Y ALL ABOUT }oy c ^/RB|^ " *Jr> P : Ull'ln *?f ' TY ° F NC - AT CHAPEL "ILL 00022093182 -X. *W Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil http://www.archive.org/details/allaboutanimalsfOOnewy HAMRAN ARABS ATTACKING ELEPHANTS. ^ LL . About- Anim ALs . FACT TORI IM t: ILLUSTRATED •MEW °y®M> ' I also am a Tiger "—Puss. / .fcM ayg^^gJPiva g^^. eoP YRlGHT., 9oo MckouGHLiN Bros THE CAT TRIBE. The beautiful and terrible animals known as the Cat Tribe stand out as a distinct family. They are all noted for their grace and beauty and won- derful strength. They are flesh-eaters, destructive in their mode of obtaining food, and in habits stealthy, silent of foot, quick of ear, and swift of attack. Members of this group are found in every part of the world, and vary in size from the mighty lion and tiger to the domestic cat. THE LION. First comes the Lion, the king of the beasts. The only remaining stronghold of this largest animal of the cat species is in Central Africa. The time was when it wandered through Persia, Syria, and India, but owing to strong persecution it has almost vanished out of Asia. The lion is an open-country hunter. It is to be found, as a rule, in the lon."-- -_ - ■-,: ■-' -: ■'"■••■- BENGAL TIGER. ^ggiar SURPRISED, THE TIGER. a confirmed man-hunter, and holds the country round in terror. The women no longer dare go into the fields along, and even the men travel from place to place in well-armed parties of three and four. Nothing is more wonderful about the tiger than its ability, in spite of its enormous size, to move quietly over twigs and leaves. A good illustration of this, and its sneaking habits, is the following story : A hunter decided to watch the ford of a stream where a tiger had been in the habit of coming down to drink. He posted an armed native on the oppo- site side, and then hid himself. After several hours of watching, during which time he saw nothing of the tiger, he called to his companion. The man did not answer and the hunter became alarmed. There was an uncanny stillness in the air. He hastened across, and there he saw the footprints of a huge tiger just behind where the man had been standing. He followed up the tiger's trail, and about one hundred and fifty yards away he fell over the native's bod}'. He was quite dead, with a clawed and broken neck. Al- though the hunter was only a short distance off, he had heard nothing of the tiger's approach. Two ladies left their bungalow one evening, and walked to the top of a hill to view the sunset. While they were returning, a full-grown tiger stepped out into the road. One lady, in her terror, suddenly opened her red sun-shade. The unusual sight startled the tiger, who bounded into the jungle once more. This story only goes to show that the fiercest animals in the world can be frightened by simple objects which they do not understand. All the cat tribe are cautious, and will never approach anything that looks to them suspicious. Another story is told of an Indian officer, who had to pass through a lonely piece of road near a jungle, while going to visit some friends. He was riding a bicycle. Suddenly a large tiger sprang out behind him, and followed him with much the same gait that a cat uses when crossing the street. Strain as hard as he could, the rider was unable to increase his lead on the tiger, who seemed not to be making the least effort. Near the end of the road a number of officers were waiting for the expected guest, and were astonished at the speed he was making. When they saw the tiger behind him they rushed for their guns. At the same time the tiger seemed to think that he had come far enough, and, uttering a loud roar, gave three huge springs, which brought him up with his victim, and down went tiger, bicycle, and rider, in a heap. A lucky shot finished the tiger, and the officer escaped with a torn scalp and a broken arm. THE LEOPARD. It is about as hard to catch a Lkopard asleep as to sprinkle salt on the tail of a bird. The beautiful spotted creature is the most cunning and daring, of the cat tribe. Although much inferior in strength and size to the tiger, it will attempt deeds that the latter would shun as too dangerous. An Indian story runs that a dead sheep was hung up near a sentry's box, and in a short time it was missing. On the ground directly beneath where the sheep had hung were footprints of a leopard, and yet the soldier on guard had not heard a sound. After that he kept a better watch, and an- other sheep was hung up. Suddenly, with a roar, up sprang a leopard, from nowhere it seemed, and seizing the sheep it made off, after viciously laying about it with its paws, wounding several natives, and leaving the soldier half dead. Leopards do not hesitate to attack in broad daylight, and will carry small animals off from under their keeper's very nose. On one occasion a leopard sprang into the middle of a camp at midnight, and dragged off a pair of wolf-hounds that were fastened together. After carrying them some hun- dred yards or so, it was forced to drop its prey. One dog was dead, with its skull smashed in, and the other was so badly injured that it had to be shot. Leopards have a fondness for eating the flesh of dogs, and resort to many clever tricks to gratify their taste. The pariah dogs, which swarm about every Indian village, on hearing the leopard growling, will rush toward the spot with loud barkings. The leopard lets them approach, and then suddenly springs out on the nearest dog and bounds off with it. Another clever device they resort to is in catching antelopes. A great failing of all the antelope tribe is curiosity. This the leopard well knows, so he hides in a small clump of grass near a herd of the swift-footed animals, and slowly moves his body back and forth sb as to make the grass wave. This attracts the attention of the antelopes, who come forward to see what it is, their curiosity leading them to swift death. If a leopard is chased by dogs it will take to a tree. In fact a large part of its life is passed off the ground, preying upon the birds and monkeys that live in the upper branches. Leopards are seldom or never found in for- ests where there is no undergrowth. They climb a tree and lie out on the larger limbs, and from there leap upon anything that passes below. One of the most wonderful stories of a leopard comes from India. A native woman, who was working among the corn, had left her baby asleep beneath a large tree. When she had finished her work she went to get her LEOPARD AND CUBS. THE LEOPARD. ALWAYS WARY. child and found that it had vanished. On the ground round about were the footprints of a large leopard. She followed these up and found that they led to a jungle near by. After a long search she came to a sheltered rock, under which she found her baby sound asleep among three leopard cubs, which were playing together. The woman seized her child and rushed off, but she had not gone far when she heard something bounding after her. In her terror she rushed for an open space where there was a small fire left by some wood- choppers. She threw some leaves on it so that it blazed up ; at the same instant the leopard appeared. It stopped, looked at the fire, and lowered its eyes. At last it turned tail and went off. The woman waited until help came from a village hunter, who had seen the smoke of the fire rising above the trees. It is impossible to say why the leopard had not killed the child, but the fact remains that it was none the worse for its adventure. Considering the fact that the child had been carried some distance by the leopard shows that it must have been handled as carefully as if it had been one of her own cubs. The leopard is regarded everywhere as a pest, and in India especially is it troublesome. Many people are of the opinion that a large part of the black deeds charged to the tiger are really the work of the sly, cunning leopard. THE JAGUAR. The Jaguar takes the place of the tiger in the South American tropics. In habits, however, it is more like the Eastern leopard. It is not as large as the tiger, but it is much heavier and more powerful than the panther. There are many instances on record where jaguars have been tamed. A captain in the British navy had a two-year-old jaguar that would eat from his hand, and was allowed to roam the ship at large. In spite of its size, it was as playful as a kitten, and was never better pleased than to find someone with whom to have a game of romps As time wore on, the romps became rather dangerous, owing to the jaguar not understanding what a frail playfel- low a man was. This animal afterward lived many years in England. The jaguar roams through the jungles from Paraguay to the Equator, and nothing seems too large or too powerful for it to attack. It will kill any- thing from a horse down to a lizard. Jaguars swim well, and are very fond of fish. They lie on a branch over- hanging a stream, and watch till a luckless fish swims within reach of their deadly paws. The favorite food of the jaguar is the flesh of the monkeys that swarm in the forests. The easiest time to catch monkeys is at night. The jaguar climbs into the trees and stealthily prowls among the branches. Sud- denly, the stillness of the night is broken by the fierce roar of the jaguar and the terrified yells of the monkeys, showing that it has found a sleeping colony. When the jaguar attacks a large animal, such as a deer, it springs upon its back and grasping the head with its powerful paw, dislocates its neck with a single wrench. When the jaguar wishes to cross a river it resorts to a very clever trick to get the alligators out of its way. It takes up a position on the bank and begins to howl. The alligators hearing the noise come swimming up to listen. When the jaguar sees that they have arrived, he sneaks off and swims the river lower down in safety. This trick is played over and over again and yet the alligators never seem to understand it. The jaguar is a very suspicious and cautious animal, and will never make an open attack on man or beast. Should a party of hunters travel through the forest, it will follow their steps for days together, in the hopes of picking up a straggler. In the early days of settling countries inhabited by the jaguar, it was found almost impossible to keep anything alive in the way of stock. Now the hunter is making slow but sure progress, and the jaguar is being forced back into the dense, trackless forest. JAGUAR. THE PUMA. AMERICAN PUMA. The Puma (sometimes spoken of as the mountain lion, panther, and cou- gar) is the largest cat of North America. It is also found far down in South America. Its head is small for its body, and it does not look as formidable a beast as it really is. It does not hesitate to attack man, if it can do so sud- denly, without being seen. One day some hunters in California were creeping toward a small herd of deer, when they saw a puma doing the same thing. So intent was the animal on its prey that it did not notice the hunters being near. Suddenly the deer became alarmed, and at once the puma sprang and brought down a young doe. One of the hunters fired, but missed, and the puma, seizing its prey in its mouth, made off across the loose scree with amazing rapidity. The puma causes great havoc among the small live-stock, and should a bullock get stuck in the mud the puma will attack it. It is not dangerous if you can keep it in sight, and you can even prevent it springing by gazing at it steadily. It will turn its head from side to side trying to avoid the look. THE MARBLED CAT AND THE OCELOT. I MARBLED CAT (>s Natural Size). The Marbled Cat is an inhabitant of Malacca. It is like the ocelot, though much smaller in size. The Ocelot is found throughout the whole of tropical America. It is hunted a great deal - for its beautiful fur, which is in exeat demand. OCELOT (>/,„ Natural Size). THE EGYPTIAN CAT. EGYPTIAN CAT ( H THE CAT. When one sees a sleek, lazy, contented Cat stretched out asleep in front of the fire, it is hard to believe that she is first cousin to the tiger. If you want proof of the cat's relationship to the tiger, watch her stalking sparrows in the roadway. She creeps nearer and nearer her prey, taking advantage of any shelter, while her eyes blaze with excitement, and ever)- muscle stands out rigid and ready for the fatal spring. Again, look at the infinite patience of the cat watching a mouse-hole. It sticks to its post for days together, until the poor mouse is caught. Pussy is one of the most affectionate of animals. As far back as history goes she has always been a household pet. In Egypt cats were worshipped. Hundreds of instances might be given of the cleverness of cats and kit- tens. Cats will learn to open latched doors, to pull knockers, and ring spring bells. They will pick up odd friendships with puppies and dogs, and have been known to befriend canaries, rats, pigeons, chickens, guinea-pigs, frogs, and other strangers. There is a well-known story in France of a cat who, after sitting in its sick mistress's room until she died, visited the grave and was found lying dead there, apparently of grief. Cats are very fond of their young, and watch over them just as human beings do over their babies. An interesting story of a cat's bravery is the fol- lowing : Some kittens belonging to a farmer's pet cat were playing in the yard, when a sparrow-hawk swooped down and carried one off. Without an in- stant's pause, puss flew off to the fir-wood, where she knew the hawk's nest was. She came to the tree and scrambled up it, and in the large nest at the top she found her kitten unharmed, nestling down among the young hawks. She seized it in her mouth and carried it home. When the hawk appeared again the cat was on the watch, caught the thief, and, in spite of the claws and beak of the hawk, rolled it about on the ground until it was glad to make its escape and let the kittens alone. The domestic cats are of many colors and sizes, and are found all over the world. In America, the Chinese look upon the cat as an emblem of luck. Cats are excellent hunters, and are much used to keep rats and mice away from houses. They are nocturnal in their habits, like the rest of their tribe, only instead of roaming the jungles, they parade the roofs of houses, and keep people awake with their mournful cries. KITTENS. THE LYNX. EUROPEAN LYNX. The European Lynx is a beautiful animal, much sought after for its fur, which is finest in the depths of winter, for it is fuller and richer then. The lynx is famous for its quickness of sight, which has indeed become proverbial, like the hearing of the blind mole. Sheep often fall victims to the lynx, but it find its chief food among hares, rabbits, and other small animals. It is also an excellent climber of trees, and chases its prey among the branches with ease and success. Should one of these animals be suddenly surprised, it endeavors to sneak off, although it is formidable enough when brought to bay. The Caracal belongs to the tribe of lynxes, and is one of the surliest and most untamable of all animals. Although powerfully built, and capable of pulling down anything of its size, it does not hesitate to feed upon the re- mains of a carcass slain by a larger animal. The Southern Lynx is another beautiful specimen of the species which inhabits the warmer countries, such as Spain and Portugal. From the leopard- like spots with which its ruddy chestnut fur is covered, it derives the name of Pardine or Spotted Lynx. ror* ■M~. CARACAL. SOUTHERN LYNX. HUNTING WITH CHEETAHS. THE CHEETAH. A PAIR OF CHEETAHS. The Cheetah or hunting leopard is a magnificent-looking creature, stand- ing higher than a leopard, but without the latter's enormous strength. The head is small for the body, and the limbs are long and slender. The cheetah is found in Asia and Africa, and in the former is regarded with favor. It was noticed in India that whenever the creature caught a deer, it commenced at once to suck its blood. Hence the idea to use them in hunting. The cheetah is blindfolded and carried in a native cart until some game is sighted. Then the bandages are removed, and the animal usually spies the game at once. The cheetah moves forth with a swift, stealthy motion, never risking showing itself until it is quite close. Then it gives one powerful spring, and seldom misses. The keepers hurry up and entice it away with some favorite food, or the blood of the deer. The cheetah is then rehooded and taken back to the cart until more game is found. THE HYENA. LAUGHING HYENAS. The Spotted or Laughing Hyena is the most famous of its kind This animal is the kino- of scavengers, and in hot countries, where carcasses are allowed to rot in the sun, it is of immense use. The name laughing hyena arises from the idiotic, hysterical laugh which it pours forth, accompanying it with the wildest gestures of body and limbs, howling and dancing about on its hind legs in the greatest excitement. As long as the hyenas confine them- selves to scavenger-work they are looked upon as a blessing ; but when they become too numerous they do fearful damage among the flocks and herds. In spite of the fact that they are armed with jaws of surpassing strength, they never attack an animal in front. A good illustration of this is the following story : A Boer farmer noticed a spotted hyena sneaking about his cattle-corral shortly after he had railed it up for the night. The hyena passed by a cow, who, too weak to escape, stood at bay, and attacked a large bull, which had turned to run away. After the fashion of hyenas, the brute did not spring, but fixed its teeth in the flank of its victim. The Boer ended the matter with a shot. APES AND MONKEYS. THE GORILLA. The largest and most formidable of the ape tribe is the Gorilla. The animal is black, with dark gray eyes with a wicked lustre in them. For many years the reports of these terrible beasts had reached Europe, giving the im- pression that it was a myth or legend of the slave-traders. Travellers who returned to Europe brought news of a gigantic race of hairy savages living on the west coast of Africa. Then Paul Du Chaillu, the great explorer, brought home a true account of the huge ape, which evidently the ignorant natives had taken to be a race of men; but even then the truth was doubted. At last Du Chaillu brought home the skin and skeleton of a gorilla. This set all doubts at rest. The specimen was found to stand nearly six feet high, with shoulders three feet wide, and arms that reached almost to the ground ; but, above all things, stood out the unsurpassed strength of these apes. In the hunting-ground Dr. Chaillu was surprised to find complete silence over everything. Calling to mind the sayings of the natives, that nothing could live near the gorilla, he found no birds in the forest, and even the noisy tree-frogs were silent. The hunters assured him that these signs meant that the game must be near. After walking in single file through the forest for awhile, they stopped to consult, and noticed that the gun-carrier, who was the last man of the party, was missing. Before any questions could be asked, the man's dead body suddenly fell from the branches far above them. They had passed right under where a gorilla was sitting, and with its hind foot it had gripped up the last man and killed him. This proved to be a favorite trick that the gorilla plays on the natives, who always held that the great ape was more to be feared than the lion. The gorilla in this instance broke cover with a roar, and made off through the branches with astonishing speed, in spite of its great bulk and weight. A female and young one were found, and a great battle began. One hunter had his gun snatched from him by the brute, and Du Chaillu was as- tounded to see it bent and twisted in the creature's hand like a cane. The female showed an immense store of vitality, for after being shot several times she still fought. When at last she could not rise, the young one threw itself upon its mother's breast with a strangely human cry. This baby gorilla was AN ANGRY GORILLA. THE CHIMPANZEE. brought to England and caged with a bull terrier, with whom it made great friends ; but in spite of all the care and attention it died. Another illustration of the enormous strength of the gorilla is the escape of a specimen which had been shipped to England, and placed in the Zoologi- cal Gardens. The keeper had closed up for the night, never doubting but that his charge was safe. The next morning he was astonished to find that the extra strong steel-bars of the cage had been wrenched apart, and the occupant was nowhere to be seen. When the news leaked out a panic ensued in the Garden ; but the gorilla was found in the tunnel under the roadway. The strong cage that it had been brought in was still handy, and the huge beast was coaxed mto it once more. THE CHIMPANZEE. The Chimpanzee is also an inhabitant of the west coast of Africa, being fairly numerous in the Gaboon country. It was supposed at one time to be a young gorilla, but it has since been clearly placed in a class by itself. The chimpanzee has the most intelligent face of all the ape tribes, using its lips to show hate, pleasure, or rage. It is not able to stand erect, but moves along resting its hands knuckles down, instead of on the palms. It has been proved that the chimpanzee has one singular habit in common with the orang-utan of Sumatra, namely, that of building a sort of hammock-nest. Only the female and young occupy this nest, while the male stations himself on top. Chim- panzees are really ground apes, preferring rocky, broken country to the forest. Their food consists entirely of vegetable matter, and it is impossible to raise any crops near one of their colonies. Many travellers have claimed that the chimpanzees carry clubs, and there seems to be no reason to doubt it. They may have copied the natives they have seen, for their imitative ability is well known, but as it has been proved that they cannot stand erect, it is almost impossible for them to use clubs to fight with. They have enormous strength in the arms, but greatest in the hands. A chimpanzee is able easily to' snap a branch that would be far be- yond the strength of a couple of men. Another curious thing about these apes is that they live in social bands, and at sundown may be heard barking and yelling before they settle down for the night. Though a chimpanzee would not risk a fight alone with a panther or other large animal, yet even an elephant will turn aside rather than face an angry crowd of these apes. Chimpanzees seldom travel alone, and if one is CHIMPANZEE. THE ORANG-UTAN. attacked it raises a shrill cry, and at once all the chimpanzees near by flock to the rescue. When a band of these apes is engaged in feeding, they set a sen- tinel to guard, who, on the slightest sign of an alarm, utters a loud cry, which is said to resemble a human being in agony. It is promptly answered by loud barks and yells, which are increased as the alarm spreads. They flock to battle, for they are very ferocious, or else decamp rapidly. A fine specimen of a chimpanzee, better known now as the late lamented " Sally," lived for many years at the Zoo, in London, where, from the fact that it was so intensely human, being able to do almost everything but talk, it was very popular. THE ORANG-UTAN. The Orang-Utan, or Mias, is a native of Sumatra and Borneo. It is quite large, standing often five feet high, with arms that reach the ground, and its body covered with long, coarse, reddish-brown hair. Perhaps of all the great apes it is the most unsociable and indolent. The orang-utan is able to weave a nest of branches with amazing rapidity, and likes to sleep in it un- til disturbed, or hunger compels it to move. In spite of its indolent nature, it is a frightful antagonist when roused. Its strength surpasses that of the great- est animals in its own country, while it is possessed of terrible dog-like teeth, which, as it is only a vegetable-eater, are only used for purposes of attack or defence. Russell, the great naturalist, was one of the first men to call attention to the orang-utan, and he is said to have captured the first of these live ani- mals which was seen in England. Owing to the ape's resistance, it is often fatally wounded before it can be captured. When young, the orang- utan display great affection, but become morose and sullen as they grow older. A young orang-utan was brought to England on a ship from Su- matra, and was very fond of annoying the other monkeys on board. Owing to its strength it held sway, and the sailors had often to prevent it from throw- ing a youngster overboard. One day a sailor left a large pot of white paint unguarded on the deck. The orang-utan saw it, and, seizing the brush, fell like a thunder-bolt among the astonished monkeys, and scattered the paint right and left. The whole thing took only a few seconds, but hardly a monkey escaped a daubing, while the orang-utan scrambled up the mast to a safe distance and surveyed the scene, shaking and chattering with excitement. AN ORAXG AND YOUNG. THE GIBBON. GIBBONS (/s Natural Size). The Gibbons are the fairy- monkeys of the trees, spending al- most as much time in the air as among the branches. The gibbon forms a link between the great apes, the baboons, and lesser monkeys. Like the other apes, they are tail- less, and have an enormous devel- opment of arm-power. The gigan- tic gorilla and chimpanzee are both cree-dwellers, but neither of them would attempt feats like the gibbon, which is able to spring through space in travelling from tree to tree. Ow- ing to this wonderful power, ;t has been given by the naturalists the name ot " hylobate," meaning " tree traverser." The Silvery Gibbon derives its name from the silver-gray color of its fur. THE ENTELLUS MONKEY. On some parts of the body there is a trace of brown, while the hands are dark - colored. The eyes of all the gibbon family are large and deeply sunk in the ', head. The gibbon's size is about i thirty inches. The Malaccas are the home of the gibbons, where they live their gay life amid the high trees and cane-fields. THE ENTELLUS MONKEY. The Entellus Monkey is a native of India. It is not small, by any means, measuring nearly thirty-six inches in length, not counting the tail. They belong to the family of Indian monkeys that is sacred. This fact makes them very bold and impudent. They enter villages, sit in the porches and sills (preferably those of the pastry - cook and corn - sellers), and from there steal when the master's back is turned, while the poor pastry- cook is not allowed to revenge himself, but simply sighs and keeps a better watch. The origin of this monkey-reverence is said to lie in the fact that its skel- eton bears some resemblance to man, and the natives believe that the souls of the departed come back, and are reincarnated in the monkeys. To molest one would rouse the whole village to fury, and there are many instances on record where hunters have come to grief by doing so. Though these monkeys live a secluded life under human protection, there is always one deadly enemy on the watch, the snake, which crawls stealthily after them among the branches. The monkey, grown careless through life with man, falls an easy victim to the snake's fangs. When a snake is discovered, the w T hole neighborhood boils with excitement, and the GIBBON (',.,„ Natural Size) THE ENTELLUS MONKEY. yelling band pelts and : y!^$M^:M/^^^^^:^\^V harasses the invader, al- ways keeping well out ' : J ^^^''^^^^^'-}^ of its way, however. Occasionally the tables '' -t^" /a' ; '^ f^ are turned, for if a mon- key finds a snake asleep o^i.