can climb trees ; fortunately, however, as it increases in size and weight, it loses this power, its claws being unable to sustain its unwieldy bulk. The grizzly is the king of all our animals, and can destroy by blows from his armed paws even the powerful bison of the plains; wolves will not even touch the carcass of this dreaded monster, and it is said, stand in such awe, that they refrain from molesting deer that he has slain. Horses also require careful training before they can be taught to allow its hi'de to be placed on their backs. Terrible stories are told of encounters with grizzlies. General Dodge says one of the most complete wrecks of humanity he ever witnessed was a huntsman for a party of California miners. He suddenly, one day, came face to face with a grizzly ; the bear stood up on its hind legs, the man presented his rifle, and stood waiting the attack. The bear advanced, and took the muzzle of the rifle in its mouth; the man fired, and before he had time to think, was in the bear's clutches. " It was all over in a second," the narrator stated ; "I didrit feel any pain, and I didn't know anything more till I come to next day." His companions found the man and the bear together, the latter dead with a bullet in the brain ; the man had received only one stroke from each paw. One forepaw had passed over the shoulder, and a claw had hooked under the shoulder blade and torn it out entirely; the other forepaw tore all the flesh from the left side ; a hind claw had torn open the abdomen, letting out the bowels, while the remaining hind paw had torn away the muscle of the right leg from groin to knee. The man recovered, and when he described the fight to the General, added, "Anybody can fight bear that wants to ; I've had enough grizzly." THE MALAYAN BEAR is found in the Malayan Peninsula, and in the adjacent islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. "The fur is black, becoming brownish on the nose, and the chest is marked with a crescentic white mark, or in the Bornean variety of the species, by a heart-shaped, orange-colored patch. The claws are remarkably long. It lives chiefly on fruits and roots, apricots, walnuts, apples, currants, etc., and in winter chiefly feeds on various acorns, climbing the oak trees and breaking down the branches. * * * They are very fond of honey. ^be Re I! THE MALA YAN BEAR. 305 , w and then they W U. W ^^^T^S^ "pP™^ THE MALAYAN SUN BEAR." (0»«tatf/* »«"'™ / "^ but ta g e„e ral ,t tries to escape. ]£•**££ J^JS^K 306 THE LAND CARNIVORA. it always makes for the face, sometimes taking off most of the hairy scalp, and frightfully disfiguring the unfortunate sufferer. There are few villages in the interior where one or more individuals thus mutilated are not to be met with." The Sun Bears are distinguished in menageries for their gift of walking about on their hind legs, which they do in a curiously human manner. This mode of progression seems sometimes to be adopted in the wild state. Both species are noticeable in their state of captivity for the antics they perform. The Himalayan the sloth bear. {One-fourteenth natural size) bears play with one another like two awkward boys, stand on their hind legs to wrestle, then fall down, and roll over and over, biting and hugging in the most laughable manner. The Malayan bear is even more amusing. When the keeper gives it one of the hard biscuits on which it is fed, it will sometimes lie down on its back, and hold the biscuit now with its fore paws, now with both fore and hind paws, swaying about all the time, and expressing its satisfaction by the most comi- cal noises. THE SLOTH BEAR. This curious and ungainly looking beast is another of: the Indian bears, being found " throughout India and Ceylon, from Cape POLAR BEAR AND WALRUS. 308 THE LAND CAR Nil OR A. Comorin to the Ganges." It is distinguished by its extremely awkward shape, its long, shaggy hair, its long and very flexible snout and lower lip, all of which peculiarities combine to give it a remarkable and anything but a prepossessing appearance. The fur is mostly black, the muzzle and the tips of the feet being of a dirty white or a yellowish color, and the breast ornamented with a V-shaped or crescentic mark. It attains a length of between five and six feet. The Sloth bear feeds on ants, honey, fruit, etc. "The power of suction in the bear, as well as of propelling wind from its mouth, is very great. It is by this means enabled to procure its common food of white anrs and larvae with ease. On arriving at an ant-hill, the bear scrapes away with the fore feet until he reaches the large combs at the bottom of the galleries. He then, with violent puffs, dissipates the dust and crumbled parts of the nest, and sucks out the inhabitants of the comb by such forcible inhalations as to be heard at two hundred yards' distance, or more. Large larvae are in this way sucked out from great depths under the soil. When bears abound their vicinity may be readily known by numbers of these uprooted ants' nests and excavations, in which the marks of their claws are plainly visible. They occasionally rob birds' nests, and devour the eggs." The capture of ants is, however, by no means always devoid of inconvenient consequences for the ursine ravisher. The insects are as brave and ferocious as they are indus- trious, and their strong, sharp mandibles are capable of making a considerable impression upon the snout, lips, and eyelids of their huge enemy. Like the Sun bear, the Sloth bear rarely attacks man unless provoked, but like it, is, when attacked, a most dangerous antagonist, always making lor the face, and especially the eyes. Both in Ceylon and in India the natives have a very whole- some dread of the animal, and, indeed, fear his onslaught more than that of any other beast. THE POLAR BEAR. The great white bear of the Arctic regions is the largest as well as one of the best known of the whole family. It is a gigantic ani- mal, often attaining the length of nearly nine feet, and is proportionally strong and fierce. It is found over the whole of Greenland ; but its numbers seem to be on the decrease. It is distinguished from other bears by its narrow head, its flat fore- head in a line with the prolonged muzzle, its short ears, and long neck. " It is of a light creamy color, rarely pure white, except when young ; hence the Scottish whalers call it the 'brounie,' or 'brownie,' and sometimes 'the farmer,' from its very agricultural appearance as it stalks leisurely over the furrowed fields of ice. Its principal food consists of seals, which it persecutes most indefatigably; but it is somewhat omnivorous in its diet, and will often clear an islet of eider duck eggs in the course of a few hours. I have seen it watch a seal for half a day, the seal continually escaping, just as the bear was about putting its foot on it, at the atliik (or escape hole) in the ice. Finally, it tried to circumvent its prey in another man- ner. It swam off to a distance, and when the seal ws again half asleep at its THE POLAR BEAR. 309 atluk, the bear swam under the ice, with a view to cut off its retreat. It failed, however, and the seal finally escaped. The rage of the animal was boundless; it roared hideously, tossing the snow in the air, and trotted off in a most indignant state of mind." INTERIOR OF BEAR HOLE. Being so fond of seal flesh, the polar bear often proves a great nuisance to seal hunters, whose occupation he naturally regards as a thoughtful catering for his wants. He is also glad of the whale carcasses often found floating in the Arc- tic seas ; and travelers have seen as many as twenty bears busily discussing the huge body of a dead whalebone whale. 310 THE LAND CARNIVORA. As the polar bear is able to obtain food all through the Arctic winter, there is not the same necessity, as in the case of the vegetable-eating bears, for hibernating. In fact, the males and young females roam about through the whole winter, and only the older females retire for the season. These — according to the Eskimo account, quoted by Captain Lyon — are very fat at the commencement of winter, and on the first fall of snow they lie down and allow themselves to be covered, or else dig a cave in a drift, and then go to sleep until the spring, when the cubs are born. By this time the animal's heat has melted the snow for a considerable dis- tance, so that there is plenty of room for the young ones, who tumble about at their ease, and get fat at the expense of their parent, who, after her long abstinence, becomes very thin and weak. The whole family leave their abode of snow when the sun is strong enough to partially melt its roof. The flesh of the polar bear is sometimes eaten by the Eskimo, but parts of it are said to be poisonous; this is especially the case with the liver. Scoresby relates that sailors who have incautiously partaken of the latter have been made very ill, and have died from its effects; and Kane, who wished to try for himself the truth of the statement, was upset by the first taste. The fat of this bear is used for burning; it has not the disagreeable smell of train oil. THE RACCOON FAMILY. This is a small family of curious bear-like animals, of small size, and differing a good deal in external appearance, although agreeing closely in all essential par- ticulars. The four genera of the Raccoon family are found only in the New World ; their northern limit is British Columbia, while southward they reach to Paraguay in the central part of South America. THE RACCOON. Every visitor to any zoological gardens must have been struck with the curious habits of this animal. If any one gives it a bit of bun or biscuit, the Raccoon holds out both its hands for the morsel, and takes it almost as deftly as a monkey; it then waddles off to the little pond in the middle of its cage, dips its prize in the water, and when it is well soaked, proceeds to devour it. Except in the case of meat, which the raccoon seems to consider moist enough, the food always has to undergo this soaking process before it is thought to be fit to eat. It is from this habit that the raccoon derives its specific name of lotor, "the washer." The raccoon is a decidedly handsome animal, about the size of a large and very corpulent cat. The hair is of a brown or grizzled color, long and furry, the tail bushy and beautifully ringed. Its body is large and somewhat unwieldy, its legs short, and its feet armed with strong claws, suitable for burrowing or climb- ing. The head is large, the cheeks prominent and black, and the snout sharp, light colored, and somewhat upturned — "tip-tilted, like the petal of a flower" — THE RACCOON. 311 giving the animal a curious inquisitive look, which is quite borne out by its char- acter. It investigates every object within reach, animate or inanimate ; the latter, if portable, it is fond of carrying off and carefully washing. In the matter of diet it is omnivorous, and seems almost equally fond of meat, insects, fruit, or bread. It is said also to catch and eat oysters and crabs, and to confine itself, in the case of the birds it catches, to the brain and blood. It is a decidedly cunning animal, and in captivity, when allowed a certain amount of liberty, shows great talent in stealing fruit and killing fowlsi When eating, it very usually sits up on its haunches, and holds the food with both fore paws. The skin of the raccoon forms a valuable fur, and the animal is, consequently, much sought after throughout the whole of its range, which extends over a con- siderable portion of North America. It is usually caught in traps, but is also hunted by dogs. The hunt takes place at night, by the light of torches. The raccoon is pursued until he takes refuge up a tree, when the dogs form a circle round the trunk, and an experienced climber swarms up to the animal's refuge, pursues him to the end of a branch, and then, by shaking the branch, makes him fall to the ground, when the dogs have another turn. So active is the raccoon, and so dangerous when roused, that this operation often has to be repeated two or three times before he is finally caught. The crab-eating raccoon is a South American species, differing from the fore- going chiefly in the shortness of its fur, and its consequently slender shape. It is a far less handsome ani- mal than its North Amer- ican relative, which it resembles very closely both in structure and in habits. THE COATI. The Coati is an animal of far less attractive appear- ance than the raccoon. The body is proportion- ally longer, the limbs are short, and the snout of a remarkable length, and very pig-like; in fact, the head of a coati reminds one strongly of iehth natural sizt the raccoon. (Oue-eig/it/i natural size.) that of a small dark colored pig pulled out until the muzzle was two or three its ordinary length. The snout is, moreover, very flexible, and the animal petually turns it about in various directions in a highly inquisitive way. The per- body 312 THE LAND CARNIVORA. the panda. {Three-fourths natural size.) is somewhat over half a yard in length, the tail a little shorter. The fur is short and of a reddish or greyish-brown color, the muzzle and feet are black, the tail ringed with black and brownish yellow. Like the raccoon, it feeds upon fruits, insects, small birds, etc., and like it, is a good climber. In captivity they are in a constant state of activity, trotting about from one end of the cage to another, climbing over the tree-trunk placed in their prison, and turning their queer-looking snouts about ceaselessly. The geographical range of the Coati extends from Mexico in the north to Paraguay in the south. THE PANDA is a really beautiful creature, rich red chestnut in color on the upper surface, jet black as to the lower surface, the limbs also black, the snout and the inside of the ears white, the tail bushy, reddish brown in color, and indistinctly ringed. The fact of the under surface being black while the upper is bright reddish-yellow is remarkable ; with most animals, when there is any difference in color, it is the under surface which is lighter. The body and head are about half a yard long, the tail about a foot. The mode of progression is plantigrade, and the large curved claws are half retractile. The main anatomical characters are THE GLUTTON. 313 decidedly ursine, as also are the habits. Mr. Bartlett, who has studied the Panda in captivity, states that, when drinking, it sucks up the fluid like a bear, instead of licking it up as a dog or cat would do. When offended it would rush at Mr. Bartlett, and strike at him with both feet, the body being raised like a bear's and the claws projecting. It also, when angry, made a sharp, spitting noise ; and at other times it used a " weak squeaking call-note." It runs on level ground, in the same manner as the weasel and otter, with a sort of jumping gallop, the back being kept much arched. The panda is found in the forests of the Eastern Himalayas, as well as in Eastern Tibet. It is sometimes known as the Wah, or the Red Bear-Cat. THE GLUTTON. THE WEASEL FAMILY. This family, including the weasels, martens,, skunks, gluttons, otters, badgers, etc., is the most heterogeneous assemblage of all the carnivorous group. Its members have a very wide geographical distribution, being found in all parts of the world, except the West Indies, Madagascar, and the Australian region. They differ very much among themselves, but have, nevertheless, certain important characters in common. Many of these animals are looked upon as " vermin," but among them are some of the most valuable of the fur-producing animals, the ermine, sable, mink, and marten. These are all inhabitants of the 314 THE LAND CARNIVORA. Northern hemisphere, and the business of trapping them is a very important branch of industry. THE GLUTTON or wolverine, the largest of the weasel group, is found over the greater part of the northern regions, both of the Old and New Worlds, being especially abundant in Siberia and Kamstchatka. It attains a length of some three feet, four inches, ten inches of which go to the tail. It has a dog-like snout, a broad or rounded head, short ears, an arched back, a short, bushy tail, and long, dark brown or almost black fur. A band of pale reddish-brown runs along the sides, and unites with the corresponding band of the opposite side on the rump. Besides its great strength, the wolverine is noted for its excessive cunning, and the two qualities combined give it a power of destructiveness of which one would hardly expect any animal below a schoolboy to be capable. One of its favorite tricks is to frequent the " Marten-roads"— that is, the lines of traps for catching martens — and one by one to demolish the traps, and carry off either the bait or the imprisoned animal. To make matters worse for the unlucky trapper, the glutton's experience and knowledge of traps in general is so great that he shows equal skill in avoiding those set for his own benefit, as in despoiling those meant for others; either he takes no notice of them, or carefully pulls them to pieces, and so gets the bait and outwits the hunter, without danger to himself. It is only in a trap con- structed with the greatest care, and disguised so as to resemble a "cache," or store of hidden food, that the wary beast can be caught. Mr. Lockhart gives some really charming instances of his own experience in trying to get the better of his inveterate enemy. In one case he had carefully buried a lynx's skin in tne snow, to the depth of some three feet; the snow was arranged so as to present a per- fectly undisturbed appearance, and the lynx's entrails and blood were strewed about, and its carcass left, so as to take off the scent. On returning next morning to his beautifully made " cache," he found the carcass, etc., gone, but everything else apparently as he had left it. His joy was great, but premature; for on digging, no skin was to be found ; the wolverine had stolen it during the night, but had added insult to injury by filling up the hole, and putting everything in statu quo. One very extraordinary habit of the wolverine is shared by very few animals except man. It is stated that when it meets a man it will often, if it be to wind- ward, approach within fifty or sixty yards, and then sitting calmly down on its haunches, will shade its eyes with one fore-paw, and gaze earnestly at its enemy. This very human action it will often repeat two or three times before attempting to flee. THE MARTEN. The Pine Marten is perhaps the most pleasing of the weasel group, as far as appearance is concerned. Its long, lithe body attains a length of over half a yard; its tail is about a foot in length. The legs are short, THE MARTEN— AMERICAN SABLE. 315 though not nearly so short as in the weasel's, and its paws are armed with short claws. The snout is sharp and beset at the sides with long vibrissas. The skin is very beautiful, dark brown for the most part, lighter on the cheeks and snout, and on the throat and under side of the neck a light yellow. The Pine Marten occurs over a considerable portion of Europe and Asia, and amongst other places in our own country, where, however, it is becoming rare. The finest specimens are said to come from Sweden. THE SABLE. {One- fourth natural size.) This animal is essentially arboreal in its habits, inhabiting chiefly thick co- niferous woods, whence its name of Pine Marten is derived. In the branches the female makes a nest of leaves or moss, and sometimes saves herself this trouble by ejecting squirrels or woodpeckers, and occupying the vacant dwellings. For its size it is, like all the Mustelidce, extremely ferocious and strong. It attacks and kills fawns, notwitstanding their superior size ; from these down to mice, nothing comes amiss to it, and nothing: is safe from its attack. THE AMERICAN SABLE, often called the marten, attains a length of eighteen inches, not including- the tail, which measures about a foot more. Its 316 THE LAND CARNIVORA. capture gives the trapper his staple occupation. It "is ordinarily captured in wooden traps of very simple construction made on the spot. The traps are a little inclosure of stakes or brush, in which the bait is placed upon a trigger, with a short upright stick, supporting a log of wood. The animal is shut off from the bait in any but the desired direction, and the log falls upon its victim with the slightest disturbance. A line of such traps, several to the mile, often extends many miles. The bait is any kind of meat, squirrel, piece of flesh, or bird's head. One of the greatest obstacles that the sable hunter has to contend with in many localities is the persistent destruction of his traps by the wolverine and pekan. * * * I have accounts from Hudson's Bay trappers of a sable road fifty miles long, containing 150 traps, every one of which was destroyed through the whole line twice — once by a wolf, once by the wolverine. When thirty miles of the same road were given up, the remaining forty traps were broken five or six times in succession bv the latter animal." THE WEASEL, iike the remaining members of the genus, are very often called "vermiform," and a better name could scarcely be applied to them, for any- thing more worm like could hardly be imagined in a hairy quadruped. The legs are extremely short in relation to the body, which is attenuated in the highest degree, and almost regularly cylindrical from one end to the other. Then the neck is of most disproportionate length, and carries the head out so far, that the fore legs appear as if placed quite at the hind end of the chest, instead of in the front of it. The head passes almost insensibly into the neck, and the neck into the body. The head is flattened, and bears little glittering savage-looking eyes, and small rounded ears. The length from snout to root of tail does not exceed eight inches. The tail is about two inches long. The fur is light reddish brown above, and white below ; in northern latitudes the brown parts assume a much lighter color in winter, so that the weasel undergoes a change of coat similar to, but less extensive than, that undergone by the ermine. The weasel is a good climber, and makes use of his skill in this accomplishment to prey upon birds, their eggs, and young. Rats and mice are, perhaps, its staple food. Of these it makes great havoc, [.and is therefore a useful /^hanger-on to the farmyard, 111 IK notwithstanding- its occasional Jlllf ' depredations in the hen-roost. the weasel. When it catches a mouse or THE WEASEL— THE POLE CAT. 317 the pole cat. {One-sixth natural size.) THE FERRET. W"^' {One-eighth natural size.) rat, it gives it one bite on the back of the head, piercing- the most vulnerable part of the brain, and killing it instantly- Professor Thomas Bell says: "I have observed that when a weasel seizes a small animal, at the instant that the fatal bite is inflicted, it throws its long, lithe body over its prey, so as to secure it. should the first bite fail, an accident, however, which I have never observed when a mouse has been the victim. The power which the weasel has of bending the head at right angles with the long and flexible, though powerful neck, gives it a great advantage in this mode of seizing and killing its smaller prey." The first part eaten is usually the brain. The stories of the weasel's blood-sucking propen- sities are probably false, or at any rate grossly exaggerated. The weasel will pursue its prey over fields, in trees, in subterranean burrows, or across water. Like many of the wild cats, it kills far more than is necessary for its support, and in pursuance of its favorite occupation of slaughter shows an unequaled courage and pertinacity. Its power of keeping its presence of mind under very trying circumstances is well shown in the following anecdote related by Bell : A gentleman, "while riding over his grounds, saw at a short distance from him a kite pounce on some object on the ground, and rise with it in his talons. In a few moments, however, the kite began to show signs of great uneasiness, rising rapidly in the air, or as quickly falling, and wheeling irregularly round, while it was evidently endeavoring to force some obnoxious thing from it with its 318 THE LAND CARNIVORA. feet. After a sharp but short contest, the kite fell suddenly to the earth, not far from where Mr. Pindar was intently watching the manoeuvre. He instantly rode up to the spot, when a weasel ran away from the kite, apparently unhurt, leaving the bird dead, with a hole eaten through the skin under the wing, and the large bloodvessels of the part cut through." THE POLE CAT. In form this animal does not differ very markedly from the marten, except for the fact that its head is broader, its snout blunter, and its tail very much shorter; the latter being about five and a half inches, while the head and body together are nearly a foot and a half long. The neck is consider- ably shorter, and the body stouter than in the weasel and stoat. The fur is made up of hairs of two kinds, the shorter woolly and of a yellowish color, the longer black or brownish black and shining. One of its most marked characters is its horrible stench. This is produced, like the scent of the civet, in a pair of glands near the root of the tail, which secrete a yellowish creamy substance of the most fetid character. The polecat is perhaps more destructive than the other Mustelidae, and is cer- tainly a far greater plague to the farmer. Its ravages among rabbits, hares, and partridges is immense, and if once it gets unobserved into a poultry yard, the fate of a very considerable number of the inmates is sealed, as it possesses in a high degree the family love of slaughter for slaughter's sake. It has been known to kill as many as sixteen turkeys in a single night; and indeed, it seems a point of honor with this bloodthirstv little creature to kill everything it can overpower, and to leave no survivors on its battlefields. It has, too, an unfortunate liking for eggs, as well as for game and poultry, and in this way alone does great harm to preserves. There are also many accounts of its fondness for fish. Bell also quotes an instance in which a female pole cat was pursued to her nest, and was found to have laid up, in a side hole, a store of food, consisting of forty frogs and two toads, all of which she had skilfully " pithed," that is, bitten through the brain, so that, although retaining a certain amount of vitality, they were effectually prevented from running away! The pole cat is found throughout Northern Europe, not extending southward into the warmer parts of the continent, but being quite at home in snow-covered regions. It is essentially, like the marten, a sub-arctic and temperate animal. THE FERRET is of African origin. It shows its southern nature by being, unlike the pole cat, unable to endure great cold ; even a mild winter is enough to kill it if not properly housed. It is an interesting animal, from the fact that it is a true breeding albino, having the white fur and pink eyes of that peculiar "sport." It is a little smaller than the pole cat, with which it will breed with per. feet readiness, producing hybrids intermediate in character between the two parent species. THE MINK— THE RATEL. 319 Ferrets are much used, both in this country and England, chiefly for killing- rats and for driving rabbits out ot their burrows. For the latter function the fer- ret is muzzled, to prevent its killing the rabbit in the burrow; the latter is either netted or killed immediately, as soon as it is driven out. The ferret is also fre- quently employed to kill fowls for the table. Its particularly neat method of slaughtering by one bite in the neck is much admired by ferret-fanciers, who make quite a pet of the animal. It. however, never shows the slightest affection for its master, and has usually to be confined. THE RATEL. THE MINK. This important fur-producing animal is found in the northern part of both hemispheres under various specific forms, the most important of which are the European mink and the American mink. It shows a certain resem- blance to the marten in its larger and stouter body, which attains a length of from fifteen to eighteen inches, the tail being about seven or eight inches long, and bushy at the tip. Like most of its allies, it has two kinds of fur — "a soft, matted, under fur, mixed with long, stiff, lustrous hairs." The color varies from dull yellowish- brown to dark chocolate-brown ; the upper lip is usually white in the European, dark in the American species. The scent-glands are well developed, and their secretion is second only in offensiveness to that of the skunk. 