^pTOiii - : G n a high tree, it creeps down to assure itself ,M '-- that it is no trick. Then it will do one of two things, either push the snake off suddenly from its perch, hoping that the fall will injure it, or, boldly seizing it behind the head, scam- per with it to the ground. There it will dash its head against a, wall or among THE GREEN MONKEY. stones, pausing every once in awhile to see how the work is progressing. Once the fangs are crushed, so as to be harmless, the poor reptile is thrown among the young monkeys, who torment it still further, until it is dead. When the entellus monkey is not living near a village, it carries on its raids in much the same manner among the jungle-folk. Should a tiger ap- pear, the monkey climbs to the highest branches, and from there insults the royal beast below. The long tail of the species does not seem to be of much benefit to the owner, unless, perhaps, for balancing purposes ; but as a fifth arm it is never used. The general color of this monkey is a dark grayish-brown, although when young it is several shades lighter. The hands and feet are black, and there is also some black around the head. GREEN MONKEY. The Green Monkeys are natives of Senegal, on the west coast of Africa. They are often seen in Europe and America, owing to their being well adapted to our rigorous climate. They are famous for the beauty of their silky fur. They are not liked by the natives, owing to their thieving habits. One green monkey is not a serious thing, but a number will work fearful havoc in a very short time. They destroy ruthlessly, tearing clown more than they can eat or carry away. DIANA MONKEY. Who has visited any zoological collection and failed to see the beautiful white-bearded Diana Monkey ? This spotless, fussy little creature is the most beautiful of all the monkey tribes. Although the diana monkey is a tropical animal, it lives well in captivity, and, from the cleanliness of its habits, makes a good pet. A proof of its fussy habits is shown in the following : A diana monkey was once given a peach through the bars of its cage, and on account of the angry mutterings of the monkeys around it, the little creat- ure feared it would be stolen from it. After the peach was eaten, the stone had been cracked and the kernel extracted and finished, the white beard under its chin was stained with peach-juice. The monkey was much disturbed, and went to work and cleaned it until every speck of dirt and stain had gone, and its fur stood out as fluffy as before. ■ - - ■ "' A BAND OF GREEN MONKEYS LOOTING A GARDEN. THE MACAQUE. The Macaques are a larqe — o family of monkeys that dwell in Asia. They are found all over India and Ceylon, where they are protected as sacred beings. Their name macaque comes from the word macaco, which, on the coast of Guinea, means the same as our English word monkey. They are bright, active, and insolent in the extreme. The natives regard them as sacred, therefore the white man does not dare interfere or beat them off, for fear of rais- ins; the anger of the natives. These monkeys delight in gathering in large bands, and then seeking out some being to torment. A poor old, sleepy crocodile offers fair sport, and they shout and yell at him. This DIANA MONKEY (# Natural Size). he pUtS Up with patiently, bllt when the insolent monkeys begin to hurl cocoa-nuts, mud, stones — anything they can lay their hands to — he returns grunting to a quieter part of the river. It has been said that the macaques will hustle dogs away, although a fox-ter- rier would easily out-match a single macaque. RHESUS MONKEY. The Rhesus Monkey — the monkey made famous by Kipling in his Jungle Stories — is the true Bander of the Hindoos. They have a restless, quarrelsome disposition, and appear to lead aimless lives. As they are an- other branch of the sacred monkeys of India, they feel at liberty to plunder the stores and gardens of their protectors without showing the slightest fear. It has been agreed on all sides that for cunning and insolence they have no equal. A district magistrate in Bengal had a number of fine peach-trees, the fruit of which he was very proud, and therefore anxious to save. Now the local MACAQUES TEASING A CROCODILE. THI RHESUS MONKEY. Rhesus monkeys had also taken a fancy to these same peaches, and forthwith a war began between the man and the beasts. First of all, a Hindoo was put on guard, but the monkeys cared little or nothing for him, well knowing that his caste and religion forbade him injuring them. Now the white man in In- dia does not care an atom for the monkey, for he has no scruples about their sanctity, and if they steal from him, he punishes them as much as he dares without offending the natives. So a white man mounted guard over the peach- trees. The monkeys came into the orchard boldly enough, but the man chased them off, using his stick freely. The marauders, astonished beyond RHESUS MONKEYS ('4 Natural Size). measure, retired to the top of the high trees to consult. For a long time they coughed, chattered, pulled tails, and shook the branches with excitement and rage until they agreed upon a plan. They divided into bands. First one would pretend to enter the orchard, and when the guard flew at them another band would swarm over the bamboo fence and scramble up the trees, shaking the branches and causing a shower of ripe, golden peaches. Meanwhile others would scamper round on the ground, grabbing up what they could, and then BARDARY APES. once more retire, chattering with delight, to the safety of the high trees. The sun being hot and the man out of breath, he naturally lost his temper and went for a gun. This did not trouble the monkeys, for they had seen weapons pointed at them before, but never fired. The man rushed to the fence upon which a number of monkeys were still perched, and, picking out one offender, he fired. The poor creature set up a howl of pain as it fell, and then, to the amazement of the man, held out to him its bloody, shattered, little hand. In a moment or two it toppled over dead, and, regardless of the danger, the other monkeys scrambled over the fence and bore the body away. The result was that the monkeys retired from that spot, and the magistrate gathered his peaches in peace ; but the man never after raised a gun to a monkey. v^^$N\\ BARBARY APES. BARBARY APES. The Barbary Apes, or Magots, are inhabitants of Northern Africa, fhey also have the only ape foothold in Europe, on the Rock of Gibraltar THE BARBARY APE. There is a very fine legend among the Arabs to the effect that these apes crossed from Africa to Gibraltar by climbing to the top of a peak on the Afri- can side, and taking hold of tails until a long chain was formed, and then swinging back and forth until the end monkey caught hold of the Rock of Gib- raltar. The others passed over on the bridge thus formed, and the apes on the African side let go. This is an excellent story ; but the Straits of Gibral- tar are nearly twenty miles wide, and the Barbary apes have no tails. It is believed that these apes were brought to Gibraltar by the Moors. The size of this ape is about twen- ty-eight inches, and its general color is of a grayish -brown. They are fairly com- mon in a domestic state in Europe, fre- quently being seen in an undignified position on top of an Italian barrel-or- gan. While young, these apes are very gentle, but as they grow older they be- come morose and fierce. In captivity they frequently lose their natural intelli- gence and liveliness, and relapse intc utter stupidity. Like many other species, the Barbary apes swarm with parasites, and it is an odd sight to see them care- fully examining each other's fur. They are never so pleased, when in captivity, as to be allowed to over-haul a dog, or other animal, every now and then chuck- ling as they find something. The climb- ing cats stir things up among the apes of Gibraltar, and though it is difficult to approach near enough to watch their actual doings, a strong glass brings them within observation range. A wild cat was stealthily making its way toward a group of apes, when it was discovered, and a shrill yell from one of the apes threw the whole colony into the wildest excitement, the old males first hurried the females off, who carried the young with them, and then lined up in formidable array. The cat looked disgusted, and tried to assume a different air, as if it had stumbled upon them quite by accident. The apes, chattering loudly, advanced a step or two. and thereupon the cat, with a fierce snarl, retired. After awhile matters WAXDEROO (V,o Natural Size). THE TEE-TEE. quieted down, but within an hour that same cat sprang in among a group of apes, seized one, and before .the chattering mob could recover from its surprise, the marauder had fled. The night-time is when the wild cat commits the most havoc among the apes. The apes live on the Mediterranean side of Gibraltar. They are tolerably secure there, as hardly anyone would venture out upon the terrible precipices. The military authorities have done their best to protect the apes. They are not of any use, but as they are the only members of the ape family in Europe, they think it would be a pity to allow them to be shot. THE WANDEROO. The Wanderoo lives in Ceylon, and is famous for the curious growth of hair around the face, which gives it a venerable appearance. It has a curious custom of always filling its pouches with food before satisfying its hunger. In captivity it is ex- ceedingly treacherous and ill-tem- pered. THE TEE-TEE. The Tee-Tee is a tiny little creature that lives in Brazil. It is one of the most intelligent of all the monkey tribes, and therefore makes a delightful pet. There is one serious drawback, however, and that is that the tee-tee is very delicate, and unless it is carefully watched it will die. Even when kept about a Brazilian house, the tee-tee must not be placed near draughts, or anything damp. It is seldom seen in this country. TEE-TEE (}j Natural Size). ANGRY BABOONS. THE BABOON. BABOON. We now come to another famous branch of the monkey tribes, the Baboons, whose chief home is in Abyssinia and Nubia. They live among rocks and cliffs, but at the same time are excellent tree-climbers. These dog- faced creatures are considered one of the greatest curiosities living. They are worth watching when in captivity, for they sit with an almost comically grave expression on their faces, or else walk around with a curious swagger- ing gait. The baboons have a mane, more or less developed in various spe- cies, which gives them a most evil appearance when wild. They live in large colonies, and absolutely rule the country around them. They walk on all fours, very much like a dog, and when disturbed break into a swift gallop. • GELADA (' ia Natural Size). Baboons, great and small, arc armed with terrible teeth, both from a point of strength and sharpness. Many explorers testify to the tricks which these creatures will play on their enemies. When hunted, baboons always try to run off, but should they be cornered, they turn on the hunter, grip him by the throat, and then tear themselves away, causing a terrible wound, which is al- most immediately fatal. The Gelada of this family is specially famous for its strength and length of mane. Like all the rest of the baboons, it is very quarrelsome, and always ready to attack an enemv. The mothers carry the young ones on their back until they are strong enough to go alone. THE MANDRILL. The Mandrill is the mightiest of the baboons. There is hardly any other creature in the animal kingdom that is so extraordinarily marked, for on either side of the snout (which, by the way, is colored a fiery red) are broad bands of purple, blue, and scarlet. The effect is hideous, showing an animal utterly brutal and ferocious. So terrible is the mandrill that it drives every- thing away, including the elephant, while lions have been known to succumb to an onslaught from these beasts. They live in the forests, and from there frequently descend upon the vil- lages. They care little about the natives, plunder everything in sight, and carry their booty away to the woods. When caged the mandrill shows a marked preference for female visitors, and may be approached bv them when men would not dare to venture. It is exceedingly jealous, and, curiously enough, displays fierce anger if attentions are shown to any of its lady favorites. It is absolutely untamable, and if in- jured will go off into the wildest gusts of passion, which have been known to end in death. It will nurse a revenge for months, and even feign mildness, stealthily waiting for an opportunity to retaliate. THE HOWLERS. The Howling Monkeys of South America have earned a bad name for themselves. Owing to a curious formation of bones in the throat they are able to utter a loud cry with great force. These monkeys collect in vast numbers, and, unlike the Asiatic and African monkeys of similar habits which cry singly, they howl in chorus, apparently under a leader, and the effect on a still night can be imagined. They are good imitators, frequently mocking the jaguar. Hour after hour they keep up the concert, which can be easily heard a mile away. The natives of Brazil have a curious way of catching these monkeys. They fasten an empty cocoa-nut shell to the ground, fill it with rice that the monkeys love, and which can only be gotten out through a hole just the size of the monkey's hand. The natives retire and watch, and down comes the THE SAI MONKEY. inquisitive monkey. As soon as it discovers the hole it pushes its hand in and grasps a fist full of rice, and, of course, it cannot draw the hand out. The na- tives run up, and the monkey is actually too stupid or greedy to let the rice go, and so is easily captured. SAI MONKEYS. SAI MONKEY. The Sai Monkeys belong to the Capucin family, and are famous for their bright, active ways, and gentle dispositions. All of this family of monkeys is found in great numbers in Brazil. The Sais' tails are very strong, and, as in the case of a great many South American monkeys, they use them to swing by. These little fellows prefer vegetable matter to eat, but will not refuse insects and eggs. In all the forests near the Equator, when you hear a great uproar among the colonies of nesting birds, it generally means an invasion from a snake or a prowling sai. They are clever and intelligent, and are fre- quently seen in this country in a tame state. NIGHT MONKEY. The curious owl-eyed little animal in the picture, called the Night Mon- key, is an inhabitant of the South Amer- ican forests. During the heat of the noon-day sun it sleeps in a hollow tree ; then at twilight it stretches itself, and comes out, and from that time to day- light the forest has no more bright, act- ive little hunter. Hence the name, " night monkey." Its voice is very loud considering its size. It also emits a kind of a roar, not unlike the jaguar, which causes great excitement among the other monkeys. The night monkey can mew like a cat, and, which is most wonderful of all, can accurately imitate a ^9'K NIGHT MONKEY (■+ Natural Size). snake's hiss. When the night monkey is angry or excited it breaks into a loud, chattering bark. They do not live in colo- nies, but keep in pairs, except when the little ones are born. SLENDER LORIS. The Slender Loris is a quaint little creature hailing from Madagascar, Ceylon, and the Malayan Islands. The loris is barely nine inches high, and its limbs are slightly built, hence arises its surname, " slender." It is a Q-ood hunter in its own ior- ests, moving through the trees with marvellous swiftness and SLENDER LORIS. precision. THE AYE-AYE. Sonnerat, the trav- eller, while in Mada- gascar, captured a little animal that he had never seen before. He showed it to the na- tives, who were greatly surprised, and clapped their hands with cries of astonishment, and from that the Aye- Aye got its name. The little creature is brown, with black feet, large eyes and ears, is almost des- titute of hair, and has claws of great length and delicacy. In ap- pearance it is rather like a rat, with a large bushy tail and slender claws. It differs from all other species. The naturalists now believe it to be the missing link between the mon- key and the gnawing animals. It is very shy and very rare, being only found over a small part of Madagascar, and considering its strictly nocturnal habits, it is not so wonderful that the natives had never discovered it. One great point where the aye-aye differs from the rest of the four-handed animals, is that the latter suckle their young from the breast, but the aye-aye never does this, its milk-giving organs being in the lower part of the abdomen. Its Latin name means " mouse-handed." AYE-AYES ( £-i I— I «! . K o -■> w " (J Is p Ph £ ►J N W r/j O p £ p fc> P P5 .« ^ •7 < p w DOG FAMILY. ST. BERNARD. This magnificent dog gains its name from a famous monastery in Switzer- land, where it has been taught to rescue people lost in the snow, and thereby earned for itself world-wide fame. Whenever a snow-storm occurs the monks in the monastery send their dogs out to look for belated travellers. When the dog finds anyone it bays loudly, all the while scraping the snow from the frozen traveller. The monks then set out to the rescue. In the United States the St. Bernard thrives very well, and some magnifi- cent dogs can be seen about the streets. Its temper is a little uncertain. BLOODHOUND. The Bloodhound gains its name from the wonderful sense of smell it possesses, which enables it to scent a person's trail for miles over any country. The trail is often slight, but the bloodhound's instinct is unerring. FOXHOUND. This dog is short, strongly built, and smooth-skinned. It has been so care- fully bred that it has nearly reached the height of perfection. In England it lives in packs and is kept in beautiful kennels, and looked after carefully. The height of the foxhound is abort twenty to twenty-five inches. POINTER, SETTER, AND RETRIEVER. These are the three famous shooting dogs. The Pointer is a rather large, muscular, smooth-skinned animal. It gets its name from a curious habit it has of" pointing " when out hunting. If it finds a covey of quail it stands perfectly still, with its nose in exact line where the birds are hiding. The hunter there- fore keeps his gun pointed readv in that direction. The Setter is another favorite hunting doe. It is a beautiful, long-haired creature. A curious fact about the setter is its fondness for water. While hunt- ing, it will not go on with its work unless it can wet its coat periodically. II there is no water nearby it pants and puffs with heat and exertion. The set- ter is better tempered than the pointer, but it has an annoying habit of forget- ting all it has ever learned. There is nothing to do but for the hunter to go over its lessons again. The ruddy-brown Gordon setter is the most beautiful and valuable of this species. , - DINNER TIME. DOG FAMILY. The Retriever Dog is so called on account of its value in recovering or " re- trieving" game that has fallen out of the reach of the sports- men. There are two breeds of retrievers; one obtained by crossing a Newfoundland and a setter, and the other by crossing a terrier and a spaniel. The latter is naturally the smaller of the two. To train a retriever for hunting purposes is rather a difficult task, de- manding great patience. The greatest obstacle is to break the dog of its habit of barking when it is excited. BULL DOG. This dog is an example of combined brute strength and good temper. Its extraordinary courage is well-known; it may be said that there is hardly TERRIER PUPPIES. DOG FAMILY. any breed of sporting dog which does not owe its pluck to an infusion of bull- dog blood. The instinct of fight is strong in the bull dog, for there seems to be no animal that it will not attack. On the other hand, the bull dog is gentle and will permit itself to be roughly hauled about by children. The bull terrier is a cross between the true terrier and the bull dog. FOX TERRIER. The Fox Terrier has been termed the "gentleman" among the dogs. It is an animal combining all the good qualities of the canine family, being graceful, strong, saucy, affectionate, dignified and playful. The terrier is com- mon all over the United States and England, where it has been carefully bred. A great many inferior curs that have a trace of terrier in them are to be seen sneaking about the streets, but they only bring discredit upon the family. PUG DOCx. This little dog has become a great household favorite. Its face is fierce- looking, showing unmistakable signs of having descended from the bull dog, but in reality it is mild and harmless. The pug is a pet, and useless for any other purpose. It is cheerful and amusing in its ways and shows great affection, but it is also jealous in disposition and will frequently snap at strangers. POODLE DOG. The Poodle is another pet dog. It is in great vogue in France, where they shave the back and cut the hair off its tail, so as to leave rings and tufts. The poodle, therefore, is placed lower down in the scale of " good " dogs than it ought to be. It is really an exceedingly bright and clever dog, and can be taught to perform endless tricks. It is affectionate and docile. THE DINGO. The Dixgos of Australia are one of the many forms of life which make that continent mysterious. These animals, half dog, half fox, live in great numbers near the sheep ranches, where they thrive marvellously, in spite of the unceas- ing warfare waged against them by man. They steal sheep and lambs to an DOG FAMILY alarming extent, and so far no means has been found to check their ravages. When they become very numerous in one locality, they divide up into bands, each one covering certain ground. They are very swift-footed, and always prefer flight to giving battle ; but still, if cornered, they make a fierce resist- ance. At night they surround the sheep-corrals and bay at the moon like any dog. Perhaps their most remarkable trait is their store of vitality. A hunter on one occasion discovered a dingo caught in a trap ; he struck it heavily with the butt-end of his gun, and then, lifting the body out of the trap, left it for dead, as he thought, and walked away. By chance he happened to look back, when he saw the creature rise up, shake itself, and limp off. The dingos are very expert thieves and will carry off common articles, such as harness, boots, rugs, clothes, etc., from under their owner's very nose, and will return the next day to repeat the outrage. The Australian ranchmen very justly believe that the dingos, like the cats, have nine lives. The color of the dingo is a reddish brown, which .matches wonderfully with its natural surroundings in the bush. THE JACKAL Jackals are the first of the true hunting dogs to be considered. These animals are natives of Africa, but are very common in India and Ceylon. They are scavengers, and will eat anything they can get. One of their curious habits is that of dogging the steps of larger animals, like the lion and tiger, to feed on the remains of their feast. They will sit down at a respectful dis- tance, and hungrily watch the hunter devour its prey. Then when it is gorged it moves off, and the jackals swoop down upon the remains, quarrel- ing furiously among themselves, or with the hungry kites and vul- tures attracted to the scene. Sir Samuel Baker mentions having found jackals in Africa with their paws bitten off, and the natives declare that it is done by the lion as a punishment for daring to in- terfere with its feast. The jackal is an expert thief, as the following _ _ storv will snow : A sentinel, on duty in the fortress at Agra, observed one of 3H these creatures on the prowl. He took no notice of it at the time, but soon after was surprised to see the intruder crawl off with a j|jt pair of little puppies in its mouth. Under an arch-way a bitch was asleep with her litter, and the bold thief had cleverly taken two of her young ones from beside her without making anv noise. When very young the jackal may be tamed like a dog, and, curiously enough, it loses the strong, offensive smell it has when wild. The natives look upon the jackal with contempt, on account of its sneaking habits. As far as human beings are concerned, the jackal is harmless, but among small live- stock they are terrible pests, being as cunning as bold, and, like the cat, pos- sessed of nine lives. They hunt in bands, and often come to a comrade's rescue when it is pressed by an enemy. WOLVES HUNTING. THE WOLF. The day of the Wolf is past in Europe. When France, and even England, were overrun with this terrible creature a price was put upon its head, with the result that it was all but exterminated. In Russia, occasionally, some lonely, outlying village is attacked by wolves, who, ravenously hungry, are driven there by the severe winter. The wolf's jaws are of marvellous strength, and are used in a different manner to other great animals; like the lion, for instance. Instead of closing the jaws tightly, they snap them, tearing dreadful wounds. The wolf is cruel and unsparing, even among its fellows, turning and hurting a wounded member of its own pack. Its power of endurance has been handed down in legend, until it has become proverbial. The long, tireless, shambling gallop of the wolf will run any living creature down. A horse may run swiftly and start off at a much greater rate of speed than the wolf, but presently it will show signs of distress; then it will pluck up courage and take a new lease of life, but the dogged foe behind will sooner or later win the race. The most disconcerting thing is to display before a wolf something it is unused to. Suspicion is their watch-word, and a piece of red or white cloth tied to any dead game is sufficient to keep the band off; for, unless they are perfectly sure that there is nothing harmful in that piece of cloth, they will not go near it. A notable instance showing the suspicious nature of the wolf is told by a Russian gentleman who was driving a two-horse sleigh, when his beasts sud- denly snorted with terror and broke into a wild gallop. The traveller knew well enough that they had scented wolves, and presently he heard a faint howl far away. Ere long the cruel green eyes of the leader appeared behind, and just at that instant the sleigh collided with a tree-stump that was covered with snow. In an instant the traveller was thrown out, and the horses, freeing themselves, rushed madly on. The man, nearly frantic with terror, waved a piece of red rag which he gripped in his hand, and, to his intense astonishment, the wolves stopped, dropped their tails, and eyed him suspiciously. Slowly, the man backed to a tree and sprang to the lower limbs, just in time to save his skin. The pack then divided; one half started after the horses, while the remainder, with hungry eyes and tongues lolling out, settled down under the tree, knowing that the frost would soon do its work. At daylight some men found the sleigh with broken harness attached, and around it the marks of a great battle. A strong force of men went up the road and rescued the benighted traveller just in the nick of time. THE WOLF. Each pack of wolves runs under a leader, whose maxim is, " He who takes it, keeps it." The chief wolf's authority lies solely in its jaws, and woe to the poor creature when accident or age begins to tax its strength. At the first chance it is set upon and torn to pieces by its followers, while confusion and unending battles take place, until another wolf, by sheer strength and pluck, fights its way to the front rank; then obedience reigns once more. In time this leader is deposed, too, and so on. These fierce battles among the rivals in the pack keep the wolves from becoming very numerous. When wolves are kept in captivity, they often form close friendships with their natural enemy, the dog, and not infrequently breed. The young of such a union are sly and ferocious, combining the evil qualities of both animals. The Indian Wolf is built a good deal like the Russian and American wolf, except that its fur is a good deal thinner. It is very fierce, only one does not hear so much of it as there are so many other terrible animals in India, such as the tiger, elephant, and rhinoceros. The Indian wolf hunts in a well- organized pack, which is under the direct command of a leader. The wolf is found more in the open country, near the jungle, than in the jungle itself. INDIAN WOLF. THE COYOTE. «i Everyone who has crossed the Western plains of America must have seen the Coyote, the gray wolf of the West, which sits upon a knoll and looks impudently at the passing train, well knowing that it has no time to stop and interfere with him. Campers in Arizona, New Mexico, and California wake suddenly in the night and grip their rifles when they hear the most long-drawn- out, unearthly yell imaginable. It is merely a coyote serenading the moon. This animal is plentiful enough, in spite of the way it is hunted down. It is a typical wolf, keen of eye and swift of foot, besides being the king of thieves. The coyote will quietly pull the blanket off you as you sleep, and at the first sign of waking, with a whisk of its tail, it vanishes. They are clever ventrilo- quists, and use their power in many curious ways. For instance, two coyotes howling together make you think that there must be a band of twenty in full swing. If two coyotes wish to rob a chicken-ranch which is guarded by dogs, one of them stations itself at the gate and sets up a howl. Out rush all the dogs, and away goes the serenader, quietly keeping the lead of the hounds in full cry behind. Then the second coyote rushes into the ranch and steals the THE FOX. chickens. When the first coyote thinks that it has run far enough it doubles and trebles its speed, and the dogs are left far behind to make their way home. The two thieves then meet and divide the spoils. All Westerners testify to the insolence and cunning of this creature. A coyote was seen about eight o'clock one morning to kill a cat on a private lawn, within four miles of Los Angeles, California. If one crosses your path it will let you come comparatively near, but should you attempt to use a weapon it vanishes like magic. If a coyote is suddenly cornered, it will feign death, and often carries out this trick so cleverly that hunters of the greatest experience are deceived. Sometimes a coyote, when feigning death, will lie in the same position for hours, until it is sure that you are not looking. During this time its body will assume a wonderfully lifeless look. Young coyotes are quaint-looking little creatures, seeming to be mainly composed of a mouth and two absurdly big ears. When captured ^^^\ ; ^^%^^'^^^ very young, coyotes can be tamed *^«3fe and chained to a kennel. They often become affectionate and docile when they get over their natural shyness. But remember, their teeth are always sharp ! THE FOX The Fox has managed to make an immense reputation for itself in the world. The old legends have always shown Master Reynard as the spirit of mischief and cunning, and not without good ground, for there are few animals that it cannot outwit. When put to the test it will display a sound sense of judgment, mixed with an audacity that is amazing. In England the fox is protected by law for hunting purposes. It is a great pest to the farmers, but the hunting landlord prefers to pay the damage rather than have the game destroyed. The fox has a strong, unpleasant odor, which is exuded from glands near 3d, $sjife; ; ■> .. -- — ,+>;■:. •_ ■_..:• DIVIDED — FOX AND RABBITS. THE FOX. FOX AND CUBS. the tail. It is so pungent that a barn will retain the smell for weeks after a fox has been there. Milk left standing near will be ruined, while as long as the smell remains dogs, horses, and cats become very restless. It is this curious scent that is followed by the hounds in the hunt, and the fox will display great ingenuity in throwing its pursuers off its trail, such as going up the bed of a stream, or doubling back on its tracks; then giving a powerful leap to one side to break the connection of the run. It has often been known to sneak through herds of cattle, hoping to gain a little headway by the confusion which must follow when the eager pack comes rushing up. In a distant part of Pembrokeshire, in Wales, a pack of hounds had fol- lowed the same fox for several hunts. The cunning old fellow seemed to enjoy the fun, and when it had had enough, it made for the sea-coast and van- THE FOX. ished over the cliffs. The ground was examined and the cliff proved to be one hundred and fifty feet high, so if it had jumped down to the beach it must surely be killed. The huntsmen determined to press closer the next time the fox appeared. Again the hunt came off, and, as usual, Mister Fox made for the coast and went over the cliff like a flash, the pack following close behind, with the result that about half of them were killed. It was afterward seen that the cunning rascal used to slide quickly down the cliff on all fours for about fifty feet, until it was checked by the stump of a bush, and neatly concealed by this was the entrance to its hole. Another instance worthy of notice is that of a fox which, when almost run down by a pack in full cry, came to a railway just as a freight train was coming along at full speed. Without hesitating, the desperate creature sprang on to a flat-car and soon left the hunt far behind. On one occasion a hungry fox passed by an open farm-house door just as the family were about to sit down to dinner. It gave one hasty look around to see that there were no dogs likely to catch it, and then it sprang boldy across the room and right onto the dinner-table, and, seizing the joint of meat, it scrambled safely out of the door again before anyone could prevent it. This is only one of the many instances which show that the fox is capable of carry- ing out the most daring schemes. The foxes dig holes called earths, generally among the roots of large trees, and here they bring up large families of bushy-tailed, snubby-nosed little cubs. When the cubs are about half-grown they are hunted ; this is called " cub- hunting." THE ARCTIC FOX. The Arctic Fox stands a little apart from its numerous family. It is found in the most northern part of America, Greenland, and the great Arctic islands. It is especially famous for its fur. During the late fall it is a beauti- ful gray color, which makes it valuable in the market. In the depth of winter it is very heavy and silky and turns to a pure white, but at other times of the year it changes its coat very rapidly, assuming unsightly colors. Explorers and naturalists who have visited the Arctic regions at various times have described it as the " pied " fox, others as the "sooty" fox, and others as the "blue" fox; but it has since been proved that they are one and the same animal seen at different times of the year. They are over-bold, being easy to approach within gun-shot, and they do not display the clever tricks for keeping out of traps like their brethren. They live in burrows, like the red fox, and in size are slightly smaller, measuring about three feet, including the tail. Owing to persecution, the Arctic fox is not nearly as plentiful as it was; in fact, it has already vanished from some localities, where it used to live in great numbers. If the demand for its fur continues, it will probably be exterminated. THE HYENA-DOG. The Hyena-Dog, or Hunting Dog, forms a connecting link between the canine family and the hyenas. It has many of the traits of the dog, but in appearance and habits it is like the hyena. It is something of a scavenger, and loves to roam about the country in bands; hence the Boer settlers near the Cape of Good Hope have nicknamed it the "hunting dog." It is smaller than the true hyena, and is much inferior in strength. It will steal when it gets a chance, but will never attack a man. While the speed of the hyena-dog is nothing like as great as the wolf, still it is able to run down many animals, such as the slower deer and antelope. When on a chase, it relies on numbers to terrorize the prey, for a pack of hyena- dogs look very formidable when they are in full cry. The white settlers of South Africa consider the animal a coward, and, therefore, treat it with contempt. The hyena-dog is about the size of a large spaniel, but it weighs a good deal more. Its color is a dirty gray, with white and black patches. Its ears and the extremities of its paws are also black. WEASELS, SKUNKS, AND BADGERS. Next in order come the Weasels, Skunks, and Badgers. Members of these different families are found in every part of the globe. They have snake- like habits, long, flexible bodies, capable of being twisted and turned into any shape, short legs, and immense strength for their size. Two well-known members of the weasel family are the martens. PINE-MARTEN. The Pine-Martem is a beautiful creature, living, as its name denotes, deep in the heart of the great pine forests of Northern Europe and the wilder parts of America. It is very shy and wary, never showing itself if it can possibly help it, and is, therefore, considered much rarer than it really is. It lives almost entirely among the trees, travelling from branch to branch rather than going over the ground. In pursuit of its food it is sly and silent. Birds, squirrels, rats, and mice fall easy victims to its powerful claws. STONE MARTEN AND OWL. THE STONE-MARTEN. A hunter, passing near a large tree, was attracted by the excited shrieks of a colony of birds that had built their nests among the upper branches. The cause of the trouble proved to be a pine-marten. As soon as the man and beast saw each other, they stopped and silently eyed one another. The marten was contemplating a dash for safety, while the hunter, who was only armed with a shot-gun, was wondering if he could get within range before his prey could try to escape. They both made up their minds at the same instant, for the hunter made a dash forward and the marten scurried down the tree with amazing rapidity. Below this tree was a deep gully which would cut off all chance of pursuit, so the hunter stopped running and fired both barrels, while the marten, which was evidently hurt, gave a superb spring and dropped forty feet into the tree- tops below. The small branches swayed and creaked as it made off, and the poor creature was found dead the next day, about three miles away. It measured thirty inches in length, including the tail. THE STONE-MARTEN. The Beech, or Stone-Mar- ten, is another member of this family. It is not as shy as the pine-marten, and is much more numerous. Owing to its not be- ing afraid of man, it is a great nuisance, silently killing and car- rying off large numbers of chick- ens. The beech-marten can be tamed and even become affec- tionate, but never quite loses its thirst for blood. It is cruel and fierce when wild, often falling stone-marten (Vl . Natural size). upon a weaker animal that has obtained prey, seizing it and killing the victim. The beech-marten will kill an animal and be so gorged from a previous meal THE SABLE. that it will leave its victim without touching a drop of its blood. But it is just as ready to kill the next animal it meets. The beech and pine marten are very much alike, except that the white fur is more marked in the former. THE SABLE. SABLE (' „ Natural Size). The Sable is famous for its fur. It is not a common animal, even where it is best known. It is found all through the most northerly part of Canada, and again in Europe and Russia Hunters have lost their lives in seeking it, for its fur is only valuable during the cold winter months, when the snow begins to cover the great forests of Siberia, and the danger is Qreat. The awtul snow- storms cover up the tracks in a very short time, and the violent winds pile up huge drifts until it is impossible to move along. The forests are dark, and once the hunter loses his way he is lost. Nevertheless, quite a number of sable-skins come to this country each year, showing that brave men still go out, in spite of all the risks. The sable's feet are large in proportion to the rest of its body, and in consequence it leaves a foot-print in the snow which might be easily mistaken for a small bear. The sable can be tamed, but it makes a poor pet. Its fur always looks untidy, for all the gloss, which makes it so beautiful, disappears. POLE-CAT. One never hears of the Pole-Cat without thinking of something horrid. Its utter wanton cruelty and ferocity have made its name famous wherever it has lived. Although it is not a large animal (coming in size between the marten and the true weasel), it does not hesitate to wage war on birds, etc., several times its own size, such as turkeys, geese, ducks, chickens, and num- berless hares and rabbits. With regard to rabbits, it is doubtful if they have a more terrible enemy. The pole-cat is very scarce in England ; it is destroyed because of the havoc it makes among the wild birds and animals that are being preserved for game shooting. But when a pole-cat does visit any game preserve, it leaves a fearful trail behind to mark its progress. It always kills everything it can catch and will only suck the blood of its victim. Often hares and rabbits are found lying dead that would make a meal for twenty pole-cats. The animal is small and therefore does not worry man seriously, except by killing his chickens; but if the creature was the size of a tiger, just imagine the scourge it would be. There is only one thing the pole-cat is afraid of, and that is the gun. It only lives on sufferance, and has hard work to keep its race from being utterly destroyed. When a pole-cat has almost run an animal down it is so intent on the chase that it may be easily approached. This is common among all the weasels. The pole-cat has a brownish-yellow fur, varying to black on the paws and tail. POACHERS. THE FERRET. -.. ■■■ ; w\ i The Ferrets are the best known of all the weasel family. Cruelty is the birthright of these curious creatures. They destroy wantonly and viciously, and yet ferrets prove that, when properly handled, they can be tamed, and are capable of great affection. The ferrets are best recognized by their lithe, creamy-white bodies, pointed noses, and fierce little pink eyes. At one time it was thought that the ferret and pole-cat were the same animal, but now it is well known that they are not. The pole-cat lives in the North, while the ferret originally came from Africa. When living fegltg ' ■'■■ in captivity, these little creatures must be ;"' .-"pj % " kept very warm, for if by chance they get shut out of doors and the weather turns cold they will die. Set a thief to catch a thief holds good with the ferret, for it is counted as vermin itself, and yet it is used to kill rats. A large rat is nearly a match for the ferret, and it has been said that after a ferret has been mauled by one it will never face a stand-up fight again. There are really two kinds of ferrets, the one a beautiful creamy-white creature, the other larger, fiercer, and with a good deal of black in its coat. This last one is a cross between a true ferret and a pole- cat, and is often used in rat-catching, while the smaller species only in rabbit-hunting. H§ The game-keeper carries the ferret to the rabbit-warren in a small bag in his out- side pocket, and when taken out it is muz- zled. It would never do to let the ferret run loose down in the burrows, for it would kill the first rabbit it came across, and could not be coaxed out until it had had a meal. For this reason they are taken into the field hungry, so as to keep them active. In rabbit-hunting the burrow holes are covered with a slack net, and when the ferret is turned into the ground it begins at once to chase the inhabitants through all the wind- ings and twistings, until the bunnies, in terror, fly out of their holes only to get tangled up in the net. When the ferret comes out it is put back in the bag. THE MINK. A ferret that did not return from one of the burrows was given up for lost by its owner. A week later a servant of the manor house (which, by the way, was a mile and a half from the field) found the little ferret on the kitchen door- step, very cold and hungry, patiently waiting to be let in. THE MINK. The Mink is another little animal which is famous for its fur. It lives near lakes and rivers, and was once thought to belong to the otter family; but it is really a weasel In many places it is spoken of as the water pole-cat. It swims well and readily. It is found throughout Northern Europe and America, near the rivers in the spring and the lakes in the fall. Like the rest of its family, it is a fierce fighter and a might)- hunter Everything of its size in the forest flees before it. The color of the mink is dark brown, but it often va- ries many shades lighter. Hunters tell many curious sto- ries showing the cleverness of the mink. In one district where the mink had been hunted to such an extent that it had almost disap- peared, a hunter was very anxious to catch one that was larger and fiercer than anv he had seen before, and had so far defied all attempts to kill it. The hunter put up a spring gun with a bait attached to a wire and trigger, which would fire off the MINK ( ' ' Natural 3,ze) ' minute it was moved. The mink smelled the bait, but when it saw the wire it became cautious at once. After watchinq- the bait for awhile it be^an to die the earth out from underneath the bait, which soon fell into the hole, and the gun exploded harmlessly. The mink then trotted off with its prize WEASELS AND SHRIKES. THE WEASEL. The Weasel is the smallest, commonest, and most dangerous member of its family. Its length, including the tail, is less than a foot. It is a great hunter, attacking even as large an animal as the hare. Weasels often hunt in couples, or bands, and when thus engaged, they become so absorbed that they can be easily approached. On one occasion a man noticed a rabbit rush across a meadow-path, evidently in terror of something following it, when suddenly a weasel appeared so close that it almost ran over the foot of the watcher. At about fifty yards the weasel caught up with the rabbit, leaped upon its neck and in a ; ^".^■■5^ . ■.:. M'/'-^ ' j./\ ' second or two it was dead. The man now came up, and the weasel sat upon its haun- ches and looked impudently at him. It seemed very loath to be driven from its prey, and the instant it was left alone it speedily dragged the rabbit under a bush. This last fact shows the strength of the weasel, for a rabbit weighs two or three times what a weasel does. This little creature seems to have a knowledge of human ways, for the manner in which it will approach a man seems very rash; but on second thought one sees that they have a great deal of shrewd- ness. Owing to the weasel's fondness for young birds and eggs, the farmers kill it whenever they get a chance. But, on the other hand, the weasel proves very useful in destroying vermin, and the good it does exceeds its evil deeds. In summer the weasel hunts in the long hay and growing corn for rats and mice, but in winter it visits the barns, where they have gone for warmth and shelter. Where the weasel is most dreaded is in the game preserve, for it is so cunning that it is next to impossible to shoot it down. The usual way of kill- ing the weasel in the woods is by the steel trap. They love to frequent the storm ditches, probably because they can move along the bottom of them and approach the game without being seen. So the game-keeper leaves a baited trap right in the path, and after many provoking failures, Master. Weasel gets THE WEASEL. caught. Now a weasel fights hard for its life, and it plays a number of tricks, such as shamming death. On one occasion a keeper came across a weasel which was, as he thought, lying dead in a trap, and to make sure he struck it several times with the butt of his gun. He loosened the spring of the trap, and taking the body out, threw it to one side, and walked away without giv- ing the matter a second thought. Half an hour later, when he passed that way again, he noticed that the weasel had gone, and wondered who could have taken it. However* about six weeks later he caught another weasel which looked re- markably like the first. He served it as he had served the one before, and threw it on the ground. This time he did not leave, but hid be- hind a bush. As nothing happened for some time he was just on the point of going home when he saw the weasel move, then sit up, sneeze, and calmly begin to put its fur in order, and then trot leisurely off. The blows that the keeper had struck it would have crushed many a larger animal. Again a little weasel was caught by its front foot in a trap, and in its fran- tic struggle to get away it tore its foot off altogether. Although so badly maimed, that three-legged weasel became the scourge of the woods. Every day a partridge's nest was destroyed or a pheasant dragged down, and do what they could, the keepers failed to trap the little beast. When the snow came they saw its curious three-foot prints everywhere, but never a sight of the weasel. At last, nearly eighteen months later, it was found fighting with a tame cat that had run wild, over a dead rabbit. A charge of shot laid both the fight- ers out, but the damage had been done by that time. For a year and a half that weasel had defied every scheme to catch it. There is an old saying which runs, " Never leave a weasel till you have nailed it to the barn door." WEASEL AT BAY. THE STOAT. The much-hated, thieving Stoat and the beautiful Ermine are one and the same animal. In summer the stoat's fur on its back is brown, while underneath it shades to a beautiful lemon color ; but when the frosty weather comes it turns to a creamy white, except the end of the tail, which remains black. Of course it is at this time that it is most valuable. People used to think that the whiteness in a stoat was caused by its dark summer coat comin"- out and the white fur growing, but it has been proven that the darker fur simply turns white. The stoat is a great deal larger than the weasel, but very much like it in its habits. Wherever there is game around the stoat is sure to be found, for it dearly loves to eat pheasants and rabbits. On one occasion a stoat came upon a hare, and the latter, in- stead of dashing off, as it would in case it met a man, merely hobbled about slowly, with the stoat following close behind. After awhile the hare settled down on the ground, while its enemy crept closer and closer, until it sprang on its victim's neck, killing it with a single bite. The hare is by no means a cow- ard, often fighting fiercely against animals larger than itself, but with the stoat it seems unable to help itself. The effect that the stoat has on birds, hares, and rabbits is a kind of fascination like that of a snake. STOAT. THE SKUNK. Everyone knows the Skunk, with its beautiful black and white fur, and the terrible name it has for the smell which issues from its body. The glands which contain this disagreeable liquid in many cases have been removed, leaving the skunk, which is naturally good-tempered, a jolly little playfellow. The skunk is easily tamed, and will live contentedly about a garden. THE SKUNK. ■ iSiii In a Western double-framed house a family of skunks lived between the outer and inner shells of the wall, and as night came on they were to be heard running over the beams after prey. They destroyed every living thing, from rats down to blackbeetles, and were never offensive to the household unless suddenly disturbed by one of the cats. As a matter of fact, the skunks had their own way, and the cats, with great wisdom, kept at a distance. Neverthe- less, there was a collision at times, and the skunk made the neighborhood aware of it. Baby skunks are the prettiest of little things, looking very innocent as they frisk about. Except for color they look like young squirrels. Skunks are strictly American animals, and are known all over the country. In some places they reach as great a total length as eighteen inches, but the average is much smaller than this. They have strong bur- rowing claws, and when wild live in holes that they dig out for themselves. They sleep all day and come out at night to hunt' for food. If suddenly met by a man they show little concern, and will often look at the intruder impudently. Their lack of fear comes from their knowing that no one will interfere with them. When they become too numerous they are best cleared out with a gun, but the hunter must be skilful at his work, for they must be shot dead. If only wounded they will crawl un- der a house or barn and make it impossible for anyone to come near them. Their pe- culiar odor is very strong, clinging for months together to horses, cattle, dogs, cats, and garments that have come in Contact with it. SKUNK (/ Natural Size), THE BADGER. c On a warm summer e\'ening, if you go to some quiet spot where no one passes, and there are lots of trees, you may see a Badger, whose beautiful black and white coat glides in and out among the grass like a will-o'-the-wisp. Although harmless and good-natured, the badger is a great fighter when aroused. In olden times it used to be matched against several dogs at once, and often gave a good account of itself. It has short, stubby legs and a dog- like snout. Its teeth are vety strong and sharp. A badger mother rears her young in a burrow, generally among the roots of trees. This is dug out by the male badger, and serves for a living-place and store-house. When the badger is busy burrowing you can come quite close to it, for it is so intent upon its work that it does not notice anything around it. Many people imag- ine that the badger is stupid, but in reality it is very clever, and anyone who has attempted to trap one will agree in this. It is easily tamed, and becomes quite affectionate. The badger is not as rare as many people think. Its habits are quiet, and it moves along so stealthily that you might be within a few yards of one andnot know it. It is more often betrayed by its strong smell than by any sound it will make. THE WOLVERINE. The Wolverine, or Gluttom, is found over the coldest parts of America, Northern Europe, and Siberia, and is everywhere considered a curse and a WOLVERINE AND STAG. THE HONEY RATEL. scourge. It is cruel and ferocious, killing many more animals than it can possibly eat. It is hated among the trappers of North America, because it slinks after their trails and tears to pieces victims already caught in the traps. All the summer long the glutton wages war upon the beavers, stealthily gliding in upon them or dashing suddenly among a colony. But in winter the terrible cold freezes the beaver's hut so hard that even the glutton cannot get into it. Its paws are very large, and make a footprint in the snow that is often mis- taken for a bear. Sometimes the glutton lies upon an overhanging branch un- til some poor deer comes along, when it springs upon its victim's neck and hangs there, in spite of all its struggles, until the quarry is brought down. Should a hunter be unlucky enough to corner a glutton it will offer a fierce resistance. It is said that the glutton is the most difficult animal of its size to capture. Traps are almost useless to destroy it, and the only sure method is to watch with infinite patience and shoot it down. THE HONEY RATEL. HONEY RATEL ('6 Natural Size). The Honey Ratel lives on the honeycombs of wild bees. It is cov- ered with a thick skin which serves as a protection against the stings of the bees. The honey ratel has strong digging claws, and it can bury itself in a few minutes. This is the way it escapes from the angry bees. THE BEAR FAMILY. The Bear has withstood the attacks of man better than any of the large animals, and this is probably because its habits are so quiet. Its real food con- sists of roots, berries, and young leaves, and flesh, only when it finds it freshly killed. THE SLOTH BEAR. One of the bear species has been foolishly named the Sloth bear, but it is the most active of all. It inhabits the tropics, therefore it never has to sleep throughout the winter, and what is more, it has to work very hard, digging up ants' nests, to get its daily food. Curiously enough, it is about the only bear that goes out of its way to attack man. Hunters state that the sloth bear is so full of life that when anything comes in sight which it believes it can safely tackle, it rushes in to attack at once. When caught young and tamed, the sloth bear makes an excellent pet. SLOTH BEAR. THE GRIZZLY BEAR. There are several kinds of bears to be found in America, but the most famous is the Grizzly. Through some parts of the States hunters call all bears grizzlies, but it seems now that the only true grizzly is found in the Si- erra Nevada Mountains of California. All summer long the bear is busy eating until it gets very fat, and then when winter comes it makes a burrow in the ground, very cunningly hid- den, and quietly goes to sleep from November to April. When it gets up it looks very miserable and thin from having had nothing to eat, and all the gloss has gone off its fur. At this time it is very fierce indeed. The bear hunts for food, and in a short time it begins to grow fat again, and the skin no longer looks several sizes too large for its owner. The spring is a bad time for bear-hunting, firstly because its fur is not in good condition, and secondly because it is too dangerous an antagonist. Should a grizzly's anger become aroused by a wound, it will attack men and horses without discrimination. It lays about itself with its huge paws, while its claws will smash through almost any substance, as if they were made of steel. So tenacious of life is the grizzly bear that, unless it is wounded in some vital spot it will fight on, although its body may be riddled with bullets. All California hunters fear the grizzly, and with good reason, for no other animal on the American Continent matches