320 THE LAND CARNIVORA. The habits of the mink differ altogether from those of the other species of the genus. " It is to the water what the other weasels are to the land, or the martens to the trees. It is as essentially aquatic in its habits as the otter, beaver, or musk- rat, and spends, perhaps, more of its time in the water than it does on land. In adaptation to this mode of life, the pelage has that peculiar glossiness of the longer bristly hairs and felting of the close under fur which best resists the water." It feeds chiefly upon aquatic or amphibious animals, such as fish, frogs, crayfish, mol- lusks, and the like, but also preys largely on the smaller mammals. It is stated that it is not an indiscriminate slaughterer, but kills only what is necessary for its actual wants. THE RATEL. This animal, sometimes known as the Honey Badger, is one of the exceptional animals whose color is lighter above than below. Its stiff, wiry hair is ashy-grey on the upper surface, while on the under surface, the muzzle, limbs, and tail are black. The line of demarcation between the grey and black is so sharp, that the animal has the appearance of being really black, but covered, as to its back, with a grey cloak. It is about three-quarters of a yard long, the tail taking up about a sixth of the length. In the matter of teeth it is interesting, as its molars are reduced to one on each side in each jaw ; a reduction equal to that found in the cats. It is said to live largely on bees, and to show a great amount of skill in tracking to their nest the insects which it observes on the wing. Sparrman states that it seats itself on a hillock to look out for the bees, and shades its eyes with one fore paw against the rays of the setting sun. It is a stupid animal, very sleepy during the day, and issuing from its burrows at sunset to seek for the birds, tortoises, insects and worms on which it feeds. It is very tenacious of life, and is well protected from attacks by the thickness and looseness of its skin, and the thick subcutaneous layer of fat. It also possesses an additional means, if not of defense, at least of offense, in its tail glands, the secretion of which is very strong, and pungent as to its odor. It is still further advantaged by its burrowing powers; it will scratch up a hole and disappear into it in an incredibly short space of time. The ratels in captivity exhibit a remarkable peculiarity. We have often watched onex»f them run round and round his cage in the usual purposeless man- ner of captive animals, but with this peculiarity — when he reached a particular corner of the den, he quietly and without effort, turned over head and heels, and then went on again. On one occasion, after he had been doing this with great regularity for some rounds, he seemed to become abstracted, and passed the usual spot without the somersault. When, however, he had proceeded a few paces, he recollected himself, stopped for a moment, returned to the exact place, turned over as usual, and proceeded on his way. THE EUROPEAN BADGER is a heavy and somewhat clumsy animal, long and stout-bodied, and short-legged, with a tapering and mobile snout, and a short, ihe badger. (One-fifth natural size!) 322 THE LAND CARNIVORA. scrubby tail. The long- hair is of three colors, black, white and reddish, the mingling of the three producing a varying grey hue. The head is white, except for a black band on each side, which commences a little behind the nose, and extends backward, including the eye and ear, the tip of the latter being, however, white. The lower parts of the body and the legs are black, the tail grey. The length of the body from snout to root of tail is about two feet three inches ; that of the tail, seven inches and a half. It is fond of retired places, such as sheltered woods, and in them it makes for itself a large burrow of earth " which has but a single entrance from without, but afterward divides into different chambers, and terminates in a round apartment at the bottom, which is well lined with dry grass and hay." The badger is conse- quently a very skillful digger, and for this purpose is possessed of strong curved claws. Its diet is completely mixed ; it eats roots, fruit, eggs, small mammals, frogs, insects, etc. It is quite susceptible of domestication, and is said to show a vast amount of affection and good temper. As to its habits, we cannot do' better than to quote an excellent account of some half-domesticated badgers given by Mr. Alfred Ellis : "About ten years since, the badger was established here, but it was not until the third attempt that my efforts prospered. The badgers then intro- duced, or their successors, have bred every year, and as not more than one pair remain in permanent occupation it is probable that there are many more of these animals-in this country than is generally supposed ; but their shyness, their color, and the short time they require to obtain their food, and the recesses of the woods in which they delight to dwell, make it no easy task to study their life and habits. The deep earth in which our badgers live is only fifty yards from the window at which I write. The building of this house two years ago did not disturb them, and they have shown an increasing confidence and trust. The badger breeds later than the fox, and it was the middle of March this year before the preparations for the coming family were made. These consisted in cleaning out the winter bed, and replacing it by a quantity of dry fern and grass, so great that it would seem impossible the earth could receive it. In June the first young badger appeared at the mouth of the earth, and was soon followed by three others, and then by their mother. After this, they continued to show every evening, and soon learned to take the food prepared for them The young are now almost full grown, and, for- getting their natural timidity, will feed so near that I have placed my hand on the back of one of them. The old ones are more wary, but often feed with their family, though at a more cautious distance. Their hearing and sense are most acute, and it is curious to see them watch, with lifted head and ears erect, then, if all is quiet, search the ground for a raisin or a date. But the least strange sight or sound alarms them, and they rush headlong to earth with amazing speed. "The badger, like the bear, treads upon the whole heel, and its walk closely resembles that animal. They caress each other in the same grotesque manner while they gambol and play, and at times they utter a cry so loud as to startle any THE BADGER. 323 evenings we can do kind offices for after the manner of in its habits. Over which grows a hori- ground. On this one ignorant of its source. On fine watch them dress their fur-like coats, or each other, and search for parasites monkeys. No creature is more cleanly their earth hangs a birch tree, from -zontal bough eighteen inches from the they scrape their feet in dirty weather. "As the winter approaches, the old bedding is replaced by dry fern and grass, raked together by their powerful claws. This is often left to wither in \ little heaps till dry enough for their ; purpose. Partially concealed, I have j watched a badger gathering fern and j using a force in its collection quite sur-| prising." THE AMERICAN BADCER.jjj The distinction between this species and the European badger consists chiefly',. — — c?— in the shorter and more hairy character of the snout, and in the fact that the body is of a uniform whitish hue, sometimes shaded with grey or tawny. The body and head together are about twenty-four inches long, the tail six inches. It is found throughout the greater part of North America. In its shyness, its general mode of life, and its habits, it differs but slightly from the common badger. Although in many parts it is so numerous that its burrows form a very serious obstacle to the traveler, yet it is a comparatively rare thing to see a specimen, so immediately does it retire to its strongholds on the first intimation of man's approach. It can, however, be trapped without much dif- ficulty, and thousands are caught in this way every year. Dr. Coues quotes an interesting account of the habits of a captive badger. He says: " In running, his fore feet crossed each other, and his body nearly touched the ground. The heel did not press on the ground like that of the bear, but was only slightly elevated above it. * * * We have never seen any animal that could exceed him in digging. He would fall to work with his strong feet and long nails, and in a minute bury himself in the earth, and would very soon advance to the end of a chain ten feet in length. In digging, the hind as well as the fore feet were at work, the latter for the purpose of excavating, and the former (like paddles) for expelling the earth out of the hole; and nothing seemed to delight him more than burrow- ing in the ground. He seemed never to become weary of this kind of amusement; and when he had advanced to the end of his chain he would return and commence THE SKUNK. 324 THE LAND CARNIVORA. a fresh gallery near the mouth of his first hole. Thus he would be occupied for hours, and it has been necessary to drag him away by main force." THE COMMON SKUNK. This notorious American species is a stoutly- built animal, with short legs, a long conical head with a truncated snout, and a long bushy tail. The general color of the fur is black, or nearly so, but on the forehead there is a white streak, and on the neck a white patch, from which two broad bands of the same hue proceed backward along the upper surface of the body. The length from tip of snout to root of tail is something over a foot: the tail itself is less than a foot in length. The general appearance of the animal is decidedly badger-like; it has, in fact, a good deal of resemblance. It occurs throughout the whole of the temperate portion of North America. We have mentioned that several of the weasel family enjoy the distinction ot being able to eject a foul smelling fluid from glands at the root of the tail. In this accomplishment the skunk is the undoubted chief. It can eject its perfume to a considerable distance, and with unerring aim; and the smell ! The "odor of mingled guano and pole cat," is simply nothing in comparison with the horrible stench emitted by this little animal. It is so durable, that the spot where a skunk has been killed will often retain the scent for days, or even weeks ; indeed, Audubon relates that at one place where a skunk had been killed in the autumn, the odor was quite perceptible in the following spring after the snow had melted. Clothes defiled with the secretion cannot be thoroughly cleansed by any ordinary means; for even if the scent seems to have disappeared, it will make itself evident every time the wearer goes near a fire, or into the sun. Notwithstanding this, furriers have found out a way for effectually purifying skunk-skins, which are now a good deal used as furs. THE COMMON OTTER. We now come to the most thoroughly aquatic of the sub-family of otters, animals which, although quite capable of active and unembarrassed movement on land, are yet thoroughly at home only in the water. In accordance with this mode of life, the toes are webbed, and provided with very short claws, and the tail is long, tapering, and flattened, so as to serve the precise purpose of the corresponding appendage in a fish. The length of the head and body is about two feet, that of the tail, one foot five inches. The fur is of a soft brown color, becoming lighter on the under side of the throat and the breast, and consists of long, coarse, shining hairs, with a short under fur of fine texture, well calculated to preserve equality of temperature as the animal resorts alter- nately to land or water. The skull is greatly elongated, and flattened from above downward ; the facial part of it is small, as compared with the brain-containing or cranial part. The region of the skull between the eyes is very narrow, and its floor is wide and thin. In all these points, save the first mentioned, the skull of the otter approaches that of the seal. THE OTTER. 326 THE LAND CARNIVORA. The habits of the otter are so entirely aquatic, that in the good old times it was thought to be a sort of cross between a beast and a hsh, just as the bat was thought to be intermediate between a beast and a bird. The movements of the otters in water are marvelous. They swim about in families, performing the most astonishing pranks, from mere exuberance of spirits and excess of energy. The otter makes a sort of nest in hollows in the banks of the river in which it lives, but does not, as is sometimes stated, construct compli- cated burrows; its claws, indeed, are too weak for any such work. It usually con- fines itself to rivers, but is sometimes found on the seashore. Otters are quite capable of domestication, and may be taught to catch fish for their masters. For this purpose they must be caught young, and gradually brought to live upon bread and milk. When this end is attained they are taught to fetch and carry, like a dog — first sticks, etc., then a stuffed fish, then a dead one. When this part of their education is perfect, and they make no attempt to mangle the fish given to them, they are sent into the water to catch living fish. Otters are trained for this purpose in India, and also in China, where they are used by the fishermen of the Yang-tse-kiang. Mr. J. Thompson says: "We noticed men fishing with trained otters in this part of the river. There were a number of boats, and each boat was furnished with an otter tied to a cord. The animal was thrust into the water, and remained there until it had caught a fish ; then it was hauled up, and the fisherman, placing his foot upon its tail, stamped vigorously until it had dropped its finny prey." There is one peculiar habit of the Canadian otter which is worthy of mention. " Their favorite sport is sliding, and for this purpose in winter the highest ridge of snow is selected, to the top of which the otters scramble, when, lying on the belly, with the fore feet backward, they give themselves an impulse with their hind legs,, and swiftly glide head foremost down the declivity, sometimes for the distance of twenty yards. This sport they continue apparently with the keenest enjoyment until fatigue or hunger induces them to desist." THE SEA OTTER. This interesting animal differs in many important respects from the common otter, and in all such points shows an approximation to the structure of the seals. It is a large animal, about three feet long, not counting the tail, which is about a foot more. Its fur is dark brown, both on the upper and lower surfaces, and presents a frosted or silvered appearance, owing to the fact that the long, stiff hairs, which differ greatly from those of the under fur, are grey or colorless at the tip. The head is very short, the snout naked ; the eyes extremely small, and placed low down on the sides of the head, and the whiskers are short, but stout and stiff, and mostly directed downward ; altogether there is something very seal-like about the face. The fore limbs and feet are small, the paws rather cat-like in their rounded form, and the claws are quite hidden by the hair. The hind feet, on the other hand, are flat and expanded, being no less. THE SEA OTTER. 327 than six inches long by four broad, and webbed like a duck's feet, or a seal's flip- pers ; they differ, however, from the seal's, in the fact that the toes increase in length from the inner to the outer side ; both above and below they are covered with dense fur, which quite hides the short, stout claws. The Sea Otter is found in the North Pacific, chiefly in the regions of Kamst- chatka and Alaska, and extends as far south as California. Like the seal, the Sea Otter is gregarious, being often found " in bands num- bering from fifty up to hundreds. When in rapid movement they make alternate undulating leaps out of the water, plunging again as do seals and porpoises. When in a state of quietude, they are much of the time on their backs. They are frequently seen in this posture, with the hind flippers extended, as if catching the breeze to sail or drift before it. They live on clams, as well as crabs and other species of Crustacea ; sometimes small fish. When the otter descends and brings up any article of food, it instantly resumes its habitual attitude on the back to devour it. On sunny days, when looking, it sometimes shades its eyes with one fore paw, much in the same manner as a person does with the hand." This curious habit, as we have seen, is adopted also by the glutton. The supine position is so habitual that the females actually sleep in the water on their backs, with the young ones clasped between their fore paws. While in this position, too, the otter will toss a piece of seaweed backward and forward from paw to paw, like a ball, and the mother play with her offspring for hours together. The fur is very valuable, and the animal is consequently hunted regularly ; so regularly, that there is every possibility of the species becoming speedily extinct unless some check is put upon the chase;** For taking some action in the matter, there is the further reason that the natives of the Aleutian Isles, the chief resort of the animal, are dependent on its hunting for their subsistence, and it has been shown that the people have diminished in numbers, coincidently with the otters. CHAPTER XIV. THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. The walrus, the sea lions, and the seals, collectively termed the Pinnipedia, constitute the second well marked group or sub-order of the Carnivora. They are truly inhabitants of the high seas, the land being to them only an occasional resort, when procreation or other causes induce short visits, or temporary resi- dence thereon. In the previous chapters it has been noted that certain of the so-called land Carnivora, the white polar bear, or the common otter, for example, take freely to the water, and even subsist on finny and other prey derived there- from, but nevertheless, as a rule, such Carnivora only are semi-aquatic. The one notable instance to the contrary is the sea otter, an animal seldom seen on land, though rarely met with far from rocky reefs and islets. THE WALRUS, or Morse. So far as looks are concerned, scarcely a' more uninviting fellow can be conceived than this animal. This ungainly creature, though so repellant in features, is in reality quiet and inoffensive, unless attacked or roused in love-time, when woe betide those who measure his strength, especially if he reaches his native watery element. They are very gregarious, seldom being met with singly, but often in herds from a dozen to several hundreds, as Captain Cook long ago observed. They crowd up from the water on to the rocks or ice one after the other, grunting and bellowing. The first arrived is no sooner com- posed in sleeping trim, than a second comes prodding and poking with its blunt tusks, forcing room for itself, while the first is urged farther from the water; the second in turn is similarly treated by the third ; and so on, until numbers will lie packed close, heads and tails resting against and on each other, in the most con- venient and friendly manner possible. • There they sleep and snore to their heart's content, but nevertheless, according to Elliott, keep guard in a singular fashion. Some one would seem to disturb another ; then this fellow would raise his head listlessly, give a grunt and a poke to his nearest companion, who would rouse up a few minutes, also grunt, and pass the watchword to his neighbor, and so on through the herd, this disturbance always keeping some few on the alert. Danger announced, they scuttle pell-mell and topsy-turvy into the water. 328 THE WALRUS. 329 Once in the sea, their sluggish deportment vanishes, and activity is the order of the day. Curiosity aroused, or attack threatened, as Lamont remarks, the herd keep near each other. One moment a crowd of grizzly heads and long, gleaming white tusks are above the waves ; then follow snorting, and hasty breathing ; immediately thereafter, a host of brown hemispherical backs, followed by pairs of flourishing hind flippers, and the lot have dived, again to appear at an interval, and the same performance be gone through. If one gets injured, or a young one is in danger, the host of walruses close round the boat, grunting, rearing and snort- ing, and if their wrath be roused, they rush simultaneously to the fight, and attack the boat.. When a young sea horse is wounded, the parent becomes desperate, and fearlessly exposes herself, or seizes the youngster under her fore flipper, and makes off, or defends herself and progeny to the death. There is no security to the hunter on the ice, which the animal, in its fury, will break through, even when six inches thick. The tusks vary from eight inches to two feet long, and may weigh from five to fifteen pounds ; in the males they are generally supposed to be thicker and more divergent. These teeth continuously grow, and, as they wear away, their interior becomes filled with tooth bone. Whatsoever their diet they thrive on it, and store up much fat, though less proportionally than seals. Like some of the sea-lions, they have the curious habit of swallowing stones, the economy of which is imperfectly understood. But there can be no doubt of the fact, or of another equally strange, that of their protracted fasts. During the autumn months the sea horses will muster in force on land, and quite lethargic there doze for days or weeks without tasting food, thus recalling the hibernation of the bear tribe. The walrus is infested with skin parasites and intestinal worms, and the pebble-swallowing habit is supposed to relieve the irritation of the latter. Not infrequently a troop will be found sleeping bolt upright in the water, and so soundly that a boat can approach close to them before they awake. They can remain under water, some say an hour, before re- quiring to take breath, but the length of time doubtless depends on circum- stances ; and ordinarily, or when sud- denly disturbed, barely a third of that time. head of walrus. 330 THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. The brain is largely developed, and has many sinuosities, so that in compar- ison with the dog or cat tribes the walrus ought to possess considerable intelli- gence. Acts displaying this quality, however, are only sparingly manifested in the young where domestication has been attempted. A surgeon who accompanied one of the Dundee sealers relates how a juvenile walrus, being captured, became in a few days quite at home, and a general favorite among the crew. It quickly formed an acquaintance with an Eskimo dog which was on board. They ate out of the same dish, although "Jamie," the walrus, took good care always to secure the larger share. Whenever the dog retired to his barrel to sleep, "Jamie" bundled his own fat carcass right on the top of him, and as doggie rebelled against such an unwieldy bedfellow it usually ended in "Jamie" having it all to himself. The latter ate blubber, beef, pork, and almost everything given him, but his favorite dish was pea soup. Into this he would plunge his face, which procedure left him a most comical countenance. He seemed to know his name well, for even if fast asleep the instant any one cried out "Jamie ! " he would rouse up, gaze anxiously about, and grunting in reply. But the most remark- able trait in his character was an intense hatred of solitude. When alone on deck he appeared a picture of misery, granting and endeavoring to make his way down " 'tween deck" afcer the men ; and on more than one occasion precipitated himself, to his peril, plump down the main hatchway, a height of about nine feet. If the cabin door were open he at once waddled in, laid himself before the stove, and went to sleep ; but if the cabin were empty he would not remain a moment. Nothing made him so angry as to shake a piece of paper in his face, or to run sud- denly away after caressing him ; he then followed with open mouth in a great passion. When a whale had been killed, and the ship's crew busy on deck, "Jamie " was in his glory in the very midst of the men covered with grease and oil. At these times he was a perfect nuisance, hindering the men in their duties by continually poking his head first between one seaman's legs and then another's, and so on, meantime running a chance of being cut down in the "flensing" operations. He evinced no particular attachment to any one individual on board, liking all equally from cabin boy to captain. But he knew full well when he did anything wrong ; for if a rope's end were shown him in a threatening manner, "Jamie " instantly would slink off, furtively casting a look over his shoulder to see if he were followed. After being on board four months he fell ill and died. The expression of this creature's countenance during his sickness was indicative of a great desire for sympathy from any one who came near. He took his medicine to the last, and when his remains were committed to the deep, regret was felt by all on board. At one time a considerable trade was devoted to walrus-hunting, but the diminishment of their numbers has practically reduced it to the lowest ebb. The tusks alone have now any commercial significance, but formerly walrus-hides were used for various purposes, such as machine-bands, carriage-springs, rigging of ships, and the like. THE NORTHERN FUR SEAL. 331 THE NORTHERN FUR SEAL. The habits and life history of this animal are probably more accurately known than those of any other of the eared seals. The males, when full grown, are between six and seven feet long, the females not being over four to four and one-half feet in length, from head to tail. The former will weigh between four to six hundred pounds, the latter scarcely reaching one hundred pounds, but often eighty or less. From whatever reason, the adult males seem to leave the herd and betake WALRUSES. themselves to the Pribyloff Islands in the spring months, when, in the first few days of May, they make their appearance, and in a suspicious, doubtful manner swim idly about, apparently reluctant to land. Soon, however, the older " bulls " approach the loose rocky shore, and commence to locate themselves. Each individual animal takes possession of a piece of ground about ten feet square, and as those fresh from the sea approach, there begins a series of battles as to which is to retain the ground first occupied. All during the month of May, and even to the first week of June, this terrible warfare proceeds incessantly, and 332 THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. those next the water have to resist all comers, or themselves be forced farther back. Meantime, from the beginning till almost toward the end of June, the pregnant females make their appearance, first in small numbers, until the great body arrive in mass at the close of the month. Each male retains his position as best he can, while some of the females hesitate to land, calling out as if in search of some particular mate. The males coaxingly try to inveigle them ashore, and no sooner do the females approach than they are laid hold of, and a general warfare among the whole " rookery " ensues. The quiet, unoffending, small- sized females are subjected to dreadful usage. The strong and powerful males secure, where possible, from twelve to fifteen partners in their seraglio, but to retain these is indeed a most serious business. Day and night the males, who have never left their station for at least six weeks, have still to keep watch and ward over their accommodating spouses, the only sense of meum and teum being force. If the master of the harem dare for a moment to doze, down comes his more wide- awake neighbor from behind, to obtain by foul means what he cannot obtain by fair ; or some slippery partner, desirous of change, seeks to escape the bondage of her lord. Then ensues internecine and domestic strife, in which all the neigh- boring males join, whenever there is a chance of capturing a coveted female. The poor wives suffer equally with their spouses — trampled, bitten, and dashed about. It results that he alone keeps who has the power to withstand his numer- ous assailants. Some of the females may have the fortune to get more comfortably settled than the others, which are bandied from one location to another, until most of the males obtain a few partners, the lucky ones in front securing and holding the greatest number, those behind being obliged to content themselves with half a dozen or thereabouts. A few days only have elapsed, and matters settled down more quietly, when the females give birth each to a single one. The little fellows soon find their voice — a kind of bleat like a young lamb's — begin paddling about, and then suckle. They gorge themselves heartily with the rich creamy milk. But, strange to say, the mother seems remarkably indifferent to her offspring ; and, if it stray beyond the limits of the family group, it may be abducted by the other seals for all that she cares. About this time, many of the old males who have successfully held their position become exhausted, and now and again the less fortunate or single males behind, in stronger or fresher condition, drive the former from their posts, and the latter take their places. There is no wonder that exhaustion succeeds. Indeed, one of the most remarkable features in the history of the sea lions is that for two months and more these heroic males, that arrived fat and plump from their winter quarters, have held their positions on land against all comers, and this without tasting food, water, or almost sleep during this period. It seems scarcely credible that animals incessantly on the watch, excited and bearing the brunt of sanguinary contests, should be able to undergo starvation under such circum- THE PATAGONIAN SEA LION. 333 SEA LION DOZING ON HIS BACK. SEA LION FAST ASLEEP. stances. This fact is almost unique in natural history ; for, though hibernation for long periods is common to the bear, hedgehog, etc., their winter sleep is accompanied by cessation of all bodily exertion, and the functions of circulation, respiration, and digestion are comparatively at a standstill. In truth, how this SEA LION CLIMBING SEA LION IN WATCHFUL ATTITUDE. and other species of Otaria, for the habit is not limited to the fur seal, endure such a lengthy abstinence, physiology fails to explain. While the families, in groups as afore mentioned, with their dominant lords, hold the favorite grounds, the great mass of the younger members of the com- SEA LION LICKING HIS LEG. SEA LION SCRATCHING WITH HIND LEG. 334 THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. munity are not thoroughly excluded from the domains of the " rookery." By common consent, here and there long narrow lanes of neutral ground are left open from the beach upward, and along these continually pass to and fro the non- breeding animals. These go to the rear, where they pack themselves in a kind of general medley, their gregarious nature leading them there to swarm. The young animals in the beginning of August begin to take to the water, with which they soon become familiar, frolicking about and returning like lazy dogs to sleep after their exertions. They grow fast, and gathering in squads swarm over the whole "rookery." The colony now begins to break up from the family parties first instituted. Some besport themselves, or possibly feed in the neighborhood ; others range on the sandy and grassy uplands, in groups of hun- dreds to thousands, and seem to play and enjoy themselves in a rollicking, lively manner. Their gamboling is very good natured, they seldom quarreling. They appear to delight in dashing through the breakers, and " hauling up " on the surf- beaten shore. In dull, foggy weather, they crowd close together in myriads, and a bright, warm day sends them off quickly to the water, seemingly to avoid heat. What they live on during all this period it is difficult to state, for the fish round the island appear to be driven off on the arrival of the sea lions. They, nevertheless, subsist and thrive. In the stomachs of most of the older animals several pounds' weight of pebbles are usually found. The killing of these seals is quite a peculiar occupation of the islanders. After the breeding season, the hunters take advantage of the dull and foggy weather, and creep down between the herd and the water. Then suddenly rising and shouting together, they drive landward the affrighted animals, though many of course escape. Closing on them, they allow the females and the very old males by degrees to pass, and then drive the remainder at a slow rate toward the killing ground, some distance off. Watchers remain over night with them, and in the morning, when the seals have rested and cooled down, the work of slaughter begins. Squads of forty or fifty are separated, and the islanders then surround these in a body; the animals meantime huddling together and treacling over each other's flippers, cannot well attack or defend themselves, and they are then clubbed by blows on the head. While this bloody process is going on, a number of the men dexterously skin the animals, and others look after the blubber, and such parts as are useful for food and other purposes. THE PATAGONIAN SEA HON. It was this animal that attracted the attention of Captain Cook and his naturalist, Forster, both describing it. Apart from the historical connections attaching to this creature, inasmuch as many famous voyagers' names have been associated with it, in our own generation it is remarkable as that first taken alive to England. The individual in question was, by kindness and dint of training, taught to become quite a performer in its way, SEA LION— FUR SEAL. 335 THE FALKLAND ISLAND FUR SEAL. mounting a ladder with perfect ease, and descending- indifferently, head or tail foremost. It fired a small cannon, and went through several other performances indicative of the teachableness of its disposition and the successful assiduity of its trainer. So well known have its appearance and little tricks of mounting chairs, catching with open mouth fish thrown toward it, kissing its keeper, and so on, become, that it is needless to enter upon a detailed account of these matters. There is no doubt, however, that this animal, and others of different species, have manifested traits of brain power of a superior kind. One feature has struck all, namely its voracity, twenty-five pounds of fish a day being barely more than short commons. If one estimates this amount to each individual, namely, an equivalent of 7,000 pounds a year, and consider that there exist colonies of those animals more than a million in number, the wonder arises that the finny tribe is not exter- minated in those spots inhabited by the seals The success accompanying the above animal's exhibition led to the Zoological Society's sending Lecomte to the Falklands to procure more. Although he obtained a number, most met mishaps and died before reaching London. His account of their habits and nature corroborates the earlier observers. According to him, families range from six to twenty, a dozen being the average, while a herd would be composed of several families. Located in the islands and isthmuses, an old male guards as sentinel, and signals, by a growl, approaching danger. Between sleeping and procuring food, they pass their time, often lying huddled in a drowsy condition. 