it for size and strength. Men who have travelled all over the world believe that a grizzly is more than a match for either a lion or a tiger, in spite of their superior agility. A full-grown male grizzly frequently weighs as much as fourteen hundred pounds, but the female weighs a good deal less. THE BROWN BEAR. The Brown Bear is fairly common in Europe and Asia. In a wild state it grows to a very large size, but directly it is confined in a cage it ceases to develop and remains comparatively small all its life. The brown bear lives mainly upon roots, leaves, and honey, consequently, it does not make many inroads on the farmers' cattle. The brown bear is easily tamed and becomes verv affectionate, and will follow its owner about like a dog. It is frequently seen with shows and cir- cuses, where it is made to dance upon its hind legs. GRIZZLY BEAR AND CUBS. A BEAR ATTACKING A BULL. THE BLACK BEAR. BROWN BEAR. THE BLACK BEAR. The Black Bear is found all over America. There was a time when this bear was hunted for its flesh, which was considered a great delicacy. A curious habit of the black bear is that if it is very fat, about November, it will not hibernate at all, but spend the winter above ground. The track which the black bear leaves in the snow is very large. It also has a habit of passing over the same tracks many times, and the hunter is fre- quently led to believe that he is on the trail of some larger animal. THE POLAR BEAR. In the Arctic regions lives the Polar Bear. This mighty animal is as large as any of the bears found in warmer countries. It lives entirely on POLAR BEARS. THE POLAR BEAR. AMERICAN BLACK BEAR. flesh and fish, its chief food being seals, which it has a very clever way of catching. Finding a number of seals asleep on a piece of floating ice, the bear quietly swims toward them, and then suddenly appears right under their noses. If the frightened seals leap into the water the bear will have them before they can get away, while if they try to escape over the ice, their swift- footed enemy quickly climbs out of the water and catches them before they can reach a place of safety. This trick is played over and over again. The polar bear can stay under water for quite a long time. Its swimming powers are greater than those of any other animal except, of course, the whale, dolphin, and seal. A polar bear has been known to swim from one island to another, a distance of over fifty miles. Moreover, it is very expert in the water, and can catch the largest and swiftest fish with ease. The polar bear makes a dangerous enemy, for its temper is uncertain, and it will attack man without any reason. Its jaws are of great strength, while its claws will tear their way through the hardest wood. Its fur is enormously thick, right down to the extremities of its feet, and consequently it is well protected from the Arctic cold and from the sharp pieces of ice that it walks over. Its color varies from a pure white to a pale yellowish tint. THE OTTER. O TTER (', , Natural Size). Sometimes toward evening, when you are walking near a river, you will be surprised to see a large salmon floating by, with a small part of the flesh on its h^ck torn away. It is sure to be the work of the Otter. This great fish- hunter inhabits the river-banks of many countries, and is usually much hated for the damage it does to the river-folk. In England otter-hunting is a national sport. A pack of wire-haired shaggy hounds swim or wade in the stream, while terriers run along the bank to start the game. Hunters with long poles follow on foot, and the poor beast is chased until it is brought to bay. The otter is cunning and brave, fighting desperately for its life or cubs. Its body is long and very supple, and its fur is of a fine texture. On land it makes a good stand against its enemies, but in the water it is a match for any- thing its size. The otter, if taken while young, is easily tamed. Some years ago a Scottish gentleman owned an otter, which he taught to catch fish at his command. The otter would take not only salmon from the river, but it would take cod out of the sea, swimming bravely through the waves in search of prey. When it got tired, nothing would induce it to go into the water again. It was always given part of the fish as a reward, and THE OTTER. SEA OTTER. then it would fall down asleep, and have to be carried home. This ani- mal became so tame that if it was frightened it would rush to its master for safety. An otter in the London Zoo had two little cubs, which had fallen into a tank full of water. Although they could swim splendidly, there was danger of their being drowned when they got tired. The mother otter made an attempt to get them out by reaching down from the top. At last, however, she got into the tank herself, and making a natural bridge of her back and fore- paws, the youngsters were able to scramble up in safety. The river otter is not very rare, and anyone who is willing to spend an hour or so sitting perfectly still near a shaded woodland stream, may see the cunning creature busily searching for prey. The length of the otter's body is about two feet, and, including the tail, nearly three feet. The Sea Otter is nearly twice the size of the land otter. It lives on the Northern Pacific coast, and is very rare, feeding entirely on sea fish and what it can pick up on the shore. Its fur is very valuable. The Coaiti is a curious little South American ani- mal, that loves to roam about in the night search- ing for eggs and sleeping birds. Its snout is long and flexible, and is used for digging up worms and insects. In drinking it laps like a dog, keeping its snout up out of the liquid. The coaiti always comes down a tree head first, holding on by its sharp curved claws. THE RACCOON. Have you ever seen a Raccoon? Perhaps you would understand better if you were asked, have you ever seen a coon? This curious animal is a liv- ing lesson to all boys and girls. It is the cleanest little animal known. It keeps its fur speckless, and carefully washes every bit of food before eating it. It has no table to come to with dirty hands, but, nevertheless, takes pride in keeping itself, oh, so clean ! Its paws are hand-shaped, which gives it a strong grip on anything it wishes to hold, and this is very useful to Master Coon when he is busily washing a piece of meat back and forth in the water. If the coon is treated kindly, it will become very tame. A gentleman kept one in his yard with a number of other wild animals, and the coon was by far the tamest, being allowed to run about; but, at the same time, all the chickens had to be kept out of its way, for it had a habit of killing them wholesale. It is said that the raccoon is rather a spiteful animal, and will store up a grudge against anyone who has in- sulted it. The raccoon roams over the sea-shore at night in search of shell-fish and oysters. It is quite clever at opening the latter. Sometimes it is un- lucky enough to get a foot caught by an oyster, and then it is drowned in the rising tide. The colored people in the Southern States think a coon- hunt great fun. They walk quietly through the woods un- til a coon is located in a tree. Then one of the party climbs up into the branches and shakes the poor little creature off its perch. As it falls to the ground it is set upon by the men and dogs, who soon kill it. The flesh of the raccoon is considered very good to eat, while its skin makes beautiful rU S S - RACCOON {% Natural Size). THE MOLE. The Molp: is the first of the true insect-eating animals living almost en- tirely under the ground. Its fur is very fine, and, as the hair has no grain, none of the particles of soil through which it passes sticks to it. Its eyes are very poor, — in fact, unless you know where to look for them you would fancy it did not have any. However, if you sprinkle a little cold water on its head, it will show two small, black, beady eyes. Its muscles are very strong and its diggers large for its size. The mole is able to bore through the earth with amazing rapidity. It feeds largely on worms, and herein is seen its wonderful skill. Its strong diggers enable it to chase the worms through all their wind- ings in and out, following them by smell and sound. The hearing of the mole is proverbial, while its sense of smell is delicate. It uses its nose to find the softest earth to burrow through, and often does some of the work too like a pioneer. The mole is fierce and quarrelsome. The males far outnumber the females in this family, so when the pairing season comes round there are fierce battles' between the males. On one occasion a hunter noticed some grass moving in an odd way, and going up to see what was the cause of it he found two moles in mortal combat. They were so absorbed in their fight that they did not notice the stranger, and indeed they came within an inch of his toes during the struggle. After awhile one of the moles began to beat a hasty retreat. The other followed it, and with every show of fe- rocity began to tear it to pieces. The mole makes a bad pet, as it never displays any liveliness except at meal-times, and then, having gorged itself, it goes to sleep again. It does a great deal of damage to lawns and gardens by tunneling under the top soil. These tunnels are often hun- dreds of feet in length. At the same time many people believe that the earth is all the better for having been stirred up, and turned over. MOLE (*/ 2 Natural Size). ELEPHANT SHREW {'4 Natural Size). THE ELEPHANT SHREW. The Elephant Shrew, so called for its trunk-like nose, lives in South Africa. It is famous for its speed, for when alarmed it hurries to safety with wonderful swiftness. Its burrow is generally placed in some shady place, difficult to find. It feeds on insects, and in the day-time, too. THE AGOUTA. The Agouta lives in Hayti, in the West Indies. It has the head and tail of the opossum. The length of the agouta is about eighteen inches, including the tail. This ani- mal, when running, might be mis- taken for a huge barn-rat. It is one of the insect-eating family. The agouta is very silent and wary. Should it hear anyone approaching the spot where it is feeding, it will listen to ascertain from which direction the noise comes, and then sneak qui- etly off the opposite way. Its front claws are long and slightly curled, and are used for digging up roots, etc., and holding its prey. AGOUTA (' /4 Natural Size). THE HEDGEHOG. If you have a garden you should keep a Hedgehog, for there is no ani- mal that destroys so many slugs, caterpillars, and beetles. Next to'the porcu- pine, the hedgehog has the most wonderful skin of spikes in the world, and if you make it angry, or set a terrier at it, it simply rolls itself up into a ball, and you cannot get at it anywhere. The hedgehog uses its spikes in more ways than one. Of course they are most important in keeping off its enemies, and are also used in getting down from high places. Many people have seen a hedgehog come to the top of a wall, in some cases as high as twelve feet, and, after peering down cautiously, roll itself into a ball and fall over. The shock of striking the ground is broken by its spikes. Then the hedgehog quietly unrolls itself and trots off about its business. In England gypsies have a curi- ous way of cooking the hedgehog. They cover it all over with clay like a ball, and then bake it in a fire. When the hedgehog is cooked they break the clay ball into two parts, the spikes stick to the clay, and the flesh can then be eaten. The hedgehog is usually about six inches lon< »g- FLYING Natural Size). FLYING SOUIRRLL. This animal is called the Sugar, or Flying Squirrel. It has a curious growth of skin between its limbs which, when spread out, acts as a kite, and enables it to leap from one tree to another. AUSTRALIAN BEAR. Although the Australian Bear belongs to the kangaroo family, it lives in the trees. It seems to be a very gentle creature and can be captured without any difficulty ; but, like all gentle animals, it oc- casionally goes off into gusts of passion. It is about the size of a bull-terrier. ,d2^^&^Jglf!k^^td KANGAROOS. THE KANGAROO. The Kangaroo lives in Aus- tralia. It is usually found in small companies, and always in charge of a leader. The kangaroo was first discovered by Captain Cook, in New South Wales, in 1770, and it is said that when the sailors asked the na- tives the name of the strange animal they replied, " Kangaroo," which, as a matter of fact, meant in their lan- guage, "What do you say?" How- ever, this name has remained un- changed ever since. The skin of the kangaroo makes very fine leather, and its flesh is good to eat. The native Australians say that it affords the best hunting on the continent. The men ride on horse-back, while a pack of large, fierce hounds follow the kangaroo, which goes over the ground at a curious gait, consisting of a series of immense leaps. Its hind legs are of great size and strength, and when brought to bay the creature defends itself with kicks. The front legs are very small, and do not seem to be of much use except to convey food to the mouth. When a kangaroo is chased by hunters, it has an odd habit of looking back over its shoulder, and instances have been known where it has collided with a tree, and thus brought itself to an untimely end. Perhaps the most wonderful part of the kangaroo is the pouch in which it carries its young. The baby kangaroo, when first born, is not much over an inch or two in length, and for about eight months it lives in this pouch, until it is strong enougfi to hop about beside its mother. The doe kangaroo is very watchful of her young, for at the least suspicion of danger, the youngster scrambles into the pouch, and away goes the mother in gigantic leaps. The kangaroo thrives well in England. Quite a number have been brought from Australia, and are now to be seen in some of the parks, hopping about quite comfortably. They breed freely, too, and appear to stand the damp climate very well. When Captain Cook first discovered the kangaroo, they roamed A KANGAROO HUNT. THE TREE KANGAROO. everywhere in great numbers from little ones, the size of a rabbit, to the old fellows, as tall as a man ; but now they are becoming very rare, and it looks as though many species might become extinct. At present the kangaroo is lim- ited to the less frequented bush lands, far from the towns. The kangaroo can be taught to box with boxing-gloves. This is sometimes seen in a circus, but the show is always attended with some little danger, for the instant the kan- garoo thinks it is getting the worst of it, it will kick, and a kick from a full-grown kangaroo means great injury, if not death outright. THE TREE KANGAROO. In New Guinea is found the Tree Kangaroo. It seems odd to think that one of this curious tribe of animals should be able to climb trees, but nevertheless it is a fact. The tree kangaroo scales the trees with great ease in its search for leaves and wild fruit, on which it lives. The natives of New Guinea always try to avoid killing the tree kangaroo. Any native who should be unlucky enough to kill one by accident is imme- diately sent away into the < forest by his companions, for fear of his bringing bad luck to the tribe, and no one is allowed to go near him, or take him any food. As venomous snakes and dangerous wild animals abound in the jungles the native exile seldom comes back again. But little is known of this animal in its wild state, beyond the fact that it is very sly and silent. Its fur is beautiful, and of a rich dark color. There is also another climbing kangaroo which lives among the rocks, and by its ex- traordinary power of leaping from one bowlder to another, defies all pursuit. This is its way of escaping when chased by a pack of dingo dogs. THE WOMBAT. WOMBAT (' , Natural Size). JPS The Wombat, much like a beaver, natives for its flesh. although it belongs to the kangaroo family, looks very It is common all over Australia, where it is killed by the As a rule, the wombat will not fight when it is caught, and if treated well becomes very tame indeed. An Australian ranchman kept a wombat around his house instead of a cat. It would sit upon its hind legs to get its master to take it on his knee. When there it would curl itself up and go to sleep. This creature at times would become very angry, and use its sharp claws and chisel-like teeth. The wombat is not particular as to what it eats, but prefers lettuce and cabbage to anything else. When wild it lives in burrows of immense depth, which it digs out. They are bad animals to have near roads and walls, for in a short time they will honeycomb the earth so thoroughly as to make it very dangerous to walk upon. The natives of Australia say that when a wombat comes to a river and wishes to get across, it does not appear to be the least put out, but walks right into the water and so reaches the other side, and con- tinues its journey as if nothing had happened. It is easily able to defend itself from the snakes which abound in the bush, but it never seeks a quarrel with a snake or other animal. In New Holland naturalists have found the fossil of a gigantic wombat which must have been nearly as large as a rhinoceros when alive. TASMANIAN WOLF. as TASMANIAN WOLF (>/„ Natural Size). The Tasmanian Wolf is found in the island trom which it takes its name. It is not exactly like the wolf of India, America, and Europe, but, neverthe- less, it fills its place. It is not as fierce as the true wolf, but at the same time it becomes a very formidable animal when urged by hunger or danger. As soon as civilized inhabitants took up their abode in Tasmania the wolf made great inroads upon their sheep-flocks, until the colonists, in self-defence, were forced to begin a war of extermination. By degrees the Tasmanian wolf was driven back from its former haunts, where it once reigned supreme, and it is seldom seen now outside the copses and jungles. Curiously enough, the Tasmanian wolf is found in the mountains as high up as six thousand feet, for it does not seem to suffer from cold. The home of the Tasmanian wolf is always made among rocks, where the mother-wolf is comparatively safe, while the cubs can sleep all day until nightfall makes it safe for them to go out. The wolf's total length is about four feet, of which the tail takes up about fifteen inches, / TASMANIAN DEVIL KILLING CHICKENS. TASMANIAN DEVIL. No animal in the world has so richly deserved its name as the . Devil. The ferocity of this creature can hardly be conceived except b y who have come in contact with it. Even in captivity its sullen and purpose, anger is easily excited. It is absolutely untamable. Should anyone approacu its cage, it will tear at the bars with its teeth and claws in its frantic efforts to get out, all the while keeping up loud screams of rage. In the early days of Tasmania the devil caused great losses to the farmers through its wholesale destruction of sheep, pigs, and fowls. Many a man has been nearly torn to pieces trying to defend his live-stock from one of these animals. A curious thing about the Tasmanian devil is that it does not know what fear means. When beaten off by an enemy stronger than itself, it returns to the attack until it is killed, or at least maimed. No animal in that country will face it. The strength of jaw in the Tasmanian devil is so great that it can easily crush bones that would defy many a larger animal. The Tasmanian devil is nocturnal in its habits. If brought into a strong light it blinks stupidly and always seeks the darkest corner of its cage. When wild it digs for itself a deep burrow in the ground, in which it lives the year round. Its hind feet are formed something like those of a bear, so that it is able to sit up on its haunches and eat with its fore paws. Its color is black, with large white patches. TASMANIAN DEVIL ('/, Natural Size). THE OPOSSUM. - -- ->. If every youngster does not know the Opossum, most of them know what " playing 'pos- sum " means. When an opos- sum is suddenly cornered, it will feign death so cleverly as to deceive many old hunters. The opossum is always hungry, and never seems to have had enough to eat. As long as the woods afford }oung leaves and birds, and eggs, and the lakes are filled with young frogs, it keeps out of man's way; but when winter comes and the supply in the forest runs short, Master Opossum has to turn to villages to get a meal. The easiest thing for it to attack is the hen-roost. As the opossum is one of the best climbers in the world, it is useless to build walls and fences to keep it out, and the only thing that will protect the hens is a tightly closed door. At night one often hears a scream from the fowl-house, and investigation shows the nest-eggs sucked and the setter dragged off to the woods. In the Southern States the 'possum hunt is considered fine sport by the colored folk. Dogs chase the opossum, which, by the way, is not a swift ani- mal, and force it to take to a tree. Then one of the party climbs while the opossum goes to the topmost branch in its endeavor to escape its enemies. At last it loosens its hold and is shaken from the tree to the ground, where it is quickly killed. The little opossums when first born are very delicate indeed. For many days they are both blind and deaf, but as they grow stronger thev are carried around on the mother's back, holding on with their little tails tightly coiled around her tail, and thus they are taken through the trees and taught to hunt. The mother opossum watches over her young very tenderly, and will resort to many clever tricks when pressed by danger. The nest of the opossum is usu- ally built in a hollow tree-stump. THE SEALS. Now we come to the Seal. This animal breathes air, and yet lives in the water. The structure of the skeleton of a seal is something between a mam- mal and a whale. Its body is long and tapers to the end. It has four imperfectly formed feet called "flippers," with which it swims. Seals are found in almost every part of the world, but mostly in the Arctic regions. Seals have a very fine fur, which is much sought after in the market to make jackets. As a matter of fact, the fur is double, and when the seal swims it is pressed close against its skin, the two coats thus keeping the water away. To make the fur waterproof an oily substance is secreted in the body, which covers the roots of the fur. The seal has a thick layer of fat which protects it from the cold when swimming in the Arctic seas. Its brain is large, which accounts for it being a very intelligent creature. It is docile and affectionate, and can be taught to do numberless tricks. It is in the water that the seal is most at home. It swims almost entirely with its hind flippers, and pursues the swift- est fish with great success, for its curious pointed teeth, firmly imbedded in \ GROUP OF WALRUS. THE WALRUS. SEA ELEPHANT. the jaw, make it almost impossible for anything to get away once it is fairly gripped. THE WALRUS. The Walrus is the mightiest specimen of the seal family. It measures between fourteen and twenty feet long and weighs several tons. All Arctic explorers agree that the walrus is a dangerous animal. On land its move- ments are slow and clumsy, but in the water nothing will attack the walrus if there is a way of escape. On either side of the walrus's jaw are two large tusks of ivory. With these the walrus drags itself out of the water onto the ice, but when cornered it uses them as weapons of defence. On one occasion a party of hunters spied a number or walrus lying op an ice-floe. On attacking them most of the creatures escaped into the water; but THE SEA-LION. one old bull faced around and, in spite of its lance-wounds, fought its enemies. At last it slid into the water and began to swim away. The hunters hastily launched a boat and prepared to follow, when the old fellow suddenly turned on them and with his tusks fairly ripped the side out of the boat, throwing" all the men into the water. When a man gets into difficulty with a walrus, such as having a boat upset, all the other walruses round about come up to help and make short work of the victim. The walrus lives to a «;ood old aefe with his mate, and is an affectionate parent. THE SEA-ELEPHANT. The most grotesque of all the seal family are the huge Sea-Elephants, so called not only on account of their curious, trunk-like nose, but also on account of their size. Some specimens of the sea-elephant have been capt- ured which were over twenty-five feet in length and as much as fifteen feet in circumference. The sea-elephants are found over a large area of water south of the equator. Like the seals, these animals migrate to the south as summer approaches, and northward when the cold weather sets in. They are easily tamed when capt- ured very young, and show great affection toward their owners. They are much shyer and rarer than the common seals. THE SEA-LION. The Sea-Lion is another well-known member of the seal-folk. If you ever visit San Francisco you will be sure to see the seal-rocks where the sea- lion lives. As a matter of fact, the sea-lion is common in many parts of the world, and especially so on the coast of Southern and Lower California. As its skin is not used for fur, nor its flesh good to eat, it has never been per- secuted by the seal-hunter. Anyone who has visited a great rookery of sea- lions can never forget it. Off the coast of California, about one hundred and fifty miles out to sea, there is a mysterious island called St. Nicholas. It is low, sandy, and almost bare of vegetation and water. There, among vast numbers of pelicans, loons, and gulls, lives the sea-lion in its undisturbed glory. Throughout the night its loud roars are heard above the boom of the mighty ocean breakers or the whistle of the wind. The confusion of animal and bird noise gives one a bewildering impression of the island when reached by night. Once an explor- ing party went ashore and walked toward the rocks on which the large THE SEA-LION. SEA-LION ('/so Natural Size). rookery stands. Immediately all was confusion. The old bulls stood their ground while they hurried the youngsters and females into the water. Find- ing that no harm was intended, they quieted down and did not seem to mind people walking among them. However, one bull charged without the slight- est warning, and received four bullets before he was checked. This specimen measured over nine feet from nose to tail, while its teeth, including the part buried in the jaw, were about four and one-half inches long. A little while later one of the party found a baby sea-lion not much bigger than a good- sized kitten. It was carried down to the boat, when the mother was seen following close astern. The poor creature kept right alongside, and after the boat had reached the ship she kept swimming around and around, with her eyes always turned toward the deck, where her baby was being admired. The mother sea-lion continued watching and crying until the little young- ster was put back into the -water, when she promptly lead it off toward the rookery. THE CRESTED SEAL. Sea-lions sometimes leave the herds and travel in twos and threes, or even singly. Their advent to the coast can always be seen by anyone with a sharp pair of eyes. The small seals, which usually feed upon the shallow- water fish, depart hastily, and before the fish have fairly noticed that they are being left alone, they find themselves pursued by a fiercer and hungrier foe. THE CRESTED SEAL. The Crested Seals are curious animals, being chiefly remarkable for the odd structure which they have on their heads. The real object of these crests has never been discovered. The onset of a herd of enraged seals is much to be dreaded, for they are very fierce when their anger is aroused. Their strength is great, while their teeth are strong and sharp. As spring comes around there are fierce battles among the old bulls for the possession of the females. The rookeries on the coast of Greenland, which are strictly inhabitated by these animals, show traces, such as skeletons with The length of the crushed skulls, of fearful conflicts having taken place crested seal is about ten feet. Its fur is not of any great value. It has never been much persecuted by man. The Esquimaux hunt the crested seals with harpoons having a line and air-bladder which will float attached that they may always locate their prey. THE WHALES. Did you know that the Whale was an animal, in spite of its living in the sea, and not a fish ? A fish can stay under water for any length of time, but a whale must breathe, and if it were prevented from doing so, it would be drowned just the same as a man. From the skin or blubber of the whale is obtained a splendid oil, and from its jaw comes whalebone. In fact, almost every part of the whale is of some use to man. The whalebone forms a screen on each side of the mouth, and after the whale has taken in a mouthful of little fishes out of a shoal, it strains the water out and the whalebone keeps the fishes in. Sometimes when you go to sea you must keep a sharp look-out for whales, and you will generally find where they are by watching for the animal's spouts rising in the air. AN ANGRY SPERM-WHALE. IN THE CROWS NEST, ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WHALES. THE SPERM-WHALE. There are many whales in all parts of the world, but the most valuable is the Sperm-Whale. Every year ships put out from Scotland through the Antarctic Ocean, while from Japan the ships search the North and South Pacific, and from the New England coast the whalers go up toward Greenland. The method of hunting the whale is very simple. A man is kept at the mast- head of the ship to watch, and when he spies a whale, he yells, " There she blows ! " Instantly all is bustle ; a couple of boats are launched hastily, but quietly, and rowed toward the unsuspecting whale. These boats are very strong and built double-ended, so that they can be backed as easily as sent forward. In the bow stands the harpooner with his weapon in hand; then come four or five rowers and the steersman, and the barrels containing the carefully coiled rope which has been attached to the harpoon. The rowers spread their feet far apart to allow the rope to run between them. The rope is so tied that as soon as one barrel runs out another begins, and it must be remembered that each boat contains about three thousand feet of rope. Terrible accidents take place every now artd then,' when some poor fellow gets his foot caught in a loop of rope and is whirled overboard. Before any help can be given, he has been carried hundreds of feet below the surface. In case the rope in the whale- boat shows signs of being entirely exhausted, the officer in command calls up another boat and makes his end of the rope fast to theirs, thus doubling its length. The whale is probably asleep, so the men have to row quietly for fear of waking it. As the boat approaches within a few yards, the harpooner throws his barb-headed weapon into the whale's side, and at the same time shouts, "Back water!" The whale, feeling the pain, dives like lightning. Then the skill of the steersman is seen, for if the whale should turn the least to either side, over will go the boat and be instantly destroyed. Presently the whale gets tired, runs short of wind, and slowly rises to the surface to breathe. The boat immediately begins to take in the slack rope, and the second boat has its turn. Rowing up like its companion, a second harpoon is thrown, and away goes the whale again, with two boats fast to it now. Sometimes a whale keeps on the surface instead of diving, and tows the boat behind it at a great speed. This is very dangerous, especially if the sea is running against the boat. The rowers sit balancing the boat and watching the steersman, for it is on his nerve and accuracy that every life depends. After the whale has been attacked in this manner several times, it begins to grow feeble from loss of blood. So the boats row up alongside, and thrust lances into its vitals until it is killed. Sometimes the whale will turn on its enemies and charge them & o X w < a x < < X fcl a m a ■ . I I ! (! ifalP '■^mStiii I mm, :^^»* BLACK RAT. BROWN RAT (h Natural Sue/. MICE. The rat is the strongest and fiercest of the family for its size. It is a match for almost any animal, while its fellows have wonderful ideas of com- bination. Quite a number of rats will attack a dog or a man who is pushing one rat too hard, yet should the same rat be unlucky enough to fall into a steel trap, its fellows immediately pounce upon it and tear it to pieces instead of helping it out. The female rat is loving to her young and very watchful, for the male rat is always on the lookout for a chance to eat up its young ones. Rats multi- ply quickly, for they often have three broods of young in a year, and as many as twelve and sixteen at a time. There are many crimes for which rats are hated. They live in drains and bring disease into houses. On the other hand, though, rats sometimes act as a warning to the householder, for should he discover rats running about in his cellars, it is generally safe to say that they come from the drains, prov- ing thereby that there is a leak. Their voracious appetites cause them to make inroads into stores, granaries, and warehouses, where they commit great damage. A hay-rick often becomes honey-combed by rats without the slight- est outward sign of it. There is nothing for the farmer to do but to pull his rick to pieces and rebuild it on piles surrounded by water. The farmer need not take the trouble to shake the rats out of the hay, because, being very thirsty animals, they will jump down to the ground to obtain water, and be unable to get back again. Rats are intelligent creatures and easily tamed. They will follow their master about and do lots of tricks, such as pulling a little toy-cart. Boys have carried rats to school, and they have laid so snugly and quietly in their sleeves that they have escaped the teacher's eye. Tamed rats can be caged together, but every now and, then their instinct gets the upper hand, and they have fierce battles among themselves, in which one or more are frequently killed. MICE. The Mice, like their cousins, the rats, live in both town and country. In the cities the mice do a great deal of damage, but in the country they are harmless. They are bold and playful, as anyone can witness who has watched them running about a room. They are just as curious as cats, and will always examine strange objects or new furniture in a room. They run squeaking and shuffling in their playful way through the walls and plaster just as if they owned the whole place. Mice are very easy to tame, and if MICE. :d, will run about everywhere with the utmost confidence. The they are kept should be clean, as mice, in spite of public opinion, animals. p people quarrel very much about the "singing mice." There is no doubt that mice can make a chirping noise. The Rev. J. G. Wood tells a story of a family of mice that lived in his kitchen. Instead of killing them, they were allowed to run about, and merrily they took ad- vantage of the permission. In the same kitchen lived a singing canary, and he noticed that by degrees the chirp of the mice changed to an exact imitation of the canary's song. One mouse was much cleverer than the others at it. The result was very pleasing, for while the canary's notes were stronger and sweeter, that of the mice was softer and more deli- cate. The imitation was so complete that guests at night, when the mice were out, would look toward the canary's cage, saying, " Is the bird singing: ? " when it would be sitting with its head tucked under its wing-. Mice have countless enemies. While they stay in the barns, there is always the danger of being trapped; in the houses there are the cats; in the yards, the dogs ; while out in the open fields the hawks and snakes and weasels are forever watching for them. In the winter-time numbers of mice die from cold, or for want of food, but in spite of all these troubles, they seem to thrive and prosper. There are many varieties of mice which boys make pets of; for instance, the white mice. But they become a great nuisance if they get out of control. A boy once allowed a pair of white mice to escape, and in a short time the house was overrun with numbers of the little creatures. These mice kept on rapidly increasing, in spite of cats and traps, and even spread to the garden, where they were seen running over the rocks and flower-beds. MICE (Natural Size). THE LEMMING. The tiny Lemming is one of the most mysterious little creatures in the world. The Norwegians and Laps believe that these animals' come from the clouds, because they are only seen in periods of from four to fifteen years, when they come in millions and sweep over the land like an invading army. Nobody seems quite to know where they come from. The damage they do is fearful, for they march in a straight line, allowing nothing to check their course. Should a man or beast be unlucky enough to cross their path, they rush into the attack at once. They make the land look as though a plague of locusts had visited it. The small animals, such as the rats and mice, fly before the army. Although a rat is more than a match for a single lemming, the numbers of the latter are so great that the rat is left no alternative except flight. Even fire will hardly check the lemming. It has been proved that cows and reindeer will not eat the grass that a lemming has walked over. The reason of these wonderful migrations has been a puzzle to nat- uralists for many years. Some claim it is hunger, and that an overwhelm- ing instinct drives the lemming on- ward. These little animals arc readily devoured by scores of kites and crows which follow their movements, while the fish make fearful havoc in their ranks when they cross the lakes and rivers. These marches generally end in the sea, where the few that have survived the perils of the journey are drowned. The lencrth of the lemming is about six inches and its tail half an inch. It is strange that there always seem to be enough lemmings left to save the species from extinction, and in a few years they are as plentiful as ever. There is a species of lemming found in America up around the Hudson Bay country; in fact, it is sometimes called the Hudson Bay lemming. In the winter its fur, which is light brown during the summer months, turns to a snowy white. It is very valuable then. LEMMING (H Natural Size). THE HAMSTER. The Hamster is an animal something like the lemming, but there is a big difference in their sizes, for the hamster reaches a length of fifteen inches. This animal is a great pest in Northern Europe. It systematically collects grain and corn from the fields for a winter store. The way it does it is to pull down a stalk to get the fruit, and stuff its pouch as full as it can, and then go to its burrow, empty it, and return for more. When occupied in this way the hamster becomes so absorbed that anyone can walk up quite close to it and watch its actions, provided no noise or sudden movement is made. As the hamster's skin is of some value, many hunters are employed to rid the farmer of the pest, and also to supply the market with the fur. The dam- age that the hamster does to the farmer can be realized by the fact that when a burrow has been dug out, as much as sixty pounds of corn and one hundred pounds of beans have been found. It is quite a common thing for the farmer to dig out the burrows to recover stolen wares. The hamster is dull and ferocious. It will fight anything without respect to size or strength. When one has been crushed by awheel or stone, it will turn and bite it. The hamster will worry the end of a stick as if it were a liv- ing animal. When startled by any noise, the hamster has a curious habit of sitting up on its haunches like a rabbit, and staring in the direction from which the sound came. BEAVERS AT WORK, (i/io Natural Size.) THE BEAVER. The Beaver has one of the most beautiful skins in the world. Its fur has become famous in Europe and America. The beaver is also noted for its skill as an engineer. As a rule, the beaver lives on the banks of small creeks and rivers, and to prevent the supply of water from running short, it makes wonderful dams. When an engineer wishes to dam up a stream, he usually begins by pile-driving; but this little animal-engineer goes at it another way. It lays the logs (which are from six to fifteen inches thick, and from two to six feet long) flat on the bed of the stream, and then heaps stones and mud upon them to keep them down. Gradually a dam rises out of the water. So clever are the beavers that they make the wall of the dam round if the current is very swift, so that the water cannot bear too much strain on one spot. If the water is sluggish, the dam is built straight across the stream. The skilful engineer- ing of the beaver is displayed best when a large dam is built, one as large as two hundred and fifty or three hundred and fifty yards in length. The bark of the logs is stripped off and stored away for the winter's food. The beavers themselves live in curious little houses called " lodges." They look for all the world like Esquimau huts. The walls are composed of moss, branches, and mud. While the house-building is going on in the spring, the beaver is open to attacks from its enemies, especially the wolver- ine, which is ever on the watch for the unwary ones. But when winter has set in, the beaver is safe. The fearful cold of the North turns the damp moss and mud of the lodge into a solid wall, which even the wolverine's strong claws cannot break through. As many as half a dozen beavers live in a lodge, each having a separate bed. The young are born early in the spring, and as soon as the ice breaks up they come out and accompany their parents. One often hears of beaver canals and wonders what they are for. Should a number of large trees, that the beaver needs, grow some distance from the dam, it digs a canal up to the place. It has very sharp teeth, which enable it to gnaw through the trees needed for its building purposes. These it cleverly fells so that they fall near the right spot; then it saws them with its teeth into proper lengths and floats them down to the dam. These canals are often over six hundred feet in length. This work can only be done when the ground is perfectly level. Toward spring, when the frost allows the beavers to come out once more, they look very thin and scraggy, but in a month they grow just as fat and plump as ever. The length of the beaver is from three to four feet. Its legs are short and it is a clumsy walker, and will never travel by land if it can go where it wants to by water. BEAVERS CONSTRUCTING A DAM. MUSK-RAT and RACOONDA. MUSK-RAT ('/, Natural Size). The Musk-rat is a native of North America and makes its home near the large rivers. It is a bright, playful, gentle little creature, but as its fur is RACOONDA {% Natural Size). PORCUPINE. of a fine grade, it is persecuted by the trappers. The musk-rat is a clumsy walker, and is seldom seen more than a few yards from water. It is an expert swimmer, but does not use its powers to prey upon fish. It feeds upon vege- table matter. The Racoonda takes the place of the musk-rat in South America. It is easily tamed, but when angry is more than a match for a small dog. The teeth of the racoonda are very sharp, and are used to gnaw through branches of trees. The bark of the trees is stored away for food. PORCUPINE. One always thinks of the Porcupine as living entirely in the tropics. As a matter of fact, it is found from the equator to Southern Europe. As it never comes out in daylight, it is thought to be much rarer than it is. The teeth of the porcupine are chisel-like and very sharp, capable of cut- ting' the hardest wood ; yet it seldom uses them when defending itself against its enemies. The nose of the porcupine is very sensitive, and the creature can be easily stunned by a blow on it; hence its first instinct is to protect its head. Like the hedge-hog, the porcupine curls itself up into a ball when it scents an enemy, and, sticking out all its quills, it presents a formidable front. The ends of the quills are barbed. They separate from the porcupine's body very easily and if stuck into the flesh, work their way in. Large animals, like the leopard, have been killed in India and found to contain the ends of quills, showing that, after all, the leopard is no match for the porcupine. The porcupine lives in burrows in the earth. It is quite a common sport in India to hunt them with dogs. Having found one end of the porcupine's burrow, the hunter stuffs it up with straw and sets fire to it. The porcupine growls angrily, but is soon smoked out and makes a rush from its hole at the other end. Immediately it falls into the clutches of the terriers watching for it. But quicker than a flash the porcupine tucks its head in, puts out its quills and rolls among the dogs, who bound away with yelps of pain. Frequently the battle ends in favor of the porcupine, whose patience outlasts the thirst for blood of the terriers. The beast cannot be lifted up, as it is quite heavy and its quills come out of the skin so easily. The only thing to do is to roll it with a stick to the nearest water, where it will be compelled to swim and expose itself to attack or be drowned. It is a curious fact that in a battle of this kind the porcupine seldom uses its teeth, which certainly would afford it as great a protection as its quills. It seems to rely wholly on the latter. mm -JBnl- m&z0y PORCUPINE, (i/io Natural Size.) JAGUAR STALKING CAPYBARAS. THE CAPYBARA. The Capybara is the largest of the rodents. Its size is equal to a iuige pig. This eurious creature is found all over Central and South America. A capybara can stay under water nearly ten minutes, and when it does come to the surface it only pushes the end of its nose out. It is quite safe in diving, except from animals as expert as itself, and these are few indeed. A hunter relates his experience with a herd of these animals. They were all feeding near a deep and broad stream when something alarmed them. Instantly a large male, which seemed to be the leader, gave a cry, something between the bark of a dog and a grunt, and away the herd flew into the water. The enemy proved to be a huge anaconda snake, which glided into the water like lightning after the capybaras. The herd scattered at once and then the hunter was able to see their marvellous diving habits. The hunter noticed that the huge snake landed on the other river-bank and made off quietly. In a moment or two first one and then another capybara popped its head up, and then all swam to the shore and began eating. Shortly afterward, they became uneasy again, and without the slightest warning, a jaguar sprang among the group and pulled down one poor beast. Just as the <> > ca I— I THE RABBIT. The Rabbit is one of the best-known animals in the world. It is easily tamed and has therefore become a great pet. There is hardly any boy who has not, at some time or other, kept rabbits in a cracker-box hutch. In its wild state the rabbit is a bright, clever little creature. They live in great colo- nies, where the earth is honey-combed with hundreds of burrows, called " war- rens," and in the early morning or just at sunset it is a great sight to watch them running about. They hop in and out of their holes, while some sit up. listening intently. Then, without an instant's warning, the whole party will dash off and pull up again before they have gone any distance. They fight among themselves and chase each other madly through the twist- ings and turnings of the burrows. Rabbits have very sharp ears and for a short distance can run swiftly, and upon these two talents they are mainly dependent for their safety. They have countless enemies, for men, dogs, cats, foxes, stoats, wea- sels, hedgehogs, crows, hawks, rats, snakes, and owls all murder the rabbit, one half by day, the other half by night; so there is not much peace for the poor bunny. On the other hand, the rabbit multiplies at a great rate if it is not kept down. For instance, the rabbit was intro- duced into Australia and allowed to run wild in the bush. As the climate of Australia is very mild and enemies are few in number, it soon overran the land, and it has already cost the British Government millions to exterminate it. In parts of California the rabbit is a great nuisance, and the people have adopted a curious method for keeping down their number. Twice a year hundreds of men from Fresno County meet together for a rabbit-drive. An enclosure, about one hundred yards square, is made, with an entrance to it ten yards wide. From this entrance the fence-work then spreads outwards in a huge V. At a certain signal, the men form a line at the wide end of the V THE RABBIT. and proceed, yelling and shouting, to drive all the rabbits down to the corral at the bottom. Numbers of rabbits try to break through the line and are instantly killed. At last the frightened creatures are driven into the corral, where they are easily killed. Some idea of the size of these drives may be gained from the fact that between twenty and thirty thousand rabbits are killed in a single day. The favorite method of killing rabbits in England is by shooting them In winter they are hunted with ferrets, which are turned into the warrens, while terriers watch the holes. Poachers catch rabbits by attaching loops of brass wire to the mouth of the burrow. Once a rabbit gets its head into a loose wire noose it does not know enough to draw back, but pushes on, strug- gling frantically, until it chokes itself. The tame rabbits are quite distinct from the wild rabbits. They have been so carefully bred that there are a number of fine species. Their ears, which stick up so straight when they are wild, soon begin to lop or hang down when they have been confined in hutches, free from the danger of prowl- ing foxes and cats. Rabbits do a great deal of damage to property. They gnaw the bark off trees, and at times completely girdle them. They steal all sorts of garden stuff, and destroy acres and acres of grain which happen to be near their warrens. But, after all is said and done, it would seem that the rabbit is more sinned against than sinning. Writers of all countries have loved to endow the rabbit with great shrewdness and sagacity. Uncle Remus in this country gives the rabbit a great reputation at the expense of that shrewd rascal, the fox. Mr. Mounteney Jephson, who crossed the Dark Continent with Stanley on his last expedition, found that the Uncle Remus rabbit-stories were known by the curious little race of pigmy people he met, who had never been visited by white men before. It is perfectly true that the rabbit is clever. One has only to watch it march from the woods some frosty morning. Out it comes with a hop, but never does its vigilance forsake it for an instant. You will notice that it will always keep its path open back to cover along the thin, hard snow, so there is no danger of its slipping or losing its way, and yet it keeps far enough away to prevent a lurking fox from springing upon it. There is one animal the rabbit is in constant terror of, and that is the weasel. Directly a rabbit knows that a weasel is upon its track, it gives a little scream of terror and dashes off. Now if the rabbit was to keep on running it would soon leave the weasel far behind, but this it does not do. It runs back and forth in a state of panic and dives into the burrows, from which the other bunnies drive it out. The weasel doggedly follows everywhere, until the rabbit THE ALPINE HARE. direction. Hares can swim, and quite a long distance, too, if necessary, but they hardly ever enter the water, unless it is to try a bold escape. They do not burrow like the rabbit, but live entirely upon the ground. They make what are called "forms," just a few twigs and leaves pulled together, which are so marvellously like their own color that you might pass within a yard of a hare sitting in a form without noticing it. That explains the mysterious way in which the hare seems to rise from the ground at your very feet, and before you can collect your wits half a dozen wild bounds carry it out of sight. In winter, when the ground is covered with snow, the hare is generally found in some dark spot near the roots of trees, and always on the sheltered side. ALPINE HARE. Ifc: ALPINE HARE ('A Natural Size). The Alpine Hark is famous for its coat, which turns white in the winter. It is found in the colder parts of North America. Its white coat serves as a great protection, for it cannot be distinguished from the snow upon the ground. In size it is a little larger than the common hare. The Alpine hares are killed in large numbers each year and shipped to the markets. o & o a h3 O *1 > > W W i— i THE RABBIT. The Rabbit is one of the best-known animals in the world. It is easily tamed and has therefore become a great pet. There is hardly any boy who has not, at some time or other, kept rabbits in a cracker-box hutch. In its wild state the rabbit is a bright, clever little creature. They live in great colo- nies, where the earth is honey-combed with hundreds of burrows, called " war- rens," and in the early morning or just at sunset it is a great sight to watch them running about. They hop in and out of their holes, while some sit up, listening intently. Then, without an instant's warning, the whole party will dash off and pull up again before they have gone any distance. They fight among themselves and chase each other madly through the twist- ing^ and turnings of the burrows. Rabbits have very sharp ears and for a short distance can run swiftly, and upon these two talents they are mainly dependent for their safety. They have countless enemies, for men, dogs, cats, foxes, stoats, wea- sels, hedgehogs, crows, hawks, rats, snakes, and owls all murder the rabbit, one half by day, the other half by night; so there is not much peace for the poor bunny. On the other hand, the rabbit multiplies at a great rate if it is not kept down. For instance, the rabbit was intro- duced into Australia and allowed to run wild in the bush. As the climate of Australia is very mild and enemies are few in number, it soon overran the land, and it has already cost the British Government millions to exterminate it. In parts of California the rabbit is a great nuisance, and the people have adopted a curious method for keeping down their number. Twice a year hundreds of men from Fresno County meet together for a rabbit-drive. An enclosure, about one hundred yards square, is made, with an entrance to it ten yards wide. From this entrance the fence-work then spreads outwards in a huge V. At a certain signal, the men form a line at the wide end of the V THE RABBIT. and proceed, yelling and shouting, to drive all the rabbits down to the corral at the bottom. Numbers of rabbits try to break through the line and are instantly killed. At last the frightened creatures are driven into the corral, where they are easily killed. Some idea of the size of these drives may be gained from the fact that between twenty and thirty thousand rabbits are killed in a single day. The favorite method of killing rabbits in England is by shooting them In winter they are hunted with ferrets, which are turned into the warrens, while terriers watch the holes. Poachers catch rabbits by attaching loops of brass wire to the mouth of the burrow. Once a rabbit gets its head into a loose wire noose it does not know enough to draw back, but pushes on, strug- gling frantically, until it chokes itself. The tame rabbits are quite distinct from the wild rabbits. They have been so carefully bred that there are a number of fine species. Their ears, which stick up so straight when they are wild, soon begin to lop or hang down when they have been confined in hutches, free from the danger of prowl- ing foxes and cats. Rabbits do a great deal of damage to property. They gnaw the bark off trees, and at times completely girdle them. They steal all sorts of garden stuff, and destroy acres and acres of grain which happen to be near their warrens. But, after all is said and done, it would seem that the rabbit is more sinned against than sinning. Writers of all countries have loved to endow the rabbit with great shrewdness and sagacity. Uncle Remus in this country gives the rabbit a great reputation at the expense of that shrewd rascal, the fox. Mr. Mounteney Jephson, who crossed the Dark Continent with Stanley on his last expedition, found that the Uncle Remus rabbit-stories were known by the curious little race of pigmy people he met, who had never been visited by white men before. It is perfectly true that the rabbit is clever. One has only to watch it march from the woods some frosty morning. Out it comes with a hop, but never does its vigilance forsake it for an instant. You will notice that it will always keep its path open back to cover along the thin, hard snow, so there is no danger of its slipping or losing its way, and yet it keeps far enough away to prevent a