336 THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. Captain Cook says he met with immense males, twelve or fourteen feet in length, and eight or ten in circumference. Such big customers now no longer exist, though the truth of what our circumnavigator asserts would seem to be substantiated by the fact of skulls of enormous size being found hither and thither, weather-worn, on the beach. THE FALKLAND ISLAND FUR SEAL. The headquarters for the cap- ture of this valuable species of commercial fur seal are the Falkland Isles, and the South Shetlands, within the Antarctic circle, but it is also found on the coast of South America. The best account of the habits of this species is that of Captain Weddell. When he visited the South Shetlands, so little did they apprehend dan- ger from man, that they lay quietly by while their neighbors were killed and skinned. But, as he remarks, they soon acquired habits for counteracting danger, by placing themselves on rocks whence they precipitated themselves into the water. Their agility is very great, outstripping men running fast in pursuit. The absurd story of their throwing stones at their pursuers with their tails, Wed- dell accounts for by their awkward, trailing gait, and in an attempt to scamper > scattering rocky fragments hither and thither behind them. He mentions their exceeding disproportion of size, the males, as in other species, being the more bulky, the latter being six to seven feet long, the females seldom more than fonr feet, and often less. He computed the females at about twenty to one male. They assemble gregariously on the coast at different periods and in distinct classes. The young are born in December. At first they are black, a few weeks later become grey, and afterward, as they frequent the sea, moult and acquire their peculiar furry coats. THE NEW ZEALAND FUR SEAL. During his second voyage of cir- cumnavigation, Captain Cook cast anchor in Dusky Bay, New Zealand, and records that he saw great numbers of seals on the small rocks and islets in this neighborhood. Forster made careful notes thereon, besides his drawings. He says they are seals with ears, hands free, feet webbed on the under surface, naked between the fingers, hardly nailed. Gregarious in habits, they are timid, and fling themselves off the rocks into the sea at the approach of man ; but they most power- fully resist when attacked, bite the weapons used against them, and even venture to assail the boats. They swim with such rapidity under water that a boat rowed by six strong men can scarcely keep up with them. Tenacious of life to a degree, a fractured skull did not dispatch them. The weight of the full grown is 220 pounds, cubs scarcely twelve pounds ; the former are six or seven feet long, the latter barely two and a half. The hair is soft, black, with reddish grey tips and a delicate reddish under fur. The young are black when wet, when dry, lighter below ; individual hairs pale yellow at base with light yellow tips, and a dense under fur of the same tint. FUR SEAL— COMMON SEAL. 337 LEFT FORE (a) AND HIND (b) FLIPPER OF NEW ZEALAND FUR SEAL. The older animals have hairs tipped with white. Round the mouth and ears are pale yellow. These seals are fast disappearing or retiring to the Southern Antarctic Ocean. THE COMMON SEAL. This most familiar species of the group is as ludicrous in its gait on land as it is surpassingly elegant in its movements in water. It is of a yellowish grey color, spotted above with black and brown, so as to give a mottled appear- ance, while below it is of a whitish or silvery grey. Ordinarily the hairs are shining and stiff, the color being dependent somewhat on their being moist or dry ; when the former, dark grey predominates. In length it varies from three to six feet, the head being about a tenth part. The roundish head has a short muzzle, prominent whiskers, and large expressive eyes. Although as valuable as certain other forms hunted by the sealers, its numbers in the polar regions are comparatively smaller, so that it is not separately pursued by them, though the Greenlanders have a high appreciation of its worth. THE GREENLAND, or Saddle- Back Seal. It is this species that forms one of the chief objects of chase, both in the Spitzbergen and Newfoundland seas. In habits it agrees with the ordinary seals, though said to be care- less and stupid, and easily captured. It feeds on small fish, Crustacea, and mollusca. The males and females dif- fer in appearance, and the changes from the younger to the older stages are also very remarkable. Indeed, one may say scarcely two animals are alike. HIND FLIPPERS OF RINGED SEAL. A, opened out; B, closed. THE CRESTED SEAL. Named from the remarkable prominence of 838 THE AQUATIC OR MARINE CARNIVORA. the front upper part of the head, this is one of the largest and most powerful of the northern seals. Certainly it is the fiercest and most dangerous, as the Eskimo know to their cost in attacking it from their kayaks. It does not hesitate to return an assault, and the crest, it is said, affords some protection from wounds inflicted by the club. These brutes fight ferociously among themselves, and the roaring during such ice battles, in the still Arctic regions, is said to be audible THE CRESTED SEAL. four miles off. The so-called crest, hood, or bladder, is in reality nothing of the sort, but only a peculiar enlargement of the nasal passages, more particularly developed in the old animals of both sexes. From eight to twelve feet in length has been given as the limits of size it obtains. The young are pure white; when a year old they become greyish, and the hue deepens, becoming deep chestnut and black above, though the lighter shade is retained on the under parts ; chiefly on the back are black spots and rings of white. The muzzle is hairy, and the hair on the rest of the body long, with thick soft under-wool. It visits Greenland in CRESTED SEAL— ELEPHANT SEAL. 339 HE ELEPHANT SEAL. May and June, leaves in July, and again returns in August and September. This animal is one which the sealers hunt, it frequenting the outside of the ice packs. THE ELEPHANT SEAL. In the young and females, the characteristic fea- ture, or so-called proboscis, is deficient, but in the old males it extends quite a foot beyond the angle of the mouth, and hence the name of Elephant Seal. The females are nine or ten feet, the males fourteen, sixteen, and even twenty feet in length. The color varies with age from brown to leaden grey. CHAPTER XV. ORDER V — CETACEA — WHALES. The whales form one of the most extraordinary groups of the Mammalia, for the}' are warm-blooded, air-breathers, and sucklers of their young, and are most strangely adapted for life in a watery element. Oddly enough the term " Fish " is still applied to them by the whalers, though they have nothing in common with these creatures, save a certain similitude in shape. The vulgar notion of a whale is an enormous ereature with an extremely capacious mouth, but the fact is that many of the Cetacea are of relatively moderate dimensions, though doubtless, on the other hand, the magnitude of some is perfectly amazing. Thus, in size they are variable as a group, a range of from five or six feet (equal to the stature of man) to seventy or eighty feet giving sufficiently wide limits. With certain exceptions, notwithstanding length, an average-sized whale by no means conveys to the eye the same idea of vastness, say for instance, as does an Elephant. The reason is that most Cetaceans are of a club shape, the compact cylindrical body and long narrow, tapering tail reducing the idea of size. The head is in such con- tinuity with the body that of neck there seems nothing. In some there are upright fleshy back fins ; in others these are wanting. The gristly caudal fin is horizontal and not upright or rayed like a fish's. The body is smooth and devoid of hair. The eye is remarkably small and without eyelashes, and the ear orifice is so diminutive as to seem deficient. The head is either rounded, massive, or has a long snout. There are no hind limbs, and only in the enormous whalebone whales have the rudiments of any been found. Small pelvic bones, however, are present, embedded in the flesh at the setting on of the tail. The fore-limbs, which are ordinarily termed flippers, have the usual bones extremely broadened and flattened; the free part — equivalent to the hand — being encased in a rigid or stiff nailless membrane. THE SPERM WHALE, or Cachalot. Next to the Greenland Whale the Cachalot is by far the most important animal of the whale tribe in a com- mercial point of view. A rare interest, moreover, is attached to it from the daring deeds and hairbreadth escapes of the whalers pursuing it, inasmuch as in certain cases it is among the fiercest of the Cetacea. At times it not only attacks 340 THE SPERM WHALE. 341 boats and their crews in pursuit of it, but there are also well-authenticated instances of ships themselves being- assailed and sunk b} 7 this powerful monster of the deep. It attains a size varying from forty to seventy feet, the average of old males being about sixty feet, while the females are much smaller. It is black above, lighter on the sides, and silvery-grey on the belly parts. Its head is of enormous proportions, forming nearly half the bulk of the animal. The snout is 1 HE SPERM WHALE. extraordinarily dilated and terminates abruptly; the upper jaw quite overhangs the lower, and the bones of the latter are united close together for a long distance, and are furnished with from twenty to thirty teeth on each side. Each tooth is conical and slightly curved, hollow at the base, but elsewhere it is dense and solid. When the lower jaw is closed the teeth fit into hollows in the upper lips, in this respect somewhat resembling what takes place in the crocodile's mouth; but besides the remarkable lower jaw, the Sperm Whale's skull rivets attention from the extensive basin-shaped spermaceti reservoir. The upper surface of the broad shoe-shaped skull has a large basin-like cavity, wherein in the soft parts the 342 THE CETACEA. material known as spermaceti is lodged. The blow-hole is single, and is situated quite in front. The throat is very large as compared with that of the Greenland whale. The Sperm whale is seldom found in inland waters, but is met with in all the oceans, from the Polar to the Antarctic, though it chiefly inhabits the tropical or sub-tropical seas. # Many thrilling stories are told of the capture of this whale, but space will not permit more than a passing notice. On the coast of Japan, in 1832, three boats pursued a whale all day long. By a dexterous move the animal was at last lanced, when it spouted blood, suddenly descended about forty fathoms, and as quickly rose and dashed the boat into the air into fragments. The men clung to the oars and broken wood, and, in spite of the vicinity of sharks and the whale itself, were saved by the other boats, the crews of which avenged themselves by ultimately killing the whale. Of fighting whales there are numbers of stories, that of one old male, familiarly known as "New Zealand Tom," being still tra- ditionally recounted in the forecastle. In 1804 the Adonis and several other ships simultaneously attacked the fellow, who destroyed some nine boats before break- fast, but in the end was captured, when a host of harpoons were found in its body. There can be no doubt that the Sperm whale is a migratory animal, though its migrations are by no means clearly understood. It is a gregarious creature, "schools "of a dozen to fifty or sixty being occasionally met with. At other times great fellows are found here and there on lonely pilgrimages, while still at other times a few together will be seen en route to fresh feeding grounds. Adult females, or those with young in their company, evince a strong affection for each other, and when one is killed or sustains injury, parents or companions hover about and even render assistance. The whalers take advantage of this trait, and often kill a number ere the others make off. When, however, a company of young male whales are found, and ooe is attacked, little love or interest in each other's welfare is manifested, every one rushing off helter-skelter in all directions, to the whalers' chagrin. The old ''bulls," on the other hand, are more sedate and less easily frightened, and unless roused by injury to retaliate on their pursuers are more readily harpooned. The Sperm whale is easily known from all others, even at a great distance, from the regularity of its blowing and the manner in which it throws up a volume of vapor obliquely forward. It traverses the ocean sur- face in a steady, methodical manner, at the rate of four or five miles an hour, its great head or hump-like back occasionally appearing above water. It will remain on the surface from ten to fifteen minutes, and then will descend, staying below an hour or more, but the females and young remain up and descend at more fre- quent intervals. At times, instead of quietly swimming on the surface, they pro ceed more quickly by a kind of lounging motion, the head being thrust well out of the water, a mass of spray accompanying this mode of progression. Occa- sionally they spring headlong out of the sea, or violently beat the surface with their tails, or at other times dash about in a variety of attitudes. Sometimes they THE SPERM WHALE. 343 move their fins as feeling around for enemies, or throw their bodies awry, bringing the mouth well to the surface. It is pretty certain that cuttle-fish form a large proportion of their food, though there is reason to believe that they do not despise fish and other marine creatures. It is still a moot point how they feed, and to what use they put their teeth. Some assert that in the depths the under jaw is lowered, and the glistening pearly teeth fully shown ; attracted by the latter, its prey approach and the trap is closed. Blindness at times supervenes. Still more curious are instances where the lower jaw is twisted like a shepherd's crook, and strange to say, notwithstanding this deformity, these whales seem fat and hearty — this fact giving rise to much speculation whether such malformation has arisen from fighting and distortion of the jaw in youth, or from other causes not yet ascertained. The Sperm whale has its enemies, the Thresher shark leaping on it, and attacking it from above, while the daring Killer Whale {Oreo) assaults it from below. The female, it is said, breeds at all seasons, producing one, but occasion- ally two, at a time. The double-bowed whale-boats are manned by six men, and when they approach the whale one steers aft with an oar while the harpooner plies his craft. No sooner struck than the rowers " back" away. Meanwhile the creature dives, carrying harpoon and line, or rolls rapidly round coiling the rope on its body. The other boats approach, and as it rises harpoons and lances are dexterously used, and as the blood escapes in volumes, spite of its vast efforts, the creature succumbs. Immediately after its death the boats are made fast to the carcass, and the ship reached as circumstances best permit. Secured alongside, a man descends, cuts a hole behind the head, inserts a hook, often under most dangerous conditions, especially if the sea is rough. The fat or blubber is cut bv sharp spades in a long spiral strip, and pulleys applied, when these skin and blubber strips are thereupon hove on deck. The carcass afterward is rolled round and the opposite side similarly treated. The great head meantime is cut off, and floated astern until the trunk is deprived of its blubber. The head is then opened from above, and among the coarse fat and blubber of the forehead is a fluid oily matter, the spermaceti. This substance is handed up in bucketfuls, and preserved in casks. On its removal the wedge-shaped oily and fibrous head-piece, the "junk," is next secured ; head and trunk are then sent adrift. Then follows the "trying out," that is, boiling the fatty masses and extracting the oil, which operation is done in furnaces, the scraps of fat mainly serving as fuel. Finally the oil and head matter are casked up, and a fresh lookout from the masthead is kept for more whales. The crow's nest is a large barrel on the crosstrees, where a watcher is stationed during the whole voyage. No sooner is a whale spied than the shout, " There she blows!" or " There she spouts !" is replied to from the deck by a hur- ried rush to the boats, for each seaman's kit and provisions are beforehand ready prepared in a bundle, and before many minutes, the hardy mariners are on their way toward their gigantic spoil. Sperm oil is exceedingly valuable. 344 THE CETACEA. THE PILOT WHALE is one of the best known whales that frequent the English coasts, great herds of hundreds having often been run ashore in the Shet- lands, Orkneys, and even in the Frith of Forth. Adults average from sixteen to twenty-five feet in length, are of a jet-black color, but lighter or whitish on the abdomen. The body is cylindrical, tapering to the tail; the dorsal fin is high, placed at the middle of the back ; the flippers are unusually long and narrow. The head is quite characteristic, having the form of a massive boss. When these whales are seen gamboling in the bays of our own northern coasts, the hardy fishermen start in their boats, and form a cordon seaward. Then by gunshots, shouts, splashing, and throwing stones, they drive them toward the shore ; and as the animals madly plunge to shallower water, pressing through fear one over the other, the men dash into the water and begin havoc with harpoons, scythes, spears, picks, or spades — indeed, whatever weapon comes handiest. Thus numbers, from even fifty to as many as two hundred, fall an easy prey. Such an encounter took place in 1867 near Prestonpans on the Frith of Forth, when one whale wounded by harpoons struck seaward, hauling a boat and crew of twelve men nearly as far as Inchkeith ere it succumbed. There may be more than one species of this whale, widely distributed, but whether or not, their habits and general appearance have much in common. THE NARWHAL, or Sea-Unicorn. Of all whales this is the most unique on account of its so-called horn, or rather tusk, or, still better, enormously developed canine tooth. Most museums contain examples of this extraordinary object, which seems like a solid rod of ivory, tapers from root to tip, has a kind of striated spiral surface, and is often from five to seven feet or more in length, thus being the longest tooth in the Mammalia. The adult animals vary from ten to sixteen feet long, and, like the Beluga, have a blunt short head, no dorsal fin, and very small flippers. It is essentially a northern form, inasmuch as it frequents the coasts of Greenland, Spitzbergen, and Siberia, though occasionally met with off Scandinavia and Britain. It travels in great herds, and Dr. R. Brown saw thou- sands in their summer migrations following tusk to tusk and tail to tail like a regi- ment of cavalry, and swimming with perfect, regular, undulating movements. These herds are of both sexes. The narwhals have grey backs, mottled with black, the sides and belly paling downward to white, and equally spotted with grey or darker tint. The females are more spotted than the males, the young are darker, but some animals are much paler than others. The crescentic blowhole externally is single. Occasionally they utter a gurgling noise. In the stomachs of captured narwhals, fish bones, crustaceans, mollusks, and cuttlefish remains have been found. They swim with great velocity, and are most active creatures. They dash and sport about apparently with much glee, and Scoresby says that in their playfu! moments they parry horns as if fencing. He suggests that the horn may be used for spearing fish, as he found a large flat skate in the stomach of one. THE NARWHAL. 345 Others imagine that it may be for stirring up food from the bottom; but it has been very deftly remarked that the female would thus fare badlv, seeing she is destitute of the tooth in question. Fabricius' view, that it was to keep the ice holes open during the winter, has a touch of truth in it, inasmuch as one among other instances has been recorded where it usefully supplied such a purpose. Dr. R. Brown mentions that in i860 a Greenlander observed in a hole in the ice hun- dreds of narwhals and white whales protruding their heads to breathe. It was likened to an Arctic Black Hole of Calcutta, so eager were the creatures pushing toward it. The natives gathered around, harpooned and shot the creatures by the dozen, though many were lost, such was the scramble. THE WHALEBONE WHALES. These are distinguished from the Toothed whales by their great upper jaws being provided with baleen plates instead of teeth. Most people have seen a large 346 THE CETACEA. plate of whalebone, dark tinted or occasionally lighter, and one extremity ending in a fringe of bristle-iike hairs. The whalebone blade of dense horny-like material is in the early stage composed of a brush of hair-like bodies, which, lengthening, solidify and assume the hard, horny appearance afterward known in the blade. The gum of the upper jaw has a series of these plates, the one in front of the other, which elongate as growth proceeds, but leave the free extremity with a fringe of separate hairs. Again, the blade toward the gum is embedded in a fleshy substance similar to the roots of our finger nails. It grows continuously from the roots, like the latter, and in many respects corresponds, save that the free end is always fringed. Baleen, therefore, though varying from a few inches to a number of feet long, in fact approximates to a series of, so to say, mouth nail-plates, which laminae have a somewhat transverse position to the cavity of the mouth, and thus their inner split edges and lower free ends cause the mouth to appear as a great hairy archway, shallower in front and deeper behind. The animal in opening its mouth gulps a quantity of water containing its r..nute marine food, and then clos- ing the mouth the liquid escapes and the small Libntzsca, etc.. are entangled in the hairy meshes. THE GREENLAND, or Right Whale. Among the Cetacea, this may be denominated the whale, for much of the popular knowledge, interest, and commercial value of the group has centered in this animal. It is the well known form followed by the Greenland whalers into the Arctic seas. The stories of its hunting and authenticated accounts of its vast size, etc., associate it in many minds as the most typical of the whale tribe. But the truth is, it is unusual in many respects, and not even quite representative of the group of Whalebone whales as a whole. THE BISCAY WHALE. This creature ordinarily attains a length of fifty or sixty or not more than seventy feet. The females are said to be larger and fatter than the males, to produce one or rarely two young ones in the spring, which are suckled for a twelvemonth, and they exhibit a constancy and affection for this offspring not surpassed by any other of the tribe. The bulky body is largest about the middle, tapering rather suddenly toward the tail, the flukes of which are occasionally over twenty feet from tip to tip. The flipper is short and broadish ; while the head is a third of the length of the animal. The small eye is placed very low, but nevertheless above the angle of the great arched mouth. The head is surrounded by a large swelling, at which point the double orifice of the blowhole forms an obtuse angle. The adult is almost black, the young bluish grey, the lower parts of the throat cream color, and occasionally dispersed whitish markings on the body. Gregarious in habits, they go in twos and threes, but sometimes in greater numbers, even in large flocks; but the herds now are indeed rare. Among the most remarkable peculiarities in this whale are the nature of its r- 348 THE CETACEA. food and its mode of feeding. In the high latitudes there floats in immense quan- tities a small soft-bodied Mollusc an inch long, with expansions like wings; and besides it there are numerous small Crustaceans and Jelly fish of various kinds. These, curiously enough, feed on infinitesimally minute jelly-specks. These latter thus form subsistence to the former, which in their turn are the whale's food ; so that, as Dr. Robert Brown has remarked, this enormous marine monster in a secondary manner is sustained bv incredible numbers of organisms of which 1,000 or more might be laid on a shilling piece. Captain David Gray, a well-known successful whaler, has given a good account of the mode of feeding. When the animal opens its mouth to feed, the whalebone springs forward and downward so as to fill the mouth entirely. When in the act of shutting it again, the whalebone being pointed slightly toward the throat, the lower jaw catches it and carries it up into the hollow of the mouth. They choose a space between two pieces of ice, and swimming backward and forward secure the food near the surface. They will continue feeding in this way for hours, afterward disappearing under the ice to sleep, and again suddenly reappearing as hunger compels them. When the food is submerged ten or fifteen fathoms, after feeding, the whale comes to the sur- face to breathe, and swallows its mouthful. It then lies still a minute, raises its head partially out of the water, again diving, throwing its tail in the air as it dis- appears. At such times the whalers successfully harpoon them. Occasionally they are easily captured, but more often are approached with great danger. The periods of surface-breathing and descents in the Right wmale are very different and irregular compared with those of the Sperm whale. At intervals of from five to fifteen or twenty minutes they rise to breathe, and remain on the surface for about two minutes. Their ordinary rate of traveling is nearly four miles an hour, but if alarmed or wounded their pace is considerably increased. Like the other whales they travel head to the wind. They appear to have periods of migra- tion. In May they are found off West Greenland; at the end of June they cross Baffin's Bay toward Lancaster Sound and Eclipse Bay, whence in August and September they strike south, and in November or later reach Hudson Straits and the coast of Labrador. It is supposed that the young are produced in these lower latitudes, and in spring the whales are believed to proceed agftin north- ward. This ordinarily quiet, harmless, but unwieldy creature, whose time seems to be divided between feeding and sleeping, occasionally disports itself in fun and frolic, like its more elegant and smaller congeners. It will then throw itself clean out of the water. The whaling ships, which are now most powerfully built screw propellors, leave our coasts in the beginning of May for the Greenland seas, and endeavor to come across the track of their prey in the Baffin's Bay districts. The men in the crow's nest have a weary and cold outlook, and as opportunity offers chase is given in the whaleboat in these dreary regions under circumstances well calcu- lated to test the bravest spirit. The vessels often hover on the c dges of the ice, THE BISCA Y WHALE. 349 or ram and bore their way through it, and when whales are announced they are assailed by the boats' crews with harpoons, lances, and at times harpoon-guns. These whales when struck will occasionally run out more than a mile of cable, but return to breathe at no great distance, when the lance is used, and the extraor- dinary loss of blond weakens the monster and lays him at the mercy of his pur- suers. Whales that have once been attacked and got free become very cunning, and instead of diving direct go straight along the surface, dragging boats and even ships into most dangerous positions, or cutting the ropes as they seek shelter under the ice. The whalers on the Okhotsk Sea vary their mode of pursuit according to the district, often landing and even making night-whaling expedi- tions, being guided by the phosphorescence accompanying the creature's move- ments. An ordinary sized whale, between forty and fifty feet, will yield from sixty to eighty barrels of oil, and 1,000 pounds of baleen. The usual manner is for the whale to be brought along the port side of the vessel, its tail forward, belly up, and head aft. Tackled at either extremity, the men with spiked boots commence to strip the blubber, which is hoisted on deck. When the belly and right side with flipper are disposed of, the carcass is canted and the other side is similarly treated. The material is hastily put aside until the first quiet oppor- tunity admits of its being cut in pieces and finally stowed in the holds, where it is kept in perfect safety until the return of the vessel. The skin and waste pieces of flesh or "kreng" are thrown away, and as the carcass and such useless matter are abandoned, they are quickly seized by the Killer whales, Threshers, and Green- land sharks, and by enormous numbers of sea-fowl that hover in the wake of the whaler. Considerable interest is attached to another Cetacean of the North Pacific, the California Grey whale. The female of this animal is from forty to forty-four, and the male seldom more than thirty-five feet in length. In shape it may be said to be somewhat intermediate between the Right whale and the Hump-backs. It has no back fin or hump, but instead a series of cross ridges on the hind part of the back toward the tail. Occasionally individuals are nearly black, but the more common and characteristic color is a mottled-grey or speckled patches of white on all the upper parts, underneath being darkest in body-tint. The flippers are fully six feet long, broad in the middle, but taper to a point. The head arches downward from the blowhole forward, and the baleen is remarkably short, brownish white, and coarse in texture. From November till May this whale fre- quents the Californian coast, and then the females enter the shallow bays and lagoons, and give birth to their young, while the males keep seaward. During the summer months they all journey northward along the coast, and congregate amidst the ice in the Arctic Ocean and the Okhotsk Sea. So regular are their migrations, and so close in-shore do they swim, that Eskimos and Indians alike keep watch at the proper season, and as they pass successfully attack them in their canoes. The flukes, lips, and fins form native dainties, the oil is bartered for rein- 350 THE CETACEA. deer, a sauce is made of the entrails, and the Eskimo dogs feast on the flesh. Since 185 1 a system of coast and bay whaling has been profitably pursued along the Californian shores. At first 1,000 whales would daily pass the outlook stations, though not a tenth part are now seen, so great has been the havoc and so shy of the land and whale boats have the California Greys become. In calm weather these whales will lie motionless for an hour or so on the surface of the water, but they nevertheless seem to delight in dashing and splashing among the surf and breakers. At other times they huddle together in shoal water, almost getting aground, while their young swim freely about in sportive play. The dam's attachment to her offspring is very great, and hence lagoon whaling is most dangerous. Casualties are of constant occurrence in these narrow passages, the old whale in her frenzy dashing her head against the boats, and lashing all around with her tail-flukes; hence the sailors call them " Devil-fish," and "Hard-head," while "Mussel-digger" is applied to them from their habit of probing among the mud. They often roam among the seaweed banks, where the whaler shoots them with the harpoon gun, as he lies in wait in a small boat or sailing craft. Thus this piebald whale runs every chance of early extinction, seeing that whether in Avarm or cold latitudes, it is relentlessly pursued by its dire enemy — man. ORDER VI. — SIRENIA (THE MANATEES). This order of the Marine Mammalia comprises only a few animals, which however, possess a peculiar interest. But two genera are now found alive, and a third genus was utterly extirpated about a century ago. Others are only known from fossil remains. Notwithstanding the ungainly, almost positively repulsive, appearance of the living forms, they yet have a hold on the popular imagination on account of their being the actual representatives of the famed Sirens and Mer- maids of yore. The ancients, in their voyages to eastern climes, gathered stories concerning the existence of strange creatures, half woman, half fish, chiefly fre- quenting the shores of Ceylon; and fancy, with oft told but unchecked repetition of tales, soon lent a charm to the supposed beings, by conferring on these sea- nymphs imaginary flowing tresses, and sweet dulcet voices, by whose luring wiles the unwary mariner was entrapped, or led to destruction. Howsoever ridiculous such notions may now be regarded, thev are, nevertheless, to be satisfactorily explained, for the singular Dugong, with its fish-like tail, roundish head, and mammae on its breast, has the habit of occasionally raising half of its body per- pendicularly out of the water, and clasping its young to its breast. These actions have, doubtless, given a colorable pretext to all the fables of mermaids — those " missing links," which even yet our children delight in, when narrated in " The Little Mermaid," by the talented pen of a Hans Andersen. THE DUGONG is ordinarily from ten to twelve feet long, though very old males are said occasionally to reach as much as eighteen to twenty feet. Its dis- THE D UGONG— THE MAN A TEE. 351 tribution is rather widespread, namely, from the Red Sea and East African coasts to the west coast of Australia. Their color is slaty brown or bluish black above, and whitish below. The earlier traveler, Leguat, speaks of droves of several hun- dreds grazing like sheep on the seaweeds a few fathoms deep in the clear waters of the Mascarene Islands. Usually this tropical animal frequents the shallow smooth waters of the bays, inlets, and river estuaries where marine vegetation is in abun- dance, and there it leisurely feeds, being lethargic in disposition, but an immense eater. When they have not been much chased they are not shy or timid, but even allow the natives to handle them ; on which occasions the admiring spectators generally manage to abstract the smaller and fatter cubs as dainties, for they are considered uncommon good food. So highly prized are they, that the Malay king considers it a royal " fish," and he claims all taken in his dominions. The flesh of the young, when cooked in a variety of ways, is certainly wholesome — by some compared to veal, and by others to beef or pork — but the older animals are tougher. In the spring months the males do battle for partners, and the young are born toward the end of the year. The Dngong shows intense maternal affec- tion, for if the young be taken, the mother suffers herself to be speared in follow- ing her offspring. Iu its strange bristly-clad muzzle the Dugong resembles its conveners. THE MANATEE inhabits the African and American continents. In Africa it ranges along the west coast, and ascends the Senegal, Niger, Congo and other rivers, where it not only frequents the lagoons, but even has been captured in Lake Tchad. In America two forms are supposed to exist — one, the manatee of Florida, is said to have a closer resemblance to the African form 1 f; . . ~'.. .U... '- ,_>\ f v , --> .,*, ,r ...-,,• than to its fellow countryman; the jgj§ ■ - -~ . ' ' other is found in Surinam, Guiana, Jamaica, the Amazon and its tribu- taries, and indeed, in the various rivers, bays, and inlets of the tropi- ical American coast. These crea- tures, like the foregoing, browse iipon the aquatic vegetation of the shallow lagoons and river banks, apparently, however, having a pref- erence for fresh water plants. Their habits and mode of feeding are, in a measure, similar to those of the Dugong. The full grown manatee is from ten to twelve feet in length. Its long bod v terminates the manatee. 352 ^HE CETACEA. in a thin, wide, shovel-shaped, fibrous, horizontal tail, proportionally broader, but resembling somewhat that of the beaver. The fore limbs, or flippers, have dimin- utive flat nails. The skin of the body can be compared only to that of the elephant, not in color alone, but also in its coarse, wrinkly texture, and widely- scattered, delicate, but long hairs. Its deep-set, minute eye is surrounded by skin-wrinkles. CAT AND SQUIRREL. African olepbant and Y ouna. CHAPTER XVI. ORDER VII — PROBOSCIDEA — ELEPHANTS. The order Proboscidea, or animais possessed of a proboscis, or trunk, consists of two living species, the Indian and African elephant, and two extinct genera known as Dinotherium and Mastodon. The elephant, from its large size and its singular sagacity, attracted the attention of man in the earliest times, and was always looked upon with feelings of awe and reverence. At the present time the African savage, in the region of the Congo, compasses its death with the mysteri- ous aid of the medicine man, as well as by the ordinary means of hunting. The animal, in early times, was used both for purposes of war and peace, and figures, at the present time, alike in the gorgeous retinue of Indian princes, and ministers to the more humble and more useful services of the husbandman. The ivory fur- nished by its tusks was known in the remotest antiquity. The elephants were used in war by the Indian nations, and were looked upon as most formidable engines in battle. By the aid of these huge creatures, to a large extent, they conquered and held possession of the region of Central Asia west of the Indus. These elephants were well trained, and taught to hold out one of their hind legs horizontally, when it was necessary to mount them in a hurry. They appeared to take considerable delight and satisfaction in the gaudy trappings with which they were usually decorated. In some cases, elephants have proved more dangerous to the arm y in whose ranks they were serving than to the enemy, by being suddenly confronted with objects previously unobserved. On such occa- sions they turn in haste, and spread terror and death into their own ranks. Care- ful, judicious, and long continued training was the only remedy against these sud- den surprises. The shape of the elephant is familiar to every one. The trunk or proboscis, from which the name of the order to which this animal belongs is derived, is cer- tainly a remarkable and wonderful organ. It is really a prolongation of the nose, of a sub-conical form, consisting of two tubes divided by a septum. At the extremity on the upper side, above the opening of the nostrils, is a lengthened pro- cess to be looked upon in the light of a finger ; beneath this finger is a tubercle, opposable to it, and acting, so to speak, as a thumb. With this organ, which is nearly eight feet in length, of considerable stoutness, and extreme sensibility, the 23 353 354 THE PROBOSCIDEA. elephant is enabled to uproot or shake trees, lift a cannon, or pick up a pin. By its aid, food and water are carried to the mouth, and when necessary, it can be converted into a syringe or a shower bath. The length of the organ does away with the necessity of a long neck, a short and muscular neck being absolutely required for the support of the enormous head and tusks. The principal characteristics of the Indian species, as compared with the Afri- can, are the small ears, concave forehead, small eye, lighter color, and the posses- sion of four instead of three nails or hoofs on the hind foot. THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. There are but two species of elephant, viz., the Indian and the African. In size, notwithstanding the differences of opinion to be found between certain writers on this subject, some saying that the Indian and others that the African elephant is the larger, it seems perfectly clear that there cannot be much difference between that of the two species, and that the maximum height is about eleven feet. The Indian elephant is found over the greater part of the forest-lands of India, Ceylon, Burmah, Siam, Cochin-China, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra. Unlike the African species, to a certain extent, it appears to have a partiality for coolness and shade. In some parts of the country elephants are exceedingly destructive to crops of grain. And in various parts of India, notwithstanding the care and trouble taken to watch the crops, they do much injury. When the rice approaches maturity it is necessary to place watchers throughout the night in places which they frequent. Stages are erected on posts twelve or fourteen feet high, and on one side of the stage a small shed is made for the watchmen, two of whom always mount the same stage. One feeds a fire kept constantly burning on the open part, while the other in his turn is allowed to sleep, and when any elephants come into the field, he is awakened, and both join in shouting and making all the noise they can with sticks and drums. The food of the elephant appears to be considerably varied, and chosen by the animal with no small amount of daintiness; sweet-tasting fruits, seeds, and blos- soms he has the greatest partiality for, and in their selection much destruction is occasioned by a herd of these huge animals. Tennent says that in Ceylon, where the food of the elephant is most abundant, the animal never appears to be in a hurry to eat, but amuses himself with playing with the leaves, shaking the trees, tearing the bark, and now and then pausing to eat, altogether taking the whole affair in a very leisurely sort of way. He is especially fond of the fruit of the palmyra palm, and never fails to make his appearance in the districts where these trees grow when the fruit begins to fall to the ground. Although the amount of food consumed by elephants in their wild state is very large, there is reason to believe that many stories told of their extraordinary eating capabilities are much exaggerated. It by no means follows that because an elephant in a tame state will THE INDIAN ELEPHANT 356 THE PROBOSCIDEA. eat so much bread, turnips, hay, etc., that it consumes the same quantity of its natural food in a wild state. The elephants are believed to drink nightly in very hot weather, but in cooler weather only every third or fourth day, and for this purpose they travel long distances to their watering places, even as far as ten or twenty miles, refreshing themselves with a bath and a drink at the same time when they reach their destination. Various modes are used for catching elephants; but the usual and most satis- factory practice is to drive them into what is termed a keddah. The keddah is a large area surrounded by a broad ditch, and toward the entrance is a similar con- struction to the main body, acting as a sort of funnel, into which the elephants enter when driven from a jungle, and which assists in getting them into the keddah itself. On discovering a large herd of elephants, a body of men, often numbering six or eight thousand, are collected to surround them, carrying all sorts of instruments likely to create a noise, such as firearms, drums, trumpets, etc., elephants being exceedingly alarmed by any unusual noises. By this means they are gradually driven into the keddah, sometimes from a distance of thirty or forty miles, which frequently occupies some days. When the elephants find themselves fairly entrapped, they become violent and use their utmost endeavors to break down the barriers. Formerly, it was the practice to starve these captured elephants into sub- mission. Now, however, by means of two tame ones trained for the purpose, they can be captured without injury, one by one, and afterward bound to a tree. To accomplish this the trained animals are sent into the inclosure, and on a wild elephant being singled out, the two trained ones place themselves one on each side, and attract its attention while the attendants are occupied in binding its legs, w r hich, having been satisfactorily accomplished, the captive is dragged to a tree and fastened firmly, where it remains until reduced to submission and obe- dience by kindness and good feeling. Indian elephants are also sometimes captured by means of pitfalls formed in a similar manner to those used in Africa. There is, however, one great objection to this mode of capture, which is, that the animal is rendered very liable, from the heavy fall it sustains, of being seriously hurt, and indeed some injuries thus received have often proved fatal. Another way of catching these animals in some districts of India is by means of the lasso. Two trained females are procured for the purpose. These are pro- vided with a long rope which is fastened to their girdle, and then coiled on their backs. Its end forms a noose, which a man, who sits on the back of the female, throws round the neck of the wild elephant. The tame one then walks away until the captured one is almost strangled. In the meantime the people, assisted by another tame female, endeavor to fasten ropes to his legs, and he is dragged to a place where there are trees, to which he is fastened until he becomes tame. THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. 357 The elephants caught in this manner are usually small, and the majority, from some reason or other, die, probably from the rough usage they have undergone. Elephant shooting, especially in Ceylon, is considered to be the acme of sport, but from the numbers that have been wantonly destroyed, an order has been issued by the Governor prohibiting their destruction. The elephant is invaluable as a laborer. Its assistance in road making, bridge building, plowing, piling logs, lifting weights, and other similar operations, is of the utmost service. Even as a nurse for young children, its services, we are told, are sometimes required. An Indian officer relates that he has seen the wife of a mahout (for the followers often take their families with them to camp), give a baby in charge of an elephant, while she went on some business, and has been highly amused in observing the sagacity and care of the unwieldy nurse. The child, which, like most children, did not like to be at rest in one position, would, as soon as left to itself, begin crawling about, in which exercise it would probably get among the legs of the animal, or entangled in the branches of the trees on which he was feeding, when the elephant would in the most tender manner disengage his charge, either by lifting it out of the way with his trunk, or by removing the impediments to its free progress. If the child had crawled to such a distance as to verge upon the limits of his range (for the animal was chained by the leg to a peg driven in the ground), he would stretch out his trunk and lift it back as gently as possible to the spot whence it started. Endless other stories are told of the sagacity of this noble animal, some of them, however, probably not ungarnished with considerable exaggeration. How- ever, this creature does undoubtedly possess a most wonderful amount of intelli- gence, and it is believed that the Indian species, both in sagacity and docility, surpasses the African. The White Elephants, held in reverence in Siam, and extremely rare, are not distinct from the rest; they are merely albinos, or white varieties, and are to be viewed in the same light as white blackbirds or white sparrows. THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT is distinguished at once from the Indian species by the great size of its ears, its larger eye, convex forehead, darker color of skin, and by possessing ouly three instead of four nails or hoofs in the hind foot. It is indigenous to Africa, being found south of the Sahara as far as Cape Colony, and from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. It formerly lived north of the Sahara. Unlike the Indian species^ both the males and the females are provided with tusks. The African differs ?\so considerably in his habits, for while the Indian enjoys coolness and shade, the African is more or less exposed to the burning sun. According to Sir Samuel Baker, " In Africa the country being generally more open than in Ceylon, the elephant remains throughout the day either beneath a solitary tree, or exposed to the sun in the vast prairies, where the thick grass 358 THE PROBOSCIDEA. attains a height of from nine to twelve feet. The general food of the African elephant consists of the foliage of trees, especially of mimosas. Many of the mimosas are flat-headed, about thirty feet high, and the richer portion of the foliage confined to the crown. Thus, the elephant, not being able to reach to so great a height, must overturn the tree to procure the coveted food. The destruc- tion caused by a herd of elephants in a mimosa forest is extraordinary, and I have seen trees uprooted of so large a size that I am convinced no single elephant could have overturned them. I have measured trees four feet six inches in circum- ference, and about thirty feet high, uprooted by elephants. The natives have assured me that they mutually assist each other, and that several engage together in the work of overturning a large tree. None of the. mimosas have tap roots; thus the powerful tusks of the elephants applied as crowbars at the roots, while others pull at the branches with their trunks, will effect the destruction of a tree so large as to appear invulnerable." The elephant is widely diffused through the vast forests, and is met with in herds of various numbers. The male is much larger than the female. He is pro- vided with two enormous tusks. These are long, tapering, and beautifully arched ; their length averages from six to eight feet, and they weigh from sixty to a hundred pounds each. In the vicinity of the equator the elephants attain to a^ larger size than to the southward ; and I am in possession of a pair of tusks of the African bull elephant, the larger of which measures ten feet nine inches in length, and weighs one hundred and seventy-three pounds. Old bull elephants are found singly or in pairs, or consorting together in small herds, varying from six to twenty individuals. The younger bulls remain for many years in the company of their mothers, and these are met together in large herds of from twenty to a hundred individuals. The food of the elephant consists of branches, leaves, and roots of the trees, and also of a variety of bulbs, of the situation of which he is advised by his exquisite sense of smell. To obtain these he turns up the ground with his tusks, and whole acres may be seen thus plowed up. Elephants consume an immense quantity of food, and pass the greater part of the day and night in feeding. Like the whale in the ocean, the elephant on land is acquainted with, and roams over, wide and extensive tracts. He is extremely par- ticular in always frequenting the freshest and most verdant districts of the forests, and when one district is parched and barren, he will forsake it for years a>nd wander great distances in quest of better pastures. The elephant entertains an extraordinary horror of man, and a child can put a hundred of them to flight by passing at a quarter of a mile to windward ; and when thus disturbed they go a long way before they halt. It is surprising how soon these sagacious animals are aware of the presence of a hunter in their domains. When one troop has been attacked, all of the other elephants frequenting the district are aware of the fact within two or three days, when they all forsake it and migrate to distant parts, leaving the hunter no alternative but to remove to fresh ground. THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. 359 This constitutes one of the greatest difficulties which a skilful elephant-hunter encounters. Even in the most remote parts, which may be reckoned the head- quarters of the elephant, it is only occasionally, and with inconceivable toil and hardship, that the eye of the hunter is cheered by the sight of one. Owing to habits peculiar to himself, the elephant is more inaccessible and much more rarely seen than any other game quadruped, excepting certain rare antelopes. They choose for their resort the most lonely and secluded depths of the forest, generally at a very great distance from the rivers and fountains at which they drink. In dry 360 THE PROBOSCIDEA. and warm weather they visit these waters nightly; but in cool and cloudy weather they drink only once every third or fourth day. About sundown the elephant leaves his distant midday haunt, and commences his march toward the fountain, which is probably from twelve to twenty miles distant. This he generally reaches between the hours of nine and midnight, when, having slaked his thirst and cooled his body by spouting large volumes of water over his back with his trunk, he resumes the path to his forest solitudes. Having reached a secluded spot, I have remarked that full grown bulls lie down on their broadsides about the hour of midnight and sleep for a few hours. The spot which they usually select is an ant- hill, and they lie around it with their backs resting against it. These hills, formed by the white ants, are from thirty to forty feet in diameter at their base. The mark of the under tusk is always deeply imprinted in the ground, proving that they lie upon their sides. I never remarked that females had thus lain down, and it is only in the more secluded districts that the bulls adopt this practice ; for I observed that, in districts where the elephants were liable to frequent disturbance, they took repose standing on their legs beneath some shady tree. Having slept, they then proceed to feed extensively. Spreading out from one another, and pro- ceeding in a zigzag course, they smash and destroy all the finest trees in the forest which happen to lie in their course. The number of goodly trees which a herd of bull elephants will thus destroy is utterly incredible. They are extremely capri- cious, and on coming to a group of five or six trees they break down, not unfre- quently, the whole of them, when, having perhaps only tasted one or two small branches, they pass on and continue their wanton work of destruction. I have repeatedly ridden through forests where the trees thus broken down lay so thick across one another that it was almost impossible to ride through the district; and it is in situations such as these that attacking the elephant is attended with most danger. During the night they will feed in open plains and thickly wooded dis- tricts, but as day dawns, they retire to the densest covers within reach, which nine times in ten are composed of the' impracticable wait-a-bit thorns ; and here they remain drawn up in a compact herd during the heat of the day. In remote dis- tricts, however, and in cool weather, I have known herds to continue pasturing throughout the whole day. The African elephant is not now hunted for domestic purposes, but for the sake of the flesh and of the ivory ; and its death is a grand affair for the natives, since it affords opportunity not merely for a feast, but for obtaining fat for internal and external uses. There are various methods of killing them. Pitfalls are most common, and are generally placed in the neighborhood of a drinking place, the natives showing great skill in felling trees, so as to turu the elephants into them. According to Sir Samuel Baker, " The pits are usually about twelve feet long, and three feet broad, by nine deep ; these are artfully made, decreasing toward the bot- tom to the breadth of a foot. The general elephant route to the drinking places being blocked up, the animals are diverted by a treacherous path tpward the \| ( ^aji^^^^^M ste^sr" JUMBO AT WORK AND PLAY, 361 362 THE PROBOSCIDEA. water, the route intersected by numerous pits, all of which are carefully concealed by sticks and straw, the latter being usually strewn with elephants' dung, to create a natural effect. Should an elephant during the night fall through the deceitful surface, his foot becomes jammed in the bottom of the narrow grave, and he labors shoulder-deep, with two feet in the pitfall so fixed that extrication is impossible. Should one animal be thus caught, a sudden panic seizes the rest of the herd, and in their hasty retreat one or more are generally victims to the numerous pits in the vicinity. Once helpless in the pit, they are easily killed with lances.'' The same author also relates that sometimes the elephant hunters, or agga- geers, of the Hamran tribe, use swords for killing elephants. They follow the tracks of the animal, " so as to arrive at their game between the hours of 10 and 12 A. M., at which time it is either asleep or extremely listless, and easy to approach. Should they discover the animal asleep, one of the hunters would creep stealthily toward the head, and with one blow sever the trunk while stretched upon the ground ; in which case the elephant would start upon his feet, while the hunters escaped in the confusion of the moment. The trunk severed would cause a loss of blood sufficient to insure the death of the elephant within about an hour. On the other hand, should the animal be awake upon their arrival, it would be impossible to approach the trunk. In such a case, they would creep up from behind, and give a tremendous cut at the back sinew of the hind leg, about a foot above the heel. Such a blow would disable the elephant at once, and would render compara- tively easy a second cut to the remaining leg. These were the methods adopted by poor hunters, until by the sale of ivory they could purchase horses for the higher branch of the art. Provided with horses, the party of hunters should not exceed four. They start before daybreak, and ride slowly throughout the country in search of elephants, generally keeping along the course of a river until they come upon the tracks where a herd, or a single elephant, may have drank during the night. When once upon the track, they follow fast toward the retreating game. The elephants may be twenty miles distant, but it matters little to the aggageers. At length they discover them, and the hunt begins. The first step is to single out the bull with the largest tusks; this is the commencement of the fight. After a short hunt, the elephant turns upon his pursuers, who scatter and fly from his headlong charge until he gives up the pursuit; he at length turns to bay, when again pressed by the hunters. It is the duty of one man in particular to ride up close to the head of the elephant, and thus to absorb its attention upon him- self. This insures a desperate charge. The greatest coolness and dexterity are then required by the hunter, who, now the hunted, must so adapt the speed of his horse to the pace of the elephant that the enraged beast gains in the race, until it almost reaches the tail of the horse. In this manner the race continues. . In the meantime, two hunters gallop up behind the elephant, unseen by the animal, whose attention is completely directed to the horse almost within his grasp. With extreme agility, when close to the heels of the elephant, one of the hunters, while THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. 