lurking fox from springing upon it. There is one animal the rabbit is in constant terror of, and that is the weasel. Directly a rabbit knows that a weasel is upon its track, it gives a little scream of terror and dashes off. Now if the rabbit was to keep on running it would soon leave the weasel far behind, but this it does not do. It runs back and forth in a state of panic and dives into the burrows, from which the other bunnies drive it out. The weasel doggedly follows everywhere, until the rabbit THE RABBIT. The Rabbit is one of the best-known animals in the world. It is easily tamed and has therefore become a great pet. There is hardly any boy who has not, at some time or other, kept rabbits in a cracker-box hutch. In its wild state the rabbit is a bright, clever little creature. They live in great colo- nies, where the earth is honey-combed with hundreds of burrows, called " war- rens," and in the early morning or just at sunset it is a great sight to watch them running about. They hop in and out of their holes, while some sit up, listening intently. Then, without an instant's warning, the whole party will dash off and pull up again before , ; ^, r . ~> — --- ;_■■-.. they have gone any distance. They fight amonor themselves and chase each other madly through the twist- ings and turnings of the burrows. Rabbits have very sharp ears and for a short distance can run swiftly, and upon these two talents they are mainly dependent for their safety. They have countless enemies, for men, dogs, cats, foxes, stoats, wea- sels, hedgehogs, crows, hawks, rats, snakes, and owls all murder the rabbit, one half by day, the other half by night; so there is not much peace for the poor bunny. On the other hand, the rabbit multiplies at a great rate if it is not kept down. For instance, the rabbit was intro- duced into Australia and allowed to run wild in the bush. As the climate of Australia is very mild and enemies are few in number, it soon overran the land, and it has already cost the British Government millions to exterminate it. In parts of California the rabbit is a great nuisance, and the people have adopted a curious method for keeping down their number. Twice a year hundreds of men from Fresno County meet together for a rabbit-drive. An enclosure, about one hundred yards square, is made, w r ith an entrance to it ten yards wide. From this entrance the fence-work then spreads outwards in a huge V. At a certain signal, the men form a line at the wide end of the V THE RABBIT. and proceed, yelling and shouting, to drive all the rabbits down to the corral at the bottom. Numbers of rabbits try to break through the line and are instantly killed. At last the frightened creatures are driven into the corral, where they are easily killed. Some idea of the size of these drives may be gained from the fact that between twenty and thirty thousand rabbits are killed in a single day. The favorite method of killing rabbits in England is by shooting them In winter they are hunted with ferrets, which are turned into the warrens, while terriers watch the holes. Poachers catch rabbits by attaching loops of brass wire to the mouth of the burrow. Once a rabbit gets its head into a loose wire noose it does not know enough to draw back, but pushes on, strug- gling frantically, until it chokes itself. The tame rabbits are quite distinct from the wild rabbits. They have been so carefully bred that there are a number of fine species. Their ears, which stick up so straight when they are wild, soon begin to lop or hang down when they have been confined in hutches, free from the danger of prowl- ing foxes and cats. Rabbits do a great deal of damage to property. They gnaw the bark off trees, and at times completely girdle them. They steal all sorts of garden stuff, and destroy acres and acres of grain which happen to be near their warrens. But, after all is said and done, it would seem that the rabbit is more sinned against than sinning. Writers of all countries have loved to endow the rabbit with great shrewdness and sagacity. Uncle Remus in this country gives the rabbit a great reputation at the expense of that shrewd rascal, the fox. Mr. Mounteneyjephson, who crossed the Dark Continent with Stanley on his last expedition, found that the Uncle Remus rabbit-stories were known by the curious little race of pigmy people he met, who had never been visited by white men before. It is perfectly true that the rabbit is clever. One has only to watch it march from the woods some frosty morning. Out it comes with a hop, but never does its vigilance forsake it for an instant. You will notice that it will always keep its path open back to cover along the thin, hard snow, so there is no danger of its slipping or losing its way, and yet it keeps far enough away to prevent a lurking fox from springing upon it. There is one animal the rabbit is in constant terror of, and that is the weasel. Directly a rabbit knows that a weasel is upon its track, it gives a little scream of terror and dashes off. Now if the rabbit was to keep on running it would soon leave the weasel far behind, but this it does not do. It runs back and forth in a state of panic and dives into the burrows, from which the other bunnies drive it out. The weasel doggedly follows everywhere, until the rabbit THE GUINEA PIG. becomes paralyzed with fear and allows its enemy to catch up. It is a curious fact that when a weasel has singled out a rabbit to chase, it will not touch the others, although it brushes quite close to them in the passages of the burrows. Many people have wondered of what use to the rabbit is the little white fur which has given rise to the name "cotton-tail." The most likely reason for its existence is that at the sign of danger the parents dash off, and the white is a guide for the little ones. Everyone who has shot rabbits knows that it serves as a mark to aim at. THE GUINEA-PIG. Why the Guinea-pig should have been so called is a puzzle, for it is not a pig at all, nor does it come from Guinea, but from South America. It is very brightly and irregularly col- ored, and very often has large dabs of orange, black, and white upon it. The guinea-pig breeds freely, but the young are very delicate for the first few days after they are born. This little animal is clean and doc- ile, but stupid, and its intelligence is far below that of the rabbit. On the whole, the guinea-pig may be said to be practically of no use to man, as its flesh is too coarse for food, and its skin, owing to the slight manner in which the hair is attached, is of no value to the furrier. The guinea-pig has always been a popular pet with children. It re- quires but little attention and will eat any kind of vegetable food. The guinea - pig sometimes shows a spark of courage, if a cat or dog should come too near its young ones, but as its teeth are not sharp, it is practically unable to defend itself from enemies of any size. mm GUINEA-PIG (H Natural Size). THE GERBOA. THE CHINCHILLA. The Chinchilla lives in the high mountain ranges of South America. Its fur is of a very fine quality, and has a beautiful shade of gray over it. They live in large colonies, which, however, are not stationary, like the rabbit's, for sometimes a whole band will for- sake a certain locality where they have lived for years. THE GERBOA. The Gerboa is a little animal about the size of a rat. It lives in Northern Africa and is chiefly fa- mous for its long legs and tail. JtRj?-* CHINCHILLA (•{ Natural Size) GLKUUH (,>j Natural Size). The gerboa is capable of making im- mense springs utterly out of propor- tion to its size and strength ; in fact, it is so agile that it can out-distance a greyhound when once it is fairly started. It is a burrowing animal, and usually prefers a sandy bank j\ facing the sun. Gerboas live in col- li! onies, and are very sociable, playing jt together, and toward sundown may i|||^j|g be seen jumping about in a start- ling yet graceful manner. Although ^WR; the gerboa comes out in the day- time, it does not feed until nightfall. Its food consists strictly of herbs and grain. Its teeth are very sharp, and will even cut through a thin layer of stone. THE DORMOUSE. The Dormouse is fairly common all through England and the Continent. It is one of the prettiest of the rodents, for its fur is brown on the back, while underneath it is a yellowish white. Its head is large and its eyes are bright and beady. The dormouse sleeps all day long, so soundly that you could pick one up without disturbing it. Don't you remember the dormouse in " Alice in Wonderland," which kept falling asleep ? At night the dormice come out to hunt for food. Go to any quiet, wooded country lane, keep very still, and you will get a good chance to watch them. By and by you will hear their funny little squeak and then a rustling among the leaves, and if you do not move they will almost run over your very feet. The nest of this little animal is a compact and beautiful affair. It is like a ball of platted grass, with just one lit- tle hole at the top, and is usually built several feet from the ground amon^ the corn - stalks. When you come across one dormouse's nest, you will be sure to find others near-by, for they like to live together. It is a lively lit- tle creature, leaping lightly from twig to twig as it goes in search of acorns, nuts, and haws. The dormouse hibernates through- out the winterjust like the bear, sleep- ing in its nest. It collects a lot of food toward autumn and grows exceed- ingly fat, which enables it to stand dormice (Natural size). the months of fasting. When a mild spell of weather comes in the middle of winter, the dormouse wakes up, nibbles some food, and then goes to sleep again. It does not use much of its larder until spring. The dormouse is awake long before the nuts and berries are ripe, so, you see, the little animal wisely keeps a store on hand, or else it would soon starve to death. It can carry food in its mouth, is able to sit upright, and can also hang by its feet, and may often be seen comfortably munching nuts in this position. The dormouse makes an excellent pet. It is a good-tempered, affection- ate and cleanly little animal, and if treated kindly becomes very tame. It will eat almost any food except meat. THE SQUIRRELS. The Red Squirrel is a splendid little creature, typifying wild, careless gayety and absurd shrewdness and gravity. It is common all over Southern Europe and especially so in England. It lives in small numbers in the beech and fir woods, or near the great oaks. Its size is about that of an overgrown kitten. Its eyes are bright and black, while its ears, which are large and upright, have a tuft of hair on the ends. Its tail is large and bushy and is usu- ally carried curled over its back. Like the dormouse, it sits upright when eating or playing sentinel. The squirrel builds a nest which at a distance looks like a crow's. In fact, it sometimes uses an old crow's nest instead of building one of its own. The nest is carefully lined with moss and leaves, and here the young squirrels are born and brought up. They are the prettiest little creatures, very gentle, and make excellent pets, but are hard to raise in cages. In the early morning, the squir- rel comes down from the trees to feed on the wind-blown chestnuts and acorns. Then, as the sun gets higher, it goes back to the trees. The squirrel rarely comes to the ground except to feed. If alarmed, it races along the ground with a jumping v " the trees springs from branch to branch with as- tounding leaps. If, by any chance, it misses its footing, it spreads out its bushy tail and comes sailing down as light as a feather. The squirrel has many enemies. The game-keeper shoots it for gnaw- ing the bark from the young trees. Then the weasel and stoat are ever on the watch to pounce upon it while feeding, and up in the branches there is always a danger of being swooped down upon by the sparrow-hawk. Last of all is the persistent small boy. Throughout all parts of rural England it is considered great sport to hunt the squirrel. The usual method is to wait & allop, but when it reaches nothing can follow it. It THE SQUIRRELS. Until a squirrel comes down to feed, and then slyly get between it and the woods and bo contrive to drive it to an isolated tree. Then one of the boys climbs up into the tree while the others form a circle around the trunk. The squirrel mounts higher and higher into the thin branches, chattering with rage all the while. At last it is shaken from its perch and leaps wildly into the air. Immediately, caps, sticks, and stones ....„._ _._ ..._. , are thrown at it, and often after the confusion is over Master Squirrel is seen scampering back to the high trees. The squirrel's chance of get- ting away is good ; but sometimes the boys are accompanied by a half- dozen curs, and then the little creat- ure has a hard time to keep from being worried by them. ■ THE GRAY SQUIRREL. The Gray Squirrel is found in the warmer parts of the United States. Eor instance, it is very common throughout California. It is a bright, playful little creature, and very active. The gray squir- rels live in small colonies, choosing by preference rocky ground. They dig the earth away from between the rocks, so as to make sheltered burrows, and then well-cleared paths are made leading to the burrow-holes. These squirrels, although they will take up their abode within a stone's throw of a house, are very cautious and hard to approach. They always post one of their number on high ground to act as sentinel, and the moment it sees anything it does not understand it gives a shrill bark and all the squirrels rush off to their burrows, chattering shrilly. This happened times out of num- ber at a certain ranch-house where a number of squirrels had made a burrow in the rocks at the rear. Several times a day the dogs woidd rush up and try to take the squirrels by surprise, but every time the latter proved too nimble. In fact, the dogs were never known to catch a single squirrel. RED SQUIRREL (% Natural Size). THE CHIPMUNK. The bright little Chipmunk is another burrowing rodent. It is very common near the woods, where it can be seen scampering along through the undergrowth, making the curious, chirping noise from which it gets its name. It is almost defenceless, while its coat is so bright and pretty, just the sort to attract prowling enemies. All the summer long it is busy stor- ing up food in the shape of nuts and haws for the winter. The chipmunk nearly always carries four nuts in its mouth at a time, which, considering the size of the animal, is a huge load. When out looking for food it must leave its shelter, and is thus laid open to attacks from the polecat and hawk. Nevertheless, there is hardly any little animal which, to human eyes,, seems so completely happy. It is never seen except it is whisking its tail about in the liveliest manner. THE PRAIRIE-DOG. Now we come to a distinctly American animal, the Prairie-dog. These strange creatures live together in vast colonies, or dog-towns, which are gen- erally situated where the soil is soft and sandy. Its name, prairie-dog, comes from two sources : first, because it lives on the prairies, and second, because, when alarmed, it gives a tiny bark like a dog. The dog-towns are often very large and present an odd appearance. Outside the burrow is a mound which has been thrown up in digging. While the prairie-dog is busy burrowing its tunnel and throwing the earth out, another prairie-dog will rush up, fill its paws w r ith earth, and ram it into the hole upon the digger and then scamper off. After awhile, the other prairie-dog comes scratching out of its burrow snorting with anger, goes in search of its enemy, and then there is a fight. Wherever there are prairie-dogs, there are always rattlesnakes and owls. It was thought at one time that the animal, snake, and bird lived peaceably together, but that is not true. The owl and rattlesnake live with the prairie-dog simply because THE MARMOT. THE PRAIRIE-DOG (X Natural Size). the latter is not strong enough to put them out. They use its burrow, kill its young, and often slay the owner. The prairie-dogs are very cautious. They always have a sentinel on watch, and when it sees anything it does not under- stand it gives its bark, and the dogs disappear into the burrows. It would seem as if the place was utterly deserted. After awhile the dogs poke their noses out of their holes, and if they think the enemy has gone, they soon come out of hiding once more. THE MARMOT. The Marmot is a sort of European cousin to the prairie-dog. It is found all over the northern part of Finland, Norway, and Russia. It is another of the animals which goes to sleep in the winter and wakes up in the summer. It is dull and stupid in spite of its timidity, but has a keen sense of hearing. It lives in a burrow which it digs out itself. Its tunnel is about eight feet long, and branches off into two parts. The one forms a storehouse and the other the living part. This storehouse is filled with grain and nuts, which it has been busv collecting all the summer. As soon as the marmot is ready to take its long winter sleep it stuffs up the burrow with sticks and earth, so that the cold may not creep in. A FAMILY OF MARMOTS. THE KING OF THE PRAIRIE. THE BUFFALO. The Buffalo, or Bison, has been called the " King of the Prairies," but, alas ! it is king no longer. The march of man across the plains has driven the buffalo out of existence. It is a dull and stupid animal, which accounts for allowing itself to be so easily tracked ; but, on the other hand, it has immense strength and great speed. The Indian found that the buffalo supplied him with almost everything he needed : hide, wool, fat, and meat. Armed only with a bow and arrow, he killed but few of the vast herds which roamed the plains north of the Platte River. Then came the white man with the rifle, and the result is that the buffalo has vanished. Not a single wild specimen lives to-day. In a few shows, notably Buffalo Bill's, in private collections both in this country and in England, and in the Yellowstone Park, the buffalo still lives, guarded jealously from harm. Thirty years ago it was a common sight to see countless thousands of these mighty creatures together. The huge col- lection of skulls and bones testify to what their numbers must have been. Many methods were used to kill the buffalo wholesale, and one was to take advantage of the large ravines through which the western rivers run. The herds were surrounded on three sides, leaving the only avenue of escape over the precipice. At a given signal, all the men would rush in, yelling and waving hats. The herd would promptly rush off. As soon as the leaders reached the edge of the precipice, they would try to back away, but the num- bers behind would force them on, and thus it was an easy matter to wipe out a whole herd. The white man usually hunted the buffalo from horseback. This method is much more successful. It takes pluck to enter a herd and separate a mem- ber and shoot it down while going at full speed. In spite of its timid nature, the buffalo is a terrible foe when brought to bay. M JmmQ <%w&M&W THE AUROCHS. OXEN. THE AUROCHS. The Aurochs is the buffalo of Europe, but like its relative it is scarce. It is claimed that outside of a few which are still wild, the only herd left is in Russia, where the Czar keeps them under his special protection. Owing to there being hardly any females born in captivity, the herd is slowly vanishing. OXEN. There are several curious things about the animals which come under the head of Oxen. They have divided hoofs instead of claws ; they also have horns which grow out of their foreheads, and, last of ail, they are able to bring back food from the stomach to the mouth, which is called " chewing the cud." In many parts of the world, such as Palestine, America, and Europe, oxen are used to plough the land and draw the carts. In Spain, oxen are usually harnessed in pairs to unwieldy wine carts having solid wheels. The owners decorate their beasts with bells and ribbons, and they move along the country road at a solemn pace, the wheels creaking loudly. The domestic cattle have been bred to a wonderful state of perfection. The bulls are large and solidly built, possessing all the strength and courage of their wild relatives. The chief use of the cow is its supplying men with milk. As a rule, a farmer keeps a number of cows, so that he may supply the nearest city or village with milk. Every morning and evening the cows are milked and then turned out again to graze in the fields. In Spain there lives a small, long-horned, fierce bull, which is bred for the sole use of bull-fighting. When the people are all assembled in the arena, the gayly dressed bull fighters and a number of men called " capeadors " take their stand around the ring, and at a given signal the door is unlocked and the bull rushes into the ring. The animal is bewildered at first, but the instant it gets used to the glare of the sunlight, it charges the nearest capeador. He waves a red cloak in front of the brute and steps nimbly aside. In a few moments, by throwing darts and lances, with fireworks attached, into the bull's shoulders, they have it lashed into a pitch of fury. Then the fighters, or picadors, come in mounted on poor, miserable horses, which are blind in one eye, so they cannot see the bull when it charges. Often as many as fifteen horses are killed by one bull, while the men are seldom hurt. When the bull becomes weak from loss of blood, the matador, armed only with a sword, pierces it between the shoulders and kills it. A team of mules drag the body of the bull out of the ring and the fight begins over again with a fresh animal. o ►J < t> pa w <; o Eh en < < O J3 o o e w w THE BUFFALO. The Buffalo of Asia, Africa, and India is a magnificent animal. The horns of the Indian variety frequently measure as much as twelve feet from tip to tip. The strength of the animal is enormous, and its thick-set limbs are capable of great endurance. Its speed for its size and build is almost incredible. The buffaloes love water, and can always be found near swampy ground, where they roll themselves in the mud until their skin is thoroughly caked. This serves to keep off flies and mosquitoes. The temper of the buf- falo is uncertain, as may be gathered from looking into its face, which always shows the same scowling ferocity. The hunting of this animal is very diffi- cult, as its skin, which looks at a distance like rubber, is so tough that it will almost turn a bullet away. To kill a buffalo with a single shot is nearly impossible. Should the brute be only wounded, it will charge at once. When fairly roused its fury is frightful to behold. It tears up the ground with its horns and wreaks its vengeance upon the nearest thing at hand. Whether the buffalo is dealing with man or beast, it never leaves its victim until it has trampled every trace of life out of it. The great hunter, Sir Samuel Baker, mentions having seen a buffalo beat off a pair of lions which had attacked it. On another occasion he saw a buffalo pulled down by four lions, but only after a battle which lasted a couple of hours. In the spring the old bulls have great battles among themselves for the possession of the females. They become so absorbed in the fight that one can THE BaNTENGE. come easily near them; but should they happen to catch sight of the intruder, they are liable to both drop their quarrel and charge together. Unless a tree is handy, and a thick one at that, the result is unpleasant. When a bull has defeated its rival and driven it off the field of glory, the old rascal sets out to look for another one to fight. On one occasion a victorious buffalo was seen to drive its long horns into the flanks of its foe and kill it. THE BANTENGE. The Bantenge is a native of Java. It takes the place of the buffalo in that country. It is exceedingly shy, living in the thick jungles near the water. The small bands place a sentinel to keep watch for any enemy. The natives of Java have managed to catch the bantenge and tame it until it has become quite a useful animal. The work of ploughing the heavy, sodden rice-fields could hardly be done by any other creature. THE ZEBU The Zebu is one of the famous sacred animals of India. It is also found in parts of Southern Asia and even in Madagascar, though its true home is in India. It is rather a pretty and intelligent animal, about the size of a Jersey cow. It has a hump on its shoulders and short horns. English people who live in India look upon the zebu as a great nuisance, but owing to its being sacred they dare not interfere with it. The zebu is allowed to run wild wherever it pleases. It is quite a common sight to see one of these animals going through the village streets with a comical air of dignity. It will pause to examine anything that will catch its eye or help itself to fruit from a Hindoo vendor's stand, and no one will raise a protest. If it wants anything it demands it with a grunt, and if not attended to quickly it is apt to use its horns. Some- times the zebu falls asleep in a narrow roadway so as to completely block it up, and nothing can pass along until the beast awakes. Therefore the English people dislike the animal, but the Hindoos still hold it in awe. The zebu is not blessed with a good temper. If it sees any man or woman doing anything that it does not like, or wearing clothes of a red color, it will charge them without warning, and all the natives can do is to fly until they reach a tree or wall upon which they can climb. The Hindoos which crowd the streets will not attempt to turn the zebu from its victims, but simply draw away to one side and let it pass on. WOLVES PURSUING A YAK AND HER CALF. THE YAK. The Yak, or grunting ox, gets its name from the peculiar noise it makes. This magnificent creature lives in the Pamirs, or high country between the Himalayas, Russia, and China. These vast plains reach for many miles, and are more elevated than the European snow-line. That is why the Pamirs are called the roof of the world. Over the immense tracks of Thibet the yak wan- ders, either in small companies or just by itself. It feeds upon the grasses which are found in summer, and in winter digs them up out of the snow. Its nose is strongly built, so that it can push away the snow which covers its food. Its sense of smell is also very keen, and enables it not only to detect its food when covered, but also to scent enemies at a great distance. In the early spring the female gives birth to a single calf, which, when young, is said to resemble a Newfoundland dog. At this early age the calf is in great danger from the hungry packs of wolves, which would not hesitate to attack the old bull yaks themselves. The people of Thibet have managed to tame this great creature and turn it into a beast of burden. For the country it lives in it is very useful, but it is doubtful if the white man would put up with its whims and temper. Its skin is beautiful, the fur growing to a great length on the sides, while its bushy white tail is largely sought after for cap decora- THE MUSK-OX. tions and fans for the Chinese. There is a species called the "plough" yak, which is not as line an animal as the true yak. It is a poor, ill-used beast, and is generally without a tail, which its cruel master has cut off and sold. THE MUSK-OX. ■ The Musk-ox is a peculiar animal which lives in the tip-top of North America. It is not nearly as large as one might suppose from the picture, for it is covered all over with a shaggy coat of hair. It is rather a dangerous ani- mal to hunt, for it often leads its pursuers over rocky ground, and then turns upon them when it has them at a disadvantage. It is very agile and has excel- lent smell and hearing, but in spite of this it is a dull animal. Hunters say that the report of a rifle will not frighten it, provided it does not smell the gun- powder. It also is very curious and will come up to examine a white flag or any other wavy object that it has not seen before. Hunters frequently take advantage of this habit to lure it within gun-shot. The flesh is good eating, except for a short time of the year, when it has a peculiar musky smell. Hence the name, musk-ox. THE ANTELOPE FAMILY. GROUP OF ANTELOPES. The Antelopes represent a large and important group of animals which are more or less common in all tropical parts of the earth. The antelope comes nearest to the goat. Perhaps the best-known member of this family is the pretty and graceful Gazelle. The gazelle relies