363 at full speed, springs to the ground with his drawn sword, as his companion seizes the bridle, and with one dexterous two-handed blow he severs the back sinew. He immediately jumps out of the way, and remounts his horse ; but if the blow is successful, the elephant is ham-strung, and, as it cannot run rapidly on three legs, is easily killed." Elephant shooting, although not unattended by danger, appears to be on the whole accomplished with considerable success, five or six elephants having been killed occasionally in a very short space of time by one man ; and many are the the mammoth. {Restored^) tales of hairbreadth escapes related to us by Gordon Cumming, Tennent, Baker, and others. FOSSIL ELEPHANTS. The Proboscidea, represented, as we have already seen, by two species only among living animals, both of which are met with in and near the tropical regions of the Old World, in the fossil state are met with over nearly the whole of the Old World, and of the New. By far the best known and most important of these huge creatures is the far- famed mammoth. This elephant has been found frozen in Siberian soil beautifully preserved, with the hair and tissues in so good condition that microscopical sections have been made of them. The story of finding the first mammoth embedded in the ice has been often told, but is still of sufficient interest to be related again. A Tungoosian fisherman, 364 THE PROBOSCIDEA. named Schumachoff, about the year 1799, was proceeding, as is the custom of fishermen in those parts when fishing proves a failure, along the shores of the Lena in quest of mammoth tusks, which have been found there in considerable abun- dance. During his rambles, having gone farther than he had done before, he sud- denly came face to face with a huge mammoth embedded in clear ice. This extra- ordinary sight seems to have filled him with astonishment and awe; for instead of at once profiting by the fortunate discovery, he allowed several vears to roll on before he summoned courage to approach it closely, although it was his habit to make stealthy journeys occasionally to the object of his wonder. At length, see- ing, it is presumed, the terrific monster made no signs of eating him up, and that its tusks would bring him a considerable sum of money, he allowed the hope of gain to overcome his superstitious scruples. He boldly broke the barrier of ice, chopped off the tusks, and left the carcass to the mercy of the wolves and bears, who, finding it palatable, soon reduced the huge creature to a skeleton. Some two years afterward a man of science was on the scent, and although so late in at the death, found a huge skeleton with three legs, the eyes still in the orbits, and the brain uninjured in the skull. In addition to the peculiarity of the mammoth having its body covered with long woollyhair.it was also remarkable for the extraordinary formation of its enormous tusks, which curved upward, forming a spiral. The remains of the mammoth are met with in incredible numbers in the river deposits of Middle and Northern Europe, as well as those of North America, showing that in ancient times the animal ranged over a tract of land extending from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Sea, and from Behring's Straits to the Gulf of Mexico. It is also met with in the caves of Middle Europe, having been dragged into them by the hyenas, or having fallen a prey to the ancient hunter. ORDER VIII. HVRACOIDEA (CONIES). The order of animals known to naturalists as hyracoidea contains but one genus, called hyrax. All travelers who have noticed the hyrax are agreed that it is a most wary and crafty animal, and that the utmost caution is required even to obtain a view of it, and to kill one requires a most skillful and practiced sportsman. The hyrax is a little animal clothed with a brownish fur, of about the size of an ordinary rabbit, to which, indeed, it has some resemblance. It is allied to the rhi- noceros, the tapir, and rodents; but the whole form of the skeleton approaches more nearly to that of the two former than it does to any known species of the latter. It is found living at the Cape of Good Hope, inhabiting the hollows and caves of the rocks, both on the hillsides and on the seashore, a little above high water mark. It seems to live in families, and in its wild state is remarkably shy. In the cold weather it is fond of coming out of its hole and warming itself in the sun on the side of a rock, and in summer it enjoys the breeze on the top of the THE HYRACOIDEA. 365 hills, but in both instances, as well as when it feeds, a sentinel is always placed on the lookout, generally an old male, which gives notice of any approach of danger by a long shrill cry. " Its principal food is the young tops of shrubs, especially those which are aromatic, but it also eats herbs, grass, and the tops of flowers. To eat it tastes much liice a rabbit. It is recorded that one gentleman caught two young ones which he kept for some time. The)' became very tame, and as they were allowed the run of the house would follow him about, jump onto his lap, or creep into his bed for the sake of warmth. One brought home by Mr. Hennah would also run inquisitively about the cabins, climbing up and examining every person and thing, but startled by any noise, it would run away and hide itself. When shut up for long, it became savage, and snarled and tried to bite at everything that came in its way. This animal, both when wild as well as when tame, is very cleanly in its habits. From its faintly crying in its sleep it may be supposed that it dreams. It has also been heard to chew its food at night. When tame it will eat a variety of things, the leaves of plants, bruised Indian corn, raw potatoes, bread and onions, and will greedily lick up salt. The one brought home by Mr. Hennah was very sensible of the cold, for when a candle was placed near its cage, it would come as close as possible to the bars and sit still to receive as much warmth as it could. I am inclined to think that the female does not produce more than two young ones at a time, from having observed in several instances but two following the old ones. Its name at the Cape is the dasse, which is, I believe, the Dutch for a badsrer. INDIAN ELEPHANT. CHAPTER XVII. ORDER IX. UNGULATA (HOOFED QUADRUPEDS). The hoofed quadrupeds are so called because they possess hoofs, from which fact the order Ungulata takes its name, and they include animals of widely different appearance, such as the horse, rhinoceros, giraffe, camel, and the like. They are classified into sub-orders, according to the odd or even number of toes, those having an odd number on the hind foot being termed the Perissodactyla, such as the horse, tapir and rhinoceros; and the Artiodactyla, or animals with an even number of toes on their hind feet, such as the pig, hippopotamus, sheep, ox, deer, and the like. All the animals belonging to the order feed upon vegetables, with the exception of the pig and peccary, which are omnivorous ; and none of them are provided with sharp edged cutting back teeth, adapted for dividing flesh, such as are found in the carnivora — lions, tigers, wolves and hyenas. The odd-toed Ungulates come first. FAMILY I.— EQUID.E, THE HORSE TRIBE. The Equidae, or horse tribe, comprise several living and many extinct species. Three living members are restricted, in a state of nature, to Asia and Africa, and are divided into the true horses, which have horny patches or callos- ities on the inner sides of both pairs of limbs, and the asses, which possess such callosities only on the fore limb. With the latter are classed the zebras and the quaggas. The true horses are represented by one well established species, from which all the other races, or varieties, are descended, by a process of selection under the care of man, and these vary in size, proportion of parts, and color, as much as any two closely allied species of wild animals can be said to be defined from each other. According to Mr. Darwin, no aboriginal or truly wild horse is positively known to exist, for the wild horses of the East may probably be descended from those which have escaped from the service of man. In all probability the wild animal has been exterminated by the hand of man in those countries which it formerly inhabited, and in which it has left its remains to attest its former presence. The tarpan and wild horse of Tartary, which are to be found in thousands in the great treeless plains, present us with the nearest examples of the stock from 366 THE MUSTANG. 367 which the domestic horses were probably derived. Their color is mouse colored, with a stripe along the back. The best and strongest of these are caught by the Tartars by the aid of the lasso, and by the help of falcons, which are trained to settle on the horse's head, and flutter their wings, so as to take its attention away from the approaching hunter. The first domestic horses known in Europe were introduced at a very early period, long before the dawn of history. The horse was universally used for food by man before the historic period, and would be used now in Europe more gener- ally than it is, were it not for an edict of the church in the eighth century. As Christianity prevailed over the heathen worship, it was banished from the table. From the very earliest ages known to the historian in Egvpt and Assyria, horses were used for the purposes of war, and were yoked in pairs, and sometimes in threes, to the war chariots in which the kings and great captains rode. They are generally depicted as being of upright or hog manes. Horsemen were also employed by both nations, but they were evidently not thought so important as chariots for warlike purposes. THE MUSTANG is the wild horse of the American prairies and pampas. At the time of the discovery of America there were no horses in any part of that continent, although the boundless prairies were admirably fitted for the support of countless herds. Soon, however, those imported by the settlers strayed away, and as a consequence are now to be met with in enormous numbers, in some cases amounting, it is said, to ten thousand in one troop. They appear to be under the command of a leader, the strongest and boldest of the herd, whom they implicitly obey. When threatened with danger, at some signal understood by them all, they either close into a dense mass and trample their enemy to death, or, placing the mares and foals in the center, they form themselves into a circle and welcome him with their heels. The leader first faces the danger, and when prudence requires a retreat all follow his rapid flight. In the thinly inhabited parts of South America, according to Youatt, it is dangerous to fall in with any of these troops. The wild horses approach as near as they dare ; they call to the loaded horse with the greatest eagerness, and if the rider is not on the alert, and has not considerable strength of arm and sharpness of spur, his animal will divest himself of his bur- den, take to his heels, and be gone forever. The city of Buenos Ayres was abandoned by the Spanish colonists soon after its settlement in 1535, and about half a dozen horses were left behind. The city was again occupied in 1580, and the new comers saw, to their astonishment, that the neighborhood was swarming with wild horses. The descendants of these Spanish derelicts are now spread in every part of the pampas, and have been seen in troops of ten thousand. They possess much of the form of the Spanish horse, but are not speedy; they are capable of enduring immense fatigue, and are fre- quently ridden sixty or seventy miles without drawing bit, while they have been 368 THE UNGULATA. known to be urged on by the cruel spur of the Gauchos more than a hundred miles a day, at the rate of twelve miles an hour. They know no pace between the walk and the gallop, and at the end of the day's journey are turned loose on the plains. The mares are never ridden, and when the Gaucho or native Indian of the South American ptains wants a horse, he sets out armed with his lasso, mounted on a horse that has been used to the work. He gallops alongside a troop of the wild horses, and as soon as he comes sufficiently near his prey, the lasso is thrown round the two hind legs, and as the Gaucho rides a little to one side, the jerk pulls the entangled horse's feet laterally, and throws him on his side, without endangering his knees or his face. Before the horse can recover the shock, the rider dismounts, and snatching \\\% poncho, or cloak from his shoulders, wraps it round the prostrate animal's head. He then forces into his mouth one of the powerful bridles of the country, straps a saddle on his back, and, bestriding him, removes the poncho ; upon which the astonished horse springs on his legs, and endeavors by a thousand vain efforts to disencumber himself of his new mas- ter, who sits quite composedly on his back, and, bv a discipline which never fails, reduces the horse to such complete obedience, that he is soon trained to lend his whole speed and strength to the capture of his companions. When the Gauchos have a grand breaking-in, a whole herd is driven into the corral. A young horse is lassoed by the neck and dragged out ; some men on foot lasso his fore legs and throw him ; in an instant a Gaucho is seated on his head, and, with his long knife, in a few seconds cuts off the whole of the horse's mane, while another cuts the hair from the end of his tail ; this is a mark that the horse has been once mounted. They then put a piece of hide into his mouth to serve for a bit, and a strong hide halter on his head. The Gaucho who is to mount arranges his spurs, which are unusually long and sharp, and while two men hold the horse by his ears, he puts on the saddle, which he girths extremely tight. He then catches hold of the horse's ear, and in an instant vaults into the saddle ; upon which the man who holds the horse by the halter throws the end to the rider, and from that moment no one takes any further notice of him. "The horse instantly began," Sir F. Head writes, "to j*ump in a manner which made it very difficult for the rider to keep his seat, and quite different from the kick or plunge of an English horse ; however, the Gaucho's spurs soon set him going, and off he galloped, doing everything in his power to throw his rider. "Another horse was immediately brought from the corral ; and so quick was the operation, that twelve Gauchos were mounted in a space which I think hardly exceeded an hour. It was wonderful to see the different manner in which differ- ent horses behaved. Some would actually scream while the Gauchos were gird- ing the saddle upon their backs ; some would instantly lie down and roll upon it ; while some would stand without being held, their legs stiff and in unnatural posi- tions, their necks half bent toward their tails, and looking vicious and obstinate ; and I could not help thinking that I would not have mounted one of those for any THE MUSTANG— THE ARAB. 369 reward that could be offered me, for they were invariably the most difficult to subdue. " It was now curious to look around and see the Gauchos on the horizon in different directions, trying to bring their horses back to the corral, which is the most difficult part of their work, for the poor creatures had been so scared there that they were unwilling to return to the place. It was amusing to see the antics THE ARAB Hnk>K. of the horses; they were jumping and dancing in different ways, while the right arm of the Gauchos was seen flogging them. At last they brought the horses back, apparently subdued and broken in. The saddles and bridles were taken off, and the young horses trotted off toward the corral, neighing to one another." Such is the life of the wild steeds that run over the wide plains of the Argen- tine Republic, Paraguay and Central Brazil. The mustangs north of the Isthmus of Panama are derived from Mexican horses which have escaped into the woods and savannas and roamed northward to the Rocky Mountains. The Indians have learned 24 370 THE UNGULATA. to capture them, and employ them in transporting their families from place to place. The highest ambition of the young Indian is to possess a good horse ; and to steal a horse is almost as glorious as to scalp an enemy. The Indian pony, as it is called, is barely fourteen hands high, rather light built, with good legs, straight shoulders, short, strong back, and full barrel. He has no appearance of " blood " except sharp, nervous ears, and intelligent eyes. He is never stabled, washed, rubbed, shod, nor fed ; in winter he is an animated skeleton, sustaining a bare existence on cottonwood branches ; but when spring brings out the tender grass, he is soon in condition "worthy to be trusted to the death." After endurance, the best quality of the Indian pony is his sureness of foot. He climbs rocks like a mule, he plunges down precipices like a buffalo, and crosses swamps like an elk. The amount of work got out of him by the Indians is considerable, and in Indian hands and with Indian bits he is tractable. But he does not receive civilization any better than his master. According to General Dodge, "He is either a morose, ill-tempered brute, hard to manage, and always dangerous, or he degenerates into a fat, lazy, short-breathed cob, fit only for a baby or an octogenarian. Prosperity spoils him, and his true character and value are best displayed in adversity." Among the Indians, a " pony" is the standard of value by which the price of wives and other chattels is fixed. THE ARAB. The Arabian horse would not be acknowledged by every one to be perfect in form. The head, however, is inimitable. "The broadness and squareness of the forehead," writes Youatt, "the smallness of the ears, the prom- inence and brilliancy of the eye, the shortness and fineness of the muzzle, the width of the nostril, the thinness of the lower jaw, and the beautifully developed course of the veins, will always characterize the head of the Arabian horse. The neck of the Arabian is long and arched, and beautifully joined to the chest. In the formation of the shoulder, next to that of the head, the Arab is superior to any other breed." A true Arab of Arabia never mounts a stallion, and never parts with his mare. The'owner of a mare bestows great pains in seeking out for her a mate of unblemished descent. The mare and foal live in the tent with the Bedouin and his children, who roll about with her and her foal ; no accident ever occurs, and the animal becomes a loving friend. At the end of a month the foal is weaned, and is fed for three months on camel's milk ; then a little wheat is allowed for another three months; at the expiration of this time, the young animal is allowed to graze near the tent, and some barley is given it. The kindness with which the Arab is treated from her very birth gives her an affection for her master, a wish to please, a pride in exerting every energy, and an apparent sagacity, which is seldom seen in other breeds. When the rider falls from his mare, and is unable to rise, she will immediately stand still and neigh until assistance arrives. If he lies down to sleep, as fatigue THE ARAB— THE RACE HORSE. 371 sometimes compels him, in the midst of the desert, she stands watchful over him, and neighs and rouses him if either man or beast approaches. The Arab horses are taught to rest occasionally in a standing position ; and a great many of them never lie down. The Arab loves his horse as truly and as much as the horse loves him ; and no little portion of his leisure time is often spent in talking to and caressing his faithful steed. The following anecdote of the attachment of an Arab to his mare has often AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. been told: "The whole stock of an Arab of the desert consisted of a mare. The French consul offered to purchase her, in order to send her to his sovereign, Louis XIV. The Arab would have rejected the proposal, but he was miserably poor. He had scarcely a rag to cover him, and his wife and children were starving. The sum offered him was great. It would provide him and his family with food for life. At length, and reluctantly, he yielded. He brought the mare to the dwelling of the consul, dismounted, and stood leaning upon her. He looked now at the gold, and then at his favorite. ' To whom is it,' said he, ' 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 372 THE UNGULATA. rejoice the hearts of ray children.' Thus speaking-, he sprang upon her back, and was out of sight in an instant.'' THE RACE HORSE. The breed of horses for which England is chiefly remarkable is the race horse, resulting from a cross of the English stock with the Arabian; and this was chiefly brought about by the care of Mr. Darley. The offspring of the Arabian thus introduced was the Devonshire, or Flying Childers, the fleetest horse of his time. Descended from the same Arabian was Eclipse, who never met an opponent sufficiently fleet to test his powers. He became the sire of three hundred and thirty-four winners ; while King Herod, a descendant of the same stock, was the sire of no less than four hundred and ninety-seven winners. The former of these horses died in 1789, at the age of seventy-five years, after realizing for his owner a princely fortune. His skeleton is now preserved in the museum at Oxford. The English race horse, in swiftness and energy, elegance and grace, surpasses his Arabian progenitor, and is so superior to other European breeds that it is usual on the English course to allow foreign horses an advantage in the weight that they carry. All English race horses are descended either from Arabian or Barb sires. THE TROTTING HORSE. Two nations have the credit of introducing- a race of horses known as the trotting horse. One of these is Russia, the other the United States ; and the latter has so far excelled her rival that the trotting horse is now generally known in the Old World as the "trotting horse of America." The Russian breed is Arabian on a Flemish stock, and is known as the Orloff trotter; but from the bending of the knee when the horse is striding, and the trotting action not being carefully looked after, the animal is considered by good judges to be only " half-developed." The breed of the American trotter seems to have been both Barb and Arabian on an English stock, the well-known Bashaw trotters being descended from an imported Barb ancestor, the Grand Bashaw ; and Top Gallant was produced by a union of Arabian or Eastern breed with some horse, either English or of English origin. One of the greatest American trainers of the trotting horse, Hiram Woodruff, says in his work on this subject that the English had the stock all along, as much as the Americans, but that the method of training and perseverance of the latter have produced the best and fastest trotters. THE DRAY HORSE. The huge dray horse, in its massive form and pon- derous strength, and slowness of gait, forms a striking contrast to the racer and the trotting horse. It is as admirably fitted for the slow carriage of heavy weights as the two last are for their elegant swiftness. It is as good an example of the results of judicious selection on the part of man, for a definite purpose, as can be offered by the study of any of the domestic animals. DRAY HORSE— SHETLAND PONY. 373 THE SHETLAND PONY, an inhabitant of the extremest northern Scot- tish Isles, is a very diminutive animal — sometimes not more than seven hands and a half in height, and rarely exceeding- nine and a half. He is often exceedingly beautiful, with a small head, good-tempered countenance, a short neck, fine toward the throttle, shoulders low and thick — in so little a creature far from being a blemish— back short, quarters expanded and powerful, legs flat and fine, and PAIR OF DRAF pretty, round feet. These ponies possess immense strength for their size, will fatten upon almost anything, and are perfectly docile. One of them, nine hands (or three feet) in height, carried a heavy man the distance of forty miles in one day. Its wild, shaggy mane gives it somewhat the appearance, as has been remarked, of a Skye terrier. It is mischievous and skittish, and generally harder to ride than a larger horse. 374 THE UNGULATA. SHETLAND PONY. THE ASS. Four species of asses and three of zebras are described by nat- uralists, but our domestic animal is probably descended from one alone, that of Abyssinia. In this country, and generally in Central Europe, the ass has not given rise to distinct breeds like those of the horse. Its small size is probably due far more to want of care in breeding than to cold, for in Western India it is not much larger than a Newfoundland dog, being generally not more than from twenty to thirty inches high. The asses, besides the characters above mentioned, have the upper part of the tail covered with short hairs, while the lower part terminates in a long hairy tuft. Horny excrescences, or warts, exist on the fore legs alone. In this country asses are small and without much variation, because their points have not been selected. When, however, care is taken in breeding, the result is as remarkable as in the case of the horse. Near Cordova, according to Mr. Darwin, they are carefully bred, as much as one thousand dollars having been paid for a stallion ass. Asses from Spain, Malta and France have been introduced into Kentucky for the breeding of mules, which have been raised by the care of the Kentuckians from their original size of fourteen hands to sixteen hands in height. Great prices are put on these splendid animals, one of great celebrity having been sold for over five thousand dollars. Asses have always been in repute in the East, and much pains have been taken in their breeding. They are frequently mentioned in the Bible, from which it appears that white asses were used by people of high rank. THE ASS— MULE AND HINNY. 375 THE MULE AND HINNY. The hybrid offspring of the ass and the mare is the mule, while the hinny is that of the horse and female ass. Of these the mule is by far the larger, taking more the form and appearance, as well as the dimen- sions, of the mare; while the latter assumes so much of the nature and general appearance of the ass as to render the breeding of it undeserving of attention. BURCHELL'S ZEBRA is found in great numbers north of the Orange River, and, according to Sir Cornwallis Harris, " Seldom congregating in herds of mmm THE WILD ASS OF ABYSSINIA. fewer than eighty or a hundred, it abounds to a great extent in all the districts included between that noble stream and the southern tropic. Occupying the same regions and delighting in the same pastures as the brindled gnu, rarely is it to be seen except in the companionship of that fantastic animal, whose presence would seem to be almost indispensable to its happiness. It is singular enough that the members of two families so foreign to each other should display so great a predilection for each other's society, uniformly mixing as they do, and herding in bonds of the closest friendship. Fierce, strong, fleet, and surpassingly beautiful, 376 THE UNGULATA. there is, perhaps, no quadruped in the creation, not even excepting the mountain zebra, more splendidly attired, or presenting a picture of more singularly attractive beauty, than this freeborn child of the desert." The true zebra inhabits the hilly districts of Southern Africa, and is remark- able for its beauty, and its fierce and untamable nature. It is by far the most com BURCHELL S ZEBRAS. spicuous and most beautiful of the ass tribe. The stripes which define it from the ordinary asses are remarkably like those of the tiger in their arrangement. Those on its legs are horizontal, while those on its body are for the most part vertical. THE QUAGGA, which is less attractively colored, and inhabits a different tract of country, is also described by Sir Cornwallis Harris, as follows: "The geographical range of the quagga does not appear to extend to the northward of THE QUAGGA. 377 the River Vaal. The animal was formerly extremely common within the colony, but, vanishing before the strides of civilization, is now to be found in very limited numbers, and on the borders only. Beyond, on those sultry plains which are completely taken possession of by wild beasts, and may with strict propriety be termed the domains of savage nature, it occurs in interminable herds; and, although never intermixing with its more elegant congeners, it is almost inva- THE QUAGGA. riably to be found ranging with the white-tailed gnu and with the ostrich, for the society of which bird especially it evinces the most singular predilection, Moving slowly across the profile of the ocean-like horizon, uttering a shrill, barking neigh, of which its name forms a correct imitation, long files of quaggas continually remind the early traveler of a rival caravan on its march. * * Bands of many hundreds are thus frequently seen during their migration from the dreary and desolate plains of some portion of the interior, which has formed their secluded 378 THE UNGULATA. abode, seeking for those more luxuriant pastures where, during the summer months, various herbs thrust forth their leaves and flowers to form a green carpet, spangled with hues the most brilliant and diversified." II. — THE TAPIRIP.-E (FAMILY OF TAPIRS). The hog-like creatures which constitute the family of tapirs form the second division of the quadrupeds possessed of an uneven number of toes on their hind feet, and therefore termed, as has already been said, the Perissodactyla. It must not, however, be forgotten that these creatures possess a fourth toe on the fore foot, which is small and does not reach to the ground. The family is represented by one genus only — Tapirus — which is distributed over wide regions in the warmer parts of the Old and the New Worlds. All the animals comprised under it pos- sess short and movable trunks, by which they convey their food into their mouths, and at the extremity of which are placed the nostrils. They are of a brownish black color; the skin is hairy and extremely thick, and the tail is very short. The tapir inhabits principally the inmost recesses of dense forests, is nocturnal in its habits, and is phytophagous, that is, feeds on vegetables* However, it is said also that it is also an indiscriminate swallower of everything, filthy or clean, nutritious or otherwise, pieces of wood, clay, pebbles, and bones being not uncom- monly found in its stomach; and it is even stated of one that was kept in confine- ment that it gnawed a silver snuff-box to pieces and swallowed the contents. THE AMERICAN TAPIR is found in almost all parts of South America from Buenos Ayres to Central America, and from the Andes to the Atlantic. In its habits it is nocturnal, spending the whole of the daytime in the cool shades of the densest forests, and coming forth to feed on the surrounding vegetation as evening approaches. It is a most powerful animal, and everything in the under- wood of the forest gives way to its rush. It has the habit of making runs or roads through the brushwood, which beaten tracks are usually selected by travelers in passing through the forests. It is stated that it has a most keen sense of smell, enabling it to detect its enemies at long distances, when it at once rushes into brushwood or thicket so dense that neither man nor horse can follow. It never attacks man without being very hardly pressed and brought to bay. It is excessively fond of the water, being a most expert swimmer, and usually keeping to a particular track in the element in which it indulges. The American species is characterized by having the general color through- out of a deep brown, approaching to black; but the sides of the lower lip, band on the under and middle part of the chin, upper edges of the ears, and naked line at the bottom of the hoofs, are snowy white. The scanty hair of the body is very short, and is hardly to be distinguished at a comparatively short distance. The skin, which is of great density beneath, is described by M. Roulin to be not less than seven lines thick on the back ; and he says that in the days when rifles THE AMERICAN TAPIR. 