wholly for its safety upon its great speed. They are usually found in large bands, protecting each other from the attacks of hyenas and jackals, and the smaller animals. Against the lion, the leopard, and man, their three greatest enemies, they are almost helpless. In spite of the wary sentinel, which always keeps watch, the cunning lion works its way toward the gazelles until it can spring upon one or. at any rate, reach it with a couple of bounds. The lion knows perfectly well that it must creep up within striking distance, for should it be seen, the gazelles will gallop oft" at" a pace which the great cat could not keep up for fifty yards. THE ORYX. In parts of Syria and Araoia a species called the "aerial" gazelle is held in great favor as a household pet. It is a pretty little creature, with large, lus- trous eyes, docile and good-tempered. THE ORYX. The Oryx is famous for its beautiful horns. These weapons have a grace- ful curl to them and are often three feet long. They are covered with rings, while the ends are smooth and very sharp. It is fairly common all over South Africa, living, like the gazelle, in bands. It is not nearly so timid as the former, and when wounded shows considerable spirit. It is apt to lie quite still until the hunter comes near, then suddenly charges with lowered head and horns well out. These wounds usually prove fatal. In the early days of South Africa the oryx used to wander over the land in huge herds. So many thousands travelled together that everything green was eaten till the country looked as though it had been swept by locusts. A GROUP OF CHAMOIS. THE CHAMOIS. The Chamois is perhaps the most famous member of the antelope family. It is quite wrong to class this little animal among- the goats, al- though it is like them in appearance. The home of the chamois is in the highest Alps, where it feeds upon the grass that grows near the snow- line. Everyone has heard of the speed and jumping power of the chamois, and last, but not least, its wonderful sense of smell. It will scent a man at a distance which one would hardly believe possible. When the wary creature is alarmed, it will stand like a statue and stare in the direction in which it smells danger. The instant it sees anything move, it rushes up the mountain-side. The rate at which it disappears is something astonishing. The chamois is just as clever at getting down hill as it is going up. Hunters sometimes chase the animal until they think they have it cornered, and then it will escape being caught by sliding down what seems to be a perpendicular precipice. The affection of the doe chamois for her young is well shown by the story of a hunter who chased a chamois and her J ' young toward the end of a rock which was separated from its v : surroundings by a deep chasm. The hunter wanted, of course, A to catch the young ones alive. To his surprise, he saw the mother spread her legs across the chasm between the two rocks, and then make a sign to the young ones to climb on her back. The youngsters soon made a bridge of their mother, and were quickly out of harm's way. The chamois, like all antelopes, are found in small bands, which are always guarded by a sentinel. Its height is about two feet, and its skin is a brownish black, streaked with white around the face. Its horns, which are about six or eight inches long, are turned back in two sharp hooks. They are jet black and beautifully polished. In the spring-time there are sharp battles among the % THE SPRING-BUCK. chamois before they pair off for the season, but once summer comes they all live happily together. There have been many attempts to tame the chamois, but they have only been partly successful. It is so shy that it will not allow anyone to touch it; but, on the other hand, like a true antelope, it is con- sumed with curiosity, peeping and prying into everything. THE SPRING-BUCK. AMERICAN SPRING-BUCK. The American Spring-buck is an antelope which is found on the prairies of the Western States. They move about in great herds, which are sometimes seen in one district, then they vanish and appear in an entirely new locality. The African Spring-bok is still found in great numbers throughout the Transvaal and Orange Free State. As late as 1891 the spring-boks made a migration north toward the Zambesi River. They took several days to pass an up-country station, and the sheep-herders, who are accustomed to accurately guess the numbers of herds of animals, estimated that there must have been over half a million spring-boks on the move. These migrations are not regu- lar, but generally take place when the food in the plains gives out. A HERD OF GNUS. THE GNU. Is^MISMi Here is an animal called the Gnu, which seems to be made up of odds and ends — the legs of an antelope, the body of a horse, the tail of a mule, and the head of a bull. The early Dutch settlers in South Africa called the animal "wildebeest," and they had good reason for it. This strange animal's way of living is almost as odd as its appearance. Like most antelopes, it is very curious, and all a hunter has to do when he wants to get a shot at one is to lie down in the grass and wave a red handkerchief. The startled creatures at once gallop off as if they never meant to stop, then suddenly they all pull up and look at each other as if trying to find out who said " run " first. Before they can make up their minds, some of the males will begin fighting, and the band will look on as though there was not a waving red handkerchief within miles. Then the whole band will begin whisking their tails and kicking up their heels like colts and dash off again. Now this is where the curiosity comes in. Apparently they have forgotten all about the red handkerchief, but they have not. The band will come back to where they started from and gal- lop furiously round and round the concealed hunter, always narrowing the cir- cle until they come within easy gunshot. Sometimes they come too close and one old fellow will charge furiously. The hunter has to look out for himself then, for the temper and strength of the gnu are not to be tampered with. THE HARTEBEEST. The gnu is often found in the company of other animals. In fact, it is a com- mon sight to see them rushing over the veldt in the midst of zebras, antelopes, and ostriches. They appear to live peaceably together. THE HARTEBEEST. The Hartebeest is another South African antelope. It is chiefly famous for its horns, which, you will notice, turn straight back like a hook. It is not nearly so swift as the other antelopes, but, nevertheless, it shows considerable speed when pressed. The only danger in hunting the hartebeest is that when wounded it is apt to turn upon its enemy and charge with lowered head. Of course, the sharp-pointed horns become terrible weapons, being used to rip upward like the boar's tusks. It is a large animal, standing as high as five feet at the shoulder, while its head is held erect. The hartebeest is usually to be found in large bands, which roam over the veldt. These bands move slowly from place to place, always being guided by the search for food. KOODOOS. THE ELAND. THE KOODOO. The Koodoo is the most imposing" of all the antelopes. It is a large and thick-set animal, which is not usual with this light and graceful family. The koodoo's sides are striped in a striking manner, while along the top of its back runs a ridge of black hair. The horns of the koodoo are very beautiful, being strong and highly polished, branching out in two large corkscrew turns over the top of the forehead. As the koodoo is not a very swift animal, it is hunted by white men in a curious manner. One man starts out with a relay of horses in pursuit of the game. As soon as one horse is tired he mounts another, and in a very short time the poor koodoo gives in and allows its enemy to come up. To hunt the koodoo in this fashion, it is necessary to have a large, open track of country, for it has most wonderful springing powers. It will easily leap over a fence eight feet high. Therefore, when pursued, it always tries to find rocks and bushes where it can be safe from danger. The koodoo is frequently seen in zoological collections, but it never looks as fine as it does in its native country. The beautiful gloss of its skin van- ishes when it is kept in captivity. THE ELAND. The Elavd is even larger than the koodoo. It is said to weigh as much as an ox. It is by far the largest of the antelopes. It is hunted for its flesh, which is tender if used directly it is killed. This is a great luxury, as nearly all the meat found in the eland country is dry and tasteless. The natives of South Africa chase the animal on horseback until it is all but tired out, and then drive it toward their camp before they kill it. In this way they save themselves the trouble of bringing the carcass home. It is a curious fact that the eland can live for months without water. It has been known to spend a large part of the year on the sandy, rainless wastes of the Transvaal near the Zambesi River, where it could not have found water if it had wanted it, and yet it did not seem to suffer. Specimens killed during this time were found to have a little water in their stomachs. The eland might be easily tamed and made useful to man if it was not for its large appetite, for what it lacks in water it makes up in food. It will eat huge quantities of dry grass. In fact, no one has ever known an eland to get enough to eat. As fodder is often scarce in South Africa, owing to the uncer- tain rainy season, it would never pay to keep an eland. ?^^^ :, .:.?:.: .,.:- M%*Mq ~ . ■ '""-:~"-'^?i. - ~-Sc5^i.-,-*. ^;- j =<^ --^., . __rv-^^va-.: ELANDS. DOMESTIC SHEEP. GOATS AND SHEEP. The Goats and Sheep are closely allied to each other. The general rule among goats is that their horns are erect or curve slightly backward or outward, having a ridge on the edge. The males are larger than the females and more pugnacious. They have bearded chins ; there is also a rank odor about them. The sheep, on the other hand, are not as restless in disposition as the goats, and are not so strongly built. The horns of the rams form a sharp spiral curve on the forehead. SHEEP. The domestic Sheep have been so interbred and divided into so many varieties that the original forms are entirely lost. The sheep are as good climbers as the goats, and it is a common sight to see a whole flock pass over a steep mountain-side upon which a man could not get a foothold. Sheep are generally believed to be cowards, but this is not so. If a flock of mountain sheep is disturbed they suddenly form themselves into a com- pact mass and present a bold front to the intruder. The rams will charge if the enemy comes too close. Even a single ram is no mean fighter when he is thoroughly angry, and his charge is sometimes fatal. Goats always fight by rearing up on their hind legs and butting sideways. Sheep never do this, but always charge head downward. Sheep will follow a leader, and no matter where the leader goes they will follow. If the leader swerves as it runs along the path, each sheep will also swerve when it reaches that spot. If a sheep suddenly comes across a snake it will jump over the snake, and, although the snake glides off into the grass and is not seen by the rest of the flock, each one will leap over the spot as their leader did. Shepherds take advantage of this habit of following a leader and always make a pet of one sheep, teaching it to follow at their heels. Then they know that wherever they go the pet will follow them and the rest will obediently trot on behind. The chief use of the sheep is in providing man with wool. Vast territories of country, such as the Western United States, South America, and Southern Europe, are entirely given up to wool raising. There is no animal in the world that is of so much use to man. Every part of the sheep is turned to account. The flesh is eaten, the wool is spun into cloth, while from its skin is made the beautiful Russia leather. ANGORA GOAT and ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT. ROCKY .MOUNTAIN GOAT. THE AOUDAD. THE ANGORA GOAT. The Angora Goat is chiefly noted for its beautiful wool, from which the nnest material is made. This animal is a native of Arabia, where it has been carefully preserved for hundreds of years for the sake of its wool. There have been many attempts made to introduce it into the countries of Southern Europe but so far none of them has been successful. Directly the Angora is taken out of Arabia the quality of its wool deteriorates. Its horns are very fine, being marked with rings and curling gracefully over its head. THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT. The Rocky Mountain Goat is hunted in the Western mountains of the United States. It is a wonderfully agile animal, and prefers to live on the precipices near the snow-line. Its wool is of a very fine texture and nearly pure white, while its skin is made into valuable leather. Its head, which appears small for its body, is surmounted by two little horns which curl back- ward. Its sight is excellent, and its power of scent is very keen. THE ARGALI. The Argali is the king of the goat family and lives in Siberia It fre- quently measures four feet in height at the shoulders, and is proportionately large all over. In fact, it is built more like a small ox than a goat. Its horns measured on the curve, are about two feet long. The argali is found chiefly in the southern mountains of Siberia and as far west as the Caucasus Mountains. THE AOUDAD. The Aoudad is closely allied to the argali. In fact, it is often spoken of as the bearded argali, although it is not as large an animal. The aoudad has a curious growth of hair like a mane, stretching from the chin down between the forelegs. The aoudad is found in Tunis, Algeria, and Morocco, but its greatest stronghold is in the Atlas Mountains. Like the argali, the aoudad is remark- ably active, and is only caught in its native mountains with the greatest diffi- . culty. Curiously enough, when kept in captivity, the aoudad does not become sullen as so many of its family do, but remains active and playful It is full of curiosity, has a gentle disposition, and is capable of affection. It is a laro- e animal, often measuring three feet in height at the shoulders. ARGALI and AOUDAD. THE ARGALI. "■"■y "'■:■■ -v,-' ■' THE AOUDAD. THE IBEX. It is generally be- jjjjg iieved among naturalists that all the goats have sprung from the Ibex. Many years ago this beautiful creature was common in the Alps and the Pyrenees Mountains, but it has now vanished, except where it is pro- tected by law. Its true stronghold is in the Himalaya Mountains of India. The ibex is fa- mous for its horns, the use of which is doubtful. It was thought at one time that when the ibex used to make its gigan- tic leaps, it broke the shock of the fall by land- ing upon its horns, and no one has yet proved otherwise. Ibex- shoot- ing is one of the great sports of India. Only strong men can attempt it, for they have to go fourteen thousand feet hi O 'ASSES. The Wild Asses all over the world hold a place of honor. There is hardly any other animal that is so much prized in the East. Its greatest use lies in its speed, for a greyhound or a thoroughbred Arabian horse cannot overtake the wild ass in a fair chase. It is also very sure-footed, so that it can travel among rocks and places where a horse would be unable to tread. The common ass or donkey is a good old friend to every boy and girl. In Europe and America it has been made stupid by ill-treat- ment and its intelligence blunted by brutality. It is exceedingly clever, obedient, and willing, and possesses greater endurance and strength than the horse. In the East, where the ass has had good treatment, its development has been wonderful. There the bright-eyed, sleek, clean- cut creature is quite a con- trast to the poor, unkempt little animal of England. The donkeys would have vanished if they were not endowed with such wonderful strength. They learn clever tricks, and can be taught not to go outside a given bounda- ry ; and if they do trespass on the sly, they make every en- deavor to cover their tracks, Assr.s. DOMESTIC ASS AND YOUNG. and will hide things, steal when they can, open doors, and work pump - handles to obtain water. Donkeys have been known to drown dogs which have worried them, while, on more than one occasion, they have beaten off a full-grown leopard by nimbly using their heels. Anyone who has vis- ited Cairo or Constanti- nople must have noticed the little donkeys. Di- rectly you land, the loud- mouthed driver-boys shriek their beasts' praises until you are deafened and bewildered ; and you make a bargain in true Eastern fashion, paying about one-fifth of the sum asked. After climbing into the saddle you are off. The donkey trots along through the narrow alley-ways, nearly killing you or some- body else every few feet,, first by brushing against a wall, or knocking down a fat Arab, or going under a low arch-way, while the driver behind plies his stick vigorously, all the while shrieking, " Room for my lord ! " " Boy, get out of the way! " At the end of your journey you find yourself warm and jolted, but, on the whole, well pleased. It is impossible to walk around an Eastern bazaar without being nearly run over, and as everyone rides you may as well take a donkey too. After awhile, instead of looking at the animal as a simple ass and your enemy, you will find that he is a shrewd little rascal and capable of play- ing you many a trick unawares. In Arizona, where the ass is called the burro, it is still used by the Span- ish-Indian folk. It was found most useful in the early days, when the roads were nothing but stony and sandy trails. The Wild Ass of India is a large, beautiful animal, very cautious and timid, and like all timid animals it is also extremely curious. If it sees an object that it does not understand it will at first run away, but on seeing that the object does not move it will return and walk round and round it in ever- narrowing circles until it comes quite close, and then it will sniff at it. If there should be any peculiar smell about the object it will take fright and r o > w in M w ASSES. gallop away. It is thought great sport to shoot the wild ass, and to accom- plish this the sportsman must start off to the plains long before daylight and find some place to conceal himself from view. As the hour of dawn approaches he hears the wild asses calling one another with a curious, short bray. When it is light enough to see, the herds begin to move, and unless there is no food near they do not hurry. If the hunter has good luck they may come toward him and all he has to do is to lie very still until they get within ran^e. Sometimes the herd will take fright and will rush over the spot where the hunter lies concealed. Even if a rifle is fired close to them it will not turn them once they are started, and the hunter will be trampled to death. If, on the other hand, the herds move away from the hunter, he must creep after them, taking great care to expose himself as little as pos- sible. If he succeeds in bringing an ass down he is content, for he knows he is not likely to get another shot that day, for the herds have rushed off in great panic, from which they will not get over for some hours. The leaders of the herd never allow themselves to be taken by surprise a second time. The speed of the wild ass is very great. It can outrun a swift horse. In fact, it relies on its swiftness for its safety. Its skin is made into valuable leather and its flesh is good to eat. ZEBRAS. / THE ZEBRA. ^S^g^^M s^PiHf The Zebra is by far the handsomest of the ass tribe. This curious ani- mal is a native of Southern Africa. The home of the zebra is on the high land among the rocky hillside, but it is often found in the plains. Its color is a creamy white, marked with black velvety stripes. The disposition of the zebra is bad, being both obstinate and ill-tempered. There have been many attempts among the colonists of Southern Africa to tame it like the horse, but so far it has been with poor success. In some cases the zebras have been broken to harness and driven two abreast, or six in a team. But it is danger- ous work, as the animal is uncertain and liable at any instant to forget all its training and to dash off at break-neck speed. In spite of all its fierceness the zebra is a timid animal. Should anything approach that it does not fully understand, it kicks up its heels and dashes off for shelter. Sometimes vast herds of antelopes, hartebeest, zebras, and ostriches are often found together, fire or drought having driven them out in search of water. In the early spring, the male zebras fight fiercely together for their mates. The zebra in size is between the donkey and the horse. The young are striped like the parents, and when born are smaller than a horse's foal. a o o w CXI > A FIGHT BETWEEN CROCODILES. KING VULTURES FEASTING. INDIAN ELEPHANT AND YOUNG. THE ELEPHANT. The Elephant has a greater hold upon the friendship of the world than any other animal. Story-books are full of instances of its wonderful intelli- gence and strength. Then again, its huge size makes it so imposing that one cannot possibly behold it without awe. Its friendship and fidelity to man are well known, also its wonderful memory, recognizing friends sometimes after years of separation. The question is often asked if the elephant is more sagacious than the dog, and Sir Samuel Baker has given a good answer : " The dog is a man's friend, the elephant is his slave." It is very doubtful if an elephant would save its master from attacks of an enemy such as a dog has been known to do. The elephant moves to orders obediently enough, but never will do anything of its own accord. The two great branches of the elephant tribe are the Indian and African species. Their habits are much the same, though they differ greatly in build. The African elephant is the larger of the two, the tusks are longer, the ears are immense, and from the crown of the head to the tail a continuous slope downward, the body, if anything, being highest right at the point of the shoulder. Now in the Indian variety the head is lower than the shoulder and the higl of the body is the ba have examples of ho Indian elephants may becom but the African eleph been hardly more than mented with. The c seems to lie in the _ lack of facilities for obtaining the huge creatures in quan- tities. The instinct of the natives is to kill, and for the sake of an ivory tusk they will de- stroy a beast which might become of THE ELEPHANT. so much use to them. The only marvel is that the white settlers in Africa have so far not turned their attention to elephant taming. Although elephants arc strictly tropical animals, they suffer greatly from heat. Directly an elephant is released from duty it will make for the nearest shade, or if on a long march will strip a large tree-branch to shade itself and brush away the flies. The dark color of the elephant, together with its huge size, absorbs a great amount of the sun's rays, and the creature resorts to a curious way of keeping itself cool. By inserting its trunk in its mouth it draws up a large quantity of water from its stomach, and squirts it over itself. Oddly enough this water is perfectly sweet, haying no odor at all. The elephant has no strong smell, such as the lion or the horse. You can rub its skin with your hand and not be able to detect any odor. These huge creatures are exceedingly fond of water, being able to swim the widest rivers. It is a grand sight to see a herd of them sporting together. The leader bowls into the water first and the rest follow, and then the fun be- gins in earnest. One would suppose that the native drivers (called mahouts) must surely get drowned, for sometimes they stand ankle deep on their ele- phants' backs, the elephant being entirely under the water, except for the tip of his trunk, which he leaves out for breathing purposes. The elephant's dislike for heat and love of water naturally go together, and nothing is so enjoyable to it as its morning bath, which is more liberal than is generally supposed. In spite of the great thickness of the elephant's skin, it is exceedingly sensitive, and can only be kept healthy by constant attention. The order of the bath is as follows : The mahout goes over the elephant with a soft brick and carefully cleanses all the corners, the patient enjoying the operation immensely, and adapting itself to its attendant by obediently turning from side to side. Then, that part finished, the elephant rises and squirts buckets of water with its trunk on its back and sides. It now appears a beautiful black, but spoils the whole thing by pouring dust all over itself. It is curious to note that the elephant uses dust to cure all its troubles. Should a part of its head become tender or a sore appear on its back, it promptly covers the place with dust, which hardens and forms a solid protection against the onslaught of flies and insects. The capture of elephants is very exciting, although it is more of a business than a sport. Imagine a "round-up" of elephants similar to one of steers in the West. Once it is apparent that more elephants are needed, a regular drive is decided upon. A huge V-shaped corral is built, which at the point opens into a circular enclosure made of huge baulks of timber. A decoy elephant, which is used to attract the game, sets out on a tramp through the jungle and THE DEATH OF A GIANT. THE ELEPHANT. the wild elephants begin to follow in its wake. The leader goes steadily for- ward while the huge herd trails behind. When enough are gathered, the leader quietly makes for the V-shaped corral, the ends of which are carefully concealed by trees. The first elephant soon gets suspicious, but the crowd behind push it forward. Then the leader goes right down to the tip of the V and enters the second corral, and the herd follows. When all are in, the gigantic gates are shut and the great beasts realize that they are caught. ifg^ A scene of wildest excitement ensues, for the great concourse of people which natu- rally gathers for such a fete, yell and beat tom-toms until the noise is deafening. The flaring of torches, the rattling of chains, the shrill shrieks of children, mixed with the shouts of men, and the wild trumpeting of the elephants make a wonderful scene. The terrified prisoners rush madly round, THE ELEPHANT CORRAL. seeking an exit, and here is illustrated a curious fact: elephants seem to have no idea of combining. Strong as the stockades are built, they would go down like match-wood before a charge of the maddened beasts, and yet this is an THE ELEPHANT. exceedingly rare occurrence. Then the task of securing the likeliest specimens now begins. Tame elephants, with men on their backs, armed with long ropes and chains, enter the corral, and the elephants huddle at the other end. The mahout promptly singles out a large animal for his own use and then urges it forward to prod out one of its brethren with its tusks till it is separ- ated from its companions. Then, with infinite skill, one of the men slips a nooss over a hind foot while the other end is made fast. The elephant does not notice this at first until it tries to rejoin the herd, and then comes a period of frantic pulls and struggles, with much squealing, but all of no use. Its other feet are shackled and it finds itself bound, a helpless prisoner. While this is going on the elephant sometimes exhibits great violence, especially when a mother is trying to get to her squealing youngster, or an old bull ele- phant, in its blind, dumb fury, is lashing out in all directions with its trunk. When discretion gets the better part of bad temper and the captive gives in, which is generally after being tied up for many hours without food, it is chained between two tame elephants and led off to be broken to harness and taught its other duties in life. The finest elephants having been selected from the catch, the others are turned loose, to be recaptured in a year or two, when their ivory is in a more perfect condition. What are the uses of the elephant? A great many and various. The most magnificent creatures are purchased by the Rajahs to be used on great state occasions. The government employs others in the great teak forests, while more become hunting elephants. The Indian rulers take great pride in their elephants, and adorn their harness with elegant silks and gold trappings. Then a large number are used by the British Government in the artillery. A