379 THE UNGULATA. were not brought to their present pitch of perfection a ball from one of them would scarcely make an impression. On the back of the neck there is a thick rounded crest, which extends from the forehead, as low as the level of the eyes, to the shoulders, and beset with a com- paratively thin mane of stiff blackish bristles. The American tapir is hunted for its excessively tough hide, and also for its flesh, which, although described by Europeans as unsavory, being coarse and dry, is considered palatable by the Indians. It is captured sometimes, although not often, by means of the lasso, an instrument so successful in horse catching, but •often futile as regards the tapir, for its usual haunts render this mode of capture most difficult, and its determined rush and immense strength frequently enable it to break the strongest lasso. Another way of hunting the tapir practiced by the native hunters is to find out the animal's track leading to the water; there, with their dogs, they patiently lie in wait until evening approaches, when the tapir comes out for the purpose of taking his evening stroll, and indulging in the indis- pensable bath. They then get between him and the water, when a desperate eneounter ensues, the dogs often getting very badly injured. The most successful manner of catching the tapir, however, is by means of imitating its whistle or call, thus bringing the animal within range of the Indian's poisoned arrow. The American tapir is mild in captivity and easily domesticated, and tame tapirs are permitted to run at large in the streets of the towns of Guiana, and often wander into the forests, but return again in the evening to the house in which they are kept and fed. The tapir is capable of considerable attachment to its owner, and possibly, by care and attention, might be turned to good account, as the qualities with which it is credited — strength, docility, and patience — ought to render it capable of the duties of a beast of burden. THE MALAYAN TAPIR. The Asiatic tapir, which appears to have become known to Europeans only in the present century, is an inhabitant of Sumatra, Malacca, and the southwest provinces of China. It is said to have been found also in Borneo. In size it is larger than the American tapir. It is distin- guished by the absence of a mane, the general color of the hair being glossy black, but with the back, rump, and sides of the belly white. In its habits the Asiatic tapir appears to be similar to his American cousin, and in captivity it is said to be of a most mild and inoffensive disposition, becoming as tractable and familiar as a dog. THE RHINOCEROS FAMILY (RHINOCEROTID.E). The rhinoceroses form the third family of the sub-order of Perissodactyla. They are to be found at the present day in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, and in India, Java, or Sumatra, where the climate is tropical or sub-tropical. They MALA YAN TAPIR— RHINOCEROS. 381 are represented by several living- species, as well as by several extinct forms. The principal characteristics which are to be observed in the rhinoceros are the large unwieldy bodies, supported on short, stout legs, terminating in a large callous pad with hoof-bearing toes, the large and long head, the small eyes and ears, and the short tail. All the living species also possess one or two horns, which are placed in the middle line of the head on and above the nose. Each of these horns is to THE MALAYAN TAPIR. be viewed as a mere appendage to the skin, like hair, for they are only skin deep, and are composed of a series of fibers matted together, and similar, if not identi- cal, to a mass of hair in which each hair is confluent with those near it. THE WHITE RHINOCEROS. This is an animal measuring somewhat over twelve feet in length and about five feet ten inches in height. It has a square nose and two large rounded horns, the anterior one averaging about two feet six inches in length, but not uncommonlv found measuring three feet six inches, some- 382 THE UNGULATA. limes even over four feet ; the posterior rarely or never exceeding fifteen inches, and generally not being more than twelve inches. Its skin is smooth, and without any of those folds so characteristic of the Asiatic species. It inhabits all the coun- THE "WHITE RHINOCEROS. try south of the Zambesi, and probably it may also exist in Central Africa. It feeds solely on grass, and sometimes collects into small herds. THE BLACK RHINOCEROS is a much smaller animal, being about eleven feet in length, and five feet in height, with an elongated head and horns THE KEITLOA. 3S3 THE KEITLOA. thicker in proportion to length than those of the white rhinoceros. The front horn is twenty or twenty-two inches in length, and never attains to more than twenty-six or twenty-eight inches ; while the back horn averages ten or twelve inches. Jts skin is not black, but flesh-colored, and the upper lip is highly pre- hensile. THE KEITLOA differs but little from the black rhinoceros, excepting in the formation of the head, which is somewhat shorter and broader, and it has a less prehensile lip. Its chief characteristic is the posterior horn, which is flattened at the sides, being of almost equal length to the anterior, and even occasionally 384 THE UNGULATA. longer, twenty and twenty-two inches being about the average. It is found spar- ingly in all the country south of the Zambesi, and is not gregarious, a bull and cow only being usually seen together. The Black Rhinoceros is the smallest, being seldom over ten feet in length, or more than four feet ten inches in height. The head is more elongated, and the nose more prehensile than in any other species, while the legs are shorter in proportion, and the feet smaller. The anterior horns rarely exceed twelve inches, and the posterior seven or eight inches. It is usually found only between Zululand and the Limpopo River, although it has been killed farther north, not far from the Zambesi. It is not gregarious, two full grown ones and a calf being the greatest number that has been recorded as seen together. It feeds on thorns, leaves and shoots, and rare!}-, if ever, is found out of the thorn jungle. Until recent times, it was universally believed that the hide of a rhinoceros was too tough to allow a bullet to penetrate ; indeed, even now in popular opinion the belief is still retained, but, like many popular opinions, it has proved to be untrue ; and that a rhinoceros may be as easily shot with an ordinary bullet as an ox, is fully established on the authority of Gordon Cummings, Sir S. Baker, Dr. Livingstone, and others. Gordon Cummings, in his " Hunter's Life in South Africa," gives the fol- lowing details of the rhinoceros: "Of the rhinoceros there are four varieties in South Africa, distinguished by the Bechuanas by the names of the Borele, or black rhinoceros; the Keitloa, or two-horned black rhinoceros ; the Muchocho, or com- mon white rhinoceros; and the Robaoba, or long-horned white rhinoceros. Both varieties of the black rhinoceros are extremely fierce and dangerous, and rush headlong and unprovoked at any object which attracts their attention. They never attain much fat, and their flesh is tough, and not much esteemed by the Bechuanas. Their food consists almost entirely of the thorny branches of the waitabit thorns. Their horns are much shorter than those of the other varieties, seldom exceeding eighteen inches in length. They are finely polished with con- stant rubbing against the trees. The skull is remarkably formed, the most striking feature being the tremendously thick ossification in which it ends above the nostrils. It is on this mass that the horn is supported. The horns are not connected with the skull, being attached merely by the skin, and they may thus be separated from the head by means of a sharp knife. They are hard and solid throughout, and are a fine material for various articles, such as drinking cups, mallets for rifles, handles for turners' tools, etc. The horn is capable of taking a very high polish. The eyes of the rhinoceros are small and sparkling, and do not readily observe the hunter, provided he keep to the leeward of them. The skin is extremely thick, and only to be penetrated by bullets hardened with solder. During the day the rhinoceros will be found lying asleep, or standing indolently in some retired part of the forest, or under the base of the mountains, sheltered from the power of the sun by some friendly grove of umbrella-topped mimosas. "'^'' rJfMf W0* Wl?ife and Black l\[)inoceros. THE RHINOCEROS. 3S5 In the evening they commence their nightly rambles, and wander over a great extent of country. They usually visit the fountains between the hours of nine and twelve o'clock at night, and it is on these occasions that they may be the most successfully hunted, and with the least danger. The black rhinoceros is subject *to paroxysms of unprovoked fury, often plowing up the ground for several INDIAN RHINOCEROS AND ELEPHANT FIGHTING. yards with its horn, and assaulting large bushes in the most violent manner. On these bushes they work for hours with their horns, at the same time snorting and blowing loudly, nor do they leave them in general until they have broken them in pieces. All the four varieties delight to roll and wallow in the mud, with which their rugged hides are generally incrusted. Both varieties of the black rhinoceros 25 386 THE UNGULATA. are much smaller and more active than the white, and are so swift that a horse with a rider on his back can rarely overtake them. The two varieties of the white rhinoceros are so similar in habits that the description of one will serve for both, the principal difference consisting in the length and set of the anterior horn, that of the Muchocho averaging from two to three feet in length and pointing backward, while the horn of the Robaoba often exceeds four feet in length, and inclines forward from the nose at an angle of forty-five degrees. The posterior horn of either species seldom exceeds six or seven inches in length. The Robaoba is the rarer of the two, and it is found very far in the interior, chiefly to the eastward of the Limpopo. Its horns are very val- uable for loading rods, supplying a substance at once suitable for a sporting implement, and excellent for the purpose. Both these varieties of rhinoceros attain an enormous size. They feed solely on grass, carry much fat, and their flesh is excellent, being preferable to beef. They are of a much milder and more inoffensive disposition than the black rhinoceros, rarely charging their pursuer. Their speed is very inferior to that of the other varieties, and a person well mounted can overtake and shoot them. The head of these is a foot longer than that of the Borele. They generally carry their heads low, whereas the Borele, when disturbed, carries his very high. Unlike the elephants, they never associate in herds, but are met singly or in pairs. In districts where they are abundant, from three to six may be found in company, and I once saw upward of a dozen congregated together on some young grass, but such an occurrence is rare." Gordon Cummings relates that the rhinoceros and hippopotamus are usually attended by little birds known as rhinoceros birds, '• Their object being to feed upon the ticks and other parasites that swarm upon these animals. They are of a grayish color, and are nearly as large as a common thrush. Their voice is very similar to the mistletoe thrush. Many a time have these ever-watchful birds dis- appointed me in my stalk, and tempted me to invoke an anathema upon their devoted heads. They are the best friends the rhinoceros has, and rarely fail to awaken him, even in his soundest nap. 'Chuckuroo ' perfectly understands their warning, and, springing to his feet, he generally first looks about him in every direction, after which he invariably makes off. I have often hunted a rhinoceros on horseback which led me a chase of many miles, and required a number of shots before he fell, during which chase several of these birds remained by the rhinoc- eros to the last. They reminded me of mariners on the deck of some bark sailing on the ocean, for they perched along his back and sides, and as each of my bullets told on the shoulder of the rhinoceros, they ascended about six feet into the air, uttering their harsh cry of alarm, and then resumed their position. It sometimes happened that the lower branches of trees, under which the rhinoceros passed, swept them from their living deck, but they always recovered their former station. They also adhere to the rhinoceros during the night. I have often shot these animals at midnight when drinking at the fountains, and the birds, imagining THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS. 387 they were asleep, remained with them till morning, and on my approaching, before taking flight, they exerted themselves to the utmost to awaken Chuckuroo from his deep sleep.'' THE ASIATIC RHINOCEROS. There are four different rhinoceroses in Asia, of which two are characterized by the possession of one horn, while the remaining two possess two horns, as in the African species. All the adult Asiatic possess incisors or front teeth, which are conspicuous by their absence from the African species. The normal number of these is four in the upper and four in the lower jaws, the median pair being the larger in the upper and the smaller in the lower. The development of these teeth seems to stand in relation to the development of horns, those animals with the smallest horns being provided with the largest incisors. FRONT VIEW OF HEAD OF SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS. THE INDIAN RHINOCEROS is the most familar, with a single horn on the nose, and thick naked skin covered with large boss-like granulations, which lie in massive folds on various parts of the body, and more especially behind and across the shoulders and before and across the thighs. There are a few stiff hairs on the tail and ears. It inhabits the East Indies, principally beyond the Ganges, and is recorded as having been found in Bengal, Siam, and Cochin-China. It is found in shady forests, the neighborhood of rivers, and marshy places, its food con- sisting of herbage and branches of trees. The fully grown animal rarely arrives at a greater height than, five, and its average may be taken at four feet. Williamson, in his "Oriental Field Sports," speaking of the Indian rhi- noceros, describes it as an inveterate enemy of elephants, attacking when- ever he can find them single, or, at least, not protected by a male of great bulk, ripping without mercy, and con- fiding in his coat of mail to defend him side view of head of sumatran rhinoceros, from the puny attacks of the females, as 388 THE UNGULATA. well as to resist the tusks of young males. He relates that the apparent blunt- ness of the horn of the Indian rhinoceros, which is about as broad at the base as it is high, would make it appear a somewhat insignificant weapon, and inadequate to penetrate any hard or tough substance. This, however, we are informed is not the case, elephants often being found dead, obviously, it is stated, from the wounds received from the horn of the rhinoceros ; and in one case, as is related by Williamson, a large male elephant and rhinoceros were found both dead together, the elephant's abdomen having been ripped open, and the rhinoceros' horn having been found transfixed beneath the ribs. Williamson also states that Major Lally, an officer of the Indian army, whose veracity is beyond question, while engaged in one of his hunting expeditions, and having arrived at the summit of a low range of hills, was suddenly presented with a distinct view of a most desperate engage- ment between a rhinoceros and a large male elephant, the latter, to all appearance, protecting a small herd which were retiring in a state of alarm. The elephant was beaten, and decamped, followed by the rhinoceros, into a heavy jungle, where much roaring was heard, but nothing could be discerned. From this we may conclude that the habit which Pliny describes of the rhinoceros ripping open the elephant is confirmed by modern observation. THE SUMATRAN RHINOCEROS is the more commonly known of the two two-horned species inhabiting Asia. Its head is armed with two obtusely- pointed horns, its body is covered with bristles, and the folds of the skin are deep, and especially that behind the shoulder. The folds on the neck, however, are not so distinct as in the one-horned species. THE HAIRY-EARED RHINOCEROS has been confounded by naturalists with the Sumatran species, until Dr. Sclater showed from the comparison of those two animals that they were specifically distinct. The former is characterized by the long hairy fringe to the ears, by the covering of long, fine reddish hair on the body, the smoother and more finely granulated skin, and the shorter tail. The one in Regent's Park was captured in January, 1868, under very singular circum- stances, as described in the following extract from a Calcutta newspaper: " The quiet station of Chittagong has been lately enlivened by the presence of a rhinoc- eros. It appears that about a month ago some natives came into Chittagong and stated that a rhinoceros had been found by them in a quicksand, and was quite exhausted with the efforts to relieve herself. They had attached two ropes to the animal's neck, and with the assistance of about two hundred men dragged her out, and keeping her taut between two ropes they eventually made her fast to a tree. The next morning, however, they found the rhinoceros so refreshed, and making such efforts to free herself, that they were frightened, and made application to the magistrate of Chittagong for protection. The same evening Captain Hood and Mr. W. H. Wickes started with eight elephants to secure the prize, and after a THE HAIRY-EARED RHINOCEROS. 389 march of about sixteen hours to the south of Chittagong they came up with the animal. The elephants, at first sight of the rhinoceros, were very much afraid, and bolted one and all, but after some exertion they were brought back and made to stand by. A rope was now with some trouble attached to the animal's hind leg, and secured to an elephant. At this juncture the rhinoceros roared ; the elephants again bolted, and had it not been for the rope slipping from the leg of the rhinoceros, the limb might have been pulled from the bod}-. The rhinoceros was, however, eventually secured with ropes between elephants, and marched into Chittagong in perfect health. Two large rivers had to be crossed— first the Sungoo River, where THE HAIRY-EARED RHINOCEROS. the animal was towed between elephants, for she could not swim, and cou'd only just keep her head above water by paddling with the fore feet, like a pig; and secondly, the Kurnafoolie River, when the ordinary cattle ferry boat was used. Thousands of natives thronged the march in, which occupied a few days, the temporary bam- boo bridges on the Government road invariably falling in with the numbers col- lected thereon to watch the rhinoceros crossing the stream below ; and sometimes the procession w r as at least a mile in length. The ' Begum,' as the rhinoceros has been named, is now free from all ropes, and kept within a stockade inclosure, hav- ing therein a good bath excavated in the ground, and a comfortable covered shed attached. She is already very tame, and will take plantain leaves or chuppatees from the hand, and might also be led about by a string." Begum was ultimately 390 THE UNGULATA. taken to England, and sold to the Zoological Society for $6,000, and is now living in the Regent's Park, where she is quiet and orderly, and an altogether respectable lady rhinoceros. SUID/E, OR HOG FAMILY. The hog family may be divided into three well marked groups — the true swine, the wart hogs, and the peccaries. In order to enable the hog family to "root" or turn up the ground, they are provided with a truncated and cylindrical proboscis, or snout, which is capable of considerable movement. The skin is more or less supplied abundantly with hair, and the tail is short, and in some cases merely represented by a tubercle. The sense of smell in the hog is very acute, and when its broad snout plows up the herbage, not a root, an insect, or a worm, escapes the olfactory sense. Although credited with stupidity, the hog in its native state is to be styled anything but a dull and lethargic animal, neither is it the filthy animal that domestication has reduced it to. Properly cared for, the pig is as cleanly in its habits, and as capable of strong attachment, as any other creature. THE WILD BOAR inhabits Europe, North Africa, and Hindostan, each country having its own peculiar type or race, which sometimes is so marked as to constitute separate species in the opinion of first-rate naturalists. The wild boar is distinguished by a body generally of a dusky-brown or greyish color, having a tendency to black, and being diversified with black spots. The canines or tusks in the male are long and powerful, and project beyond the upper lip, the mouth is large, and the elongated head is set on a short neck rising out of a thick and mus- cular body. The size is variable, an old wild boar recorded by Demarest being five feet nine inches long, while a four-year-old of the more ordinary size meas- ured three feet without the tail. The female is smaller than the male, and with smaller tusks. The hairs of the body are coarse, intermixed with a downy wool. On the neck and shoulders the hairs take the form of bristles, being long enough to assume a kind of mane, which the animal is enabled to erect if irritated. The young has the body marked with longitudinal stripes of a reddish color. In its habits the wild boar is by choice herbivorous, feeding on plants, fruits, and roots; but it will also eat snakes, lizards, and various insects, and when pressed by hunger nothing appears to come amiss to its voracious appetite ; it is stated that even dead horses are sometimes called into requisition. The boar is nocturnal in its habits, rarely leaving the shadow of the woods in the daytime, and coming forth as twi- light approaches in search of food, delighting in roots often deeply embedded in the soil, and which its keen sense of smell enables it easily to detect. Much mis- chief is often done by this animal, which plows up the ground in continuous furrows for long distances, and is not content, like the domesticated variety, with plowing up a spot here and there. WILD BOAR— INDIAN HOG. 391 THE WILD BOAR. THE INDIAN HOC differs but little in general appearance from the European wild boar, and is looked upon in the East as a most exciting object of the chase, its speed, endurance and courage making it one of the most formid- able and dangerous animals that can possibly be encountered. The habits of this animal are admirably portrayed bv Williamson, in his "Oriental Field Sports." After describing the extraordinary speed this creature is possessed of, equaling that of a good horse, and asserting that a moderate sized hog can, and often does, over- throw horses and their riders, he states that " the wild hog delights in cultivated situations; but he will not remain where water is not at hand, in which he may, unobserved, quench his thirst and wallow at his ease. Nor will he resort for a second season to a spot which does not afford ample cover, whether of heavy grass or of underwood jungle, within a certain distance, for him to fly to in case of molestation, and especially to serve as a retreat during the hot season, as otherwise he would find no shelter. The sugar cane is his great delight, both as being his favorite food, and as affording a high, impervious, and unfrequented situation. In these, hogs commit great devastation, especially the breeding sows, which not only 392 THE UNGULATA. devour, but cut the canes for litter, and throw them up into little huts, which they do with much art, leaving a small entrance which they stop up at pleasure. Sows never quit their young pigs without completely shutting them up. This, indeed, is requisite only for a few days, as the young brood may be seen follow- ing the mother at a round pace, when not more than a week or ten days old. The wild boar of India is hunted usually by men on horseback, armed with spears of a more or less variable length, averaging from about six feet and a half to eight and sometimes ten feet. The shaft of a spear consists of bamboo properly weighted with lead ; the spear itself is a broad and stout blade. It is held by a man on horseback in such a manner that about a foot and a half projects in front of the stirrup-iron and the horse is ridden in such a way that when the boar charges it is transfixed by the spear." HEAD OF WILD BOAR THE DOMESTIC HOC is descended from two distinct wild stocks— the wild boar, and an Eastern type known now only in the domesticated condition. The breeds of hogs descended from the wild boar are to be found in the various parts of Northern and Central Europe, and resemble their progenitors in the length of their legs and the development of their tusk. The skull, however, has become higher and broader, and their tusks are not so large, and the body is not covered with such a dense covering of hair. The domesticated breeds of China and Siam have, among other characters, broader and stouter heads than those which are descended from the wild boar, and are best known under the form of the Chinese breed. They constitute the type of Sus Indica, which is now so largely represented among the various European strains, and which is mostly due to the crossing of two original stocks. Both these breeds were brought under the dominion of man in a very remote age, and have varied in exact proportion to the care taken in selecting the various characters. The hogs are represented in Africa, south of the Sahara, and in Madagascar, by an animal known as the bush hog, which possesses a remark- able boss or excrescence rising from the face below the eyes. The species figured has peculiar head ok domestic hog DOMESTIC HOGS 394 THE UNGULATA. ears, which look almost as if thev had been cut. One of the most singular of the wild hogs is the Babirusa, inhabiting the islands of Celebes and Borneo, in which, in the males, the tusks arrive at an enormous size, those of the upper jaw curving upward and backward, and even, in some cases, penetrating the skull in their backward reach. These tusks, however, are useless for purposes of attack. The lower jaws, also, are armed with two sharp tusks, which are capable of inflicting severe wounds. The animal is nearlv hairless, and is said to arrive at a size not THE BUSH HOG. much less than that of a donkey. It is very ferocious, and is a more formidable antagonist than the wild boar of Europe. The Babirusa is described as being of a delicate nature, requiring considerable care and attention when kept in confinement. THE WART HOGS range over tropical Africa from Abyssinia to Caffraria. They are remarkable, not only for having enormous tusks, and for the develop, ment of a large excrescence or wart, under each eye, but also for the peculiar con- struction of their last grinding teeth. These are massive, and composed of prisms THE WART HOG. 395 THE BAUIRUSA. of enamel surrounding a central mass of dentine, and embedded in the cement which unites them into one tooth. There is only one pair of upper incisors, and the last molars are the only ones which are not shed in the old animal. The canines are large, recurved, sharp, and project- eight or nine inches beyond the lips. THE ETHIOPIAN WART HOC is a native of the south- ern portions of Africa, and dif- fers principally from the preceding in the larger size of the warts, and a more peculiarly shaped head. The food of both species of wart hogs appears to consist almost entirely of roots. THE COLLARED PECCARY is a small pig about three feet long; the head is short, the muzzle slender, and the tail short. The thick bristles which cover its body are dark brown with yellow and black rings, and are somewhat longer on the back of the neck. The prevailing color is dark brown, but on the shoulders and round the neck is a broad band of a yellowish-white color, from which this species has obtained its name. The open gland on the back always discharges a fluid of a most fetid odor, which, however, seems to be grateful to the possessors of it, as they'are often seen mutually rubbing each other's backs with their snouts. Although the peccary is a very harmless animal to the outward view, it is a very dangerous enemy, in spite of its light weight (fifty to sixty pounds) and its short tusks; for these tusks are shaped like a-lancet, double edged, and acutely pointed, and inflict terrible wounds. No animal can withstand the united attacks of the peccary. Fear is a feeling to which it is an utter stranger, and even the jaguar is forced to abandon the contest, and to shrink from encountering the cir- cular mass of peccaries. Schomburgh, whose accounts are perfectly trustworthy, writes: "As we were passing through a woody oasis I heard a peculiar noise like the galloping of horses. With the cry 'Poinkaf ' the Indians cocked their guns and drew their bows, and soon an innumerable herd of peccaries came in sight. When they saw us they stopped in their charge for an instant, then grunting loudly, rushed past us. I was so surprised by the sudden appearance of the creatures that I forgot to shoot at first, and raised my gun to make up for lost time, but my arm was seized by an Indian. When the main herd was past and some stragglers came in sight, THE UNGULATA, the Indians began to use bow and gun. They affirmed that it was most dan- gerous to fire into the middle of a herd, for the peccaries dispersed in all direc- tions, and tore with their tusks every living thing that came in their way ; while if the stragglers only are attacked, the main body pursues its course." In Webber's " Romance of Natural History" there is a very amusing account, too THE ETHIOPIAN WART HOG. long to be quoted, of the consternation caused during a bear hunt by a charge of peccaries, which scattered men, dogs and bear in a common confusion. Another traveler writes as follows: "While pushing my way through a wood my dog started a peccary. Suddenly eight or ten burst through the underwood, and before I could realize the scene, had finished my unlucky companion with their sharp teeth. I suddenly found myself surrounded. I killed several, but it was no use; my ammunition was soon expended, and it was only by clubbing my gun THE COLLARED PECCAR V. 397 that I fought my way to a tree, and with more than one wound from their incisors, reached a secure position. Here I remained besieged till they dispersed." THE COMMON RIVER HORSE is a large, unwieldy looking animal, sometimes as much as eleven or twelve feet long, with a massive body and enormous head, and short, stout legs. Nevertheless, it is capable of moving swiftly on the land, and swimming with perfect ease. Its skin is naked, thick and HE PECCARY penetrated by pores which exude a thick fatty secretion, which may perhaps be useful to it while in the water. The front part of the head is massive, and broader than that of any other living quadruped. The nostrils are comparatively small slits, which are closed and water tight during the frequent dives beneath the surface of the water. The eyes are prominent and placed far back in the head, and the ears are so short that they look as if they had been cropped. They, too, have a special arrangement of muscles by which they can be closed. The short legs are terminated by four hoof-bearing toes, and the short tail is adorned with bristles arranged laterally and on opposite sides, which are the only traces of hair found on the animal. The mouth is very large, and armed with tusks and grinders 398 THE UNGULATA. that present a fearful appearance when the animal opens its mouth with a gape, which is unsurpassed in width by that of any other animal. The tusks are enor- mous, especially those in the lower jaw, which are curved upward as in the hog's and meet those of the upper jaw close to their sockets. By the attrition of their surfaces together their tips are reduced to a chisel edge. The river horse is noc- turnal in its habits, frequenting rivers and lagoons, and rarely leaving them or their immediate neighborhood except at night, when it will go considerable dis- tances in search of food, sometimes causing great damage to cultivated crops, which may be estimated from the fact that its stomach is capable of holding from five to six bushels. Its food consists principally of grass, young shrubs, and water plants, and it is particularly fond of green corn. When in the water its slow respiration enables it to remain for a long time beneath the surface without coming up to breathe ; and the means of closing both its ears and nostrils against the access of water, is admirably suited for its aquatic habits. Hippopotami keep together in herds, and where they have not been disturbed come fearlessly to the top of the water, often lazily basking on the surface and on the banks ; but in places where they have been hunted and shot at they become very wary, and content themselves by just showing their noses among weeds, and sometimes they are so carefully concealed that but for their footprints on the banks of the river, their presence would be quite unknown. Cumming, in his African hunting experiences, gives a description of seeing an entire colony of these animals on the banks of the Limpopo. He says: " Presently in a broad and deeply shaded pool of the river we heard the sea cows bellowing, and approaching somewhat nearer beheld a wonderful and interesting sight. On a sandy promon- tory of the island stood about thirty cows and calves, whilst in the pool opposite and below them stood about twenty more sea cows, with their heads and backs above water. About fifty yards farther down the river, again showing out their heads, were eight or ten immense fellows, which I think were all bulls, and about a hundred yards below these, in the middle of the stream, stood another herd of eight or ten cows and calves, and two large bulls. The sea cows lay close together like pigs, and as they sprawl in the mire have not the least objection to their neighbors pillowing their heads on their backs and sides." Livingstone also gives a description of seeing a herd of hippopotami as follows: "On a shallow sand bank, under a dyke crossing the River Zambesi near the mouth of the Sinjere, lay a herd of hippopotami in fancied security. The young ones were playing with each other like young puppies, climbing on the backs of their dams, trying to take hold of one another by the jaws, and tumbling over into the water. Mbia, one of the Makotols, waded across to within a dozen yards of the drowsy beasts, and shot the father of the herd, who being very fat soon floated, and was secured at the village below. The men then gorged themselves with meat for two days, and cut large quantities into long narrow strips, which they half dried and half roasted on wooden frames over the fire." The harpoon is the weapon THE COMMON RIVER HORSE. 399 THE COMMON RIVKR HORSE OR HIPPOPOTAMUS. usually used by the natives of Africa for catching the hippopotamus. One kind of harpoon consists of a shaft about twelve feet long-, at one end of which is a combination of spear and fishhook, the spear being let into a socket of the shaft, and also attached to the shaft by means of cords. At the other extremity is a coil of rope, to which is attached a large float, so that when a hippopotamus is har- pooned the float shows the position of the animal. When an animal is struck, it is followed either by men in canoes or on land, who by means of ropes get posses- sion of the line to which the float is attached, which they entwine round a tree, and every time the animal comes up to breathe he is greeted by a shower of spears until finally finished. The hippopotamus has been considered by travelers and naturalists to be of a mild and inoffensive disposition, retiring and shy in its habits, and unless provoked rarely attacking man. Probably this to a great extent is true of the animal, but numerous instances are recorded of most ferocious and quite unprovoked attacks, and when this is the case few animals are capable of showing such blind rage. Sir Samuel Baker relates from personal observation the capture ot a hippo- potamus with the harpoon above described. He says: " At length we arrived at a large pool, in which were several sand banks covered with rushes, and many rocky islands. Among the rocks was a herd of hippopotami, consisting of an old bull and several cows; a young hippo was standing, like an ugly little statue, on a protruding rock, while another infant stood upon its mother's back that listlessly floated on the water. This was an admirable place for the hunters. They desired me to lie down, and they crept into the jungle out of view of the river. I presently observed them stealthily descending the dry bed about two hundred paces above the spot where the hippos were basking behind the rocks. They entered the river and swam down the center of the stream toward the rock. This was highly exciting. The hippos were quite unconscious of the approaching danger, as steadily and rapidly the hunters floated down the strong current; they neared the rock, and both heads disappeared as they purposely sank out of view; in a few 400 THE UNGULATA. seconds later they reappeared at the edge of the rock upon which the young- hippo stood. It would be difficult to say which started first, the astonished young hippo into the water, or the harpoons from the hands of the howartis! It was the affair of a moment. The hunters dived directly they had hurled their harpoons, and swimming for some distance under water, they came to the surface, and hastened to the shore lest an infuriated hippopotamus should follow them. One harpoon had missed ; the other had fixed the bull of the herd, at which it had been surely aimed. This was grand sport. The bull was in the greatest fury, and rose to the surface, snorting and blowing in his impotent rage; but as the ambatch float was exceedingly large, and this naturally accompanied his movements, he tried to escape from his imaginary persecutor, and dived constantly, only to find his perti- nacious attendant close to him upon regaining the surface. This was not to last long. The howartis were in earnest, and they at once called their party, who with two of the aggageers, Abou Do and Suleiman, were near at hand. The men arrived with long ropes that form a portion of the outfit for hippo hunting. The whole party now halted on the edge of the river, while two men swam across with one end of the long rope. Upon gaining the opposite bank, I observed that a second rope was made fast to the middle of the main line; thus upon our side we held the ends of two ropes, while on the opposite side they had only one. Accordingly, the point of junction of the two ropes in the center formed an acute angle. The object of this was soon practically explained Two men upon our side now each held a rope, and one of these walked about ten yards before the other. Upon both sides of the river the people now advanced, dragging the rope on the surface of the water until the) 7 reached the ambatch float that was swim- ming to and fro, according to the movements of the hippopotomus below. By a dexterous jerk of the main line the float was now placed between the two ropes, and it was immediately secured in the acute angle by bringing together the ends of the ropes on our side. The men on the opposite bank now dropped their line, and our men now hauled in upon the ambatch float that was held fast between the ropes. Thus cleverly made sure, we quickly brought a strain upon the hippo; and although I have had some experience in handling big fish, I never knew one pull so lustily as the amphibious animal that we now alternately coaxed and bullied. " He sprang out of the water, gnashed his huge jaws, snorted with tremen- dous rage, and lashed the river into foam ; he then dived and foolishly approached us beneath the water. We quickly gathered in the slack line, and took a round turn upon a large rock within a few feet of the river. " The hippo now rose to the surface about ten yards from the hunters, and jumping half out of the water, he snapped his great jaws together, endeavoring to catch the rope, but at the same instant two harpoons were launched into his side. " Disdaining retreat, and maddened with rage, the furious animal charged from the depths of the river, and gaining a footing, he reared his bulky form from - 3^ ; ft- 4 'fret' 26 HIPPOPOTAMUS AND YOUNG. 401 402 THE UNGULATA. the surface, came boldly upon the sand bank, and attacked the hunters open- mouthed. He little knew his enemy; they were not the men to fear a pair of gaping- jaws, armed with a deadly array of tusks, but half a dozen lances were hurled at him, some entering his mouth from a distance of five or six paces; at the same time several men threw handfuls of sand into his enormous eyes. This baffled him more than the lances; he crunched the shafts between his powerful jaws like straws, but he was beaten by the sand, and shaking his huge head, he retreated to the river. During his sally upon the shore, two of the hunters had secured the ropes of the harpoons-that had been fastened in his body just before his charge. He was now fixed by three of these deadly instruments , but sud- denly one rope gave way, having been bitten through by the enraged beast, who was still beneath the water. Immediately after this he appeared on the surface, and without a moment's hesitation, he once more charged furiously from the water straight at the hunters, with his huge mouth open to such an extent that he could have accommodated two inside passengers. Suleiman was wild with delight, and springing forward, lance in hand, he drove it against the head of the formidable animal, but without effect. At the same time, Abou Do met the hippo sword in hand, reminding me of Perseus slaying the sea monster that would devour Androm- eda; but the sword made a harmless gash, and the lance, already blunted against the rocks, refused to penetrate the tough hide. Once more handfuls of sand were pelted upon his face, and again repulsed by this blinding attack, he was forced to retire to his deep hole, and wash it from his eyes. Six times during the fight the valiant bull hippo quitted his watery fortress, and charged resolutely at his pur- suers ; he had broken several of their lances in his jaws; other lances had been huiled, and falling upon the rocks, they were blunted and would not penetrate. The fight had continued for three hours, and the sun was about to set; accordingly the hunters begged me to give him the coup de grace, as they had hauled him close to the shore, and they feared he would sever the rope with his teeth. I waited for a good opportunity, when he boldly raised his head from the water about three yards from the rifle, and a bullet from the little Fletcher between the eyes closed the last act." CHAPTER XVII. THE RUMINANTIA. The swine, together with those animals which most nearly approach them, namely, the peccaries and hippopotami, form but a small division of the cloven- hoofed order of the Mammalian animals; by far the greater number of the species of the Artiodactyla being included in a group known familiarly as that of the Ruminantia, because, as part of the digestive process, they chew the cud. This chewing the cud is a phenomenon restricted to the group of animals now under consideration. HORNED RUMINANTS have their cranial appendages developed after one or other of two principles. In one group, which, from the fact that the oxen are included with them, are named the Bovidce, the horns are hollow, straight, or variously-twisted cones, supported upon bony prolongations from the forehead, resembling them in shape upon a smaller scale. These horns are permanent, except in the American antelope, increasing in size each year, at the same time that they often exhibit transverse markings, which indicate the annual increase. In the other group — the Cervidcs, or Deer Tribe — the horns or antlers are deciduous, being cast off each year, to be shortly replaced by others, which share the fate of their predecessors. These antlers are entirely made of bone, and when fully grown are not covered by any less dense investment. THE BOVIDAE, or Hollow-Horned Ruminants. In these ruminating ani- mals the permanent bone-cones on the forehead are covered with a black horny coating, which is not shed during the whole life of their owners, and in which, as they continue to grow, until adult life at least, the tips are the oldest parts. The females in some species have horns like their mates, but smaller, as in the ox and eland ; while in others — the Koodoo and the Sing-Sing antelope, for example — the males alone are horned. THE SHEEP AND COATS. Between the bearded goat and the beardless sheep there exist intermediate species, which so completely fill up the gaps that it js almost impossible to separate into different genera. With triangular, curved 403 404 THE R UMINANTIA. and transversely ridged horns in both sexes, a characteristic general appearance, and feet formed for mountain climbing, the species present differences which are recognized with facility. With reference to the domestic sheep, it is the opinion of most naturalists that it has descended from several distinct species. " Endowed by nature," as Mr. Spooner, in his work on the sheep aptly puts it, " with a peaceable and patient dis- position, and a constitution capable of enduring the extremes of temperature, adapting itself readily to different climates, thriving on a variety of pastures, ecomomizing nutriment where pasturage is scarce, and advantageously availing itself of opportunities where food is abundant," it is not to be wondered at that the animal has become the companion of man from the earliest times. The fleece of the wild species of sheep is composed of hair with wool at its roots, in the same way that in the duck there is a covering of feathers and down. In the domesticated species the hair, by selection, has been reduced to a minimum, so that the wool forms the only coat. In the southern parts of Western Asia many of the sheep have a curious tendency to the deposition of fat on the tail rather than under the skin of the body generally, and this may occur to such an extent that the thus loaded caudal appen- dage may contain a large part of the entire weight of the body. The Astracan breed, of small size, has a fine spiral black and white wool, sometimes black, which is obtained from the lamb when the finest furs are required. Of all the breeds of sheep the Merino of Spain is one of the most important, on account of the excellence of its wool. The animal is small, flat-sided, and long- legged. The males have long horns, these appendages being absent in the females. The face, ears and legs are dark, and the forehead is woolly, at the same time that the skin about the throat is lax. The body wool is close set, soft, twisted in a spiral, and short. In the United States and Great Britain the breeds of sheep are very numer- ous, some of the best being of quite recent origin. First among the heavy breeds are the improved Leicesters, which from their early maturity, aptness to fatten, smallness of bone, and gentle disposition, well deserve the high repute in which they stand. "The head of this breed," we are told, "should be hornless, long, small, tapering toward the muzzle, and projecting horizontally forward ; the eyes prominent, and with a quiet expression; the ears thin, rather long, and directed backward; the neck full and broad at its base, where it proceeds from the chest, but gradually tapering toward the head, and being particularly fine at the junction of the head and neck; the neck seeming to project straight from the chest, so that there is, with the slightest possible deviation, one continuous horizontal line from the rump to the poll; the breast broad and full; the shoulders also broad and round, and no uneven or angular formation where the shoulders join either the neck or the back, particularly no rising of the withers or hollow behind the situa- tion of these bones ; the arm fleshy through its whole extent, and even down to THE MOUFLON. 405 the knee ; the bones of the leg small, standing- wide apart, no looseness of skin about them, and comparatively bare of wool ; the chest and barrel at once deep and round ; the ribs forming a considerable arch from the spine, so as in some cases — and especially when the animal is in good condition — to make the apparent width of the chest even greater than the depth ; the barrel ribbed well home; no irregularity of line on the back or the belly, but on the sides, the carcass very gradually diminishing in width toward the rump; the quarters long and full, and as with the forelegs, the muscles extending down to the hock; the thighs also wide and full; the legs of a moderate length; the pelt moderately thin, but soft THE MOUFLON. and elastic, and covered with a good quantity of white wool, not so long as in some breeds, but considerably finer." The large sized Lincoln sheep, with lengthy fleece, those of the Cotswold Hills, the Teeswater, and Romney Marsh, are also heavy breeds, not equal in the totality of their points to the improved Leicesters, although excelling them either in quantity of wool or hardiness of constitution. The Short-wooled Southdowns, with close set fleece of fine wool, face and legs dusky brown, curved neck, short limbs, and broad body, is one of the oldest and most valuable unmixed breeds that we possess. Their mutton greatly excels that of the improved Leicesters, which, taken in association with their other good qualities, has caused them to extend to nearly every country. 406 THE RUMINANTIA. THE MOUFLON at one time abounded in Spain, but is now restricted to the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. The species is a small one, of a brownish grey color, with a dark streak along the middle of the back, at the same time that there is a varying amount of white about the face and legs The horns, present in the males only, are proportionately not large, curve backward and then inward at the tips. The tail is very short, in which respect they differ strikingly from THE AMMOX. the domestic sheep, to which otherwise they are intimately related. The Mouflon frequents the summits of its native hills in small herds, headed by an old ram. Its skin is used by the mountaineers for making jackets. It breeds freely with the domestic species. THE AMMON, of Tibet, has been known to measure as much as four feet and an inch at the shoulder, and has a most imposing appearance on account of the erect attitude in which it holds its head. Its horns attain a great size, being AMAZON— BIG HORN. 407 THE BIG HORN. sometimes as much as four feet long and twenty-two inches in circumference at their bases, forming a single sweep of about four-fifths of a circle, their points being turned slight) 7 outward, and ending bluntly. Its body color is dark brown above, paler posteriorly and below. A mane surrounds its neck, white in the male, dark brown in the female. The tail measures only an inch in length. In the female the horns do not exceed twenty-two inches in length. THE BIG HORN ranks next in size to the elk among the horned beasts of the Great West. It is a curious combination of the body of a deer and the head of a sheep; the horns are, as its common name indicates, of enormous size, and make a curve that is more than a complete circle, and are nearly three feet long in the male. They are said to come so far forward and downward that old rams find it impossible to feed on level ground. The head and horns often weigh sixty pounds. Its coat is thick with short grayish hair, changing in the fall into dun, and the hair becoming more than an inch long, and rather wiry. In winter the coat is increased by a layer of exceedingly fine wool which, though sometimes three inches long, never shows outside the hair, but lies curled up close to the skin. The big horn is found in troops of twenty or thirty in number. They never quit the craggiest regions, but find their food upon the little knolls of green herbage that are sprinkled among the precipices without being tempted by the verdure of the plains. They come down, however, from their rocky fastnesses to obtain water from the low lying springs. They are very shy and suspicious, and at the first appearance of a man, take flight. . " What becomes of the mountain 408 THE RUMINANTIA. sheep," writes General Dodge, " when man invades his stronghold, it is impossible to say. Hundreds may be in a locality ; let man appear; a few, perhaps ten, are killed; the others disappear and leave no sign." The big horn is an admirable climber, and runs up or down the faces of preci- pices where apparently no foothold exists. Their habits are those of other sheep The lambs begin to be seen in June, when they are placed on some shelf of rock THE BARBARY WILD SHEEP. inaccessible to man, or any beast of pre}'. The ewes and lambs; according to Richardson, form herds apart from the males. From the middle of August till November the flesh of the big horn is in prime condition. According to General Dodge, " It is impossible to describe it, but if one can imagine a saddle of most delicious 'Southdown' flavored with the richest and most gamy juices of the black-tailed deer, he will form some idea of a feast of mountain sheep in season, and properly conked. Except in season, the mountain sheep is thin, tough, and the poorest food that the plains furnish to man." WILD SHEEP—GOATS 409 THE WILD SHEEP of Bar- bary, is a large and handsome species, with a comparatively lengthy tail, tufted at its end. The hair on the chin is short, whilst J that along the lower margin of the = neck, as well as on the front of the knees, attains a great length. % The horns are not massive, and ^ hardly exceed two feet in length They are black, and are directec outward as well as backward. LONG-EARED G THE COATS. In the goats the horns are flattened from side to side, and rough in front and arched backward, whilst in the sheep they are more uniformly cylindrical, turned laterally, curling downward, and often cork-screwed. A beard is a common addition to the former animal, and a most unpleasant odor is emitted by them. The domestic goat is almost certainly descended from the paseng, or ibex, of the mountains of Asia, with little or no admixture of other blood. In it, however, the female is bearded as well as the male, which is not the case with the paseng. It has been subjugated from time immemorial, when the flesh of the kid was con- sidered a delicacy. Its su re-footed ness and its boldness are proverbial, as is its unpleasant odor. The power possessed by the species of ascending precipitous heights is marvelous. On more than one occasion it has been recorded, contrary to the teaching of JEsop — that whilst two individuals have met on a path too narrow for both to pass, one has lain down in order that the other might go over its back. With no great bulk of body ; coarse hair of dif- erent lengths and tints, springing from out of a mass of much shorter wool; varying size, but outturned at the ps; narrow ears; an almost entirely hair-covered nose ; sight, hearing, and smell all acute; powerful thick-set legs, and a short tail naked below, it stands its own in 5ia horns of v >^ 3 a ^ w a Y s 410 THE RUMINANTIA. mountainous and less civilized districts. Varieties occur with large pendulous instead of upright ears ; others with extra horns, occasionally spiral as in Nepaul, or none at all. In the Angora and Cashmere breeds the hair is white. THE COAT OF CASHMERE is famous on account of the long and very- fine wool with which it is covered, and which is employed in the manufacture of Cashmere shawls It is said that the wool of ten of these goat- is required for the material of a single shawl. )RA GOAT, THE IBEX is found in the Alpine heights of Europe and of Western Asia, including the Himalayas. The large scythe blade-shaped horns of the male curve boldly upward and backward, diverging all the way. Along the front of their convex surfaces there is a series of protuberances or partial rin^s, which are only just indicated laterally. The largest specimens reach three feet and a half in height at the shoulder, which is a little less than the length their horns sometimes attain. The body color is a yellowish-gray, white below, with a dark brown line along the middle of the back. The soft and close-set hair hides an under-fur still finer. The beard is black. European specimens are smaller than those from THE IBEX. 411 THE IBEX. Asia, rarely exceeding two feet and a half in height, with horns three feet in length. The species inhabits the most precipitous and dangerous parts of mountain regions, and is wondeifully sure-footed. THE PASENC is the wild goat of Western Asia. It is also found on the northern side of the Caucasus and in some of the islands of the Jigean. In height the male measures two feet and three-quarters at the withers, the female being nearly six inches less. In the males the horns may measure as much as four feet in length. They are flattened, slender, curved backward as a part of a large circle, having their points turned sometimes inward, so much so as now and again to cross, whilst at others they are directed outward. Along their anterior edges are protuberances, separated by a greater distance as they approach the tips, indicative of the age of the animal, as after the third year a fresh knob is formed in each succeeding one. The horns of the female are not more than a foot long, the knobs being almost obsolete. Unlike its consort, also, it has no beard. The 412 THE RUMINANTIA. general color of the species is gray, shaded with reddish brown. A blackish- brown line extends from the similarly colored forehead along the spine. THE MARKHOOR, or -Serpent Eater" of Northeast India and Cashmere, is a fine goat of larger size than the ibex, with much flattened triangular horns, which, while running upward from the head, are spiral and attain an immense size, sometimes as much as five feet along their curve. The spiral twist is much THE MARKHOOR. more open in some specimens than in others, depending on the locality in which they are found. The body color is a dirty light blue-gray, the lengthy beard being of a darker color. It inhabits very similar localities to the ibexes, and is very shy. THE GAZELLES. Under the title of gazelles are included several strik- ingly elegant, small, slender, sandy colored species of ruminating animals, in which the males always, and the females in most cases, carry horns, which are transversely ringed, and vary considerably in the direction which they take, many THE GAZELLE. 413 having them curved in such a way that the two together form a lyre-shaped figure, at the same time that in others they are nearly straight, turned slightly backward or forward, and diverging or converging at the tips. Where present, the horns of the females are more slender than in the corresponding males. The gnzelles inhabit Africa, Arabia, Persia, India, and Central Asia only. They rarely exceed thirty inches in height at the shoulder, the largest, the swift antelope of Pennant, reaching nearly three feet. In all the gazelles the face is marked with a white band running from the outer side of the base of each horn nearly down to the upper end of each nostril, cutting off a dark triangular central patch, and bordered externally by a diffused dark line. The under surface of the THE GAZELLE. j.dREENWWtf' abdomen is white, and there is a dark line traversing the flank which bounds this. The rump is also white, which in many cases encroaches more or less upon the haunches. The gazelle par excellence, from Syria, Egypt and Arabia, stands scarcely two feet high. The elegance of its proportions is too well known to need description. The beauty of its eyes is not to be compared with that of some of the other ruminating animals, the whole face being far too sheep-like, and this remark equally applies to all its near allies. The Dorcas gazelle is a name by which it is also known. Like man}' other members of the genus, it has a tuft of hair upon each knee. The tail is long and tapering, the body rather coarse, and of a pale fawn color. The hips, as well as the breast and abdomen, are white. As to their habits, Mr. Blanford, in his work on Abyssinia, tells us that, so far as 414 THE RUMINANTJA. his observation went, "Neither the Dorcas nor Bennett's gazelle are ever seen in large flocks, like the animals of the springbok group. Usually both are seen soli- tary, or from two to five together, inhabiting thin bushes generally on broken ground. They feed much upon the leaves of bushes. The male has a peculiar habit, when surprised, of standing still and uttering a short, sharp cry. Like most antelopes, they keep much to the neighborhood of some particular spot. After long observation, I am convinced that Bennett's gazelle never drinks ; and all that I could ascertain of the Dorcas gazelle leads me to the same conclusion in its case." Captain Baldwin says that, "like other animals, the little ravine deer (by which is meant Bennett's gazelle) has many enemies besides man. One day, when out with my rifle, I noticed an old female stamping her feet, and every now and then making that ' hiss' which is the alarm note of the animal. It was not I that was the cause of her terror, for I had passed close to her only a few minutes before, and she seemed to understand by my manner that I meant no harm. No; there was something else. I turned back, and on looking down a ravine close by, saw a crafty wolf attempting a stalk on the mother and young one. Another day, at Agra, a pair of jackals joined in the chase of a wounded buck. BENNETT'S GAZELLE is as easily tamed as the common antelope. They are favorite - pets, and become strongly attached to those who rear and feed them. I have seen tame ones driven out with a herd of goats to graze, and never attempt to make their escape. It is not at all unusual to find the wild gazelles feeding close to, sometimes almost mingling with herds of goats, when the latter have been driven out to pasture. Like all antelopes, the eyesight of the chikarah is very acute, and the animal is perpetually on the watch against danger. It, how- ever, appears to be gifted with only a moderate sense of hearing, and still less so of smell. THE SPRINGBOK derives its name from the habit it has of leaping straight up in the air for several feet when alarmed, or whilst running. Its height is two feet and a half. The horns are lyrate, being very small in the females. Its color is yellow dun, with the under parts, as usual, white. A peculiar white line along the middle of the back can be varied in extent within certain limits by the animal at pleasure. Major C. Hamilton Smith, when writing of this species, tells us that it assembles in South Africa in vast herds, " migrating from north to south, and back with the monsoons. These migrations, which are said to take place in the most numerous form only at the interval of several years, appear to come from the northeast, and in masses of many thousands, devouring, like locusts, every green herb. The lion has been seen to migrate and walk in the midst of the compressed phalanx, with only as much room between him and his victims as the fears of those immediately around could procure by pressing outward. The fore- THE SAIGA AND CHTRU. 