mounted battery drawn by two elephants is a fine sight, but, after all, the elephant is not always to be relied upon, because it is liable to stam- pede at any instant when the firing begins At pulling and hauling the ele- phant has no equal. A traveller watched a number of tuskers at work in a teak forest in Burmah. One old fellow was particularly interesting. It would hoist a gigantic baulk of timber nicely balanced on its tusks, keeping it there with its trunk, and then carry it to the pile. After laying the burden down in place, the old fellow would cock his eye along the stack to see that it was straight, pushing and butting the timber with its head into place until it was satisfied. The elephant is in great request for tiger-shooting; why, it is hard to understand, unless because of its great size and strength, but surely not on account of its pluck, for it is a wretched coward. The trunk of the elephant is THE ELEPHANT. the most sensitive and delicate part of its body, and any injury thereto causes it intense agony. Should a tiger spring on a hunt- ing-elephant, as it is very apt to do, the trunk naturally bears the brunt of the attack. It is well known that it is never safe to take into the field an elephant that has been once badly clawed by a tiger, for at the first sign of the enemy it will turn tail and rush off in a disgraceful panic. As an elephant can easily run from fifteen to eighteen miles an hour, and is very tall besides, while the branches of the trees are low, the hunters naturally fare badly. But a tiger will hardly ever face a line of ele- phants. When a part of the jun- gle is to be beaten, the elephants are placed ten feet apart and moved forward in a steady line, before which every living creat- ure must fly or be crushed to death. Gradually the space to be covered grows smaller and the elephants, in the wildest excite- ment, press forward, till the tiger breaks cover with a roar. Then is the time to witness the skill of the mahouts in keeping their huge, quaking charges in line. The hunters are on the lookout, and a bullet should end the sport. A traveller speaks of a case where a tiger sprang upon the head of an elephant which succeeded in shaking it oft". As the tiger bounded away a bullet in the shoulder brought it down. As soon as the elephant recovered from its first fright and saw its enemy lying helpless, it became unmanage- able with fury and charged down upon the tiger, crushing every spark of life out and then literally performed a w r ar-dance on the body. The hunters ELEPHANT CHARGING A WOUNDED TIGER. THE ELEPHANT. SACRED WHITE ELEPHANT. were flung off right and left from the elephant's back, so violent were its actions. Directly the elephant sniffs danger it curls up its trunk to keep it out of harm's way. It is generally estimated that an elephant lives about one hundred and fifty years, but does not attain its full growth of size and ivory until about its fortieth year. Its weight often reaches six or seven tons, while its tusks turn the scales at six hundred pounds. When in captivity the regular allowance of food for an elephant is six hundred pounds a day, and it has four teeth with which to grind it. When wild, it is exceedingly capricious in its tastes, and will destroy acres of forest, apparently out of deviltry. Being nocturnal in its habits, it must find its food by touch and smell alone. It will eat only THE ELEPHANT. FULL-GROWN INDIAN ELEPHANT. the bark of some trees, while it will carefully strip the bark off others, throw it away, and select the wood inside. Like our domestic deer, there is a period of about three months in the year when it is not safe to go near the elephant. It is called the "must" time. During his temporary madness all signs of affection leave the beast and he is alternately sullen and treacherous, liable to break forth into awful fits of anger. Many instances are on record where a " must " elephant has broken loose, destroyed life and property, and then reverted to its old state again. It is then that it is more dangerous, for having a knowledge of the ways of man, it descends upon unprotected villages, carrying death and destruction in its wake. To show that this side of its nature is only tem- porary, elephants that have escaped during the " must " time, after being recaptured, have become peaceable and trustworthy servants once more. So we have seen that the quiet, solemn, clucking elephant can be terrible at times. All elephants have a dread of insecure ground and will not cross a bridge until they have first tested its strength. If urged forward they become sulky, when simply nothing can move them, or else they lash out with their trunks or feet. It is an astonishing fact that an elephant can kick with light- ning swiftness, both back and front, often reaching as high as a man's head. THE TAPIR AMERICAN TAPIR. The Tapir forms a link between the elephant, rhinoceros, and the swine. It has a trunk much smaller than that of the elephant, and yet larger than the hog's. Its body is heavy, its skin is thick and hairless, while its tail is stumpy. The American tapir inhabits the tropical countries south of the equator, where it lives in great numbers in the densely wooded region near the rivers. It swims and dives well, being able to walk on the river-bed. In spite of its large size and weight, the tapir has no strong weapon of defence, and, there- fore, frequently succumbs before the onslaught of animals like the jaguar. On these occasions, when a jaguar springs upon its back, the tapir rushes to the nearest river and rolls over and over until its enemy is forced to loose its hold or be drowned. But in many cases the jaguar has finished its work before its victim can reach a stream. The tapir has a gentle disposition and will not attack human beings unless brought to bay, and then it uses its teeth fiercely. The tapir is a silent animal, seldom uttering its curious shrill whistle. Its hearing, sight, and scent are equally good. During the daytime THE MALAYAN TAPIR. it hides in the deep brush-wood, but at sundown it goes out in search of food. A curious fact, is that this strange animal makes long journeys at night and always travels in a straight line, climbing banks, going through forests, or swimming rivers. Its neck is covered with a short, black mane, while its general color is of a sombre brown, which does not change with the seasons. The young, however, are beautifully marked with yellowish fawn spots and stripes upon a coat of rich, brown-black color. THE MALAYAN TAPIR. The Malayan Tapir inhabits Java and Sumatra. The broad, white band on its flanks is its most conspicuous feature. In size it is rather larger, if any- thing, than its American brother, while in habits the two are exactly alike. The Malayan tapir does not swim as much as the American species, but, neverthe- less, among the natives it is known as the river-horse, a term also applied to the hippopotamus of Africa. The natives usually catch the tapir in pit-falls, for their bows and arrows are not strong enough to penetrate its skin. 3 >;'.;"■'■ i MALAYAN TA1TR. HERD OF WILD BOARS. SWINE. Pigs are omnivorous — that is, they will eat anything ; their teeth are accordingly designed for procuring many kinds of food, and at the same time to act as weapons of offence and defence. On the whole, pigs are affectionate toward their young and each other, living peaceably in herds. On the other hand, pigs fight fiercely when angered. They possess great strength, keen noses, sharp ears, but are not noted for good eyesight. The family is large, • having members scattered in every portion of the world. THE WILD BOAR. The Wild Boar is the king of the pigs. It is honored all over the world, from Germany to India. It is a curious fact that few large animals will attack man; the lion, dignity and all, turns aside, and so does the tiger; but not so the boar. This mighty pig fights for the very love of it. The size of the enemy seems to matter very little, for it has been known to put a tiger to flight. The boar is armed with two tusks about ten inches long; five inches of the tusks are firmly set in the jaw, while the other five appear for work. Although these tusks seem a poor sort of weapon, it is astounding what dam- age they are capable of doing. The boar's neck is short and thick-set, and when cornered, it has a habit of jerking its head upward and sideways, the tusks ripping through everything they encounter. Pig-sticking is a favorite sport in India. A hunter mounts a fleet horse and arms himself with a strong bamboo pole having a steel spear-head at the end ; then he rides into " pig country " and puts up his quarry. The pig breaks cover and the race for life begins. At first sight you would not sup- pose that the pig was making any great headway, but when the horse tries to run it down the mistake is found out. The short, stubby legs of the boar can carry it over the ground at a great rate, but unless it can reach cover at a reasonable distance its pace begins to flag and the hunter gets his chance. Riding up alongside the fleeing animal, he plunges his spear between the boar's shoulders and kills it at once. Sir Samuel Baker says : " There is an immense amount of character in a pig.'' The boar is thoughtful and clever, and, moreover, it knows its own mind and acts like a flash. Sometimes when the native Hindoos are out w o > 2 THE PECCARY. beating up a tiger, they will disturb a boar. The old rascal sniffs the air and makes up its mind which way it will go. If it is forward, away it dashes. But sometimes it awaits events and quietly sneaks into a piece of dense jungle. When the beaters come quite close, the pig charges, and immediately there are shrieks and yells and a wild scrambling to right and left. Then stones are seen to fly, and with a few angry grunts the pig vanishes. Ceylon is the true home of the pig, for it grows larger and fiercer there than anywhere else in the world. Everyone has heard of " learned pigs." As a matter of fact, the domestic swine show great intelligence and are quite clever. Their hearing is good, and their sense of smell is very delicate, while they are capable of great affection. Pigs run swiftly and can leap several feet in the air. A wild hog has been known, when pressed, to clear a nine-foot fence. THE PECCARY. The Peccary is one of the famous animals of the world. It is so fierce that no man can withstand its attacks. It is not much larger than an ordi- nary pig, but, nevertheless, wherever it lives it rules over everything. The peccary is found in Brazil, and there it is sometimes shot for its flesh. -^a^aiwa^^^^^; On one occasion a jaguar -^ :" J r^X -., jfe? 1 sprang upon a peccary, whose angry grunt soon brought its friends to the rescue, and be- fore the jaguar was aware of it, it was set upon by the fierce little herd, who simply tore it to pieces. Many a hunter has been forced to take to a tree, and has been kept a prisoner there by angry peccaries. They are obstinate, ignorant, and stupid, for, while they fight ,_._ „.,„ . . bravely, they learn no wisdom from their victories and defeats beyond that of keeping together and always attacking the common foe. The home of the peccary is usually in the hollow of some tree. The natives of Brazil take advantage of this fact and lie hidden nearby, and shoot the peccaries as they come home. The peccaries always back into their hollow, first one, then another likewise, the last one keeping watch at the opening RABYROUSSA AT HOME. THE BABYROUSSA. The Babyroussa lives in the Celebes Islands. Besides two ordinary tusks, like the boar, it has two extra ones above its nose which grow backward. It is a powerful animal, very fierce, and grows as large as a small donkey. It is a good swimmer, often staying hours in the water just for pleasure. On one occasion a party of hunters were crossing a stream at a spot where the shadows were very dark, when they suddenly found themselves face to face with a huge babyroussa. The animal stared at them in astonish- ment for a moment or two and then, with a fierce grunt, charged. The party scrambled right and left, but one hunter, who was standing knee-deep in the stream, fell over just as the babyroussa reached him. The creature made a sharp lunge with its tusks, but missed a vital spot and ripped open the hunter's thigh instead. The beast then turned and tried to trample the man to complete his work, when another hunter put his rifle just in front of the animal's ear and killed it. The native hunters who were with 'the party were much surprised to see how easily the great pig put the white man to rout. On another occasion a babyroussa charged into a camp just as some hunters were about to eat their evening meal. The men rushed for their rifles, but before they could get a single shot the beast had vanished. As it did not THE BUSH-HOG. return to the attack, the hunters thought that it must have been frightened with the clatter which the tin dishes made in being knocked about in the wild scramble. Throughout the Celebes group the natives have a great fear of the baby- roussa. It is not a common animal, and is but seldom seen because its home is in the thickest part of the forest. Owing to its peculiar color, it is a very difficult animal to see when standing near tree-trunks or rocks. THE BUSH-HOG. The Bush-hog belongs to South Africa. It is usually found in the thickest forests, where it lives in holes which it makes for itself. The bush- hog often visits outlying stations and does immense damage in a single night. It will root up young trees, eat all the vegetables it can find, while it tears its way through gates and fences to get at what it wants. Although a large and powerful animal, it is not as fierce as the babyroussa, nor as clever as the true boar. The bush-hog can best be distinguished by the broad, white band upon it, starting from the top of its head and reaching down to the tail. It is sometimes shot for its flesh, which is considered good eating. THE VLACKE-VAR'K. \ ( ,sgS;. tt^#»»« The Vlacke-vark is another of the swine family belonging to Africa. In spite of its fierce looks it can be easily tamed. The keepers in the London Zoo drive them about like pigs. In Abyssinia the vlacke-vark lives in bur- rows, which resemble a huge rabbit-warren. If its home is invaded, it will charge from one of the openings, and woe to anyone who is near. The usual method of hunting the vlacke-vark is for one man to take up a commanding position near the mouth of one of the burrows, and then watch while a native throws a lighted ball of oily cotton into the mouth. When the smoke becomes very thick inside, the vlacke-vark comes out snorting with rage. Now is the hunter's time, and he must be very cool-headed and a good shot, for the vlacke-vark will surely come at him, even if he is perched up among the rocks. The bones of the beast's skull are very heavy, and unless a rifle-bullet is placed in exactly the right spot, it will only wound the animal, increasing its fury without stopping its charge; hence, there is great danger in hunting this mighty pig. The vlacke-vark is a very swift animal and can easily outrun a horse if the ground is at all rough. It is frequently spoken of as the Abyssinian wart-hog. GOLDEN EAGLES FIGHTING. RHINOCEROS. THE RHINOCEROS. INDIAN RHINOCEROS. It is sometimes thought that the Rhinoceros must have been the animal which the ancients called the unicorn. This famjly is quite numerous, having members in India, Java, Sumatra, and Africa. The Indian variety is famous for the wrinkled folds of skin which cover the shoulder and leg joints, and give good protection to the owner. The skin of the rhinoceros is so tough that a lead bullet will not pierce it, while the bones of its skull are the thickest of any animal. The African variety has a smooth, tough skin without any shoul- der-folds. Throughout Abyssinia the rhinoceros's skin is largely used for war-shields. When rubbed down and oiled it becomes semi-transparent, like dull amber. The horn of the rhinoceros is formed of countless hairs growing together in a compact mass. This horn is quite independent of the skull, for a few days after death it will drop off. It is much sought for to make sword and axe handles, as it is one of the toughest things in the world. All the rhinoceros family are bad-tempered. Without any reason they will attack a beast or dead object, whichever is nearest. The rhinoceros has been seen to caper about, squealing with rage, and attack a bush, tearing it up and trampling it to pieces. The furious beast will drive its horn into the ground and then rush along until the earth looks as though a huge plough had been over it. Sometimes a lion, or tiger, or a leopard is foolish enough to attack a rhinoceros, but the battle generally ends with the victory to the latter. ANGRY RHINOCEROS. THE RHINOCEROS. The elephant and rhinoceros stand somewhat in awe of each other. The ele- phant is nervous and excited when the rhinoceros is near, and even this black, quarrelsome beast will turn aside if it hears an elephant coming, though the rhinoceros will often attack an elephant. The size, weight, and length of tusk of its opponent makes it too risky to fight in a fair battle, but, instead, the crafty rhinoceros lies in wait and rushes upon the elephant unawares, and rips it open with its powerful horn. The elephant cannot see sideways very well, and the rhinoceros, knowing this, lies in wait for its victim until it turns its body to the right angle. But if, by any chance, the rhinoceros misses its strike, a terrific battle takes place, which generally ends in a victory for the elephant. The African natives have a curious way of killing the rhinoceros. They place a strong looped rope in a shallow pit near the feeding-ground. The rhi- noceros, in walking along, puts its foot into the loop and, becoming alarmed, rushes off. At the end of the rope a huge baulk of timber is fastened. It soon gets tired of dragging this weight after it, and often gets it wedged between two trees. The log leaves a clear trail which the natives follow the next day until they find their victim. They then kill it with spears. Sometimes the rope by which the beast is caught breaks, and then things become exciting. FOLLOWING A NOOSED RHINOCEROS. < J 1/3 o Pi w a o 1—1 HIPPOPOTAMUS. THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. The Hippopotamus lives in Africa. , It is to be found in the great lakes and on the banks of the Zambesi and the Nile rivers. A few years ago the hippo was found many miles north of Khartoum, but it has vanished before civilization. It is the next largest animal to the ele- phant. Sir Samuel Baker tells of having killed a bull hippo nearly fifteen feet long. Its body is so dense and he,avy that the instant it is shot it sinks. The beast feeds upon the water- plants which grow so profusely in the tropics, and when searching for food it is able to run on the bottom of the river. Its feet have four toea, each having a sharp nail, which enables the huge creature to easily drag its body up the slippery mud-banks. Its jaws, which are larger than those of any other animal, contain huge teeth. The ivory is in great demand for dentists' work and for making delicate instruments. While the hippo is a sulky beast and rather stupid, it has gleams of sense once in a while. When it has been wounded it suddenly dives under the water, and on coming up to breathe it only allows the tip of its nose to stick out. The brain of this mighty animal is no larger than a man's hand. The hippo is ill- tempered and quarrelsome. It will attack boats without reason, rushing at them with open jaws and smashing the frail wood-work in pieces. Should the hippo be surprised asleep upon a bank, it will run headlong for the water. They have been seen to jump down a bank sixteen feet high, and one can imagine what a splash there was. It seems that there is never any war between me crocodile and the hippo, as the latter's skin is too tough for the reptile's teeth. Often a croco- dile, or even a lion or a leopard, will carry off a baby hippo, but not without great danger, for the mother fights fiercely for her young. The Arabs have m2,ny ways for catching the hippo, but the best known is with the harpoon. Two swimmers go out toward the hippo and throw their harpoons, which are attached to a rope. The hippo dives at once and the x o < o w a y w THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. AN ATTACK ON A WOUNDED HIFPOPOTAMUS. swimmers make for the shore. Directly the creature rises it sees the strange float by its side, dives once more, and rushes up and down on the river-bed trying to rid itself of the harpoons. In the meanwhile, a canoe puts out from shore and fastens ropes to the float, and then the fun begins. Sometimes the hippopotamus deliberately leaves the water and charges its enemies. The wily Arabs throw sand in its eyes so that it cannot see and thus force it to take to the water again. It does not take long to kill the beast once it is brought into shallow water. The various expeditions up the River Nile have been seriously hampered by the hippo, which would swim out under the light, shallow-draught boats and either upset them or crush their bottoms in. Before the late war in the Sou- dan, the hippo used to be seen feeding far down the Nile, but now it has van- ished, except in the parts of the river above Khartoum. Now that Khartoum is in the hands of civilized people the hippo will probably be driven back altogether to the great lakes. It seems that at one time the hippo lived as far north as Cairo, until it was exterminated by man. Livingstone men- tioned having seen immense numbers of hippos feeding along the shores of the Albert and Victoria Nyanza. The method of killing the hippo used by the natives living near the lakes was so crude that the vast number of the creatures never seemed to be reduced. A PAIR OF TOUCANS EATING BANANAS. THE CUCKOO, (yi Natural Size.) SHARKS ATTACKING A DIVER. THE ARMADILLO. The Armadillo is found in Paraguay, where it is quite common. This creature is covered with a suit of armor which protects it from its enemies. It PICHICIAGO ('/. Natural Size;. ARMADTLLO ('A Natural Size). runs very swiftly, and easily beats off any animal that attacks it. A jaguar has been seen to roll an armadillo over and over many times without being able to get any grip for its teeth. It is easily tamed and will run about a house without fear. THE PICHICIAGO. Here is a little animal called the Pichi- ciago, which seems to be a cross between a mole and an armadillo. Its back is covered with a thick, horny skin, which is exceedingly tough. The claws of this animal are long and powerful, which enable if to burrow through the hardest soil with great rapidity. Like all the rest of its family, it lives on the ground and is nocturnal in its habits. Its length is about twelve inches. A PIKE SEIZING A MOOR-HEN. THE AARDVARK. The Aardvark is a true ant-eater and lives in South Africa. This ani- mal is not often seen, for it rarely comes out before nightfall. Its claws are very powerful, and are used in digging up ants, upon which it feeds, also in making the huge burrow in which it lives. Many writers have given accounts of this strange creature, but much of the information must be fiction. Although the aardvark is quite large, it has no means of defending itself except with its claws. These, of course, are very dangerous, but, owing to the animal's short reach, they can only be used when the enemy is close to it. The aardvark depends mainly for safety upon its ears. Directly it hears a suspicious noise it slinks quietly away. It is a curious fact that the aardvark moves very silently for so large an animal. It is said that one of these creatures will pass quite close to a man without his being aware of it. Its nose is very sensitive, and when attacked its first instinct is to tuck its head in between its fore-legs, so as to protect that organ. The eye of the aardvark is large and lustrous, and of a dark hue. Its fur is thick and matted, which protects it from the attacks of the ants. The top of its skull and ears have curious wrinkles in them, and are perfectly bare. GREAT ANT-EATER. THE ANT-EATER. The Great Ant-eater belongs to South America. It differs from the aardvark in that it has much smaller ears and a huge, bushy tail nearly three feet long. The coloring of this tail is so odd that when the animal is seen asleep it looks like a bundle of hay loosely thrown down. The and great has LITTLE ANT-EATER. creature is seven feet lon^ earned its name from its habit of feed- ing on ants. A gentleman who was returning from an orchid hunt in Brazil had a fine chance to watch one. The sun had already gone down and darkness set in quickly, as it does in the tropics, and the moon had risen, so there was enough light to see by. The hunter walked some distance until his eyes met a strange - looking clump of grass, as he believed. Suddenly he realized that it was an ant-eater. The creature awoke, stretched itself, and rose to its feet. The ant-eater always walks on the sides of its feet, for its claws are too long to stretch out like a man's toes. This ant-eater hobbled off toward a gigantic ants' nest, and standing on its hind legs, dug its claws into the top and crum- bled the wall down. Immediately the ants came pouring out in all directions. The ant-eater's tongue then swept them into its mouth. This tongue is long and thin, and is covered with a slimy substance to which the ants stick. It twists and turns this tongue about so swiftly that one might imagine it was a wricfsfling snake. When the ant-eater had eaten all the ants in this nest it moved off to another, where the same thing happened as before. Many of the ants swarmed over their enemy, but it did not seem to mind them at all, although thay were large and powerful, and in a short time would have finished off a large carcass. The hunter, in watching the ant-eater having its supper, suddenly remembered his own, and went on his way, leaving his friend in peace. The Lesser Ant-eater, while differing from his relative in looks, has much the same habits. This creature can climb trees and will boldly attack a wasp's nest, and in spite of the stings of the insects, will speedily eat up all the FAMILY OF SLOTHS. SLOTHS. grubs. None of this family have any teeth, so they must rely wholly on the tongue. Although such a large animal, it' is helpless against the attacks of the jaguar, which is its greatest enemy. The eyes of the ant-eater are a beady black and have a very cunning expression. When an ant-eater chooses to look anyone straight in the face you feel at once that it might be a very treacherous creature, but really it is quite innocent. LITTLE ANT-EATER. The Little Ant-eater seems to be the link between the sloth and the true ant-eater. These little creatures inhabit the trees and feed upon the ants which are always travel- ling up and down the tree- trunks. SLOTHS. Sloths are found in me West India Islands and South America. They live in the trees, hanging from the branches by their curiously shaped toes. Al- though they are called sloths (which in English means lazy people), they are very active. On the ground they can hardly walk, but in the trees they run from branch to branch like monkeys. They travel best in windy weather, for the trees are then blown together, which en- ables them to get from one to another. The worst enemies of the sloths are the harpy eagles, which fly at them and knock them to the ground, where they are helpless. Some species of sloth have two toes, notably those in the West Indies, while those found in Central and South America have three toes. TWO-TOED SLOTH. THE DUCK-BILL. From North Australia comes one of the strangest creatures in the world, called the Duck-bill. It is twenty inches long, and has a loose, furry skin like the beaver, and webbed feet and a duck's bill. THE ECHIDNA. The Echidna is another North Austra- lian animal. At first sight it looks some- thing like a hedge-hog. It is covered with long hair and rolls itself in- to a ball when alarmed. For its size it is one of the strongest animals known. Its muscles are large and its feet have strong digging claws. But the most wonderful thine about 'infill!'! y the echidna is that it is the only egg-laying animal known to exist. It lays three eggs about an inch long, containing a yolk like a bantam's egg. IGUANA. (1/16 Natural Size.) ^ CONDORS MOBBING A PUMA CARRIER PIGEONS IN FLIGHT. CROWS MOBBING SPARROW HAWKS. A MEETING UNDER THE SEA. fe ,