415 most of these vast columns are fat and the rear exceedingly lean, while the direction continues one way; but with the change of the monsoon, when they return toward the north, the rear become the leaders, fattening in their turn." THE SAICA AND CHIRU differ from the gazelles but slightly, and approach the sheep, the former belonging to Eastern Europe and Western Asia, the latter to Tibet. THE SAIGA. The saiga is as large as a fallow deer, tawny yellow in summer, light grey in winter, being specially peculiar about the nose, which is much lengthened, at the same time that the nostrils are expanded to such a degree that in feeding they have to walk backward. The horns, found only in the males, are not a foot long, slightly lyrate, and annulated. In its native haunts, which are barren, sandy and salt, it assembles frequently in vast herds. It runs rapidly when pursued, but is soon exhausted. THE INDIAN ANTELOPE, or Black Buck. This species differs but little from the gazelles in many respects, whilst its peculiarities are striking. Like the 4IG THE R UMINANTIA. Nylghau, the male differs greatly from the female in its color. The female has no horns. Those in the male are black and of great size, spirally twisted for three or four turns like a corkscrew, slightly divergent, and often reaching thirty inches in length. It stands a little over two feet and a half at the shoulder. The color of the males is deep brown-black above, with an abrupt line of separation from the pure white of the belly. This dark color extends down the outer sur- AFRICAN ANTELOPE. face of each limb. The face is also black, with a white circle around the eyes and nose. In the females and young of both sexes the black and brown are replaced by a light fawn color. The tail is very short, and white below. At certain seasons of the year the glands below the eyes are much enlarged, and form a prominent feature in the face of the male creature. The black buck is one of the swiftest of the antelopes, no greyhound having any chance against it. Its flesh, being dry and unsavory, is rarely eaten. The species falls a frequent prey to the tiger, and is generally found in herds, fifty INDIAN ANTEIOPE—BUSH BUCKS. 417 does or so, accompanied by a single buck. The height to which they can bound is very great. According to Major C. Hamilton Smith, the native Indians "have raised the common antelope among the constellations, harnessed it to the chariot of the moon, and represented it as the quarry of the gods. In the opinion of Hindoos the animal is sacred to Chandra, female devotees and minstrels lead it, domesticated, by the harmony of their instruments, or the power of their prayers, and holy Brahmins are directed to feed upon their flesh, under certain circum- stances prescribed by the Institutes of Menu." THE BUSH BUCKS form a clearly defined group of small antelopes peculiar to tropical and Southern Africa. They are also known by sportsmen as dykers or bush goats. They are charac- terized by the possession of horns in the male sex, which are short, straight, and simple cones, very much depressed, or slanting backward, and rising some distance behind the eyes. At the same time there is a tuft of lengthy hair, directed back- ward, which is arranged in a kind of horseshoe shape between the ears. The crumen or gland in front of either eye is also peculiar. Instead of being a sac with a circular opening, it is spread out in the form of a curved line, and not contracted to form an orifice at all. This feature, which is not observed in any other animal, may be seen in the drawing of the head of the female bush- buck. The muffle, or extremity of the nose, is much like that of the ox, compara- tively large and always moist. The tail is very short, whilst the ears are of a fair size and oval in form. The legs are particularly slender and delicate, terminated by minute hoofs. In most the forehead is strongly convex. The coloration of the many species is not striking, being a uniform red-brown, dark bluish-grey, or sooty black. The smallest of the species, the pigmy bush buck, is not bigger than a rabbit, and might at first sight, especially the female, be mistaken for a deerlet. According to Mr. .Druramond, " It feeds principally on certain berries and shrubs found growing in the jungles, and seems to be on the move, more or less, the whole day, though, in common with the rest of the animal creation, it is most often to be seen at early morning and evening." 27 HEAD OF FEMALE BUSH-BUCK. 418 THE R UMINANTIA. THE ELAND. THE ELAND. This fine species attains to the size of an ox, the bull stand- ing six feet and a half at the withers. Two varieties are known, one of a pale fawn color from Central Africa, the other, from South Africa, of a bright yellow tan color, marked transversely with narrow white lines, about fifteen in number, running from a black line which goes along the back, to the belly. These marks are present in all young individuals, and disappear or fade considerably in the adults. The full grown bull has a broad tuft of lengthy brown hair on the fore- head, between and in front of the horns, which are situated some distance behind the eyes, being straight, a foot and a half in length, and their bases carrying a thick and conspicuous screw-like ridge which extends in some cases nearly to their ends. In the females the horns are never quite so large as in the males. A large dewlap hangs from the throat of the bulls, whilst a dark, short mane con- tinues from the forehead backward. The tail is about two feet and a quarter in length, with a large tuft of brown hair at its end. In size and shape the body of the male eland resembles that of a well conditioned Guzerat ox, not infrequently THE ELAND—THE KOODOO. 419 attaining the height of nineteen hands, and weighing two thousand pounds. The head is strictly that of an antelope, light, graceful, and bony, with a pair of magnificent straight horns, about two feet in length, spirally ringed, and pointed backward. A broad and deep dewlap fringed with brown hair reaches to the knee. The color varies considerably with the age, being dun in some, in others an ashy blue with a tint of ochre, and in many also sandy grey ap- proaching to white. The flesh is esteemed by all classes in Africa above that of any other animal. In grain and color it resembles beef, but is better tasted and more delicate, possessing a pure game flavor, and the quantity of fat with which it is interlarded is surpris- ing, greatly exceeding that of any other game quadruped with which I am acquainted. The female is smaller and of slighter form, with less ponderous horns. THE KOODOO. THE KOODOO. This is one of the handsomest of all the antelopes. It is more slender in build and smaller than the eland, which it somewhat resembles. The horns are about four feet long, and form most graceful open spirals like cork- screws, there being a ridge along their whole length. The females are hornless. The ears are large and trumpet shaped, moving at the slightest noise toward its source. The eyes are large and liquid. The body color is slaty-grey, with transverse white markings, like those on the striped variety of the eland. A small mane extends along the neck and withers, and another from the chin to the throat and breast. The tail is of moderate length, and hairy. This species is most abundant in Southern Africa, but it extends as high as Abyssinia. Is is able to travel with very great speed, and makes prodigious bounds. It stands about five feet in height at the shoulders. " Majestic in its carriage," writes Captain Harris, with all the enthusiasm of a true sportsman, "and brilliant in its color, this species may with propriety be 420 THE R UMINANTIA. styled the king of the tribe. Other antelopes are stately, elegant or curious, but the solitude-seeking koodoo is absolutely regal ! The ground color is a lively- French grey approaching to blue, with several transverse white bands passing over the back and loins; a copious mane, and deeply fringed, tri-colored dewlap, setting off a pair of ponderous yet symmetrical horns, spirally twisted, and exceeding three feet in length. These are thrown along the back as the stately wearer dashes through the mazes of the forest or clambers the mountain side. The old bulls are invariably found apart from the females, which herd together in small troops, and are destitute of horns.'' THE GNUS. The Gnu and the Brindled Gnu are two of the most gro- tesque of creatures. With the head not unlike that of a small Cape buffalo, it has the limbs and hindquarters not unlike those of a pony, in proportions as well as size. The nose is broad and flattened, with a bristly muzzle. The horns are broad at the base, where they nearly meet, and after turning downward as well as forward, they again turn up abruptly in a hook-like manner. They are found abundantly in Southern Africa, where, as their flesh is worthless, they are not much hunted. They are extremely wild and fearless, and remarkably tenacious of life. Their speed is great, and they have a habit of prancing about and kicking out furiously when suspecting danger. Both species have a mane along the neck,, and lengthy hair between the forelegs. In both the tail is long, covered with a mass of hair not unlike that of the horse. The common gnu is of a deep brown -black, the tail and mane being white, whilst the bushy beard, running back to the chest and between the forelegs, is black. Lengthy black hairs, diverging and ascend- ing from a median line,, cover the upper part of the nose, at the same time that other smaller tufts under the eyes help to give a most ferocious aspect to the face. From Cap- tain Harris' descrip- tion of the animals of South Africa, an excel- lent idea of the peculi- THE GNU. THE CHAMOIS. 421 422 THE R UMINANTIA. arities of the creature may be gained. " Of all quadrupeds," he writes, " the gnoo is probably the most awkward and grotesque. Nature doubtless formed him in one of her freaks, and it is scarcely possible to contemplate his ungainly figure without laughter. Wheeling and prancing in every direction, his shaggy and bearded head arched between his slender and muscular legs, and his long white tail streaming in the wind, this ever-wary animal has at once a ferocious and ludicrous appearance. Suddenly stopping, showing an imposing front, and tossing his head in mock defiance, his wild red sinister eyes flash fire, and his snort, resembling the roar of a lion, is repeated with energy and effect. Then lashing his sides with his floating tail, he plunges, bounds, kicks up his heels with a fantastic flourish, and in a moment is off at speed, making the dust fly behind him as he sweeps across the plain." In the Brindled Gnu the front of the face lacks the lengthy hair of its ally ; the tail is also black instead of white. Its body color is a dirty dun, variegated with obscure pale streaks. This species, as well as the common gnu, is the con- stant companion of the equally abundant quaggas of the same region. THE CHAMOIS. This well known goat-like antelope inhabits the snow- clad mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees to the Caucasus, ascending during the summer, and in winter going below the line of snow in search of food. Both sexes possess horns — black, short, and cylindrical — rising perpendicularly and parallel from the forehead for some distance, then forming a small hook directed backward to their pointed tips. These rarely exceed seven inches in length. The female is slightly smaller than the male, which stands a little over two feet at the shoulder. In winter the color of the lengthy, hairy coat is dark brown, which becomes a brownish yellow in the summer, a darker streak along the back alone remaining. The head is pale yellow, darker from the nose upward to between the ears and around the eyes. Behind the horns and between the ears is a pair of peculiar glands, opening externally, the function of which is unknown. The voice of the species is a rough bleat under ordinary circumstances; but when the one which watches whilst fhe others feed — and there is always found to be one such in every herd — finds cause to fear, it gives a shrill whistle as a danger signal to its companions. The senses of sight, hearing, and smell of the chamois are developed to a maximum, and this fact, taken in association with the animal's great sure-footed ness among the lofty, snow-covered Alps, in which it has its home, makes hunting it a task of no mean difficulty and danger. Dogs are of no service on the rocky eminences to which the chamois will retreat when it is pursued, and the sportsman has to rely upon his own sure-footedness and courage in climbing the steep and slippery precipices, whither he is tempted by the sight of game. If so hard pressed that it is driven to some height beyond which it cannot go, it is said that it will precipitate itself upon its pursuer, sending him down into the depths below. THE ORYX— THE GEM SB OK. 423 Besides man, the eagle is an enemy, whose constant endeavor is to obtain the kids from their watchful mothers. Its skin is much valued for its toughness combined with its pliability. Its flesh is also greatly esteemed. The appearance of a herd of Oryx is very imposing. They are some of the most elegant and symmetrical of animals, the motions being those of a wild horse rather than of an antelope. Their favorite pace appears to be either a steady quick walk, or a trot; they rarely break into a gallop unless greatly alarmed. When THE ORYX. frightened they dash off, sometimes snorting and putting their heads down, as if charging, raising their long tails, and looking very formidable. They are wary animals, though far less so than some other antelopes. It is said that they fre- quently attack when wounded, and their long, straight horns are most deadly weapons. Of the Gemsbok, Captain Harris tells us that it "is about the size of an ass, and nearly of the same ground color, with a black list stripe down the back and on each flank, white legs variegated with black bands, and a white face, marked with the figure of a black nose-band and headstall, imparting altogether to the 424 THE RUMWANTIA. THE GFlMiiiK. animal the appearance of being clad in half-mourning. Its copious black tail literally sweeps the ground ; a mane reversed, and a tuft of flowing black hair on the breast, with a pair of straight, slender horns (common to both sexes) three feet in length, and ringed at the base, completing the portrait." The resemblance between the Gemsbok, when seen from the side view, and the unicorn of heraldry, is sufficiently striking to make it more than probable that the conception of the latter originated in the former. THE MUSK OX is an animal whose exact affinities it is not easy to deter- mine. It is found only in Arctic America north of latitude 6o°, and exhales a strong musky odor at certain seasons of the year, an approach to which is recog- nizable in several of the Bovidas. It is a heavy built, but not large creature, with THE MUSK OX— THE OX. 425 short legs, and a very lengthy brown hairy coat, which almost reaches to the ground. Its horns are very similar in form to those of the Cape Buffalo, and in the bulls they meet in the middle line of the forehead. The tail is very short, being entirely hidden by the fur of the haunches. The nose is not naked, as in the oxen, but is almost entirely covered with hair, as in the elk and reindeer, both Arctic ruminants also. The spread of their feet is considerable, and they can cover the ground at no little speed. Captain Franklin describes their habits as follows: "The Musk Oxen, like the buffalo, herd together in bands, and generally frequent barren grounds during the summer months, keeping near the rivers, but THE MUSK OX. retire to the woods in winter. They seem to be less watchful than most other wild animals, and when grazing are not difficult to approach, provided the hunters go against the wind. When two or three men get so near a herd as to fire at them from different points, these animals, instead of separating or running away, huddle closer together, and several are generally killed ; but if the wound is not mortal they become enraged, and dart in the most furious manner at the hunters, who must be very dexterous to evade them. They can defend themselves with their powerful horns against wolves and bears, which, as the Indians say, they not infrequently kill. The Musk oxen feed on the same substances as the reindeer ; and the prints of the feet of these two animals are so much alike, that it requires 426 THE RUMINANTIA. HEAD CHILL INGHAM BULL. the eye of an experienced hunter to distinguish them. The largest killed by us did not exceed in weight three hundred pounds." THE OX. It being quite unnecessary to describe the general form and proportions of this animal, as seen among us in a domesticated state — Shorthorns, Alderney, Highland, etc. — we will at once proceed to notice the favorite cattle of Chillingham Park, in Northumberland, England, which are known to have been in existence in the thirteenth century. The wild cattle there are all cream white, with a brown muzzle, with the in- sides and tips of the ears reddish brown, at the same time that the horns are white, tipped with black, of which latter color are the hoofs. Calves more or less colored are occasionally bora, but these are promptly destroyed by the keepers. Some of the bulls have a thin, short mane. Their habit, on strangers approaching them, is to "set off in a full gallop, and at a distance of about two hundred yards make a wheel round and come boldly up again, tossing their heads in a menacing manner. On a sudden they make a full stop at the distance of forty or fifty yards, looking wildly at the object of their surprise ; but upon the least motion being made, they all again turn round and fly off with equal speed, but not to the same distance, forming a shorter circle ; and again returning with a bolder and more threatening aspect than before, they approach much nearer, probably within thirty yards, when they again make another stand, and then fly off. This they do several times, shortening their dis- tance, and advancing nearer and nearer, till they come within such a short distance that most people think it proper to leave them, not choosing to provoke them further." They dif- fer from domestic cattle in that they feed at night, and generally sleep dur- ing the day. They also hide their Calves. CURLED HORNED OX. AMERICAN WILD CATTLE. 427 LONG-HORNED OX. It is now almost universally agreed that domestic cattle are des- cended from two or three species of the genus Bos, which existed in late geologic or prehistoric times, the remains being found in Switzerland, Ireland and other parts of Europe. The Zebu, Yak, Gayal, and Ami, to be referred to immediately, have also been domesticated. Cattle have been so distributed and mixed in breeding that any pre- cise arrangement of the breeds according to their ancestral affinities can scarcely be tabulated. Most im- portant of the heavy breeds are the well known Shorthorns. Several enterprising American breeders have introduced Shorthorns into the United States and Canada, Colonel Lewis Sanders, of Ken- tucky, being the first who did so on anything like thorough principles. Others followed his example with success. The Booth and Bates bloods predominate in these animals, and form the basis of much of the beef now shipped to England. The great advantage of the Shorthorn breed is that they, together with a good temper, combine the advantages of great size and aptitude to fatten, rapidly reaching maturity. For dairy pur- poses they are excelled by the Suffolk Duns and Ayrshire cattle, the latter, with their enormous udders, broad hips, and deep flanks, being the best as milkers. Hereford, North Devon, and Scottish black Shorthorns are inferior in their slowness of growth and power of filling out. AMERICAN WILD CATTLE. At the discovery of this continent no cattle existed in South America. Columbus imported some on his sec- ond voyage into San Domingo, and in 1540 some Spanish bulls and cows were landed in the southern parts of the continent. Circumstances favored common cow. their rapid increase, the herds became 428 THE R UMINANTIA. SYRIAN CATTLE. too large to be always watched, and soon wandered about in perfect liberty. Within a hundred years of their introduction, they were roaming over the pampas in hundreds and thousands, and were hunted by the natives as the Northern Indians hunt the bison of the plains.. At present the plains on both sides the River Platte and its tributaries are swarming with cattle. They all have owners. Vast establishments named "Estancias" are scattered over the pampas ; and thirty thousand cattle, five thousand horses, and twelve thousand sheep are moderate numbers for the animals belonging to one owner. The cattle of each proprietor are branded with his mark, and are looked after by Gauchos, who displav incredible courage, patience and skill in their occupation, collecting the herds when necessary, or catching those that have to be killed or sold. The cattle are drilled, as far as possible, to assemble on the appearance of the herds- man at a certain spot situated at a convenient distance from the corral, and it is no unusual sight to see thirty-five thousand thus assembled. The proportion of men employed is very small, when compared with the numbers of the oxen. The usual allowance is four men to every five thousand head ; thus an extent of two hundred thousand square miles may have only fifty inhabitants. Those that remain in a half-wild state, are for the most part taken with the lasso, and sold to the drovers in troops of five hundred each. When a five-year- old ox is lassoed by the horns, and he turns out a Tartar, after a few ineffectual shakes of the head to throw off the lasso, he directly darts at the horse, who immediately starts off at full speed, the foaming ox close at his heels, and fast to the saddle with twenty-five yards of lasso. The horse must take all that comes in his way ; patches of long grass that reach up to the stirrups, the burrows of the viscachas, and every other obstacle. Should the ox give up the chase suddenly, the rider must immediately check the speed of his horse, otherwise the jerk would break the lasso, or what is worse, it would draw the saddle back to the flanks of the horse, or break the girths; in which case the man would be brought to the ground, and be at the mercy of the furious animal, still with the lasso on his horns, but no longer fast to the horse. The troops of oxen when formed, are driven at the rate of nine to twelve miles a day to the Saladero or salting establishment. The hide is the most valuable part of the animal, and the preparation of it is carefully attended to. The workmen lay each hide on the flat of their left hands, scrape off all the beef and fat which may be adhering to the inner coating with a knife in the right hand, trim the edges, and then stretch out the hides by means of THE AMERICAN BISON. 429 stakes driven into the ground, if the skins are to be dried. If they are to be salted, a pile is made of them with layers of salt. Dried hides require much more time and skill than when they are only salted. In the latter case they are packed in casks for exportation ; in the former, when shipped, they are tied up in bundles. Hides form the chief export from the River Platte. THE BISONS. Closely related to the oxen are the bisons of Europe and of North America, together with the Tibetan Yak. The two species of bison agree THE AMERICAN BISON. closely with one another in general appearance, the American form being shorter and weaker in the hindquarters, and a little smaller altogether. The hair of the head and neck is very abundant and long, forming a mane of very dark color, at the same time that it nearlv conceals the eyes and ears as well as the base of the short conical horns, which are directed outward and upward. Under the chin there is a lengthy beard. A line of lengthy hair also extends along the back nearly to the tail, which is itself only covered with short soft hair, except at the end, where there is a long tuft. There is a hump developed on 430 THE RUMINANTIA. the shoulders, at which spot the adult male is nearly six feet in height, the female being smaller. THE AMERICAN BISON {or Buffalo, as it is commonly known), was until recently found in huge herds on the great Western prairies, but is now nearly, if not quite extinct. Vast herds, numbering millions of individuals, " so numerous as to blacken the plains as far as they can reach," were common formerly, and have been known repeatedly to stop the Kansas Pacific railway when first formed. Hunters have spread false notions as to the organization of these herds, which is of a most simple character, excellently explained by Mr. Allen, who tells us that "the timidity and watchfulness of the cows, accustomed as they are, to the care of their offspring, lead them to take the initiative in the movements of the herd, and this keeps them near the front, especially when the herd is moving. The popular belief that the bulls keep the cows and the young in the middle of the herd, and form themselves, as it were, into a protecting phalanx, has some apparent basis ; but the theory that the old bulls, the least watchful of all the members of the herd, are sentinels posted on the outskirts to give notice of an approaching enemy, is wholly a myth, as is also the supposition that the herds consist of small harems." Buffaloes are much like domestic cattle in their habits. They are, however, very fond of wallowing in the mud, and so coating themselves with a protection from their insect pests. Their ferocity of appearance is not evident in their true natures, for their disposition is sluggish and fearful. Colonel Dodge remarks of them that, "endowed with the smallest possible amount of instinct, the little he has seems rather adapted for getting him into difficulties than out of them. If not alarmed at sight or smell of a foe, he will stand stupidly gazing at his companions in their death-throes, until the whole herd is shot down. He will walk uncon- sciously into a quicksand or quagmire already choked with struggling, dying victims. Having made up his mind to go a certain way it is almost impossible to swerve him from his purpose." The flesh of the buffalo is equal to the best beef if from the young animal, but dry and insipid when from the adult. The tongue and hump are esteemed great delicacies. The Yak differs from the bison mostly in the distribution of its long hair, which, instead of being situated on its hump and neck, forms a lengthy fringe along the shoulders, flanks, and thighs, and completely invests the tail, which latter is much prized in India, where it is known as " chowry," and is employed as a fly- switch in great ceremonials. THE YAK is a native of the high ground of Tibet, where it is rigorously protected by the native government against the foreign sportsman. Its color is black, except some spots upon the face, which are white or grey. Its tail is often 431 432 THE RUMINANTIA. white, as is frequently the long hair tuft on the top of the withers. Its horns reach nearly a yard in length, and are directed outward, forward, and then upward. Its voice is much like that of a pig, whence the name grunting ox, by which it sometimes goes. As to the habits of the creature, Col. Kinloch tells us " that the yak inhabits the wildest and most desolate mountains. It delights in extreme cold, and is found, as a rule, at a greater elevation than any other animal. HEAD OF CAPE BUFFALO. ' b ... , Although so large a beast, it thrives upon the coarsest pasturage, and its usual food consists of a rough, wiry grass, which grows in all the higher valleys of Tibet, up to an elevation of nearly 20,000 feet. Yak seem to wander about a good deal. In summer the cows are generally to be found in herds varying in number from ten to one hundred, while the old bulls are for the most part solitary or in small parties of three or four. They feed at night or early in the morning, and usually betake themselves to some steep and barren hillside during the day, lying sometimes for hours in the same spot." THE BUFFALOES. The buffaloes have the horns flattened and triangular in section, inclined outward and backward, turning up at the tips. The common buffalo is found in Southern Europe, North Africa, and in the Indian region. The huge Indian variety, with most lengthy horns, is also known as the Arnee. Its horns are elongated and narrow, sometimes reaching six feet and a half in length. It stands nearly or quite six feet at the shoulder. Its proportions are bulky, and its general color dusky black. It lives in small herds numbering not more than twenty, and solitary bulls are often met with which attack sportsmen in a most vicious manner without provocation. The Cape buffalo has shorter horns, expanded at their bases, so that they almost meet in the middle line of the forehead. It is found all over Central and South Africa, and is a formidable animal when wounded, as, quite regard- less of the cloud of smoke which follows the shot aimed at it, it charges right through it, and so does frequent injury to the experienced hunter. Its gen- eral color is blue-black, but in some cases it has a reddish tinge. The Hon. W. H. Drummond gives the following account of a fight between two bulls, of which he was an eye witness. After having had his attention attracted by a loud clattering noise, he remarks that, "On looking through the edge of the last thicket that had concealed them, I saw two buffalo bulls standing facing each other with lowered heads, and, as I sat down to watch, they rushed together with all their force, pro- ducing the loud crash I had before heard. Once the horns were interlocked they kept them so, their straining quarters telling that each was doing his best to force the other backward. Several long white marks on their necks showed where they had received scratches, and blood dripping over the withers of the one next me f>I.,^-~* -„.- ,«~--